[BaggieSteve]

I have to agree with Baggieman and 4eva. I think JP gave our club great service and put in place a well structured and financially sustainable club. I know that sounds pretty unimpressive during a time where the money in the game has gone insane and, frankly, obscene. But, without a solid foundation, a club like the Albion, without the bottomless wallet backing of a sovereign wealth fund or an overseas billionaire, have to get the basics right. I, like nearly all of us, got frustrated at our transfer policy, particularly when we missed out on signings when it looked like we were penny pinching. I also accept the criticism of JP towards the end of his tenure when he was trying to sell the club but, overall, I think he got far more right than he got wrong. He was, first and foremost, a business man and investor but he was also a supporter and, I believe, genuinely cared about the club. When he sold the club, he made a substantial profit. So what? He didn’t asset strip the club, he didn’t flog off facilities, he didn’t sell stadium naming rights. He invested in infrastructure, the training set up and the Academy. I know we’re all passionate fans and I also know that football is like no other business but it is a business now, not a social enterprise or a charity (except on a Saturday afternoon!). If all of us bought into a business, it’s likely we would do so to turn as big a profit as we could on our investment so why should we judge others differently?
I’m not saying JP was perfect by any means but I also think he gets a bum rap sometimes