In defence of Big Dave

[talkSAFT]

BaggieBlood said:
".....When I wrote on here of what the c??? Peace had done with that last £28m dividend i was told to prove as it was libellous, then nothing more was said. "

That was me, BB. I did look it up on the WBA Accounts a few months back, after your post (but can't find them now!) and it stunned me to see "Dividends £27m".
Without any further info I'm assuming that means he paid himself and the other Directors a whopping big bonus. Have you found out any more?
I was gobsmacked, but I don't hold it against him/them. If Mr.Lai could come up with the same Results that Jeremy did over 15 years I wouldn't be surprised - nor hold it against him - if he creamed off a similar bonus for himself. Peace's results speak for themselves, and he guided us to good relative success in his years at the helm, to be fair to him.
Yes - he sold the Club, and made a fortune for himself, but he's an entrepreneur at the end of the day, and while I'm far from being a True Blue, that's what successful business is all about.

[BaggieBlood]

That's your choice if you think it is alright.

Personally, I don't when he lied about not doing the Halford Lane because we could not fill it, yet in lower division on the first day we sell out.

He did want to spend on the halfords Lane or on Lukaku because his exit strategy always involved taking that big dividend accumulated over the years.

I am not a socialist, but I take great exception to someone who came in saying he was a WBA fan and slowly, but surely bought the shares from most of the other wba shareholders.

He did this by employing one scum my scheme after another which essentially meant they had no option but to sell to the c??? and his sister.

If people still want to look at Peace in a glowing light then that is their choice but next time they go to the Albion they should look around at what he built?

Nothing,

Look at what he left?

An aging squad.

What did he invest?

Nothing.

[baggieal]

That's your choice if you think it is alright.

Personally, I don't when he lied about not doing the Halford Lane because we could not fill it, yet in lower division on the first day we sell out.

He did want to spend on the halfords Lane or on Lukaku because his exit strategy always involved taking that big dividend accumulated over the years.

I am not a socialist, but I take great exception to someone who came in saying he was a WBA fan and slowly, but surely bought the shares from most of the other wba shareholders.

He did this by employing one scum my scheme after another which essentially meant they had no option but to sell to the c??? and his sister.

If people still want to look at Peace in a glowing light then that is their choice but next time they go to the Albion they should look around at what he built?

Nothing,

Look at what he left?

An aging squad.

What did he invest?

Nothing.

I could not agree more with you! The shares held by the supporters are worthless and Peace could have inserted any clause into the sale. There was no investment 6 months prior to Peace leaving whatsoever as the exit strategy had been formalized. To take such a dividend then to cream off further huge sums of money through a consultants role was sheer greed. Yes we are left with an aging squad, a ground which could have been expanded, and we are where we are partly due to Peace and Lai not controlling what was going on with a closer rein.

Some will say - businessmen or players will try and squeeze as many millions out of a club as they can which is very true. Thing is, football supporters are beginning to stamp their feet and say enough is enough which is why so many seats are empty!

It's so true in life - it's those who have very little are far more generous than those who are wealthy!!! Fact is - those who have little are far nicer, sincere and caring individuals than those who are very comfortable!

So Peace - enjoy your Jersey mansion are hope the millions do not bring you a heart attack. To many you will be remembered as a ruthless business but to many it will be you are a greedy cxxx!

[BaggieBlood]

It's alright though Al as he was one of our own, born and bred in West Bromwich.

[baggieal]

It's alright though Al as he was one of our own, born and bred in West Bromwich.

Yeah - then he went to the Smoke and learnt the art of screwing people big time! People like Peace and that fat **** who runs Sports Direct ( and spends 2 dimes on Newcastle ) are of the same cloth!

Thing is, when most individuals are motivated by greed, they are always chasing the next million until their last breathe and their families usually still see the aggression, meanness and nasty horrible streak within. Each to there own!

[talkSAFT]

The main crux of what I'm saying is that, under Peace's leadership, we moved from nowhere (2nd Division) to a settled Premier status (with the help of Paul Thompson who got us up initially), which only the Big 6 + Everton have maintained (?) He led us prudently upto The Sale so that we didn't overspend, and just handed the Club over to Lai, under whose stewardship we got relegated. If I've got any criticism it's that he sold out to somebody who doesn't seem to know what to do. Lai allowed his knowledgeable Deputies to perservere with Pulis, and then bring in Partridge, neither of which Peace would have done (I don't think). The Halfords will probably never be extended if The Management have got any sense, because we simply haven't got enough fans to fill it. There's ambition and stupidity, because when we seem to splash out we get the wrong players in, such as Rondon, Liversalts, and Burke. Extending the Halfords would be like pouring champagne down the sink.

[BaggieBlood]

That is your view, but I disagree.

The C???t didn't do anything spectacular business acumen wise.

There was nothing revolutionary as the income streams are the same fan generated income, advertising from ground and shirt and the shirt Sky/BT money coming from subscribers to their channels.

He didn't create any of these income streams.

He came in and got an easy ride when we were relegated because he milked the I'm from West Bromwich and I am a lifelong West Bromwich Albion fan.He maintained the Prem football by employing a manager who manager hated by many fans and who drove the fans away, just so he could maintain those profits in the annual accounts and attract a buyer based on them.

That you believe his b ollux that he was not building a new Halfords lane because we couldn't fill it, is shocking when we sold out against mighty Bolton.

He didn't build it because it would have cost a lot because it would have meant either building over halfords lane or diverting the actual road itself.

Instead of bettering our infrastructure, he banked the money paid tax (lost to the club forever) on it over years so he could take it eventually as "that" dividend.

You may think that is deserved, I don't when he leaves an aging squad and ground that needs the halfords lane and corners of the East stand doing and a thick new owner.Not content with the £1m a year salary he took the family silver with him on the way out.

It wouldn't surprise me that the thick Lai thought he was going to get the £28m that was in the bank, he is that naive.

[baggieal]

That is your view, but I disagree.

The C???t didn't do anything spectacular business acumen wise.

There was nothing revolutionary as the income streams are the same fan generated income, advertising from ground and shirt and the shirt Sky/BT money coming from subscribers to their channels.

He didn't create any of these income streams.

He came in and got an easy ride when we were relegated because he milked the I'm from West Bromwich and I am a lifelong West Bromwich Albion fan.He maintained the Prem football by employing a manager who manager hated by many fans and who drove the fans away, just so he could maintain those profits in the annual accounts and attract a buyer based on them.

That you believe his b ollux that he was not building a new Halfords lane because we couldn't fill it, is shocking when we sold out against mighty Bolton.

He didn't build it because it would have cost a lot because it would have meant either building over halfords lane or diverting the actual road itself.

Instead of bettering our infrastructure, he banked the money paid tax (lost to the club forever) on it over years so he could take it eventually as "that" dividend.

You may think that is deserved, I don't when he leaves an aging squad and ground that needs the halfords lane and corners of the East stand doing and a thick new owner.Not content with the £1m a year salary he took the family silver with him on the way out.

It wouldn't surprise me that the thick Lai thought he was going to get the £28m that was in the bank, he is that naive.

Could not agree more! The same model is being employed at Newcastle - employ a good manager to retain premier league football and then spent feckall on the squad in comparison to the monies coming in. Newcastle supporters can see this but our dear West Brom supporters just blame each manager who really is just the captain of the ship but does not bank the cash or have the player investment he wants.

You now have people turning on Big Dave and it will be all his fault. I know, the guy will never feature on Mastermind and he's got a few things wrong, but hey people need to start looking at the bigger picture.

West Brom progressed as a club for the exit strategy and the walls started crumbling at least six months before the club was sold. Had our China friend been in the country and knew anything about football, he may have seen it! Peace is sharp ( I will give him that ), but some can see him for what he is - a greedy **** who lined his own pockets!

PS - Peace will care as much for the club as Ben Foster saying one of the reasons he left was because people were losing their jobs in the background. Do you really think we are thick Ben - enjoy your payrise you Judas!

[sweeper5]

The main crux of what I'm saying is that, under Peace's leadership, we moved from nowhere (2nd Division) to a settled Premier status (with the help of Paul Thompson who got us up initially), which only the Big 6 + Everton have maintained (?) He led us prudently upto The Sale so that we didn't overspend, and just handed the Club over to Lai, under whose stewardship we got relegated. If I've got any criticism it's that he sold out to somebody who doesn't seem to know what to do. Lai allowed his knowledgeable Deputies to perservere with Pulis, and then bring in Partridge, neither of which Peace would have done (I don't think). The Halfords will probably never be extended if The Management have got any sense, because we simply haven't got enough fans to fill it. There's ambition and stupidity, because when we seem to splash out we get the wrong players in, such as Rondon, Liversalts, and Burke. Extending the Halfords would be like pouring champagne down the sink.

I have had a look at the accounts of West Bromwich Albion Football Club Ltd, made up to 30th June 2016.
In these, it is clearly stated that dividends of £27 million were paid.

Now, as far as I know, and I am not accountancy trained, dividends are paid at the discretion of the Directors of a Company; they are paid to the Shareholders.

The Shareholdings of this Company are owned by West Bromwich Albion Group Ltd, so naturally I then looked at the accounts of this Company, for the same period. The shareholding of this second Company is in the name of West Bromwich Albion Holdings Ltd. Looking at the accounts for this final Company, it shows that Lai paid somewhere around the £180 million to Jeremy Peace, who owned most of the shares, something like 88%.

What is quite clear is the fact that West Bromwich Group Ltd declared no dividend for that year (up to June 30th 2016)

How can anyone claim that Jeremy Peace was paid that £27 million? Please explain.

[Baggiemadguern]

I have had a look at the accounts of West Bromwich Albion Football Club Ltd, made up to 30th June 2016.
In these, it is clearly stated that dividends of £27 million were paid.

Now, as far as I know, and I am not accountancy trained, dividends are paid at the discretion of the Directors of a Company; they are paid to the Shareholdeurs.

The Shareholdings of this Company are owned by West Bromwich Albion Group Ltd, so naturally I then looked at the accounts of this Company, for the same period. The shareholding of this second Company is in the name of West Bromwich Albion Holdings Ltd. Looking at the accounts for this final Company, it shows that Lai paid somewhere around the £180 million to Jeremy Peace, who owned most of the shares, something like 88%.

What is quite clear is the fact that West Bromwich Group Ltd declared no dividend for that year (up to June 30th 2016)

How can anyone claim that Jeremy Peace was paid that £27 million? Please explain.

I am no accountant either but I see it clearly as this. Jeremy Peace is a business man who ran the the club in a businesslike manner. The club had relative success, ie it was run on a financially sound basis, remained in the Premier League for 8 years and was on the up.

Many fans despised Jeremy Peace and eventually, as any knowledgable businessman would do, he decided to sell the club and make huge profit, good luck to him.

I said at the time many would rue the day he left when we start to fail to maintain what Jeremy built. I got some support but many put personal feelings toward Jeremy before those of the club itself.

Mr Lai is in the seat now and I think we should give him the chance to get the club back to the Premier League. If we could get Jeremy back I would take it, he knew how to run the club. The fact he made money from it makes no difference to me. The plain fact is, we were better when he was at the club than since he left.