Bernard Halford - a mystery!

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

City had just started a deal with travel partner Thomas Cook then. The loyalty points needed where sky high, but a bit less if you went on the TC trip.

The Colin Bell sacking forcing him to take the club to an employment tribunal, is one example of many obvious howlers by the club, Niall Quinn's book has a lot of examples of how bad the club was run too. Maybe like a lot of clubs though at the time.

Yes! I had a run in with Sarah Billington over that one regarding the Lokeren game!
Within minutes of the draw being made I had booked flights from Stanstead to Charleroi (or whatever it is called) in Belguim for 11 quid each way including taxes.
Sarah Billington came out and told us all tickets would only go on sale to fans booking with Thomas Cook. I was on GMR saying it was a monopoly / cartel and a clear breach of trading rules (I had spoken to members of IMUSA who had fought off similar tricks the rags tried to pull off with them).
Sarah said that the price of the official travel was ''competitive'' (175 quid day trip I think) and then almost choked when I said I had 11 quid return flights!
My last words to her was I was planning a banner for the next game with the slogan ''Thomas Cook, we don't give a f**k''. She said ''there's no need for that Phill'' lol
A few days later they dropped the plan.

 

[blueyorkie]

Ok...i will ask this question.Does anyone think the ticket office was run well under Bernard's leadership?

That doesn't detract from the fact he is probably a solid great guy and a Blue through and through but he was paid for the job,as he is now and that same job allowed/allows him privilages most Blues can only dream about.

I think you will find criticism of him comes from what most people's answer will be to my question,not against the man's character or his dedication to the club.

At the time of the play off Bernard was club Secretary. There was a ticket office manager who would have to report to the board and those above. To level all the criticism at the Club Secretary is misguided

 

[paulchapo]

Ok...i will ask this question.Does anyone think the ticket office was run well under Bernard's leadership?

That doesn't detract from the fact he is probably a solid great guy and a Blue through and through but he was paid for the job,as he is now and that same job allowed/allows him privilages most Blues can only dream about.

I think you will find criticism of him comes from what most people's answer will be to my question,not against the man's character or his dedication to the club.

At the time of the play off Bernard was club Secretary. There was a ticket office manager who would have to report to the board and those above. To level all the criticism at the Club Secretary is misguided

Ok possibly but it was generally believed he was responsible for the ticket office,i am not sure if club secretary encompasses that,or did at the time.The story just recounted about mis information being given by Bernard to the fans about Lokeren years later seemed to go hand in hand with the man.

 

[Tbilisi]

Ok...i will ask this question.Does anyone think the ticket office was run well under Bernard's leadership?

That doesn't detract from the fact he is probably a solid great guy and a Blue through and through but he was paid for the job,as he is now and that same job allowed/allows him privilages most Blues can only dream about.

I think you will find criticism of him comes from what most people's answer will be to my question,not against the man's character or his dedication to the club.

Spot on.
The answer to your question is obviously NO but as you say it shouldn't be taken as an attack on Bernard's character or dedication to the club.

I think he should have sailed off into the sunset.Agree he was probably dedicated etc but to re invent him as Mr Manchester City is unwise at best.

 

[paulchapo]

Ok...i will ask this question.Does anyone think the ticket office was run well under Bernard's leadership?

That doesn't detract from the fact he is probably a solid great guy and a Blue through and through but he was paid for the job,as he is now and that same job allowed/allows him privilages most Blues can only dream about.

I think you will find criticism of him comes from what most people's answer will be to my question,not against the man's character or his dedication to the club.

Spot on.
The answer to your question is obviously NO but as you say it shouldn't be taken as an attack on Bernard's character or dedication to the club.

I think he should have sailed off into the sunset.Agree he was probably dedicated etc but to re invent him as Mr Manchester City is unwise at best.

No i agree with him staying,he has earnt it and deserves his place in the sun,he had to suffer the bad times like us.I just don't view his time with blue tinted spectacles.a lot of cock up's were made regarding tickets,organisation and fans by him and others.

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

Ok...i will ask this question.Does anyone think the ticket office was run well under Bernard's leadership?

That doesn't detract from the fact he is probably a solid great guy and a Blue through and through but he was paid for the job,as he is now and that same job allowed/allows him privilages most Blues can only dream about.

I think you will find criticism of him comes from what most people's answer will be to my question,not against the man's character or his dedication to the club.

Spot on.
The answer to your question is obviously NO but as you say it shouldn't be taken as an attack on Bernard's character or dedication to the club.

I think he should have sailed off into the sunset.Agree he was probably dedicated etc but to re invent him as Mr Manchester City is unwise at best.

I agree that re inventing him as Mr Manchester City is overdoing things. As Gary James said earlier there are loads of backroom people
who are also dedicated and are a part of the fabric of the club. Somebody like Tony Book deserves greater prominence.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

City had just started a deal with travel partner Thomas Cook then. The loyalty points needed where sky high, but a bit less if you went on the TC trip.

The Colin Bell sacking forcing him to take the club to an employment tribunal, is one example of many obvious howlers by the club, Niall Quinn's book has a lot of examples of how bad the club was run too. Maybe like a lot of clubs though at the time.

Yes! I had a run in with Sarah Billington over that one regarding the Lokeren game!
Within minutes of the draw being made I had booked flights from Stanstead to Charleroi (or whatever it is called) in Belguim for 11 quid each way including taxes.
Sarah Billington came out and told us all tickets would only go on sale to fans booking with Thomas Cook. I was on GMR saying it was a monopoly / cartel and a clear breach of trading rules (I had spoken to members of IMUSA who had fought off similar tricks the rags tried to pull off with them).
Sarah said that the price of the official travel was ''competitive'' (175 quid day trip I think) and then almost choked when I said I had 11 quid return flights!
My last words to her was I was planning a banner for the next game with the slogan ''Thomas Cook, we don't give a f**k''. She said ''there's no need for that Phill'' lol
A few days later they dropped the plan.

 

[Tbilisi]

Spot on.
The answer to your question is obviously NO but as you say it shouldn't be taken as an attack on Bernard's character or dedication to the club.

I think he should have sailed off into the sunset.Agree he was probably dedicated etc but to re invent him as Mr Manchester City is unwise at best.

No i agree with him staying,he has earnt it and deserves his place in the sun,he had to suffer the bad times like us.I just don't view his time with blue tinted spectacles.a lot of cock up's were made regarding tickets,organisation and fans by him and others.

He suffered the bad times but not like us,he was paid.I used my hard earned to follow a club that should never have seen anything other than the top division in the 80s & 90s.

Not saying it was his fault obviously but he was part of a management regime that was incompetent in the extreme.