Low point of the Dai era

[Orion1871]

16 May 2017, when his deal to take ownership was finally approved.

Worst birthday present ever.

[Hound]

Bearwood was weird - definitely a low but again a bit of murmuring that Couhig was after the whole club. As said if he had bought it we’d prob have been sold months ago

At the time, didn't Couhig say something like "be patient ... you don't know the whole story" which would tie in with Bearwood being a tactic for getting the whole shebang.

Yeah, he was pretty angry about the reaction if I remember. That’s probably why. Maybe the truth will come out now

[From Despair To Where?]

To be honest, it all went a bit Donald Trump. When you think it can't get any worse, something else pops up. Undoubtedly there were some very low points but it all felt like self parody and a bit unreal.

There was a point about 4 years ago when people were saying "when we get x and y off the payroll, we'll save £6m in wages and we'll be ok" and I'm thinking "But we lost £25m last season, the problems are much deeper than that". It was about then that I thought this wasn't going to end particularly well, probably around the time 221% started getting mentioned.

[St Pauli]

Bearwood for me.

Good to see Ian Royal polling well though.

[Hound]

To be honest, it all went a bit Donald Trump. When you think it can't get any worse, something else pops up. Undoubtedly there were some very low points but it all felt like self parody and a bit unreal.

There was a point about 4 years ago when people were saying "when we get x and y off the payroll, we'll save £6m in wages and we'll be ok" and I'm thinking "But we lost £25m last season, the problems are much deeper than that". It was about then that I thought this wasn't going to end particularly well, probably around the time 221% started getting mentioned.

Tbh the whole Stam season 2 definitely rung alarm bells - no way we could afford to be paying those fees and keep with ffp, and it was clear to all that the squad was nothing like promotion material

That Pauno season was a nice suprise but again the moment we realised promotion wasn’t happening it was very doom and gloom

I’d argue when news of the 7m for Aluko came out, that was also a huge low as it was clear those making the decisions were clueless

[Hound]

Asking for the low point of Dai's era is like asking for the wettest part of the pacific ocean.

Hmm that’s actually quite good. You ok Millsy?

[rabidbee]

Asking for the low point of Dai's era is like asking for the wettest part of the pacific ocean.

<Geek>Technically, no part of the ocean is wet.</geek>

[From Despair To Where?]

To be honest, it all went a bit Donald Trump. When you think it can't get any worse, something else pops up. Undoubtedly there were some very low points but it all felt like self parody and a bit unreal.

There was a point about 4 years ago when people were saying "when we get x and y off the payroll, we'll save £6m in wages and we'll be ok" and I'm thinking "But we lost £25m last season, the problems are much deeper than that". It was about then that I thought this wasn't going to end particularly well, probably around the time 221% started getting mentioned.

Tbh the whole Stam season 2 definitely rung alarm bells - no way we could afford to be paying those fees and keep with ffp, and it was clear to all that the squad was nothing like promotion material

That Pauno season was a nice suprise but again the moment we realised promotion wasn’t happening it was very doom and gloom

I’d argue when news of the 7m for Aluko came out, that was also a huge low as it was clear those making the decisions were clueless

When you get to the point where you can half the wage bill and income still doesn't cover wages, let alone any other cost, you're fighting a losing battle., particularly when a wage bill that's more than double revenue still only gives you a bottom third team.

Unfortunately Dai building Bearwood gave him some credit in the bank that he didn't warrant.

[Forbury Lion]

Bearwood g8 - It felt like the former owner was starting to asset strip before liquidating the club, Had he been successful selling the training ground I imagine the stadium would have followed.

Had it been a different owner and different circumstances I may have accepted that there are teams above us in higher leagues who train in terrible facilities - Wycombe and Brentford sprang to mind, although I imagine Brentford have upgraded and saving the club and keeping the lights on and having a club was the priority, but with this owner I would have expected all the proceeds of the sale to remain in his pocket.

There was a turning point when the planning permission issue with the training ground prevented the sale and then the community asset order on the stadium, but there then followed sales falling through.

It would be interesting to heard Rob Couhig's take on all this, Was he buying the training ground as a way of getting the entire club? - once he'd offloaded Wycombe rather than buying it for Wycombe to use?

[Forbury Lion]

Bearwood was weird - definitely a low but again a bit of murmuring that Couhig was after the whole club. As said if he had bought it we’d prob have been sold months ago

At the time, didn't Couhig say something like "be patient ... you don't know the whole story" which would tie in with Bearwood being a tactic for getting the whole shebang.

Yeah, he was pretty angry about the reaction if I remember. That’s probably why. Maybe the truth will come out now

Well what did he expect? Chairman of rival football club who has promised them new facilities makes a bid for our facilities... Who would have imagined that meant he wanted to get shot of his own club and buy ours?

[Stranded]

At the time, didn't Couhig say something like "be patient ... you don't know the whole story" which would tie in with Bearwood being a tactic for getting the whole shebang.

Yeah, he was pretty angry about the reaction if I remember. That’s probably why. Maybe the truth will come out now

Well what did he expect? Chairman of rival football club who has promised them new facilities makes a bid for our facilities... Who would have imagined that meant he wanted to get shot of his own club and buy ours?

He was already on the way out at Wycombe - had found and made deals with the now owner. Looking back at reports, it was the company of his that owned Wycombe that was trying to buy the training ground, so may well have been the start of him looking at making a bid. Seem to recall reports of him being shown around the stadium too at about the same time.

[Millsy]

Asking for the low point of Dai's era is like asking for the wettest part of the pacific ocean.

<Geek>Technically, no part of the ocean is wet.</geek>

Except for the entire ocean floor.

[Millsy]

Asking for the low point of Dai's era is like asking for the wettest part of the pacific ocean.

Hmm that’s actually quite good. You ok Millsy?

Knocked my head this morning, will be back to normal soon, sorry.

[rabidbee]

Asking for the low point of Dai's era is like asking for the wettest part of the pacific ocean.

<Geek>Technically, no part of the ocean is wet.</geek>

Except for the entire ocean floor.

Yes, touché.

[Sutekh]

<Geek>Technically, no part of the ocean is wet.</geek>

Except for the entire ocean floor.

Yes, touché.

And the things that live in or are found floating in it.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I don't know whether Bearwood was part of Couhig’s masterplan, but his handling of it was tone deaf. I know other clubs in distress have done it, and I would have under if it was an administrator or respect owner. However, it really felt like asset stripping en route to liquidation.

Maybe now it's all over he can speak at more liberty on the matter, but hopefully he can understand the fan backlash it caused.

[Lower West]

Never giving a public interview............

[Green]

For me it was probably when Couhig was sueing Dai. Seemed like that would prohibit any deal going through, and that at that point it seemed more about revenge than any interest in the club. And the Bearwood thing I guess.

Agree with the Tilehurst end article on it all, "a welcome but complicated end to a bitter saga". The bitterness may take some time to rescind.

[stealthpapes]

The most poisonous atmosphere at a game I experienced was Charlton away, the away game before Shrewsbury. Tidy performance, then Charlton scored. Rinse and repeat * 4. Fans properly having a go at each other in the stand, literally arguing over whether the players were 18 or 19, like it mattered.

[Sanguine]

The end, as we know it at least, of the women's team, was a particular low point for me. Women's football on the whole continues to be on the up and for many years we had a team that very much batted above their station. Hope something can be done about this in the coming seasons.