The Echo and Peter Ridsdale.

http://tiny.cc/7iA0x

What I find interesting is that the Echo is asking the pertinent questions now, and not before they published the story; a case of shoot first and ask questions afterwards!

What I find interesting is that the Echo is asking the pertinent questions now, and not before they published the story; a case of shoot first and ask questions afterwards!

They should of spoke to PR before printing the story.

Reading the Echo today at work and it struck me that they think all City fans rely totally on it for any kind of news about the club, but this isn't true. I do like reading the Monday edition but the other news they print is freely available in other ways. I don't, however, agree with casting the Echo adrift and never speaking to them as the paper does serve a purpose and it doesn't look good to any investors if the club is involved in a war of words with the local press; they may feel that the press are there to be used or manipulated. My own personal opinion is that both the club and the Echo should patch up their differences and work together, they both need each other in different ways

Exactly!Typical of the Echo, shoot themselves in the foot with the loaded gun. I don't think anybody is in any doubt that things aren't rosy at the moment, but the Echo running a half baked story doesn't help.

In reality, I think we'll only know how bad things are now and how good the Malaysian investment maybe at the end of January, but there are a lot of points to be won and lost on the football pitch between now and then.

It's a difficult one, but I think I side with the echo here.

The echo are 100% within their rights to report something major like this.

They do NOT have to contact the chairman of some company before writing an article about that company.

Sure, it wasn't the best bit of journalism, however I think this is just Ridsdale trying to "save face".

The club is/was close to going bankrupt, and Ridsdale seems to be sticking his fingers in his ears and signing "La la la, I can't hear you."

I'm not a fan of the echo; I think they write rubbish quite often. However Ridsdale must have the biggest ego in the World if he thinks that every single media outlet should always contact him whenever they want to report on his company.

The echo could have done worse, too - they could be pointing out what an awful job Ridsdale is doing. How the club are wasting millions. Or doing some investigation work and revealing the wages (if possible) of some of our over-paid players. Or asking why the club pay £1,000,000 PER MONTH in wages - higher than the club get in in turnover - and then are asking for the fans to bail out the academy. Etc.

All the echo did was write an article about Cardiff City FC almost going bankrupt - something which is in black and white on an official Government website.

Ridsdale's behaviour over this has annoyed me no-end.

It's a difficult one, but I think I side with the echo here.

The echo are 100% within their rights to report something major like this.

They do NOT have to contact the chairman of some company before writing an article about that company.

Sure, it wasn't the best bit of journalism, however I think this is just Ridsdale trying to "save face".

The club is/was close to going bankrupt, and Ridsdale seems to be sticking his fingers in his ears and signing "La la la, I can't hear you."

I'm not a fan of the echo; I think they write rubbish quite often. However Ridsdale must have the biggest ego in the World if he thinks that every single media outlet should always contact him whenever they want to report on his company.

The echo could have done worse, too - they could be pointing out what an awful job Ridsdale is doing. How the club are wasting millions. Or doing some investigation work and revealing the wages (if possible) of some of our over-paid players. Or asking why the club pay £1,000,000 PER MONTH in wages - higher than the club get in in turnover - and then are asking for the fans to bail out the academy. Etc.

All the echo did was write an article about Cardiff City FC almost going bankrupt - something which is in black and white on an official Government website.

Ridsdale's behaviour over this has annoyed me no-end.

So, it's black and white we're "almost going bankrupt", eh?

Ever occur to you that's the impression you get from the Echo "coverage" and that's why Ridsdale is incredibly pissed off about it?

Why did the Echo bury comments from a football finance expert, who pointed out that whilst numerous clubs have had such winding up orders yet NONE have been followed through, that we've been given far longer than other clubs to pay on the inside page no-one reads?

Or could it be the Echo wanted the sensationalist headlines and not focus upon the relevant comments that made it a non-story?

I'd say CCFC should play hardball. The Echo rip titbits from the club programme on a regular basis. Go after them for copyright infringement. You might see how many of the Eggo's "exclusives" really are exclusive.

So, it's black and white we're "almost going bankrupt", eh?

Ever occur to you that's the impression you get from the Echo "coverage" and that's why Ridsdale is incredibly pissed off about it?

Why did the Echo bury comments from a football finance expert, who pointed out that whilst numerous clubs have had such winding up orders yet NONE have been followed through, that we've been given far longer than other clubs to pay on the inside page no-one reads?

Or could it be the Echo wanted the sensationalist headlines and not focus upon the relevant comments that made it a non-story?

I'd say CCFC should play hardball. The Echo rip titbits from the club programme on a regular basis. Go after them for copyright infringement. You might see how many of the Eggo's "exclusives" really are exclusive.

I think it is, yes. The club is on the official Government list of companies which are to be wound up, or on the verge of being wound up.

The club didn't pay a substantial amount of tax to the Government in time.

This, to me, is a much more serious issue than a crappy local paper writing a little article.

I think Ridsdale is deflecting.

As a fan I'd like to know why the club didn't pay a substantial sum to the Government. Or why the club are asking fans to pay for the academy, and then continuing to pay out over £1,000,000 in wages every month.

Ridsdale is playing the victim card, and I can't believe that people are being taken in by his spin and crap. Again.

What I find interesting is that the Echo is asking the pertinent questions now, and not before they published the story; a case of shoot first and ask questions afterwards!

They should of spoke to PR before printing the story.

Yes that might be true Annis but the same principle would work in reverse. Ridsdale should have spoken to us about the winding up order BEFORE he started selling season tickets and taking Academy Foundation contributions.

Anyone who has paid for their season ticket by means other than Credit Card isn't protected and would lose their cash should the club go under. It is only fair and proper for us the fans to have known that before he relieved us of our money, espeically if the risk of that actually happening is so remote as he claims.

So, it's black and white we're "almost going bankrupt", eh?

Ever occur to you that's the impression you get from the Echo "coverage" and that's why Ridsdale is incredibly pissed off about it?

Why did the Echo bury comments from a football finance expert, who pointed out that whilst numerous clubs have had such winding up orders yet NONE have been followed through, that we've been given far longer than other clubs to pay on the inside page no-one reads?

Or could it be the Echo wanted the sensationalist headlines and not focus upon the relevant comments that made it a non-story?

I'd say CCFC should play hardball. The Echo rip titbits from the club programme on a regular basis. Go after them for copyright infringement. You might see how many of the Eggo's "exclusives" really are exclusive.

I think it is, yes. The club is on the official Government list of companies which are to be wound up, or on the verge of being wound up.

The club didn't pay a substantial amount of tax to the Government.

This, to me, is a much more serious issue than a crappy local paper writing a little article.

I think Ridsdale is deflecting.

As a fan I'd like to know why the club didn't pay a substantial sum to the Government. Or why the club are asking fans to pay for the academy, and then continuing to pay out over £1,000,000 in wages every month.

HMRC routinely sabre-rattle. If you'd ever dealt with them, you'd know that.

"Substantial" amount - name the amount. You can't? No-one can except those involved. It may very well be the case one payment in the agreed plan was missed due to short term cash problems which are well known. HMRC then go the legal route to fire a shot across the bows. Hardly unheard of.

And again, you tell me exactly why the Eggo printed the comments which show there's little to be concerned about over this case on the inside cover of the paper. You tell me why the Eggo had Ridsdale's response on the online version at the bottom of the Steve McPhail story.

HMRC routinely sabre-rattle. If you'd ever dealt with them, you'd know that.

"Substantial" amount - name the amount. You can't? No-one can except those involved. It may very well be the case one payment in the agreed plan was missed due to short term cash problems which are well known. HMRC then go the legal route to fire a shot across the bows. Hardly unheard of.

And again, you tell me exactly why the Eggo printed the comments which show there's little to be concerned about over this case on the inside cover of the paper. You tell me why the Eggo had Ridsdale's response on the online version at the bottom of the Steve McPhail story.

It's clear that the club is in a very bad financial state. The academy farce, unpaid bills, asking fans to buy ST earlier than ever before (etc) show this.

The echo isn't a great paper. That is clear. But writing a very timid article about the club's financial issues was nothing major, IMO.

I think that Ridsdale's OTT reply to this situation is because he's trying to deflect.

HMRC routinely sabre-rattle. If you'd ever dealt with them, you'd know that.

"Substantial" amount - name the amount. You can't? No-one can except those involved. It may very well be the case one payment in the agreed plan was missed due to short term cash problems which are well known. HMRC then go the legal route to fire a shot across the bows. Hardly unheard of.

And again, you tell me exactly why the Eggo printed the comments which show there's little to be concerned about over this case on the inside cover of the paper. You tell me why the Eggo had Ridsdale's response on the online version at the bottom of the Steve McPhail story.

It's clear that the club is in a very bad financial state. The academy farce, unpaid bills, asking fans to buy ST earlier than ever before (etc) show this.

The echo isn't a great paper. That is clear. But writing a very timid article about the club's financial issues was nothing major, IMO.

I think that Ridsdale's OTT reply to this situation is because he's trying to deflect.

I've no doubt there are short term cash problems.

"Timid article". Maybe. Or maybe it's a sensationalist article, based upon the court listing without ascertaining the facts behind it. The Eggo clearly did little to no research justifying the tone of the article on "informing fans". We've now seen doom mongering on every forum, which may well not be the case. That in turn does worry other investors who may not have been in advanced talks a la Ghee.

Equally, the Malaysian guys are no mugs. Do people seriously believe Ghee knows nothing of this? That he'd do no due diligence whatsoever? C'mon - Ghee and especially Tan if he's involved aren't wet behind the ears.

f**k they Echo all there stories are off here anyway, bar the match write ups on a monday, f*cking clueless jurnos

I've no doubt there are short term cash problems.

"Timid article". Maybe. Or maybe it's a sensationalist article, based upon the court listing without ascertaining the facts behind it. The Eggo clearly did little to no research justifying the tone of the article on "informing fans". We've now seen doom mongering on every forum, which may well not be the case. That in turn does worry other investors who may not have been in advanced talks a la Ghee.

Possibly; although as below I'm not sure that investors willing to give tens of millions (if they were to pay off lots of the debt, for example) would really listen to the fan's (fairly limited) view on things.

Equally, the Malaysian guys are no mugs. Do people seriously believe Ghee knows nothing of this? That he'd do no due diligence whatsoever? C'mon - Ghee and especially Tan if he's involved aren't wet behind the ears.

This is my main view, and one of the reasons why I think this is just Ridsdale trying to deflect. Ridsdale said that the Echo's article caused problems with the investment. And as you say, anyone willing to invest millions would certainly do enough research and due diligence to ensure that they knew about this sort of thing.

Possibly; although as below I'm not sure that investors willing to give tens of millions (if they were to pay off lots of the debt, for example) would really listen to the fan's (fairly limited) view on things.

No, I don't think fans views would factor into it other than on a "possibly investing into hostile environment" way. More that an investors in preliminary talks may see it / hear of it and potentially get scared away.

I also suspect it's not just this that's hardened the approach to the local media; this is probably the final straw.