Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Jon Crofts]

Dan Bardell would’ve had interactions around the club and beyond the fan experience.  If he isn’t suprised by the leaks then its bad news for the club.  A bit gutting to be honest, as the football side is in the best shape for a generation.

ps can someone explain the “Dan Bardell, who?” Joke?   

Can they not. Thanks.

[eamonn]

It's just another example of Bad English's influence on the forum.

[Percy McCarthy]

If it's not true, then Heck has nothing to worry about. If there's any of it that's true, then he's going to have to explain himself to Nas. Certainly none of his actions so far really make him stand out as a consumate professional. The way he got the North Stand story out was amateurish beyond belief, and the rebranding has become a complete fiasco.

One decision, for me, really sums up Heck's time with us so far. The badge (even though the redevelopment is the one that is a bigger issue)

Parking, for a moment, how people feel about the crest designs and which one is objectively better, it was all done and dusted in November 2022 when the round design was chosen.

Chris Heck's first major decision last summer was to reopen the whole question of the badge. Can anybody hand on heart say this was a good decision? Here we are in Feb 2024 and we still haven't got a clear visual identity which must be having some impact on merch sales and which hasn't, in my opinion, really served the interests of the club. It has just led to another year of debate, arguments and ambiguity and whatever 'win' they would have got out of launching a visual rebrand has been squandered because we are all sick to death of it now. It will surely be  damp squib now whenever they finally 'reveal' what he has gone with.

Exactly.

The change from the round badge to a 'consultation' for the new badge - handled terribly
The way the new badge was revealed by a fan trawling the trademark site - embarrassing
The actual new badge itself with the drop shadow - almost universal agreement that it's terrible
The 150 anniversary badge and the way it was revealed on his personal Twitter - amateurish
The interview where he revealed he was parking the North Stand project - laughably bad.

And that's all the stuff he's supposed to be good at.

I'm not sure but have you mentioned it before? 

I think it’s a good and worthwhile summary. Maybe we should all stop moaning about anything when we’ve done it the once, like the government perhaps?

[pauliewalnuts]

It's a bit futile getting so hung up on the badge. Whatever design is finally agreed upon it's not set in stone from that point till eternity. If there's enough of an issue about whatever design is chosen with the fan base it will be changed again and again...

It's not the design itself, it's the absolutely stupid way he's gone about everything.

Absolutely this.

End of the day, we can live with whatever they decide they want. Some of us will hate it but we’ll get over it soon enough.

What does rankle is some of the stuff that came out of the club during this process.

Acting as if the round badge was a Rotterdam memorial thing on the, err, 41st anniversary.

Telling us it was a commercial trial when it was clearly scrapped.

Pretending to consult with fans when they had already decided.

Thinking we’re so stupid, nobody would check trademark applications.

Presenting it to the FAB in a video then saying there wasn’t any negative feedback in a manner which suggests it was discussed, when actually, the FAB said it wasn’t.

Honestly, my problem with it is not about this design or that, it’s about being taken for idiots.

And let’s not forget, all this ^^^^ is just about the badge. There’s then the North Stand, the lower grounds, the terrace view etc etc.

Reading reports of the FAB meetings, it sounds very, very much to me like the fans are generally getting sneered at by these people.

I have massive respect for our owners and look forward to Heck and Hatton delivering amazing commercial results, but I just don’t trust this pair, my default setting is to initially not believe anything they tell us.

That’s pretty impressive going. Even Tom Fox maintained credibility longer than these.

[VillaTim]

Office working culture can very easily become very unpleasant where trust and open communication is breaking down.

this is just normal in the UK i find

[Jon Crofts]

Office working culture can very easily become very unpleasant where trust and open communication is breaking down.

this is just normal in the UK i find

Although it’s not specifically called out in the site rules can you do us all the courtesy of starting a sentence with a capital letter and ending sentences with a full stop or period if you’re of an American persuasion.
Your tomes are hardly streams of consciousness so it really isn’t a big ask, furthermore even if you are typing on a mobile I cannot think of an application that doesn’t capitalise the first letter of a sentence & add a full stop after a double space.

Thanks.

[Chris Smith]

Since getting rid of Gerrard we have been fairly ruthless in weeding out those players considered to be underperforming or surplus to requirements. If this statement has any basis in truth looks as though similar is happening on the commercial and administrative side.

[brontebilly]

Since getting rid of Gerrard we have been fairly ruthless in weeding out those players considered to be underperforming or surplus to requirements. If this statement has any basis in truth looks as though similar is happening on the commercial and administrative side.

The main underperformer is Chris Heck. Seems Gerrard esque in being proven utterly out of his depth very quickly. That's before these allegations. 

[astonvilla82]

Office working culture can very easily become very unpleasant where trust and open communication is breaking down.

this is just normal in the UK i find

Although it’s not specifically called out in the site rules can you do us all the courtesy of starting a sentence with a capital letter and ending sentences with a full stop or period if you’re of an American persuasion.
Your tomes are hardly streams of consciousness so it really isn’t a big ask, furthermore even if you are typing on a mobile I cannot think of an application that doesn’t capitalise the first letter of a sentence & add a full stop after a double space.

Thanks.

your right,it isn't against site rules

[itmustbe_it is!]

Office working culture can very easily become very unpleasant where trust and open communication is breaking down.

this is just normal in the UK i find

Although it’s not specifically called out in the site rules , can you do us all the courtesy of starting a sentence with a capital letter and ending sentences with a full stop, or period if you’re of an American persuasion.
Your tomes are hardly streams of consciousness so it really isn’t a big ask ;  furthermore even if you are typing on a mobile I cannot think of an application that doesn’t capitalise the first letter of a sentence and add a full stop after a double space.

Thanks.

FTFY.

[N'ZMAV]

bring back Purslow.

[Risso]

Since getting rid of Gerrard we have been fairly ruthless in weeding out those players considered to be underperforming or surplus to requirements. If this statement has any basis in truth looks as though similar is happening on the commercial and administrative side.

There's a big difference between getting rid of Coutinho on £180K a week, and Pat on the purchase ledger in accounts.

[Villa in Denmark]

Office working culture can very easily become very unpleasant where trust and open communication is breaking down.

this is just normal in the UK i find

Have you considered the possibility that if the problem follows you around the problem might be you?

[Mister E]

Whilst the content of this article smacks of extreme self-entitlement, the theme is that if we want to compete with the best we have to get the non-footballing structures right and populated with the best we can get.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/16/ashworth-and-wilcox-the-next-pieces-in-jigsaw-of-new-manchester-united
I wonder whether Heck is the best we can get, and I also question whether having him at the top of the structure is wise given that he seems like a loose cannon.

[ChicagoLion]

I am convinced he is no where near the best we could get, as P Walnuts points out above, you don’t get that many things wrong in so short a time period if you are any where near competent let alone best in the business.