AGM aggro

If the atmosphere at Blues AGM had been replicated a couple of hours later at the Bristol City game, St Andrew's would have resembled a war zone.

They can be dull affairs, shareholders meeting, but Tuesday's in the Gold Suite was marked by volatility, and antipathy towards manager Alex McLeish in particular.

There were only around 70 people in attendance, so guaging an accurate barometer of the vast majority was difficult. But the assembled group, mainly of middle and pensionable age, didn't hold back.

First up, a gentlemen at the front asked were the board aware of the date? Puzzled silence. He continued, and lambasted the non-attendance of David Sullivan, David and Ralph Gold.

"It shows the commitment of the top people at this club - disgraceful." A round of applause; over to you Karren.

Taken aback, Karren Brady said the comment would be noted and expressed some disappointment herself.

The next questioner moved onto the £240,000 renumeration of the aforementioned directors.

"They are taking one-and-a-half per cent of our money for what? They can't even attend!"

He went on to state that Randy Lerner, Ray Ranson and Steve Morgan didn't receive a penny at their clubs.

For three years what effectively is a salary has been drawn and the shareholder thundered: "We're losing £2 million in three years [to them], and hear we can't afford to buy a centre-half and we are bringing in clapped out old cart horses, like de la Cruz!"

After that word - disgrace - again, Brady said it was unfair to make personal attacks on players, and that the board 'didn't pick them'.

Djimi Traore's disastrous addition was addressed.

"The manager asked us to sign him," stated Brady. "It wasn't a name put forward by the board, it wasn't a name encouraged by the board. "These are the terms when we sign players.

"We have a number of short term injuries and the deal was a good one and if was as chance to bring in someone who, if Alex felt he was fit, could make a contribution.

"The player is now ruled out for eight weeks. He's gone back to France."

Shareholders began to outline their hurt, saying they were terribly upset and that the club had gone backwards.

Brady admitted she had sympathy with the fans, and revealed that although McLeish would not be sacked as the season continued, he had to buck up.

One shareholder said he reckoned he had only had £60 worth of entertainment at St Andrew's this season. It was that kind of meeting.

The Stephen Kelly question was brought up: just what on earth had gone on there?

"We don't tell the manager which players to buy, which players to sell," said Brady. "That's not our job.

"The situation with Stephen Kelly was that he was going to Stoke to bring money in for Matt Mills.

"That was fundamentally the reason because all the money that had been made available had been spent.

"Part of the reason was to finance the next deal and the only player available to help generate that funding to go towards Mills was Stephen Kelly.

"The Mills deal didn't happen but we still believed that it might happen in terms of a loan with a guarantee to buy.

"One crossed the other and the Doncaster chairman said he wasn't going to sell him."
Pressed further, Brady said: "We felt we were very close to doing a deal but we can't pressure other clubs into selling if they don't want to.

"What we have tried to do is bring in Stephen Carr, Ulises de la Cruz to try and assist where the shortfall is."

The meeting, which lasted one hour and 20 minutes, continued to meander down a series of paths that were mostly critical of McLeish and the board.

In the next blog, the attack on 'vegetable patch pitches' and the mystery of the 'heater in the dressing room' will be disclosed, and what plans Carson Yeung has for Blues.