'appy 'Ammers
It was a strange experience watching David Sullivan and David Gold at their unveiling press conference.
There was Sullivan in a claret smoking jacket that just kept making me think, for some reason, 'Bob Monkhouse'.
Gold was attired in a more sober suit and tie combination and less forceful and forthright of the two in his comments, as we have come to expect.
It was a far cry from when Sullivan rolled up for his first day at Blues, with Karren Brady tottering alongside him.
Back then it was nudge nudge, wink wink, snigger snigger because of Sullivan's background and the Daily Sport newspaper.
Now, having proven themselves very capable operators in the business of football in the 16 years at Blues, Sullivan and Gold were held up as some kind of knights in shining armour, at the forefront of a romantic tale of salvage on their field of dreams, Upton Park.
I'm sure any Brummies looking on will have been cracking a wry smile here and there at the odd comment, a knowing nod of the head too.
A seven-year plan to get in the Champions League . . . despite ã110 million of debt?
Funds for new players (within reason) and a determination to move into a new stadium, the 2012 Olympic arena three miles up the road?
An invitation to anyone with ã15 million or ã20 million to come on down?
East End boys coming home (anyone mention that Sullivan is from Cardiff?) and all that.
In these parts we know how they operate, we know what makes them tick; I don't think they quite do in the smoke.
I always say this: that they did very well for Birmingham City, and did very well out of Birmingham City.
When they could have maintained an upward progress Blues plateaued in January 2006, the transfer window that never was. The collective will and drive died, as did the Casino Project.
Things yo-yoed on, same old, same old. There was a fracturing of the Blues 'family' Carson Yeung and his buddies are so keen to redress.
And Sullivan, Gold and Brady could have handled their actual departure and the sale to Yeung so much better and left on more amicable terms, with a consensus gratitude and respect from fans.
The fun times reviving a moribund Blues, the crazy days of Bazza, the heartache of TF's near misses and then promotion to the Premier League and the subsquent excitement and optimism . . . all that was lost in a fog the last few years, and months.
I always said to Sullivan that despite all his gripes about players, money, agents and fans, he would miss football once he got out. He enjoys striking a deal, the cut and thrust, the grief. His two boys are at an age where their enthusiasm for the game has rubbed off on their dad.
To Gold it's like oxygen, he loves being part of the football thing. I'm sure he felt at a loose end, if not lost, after finishing at Blues.
I think they will bring stability to West Ham and maybe lower the ambitions of fans to more realistic levels, whether they like it or not. I would be amazed if West Ham got anywhere near the Champions League, but not surprised if Matthew Upson decided he had to be first to the exit door.
There's bound to be fall-outs along the way, and unpopular decisions will be made, moans aired. But that's all part of the absorbing package, that's them - and that's for a new audience.
What will happen is that everything they do will be scrutinised in much more microscopic and hysterial detail. You wouldn't believe how many key positions in the media at large, across all sections, are filled by West Ham fans.
They hold this image of Sullivan, Gold and Brady as having splashed out squillions on transforming Blues from the Birmingham Works' League to Premier League.
As one Fleet Street newspaperman remarked to me recently about the trio: "They're going to be in for a shock. The nationals never really cared about them when they were at Birmingham, apart from the odd juicy row and Karren's 'celebrity' profile - because they didn't care about Birmingham."
And because West Ham won the World Cup (yawn, yawn. . . ), they will be flavour of the month for some time until a balloon goes up.
What did disappoint a little were the constant references to West Ham being where they 'really' wanted to be all these years, that they had 'come home', how Blues fans disliked Sullivan but now he was among his own in the East End.
Sure, the emotion of the occasion was strong, but a little more respect would have not gone amiss.
Before it was certain they would take over the Hammers, Brady even said that despite spending 16 years at Blues 'their heart was always at West Ham'. Charming.
You can't just airbrush out that long at a place as proud as Blues as if it didn't matter, as if it didn't help turn you into what you are today - and help you get the club you've got today.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum's view of what's going on at Birmingham City FC.
Great blog as usual.
The last few paragraphs sum them up for me really.... totally lacking in class.
They just cant manage an interview without taking a sideswipe at somebody. Sully has already called the Icelandic feller 'Mr Egghead'. With regard to the comments about coming home etc.. also shows there true feelings when it comes to us.
West Ham are welcome to them. We can look forward to a much brighter future with our new owners. KRO.
I was saddened that the previous owners felt the need to go down that line. I will remain eternally gratful to these guys for coming in and helping us out when local business and the council wash their hands of us.
Us fans put up with a lot of banter and insults because of their business interests esp the london press. We believed in them at first and towards the end if they were trying to find every way possible to alienate the core support they couldn't have gone about it any better.
Let's not forget that G + S needed us as much as we needed them. BCFC provided them with the perfect platform to elevate them from sleazy porn barons whose money was tainted to directors of a professional limited company.
what got my goat the most was the way they courted the media circus opinions here columns there sticking their oar in where it's not welcome. Very embarrasing.
ps lets not forget the reason they wanted off was because they couldn't get the new casino ground lets hope west ham get the olympic!
To echo Simon a great blog again.
It is amazing isn't it how Sullivan can't help himself when it cones to the BS and spin. He was constantly doing at at Blues and now he's started at West Ham.
He has emphasised (and probably exaggerated) the size of the debt so that when it comes down he can say how wonderful he is.
I totally agree with you that they cannot have amnesia about the 16 yeats they spent at Stans and what a bloody insult to Blues fans to say that it was West Ham where they always wanted to be.
No wonder we eventually got fed up with them.
The apologists and sychophants for the old Board amongst Blues followers must be absolutely cringing when they look at themselves in the mirror - squirm you saddos!
Downside is we won't be playing Sully's new cash cow at St. Andrews and so can't give him and his vile cronies some stick as West Ham will be plying their trade in the Championship.
'Had to be more prudent - hence best players gone,the club name change to sponsors, as well as dear old Upton Park having to be sold....... and we haven't made a penny honest. I was misquoted about the Champions League I did in fact say Championship'
Excellent blog and covers all the key points. No question that they did a good job for Blues eventually, bearing in mind it took them nine long years to bring Premier League football to the club and they saw us lose it twice as well! However, your point that they did very well out of Blues is well made. They are entitled to their comments and if West Ham was always the love of their lives then it explains a lot about their running of Blues especially in the last couple of years. It was always made clear that Blues was run as a business and it was on that basis that they built their credibility as astute football business people. What now they have bought West Ham as âÂÂfansâ and talk grandly of making the Champions League in seven years? Promises, promises and as Mary Poppins once famously said âÂÂa pie crust promise; easily made, easily broken!â Not that I would not want to come over negatively but their approach with us always had a touch of Walt Disney about it for me!
Their lack of respect for Blues who played a major part in gaining them the experience and confidence to take on a club with the combined problems of huge debt and massive expectation is disappointing but sadly no more than I would have expected from them. If it means anything at all, then it might be worth them reflecting for a moment on the fact that after sixteen years at the club so few Blues fans have much regard for them and many are delighted they have gone. It might be something that a few West Ham fans might want to think about to!
Now lets get on we our future, enough of this already!
Let your heart beat strong and all that.
How can you guys complain they took you from rubble and ruin to the Premier League?? Seriously? If they didn't make money what is the point of running a club?? For fun?? LOL.
PS Sullivan showed more passion for us in one phone call than he ever did for Brum and he maybe from Cardiff but he grew up in Hornchurch and went to school in Mile End. He has a strong affection with our club and if he manages to scrape us out of this hole we'll be pleased. We're not deluded and think we should be playing in the Champions League but we are fed up of being a feeder club for scumbags like Spurs and Chelsea
Dan, no disrespect mate but hes been owner for 5 mins and your already taking in his spin. We have the knowledge and memory to be able to call on the years he spent at the Blues. The guy loves the limelight. To be honest it doesn't matter to me whether hes more passionate for Blues or West Ham. Lets just see how you feel at the end of the season or actually the end of Jan and the transfer window. Look out for that big name signing on big wages that was almost going to sign!Id hate to say i told you so.im not having a dig im just telling it how it is. good luck.
Dear Angry Dan,
The comments are directed at our previous owners and are not anti West Ham, or certainly mine are not. Good luck with staying up. Your experience of these people running your club may be different to how they ran ours and for your sake I hope they are. A lot of clubs were in a terrible state in the early 90's and with the money that came into the football improved. Our previous owners would have the world believe that it was their money that transformed the club but it was only even loaned and all paid back. Over the years Blues fans grew tired of every trick in the book being used to squeeze every last penny out of them. Of the number of players whoâÂÂs transfers collapsed because we would not pay the going rate or players like your own Matty Upson who wanted away because of their lack of ambition. Of course this will all be different at their spiritual home but donâÂÂt hold your breath.
No doubt with new owners you are feeling positive and want to believe that they will turn your club around and maybe they will. Our experience is to be careful with the promises, David Sullivan is like the weather, one day positive and up beat, the next collapsed, despondent and persecuted by ungrateful fans.
You can take offence or notice my friend. The choice is yours.
You are welcome to them!
Let your heart beat strong and all that.
Cant believe you Brummies. Sullivan and Gold and Brady transformed your club from Division Three and spent millions making you decent. Give them credit for moving on to make way for the new bloke and taking on a massive debt. West Ham should be competing for the title and Europe every season and with them here we will be.
I'll look forward with a wry smile on what will be the West Ham circus over the next few years.
You can't blame their supporters for wanting to be as upbeat as possible about the takeover, but we Bluenoses know what these people are about and its not very pleasant. The bulshine has started already in shed loads and this is just the tip of a very big iceberg.
A difference to our scenario will be that the national papers will scrutinize developments very closely and won't hold back when the inevitable happens and they spot something iffy.
Not all of us are 'appy 'ammers. Exaggerating the debt and taking side swipes at the previous regime is what you come to expect in football take-overs (and politicians rhetoric during election year). Will WHUFC be better off for this? In the short term, yes. In the long term, asset stripping and a flirt with the fizzy pop league is what the realists among us expect.
As both a West Ham fan (of forty+ years) AND a fan of football in general I appreciate the comments made by the Blues fans above, which seem quite realistic. As a club Birmingham has done very well this season and its good to see a gentleman like Alex McLeish getting the rewards of his hard work and integrity. As for Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold, we can of course only wait and see what transpires, but the previous Icelandic ownership was SO bad - watching Alan Curbishley sign the players he did for the salaries reported two years ago was like watching someone pouring your family history down the toilet. Reading that Man Utd are now 716 million in debt makes you realise what a crazy world football really is. Personally I wish them well but understand how very stupid the football industry is these days. Good luck Blues anyway - a real team from a real city - just like us!!
Wasn't Birmingham City in administration in 1992 with everything in the hands of liquidators in a run down stadium when Sullivan came in? How many other clubs have been taken from those depths to where you are today, only one, Chelski when Bates paid a pound for the club. Yes they are business men and left BCFC in a far better state than when they came and on a sounder footing than most clubs in the football league. Why do you think Carson Yeung invested in the club. Sullivan & Gold aren't Abramovich nor have they ever claimed to be.
Good article.
I'm glad they're back in football and I hope they do well. Real characters who saved BCFC when no Brummie money was forthcoming. Critical words now are so cheap. Where was the money and the impetus to buy them out if they were so bad?
They creamed money off and were concerned about profit and Brady concerned about herself and her profile. They didn't give a stuff about Blues as their subsequent comments have shown. Good riddance
I wouldn't worry much about Sullivan, he looks ill to me. Wouldn't be too suprised if he died sometime this year, honestly. He's had ticker trouble before, he's full of bitterness so it must take it's toll.
Youve gotta laugh its started already.
West ham are in for an unnamed 100k a week forward (BBC Football). They are in ongoing talks with him as are 2 other unamed European clubs...
Didnt we hear similar stories once a month at Blues?
If any WHU fans read this I bet you anything what will happen is as follows.
You will not get the "Big Un" because you just missed at out the last minute to a team more financially stable or better off. Then you will sign some journeyman reserve striker from an average team. Sully will say we did our best but blah blah blah.
This cycle will continue until you are so sick of it you give up!!
Good luck lads.
I can't believe that there are still mugs out there that believe everything that Sullivan, Gold and Brady say.
In terms of Blues they purchased a club with a lot of potential (the 'sleeping giant' tag and all that) beating off compettion from at least 2 other interested parties at the time.
Their arrival in football was obviously a very strategic business decision - 1992 was a tremendously opportune time for astute businesmen interested in football with TV money just starting to pour into the game and with the Football Trust offering grants to clubs building all seater stands in the wake of the Taylor Reports (thats why nothing was done with the Main Stand - the subsidies ran out).
Naturally they had to invest their own capital initially, but boy, have they had it back in spades.
Up to a point it must be said they were good for BCFC but nothing compared to how beneficial BCFC were for them - not least because it gave them a higher media profile and some respectability (as opposed to their position as major players in the porno industry).
What rankled Blues followers was the constant stream of spin, unjustifed self praise, broken promises, lies and financial exploitation.
Maybe this won't happen to the same extent at West Ham, their spiritual home apparently, but altruistic people these are not........FACT.
quinblue you've summed it/them up clearly & precisely in 3 small paragraphs. I'd urge all Blues fans to copy and paste his comments into a Word Document for future use as I fear we may never hear the end of this saga. Especially if they achieve even a modicum of success at West Ham, then everyone else (S&G, and Brady included) will gloss over the truth on their 16 years at St. Andrews. Sullivan is already re-writing the past by declaring himself a Hammers fan.
They've shown disrepect to Blues left, right and centre. This club has given them one thing that money can't buy, Respect. Even West Ham didn't want to know them before their Blues days because of their "other business interests". You never forget your first job, car, house etc. If you're in football you never forget your first club, this mob already have and that sums them up, no class.
Thank you Blues for your word of warning which seem mostly well considered rather than embittered. I take onboard those words but remain cautiously optimistic for the future which surely has to be better than the nightmare we have recently endured.
I for one am glad to see that the club which carries the name of Britain's second city now appears to have a team worthy of it's name, and although Sullivan and Gold could have been more gracious I don't think you should lose sight of the fact they are largely responsible for the huge upturn in your fortunes.
I salute you as fellow longtime sufferers who are hopefully destined for better times ahead.
the dark cloud over st. andrews has moved to upton park ! Oh, I am so happy. Blue skies for us bluenoses, despair and no ambition for the hammers. They are going south and they deserve to after tevez and what they did to the blades. champions league in seven years ? more like league one inthree years. believe it you thick cockneys
hi colin can you find clarification of these headlines gold said the local press said about the old owners "cockneys go
home" in your archive. I beive he is doing you a great disservice.
i think WHUFC will soon realise what they are all about. They are very good business men and I think they will save the club. But lets just rememeber a few things:
Suli and Gold never gave blues financial security. Barry Fry did that with his phenominal wheeling and dealing.
Suli and Gold paid off 2 milion in debts about 17 years ago, and they have done very nicely for that investment.
Blues fans do appreciate the business side they did for us, but not the constant broken promises, recruitment of players via media and the constant complaining that they tried and failed.
They were great for blues, but stayed about 4 years too long. Too many broken promises and BS to be nice about them.
I found it ironic he had his blues blazer and now he has his west ham blazer.
Good luck west ham. They will save you and in 8 years time after numerous broken promises, self inflated egotism and claims of inflated investment figures and how they will only break even you will realise why we feel the way we do.
Yes, they saved us. But they also sucked the spirit out of our great football club. Thousands of supporters refused to go purely because of them. When I think of them I think of false promises, insults and penny-pinching. Had to laugh this week when, after initially saying (pre-purchase) that they would make around ã20m available for new players, Sully backtracks and says "we won't be buying any new players but the fans can at least be relieved that we won't be selling any either." Then, probably realising that he'd said the wrong thing, out comes the ã100,000 p/wk striker (supposedly van Nistelrooy). And I bet they'll "nearly" get him. It all sounds so, so familiar. Best of luck to you Hammers, I know they'll be nowhere near as bad as your old owners, but be prepared to yoyo.
Be prepared for a roller coaster ride you Hammers. Now is the honeymoon period its okay now. But what ever you do don't criticise Sullivan cos if you do that's when he'll turn on you and throw his toys out of the pram. It's happened so many times at St Andrews, in the end everyone just got fed up with this love/hate relationship he had with the supporters. He just wants to be loved and unchallenged. In 2002 one of our fanzines drew a characterture of him on the front of their magazine. That was it he was selling the club he wasn't going to hang around where he wasn't wanted, etc. The whole thing about "he's come home" makes me laugh as up until a few weeks ago Sullivan has only ever had links with Cardiff (where we was born) and Spurs who he supported and even had shares at (...you check it out). I can understand the link with Gold but I honestly think Sullivan is making the whole thing up about being a West Ham supporter. Any way good luck, you will get stability but they will take the mick out of you and make you feel like mugs not supporters. The massive portrait of Sullivan, Gold & Brady looking over our city in our main reception area has gone, thank goodness, it very much reminded me of Russia in the 70's. If you don't mind their self-worship campaigns and outbursts in the press against supporters that "we saved you when no one else would" when things go wrong then you'll be okay. Best of luck.
If West Ham fans want them summed up then it was the way they left - paid themselves a year's salary after they had resigned, Brady's ã1m pay off awarded by the board including exec box, car, phone, health care etc, slagging off Yeung, the fans and everybody, leaving liabilities of ã11m that Yeung didn't know about etc etc oh and David Gold was desperate to stay and keep his seat on the PL committees but also take his cake and eat it money wise. all you need to do is do a quick search on this Mail site and you will find everything you need to know. you are welcome to them