Gavin Baldwins interview with Radio Sheffield today

[Lesonthewest]

Brilliant interview, an insight as to where we are budget wise in this league, open, honest, & very much with supporters at heart. We're in safe hands. Let the fun begin!

[dknward2]

Also loved how it was described as let’s go there and have some fun, no pressure on Grant that he must finish x place, which is a fantastic way to look at it

[ForsolongaRover]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

And what would he have to do to prove his worth to you?

[DonnyOsmond]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

Alternatively, Gavin may simply be a Chief Executive doing the best he can with the tools at his disposal, he's not a millionaire like Blunt and Bramall.
Terry deserves credit for our recent successes, but let’s not forget he stood by while Blunt led us through austerity—his hands aren't entirely clean. As for the managers, Wellens has a track record of success everywhere except at the one club where the budget was slashed but he was still expected to bring in League One quality players. McSheffrey never wanted the top job; he was content as a youth coach. And both of them two, as well as Schofield were operating on a fraction of the budget McCann has had. So it’s impossible to say whether they might have succeeded under different circumstances.

[ravenrover]

Or Wellens blew his budget and went back  please can I have some more?
Has he had to build a fresh team at all his other clubs?

[Glyn_Wigley]

If john Ryan had done this interview it would have been about 4 pages long already.

Fantastic interview without the razzmatazz and sales guff.

How on this earth do you find a way to belittle John Ryan?
Club is on a great trajectory at the moment, can the current regime get us a higher finish than 12th in the second tier of English football?
Possibly, but don’t knock the guy that did it, and in turn gave us the “The Arsenal of the North” tag. Even Millwall applauded Rovers off the pitch.

He's not knocking John Ryan, he's knocking those who slavishly hang on his every word as if they've been handed down by God himself. Those who think that the mere mention of Ryan's name in the slightest form of negativity is somehow 'having a go at him', even when it's patently obvious it isn't.

[RoversInSpain]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

Alternatively, Gavin may simply be a Chief Executive doing the best he can with the tools at his disposal, he's not a millionaire like Blunt and Bramall.
Terry deserves credit for our recent successes, but let’s not forget he stood by while Blunt led us through austerity—his hands aren't entirely clean. As for the managers, Wellens has a track record of success everywhere except at the one club where the budget was slashed but he was still expected to bring in League One quality players. McSheffrey never wanted the top job; he was content as a youth coach. And both of them two, as well as Schofield were operating on a fraction of the budget McCann has had. So it’s impossible to say whether they might have succeeded under different circumstances.

Yes, I’d say Gavin does a great job under whichever regime he has to work. I suppose he’s a ‘Yes’ man in the nicest possible sense, he’ll work hard and maximise the opportunities at the time, but he won’t lead change he’ll support it and build on it though.

[RoversInSpain]

If john Ryan had done this interview it would have been about 4 pages long already.

Fantastic interview without the razzmatazz and sales guff.

How on this earth do you find a way to belittle John Ryan?
Club is on a great trajectory at the moment, can the current regime get us a higher finish than 12th in the second tier of English football?
Possibly, but don’t knock the guy that did it, and in turn gave us the “The Arsenal of the North” tag. Even Millwall applauded Rovers off the pitch.

He's not knocking John Ryan, he's knocking those who slavishly hang on his every word as if they've been handed down by God himself. Those who think that the mere mention of Ryan's name in the slightest form of negativity is somehow 'having a go at him', even when it's patently obvious it isn't.

No, he just said Ryan was full of Razzamatazz and Sales guff, didn’t mention anyone else hanging on to every word…
To me the that statement suggested that Ryan was full of Sh*t. So if I say to you you’re full of razzmatazz and sales guff you’re quite positive it’s a compliment obviously??

[idler]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

When David Blunt was in the chair everything had to go through him. If he said no it didn’t happen. Gavin was the driver of getting GM back once Terry took the reins.

[IDM]

I can’t believe that some folks seem to be belittling the role Gavin has had in putting our club where it is today.  Sure it’s a team effort from TB down, but Gavin deserves much credit.

[Usher wide.]

Much more than you might think.

There are clubs who would give Gavin a CEO position yesterday!

He stuck with Rovers when every proposal he put forward was knocked back by Blunt unless it saved the club money. Blunts remit was to make the club sustainable. The trouble was he didn’t care if that sustainability came about with Rovers playing non-league football!

Eventually, I don’t know why it took so long, Terry realised this & ‘relieved’ someone who had been a trusted business partner….but not in football.

Gavin then was able (with Terry as Chair) to get the things done he wasn’t able to do under Blunt.

Imagine how frustrating the post Moore days must have been for Gavin. He had to appease supporters whilst every penny the club did generate went to the first team (be it contracts or loans).

This man felt as much, if not more pain than us, because he was on the ‘inside’ watching the ‘decay’ seep through the club day after day.

Gavin Baldwin, he’s ‘one of our own’.

[roversontheup]

Much more than you might think.

There are clubs who would give Gavin a CEO position yesterday!

He stuck with Rovers when every proposal he put forward was knocked back by Blunt unless it saved the club money. Blunts remit was to make the club sustainable. The trouble was he didn’t care if that sustainability came about with Rovers playing non-league football!

Eventually, I don’t know why it took so long, Terry realised this & ‘relieved’ someone who had been a trusted business partner….but not in football.

Gavin then was able (with Terry as Chair) to get the things done he wasn’t able to do under Blunt.

Imagine how frustrating the post Moore days must have been for Gavin. He had to appease supporters whilst every penny the club did generate went to the first team (be it contracts or loans).

This man felt as much, if not more pain than us, because he was on the ‘inside’ watching the ‘decay’ seep through the club day after day.

Gavin Baldwin, he’s ‘one of our own’.

I was just about to post something very similar UW.
Gavin is pivotal to the successes we are now enjoying. It’s not just about what he does. He is someone who people respect and trust . His team will run through brick walls to support him……because he also runs through brick walls for his team and this club. No one should ever question his importance to the club, As UW said other clubs would have him as their CEO in a heartbeat.

[Pancho Regan]

Well said Usher.

And during those difficult times when Gavin was working his socks off, he was receiving dog’s abuse from a nasty, ignorant faction of our supporter base. Although I shouldn’t flatter them with the word ‘supporter’.

At its worst, the lady who works on Reception and deals with the mail, was having to open Gavin’s mail and throw into the bin those letters which contained personal abuse towards him, to save him from reading them.

He deserves huge credit for the major part he has played in our recovery and we’re lucky to have him.
Gavin, Terry and Grant are our ‘Golden Triangle’ and we should be very grateful.

Happy Days.

[silent majority]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

I can't think of a bigger slap in the face than this.

It was due to the perseverance of Gavin and his discussions with the council that granted the club the control of the stadium, and the ability to control our finances stemmed from that decision. I attended those meetings myself, on behalf of the VSC, and it was never a certainty at any point, but because of the tenacity of Gavin we did manage to take out a favourable lease on the stadium.

Fast forward to today and I guarantee that without Gavin there wouldn't be a Terry. Terry has complete and utter faith in Gavin as a CEO, and would not be spending the millions that he has done lately if he wasn't in place. Its because Gavin has a vision for the club that Terry is prepared to do what he does.

And having Grant at the club is also a coup for Gavin. It was Gavin who kept in touch with Grant when he left the club. It was Gavin who followed his career and persuaded him to rejoin when the timing was right. Without Gavin there would be no Grant.

It seems to me that some people just have an axe to grind, and very little understanding how things work inside a football club like ours.

[DonnyOsmond]

I don't understand why the club wasn't put up for sale in the Blunt days if they didn't want to invest and it was making the fans miserable.

[ForsolongaRover]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

And what would he have to do to prove his worth to you?

Gavin has the ability to “present”, what’s been achieved and encouraging belief in an optimistic future at a time when this is what people want to hear. He obviously is very successful at this judging from the reaction on here. I hope he is true to his word and provides real added value right across the board in the future. And if things do not go as well as we might hope I would hope that he will not retreat into “concentrating” on Club Doncaster.

[Usher wide.]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

And what would he have to do to prove his worth to you?

Gavin has the ability to “present”, what’s been achieved and encouraging belief in an optimistic future at a time when this is what people want to hear. He obviously is very successful at this judging from the reaction on here. I hope he is true to his word and provides real added value right across the board in the future. And if things do not go as well as we might hope I would hope that he will not retreat into “concentrating” on Club Doncaster.

Would that be the Club Doncaster whose income has paid for the medical & new training facilities at Cantley Park to the tune of £700,000?

You hope Gavin “…provides real added value right across the board in future.”

I’ll not regurgitate what Silent Majority has reiterated what Gavin has done during his time at the club, I suggest you go read & digest it.

Make no mistake, without Gavin Baldwin we’d be kicking this new season off in the National League alongside Bedford Town, Solihull Moors & Boreham Wood.

[andy didcott]

It would be very difficult to replace someone as passionate and committed as Gavin is, hope he stays here until he retires, top bloke.

[IDM]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

And what would he have to do to prove his worth to you?

Gavin has the ability to “present”, what’s been achieved and encouraging belief in an optimistic future at a time when this is what people want to hear. He obviously is very successful at this judging from the reaction on here. I hope he is true to his word and provides real added value right across the board in the future. And if things do not go as well as we might hope I would hope that he will not retreat into “concentrating” on Club Doncaster.

And today’s JCB award goes to…

[RoversInSpain]

I remember not all that long ago Gavin made a very optimistic prediction about what lay ahead for Rovers and when it didn't materialise he said that he had subsequently devoted his efforts primarily to the most profitable side of the business, Club Doncaster, which was effectively subsidising the football losses.

The part that he has played as compared with Grant and Terry in getting us where we are has yet to be proved to me. He was there alongside Blunt and several unsuccessful managers, but it is Terry and Grant who have brought the obviously successful ingredients to the Party. 

I can't think of a bigger slap in the face than this.

It was due to the perseverance of Gavin and his discussions with the council that granted the club the control of the stadium, and the ability to control our finances stemmed from that decision. I attended those meetings myself, on behalf of the VSC, and it was never a certainty at any point, but because of the tenacity of Gavin we did manage to take out a favourable lease on the stadium.

Fast forward to today and I guarantee that without Gavin there wouldn't be a Terry. Terry has complete and utter faith in Gavin as a CEO, and would not be spending the millions that he has done lately if he wasn't in place. Its because Gavin has a vision for the club that Terry is prepared to do what he does.

And having Grant at the club is also a coup for Gavin. It was Gavin who kept in touch with Grant when he left the club. It was Gavin who followed his career and persuaded him to rejoin when the timing was right. Without Gavin there would be no Grant.

It seems to me that some people just have an axe to grind, and very little understanding how things work inside a football club like ours.

Really interesting read, and detailing relationships and events I was unaware of. Spread the word as I’m sure many more fans are unaware of GB’s input. Long may the golden triangle rule!!

[Glyn_Wigley]

If john Ryan had done this interview it would have been about 4 pages long already.

Fantastic interview without the razzmatazz and sales guff.

How on this earth do you find a way to belittle John Ryan?
Club is on a great trajectory at the moment, can the current regime get us a higher finish than 12th in the second tier of English football?
Possibly, but don’t knock the guy that did it, and in turn gave us the “The Arsenal of the North” tag. Even Millwall applauded Rovers off the pitch.

He's not knocking John Ryan, he's knocking those who slavishly hang on his every word as if they've been handed down by God himself. Those who think that the mere mention of Ryan's name in the slightest form of negativity is somehow 'having a go at him', even when it's patently obvious it isn't.

No, he just said Ryan was full of Razzamatazz and Sales guff, didn’t mention anyone else hanging on to every word…
To me the that statement suggested that Ryan was full of Sh*t. So if I say to you you’re full of razzmatazz and sales guff you’re quite positive it’s a compliment obviously??

If you knew me you'd know it would definitely be a compliment to me! It doesn't suggest any false dealing or insincerity to me, just presentational style and technique. A more fascinating question would be why you think that with regards to John Ryan it means he's full of shit. Perhaps it's something on a subconscious level.

[Al4475]

"But let us not forget he stood by while Blunt led us through austerity, his hands aren't entirely clean"

I would say there was potentially a lot more going off behind the scenes than most folk were aware of back then tho and I would hazard a guess that when McCann came back and TB took total control - things had been sorted and Blunt had actually done his job in helping get the club through all that - as was probably his remit.

Pure speculation mind!

And Gavin has been there yonks now , for that Rovers fans everywhere should be grateful.

In my humble opinion - the good times are coming back.

[graingrover]

Jeez , you can’t believe some perceptions ! Gavin is the best CEO we have ever had and will hopefully have him for decades to come .

[ravenrover]

Stood by?

What choice did he have other than leaving?

[DearneValleyRover]

Stood by?

What choice did he have other than leaving?

He did have that option but he stood by the Club

[DonnyOsmond]

Stood by?

What choice did he have other than leaving?

TB brought DB on board, and had the largest wallet, he surely had the largest say and in the end he did say something. The point being why didn't he say something earlier in the 3 years we were sleepwalking to the National League, or even sell his share in the club if they weren't interested at that point in time in financing the club.

[Ryaldinhio]

Just on with listening to this interview now.

"We have budgeted for a mid table finish"

Very honest and something we should all get behind as the club looks to progress. I for one would be happy with mid table and we go again.

[Ryaldinhio]

About 9mins in and Gavin basically saying Grant came to us with a budget that he thought can attack league one but knowing where the club is at, Terry signed it off.

No blank cheque, but got what he asked for.

Cmon Grant, let's show em!!!!

[colincramb]

Stood by?

What choice did he have other than leaving?

TB brought DB on board, and had the largest wallet, he surely had the largest say and in the end he did say something. The point being why didn't he say something earlier in the 3 years we were sleepwalking to the National League, or even sell his share in the club if they weren't interested at that point in time in financing the club.

Let’s move on, eh. It’s a new book. Blunt was an incredibly influential figure and had been as we are led to believe throughout terry’s businesses. He obviously trusted him to the hilt, perhaps blind faith almost. The fact is he realised he had to go and severed that relationship (business and personal) for the benefit of club.

I think it’s time to move on, don’t you?