Mr Keith Roe, a gentleman who many feel should never have left the club and we could well do with back in the boardroom, penned an article for the local media today, here is the full original article without alteration.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REASONS FOR THE CHANGE OF FORTUNE OVER THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN BLAME THE BOARD FOR THE MANAGER’S APPOINTED SINCE KEITH ALEXANDER LEFT. I PERSONALLY WAS HAPPY WITH EVERY APPOINTMENT MADE, ALTHOUGH I DON’T KNOW WHAT AGREEMENTS WERE MADE RELATING TO THEIR CONTRACTS AND PLAYING BUDGETS ETC. AT THE END OF THE DAY THE BUCK STOPS WITH THE BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND PLAYERS. THEY’RE THE BEST WHEN THINGS ARE GOING GREAT, BUT RUBBISH WHEN THEY’RE NOT.
THERE WAS ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING WE DID WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD FROM 2001. THE ‘WORKING’ DIRECTORS ON THE BOARD TOOK A MORE HANDS ON APPROACH WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS AT THE CLUB. ROB BRADLEY WAS NOT JUST THE CHAIRMAN, BUT THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE BOARD. KEVIN COOK (CO-OP) WAS THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, WHO SAVED THE CLUB THOUSANDS OF POUNDS DURING THE DARK DAYS OF ADMINISTRATION. I WAS THE COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF INCREASING REVENUE, AND MANAGED TO GET RAY TREW TO JOIN THE BOARD IN 2003, INCLUDING BEING THE MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE CLUB. ALONG WITH OTHER DIRECTORS, I RAISED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS TO HELP SECURE THE CLUB’S FUTURE. THE REASON I MENTION THIS IS WILL BECOME CLEAR LATER.
WHEN DAVE ROBERTS JOINED THE CLUB AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER WE DECIDED TO PASS OVER CERTAIN EXECUTIVE POWERS TO HIM. THE DIRECTORS TOOK MORE OF A BACK SEAT TO ALLOW DAVE TO CARRY OUT HIS DUTIES AS CEO. OBVIOUSLY DEPARTMENTAL STAFF WAS INCREASED OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
OVER THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT HAS DISAPPEARED. THERE’S NO ‘SOCIAL/COMMUNITY CLUB’ FEELING ANYMORE. THE CLUB WANT TO GET THE GROUND AND BARS CLEARED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ONE BAR USED TO BE OPEN FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO STAY AND WAS MANNED BY A SALARIED MEMBER OF STAFF (AT NO EXPENSE)
MANY PEOPLE GET THE IMPRESSION THE DIRECTORS EXPECT MORE THAN THE FINANCIAL FAVOURS NORMALLY GIVEN TO LCFC BOARD MEMBERS. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS PUT TO DIRECTOR(S) REGARDING THEIR OWN INVESTMENT, THEY POINTED OUT HOW MUCH TIME THEY GIVE ‘FREE OF CHARGE’ TO THE CLUB. IN OTHER WORDS THIS IS TO OFFSET NOT PUTTING IN FURTHER INVESTMENT. INDIVIDUALS OR BUSINESSES SHOULD BE PROUD TO JOIN THE BOARD, AND SHOULD KNOW THEY GIVE THEIR TIME FREE OF CHARGE.
MANY SHAREHOLDERS CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN, WHO PRESIDED OVER THE CLUB FOR FIVE YEARS, AND DURING THIS TIME LOST OVER £546,000, IS STILL ALLOWED TO BRING NUMEROUS GUESTS INTO THE BOARDROOM FREE OF CHARGE. THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY OTHER SIMILAR INSTANCES THAT COST THE CLUB THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OVER THE SEASON. THIS GIVES THE IMPRESSION THE BOARDROOM IS NOW A ‘MEMBERS CLUB’ WHERE EVERYTHING IS A FREE HANDOUT.
IT APPEARS THAT THE MANAGER CONTROLS HIS OWN BUDGET. A NEW MANAGER THEN GETS ADDITIONAL MONEY DUE TO HIS PREDECESSOR’S BAD SIGNINGS ETC. THIS HAPPENS YEAR AFTER YEAR AND MUST INCREASE THE BUDGET SUBSTANTIALLY. MANAGEMENT STAFF HAVING THEIR OWN FLATS, PLAYERS LIVING IN FOUR STAR ACCOMMODATION MUST PUT A SIX FIGURE SUM ON TO THE EXPENDITURE.
THE CLUB IS NOW LOOKING AT REDUCED REVENUE NOW WE HAVE BEEN RELEGATED. I BELIEVE THE NEW CEO, STEVE PRESCOTT IS A VERY EFFICIENT INDIVIDUAL, AND WILL CARRY OUT THE DAY TO DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB, AS INSTRUCTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IN MY OPINION, THE FOLLOWING ISSUES NEED URGENT ATTENTION.
1) THE CEO AND BOARD SHOULD IDENTIFY THE REVENUE THEY WILL LOSE BY BEING RELEGATED, AND REMOVE IT FROM THE PREDICTED 2011-12 BUDGET.
2) A FURTHER 25% SHOULD THEN BE REMOVED FROM THE PREDICTED 2011-12 BUDGET. THIS SHOULD BE SPREAD ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS. THIS MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE REDUNDANCIES, AS WELL AS A REDUCTION IN THE MANAGEMENT AND PLAYING STAFF. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ALONG WITH THE CEO MUST ENSURE THERE IS NO OVERSPEND.
3) ALL REMAINING STAFF SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A ‘JOB SPECIFICATION’ FOR THE CEO TO EVALUATE THEIR ROLE IN THE CLUB. THE CEO SHOULD THEN LOOK AT THEIR JOB COMPETENCE AND PERFORMANCE.
4) A REVIEW SHOULD BE MADE IN DECEMBER 2011. IF THERE ARE ANY PROFITS MADE, THE BOARD WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR 2011-12.
5) INDIVIDUAL DIRECTORS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT EXECUTIVE POWERS TO ASSIST THE CEO THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS DONE IN 2001. THERE SHOULD BE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS.
1) CHAIRMAN/PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR. (THIS POSITION COULD BE SPLIT)
2) FINANCE DIRECTOR. 3) 3) PRO FOOTBALL DIRECTOR. 4) 4) COMMERCIAL/ 5) MARKETING DIRECTOR.
6) THE CO-OP ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COUNTY, PUT VAST SUMS OF MONEY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ARE A MAJOR SPONSORS OF THE CLUB. THEY ARE IN MY OPINION, ENTITLED TO BE ON THE BOARD OF A COMMUNITY CLUB.
7) THOSE DIRECTORS WHO DO NOT HAVE AN EXECUTIVE ROLE SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE A ‘JOB SPECIFICATION’ TO ASSESS THEIR VALUE TO THE BOARD. THE CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD THEN LOOK AT THEIR PAST JOB COMPETENCE AND PERFORMANCE.
8) COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS FOR MATCHES SHOULD BE REDUCED TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.
9) FULL DIRECTORS SHOULD BE ALOWED ONE GUEST IN THE BOARD ROOM. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED GUESTS. IF ANYONE REQUESTS ADDITIONAL GUESTS THEY SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE INDIVIDUAL AT A COMMERCIAL RATE OF SAY £50 PER PERSON.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES, AND EVERYONE AT THE LCFC, INCLUDING DIRECTORS SHOULD WORK TO BRING THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT BACK TO THE CLUB. BY DOING THIS, SUCCESS WILL BE MORE ACHIEVABLE.