How exactly does one manage to lose 14-0?
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 2:37PM The more I read into this Olympic Stadium debacle the more apparent the screw-job becomes. Or perhaps the screw-job only exists from a THFC perspective. Which would mean you would have to disagree with some of or most of the below when taken into a context. Unless of course THFC always new the most likely outcome would be a West Ham recommendation. But then that would mean knowing that the process was never fair from the start and still persisting with it.
Why bid? Why be invited to bid?
If the likely outcome was expected then the bid might have simply been made for leverage (in favour of the NDP) that would be birthed at the 'conclusion'...whenever that might be. The theory is, government plays into Levy's hand and 'shuts him up' by giving him what he desires. Any added bonus of suspended OPLC members and laughable statements from Brady and co would be a exactly that...a bonus.
The payment controversy might turn out to be nothing or the evidence inadmissible. Or it could do some heavyweight damage. Perhaps the prospect of such damage is damaging enough to find that amicable conclusion (i.e Levy wins by not actually winning what he set out to win). It's not exactly the type of headlines everyone involved with the Olympic Games would want to be choking over during breakfast every other morning.
Not that I was in favour of a move away from N17, but regardless of my affiliations, I've collated the various soundbites whilst reading through hefty quantities of articles/threads and discussions on the subject.
Is anyone truly surprised? What government wants, government gets.
Here's the bullety points:
West Ham
- West Ham United, in debt to the tune of £100M (or so)
- Relegation on cards during process of OS bid
- £80M funds required for OS project to also retain stadium as Olympic legacy
- £40M handed to private sector business via a low interest loan from a fiscally poor Newham Council
- West Ham met the OPLC's financial criteria simply based on the loan from Newham Council
- If West Ham ever defaulted on loan, the debt would fall on the taxpayers of Newham
'Catastrophic' relegation achieved
- Championship West Ham United who could not pack out their smaller and current Premier League home will be entrusted to pack out a larger home possibly whilst still languishing in a league that isn't the top tier of English football
- The very same Championship side that have owners apparently paying out of their back pocket to sign Kevin Nolan's services for five-years, on an alleged 50k per week contract
- The very same Premier League rules relating to local territory used by West Ham to argue against Tottenham's proposed geographical shift from the North to the East were completely ignored by side-stepping the potential for Leyton Orient to suffer in terms of their fanbase catchment area*
*Tottenham have no right either, a case of 'who the f**k are Orient?' from everyone involved
The OPLC
- The OPLC clearly state post-decision the running track was an 'essential' element to the OS bid and hence why WH won it even though they encouraged Spurs to bid for the stadium, a bid that included no running track in the clubs plans post-Olympic games
- The OPLC clearly state post-decision that retaining the original stadium was an 'essential' element to the OS bid and hence why WH won it even though they encouraged Spurs to bid when they had made it clear they planned to demolish the original site and build a new purpose built football stadium in it's place
- Tessa Sanderson asked to step down from OPLC due to Newham Council affiliation
- Suggestions that various members of the decision committee had links with Newham Council
- THe OPLC/government never had any intentions of considering the Tottenham bid no matter the financial implications and relevance in terms of club statue and link up with AEG
Tottenham
- Financial secure bid and partnership (with AEG)
- Plans pencilled in for Crystal Palace guaranteeing a viable legacy that will offer only athletics all year round (although CP themselves opposed this for alternative plans of their own)
- Absolutely no ambiguity in terms of the plan for redeveloping the Olympic site
- Absolutely no 'doors closed' by OPLC during the duration of the bidding even though post-bid it has become apparent the details in Spurs plans do not match up with the post-decision clarity given for awarding it to West Ham
The decision and aftermath
- 14-0 in favour of the West Ham bid
- Levy pushes for judicial review of 'unfair process' leading to OS decision
- Judge rejects first hearing, suggests no point in pushing further
- Levy requests oral hearing, as per right to do so
- Allegations of corruption made relating to the OPLC decision and West Ham bid
- Alleged secret payments made to an employee of the OPLC
- A WHU Olympic director alleged arranged payments to be paid to the OPLC's director of Corporate Services
- Two further individuals were allegedly involved in a personal relationship
- West Ham United say payments were for consultancy work
- Vice-chair person Karren Brady fully aware of payments
- WHU Olympic director suspended
- OPLC employee suspended after all this transpired via the Sunday Times article that broke the story
- West Ham release statement, will take legal action
- Suggestion that Spurs tactics in hiring PR's to investigate corruption might be considered 'dirty' (although using dirty tactics to uncover dirty tactics should hardly be reason to turn away and dismiss out of hand)
Conclusions
- Mud-slinging in public in the lead up to the Olympics that the Government could do without
- The OPLC will not over-turn the decision
- The WH bid will not likely collapse regardless of relegation (which was planned as a potentiality)
- The OPLC along with the athletics community all supported the West Ham bid, preferring the idea of an iconic legacy to be used every so often rather than the Crystal Palace alternative
- Government, OPLC: only wanted a Spurs bid to aid towards guaranteeing a legacy and making sure West Ham adhered to all their blueprint
- A Spurs OS recommendation would hurt a bid for the athletics European Championships at the current OS site (rather than what Spurs suggested, Crystal Palace), a bid that needs to be submitted this summer. A bid that could possibly be effected by any continuing legal reviews pushed by Levy i.e. the next hearing
- Levy doesn't expect to get anything out of this other than the one thing he wants. Public funding for the NDP, re: RDF.
- Therefore; this is all to do with leverage
- Levy 'Machiavellian', reactively and otherwise
Obviously there is hearsay, suggestions, perspective and currently unproven allegations to consider but the stuff that's black and white and indisputable just confirms that the decision to award WH was one taken before Spurs even entered 'the race'. Politics, hey?
Reader Comments (64)
You said it spooky.... politics.
Sport, it ain't!
Its our mannor so you lot stay in N london anyway. Levy is looking after himself and not spurs trust me probably like Gold and sullivan are as well.
I hope someone takes some photos of West Porn United's first home game there.
Pidgeons 10,000, Fans 1000.
@Hammertime.
So, Leyton Orient don't come in to the equation?
As you quite rightly pointed out Levy is after public funding for the Northumberland Park plan. Unfortunately he seems to be burning bridges and if he carries on Spurs will get no help at all as all agencies will be advised by the goverment not to fund anything with them. I strongly believe that it is the responsability of the goverment to improve local infrastructure etc and therefore it is not Spurs place to have to find the money to improve the tube network etc which will be used once every fortnight for their purpose. The fact that the local area will get a massive lift house prices will rise probably more local investment etc, this is not Spurs issue and never should be.
The loan from Newham is exactly that a loan. If Spurs went and got a loan from Nat West it is us the tax payers who are propping it up. Also those who jump on the band wagon and say West Ham have been gifted the stadium. No they have not, they will sign a lease and pay for it
Sorry but with you collected sounds bites you missed of lot of information: Regaurding west hamWest Ham
- West Ham United, in debt to the tune of £100M (or so)( our owners are worth 700m between them . the fact that it makes more sense for them to make cut and pay off other peoples debt in the most econmical way is the only reason the clubs in debt
- Relegation on cards during process of OS bid
- £80M funds required for OS project to also retain stadium as Olympic legacy ( you would of been entitled to the same money)
- £40M handed to private sector business via a low interest loan from a fiscally poor Newham Council ( this will make newham money as we will pay back at a higher rate of interest then they have bowrowed at)
- West Ham met the OPLC's financial criteria simply based on the loan from Newham Council
- If West Ham ever defaulted on loan, the debt would fall on the taxpayers of Newham (no the loan has been personally underwrote by our owner against their personal assets)
'Catastrophic' relegation achieved
- Championship West Ham United who could not pack out their smaller and current Premier League home will be entrusted to pack out a larger home possibly whilst still languishing in a league that isn't the top tier of English football
- The very same Championship side that have owners apparently paying out of their back pocket to sign Kevin Nolan's services for five-years, on an alleged 50k per week contract (they the owners have pockets to the tune of 700m they can afforded to do this)
- The very same Premier League rules relating to local territory used by West Ham to argue against Tottenham's proposed geographical shift from the North to the East were completely ignored by side-stepping the potential for Leyton Orient to suffer in terms of their fanbase catchment area ( it has nothing to do with territory , we are staying in our borough, i think you will find the Os are more concerned with ticket prices)
You also did not mention our partners, as in Essex Cricket club, Local athletics clubs. Our main partner newham Council . We also have concert promoters live nation as another partner.
Sorry but if you are going to be like you chairmen and investigate make sure you get your facts straight
Your affiliations are quite plain to see from some of your comments which i feel need responding to:
1) The £40m loan from Newham Council has been personally guaranteed by Gold & Sullivan so if West Ham defaulted on it, it would come out of their own pockets
2)West Ham's attendances last season were 97% of capacity, higher than Liverpool Newcastle & Everton.
3)The move to the OS would not be until 2014-2015 season so West Ham have three seasons to gain promotion.
4)13 players have left since relegation, some on huge wages (Upson, Dyer, Keane, Bridge) which frees up significant funds for new signings such as Nolan.
5)West Ham are in the borough of Newham and still will be, and will be closer to their original memorial ground home than they are now. Orient are in a different London Borough.
Levy only paid for Corporate Intelligence because he has very little of his own. He is only in this to get a cheap deal for Spurs on the NPD and if he is not careful he might screw that up for you.
Thanks for sharing.
Irrespective of the financial stuff, or the track being prominently mentioned post-decision, it was bleeding obvious that the track had to stay in Stratford. Why did Orient pull out so early? they were the first ones involved in talks, and it was made clear to them that the track was immovable. The money to build the track, the stadium, the infrastructure, the hotels, amenities were supplied by Athletics people. The decision was made by Athletics people. Why should they spend so much money in improving Stratford only for their stadium to remain in Crystal Palace? Of course they are going to vote for the bid which allows the stadium to remain in the area where the money was spent. If they wanted the track to be in Crystal Palace, they would have spent the money there instead - improving transport links etc.... Numerous times BEFORE the decision was made, the athletics people were saying that the track must stay. Everything else in immaterial. The aim was to leave a track capable of hosting future major track events. Crystal Palace has never been capable of that, and Spurs could never have spent enough money to make Crystal P a viable alternative. That was a non-starter. I thought it was obvious that West Ham would win the bid. When I read the bids in the Evening Standard, I was actually embarrassed at how negative Spurs's bid was - compared to the positive Hammers bid. yes there were some dodgy things going on, but Spurs had a infeasible bid.
ok. so what if our oral hearing actually manages to turn things around, and we are magically granted the stadium.
the bottom line is, we would be in fucking stratford.
The Olympic site is very important and both clubs wanted it very badly. There is simply no better site in Europe for transport and possible financial links. Whoever gets it could become a major player in the future as they will have everything that an investor could want. Spurs would instantly make West Ham the smaller club in their own borough of London. West Ham could take back some of the Essex support that has drifted to Spurs and Spurs could find that they have a big club either side of them. Levy knows that Spurs belong in North London but he just cannot afford to let West Ham move to stratford as they could pose a very real threat to Spurs in the future and that is a great worry if you owe £500m on a newly built stadium.
Orient have no say in this whatsoever. Hearn admitted that he knew that West ham or Spurs would move in and he preferred Spurs. The PL and FL made their decision that West Ham or Spurs could move there. Hearn backed the wrong horse and now he is trying to get money out of it. This is a man who has already sold some or the land that Orient owned and houses are already on it. This is also the man who has tried to move Orient to Harlow/Basildon. What does he think will happen to Orient if Spurs moved to Stratford? nothing apparantly. The man is crawling around Levy so much that its embarassing.
All of this could of been avoided if Haringey Council and the various public bodies had not thrown a decent plan into dissaray with all of their various wants and needs. The local council had numerous oppurtunities to help with our plans from the beginning but seemed determined to sabotage them.
I may be a bit cynical but with hindsight but maybe this was done purposely, as we were needed for some healthy competition with regards to leverage with West Ham once it came apparent a tenant or buyer would be needed for the White elephant.
It is sad to think that anyone who had been encouraged to bid could be treated this way after using their own financial resources with no chance of success, sadly this is the world we live in
About a week ago, I saw a quote from Newham Council to the effect that they are not actually committed to the loan to WH United.
To Mick in Oz ............ your brain has gone a bit wonky due to all that sh*t VB ........ 1,000 fans you say ....... what a complete and utter pr*ick you really are ......... stick to aussie no rules and sh*gging sheep
Incidently, seeing as you are allowing the views of opposing fans. West Ham fans are not happy about the running track and were against moving to Stratford. Spurs interest in Stratford changed our minds instantly because, as previous stated, Spurs would have made West Ham the smaller team in their own borough. It was simply put up with the running track or let Spurs move in. No choice.
On the subject of capacity and attendances, it's worth nothing that you spent a lot of last season selling tickets for £1 or advertising for supposedly big games that should have sold out as well as not being able to sell half-season season tickets. Or have I misunderstood?
I'm more interested in WH fans who do not want to move to the OS. I know they are out there because I remember seeing some videos (taken at the derby game) with fans split down the middle much like Tottenham.
Anyone?
Russell Brand was only hoodwinked into supporting West Ham after he was told he'd be surrounded by 20 odd thousand c*nts every other week.
Winter Weekend 61 - Re Russell Brand
Shame he didn't go to Shite Hart Lane he could have had 30,000
still obsessing with west ham!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anyone would think you was worried
Silly really, two sets of supporters and neither of them want to move to Stratford. The obvious answer, give it to Leyton Orient and see Barry Hearns face then. He should be happy, he's been wanting to move the O's away from Brisbane Road for years, well here's his chance. Trouble is, he would have to dig deep, deep, deep into his pockets.
Now that would be fun.
lol, it's hardly about WH is it? In fact, judging by the articles I've seen by WH football sites it's WH who are obsessing about this 'famous' victory over Spurs. When it's hardly anything but.
Obsessing over the fact that our chairman is obsessed is what it's all about. Sorry to break your heart.
x
Get Levy or Redknapp in the dock and they'll show you how to lose 12-0 :)
Why all this tosh about West Ham being unable to fill their ground ? Infact Tottenhams average gate was only 1500 more than West Ham, who have less capacity, and were bottom of the league all season!
Lloyd... you took umbrage with the 20K figure rather than the fact I called you all c*nts!...strange breed you lot.
As for US being obsessed with your lot, do me a fuckin favour...zip that flabsack's mouth up before she spouts even more nonsensical shit...oh, and the fact YOU are here on a SPURS blog shows you're a hypocrite as well.
P.S In the interest of good relations (?) I find this mesmerising and somewhat of a tonic in times of trouble........................
http://images.ridemonkey.com/index.php?size=full&src=http%3A%2F%2Fforgifs.com%2Fgallery%2Fd%2F5242-1%2FKaty_Perry_ElmoHDP50.gif
Winter Weekend 61
There's no point taking umbrage with you calling us c*nts cause it ain't gonna change any time soon. As for the 20,000 figure, i'm guessing you think the other 14,000 of us are OK chaps. Or maybe that's too much to ask from a Spurs fan. To be honest i've never really had problems with Spurs fans, my brother-in-law is one, it's just the nine bob note that manages your club and don't get me started on Levy. Oh $hit i already have !!!
Dave just for the record we could easily sell out the Olympic stadium every game due to our fan base and the tickets would certainly not cost £1
The bickering between WH and Spurs fans about the rights and wrongs of the OS bid are understandable as club loyalty features large in any debate.
However, some facts are being overlooked as each side stands its corner.
Nailing my colours to the mast I declare them to be of the blue and white variety. My beef is not that the OS should go to WH (as it should) but the whole charade that accompanied the process.
Spurs were originally invited to bid but declined since they made it clear from the start that they were not interested in retaining the running track. It was only later in the process, when WH were the sole bidders, that Spurs were, once again, approached. And once again they stated that they were not interested in retaining the athletics track for the very valid reason that the two are not compatible (as WH fans will discover) from a spectator's perspective. But the OPLC were desperate that WH were not the only bid on the table as all bargaining power would be removed so they moved the goalpost and declared to Spurs that the decision was not dependent on the retention of the running track as long as athletics received some sort of legacy. This interested Spurs since they were experiencing huge financial problems with the NPD and so developed and submitted a fantastic bid ensuring the development of Crystal Palace into a top quality 365 day a year facility capable of staging the large international events as well as the smaller ones. This compared to the 14-21 (consecutive) days made available to athletics at the OS.
Basically Spurs were used as a stalking horse to put a little pressure on WH's bid but also were to be branded the nasty villains who would destroy the sparkly new stadium and kick athletics into the gutter. It was a slam dunk, it was always going to WH and Spurs were used since the nonsense about the bid not being dependent on the running track retention was shown as just that by their post bid statement. The OPLC could now be seen as the saviours of athletics and the OS itself whilst Spurs were put in their place, the greedy grasping business typres that they are.
However, when they chose Daniel Levy as their patsy, they chose badly because he is not one to take bullying, he will fight back and he'll fight back hard. He will want his pound of flesh for being used and this is the beginning of that process.
Meanwhile, the right team will be playing in Stratford and I wish them well. I have no beef with their fans but do dislike the odious bunch that run the club and would not lose too much sleep if they came unstuck.
It will be an interesting few weeks ahead.
Simply put, THFC's bid for the Olympic Stadium wouldn't have been the right choice.....
One small point about NOT selling out Upton Park, it is usually 'sold out', but when the team is struggling (As Spurs would under Avram Grant) and TfL close the tube line for 6 home games, then 98% attendance could be considered pretty good. Don;t forget, that attendance number doesn;t take into account police restrictions, which usually loses a few hundred seats.
PS. When I sat in the Spurs end for the WHL game, there was an empty space in front of me.
On your point about the 50K wages for Nolan West Ham United have just offloaded Kieron Dyer, on £80K+ p/w, along with several other high earners. Before too long Scott Parker , reportedly on £60K p/w, Rob Green and Carlton Cole (hopefully) will all be on their way as well. Not sure I'm quite understanding, then, how paying £50K for a player with proven Premiership and Championship quality is stretching the purse strings.
Spooky
I'm one West Ham fan who doesn't want to go there, as I know most Tottenham fans don't want to either. The biggest shame is, when you read some comments on these blogs that some of the abuse that starts flying around is pretty pathetic really.
To Carl in Slumchurch............Don't get all childish and nasty little boy....... there's no point in getting bitter because you don't have the brains to immigrate.
10,000 pigeons sounds about right to me and the sheep over hear are better looking than your wife.
What a complete and utter little pr*ick you probably have.
Vic - Well said. It's good to see a sensible comment on this subject from a Spurs fan without having to resort to tribal insults. Agree wholeheartedly with what you said and hopefully you'll get the support you need for the NPD.
Winter Weekend 61 - For your information this blog came up as a link on NewsNow with the headline Dear Mr Levy. Naturally anyone interested in the OS and Levy's $hit stirring will take a look. I don't make a habit of going on Spurs Blogs.
Mark in Oz - I agree, too many childish remarks flying around. Whatever happened to reasoned debate?
Oh and by the way it's "you don't have the brains to emigrate"
Sir Geoff - sadly it's nigh impossible to avoid people slagging each other off. Especially as it's so easy to type a word and hit submit. In amongst the posturing and norty talk, if there's even an ounce of intelligence then it's enough to break out the champagne for.
When I posted this article I knew it was tinged with spin pro-Spurs. Would have completely bloated the article had I then added similar spin from WH sites on the subject, so thought it best to let you chaps point out the indiscretions in the info and any exaggeration or misinterpretation.
Personally, this whole OS thing is simply down to whether the end game is: NDP gets up and running.
I was very much pro-N17 during the process. Also, in Levy's defence (although many of us have not quite understood his strategy), yes he is looking after his investment considering he heads up ENIC who have invested in Spurs. And he's looking to get the very best fiscal long term solution for the club so to benefit the shareholders. But that, in football terms, would benefit the club.
Moving to Stratford would have turned us even richer, quicker. Be it for a loss of our soul.
I've trusted the fact that there simply had to be a contingency from the off, therefore: Levy has understood and planned for every step and decision before he's had to make it.
Im not going to say im ITK but a few rumours are circulating that this isnt the only thing thats going to surface (further payments have been made by west ham) . Also that Spurs can only build this case if west ham take spurs to court because of the legality involving the finding and uncovering of these payments. I can tell you for sure though that Spurs do want the OS and they are confident. Personally i dont care whether we stay or go. I see Benefits and Consequences for both options!
We have a smattering of Spurs and West Ham fans regarding this emotive point. We should take advantage of this by coming together as fans of football and to stand united against the attack on our game by the grasping mandarins that seek to serve only themselves rather than resort to abusing each other. By all means, let us banter as I have many times with home supporters at Upton Park over the many years I've followed football but not abuse one another.
I think both sets of fans (not to mention the O's) have suffered with this debacle. West Ham will have a great stadium but I'm not sure it will be a great experience for the fans but we'll see. Maybe Levy will be successful in embarrassing the powers that be into funding the infrastructure that the NPD depends on which would be right and fair.
Sigh....put quite simply, we now absolutely must get the NDP. Regardless of the Spam's utter lack of history, success, likeability or even just innovation, in 2012 they will move into a 60,000 seater stadium that is situated in a developing part of London and has just been used to host the globally-viewed Olympics. Prime territory for a rich Arab sheikh/Russian oligarch to buy into, especially since they'd likely still be in the Championship(or even League One) and would therefore be relatively cheap to buy. The porn barons would make a nice little profit and bail. The Arab sheikh/oligarch's money, would propel the Spam back into the top division.UEFA's FFP rules wouldn't apply, since Spam wouldn't immediately enter European competition.But suddenly, we have a nouveau rich Premiership Spam with 60,000 bums on seats every weekend, a perennially wealthy Chelski who don't need attendances, and the Arse posessing the 60,000-seater Emptycrates in the same city. While we putter along in good old WHL, capacity 36,000, with little real funding from Joe Lewis and our commitment to sustainable spending, which is noble in itself, but won't let us compete. See the danger? Hooray for N17, Keep Tottenham in tottenham! Sigh....still, at least at the moment, it's all just speculation. Spam could equally suffer a double relegation, or languish in Championship obscurity for decades and remain unbought and unloved. But the danger of the aforementioned potentiality occuring is very real indeed. The 4th best Prem team in London, behind Chelski, Le Arse and the Spam? Well, at least we'd be ahead of Fulham. Or not. The side of the bed I've woken up this morning, I see malevolent Arab sheikhs buying out London teams everywhere. Except in Haringey.
@WinterWeekend61: I am a West Ham fan, but well played with the image! Intoxicating.
Tbf Levy's 'shit stirring' aint a patch on Brady's.
I wanted the plucky 'ammers to get the OS from day one, still do...even your old boy Arry reckons it'll cripple you.
Who knows? you could be in the CL in 7 years....as the plan goes/went...and the OS will see you soar to new levels and rub shoulders with the elite forevermore...then again, those dreams could fade and die...as the song g.......
BUT.................if this 'decision' has been undertaken with all the integrity of Blatter filling out his tax return then it's only natural to ask certain questions wouldn't you say?
Oh well, just when you think we've run out of things to talk about...
Ahh Matt ;o) My pleasure....and everyone else's probably!
Bored of it all, want the NDP sorted, what a stadium it would be. Would sooner not have our great club mentioned in the same breath as those 2 idiots and their dog broady.
On a more pressing matter, any news on SOLID transfer links, not the Spurs linked with evry striker with 2 legs crap I have been hearing?
To be honest, who cares about all this. Everyone will suffer at some point, WH, Spurs and of course, the supporters of both.
Its all about 'rep' and 'pride'. Screw the supporters!!
Jesus Christ, WinterWeekend, that certainly takes the sting out of my morning funk. A hearty few words of gratitude to you, sir.;) As for the OS, we lost that battle a long time ago. Around the time we entered it, I think. Government's preference was always that it go to West Ham, and that trumps most other considerations. If the OS does become a white elephant, it's the next government's problem to deal with, this one can just bask in the glow of London 2012. PErsonally, I see this as Levy's last, desperate throw of the dice. He played his cards very, very badly over the OS, and this is the last chance he has left to pressurize the government into granting public-sector funding(via the RGF) to the NDP. Without it, we're basically screwed.
Dubai, you're welcome.....seriously, times of trouble? feeling down? just fancy seeing a bouncing elmo, click the link, slurp your tea and smile.everything is OK with the world ;o)
P.S I take it everyone already knows but Danny Rose & Kyle Walker have signed new deals to 2015 & 2016 respectively....
WinterWeekend61 -
Beg to differ on Levy v Brady. Levy wins hands down in the shit stirring stakes. He's like a Rottweiller with someone else's bone and he just won't let go. Just hope for your sakes he doesn't screw up the NPD for you by burning too many bridges.
As for 'Arry, he's still pi$$ed at the 'Ammers for ditching him when he got caught with his hands in the till, dirty little scumbag.
Agree you should ask certain questions, but Corporate Espionage is a bit strong.
Club bias clearly...on both sides..to me Levy can be a shrew bugger (sure he aint no messiah )whereas Brady is a publicity seeking grotbags of the noughties (or is it teenies now?)
As for the' corporate espionage' (excuse me while I wipe my chin of tea) unless Levy explicitly ordered such 'investigations' and the exact way the P.I.s went about things, he has done nothing illegal...I hope...
It is a bit funny that we are getting slagged for trying to unearth some dodgy dealings though....they should have made it perfectly clear we stood no chance from day one on this...instead it was ZImbabwean Bingo...and there's some people from your club in bed with them....and vice versa...this one's gonna run for a while yet that's for sure....
*Shrewd*......shrew bugger sounds wrong.
Lloyd, it is true Brady does't have brains to be as much of a shit stirrer as Levy. Given that she chose to be Lord Sugar's right hand, err, transvesite.
As I wrote earlier on a different thread, the gathering of information is called 'evidence', and making statements without 'evidence' ad putting it in print is 'libel'. Whether it was legally obtaied / gathered is a matter for courts, but dustbins are fair game, anyone who's watched that there 'law and order' with that there Bradley fella, must know their onions on that front.
Why do you think levy invested so much in a paper shredder and manilla envelopes the day after harry became our manager?
Anyway, this is (and always was) all about 'positioning' to take advantge of the 'leverage'. Problem is that it is being played out in public, something niether set of fans particularly warms too.
I :heart: elmo.
having said that:
At least this is more interesting than the the 'will he won't he' love tringle with Fibreglass,Whinger and Barca.
Maybe this will be the distraction that the media wants (to drag on and on)?
As the saying goes may the best team win and they did. Same old sour grapes from a once great, now mickey mouse club with bitter and twisted supporters
What was that about bitter John?
:)