Ex-Staff Chris Williams Leaves

[tatabanya]

Or was he pushed, as seems to be the general consensus on here. If it's his choosing - and I think it probably is - then how is this the fault of the board ? Employee leaves job to better himself - like about a million others on a daily basis!

What if, for example, he decided to leave because he of the toxic environment at the club and his belief that it won't be getting any better? Just an example, but if that were the case would it concern you?

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Assistant or not the players do not respect Des. I actually feel sorry for him when I've heard senior players speak about him in the way they do. Sadly just losing any remaining interest in Oxford just a souless depressing experience.

Then that is the players issue, they get paid good money to play for this great club & it's about time they started showing a bit of fight & passion & professionalism. That actually shows through in the way we let teams walk into our box & shirk challenges. That is not a managerial issue, that's players not having the bottle to stand up & be counted.

 

[Reynolds97]

Then that is the players issue, they get paid good money to play for this great club & it's about time they started showing a bit of fight & passion & professionalism. That actually shows through in the way we let teams walk into our box & shirk challenges. That is not a managerial issue, that's players not having the bottle to stand up & be counted.

I don't disagree hence why i am losing total interest.

 

[MC Yellow]

We need to know how much the stadium is going to cost, who is going to front the cash, and how much the football club will have to pay for it. They know - the idea that they haven’t got a proper financing plan is ludicrous, yet that’s exactly what I’m convinced Williams will say if questioned. “We’re still figuring that out.” No, you’re not. You know exactly how you believe this will work.

If the owners stump up £100m of their own cash (bet you they don’t) and ‘the markets’ provide an additional £60m for arguments sake, the market funded equity share would demand an industry standard yield of 3-5% per annum. That could mean anywhere from £2-3million per year solely on the minority share - the owners would still be yet to recoup on the majority outlay. How do we pay for this? Any increased revenues from stadium operations would simply go to paying shareholders, not to the football club.

What are the sums? How much are they making Oxford United Football Club liable for, and how sustainable are those figures? What if we remain a middling League One club? What if we aren’t in the Championship? What if, heaven forbid, we ended up back in League Two, which really should’ve happened last season under their watch given our points total? Can the club maintain its ability to pay for its own existence in those scenarios?

It’s all good and well people banging on about how there’s no future without this stadium, but until the details are known nobody has any idea what the future looks like with this stadium either.

Amen.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Then that is the players issue, they get paid good money to play for this great club & it's about time they started showing a bit of fight & passion & professionalism. That actually shows through in the way we let teams walk into our box & shirk challenges. That is not a managerial issue, that's players not having the bottle to stand up & be counted.

So when the players are behaving professionally, showing fight and passion and wining football matches it's nothing to do with Des ? I'll remember that one if he can turn this around ! If the opposition walking through our defence and midfield is not a managerial issue then when the hell is the manager going to be accountable ? He's the one setting up the team. Everything isn't rosy at the minute but Des Buckingham is the biggest problem at the club right now. Lets hope he can turn it around but if he takes us from 2nd to 7th, 8th or 9th and playing the most dreary football we've seen here in 10 years or more then the calls for him to go will reach a crescendo.

 

[Northstandboy]

His choice do you think ? Or was he pushed, as seems to be the general consensus on here. If it's his choosing - and I think it probably is - then how is this the fault of the board ? Employee leaves job to better himself - like about a million others on a daily basis!

My issue is the clear lack of appreciation for his role in the club for 25 years.

 

[dickwalton1964]

My issue is the clear lack of appreciation for his role in the club for 25 years.

From who ? The bloke hasn't left yet or if he has it was at the weekend. Why don't you wait until he's officially gone ? Mischief making at it's finest.

 

[LeftSideLarry]

I thought this might be a thread with lots of memories and anecdotes of Chris Williams’ time with the club.

Nope. More sack Des stuff. More Williams/Ferguson outrage.

Surely, we’ve enough threads about those things already.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

When Bakrie spends 5 minutes, ( because thats all he can spare while he rules a major Far Eastern economy), looking at his club performance compared to 22/23, he will see:

1, better crowds,

2, a much higher league position

3 planning permission for Triangle in.

Seriously, why’s he going to sack Tim Willliams? Its hardly like the supporter base are marching up to the stadium with flaming pitchforks…

To get the club thinking more our way, (as realistic sorts, who resent being labeled as customers), you need to communicate over Tim’s head , either with the peripatetic chairman, or the owners themselves.

Getting shot of Chris Williams is neither here nor there in terms of this big picture. We don’t know the background to the parting of the ways here.

What is certain was that he was a dyed in the wool supporter of the club, and I’d be nervous if we got someone in who was a hired hand used to bland corporate speak and keen to push the old AI button.

Whatever his faults and strengths, ( he had both), Chris got the club; jeez he was part of the club.

 

[Chris on a Bike]

Assistant or not the players do not respect Des. I actually feel sorry for him when I've heard senior players speak about him in the way they do.

Here's another one! Who, where and when?

 

[uptheus]

From who ? The bloke hasn't left yet or if he has it was at the weekend. Why don't you wait until he's officially gone ? Mischief making at it's finest.

But Dick, Tim and Grant would have known it was Chris’ last game, whereby, he has been a main contributor to the program for 20+ years, so you would have thought that they would have put some kind words in his last program/match. No matter how you want to play this, I believe, and I believe many others do, that reading between the lines that there appears to be some kind of breakdown between Chris & Tim e.g. no love lost based upon Chris’ ‘customer’ remark and Tim/Grant not referencing Chris’ time and the club and his overall contribution in HIS last program, especially as he (Chris) was a main contributor like I said.

Anyway, the majority are obviously not going to convince you otherwise, so I guess it’s a case of let the majority agree to disagree.

 

[dickwalton1964]

But Dick, Tim and Grant would have known it was Chris’ last game, whereby, he has been a main contributor to the program for 20+ years, so you would have thought that they would have put some kind words in his last program/match. No matter how you want to play this, I believe, and I believe many others do, that reading between the lines that there appears to be some kind of breakdown between Chris & Tim e.g. no love lost based upon Chris’ ‘customer’ remark and Tim/Grant not referencing this in HIS last program, especially as he (Chris) was a main contributor like I said.

Anyway, the majority are obviously not going to convince you otherwise, so I guess it’s a case of let the majority agree to disagree.

I don't know the answers but why not just let it ride, at least until the next programme notes and then judge. It seems there's so much playground pettiness, it's reminding me of Yaya Toure and his birthday card hissy fit. Is it really that crucial whether the written thanks and goodbye is this weekend or in a week or twos time ? As great a job that he did, he isn't going to be the one tasked with scoring the goals on the pitch and, other than those hell bent on creating toxicity, is anyone that worried that a formal thanks wasn't put in place on a weekend when he's still formally employed by the club ?

 

[Finlandia]

I don't know the answers but why not just let it ride, at least until the next programme notes and then judge. It seems there's so much playground pettiness, it's reminding me of Yaya Toure and his birthday card hissy fit. Is it really that crucial whether the written thanks and goodbye is this weekend or in a week or twos time ? As great a job that he did, he isn't going to be the one tasked with scoring the goals on the pitch and, other than those hell bent on creating toxicity, is anyone that worried that a formal thanks wasn't put in place on a weekend when he's still formally employed by the club ?

You won’t listen will you? You are so far away from understanding what is really happening. Just read the room!

 

[unification]

Who are the bouncers?

The Woking burger lady, presumably.

 

[WRox]

Whilst agreeing generally with the point, it would be interesting to know how much any increased attendances and revenues in The Championship would actually cover the increase in wages that a jump to that level would demand. Given the average debt that Championship clubs are currently carrying, I'm not sure that being sustainable at that level will be any more achievable than it would be by staying where we are. At a guess, I'd think that even our 'squad' players at that level if we were to remain there would be paid what our top earners are currently.

Football finances are in a frightening state at the moment.

We won’t be any more sustainable in the Championship, but could bump ourselves to a competitive budget at that level with the extra revenue and another increase to the losses.

That might make us uncomfortable as supporters, but I’m not sure sustainability as a football club is the priority for our owners as much as increasing the value of their asset.

 

[dickwalton1964]

You won’t listen will you? You are so far away from understanding what is really happening. Just read the room!

What, that small room of about 20 people on here ??? There's about 7500 other Oxford fans not on here. How about you reading THAT room and realising that unless you can present some proper, substantiated content - and quotes - rather than just playground gossip then there's no room for me to read. Very few are under their own name on here, just spill the beans - what is there to lose ? It's all 'I heard this and that' - where's the meat on these bones of a sparrow.

 

[oxfordkits]

It's a real shame that a stalwart of the club, with a wealth of knowledge regarding the club's history is leaving such a high-profile role. And I think it is fair to assume that things will 'feel' quite different when the new media person starts (it's gonna be a tough gig for them).

It's a little premature to criticise the club for the lack of communication about him leaving whilst still in post. So let's give the clubs some slack and hope his departure is properly acknowledged after his last match report.

Whether he has been head-hunted or has felt compelled to look elsewhere, only time will tell. However, his 'customer' dig was telling.

It is also possible Chris was just bored of the role? Having to listen to the same stock answers from managers and players for 20+ years, and having to constantly prompt them to say the things the club wants them to say. EG: "The crowd are going to be so important this Saturday, aren't they?........"

Maybe the end of iFollow this has forced the club to rethink its video output? Perhaps the club wants to see a new direction?

The bottom line is we just don't know anything at this time. But thank you Chris.

 

[Wallop]

I foresee Chris Williams meeting with ‘an accident’ before the truth can come out. Stay away from third floor windows Chris!

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

His choice do you think ? Or was he pushed, as seems to be the general consensus on here. If it's his choosing - and I think it probably is - then how is this the fault of the board ? Employee leaves job to better himself - like about a million others on a daily basis!

So leaving the Club he loves after enduring awful times when a new Stadium and the Club will be looking to be in the Championship so a really exciting time for the Club he leaves , mid season, to go to a part time National League South club .
Yes , really makes perfect sense.
I'm afraid that the Bensons of this world only see and talk corporate crap as you seem to be the same ilk Dick.
Loyalty, experience dirty words .

 

[Brahma]

I wonder if his role is being curtailed during the summer? We simply don't know.

For example, should the new commercial fella see fit, without 'supporter' consultation, he could bin the matchday hard-copy programme.