Could have been different

[Rossm]

Smells like a hatchet job to me. 'We didn't get what we wanted, so we'll take revenge'.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I've spoken to Derek since the club went into administration
 and I've never heard him sound so upset. He's always been a lovely, upbeat, and positive chap, with a genuine love for Rugby in general and Wasps in particular. To imply, as this article does, that he was happy to see the club go under because of a personal grudge is absolutely obscene. As things stand he is out of pocket by a vast amount of money.

If he says that there was nothing about this that suggested it was a genuine and compelling offer then that's good enough for me.

I'd love to know who on the board it was that decided that this was a story that should be in the papers.

Feel free to not disclose VV but I take it his involvement in Wasps is basically at an end from his point of view? Mention of a former owner being involved did come up in terms of “the rescue party”.

I didn't ask. I try not to put him in an awkward position by asking questions he's not able to answer.  If he is involved we'll find out I'm sure. My gut says probably not though.

[mike909]

We probably won’t know the context to this in terms of what else was/could have been on the table. What strikes me is 3 sides of A4 and a request that the council match fund are two very limiting factors in this bid being credible.

Only just saw this thread - I was involved with councils (not this one) from both an employee and as a financial and process audit/governance angle. Any "match funding" would need to be pretty secure before a council could consider it - especially now, given the current round of cuts.

As unlikely as it seems....a council needs to act reasonably - and they would need a v clear business plan, and in details and with experienced input before even considering such a deal.....

[Shugs]

Quite right Mike. In the end they’d never have passed it. But they might have considered it which even speaking as a Wasps fan would have been ludicrous. Yes, councils are beholden to act reasonably. But, in my opinion, they are also run by councillors whose incompetence is only trumped by their ego. In a way I’ll find it an immense relief if we can get free of the CBS circus, build a team and get back to rugby.

[mike909]

If it was risky enough - the Dir of Fin would (or often, I'd stand in!) "advise" Members - in the main, they did take their duties seriously. Odd mad ones.....when I was an auditor, the first motion at Full council (I was presenting) was a "Vote of no confidence in the auditor"....The other Members told them where to get off, pronto!

[westwaleswasp]

If the story is correct that the rest of the board were in favour of it, and he wasn't,then it does not look good. VV whatever you have heard from Derek needs to be weighed against the fact that the rest of the board disagreed. If this is not true and just scuttlebut then there is nothing for anyone to get their teeth into. A non story, total piffle. Hiwever, if he voted differently to the board that needs actial explaining. Either the board were wrong or he was. 167 people were made redundant, and Derek's word won't be feeding feeding them or paying paying their mortgage, some explanation of this whole event is due. If the story is false, fair enough. If the basic substance of a board disagreement on this issue is correct then both sides should be heard in full.



Given where we are,why did he vote against? What makes him think that the rest of the board is wrong? Or, possibly puting it another way, who are the other arseholes on the board who have so little knowledge that they voted to pursue this obvious nonsense that Derek has seen as a St Elmo's fire bid of no substance?
If the story itself is balls fair fair enough, but knowing that an abstention killed it, Derek's word is not good enough unless it is public and unfiltered. Either the rest of the board were wrong, in which case who appointed them, how could they all be so wrong, or he was wrong.

[wasps]

It's probably not as black and white as that.


The article also refers to the fact that a bid without substance would likely derail other credible bids, or at least divide attention making it harder to get anything across the line.


Maybe there's a scenario where the majority of the board would say yes to any potential bid given how close we were to administrstion, whereas Derek was doing more due diligence.




Bear in mind that even if he had agreed to this other bid, it wouldn't have meant that it would go through and save everyone's jobs - just that the bid would get one step further.... And if they didn't have funds then we'd still be in the same position

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I know he's spent a lot of time building relationships with the council, it maybe ad simple as him knowing full well that they wouldnt match funding so it was pointless.

Plus it's very easy to vote on what to do with someone else's money.

[westwaleswasp]

Were there other bids that could be harmed by this?
Problem when a story like this arises is that it throws mud. I don't think anyone here can say with certainty that it is a hatchet job, it might look like one from the outside. We still don't know how this ends in terms of Derek's loss.
We do know that there were job losses, and I think if I was one I would be expecting a rebuttal of the story from Derek. If he knew it wouldn't fly, he can say so, but that does raise the point of how come the board were packed with members who could not recognise this. If he had more knowledge than the board that looks bad too.
 I would like someone else on the board to open up rather than feed stories to papers.

From the outside it looks like the debt was loaded onto the club. We don't have a club right now. Jobs are lost. Silence is not going to make any difference practically, but it might induce more sympathy and make those who lost their jobs feel respected. Right now my sympathy does not particuarly extend to Derek or the board, it lies with employees. Of course, that won't make a jot of difference to anyone, but if I were a board member I would feel obliged to talk when I can. That is just basic decency for the people who have lost everything.

[InBetweenWasp]

I've spoken to Derek since the club went into administration
 and I've never heard him sound so upset. He's always been a lovely, upbeat, and positive chap, with a genuine love for Rugby in general and Wasps in particular. To imply, as this article does, that he was happy to see the club go under because of a personal grudge is absolutely obscene. As things stand he is out of pocket by a vast amount of money.

If he says that there was nothing about this that suggested it was a genuine and compelling offer then that's good enough for me.

I'd love to know who on the board it was that decided that this was a story that should be in the papers.

Feel free to not disclose VV but I take it his involvement in Wasps is basically at an end from his point of view? Mention of a former owner being involved did come up in terms of “the rescue party”.

I didn't ask. I try not to put him in an awkward position by asking questions he's not able to answer.  If he is involved we'll find out I'm sure. My gut says probably not though.

Its via a (trusted) third party and I can't disclose who (so make of it what you will) but my understanding he's in no way part of the current bid from the Legends + Chris Holland.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Its via a (trusted) third party and I can't disclose who (so make of it what you will) but my understanding he's in no way part of the current bid from the Legends + Chris Holland.

I can believe that. Interesting that Chris is part of it. I guess his investment in the training centre won't come to much without a team to train there.

[Shugs]

If it is Legends + Holland where is the cash coming from. I know it’s all a bit shallow just looking for pound signs but the reality appears to be that without a substantial benefactor a relaunch is unlikely. There are very few and limited other income streams.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

If it is Legends + Holland where is the cash coming from. I know it’s all a bit shallow just looking for pound signs but the reality appears to be that without a substantial benefactor a relaunch is unlikely. There are very few and limited other income streams.

Chris Holland isn't short of money. No idea how much he has, but he had built and exited at least one successful business.

[Laterontoday]

Match funded by the council = restart of legal actions for use of public funds from every other bidder = whole period of cost stress and hassle. You would run a mile from restarting all that grief again.

[Shugs]

I think you’ll find it’s already pretty much underway.