RIP David Meek

[Prestwich_Blue]

The old MEN United reporter for many, many years for those who don't recognise his name. He & Peter Gardner (for City) were the two main writers most of us of a certain age used to read back in the day when the MEN wasn't a click-bait factory.

He was Baconface's ghost writer for his programme notes for all his tenure and I think did the same for some of his predecessors. When Baconface retired Meek dropped a huge hint as to the real reason but either no one picked up on it or the rag PR machine suppressed it.

I had the good fortune to meet David a few years ago and, having been given the full retirement story by a reliable source (which tied into what Meek had written) asked him about that. He laughed and said it definitely wasn't planned because he met him twice a week for 25 years and had met him only a couple of days earlier. Meek said Baconface hadn't said anything about retiring at that meeting and he certainly would have said something if he'd been planning it.

He was such a nice man and it's sad to hear he's no longer with us.

 

[Saddleworth2]

so what was the real story @Prestwich_Blue ?

 

[quiet_riot]

Rock of Gibraltar?

 

[blueinsa]

One of the names, faces and voices on GMR and through the written press when growing up even if it was for them lot.

Sad to hear.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

so what was the real story @Prestwich_Blue ?

Gill had been kicked upstairs a few months earlier and one reason (as I understand it) was that him and Ferguson had pulled a few stunts that got the Glazers to spend money they didn't want to spend. The so-called Rooney "transfer request" in 2010 was one and I believe there was something over the signing of van Persie, which was the final straw. So Woodward came in, presumably with the brief of keeping an eye on costs (how's that going Ed?).

Gill & Ferguson apparently thought they had a deal to bring Ronaldo back from Madrid but at the end-of-season transfer strategy meeting they had, Ferguson told Woodward about this and that he needed £80m to do it. Woodward then said that his instructions were that there was only £30m of new money available and if they wanted more it would have to come from sales. Ferguson had a storming row with Woodward, basically told him that the club needed him more than he needed the club and walked out. Meek said something like this in an interview with Talksport but it never really got picked up on.

I’ve never been able to get confirmation of this but I reckon that recommending Moyes was his revenge, on the grounds that if they wanted someone who could work on a budget, Moyes was the man.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

He was a young cub reporter at the MEN in 1958 and (I think) the MEN's reporter was on the plane - subsequently Meek was promoted on the spot and became the papers United reporter.
I'm sure Stuart Brennan will say a few words in today's / tomorrows paper.

 

[blueinsa]

Gill had been kicked upstairs a few months earlier and one reason (as I understand it) was that him and Ferguson had pulled a few stunts that got the Glazers to spend money they didn't want to spend. The so-called Rooney "transfer request" in 2010 was one and I believe there was something over the signing of van Persie, which was the final straw. So Woodward came in, presumably with the brief of keeping an eye on costs (how's that going Ed?).

Gill & Ferguson apparently thought they had a deal to bring Ronaldo back from Madrid but at the end-of-season transfer strategy meeting they had, Ferguson told Woodward about this and that he needed £80m to do it. Woodward then said that his instructions were that there was only £30m of new money available and if they wanted more it would have to come from sales. Ferguson had a storming row with Woodward, basically told him that the club needed him more than he needed the club and walked out. Meek said something like this in an interview with Talksport but it never really got picked up on.

I’ve never been able to get confirmation of this but I reckon that recommending Moyes was his revenge, on the grounds that if they wanted someone who could work on a budget, Moyes was the man.

Glorious if true, glorious even if not ;-)

 

[Bill]

my dad hated him. shame for his family mind.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

my dad hated him. shame for his family mind.

So did I, Bill. Very perceptive man, yer Dad!

 

[laserblue]

Gill & Ferguson apparently thought they had a deal to bring Ronaldo back from Madrid but at the end-of-season transfer strategy meeting they had, Ferguson told Woodward about this and that he needed £80m to do it. Woodward then said that his instructions were that there was only £30m of new money available and if they wanted more it would have to come from sales. Ferguson had a storming row with Woodward, basically told him that the club needed him more than he needed the club and walked out.

No doubt the origin of GPC's famous but bullshit quote that the rags weren't buying players because "There's no value in the market" rather than, as we all suspected, that "There's no money in the kitty".

RIP David Meek. I remember well when he and Peter Gardner were the football correspondents in the MEN and Pink.