ONLY ONE SIR JOHN MADEJSKI!

[strap]

Longest serving RFC Chairman EVER, certainly one of the longest current serving Chairman of ANY of the 92 senior clubs.

Question is, is he, like Sir Steve, now beyond his sell-by date? Does familiarity breed contempt, or like Margaret Thatcher/Fraud-n Clown, has he been in power/office so long now that he truly believes that he is the ONLY person who knows the answers??

As has been proven time and time again, absolute power corrupts absolutely. There seem to be the classic "succession planning" void at RFC that aflicts so many successful companies.

Instead of trying to get absolute top dollar for his creation, perhaps he should start by diluting his own shareholding by selling minority chunks to senisble, interested, vetted, young individuals, who will be prepared to play an increasing role at board level? With one person holding 98% of all shares, the opportunity for alternative or external ideas, suggestions or influence is severely diminished, and after a while, an inevitable staleness/sameness takes hold.

When Mr Mad rescued the Club (and let's be honest, with his rescue we wouldnlt be here today), it was necessary, nay vital, that a single strong figurehead takes control to get the company back on track, (a la Margaret Thatcher dare I say it?). However, now the club is stabilised and clearly on the right footing, RFC, like all good businesses, needs a vibrant, diverse Board, NOT a single, dictatorial, owner who is unwilling/unable to listen to wiser voices than himself. I'm not suggesting we are the wider voices, FAR FROM IT! We're just a bunch of keyboard tapping plebs who seek to gain a little escape from the regular mundanities of our insignificant lives by supporting "our" club. If we were any different, we would be heads of multi-million pound businesses ourselves, and more than likely actually speaking to Mr Mad re. buying him out.

So Mr Mad, your challenge is to show how you yourself can embrace change, grow with your creation and accept that every organism needs to adapt to everchanging circumstances. This seems to be the "big thing" about BRs tenure. I submit that Mr Mad will have to make even bigger personal changes if this "project" is to have any chance of success.

Roll on Tuesday!!

[Royal_Belly]

My issue with the chairman is that he publicly stated that the club would have to sell players before we could sign any - so we have successfully sold our best players for a good amount of money and now we seem to be haggaling over a player that we desperately need - just offer him the fcuking money that he's worth and be done with it!! We're happy to shell out £2 million on Matthew Mills but we struggle to put a decent offer on the table for a proven goal scorer - when we're struggling to score! It's ridiculous!

[shoey]

Good point royal belly, I cant argue with that.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Can someone clarify the investments Madejski has made to the club in terms of :

How much has been as a benefactor i.e giving but not expecting payback, and secondly, how much has been lent to the club, albeit at a reduced interest rate, compared to lending from a financial institution ?

I believe that if you look at the club accounts going back numerous years, anything the Madjeski has provided in terms of finances , has been a loan and he has got back with interest - Ive got nothing wrong with the club being operated in that way, but at same time, lets not make out the Majejski has ridden into town with a sackful of money and given it to the club - he is in effect our bank, he lends , we borrow - he gets back with interest

[M Brook]

I wonder if Ian Gillan is still interested.

[Gordons Cumming]

We don't know what is going on behind the Madejski walls as we speak........................

[Dorset-Knob]

Strap makes a sane and reasoned point, even M&S who were rescued by the single mindedness of Rose now recognise that a broader approach is required and that he cannot continue to be judge, juror and executioner.

[MalcybabyRFC]

My issue with the chairman is that he publicly stated that the club would have to sell players before we could sign any - so we have successfully sold our best players for a good amount of money and now we seem to be haggaling over a player that we desperately need - just offer him the fcuking money that he's worth and be done with it!! We're happy to shell out £2 million on Matthew Mills but we struggle to put a decent offer on the table for a proven goal scorer - when we're struggling to score! It's ridiculous!

Agree - get Tommy Smith today!!!!

[Thaumagurist*]

We're happy to shell out £2 million on Matthew Mills but we struggle to put a decent offer on the table for a proven goal scorer - when we're struggling to score! It's ridiculous!

Point 1: Mills is actually a lot younger than Smith and therefore will be around long enough to be worth the price we paid.

Point 2: Smith's contract with Watford is about to expire. Why should we pay a lot of money when he could possibly go for free at the end of his contract?

Having said that, I think we should either try again or go looking elsewhere for a striker from a club that isn't difficult to do business with.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

We don't know what is going on behind the Madejski walls as we speak........................

He's probably staringly lovingly at one of his glass case enclosed sports cars with his trousers around his ankles!

[Dorset-Knob]

We don't know what is going on behind the Madejski walls as we speak........................

He's probably staringly lovingly at one of his glass case enclosed sports cars with his trousers around his ankles!

[Thaumagurist*]

We don't know what is going on behind the Madejski walls as we speak........................

He's probably staringly lovingly at one of his glass case enclosed sports cars with his trousers around his ankles!

Exactly, IMAIMMATUREGUY is green with jealous envy.

[MalcybabyRFC]

We're happy to shell out £2 million on Matthew Mills but we struggle to put a decent offer on the table for a proven goal scorer - when we're struggling to score! It's ridiculous!

Point 1: No, we didn't "shell out £2 million" - we paid £1.5 million.

Point 2: Mills is actually a lot younger than Smith and therefore will be around long enough to be worth the price we paid.

Point 3: Smith's contract with Watford is about to expire. Why should we pay a lot of money when he could possibly go for free at the end of his contract?

Having said that, I think we should either try again or go looking elsewhere for a striker from a club that isn't difficult to do business with.

So what you are also saying is that we have acted like a bunch of cheap dickheads. After all we have been chasing TS so we as a club clearly think he's worth it. Going on his recent performances including last season he isnt quite over the hill yet - scoring better than church, kanu, hunt, long etc

Your missing the point, we are claiming to be a club moving forward I agree with the buy of Mills but why stop there - seriously why? Do you think thats enough from a club looking to reach promotion in the next couple of years? I dont understand why you would want to wait for Tommy Smith to end his contract when Watford love him to bits and will probably have better business sense and offer him a new contract after this whole saga anyway.

We have left it too late to sign anyone that wont be a panic buy, and we will probably be taken this piss out of by any club realising this!!!!!!!! Lets face it we have'nt been quiet about the TS situation.

Tommy Smith today please!

[Thaumagurist*]

Of course I don't want us to stop with the Mills signing.

Lets face it we have'nt been quiet about the TS situation.

We? I think Watford have done most of the talking.

[Royal_Belly]

We're happy to shell out £2 million on Matthew Mills but we struggle to put a decent offer on the table for a proven goal scorer - when we're struggling to score! It's ridiculous!

Point 1: Mills is actually a lot younger than Smith and therefore will be around long enough to be worth the price we paid.

Point 2: Smith's contract with Watford is about to expire. Why should we pay a lot of money when he could possibly go for free at the end of his contract?

Having said that, I think we should either try again or go looking elsewhere for a striker from a club that isn't difficult to do business with.

Point 1: Fair enough - I get that!

Point 2: because as far as i'm concerned there is no one else out there at the moment that is available, we're desperate - and by the time his contract comes to an end we could be in serious trouble!!! We always moan that we take to long to react to things going on - lets just do it!

However - I must admit that Watford do seem to be calling the shots - but if we want him then we do what they say (within reason obviously!)

[Ozymandias]

Jeez, you have got to hope that no-one of any power at RFC reads this.

Ungrateful, fickle, rude and aggressive fans.

[Thaumagurist*]

Point 2: because as far as i'm concerned there is no one else out there at the moment that is available, we're desperate - and by the time his contract comes to an end we could be in serious trouble!!!

I actually agree with you there, we need a striker asap.

We always moan that we take to long to react to things going on - lets just do it!

I disagree there, how do you know how quick we are to react to things when they don't tell us until the thing is done? I'd give you an example: Jamie Cureton coming in when Nicky Forster got injured.

[(.)Boobies(.)]

Point 2: because as far as i'm concerned there is no one else out there at the moment that is available, we're desperate - and by the time his contract comes to an end we could be in serious trouble!!!

I actually agree with you there, we need a striker asap.

Two of hobnob's finest stating the bleedin' obvious.

[MalcybabyRFC]

Of course I don't want us to stop with the Mills signing.

Lets face it we have'nt been quiet about the TS situation.

We? I think Watford have done most of the talking.

What i meant was this whole fiasco has been aired for all to see / hear. Any club we approach will be aware of our position in the league, need for goals, no TS now and less than a week to go. What happens if this is the case - I know I’d do it if it was the other way round?

I don’t honestly know what we will do if every player is now "too expensive" and this transfer market closes without a new striker / attacking midfielder. By the time xmas comes we may be sooo in the shit we aren’t an attractive club to come to anymore.

I don’t understand why we always have to penny pinch and go for the deal - lets face it Watford have laid down the price and they know they can get this from, Sheffield Utd, Newcastle, Portsmouth, and QPR they may need the pennies but they also need the goals and possible promotion this year. Now im now saying TS can achieve this on his own but he made a bloody good contribution to them not going down - scored the same as Doyle last year if I remember correctly and spent some time off for injury.

[Forbury Lion]

The club achieved pre-tax profits of £6.6m during the tax year ending in June 2007 and the club has recently been valued at £100 million[5].

Gawd knows what it's worth now.[/quote]

£100m investment - Assuming the government make profits from football clubs tax free that's £6.6m return per year. On that basis it will take 15 years to get my money back and thats assuming the revenue streams are gauranteed.... For that reason I'm out.