Tuesday 21 May 2013

Ken Bates rumour

A Leeds source is claiming that Ken Bates is interested in buying into (or buying outright) Charlton. England's Mr Football certainly has an insatiable appetite for buying football clubs and turning them round whilst not leaving himself out of pocket (although it has to be said that the financial arrangements are not always transparent).

Leeds fans that I know were mostly glad to see the back of him, although it could be claimed that he steadied the ship after earlier errors. Mr Nice Guy he is not. I suppose one's reaction might depend on what kind of Charlton one wants: one with a serious chance of obtaining and maintaining Premiership status, or one that is very much in contact with its fans.

It may not be relevant, but Tony Jiminez had a spell running player recruitment at Newcastle United with Dennis Wise who is on good terms with Bates. Bates as chairman and Wise as manager is a distant prospect but one I would not welcome.

I cannot find any corroboration for this rumour, but I haven't dismissed it out of hand as it has a certain plausibility given that the club is in need of investment.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Addicks fans, if this is true I would encourage you all to demonstrate, boycott and shout that you don't want this man poisoning your club. Yes he may have come to Leeds when we were in serious trouble with the books, but when he sold us we were on the brink of serious financial trouble again due to the fact he had spent £7 million on our east stand which has not been half full since, never mind full! He is a power hungry dinosaur that does not belong in modern football. Read some of his business dealings online and see what you just may get....
It took us 7 long years to rid ourselves of him.......and he is still hanging about in a non executive role!

Anonymous said...

You lot don't wan't the bloodsucking,horrible individual anywhere near your club!!!!He will asset strip, your best players will be sold for(undisclosed fees)and end up in an off-shore account(usually under the name bates)!!!No Addicks NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!e

Anonymous said...

Whatever it takes, however bad the alternatives seem, do not let this odious leech anywhere near your club. If you need investment, you won't get it from Bates. If you need good governance, you won't get it from Bates. If you need anything at all, other than the systematic stripping of your club, you won't get it from Bates. It's taken us 8 years to see him off - I wouldn't wish this cancer on anyone, not Man****

Anonymous said...

No,No,No. Do not let this vile human being anywhere near your club. If there turns out to be any substance to this story, you should mobilise your fans and drive him away otherwise he will ruin your club, believe me. He has turned Leeds fans against each other while charging some of the highest prices in the Premiership never mind the Championship/League one. Avoid like the plague.

Tommy said...

Right time for a reasonable evaluation: Bates saved Leeds United when no one else wanted us. He made us stable and got the club back in the black. Bates stayed too long at leeds and did sell our best players. A stable club was made even if he outstayed his welcome. If your club is being run badly and debt is an issue Bates could be the man to stabalise the club. If its money being poured into the playing team he is most certainly not your man. MOT

Anonymous said...

Dont do it Addicks.....dont do it !!!! You WILL REGRET IT !!

Anonymous said...

Bates would be great for Charlton. New toilets, nice hospitality suites (all painted cream as Bates has some left over from our East Stand) and a reduced wages bill as he recruits dross on loan signings. The kicker might be that it's not Wise you get but Warnock.. There you go, all your worst nightmares in one package. Shows what a brilliant club Leeds is to withstand the lot of them. #MOT

Anonymous said...

Why do I hate Ken Bates? Quite simply he took far too much money from the loyal supporters of Leeds United (season ticket prices were amongst the top 6 in the premiership) and used this money to either develop a ground we don't own (I wonder who does), pay extortionate rent on this ground and fund a string of personal court cases. Oh yes, and keep his other loss making businesses afloat (e.g. Yorkshire Radio).

At 51% wages to turnover this was beaten only by Manchester United and Wigan in the whole football league! Despite this it was only due to a significant cash injection by GFH we were able to stave off administration (for a second time under his stewardship).. Unbelievable!

More significantly perhaps the guy knows absolutely nothing about football. He genuinely believed that the squad assembled by Grayson was capable of promotion to the premiership despite spending absolutely nothing on it and selling its 6 best players in the process. By appointing Warnock on a one year deal he would 'get the best out of them' and promotion was a certainty.

I had the chance after the Nottingham Forest game to strangle him when I walked past him and feel deeply ashamed that I didn't.

On second thoughts you're in the same league as us so maybe Ken Bates would be really great for you lol !!

not tommy said...

Tommy is obviously a Bates implant.
they did a poll on waccoe and all the other Leeds sites. 95% of fans wanted rid of this austerity loving, asset stripping, hotel infatuated idiot of a business hooligan.
He never saved Leeds it was a stitch up allowed by the equally odious football hierarchy!

Anonymous said...

Tommy, Bates did not save Leeds. I can't believe that any Leeds fan still falls for his propaganda. Why do you believe that; because he said so?

He threatened to put our club out of existence if he didn't get away with his administration trick to write off the debt. There were other genuine bidders ready to step in but his cronies had control of the whole process.

There is so much more detail to come out about his tenure at Leeds and he shouldn't be allowed near another football club.

Anonymous said...

Tommy - the people who saved Leeds were all the businesses (creditors)large and small who were owed millions of pounds, which the admin process wrote off. They wer're then forced to accept an even more paltry sum, due to Bates fixing the priocess so the club had to be sold back to him. Lives were ruined, and he boasts that Yorkshiremen have sort arms and long pockets, and dodges paying all his taxes. Words cannot describe how I loathe this man

Anonymous said...

Maybe Bates can save fiancially broke Charlton like he saved Leeds from going out of business?

TC

Anonymous said...

All these Leeds fans that think Bates DID NOT save their tin pot club are very deluded.

The very same fans that think Revie was a good manager that didn't bribe officials and other clubs.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Wynn won't rest until Chris Powell is purged from the club...
more unsustantiated nonsense from a Blog that at one time had some credibility..... a real shame.

Anonymous said...

What motivates someone to go onto a Charlton fan's forum to have a go at Leeds? You need to get a life fella.

Anonymous said...

Have always had a soft spot for Charlton. Friendly club, often surprises and great to go to. But (apart from man united) I would not wish this horrible, parasitic, twisted, disease of a man on any football fan on the planet.

He is the worst specimen of a human being I have ever witnessed in my life. His greed knows no bounds, nor does his shameless cheek. By the way, he is also totally useless as a football chariman. Our results in his 8 years of lies speak for themselves.

We look forward to the day he begins to rot in the horrific hell he deserves.

Anonymous said...

Lol 1245 were not famous anymore!!?? You wake up thinking about us and go to sleep thinking about us, go on admit it! You may not love us but definitely fear and respect us. Why else leave such a childish comment with absolutely no substance to it!? We're not the third biggest club in England for nothing, my friend.

Wyn Grant said...

Can't think why anyone would think I want to get rid of Chris Powell of whom I am a great fan, just concerned about the possibility of losing him. Apparently Mail Online has run this story, although I haven't been able to find it. That doesn't make it any less speculative, but it seems to me that the test with considering these rumours at all is whether the underlying story is plausible and Ken Bates has a record of moving from one club to another. It is also evident that Charlton need investment and have been looking for it for some time, but whether Bates would bring investment or disvestment is an interesting question given all the comments from Leeds fans.

bristol addick said...

Hi Wyn

Here's the link for the Mail Online.

http://bit.ly/10iibig

I know we need investment but this is a bit disconcerting. Having said that, this is also the Daily Mail!

Admin said...

the report in the Daily Mail is from Charlie Sale who is renowned for writing up stuff of which only about 5% is true and 95% of which he makes no attempt to corroborate

Anonymous said...

Jesus. Really?

LUFC fan here: I believe in no God but I fear for you enough to pray for you.

Anonymous said...

This man is not to be let through the door. I wouldn't wish him on anyone, and least of all Hughesey. He knows all about him. Look for Bates' activities in the Caribbean in the 60's and every club he has ever been at!

Anonymous said...

Bates is dirt!

Anonymous said...

God help you - you don't deserve that

Anonymous said...

When I worked for the old Wembley Stadium ( before demolition and the building of the new stadium ) Mr (!) Bates was chairman . He started directors meetings each Monday morning with the statement " Which of you f.....s am I going to fire today " .What is Charlton coming to with it's reputation for being the ultimate club for the community to even conceive of allowing him anywhere near the club !

WattO said...

Amazing! Never seen so many comments on your blog Wyn. Seems Mr Bates is most unpopular. Never liked him since his Chelsea day. Hope we get some transparency on who actually owns our club.

Steve