| O'Leary retiring 16:09 - Jul 31 with 2936 views | Vic |
Ashton to take his role as well as carry on as CEO. He's extending his influence, extending his grip on things and taking over
Oh no, who will keep him reigned in now? Hope the Brizzle lot weren't right after all.
All tongue in cheek - though whisper it quietly, I do like the idea of a chairman over the CIO. Another pair of ears and eyes as a safety net! |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 16:24 - Jul 31 with 2832 views | RegencyBlue |
Ashton already seems to be working 24/7 as it is.
How much more can one man do! |  | | |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 with 2708 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 17:51 - Jul 31 with 2678 views | ParisBlue |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |
Reading between the lines the issue at Bristol City was there was no governance or control over Ashton. I doubt the American owners will give him free reign.
Ashton is only as good as McKenna. I've no doubt he's a good football administrator, but it's critical he doesn't get carte blanche control on spending. |  |
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| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 17:54 - Jul 31 with 2659 views | Bloots |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |
....should have stepped up.
Hopefully it's just a short term arrangement, but I've got a feeling Ashton will do everything he can to keep the role.
Not ideal at all. |  |
| "The sooner he comes back the better, this place has been a disaster without him" - TWTD User (July 2025) |
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| O'Leary retiring on 17:57 - Jul 31 with 2634 views | Trequartista |
not really sure what a chairman does when there is also a ceo at a company. Just chair meetings? |  |
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| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 17:58 - Jul 31 with 2623 views | hoppy |
| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 17:54 - Jul 31 by Bloots |
....should have stepped up.
Hopefully it's just a short term arrangement, but I've got a feeling Ashton will do everything he can to keep the role.
Not ideal at all. |
Do you not see it? There's obviously a reason that Mr Ham has stepped down from his role at Life's A Pitch TV... It's now all coming together. Ashton is temporarily stepping into the dual role prior to Phil having a short break and refreshing himself in readiness to take the reins. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 18:04 - Jul 31 with 2590 views | ITFC_Forever |
Aside from that, I hope O’Leary enjoys a long and happy retirement.
A pleasure to speak to, a guiding and calming influence on the club since the take over.
He summed it up on the day of the takeover when we were languishing in mid-table in L1. He said ITFC should be in the top division, and if not fighting at the very top of the one below to get promoted.
That was when the penny dropped for me as to how far our expectations and standards had been allowed to fall, and realised he was spot-on.
Happy retirement Mike. |  |
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| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 18:07 - Jul 31 with 2565 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 17:54 - Jul 31 by Bloots |
....should have stepped up.
Hopefully it's just a short term arrangement, but I've got a feeling Ashton will do everything he can to keep the role.
Not ideal at all. |
Towns tweet doesn't sound like it's a short term thing.
I don't like it. He once spoke of having hundreds of ideas and Mike talked him out of them.
I don't like the sound of ashton being in control and leaving werhun to run things below him which let's be honest will be the way it will go. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 18:15 - Jul 31 with 2500 views | Plums |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |
I agree. The CEO needs an impartial ear and word at times. Combining the roles isn't a great idea. |  |
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| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 19:13 - Jul 31 with 2355 views | Illinoisblue |
| Totally, one of the Yanks.... on 17:54 - Jul 31 by Bloots |
....should have stepped up.
Hopefully it's just a short term arrangement, but I've got a feeling Ashton will do everything he can to keep the role.
Not ideal at all. |
🇺🇸🇺🇸. Reporting for duty. 👌. Immediate lifetime ban for vloggers and shirt-blaggers. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 20:00 - Jul 31 with 2263 views | chicoazul |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:57 - Jul 31 by Trequartista |
not really sure what a chairman does when there is also a ceo at a company. Just chair meetings? |
Who do you think manages the CEO and sets their compensation? Signs off on their decisions? Has the casting vote on the board? Reports to the shareholders? A chairman is essential for a big complex organisation. Rolling it up into one person is bad governance as has been said elsewhere ITT. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 21:08 - Jul 31 with 2094 views | Trequartista |
| O'Leary retiring on 20:00 - Jul 31 by chicoazul |
Who do you think manages the CEO and sets their compensation? Signs off on their decisions? Has the casting vote on the board? Reports to the shareholders? A chairman is essential for a big complex organisation. Rolling it up into one person is bad governance as has been said elsewhere ITT. |
i don't really understand any of the off the field financial stuff if truth be told, i just nod along when they say somebody owns 40% of new shares in the plc of four lions which is or is not part of gamechanger arizona fireman ftse hedge fund matching rights currency susan.
transfer fees, i get that. | |
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| O'Leary retiring on 21:16 - Jul 31 with 2047 views | FrimleyBlue |
| O'Leary retiring on 20:00 - Jul 31 by chicoazul |
Who do you think manages the CEO and sets their compensation? Signs off on their decisions? Has the casting vote on the board? Reports to the shareholders? A chairman is essential for a big complex organisation. Rolling it up into one person is bad governance as has been said elsewhere ITT. |
There's two reasons it makes me nervous
1.. no pushbacks. I know you shouldn't trust what BC fans say, but one of the causes for their feelings is that Ashton didn't really have anything stopping him doing what he wanted, it's not that he purposely did wrong things but to BC fans it felt like no one stopped him making mistakes. With Ashton previously telling us that o leary stopped him doing things.. it was nice to know we had that stopper on board who could reign him in if he got to excited.
That's not say he's going to go rogue.. it's just obviously different now to the previous couple years.
2.. werhun. Again yes it's taken from BC fans but he was mentioned as being heavily involved in transfers.. something to do with shares in an agency or something... again could all be bulsht but also could it now give him free reign if Ashton has no one to answer to above.
We dont know what the truths are . And hopefully no issues come of it, but it's not a bit of news I wanted to see this summer. | |
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| O'Leary retiring on 21:19 - Jul 31 with 2029 views | redrickstuhaart |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:51 - Jul 31 by ParisBlue |
Reading between the lines the issue at Bristol City was there was no governance or control over Ashton. I doubt the American owners will give him free reign.
Ashton is only as good as McKenna. I've no doubt he's a good football administrator, but it's critical he doesn't get carte blanche control on spending. |
Have you been to Bristol City? A small div 2 club, now firmly placed at a higher level than they ought to be, with a setup and ground smarter than many, running all sorts of other events from guitar shows to job fairs and concerts, in their large, plush feeling ground full of facilities and saleable spaces? |  | | |
| O'Leary retiring on 22:35 - Jul 31 with 1863 views | Churchman |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |
I agree. I’ll go beyond and say Mr O’Leary has been as important, probably more than any other individual. He not only negotiated the purchase of the club but over three years provided that steady, calming influence the club needed.
If we need a President to retain his knowledge, influence etc, why not him?
If MA wants to do both for now, fine. But in the longer term the roles are not the same and I think restructuring will be needed.
Mike O’Leary? Thank you. You were key in reviving a literally dying football club. I really hope you enjoyed that journey as much as we did. |  | | |
| O'Leary retiring on 15:46 - Aug 1 with 1419 views | commuterblue |
| O'Leary retiring on 17:32 - Jul 31 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I think Ashton combining the two roles is bad corporate governance.
MA is a good CEO, but I think its good practice to have a separate Chairman. Seems wrong to combine the two. |
In general, I agree. Some thoughts
1. As a private limited company, it's not as atypical as if if we were a public limited company.
2. It seems to reflect the de facto arrangements anyway. After all it was Schwartz not OLeary that intervened publically with McKenna's contract. And Schwartz was very clear in his interview at the beginning of the Summer about his relationship with and confidence in MA.
3. Ashton is now very experienced as a CEO. Over time I would expect him to be getting less involved in transfers and becoming more of a figurehead and eg leading on massive projects like the stadium.
4. Some clubs have too many decision makers. Chelsea... This at least keeps it clear at the top. As the number of owners multiplies this helps reduce that risk. The last thing we need is a new Chair coming in and complicating the communication.
5. I've followed Match room sports for the last 8 years or so. Eddie Hearn has moved through from CEO of boxing to Chairman. Admittedly I don't think he held both roles formally, but he does effectively get involved in th day to day much more than you normally expect from a traditional Chair.
6. A role for informal advice would be helpful. But I imagine MA could still call O'Leary for that. They have been closed for a long time. |  |
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| O'Leary retiring on 15:58 - Aug 1 with 1367 views | BloomBlue |
Maybe the idea is Ashton becomes Chairman and a new CEO is appointed?
Would give Ashton more time in the gym and more time to sit down and drink his coffee instead of having to constantly walk around with a coffee cup in his hand. |  | | |
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