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Chris Mort's departure confirmed. Derek Llambias is new Managing Director.

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by Guest sicko2ndbest
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Colos Short and Curlies

Colos Short and Curlies

Posted
Posted

This thread will go on for ages :lol:

 

I find it very interesting, personally.

 

It'll be particularly interesting to see whether the new guy takes any different stances on things to Mort, and whether we'll be able to pick those up.

 

Assuming it is Llambias, he may wish to put his own twist on things or carry on in the same way as currently. Both he and Mort are long-term acquaintances of Ashley, so they might be just taking his instructions.

 

If Ashley aims to run us the way he runs Sports Direct he will happily let Llambias run the club as he sees fit (as long as it is line with Ashleys overall plan) as he only employs high level employees who he trusts can look after the businesses best interests

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James

James

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Did a good job all things considered and I'd have liked him to have stayed. I'm a bit annoyed that we're most probably back to square one in regards appointing someone who has to learn the ropes from scratch again. Got to respect his wishes though and he's got a family to consider too.

 

Cheers Morty and good luck. :) 

 

Don't know why people keep saying that.

 

Very convenient to forget that when Mort took over, it was him on his own, the chairman's job had responsibility for everything not assigned to the manager.

 

One year on, everything has been split up into various sub divisions, reducing the job responsibilities of the chairman.

 

Today we have:

 

1) A team of four football experts (Keegan, Veterre, Jimenez and Wise) who will essentially ask for money, and work out the contracts negotiations etc amongst themselves, and have their performance measured by results. The chairman just needs to give them the money.

 

2) A former Newcastle Racecourse Director on the board, and together with Keegan's input, there is a local input on the board.

 

3) Mike Ashley, who ultimately sets the targets, controls the boardroom appointments, and holds the purse strings.

 

Llambias will have been at NUFC at least unofficially for a couple of months, he will have been told about what he is inheriting, what he needs to oversee in the short term while he gets up to speed. The chairman's job is now to liase between the board and the owner, and to ensure that the general operations of the club as a business in the leisure industry are as profitable as possible. As a supposed expert in the leisure industry, Llambias should fit in very quickly.

 

The main thing though is that there is zero effect on the pitch. As there are now several of Ashley's staff at the club with clear direction and responsibilities set out for them, there is no reason why the club can't move forward with or without Mort.

 

Chairman doesn't have the permanancy of the days of Shepherd. If Llambias turns out to be a bumbling idiot, he shall get shown the door very swiftly.

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Dave

Dave

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Posted

Did a good job all things considered and I'd have liked him to have stayed. I'm a bit annoyed that we're most probably back to square one in regards appointing someone who has to learn the ropes from scratch again. Got to respect his wishes though and he's got a family to consider too.

 

Cheers Morty and good luck. :) 

 

Don't know why people keep saying that.

 

Very convenient to forget that when Mort took over, it was him on his own, the chairman's job had responsibility for everything not assigned to the manager.

 

One year on, everything has been split up into various sub divisions, reducing the job responsibilities of the chairman.

 

Today we have:

 

1) A team of four football experts (Keegan, Veterre, Jimenez and Wise) who will essentially ask for money, and work out the contracts negotiations etc amongst themselves, and have their performance measured by results. The chairman just needs to give them the money.

 

2) A former Newcastle Racecourse Director on the board, and together with Keegan's input, their is a local input on the board.

 

3) Mike Ashley, who ultimately sets the targets, controls the boardroom appointments, and holds the purse strings.

 

Llambias will have been at NUFC at least unofficially for a couple of months, he will have been told about what he is inheriting, what he needs to oversee in the short term while he gets up to speed. The chairman's job is now to liase between the board and the owner, and to ensure that the general operations of the club as a business in the leisure industry are as profitable as possible. As a supposed expert in the leisure industry, Llambias should fit in very quickly.

 

The main thing though is that there is zero effect on the pitch. As there are now several of Ashley's staff at the club with clear direction and responsibilities set out for them, there is no reason why the club can't move forward with or without Mort.

 

Chairman doesn't have the permanancy of the days of Shepherd. If Llambias turns out to be a bumbling idiot, he shall get shown the door very swiftly.

 

Best post you've ever made (I don't buy into the Lost theories ;)), hope you're right.

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James

James

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Posted

Did a good job all things considered and I'd have liked him to have stayed. I'm a bit annoyed that we're most probably back to square one in regards appointing someone who has to learn the ropes from scratch again. Got to respect his wishes though and he's got a family to consider too.

 

Cheers Morty and good luck. :) 

 

:nods: :thup:

 

I'm curious as to how this plays into our current transfer dealings though. Maybe the last week or two have been spent running Llambias through our plans.

 

I think the chairman is irrelevant these days when it comes to transfers. The 'Football Experts' are given a budget and told to spend it how they want.

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Guest johnson293

Guest johnson293

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Todays Chronic...

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/05/22/mort-set-to-step-down-72703-20948004/

 

Mort set to step down

 

May 22 2008

 

by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

 

 

NEWCASTLE UNITED look destined to start the new season with a new chairman at the helm with Chris Mort set to return to the London legal circuit.

 

His departure is not set to be immediate and is expected later in the summer, but he could be replaced by Derek Llambias, recently-appointed deputy chairman and a long-term acquaintance of Mike Ashley.

 

The Toon chief arrived on Tyneside last summer as deputy chairman ahead of Mike Ashley’s full takeover of affairs at St James’s Park before replacing Freddy Shepherd.

 

But after a year of being the voice of United, with Toon tycoon Ashley a rare public speaker, Mort is expected to return to his role with London law firm Freshfields.

 

And a United insider told the Chronicle today: “It was always the scenario that at some stage Chris would return to his role at Freshfields in a full-time capacity.

 

“He’s been a valuable figure since he arrived at St James’s Park and he’s certainly taken the club forward in his year as chairman.

 

“During that time he has significantly improved relationships between the club and the supporters.

 

“He’s also done lots of good work in the community and met members of the public at sporting dinners and awards nights.

 

“And he has been instrumental in appointing key members of the board to lay the foundations at Newcastle that will hopefully take the club forward in the future.”

 

Mort played a big role in appointing Dennis Wise as executive director (football) and Tony Jimenez in a player recruitment role, with the Londoner at last night’s Champions League final in Moscow.

 

Other appointments included Jeff Vetere as technical co-ordinator and operations director David Williamson, who formerly worked at Newcastle Racecourse in a similar role.

 

His most recent appointment, though, was Llambias, who left his role as managing director of swanky London gambling club Fifty last month.

 

Mort’s stint on Tyneside has been a positive one after many Toon fans were severely disgruntled with the previous board.

 

And he recently thanked the fans for their backing.

 

Speaking on the club’s terrible mid-season run, he said: “These are the months for which I must give most thanks to our supporters.

 

“The support of the team during that period, both home and away, was fabulous.

 

“To have sell-out crowds when the team was unbeaten was excellent.

 

“However, to have 50,000 supporters cheering on the team when the team is struggling and 6,000 fans making the trips away I must thank them for their incredible backing.”

 

The Welshman made it his business to meet as many fans as possible and held regular meetings with fanzine editors and also ventured into the Bigg Market on several occasions, singing a famous rendition of the Blaydon Races after the recent 2-0 win over Sunderland.

 

Like Ashley, who watched most games from the away end in a black-and-white shirt, Mort was happy to listen to the supporters and take on the Toon Army’s views on board.

 

Indeed, like the Geordie nation, Ashley and Mort became tired of the unorthodox long-ball tactics of Sam Allardyce in January and knew that the fans craved a more attractive brand of football.

 

Their remedy came in the shape of former boss Kevin Keegan, who returned at the start of the year, duly rescuing United from a dire situation in which their Premier League status was in doubt.

 

Now with the job of steadying the black-and-white ship seemingly done and dusted, Mort’s work appears to be over and, as people close the Toon board expected, he will return to the capital.

 

Significantly, Ashley did not take his place in the away end for the final game of the season at Everton and, donning a suit, took his place alongside Mort.

 

Next season could well see Ashley adopt a similar position alongside Llambias.

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Lowndsy

Lowndsy

Posted
Posted

hes done well whilst here. sad to see him leaving but good luck to him when he goes back to his other job.

 

i doubt he would get a bad reaction if he ever came to watch us (doubt he would)

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Dokko

Dokko

Posted
Posted

Massive loss, sound bloke, came across very well considering its his first time in the job.

 

I hope he's enjoyed his time here and i wish him the very best in the future.

 

 

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Guest The Libertine

Guest The Libertine

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"During that time he has significantly improved relationships between the club and the supporters"

 

this point shouldnt be understated. the fan - club relationship is as good now as its been in many a year, possibly since '97.

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madras

madras

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Posted

"During that time he has significantly improved relationships between the club and the supporters"

 

this point shouldnt be understated. the fan - club relationship is as good now as its been in many a year, possibly since '97.

all bar one
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Tooj

Tooj

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Posted

"During that time he has significantly improved relationships between the club and the supporters"

 

this point shouldnt be understated. the fan - club relationship is as good now as its been in many a year, possibly since '97.

all bar one

 

:lol:

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Guest Heneage

Guest Heneage

Posted
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Oh no the wheels are falling off, i'm gonna support Man Utd, Champions Ole Ole Ole?!

 

 

Frigs sake, he was a temporary chairman with little knowledge on the game, let's get a new guy in to build on the great foundations Morts put in. Thank you Mr Mort.

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Baggio

Baggio

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They got at least one thing wrong, he wasn't paid by the hour as he had a 12 month salaried contract reported to be worth £1 million.  Mort was on roughly a third of what Smith earned yet scored the same number of goals and was only about 2 shots on target behind him.

 

No comments on the fact that the new chairman gets twice as much as the old chairman got criticised for taking despite presiding over the club's worst season in the premiership, sacking a manager mid season without a replacement lined up, and failing to land any of the new manager's transfer targets (all things the old chairman would surely have been crucified for)?

 

 

So what happens when the first manager you approach knocks you back and tells his mates in the press about it? The current manager is left in an untenable position, knowing he could be replaced at any time. The club would (rightly) be a laughing stock and a source of constant speculation.

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