Fit and Proper Owners

Before anyone can take over a league football team, prospective owners have to go through what is called a fit and proper owners test. This is to make sure that they are fit to run a football club. The clue is in the name of the exercise.

Despite this actions of several owners has been called into question and rightly so!

I will start with Vincent Tan who has done more to alienate himself with fans than any other owner I can remember. Starting off by scrapping the famous blue shirts that Cardiff have worn for as long as I can remember and I'm knocking on the door of my half century on this planet, and changing them to red.

A teams colours are it's history, it's identity and to do this showed a real disregard for the feelings of the fans who turn up week in and week out paying their hard earned cash to support the club.

Mr Tan doesn't stop there though. His dealings with manager Malky Mackay are now well documented and show a total lack of respect for the best manager that they have had in over fifty years. 

The Venky's at Blackburn are another example of trigger happy owners. How much longer will Gary Bowyer get to improve the side?

The total disregard of history and tradition by Hull city's owner Assem Allam who is attempting to change their name to Hull Tigers! 

The shenanigans at Coventry where SISU have them playing at Northampton, whilst the modern stadium 'The Ricoh' stands unused!

The King Power Group at Leicester appear to have calmed down lately, but they were hiring and firing regularly until a couple of years ago!

Even our neighbours in Nottingham had some early moments where a revolving door was needed in the managers office after three managers were fired within a few months.

It would appear that the fit and proper owners test simply isn't working!

I have been amongst the fans to criticise GSE at Derby, but they aren't guilty of throwing stupid money at the club and not giving managers a fair crack of the whip. Both Paul Jewell and Nigel Clough were given time. Jewell was given a funds, Clough was given time.

Nigel Clough steadied the ship and helped bring financial stability to the club with his dealings, but many thought that it was time to move on and move up a gear.

Currently challenging for an automatic promotion place and with the books in order, perhaps all of us who were quick to criticise GSE will eat humble pie at the end of the season. I'm happy to take a large portion if we are promoted.