Annis Abraham : Owning a football Club/Glad I was put off

” Owning a football Club/Glad I was put off ”

A few years ago I nearly got involved with Merthyr Tydfil Football Club and I had arranged for another person to go int o partnership with me.

The club was in dire straights at the time,but thankfully since Merthyr have had 3 promotions and £200,000 given to them from the Council,of course with conditions.

I received a phone call from Sam Hammam who rang to advise me.

Sams first words were,” Are you going to love it like your own child? ”

” Have you got 24/7 to give it? ”

” Will you be able to take the flack if things go wrong? ”

I said, I really like Merthyr and enjoyed going up there etc

Sam said ” thats not the answers ”

Sam then said “the majority of fans only care about how well the team is doing and how much to go in ”
” You could be doing fantastic one season and mediocre the next and some will immediately turn on you. ” Could you handle that? ”

I then met the Merthyr trust who said they wanted equal say on the board,yet were not prepared to put equal money in to the club like my partner and myself.

For weeks I thought long and hard about everything Sam had said and I am now glad I never got involved as lets be honest an owner can never win with the fans.
One minute your a hero,the next public enemy no 1.

I am posting this as when I think back over the years,the Chairmen that I respected Bob Crogan,Tony Clemo,Steve Borley, Sam Hamman and even Peter Ridsdale for a while took loads of stick and some of them really did care for Cardiff City.