RIP Jack Hayward

[Elgrande]

Now he was a proper chairman. Put over 30 million of his own money in, rebuilt the ground and sold the club for £10 so the new owner could invest in the club.

[gillsfan1066]

Hi Gills fans,this is Jack Haywards son Jack, could someone organize a " Bucket Event " at the gates on Saturday, Dad spend all our money on that stupid football club and gave away my inheritance and my pension doesn't go far these days, so if anyone is feeling charitable??

[CadburyMan]

Proper chairman ? I'm not convinced. Just a very wealthy man spending his own money as he wanted.

Does the chairman of, say, Sainsbury or Unilver put his own money into the business; I don't think so

[Rimshot]

You don't think a Chairman should put money into his club ? You must be a happy man right now. Why on earth would you not want someone with the commitment, both practical and and emotional,to support the club that he heads up ?

[Elgrande]

Cadburyman; first there is no comparison and secondly he completely rebuilt an ailing club.
I wish I was surprised at the crass comments from some posters, but hey ho!

[Garawa]

Not sure a chairman's job is to add funds to the club? I think there are plenty of chairmen running clubs and getting paid a tidy salary whilst a wealthy benefactor or owner puts their money into the club. Unfortunately we don't have a wealthy owner or benefactor, just a chairman doing what other chairmen do at any other organisation.

[CadburyMan]

"Does the chairman of, say, Sainsbury or Unilever put his own money into the business; I don't think so"

Perhaps someone can explain to me why the chairman of a business called Gillingham FC Ltd has to put his own money into the business when the chairman of Unilever doesn't. I don't really see a difference between the two animals; perhaps my view is far too simplistic but I like things to be black and white.

[Rimshot]

If you can't see the difference between the two there is scarcely much point carrying on the thread but let' s have a go. You don't become Chairman of Unilever because you have a passion for soap powder or because you were born close to the company's offices. You don't have a 'product' that focuses on 90 minutes of excitement and physical endeavour, unless of course that's how long it takes to clean your kitchen work surfaces. You don't become Chairman of Unilever because you have a tribal allegiance to Fairy Liquid as opposed to Sainsbury's own brand.

As a football club Chairman you have all your regular customers round to your place of work every week or two; you have no supply chain to deliver the product, no logistics apart from the players coach, no distribution network, no wholesalers or retailers to deal with As Chairman of Unilever you don't sell your top performers to rival companies and you have thousands of product lines, not just one.

I can't remember exactly the last time that thousands of Unilever customers packed an open air stadium to roar their approval at the cleaning power of bleach or the soft hands they get from your soap.

Becoming Chairman of a football club is NOTHING like becoming Chairman of Unilever. For many it's not even the main provider of income and for the overwhelming majority it's not on their 'career radar'. You don't study 'Football Chairmanship' as an alternative to Law, Accountancy, Marketing and Business Studies.

The comparison is just daft.

[Elgrande]

In fact I would imagine the first chairman of Unilever (whatever it was called then) and Cadbury did in fact put their own money in to start and grow the business. My comment was about a man who had made his money, but was passionate about his local team, put money in, used his contacts to rebuild a club on the brink, build a new stadium and then when it was time to go sold it at a huge loss so the incoming chairman could invest further. The Gills could do with a Matthew Harding, Jack Hayward type chairman who wants to see their club do well and grow.

[gillsfan1066]

Hahaha crass comments,haha,jeezz you must be a bundle of fun on a Friday night at the boozer,you make it sound like your were poor old Sir Jacks best buddy,going to the funeral are you ??