Richard Hearn
Coach⭐
Just a little more on my "input" on the match thread yesterday.
Now the Cricketer's has gone and having tired (literally) of long treks to an alternative boozer a friend and I went in the Blue Boar for the first time in about 40-odd years. I am impressed that it has now become a real "home pub" but it was a bit too packed for an old boy like me now.
Anyway, I spotted Justin Rees in there and pointed this out to my friend who is genetically far more personable than me so, just as we were going, he said "hello" to him. I thought that that would be the sum total of our "chat" but JR was very enthusiastic to talk to us and seemed very open.
One of the main points that came out in a very short chat was that the consortium have now put in too much money for the deal to fail.
When I asked him if, as I only live round the corner from RM, he wanted me to stick something nasty through his letter box, he said that they were now waiting on the council rather than RM. I did not feel it was my place to ask what the problem was, though.
He spoke about SUFC being more than just 11 blokes kicking a ball and how he wanted it to become a real community asset.
And as we (my friend and I) had been reminiscing about the "Liverpool FA Cup game" we mentioned this to JR and he had never heard about it. When I mentioned the 31,000 attendance he was amazed and said that that couldn't have been legal. I told him that the South Bank was massive in those days and, of course, the ground was mostly all standing.
He then said something that I have not heard mentioned elsewhere. He said he was very keen on investigating the possibility of "safe standing" areas as he himself preferred standing at football matches. Asked my opinion I said I was now too old to stand, or indeed do much else, for 90 minutes but that it would be a very popular idea amongst many other supporters.
Finally, he said that one of the drawbacks of owning the club would be that he would have to be on his best behaviour at matches.
I liked him, and believed him and, having met a number of former chairman/owners over the years, feel that he will be a breath of fresh air.
But then what do I know?
Now the Cricketer's has gone and having tired (literally) of long treks to an alternative boozer a friend and I went in the Blue Boar for the first time in about 40-odd years. I am impressed that it has now become a real "home pub" but it was a bit too packed for an old boy like me now.
Anyway, I spotted Justin Rees in there and pointed this out to my friend who is genetically far more personable than me so, just as we were going, he said "hello" to him. I thought that that would be the sum total of our "chat" but JR was very enthusiastic to talk to us and seemed very open.
One of the main points that came out in a very short chat was that the consortium have now put in too much money for the deal to fail.
When I asked him if, as I only live round the corner from RM, he wanted me to stick something nasty through his letter box, he said that they were now waiting on the council rather than RM. I did not feel it was my place to ask what the problem was, though.
He spoke about SUFC being more than just 11 blokes kicking a ball and how he wanted it to become a real community asset.
And as we (my friend and I) had been reminiscing about the "Liverpool FA Cup game" we mentioned this to JR and he had never heard about it. When I mentioned the 31,000 attendance he was amazed and said that that couldn't have been legal. I told him that the South Bank was massive in those days and, of course, the ground was mostly all standing.
He then said something that I have not heard mentioned elsewhere. He said he was very keen on investigating the possibility of "safe standing" areas as he himself preferred standing at football matches. Asked my opinion I said I was now too old to stand, or indeed do much else, for 90 minutes but that it would be a very popular idea amongst many other supporters.
Finally, he said that one of the drawbacks of owning the club would be that he would have to be on his best behaviour at matches.
I liked him, and believed him and, having met a number of former chairman/owners over the years, feel that he will be a breath of fresh air.
But then what do I know?
