Kensell Left The Club

[Aldo]

I'm with you, I believe there was a very good reason why his family went back down south months ago, nothing to do with Hibs fans.
When your job involves professional sport you are going to come under pressure at times (I'm not condoning abusing families in the street) hence the financial compensation.
His salary at a club our size and financial losses was ridiculous.
He has been bankrolled by the Gordons so has improved the stadium and HTC the real talent would have been to do this with the the profits from league position, cup runs, player trading, European games.
The club had made massive losses(forget this stupidity smokescreen about turnover) we have sacked 4 managers( huge pay offs), massive underperforming squad numerous admin blunders that make the club a laughing stock.
My opinion is this next set of accounts has made his position untenable, Black Knights have clearly marked his homework and its clear what a poor job has been done.
I think this is very positive move from the club and the focus can get backing SDG and the team and the results on the pitch and building the connection back with the fanbase which after the last few months can clearly se is there.

I take it you know what turnover is?

I ask as you’ve mentioned using the cup, Europe and league position monies to make improvements. That is turnover is it not.

We cannot really survive without turnover.

[Lago]

:greengrin
No he has definitely left the club.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I take it you know what turnover is?

I ask as you’ve mentioned using the cup, Europe and league position monies to make improvements. That is turnover is it not.

We cannot really survive without turnover.

I think the suggestion is that what he’s done isn’t particularly impressive as he’s not had to use the funds generated by the club (the turnover) to do it.

I’d be inclined to agree. Increasing turnover when you get to use external funding to do it and don’t have to worry about the massive losses you’re racking up is nothing to write home about imo.

If I earn £50k a year then I can point to the fact I have £50k going through my bank account. If I use that £50k to buy £50k worth of used cars that I sell on for £30k, I can point to the fact I’ve increased the money going through my bank to £80k a year. In reality though I’ve made a total arse of it. What Kensell is doing is along the same lines given how much we’re losing.

[Pretty Boy]

I don't think a single person would condone abusing a player or club employee in the street but a bit perspective is needed. It's not hundreds or thousands of people hounding them daily and holding vigils outside their homes or the training ground. That happens elsewhere and it must be awful for those involved. In the last 2-3 years the Hibs support has actually been remarkably placid and patient imo. A bit of grumping and moaning but the 'sack the board' chants and whatever never really got much traction and I can't recall a single protest; compare it to the scenes at Celtic Park when they didn't win everything for one ****ing year😅😅

Hibs core support is probably 20K or so with that again being turn up for cup final types. Of that number how many people are abusing players or the CEOs family in the street? 5? A dozen? Those people are out line but it's hardly commonplace. I don't know a single person who would do that. I don't even know if I'd recognise Josh Campbell in the gym. I've seen him at distance playing football, seen him in pictures and maybe passed him at a POTY night but with all context removed if I saw him I'd probably think 'I know that guys face' and kept walking. I didn't even know Ben Kensell was married or had kids until a few weeks back and I'm sure the majority of Hibs fans are the same.

Totally reprehensible behaviour from those involved but I'm not believing it is driving people out the club and certainly not believing it is why Kensell was mutually consented. If it was then he would have been at pains to say it was entirely his decision to leav, looks far better on the CV. It's a miniscule minority and they should be easy to identify and deal with.

[Aldo]

I think the suggestion is that what he’s done isn’t particularly impressive as he’s not had to use the funds generated by the club (the turnover) to do it.

I’d be inclined to agree. Increasing turnover when you get to use external funding to do it and don’t have to worry about the massive losses you’re racking up is nothing to write home about imo.

If I earn £50k a year then I can point to the fact I have £50k going through my bank account. If I use that £50k to buy £50k worth of used cars that I sell on for £30k, I can point to the fact I’ve increased the money going through my bank to £80k a year. In reality though I’ve made a total arse of it. What Kensell is doing is along the same lines given how much we’re losing.

Of course it’s not and maybe they sought external funding knowing it would have a massive impact on the playing side moving forward.

What I will say its easy to look at the negatives rather than focus on the positives (not many I hear folk say). A collect cluster from top to bottom at times but he held the mantle of CEO so it’s on him?

[jeffers]

I think the suggestion is that what he’s done isn’t particularly impressive as he’s not had to use the funds generated by the club (the turnover) to do it.

I’d be inclined to agree. Increasing turnover when you get to use external funding to do it and don’t have to worry about the massive losses you’re racking up is nothing to write home about imo.

If I earn £50k a year then I can point to the fact I have £50k going through my bank account. If I use that £50k to buy £50k worth of used cars that I sell on for £30k, I can point to the fact I’ve increased the money going through my bank to £80k a year. In reality though I’ve made a total arse of it. What Kensell is doing is along the same lines given how much we’re losing.

It all comes back to the argument that as CEO the buck stops with him. If that’s the thought process then I absolutely get the criticism that comes his way. The other way of looking at it is as CEO he’s increasing revenue for others to spend on the playing side, a playing side that’s failed because of really poor appointments and signings along with ridiculous wages being paid to those signings.

[followhibs]

I take it you know what turnover is?

I ask as you’ve mentioned using the cup, Europe and league position monies to make improvements. That is turnover is it not.

We cannot really survive without turnover.

WOW, I'm fully aware of the mechanics of how a business is run.

I will make it easy for you, A business can turnover millions and millions of pounds however if its running costs exceed the money it generates its not good news.

Our club has lost millions every year Kensal has been at the club even with Foleys millions this year will be the clubs biggest loss, this has only gone on this long because the Gordon family are covering the losses common sense they won't do that for ever.

[Aldo]

WOW, I'm fully aware of the mechanics of how a business is run.

I will make it easy for you, A business can turnover millions and millions of pounds however if its running costs exceed the money it generates its not good news.

Our club has lost millions every year Kensal has been at the club even with Foleys millions this year will be the clubs biggest loss, this has only gone on this long because the Gordon family are covering the losses common sense they won't do that for ever.

Easy easy I didn’t know hence my post. My perception of your post.

I also know that.

So from your post BK is to blame for it all?

[GreenPJ]

I think the suggestion is that what he’s done isn’t particularly impressive as he’s not had to use the funds generated by the club (the turnover) to do it.

I’d be inclined to agree. Increasing turnover when you get to use external funding to do it and don’t have to worry about the massive losses you’re racking up is nothing to write home about imo.

If I earn £50k a year then I can point to the fact I have £50k going through my bank account. If I use that £50k to buy £50k worth of used cars that I sell on for £30k, I can point to the fact I’ve increased the money going through my bank to £80k a year. In reality though I’ve made a total arse of it. What Kensell is doing is along the same lines given how much we’re losing.

He was CEO - how does he not have to worry about the losses? The first person the board would go to when reviewing the accounts is the CEO to get answers. If those answers aren't appropriate or there is no mitigation proposed as to how it will improve from there then he carry's the can whether that be sacking/loss of bonus etc.

[RIP]

I love all the conspiracy theories, much more entertaining than a historical analysis. :greengrin

But after listening to the insightful Hibs blogs over the past 48 hours, a more balanced viewpoint is being put forward:-


The Gordon family took over nearly six seasons ago. Ron was an entrepreneur and wanted to realise his ambition to own AND RUN a football club
Leeann's role was increasingly sidelined as Ron started to lead more, and mentor his son Ian as a decision-maker
Leeann gave notice after two years and then Ron temporarily decided (as Ron had done before) that He and Ian could share the CEO duties, rather than replace her
However they had created their 5-year plan and they lacked a full-time senior manager to bring in finance and develop the stadium
So they brought in a young guy who had a great track record at Norwich. Ron and Ian would continue to play at managing the football operation and the new guy would drive the club forward commercially
To attract that guy, he wouldn't come for a commercial director job (same title he already had at Norwich). So they offered him a CEO role and an appropriate pay hike between England and the SPL
Ben Kensell WAS on a big salary. He earned that wage by spectacularly delivering on the duties they gave him whilst watching helpless whilst Ron and Ian made a complete erse of running the football operation
Ron sadly passed and Ian was a novice senior manager, dropped in the deep end. Because of this the family have dodged accountability for the demise of the football operation (apart from Mikey Stewart, who's nailed that one)
Third then 8th, 5th, 8th. The McDermott fiasco. Hiring and firing head coaches. Ludricrous signings. Ian Gordon in charge of Recruitment.

Everyone who has worked for the Gordons and left/been binned (Dempster, Mathie, Sue McLernon, Tam McCourt, Ross, Maloney, Johnston, Maloney, Kensell) have all been victims of a vanity project by an American family. Maybe if Ron hadn't been so desperately keen for his family to RUN our club, to train up his son as a football Chairman / CEO, to take on responsibilities they were so clearly unqualified for, sideline the best CEO the SPL and Hibs ever had, tear up the CEO/DoF/Head of recruitment/Head Coach model that had served us so well, we Hibs fans would not have had to endure three years of hurt and pain.

We need to recognise that Ron and Ian mis-managed that side of Hibs for five years. After Ron passed in 2023, Ben stepped across to help guide Ian which led eventually to the re-structuring the football operation. In reverting to the model that won us the cup, I'm not remotely surprised that under an experienced DoF (Malky) mentoring a rookie but fast-learning Head Coach (SDG) matched with the hope generated by a new Head of Recruitment (Garvan) the whole football operation appears to be moving in a healthier direction. BK also brought us the Black Knights, the fruits of which we are still to see.

If I was to follow the Longbangers approach and score Ben's performance (also rating him against the Gordons):-

2021 - 2023 When R&G were running the football side & Ben focused 100% on commercial. Ron and Ian 1.5/5 Ben 5/5
2023 - 2024 Ian holding the reins, Ben advising, sidelining the ineffective McDermott Ian 1/5 Ben 3/5
2024 - 2025 Ian finally stepping back, Ben reinstating the cup-winning structure of the football operation, Black Knights coming in, Malky and Gray appointed, Ben and Ian sticking with both Ian 2/5 Ben 4/5

Based on KPI's and the areas of the club that he was granted access to influence in each of the above periods (which I'm not sure all fans acknowledge) I think Ben can be justified in claiming that he achieved a lot in his 3.5 years. However I believe that with the misleading title of CEO, he also became a convenient fall guy for the Gordon's tenure in charge of the football side of the club. In November, when the club were rock bottom and Block 7 lowered the banner, the board needed to pin a tail on a donkey. He would have been served notice then and given the standard 3 months notice to find another appointment. He probably would have been househunting so it's no surprise that his family moved at that point if not earlier. It's a shame he hadn't found a job by the time his notice period was up but these changes often take place in the close season.

Sure there were style, speech and behaviour howlers that Ben was guilty of which left him unable to connect with the culture and supporters majority at Easter Road. That also is part of his legacy. Let's just hope that the BK's, Malcolm and the Board can pull a credible candidate out of the business world for his replacement. And that they offer that person a FULL CEO role from the get go, not just a glorified Commercial Director portfolio. And that the new CEO behaves like a CEO like Leeann with good media skills, nae bluff and bluster and a plain-speaking manner.

[followhibs]

Easy easy I didn’t know hence my post. My perception of your post.

I also know that.

So from your post BK is to blame for it all?

I'm not sure blame is the word I would use but I would say he does bare the responsibility.
In the corporate world if you are claiming a salary of £350,000 per year then you better know your stuff.
Kensal is a salesman and was learning on the job after Rons passing and ended up running a football club and got it horribly wrong.
I'm with GREENPJ if things aren't going to plan then a CEO on that salary (which has trebled in 3yrs which is usually a sign of success?) its his/her responsibltly to cut the cloth accordingly and budget within the perimeters of the club.

[Jones28]

I love all the conspiracy theories, much more entertaining than a historical analysis. :greengrin

But after listening to the insightful Hibs blogs over the past 48 hours, a more balanced viewpoint is being put forward:-


The Gordon family took over nearly six seasons ago. Ron was an entrepreneur and wanted to realise his ambition to own AND RUN a football club
Leeann's role was increasingly sidelined as Ron started to lead more, and mentor his son Ian as a decision-maker
Leeann gave notice after two years and then Ron temporarily decided (as Ron had done before) that He and Ian could share the CEO duties, rather than replace her
However they had created their 5-year plan and they lacked a full-time senior manager to bring in finance and develop the stadium
So they brought in a young guy who had a great track record at Norwich. Ron and Ian would continue to play at managing the football operation and the new guy would drive the club forward commercially
To attract that guy, he wouldn't come for a commercial director job (same title he already had at Norwich). So they offered him a CEO role and an appropriate pay hike between England and the SPL
Ben Kensell WAS on a big salary. He earned that wage by spectacularly delivering on the duties they gave him whilst watching helpless whilst Ron and Ian made a complete erse of running the football operation
Ron sadly passed and Ian was a novice senior manager, dropped in the deep end. Because of this the family have dodged accountability for the demise of the football operation (apart from Mikey Stewart, who's nailed that one)
Third then 8th, 5th, 8th. The McDermott fiasco. Hiring and firing head coaches. Ludricrous signings. Ian Gordon in charge of Recruitment.

Everyone who has worked for the Gordons and left/been binned (Dempster, Mathie, Sue McLernon, Tam McCourt, Ross, Maloney, Johnston, Maloney, Kensell) have all been victims of a vanity project by an American family. Maybe if Ron hadn't been so desperately keen for his family to RUN our club, to train up his son as a football Chairman / CEO, to take on responsibilities they were so clearly unqualified for, sideline the best CEO the SPL and Hibs ever had, tear up the CEO/DoF/Head of recruitment/Head Coach model that had served us so well, we Hibs fans would not have had to endure three years of hurt and pain.

We need to recognise that Ron and Ian mis-managed that side of Hibs for five years. After Ron passed in 2023, Ben stepped across to help guide Ian which led eventually to the re-structuring the football operation. In reverting to the model that won us the cup, I'm not remotely surprised that under an experienced DoF (Malky) mentoring a rookie but fast-learning Head Coach (SDG) matched with the hope generated by a new Head of Recruitment (Garvan) the whole football operation appears to be moving in a healthier direction. BK also brought us the Black Knights, the fruits of which we are still to see.

If I was to follow the Longbangers approach and score Ben's performance (also rating him against the Gordons):-

2021 - 2023 When R&G were running the football side & Ben focused 100% on commercial. Ron and Ian 1.5/5 Ben 5/5
2023 - 2024 Ian holding the reins, Ben advising, sidelining the ineffective McDermott Ian 1/5 Ben 3/5
2024 - 2025 Ian finally stepping back, Ben reinstating the cup-winning structure of the football operation, Black Knights coming in, Malky and Gray appointed, Ben and Ian sticking with both Ian 2/5 Ben 4/5

Based on KPI's and the areas of the club that he was granted access to influence in each of the above periods (which I'm not sure all fans acknowledge) I think Ben can be justified in claiming that he achieved a lot in his 3.5 years. However I believe that with the misleading title of CEO, he also became a convenient fall guy for the Gordon's tenure in charge of the football side of the club. In November, when the club were rock bottom and Block 7 lowered the banner, the board needed to pin a tail on a donkey. He would have been served notice then and given the standard 3 months notice to find another appointment. He probably would have been househunting so it's no surprise that his family moved at that point if not earlier. It's a shame he hadn't found a job by the time his notice period was up but these changes often take place in the close season.

Sure there were style, speech and behaviour howlers that Ben was guilty of which left him unable to connect with the culture and supporters majority at Easter Road. That also is part of his legacy. Let's just hope that the BK's, Malcolm and the Board can pull a credible candidate out of the business world for his replacement. And that they offer that person a FULL CEO role from the get go, not just a glorified Commercial Director portfolio. And that the new CEO behaves like a CEO like Leeann with good media skills, nae bluff and bluster and a plain-speaking manner.

Hang on, Kensall was appointed CEO from the get go was he not?

Did he ever hold a different job title?

[CropleyWasGod]

WOW, I'm fully aware of the mechanics of how a business is run.

I will make it easy for you, A business can turnover millions and millions of pounds however if its running costs exceed the money it generates its not good news.

Our club has lost millions every year Kensal has been at the club even with Foleys millions this year will be the clubs biggest loss, this has only gone on this long because the Gordon family are covering the losses common sense they won't do that for ever.

The Foley money doesn't contribute to profit or loss.

[worcesterhibby]

I love all the conspiracy theories, much more entertaining than a historical analysis. :greengrin

But after listening to the insightful Hibs blogs over the past 48 hours, a more balanced viewpoint is being put forward:-


The Gordon family took over nearly six seasons ago. Ron was an entrepreneur and wanted to realise his ambition to own AND RUN a football club
Leeann's role was increasingly sidelined as Ron started to lead more, and mentor his son Ian as a decision-maker
Leeann gave notice after two years and then Ron temporarily decided (as Ron had done before) that He and Ian could share the CEO duties, rather than replace her
However they had created their 5-year plan and they lacked a full-time senior manager to bring in finance and develop the stadium
So they brought in a young guy who had a great track record at Norwich. Ron and Ian would continue to play at managing the football operation and the new guy would drive the club forward commercially
To attract that guy, he wouldn't come for a commercial director job (same title he already had at Norwich). So they offered him a CEO role and an appropriate pay hike between England and the SPL
Ben Kensell WAS on a big salary. He earned that wage by spectacularly delivering on the duties they gave him whilst watching helpless whilst Ron and Ian made a complete erse of running the football operation
Ron sadly passed and Ian was a novice senior manager, dropped in the deep end. Because of this the family have dodged accountability for the demise of the football operation (apart from Mikey Stewart, who's nailed that one)
Third then 8th, 5th, 8th. The McDermott fiasco. Hiring and firing head coaches. Ludricrous signings. Ian Gordon in charge of Recruitment.

Everyone who has worked for the Gordons and left/been binned (Dempster, Mathie, Sue McLernon, Tam McCourt, Ross, Maloney, Johnston, Maloney, Kensell) have all been victims of a vanity project by an American family. Maybe if Ron hadn't been so desperately keen for his family to RUN our club, to train up his son as a football Chairman / CEO, to take on responsibilities they were so clearly unqualified for, sideline the best CEO the SPL and Hibs ever had, tear up the CEO/DoF/Head of recruitment/Head Coach model that had served us so well, we Hibs fans would not have had to endure three years of hurt and pain.

We need to recognise that Ron and Ian mis-managed that side of Hibs for five years. After Ron passed in 2023, Ben stepped across to help guide Ian which led eventually to the re-structuring the football operation. In reverting to the model that won us the cup, I'm not remotely surprised that under an experienced DoF (Malky) mentoring a rookie but fast-learning Head Coach (SDG) matched with the hope generated by a new Head of Recruitment (Garvan) the whole football operation appears to be moving in a healthier direction. BK also brought us the Black Knights, the fruits of which we are still to see.

If I was to follow the Longbangers approach and score Ben's performance (also rating him against the Gordons):-

2021 - 2023 When R&G were running the football side & Ben focused 100% on commercial. Ron and Ian 1.5/5 Ben 5/5
2023 - 2024 Ian holding the reins, Ben advising, sidelining the ineffective McDermott Ian 1/5 Ben 3/5
2024 - 2025 Ian finally stepping back, Ben reinstating the cup-winning structure of the football operation, Black Knights coming in, Malky and Gray appointed, Ben and Ian sticking with both Ian 2/5 Ben 4/5

Based on KPI's and the areas of the club that he was granted access to influence in each of the above periods (which I'm not sure all fans acknowledge) I think Ben can be justified in claiming that he achieved a lot in his 3.5 years. However I believe that with the misleading title of CEO, he also became a convenient fall guy for the Gordon's tenure in charge of the football side of the club. In November, when the club were rock bottom and Block 7 lowered the banner, the board needed to pin a tail on a donkey. He would have been served notice then and given the standard 3 months notice to find another appointment. He probably would have been househunting so it's no surprise that his family moved at that point if not earlier. It's a shame he hadn't found a job by the time his notice period was up but these changes often take place in the close season.

Sure there were style, speech and behaviour howlers that Ben was guilty of which left him unable to connect with the culture and supporters majority at Easter Road. That also is part of his legacy. Let's just hope that the BK's, Malcolm and the Board can pull a credible candidate out of the business world for his replacement. And that they offer that person a FULL CEO role from the get go, not just a glorified Commercial Director portfolio. And that the new CEO behaves like a CEO like Leeann with good media skills, nae bluff and bluster and a plain-speaking manner.

Sensible post and probably closer to the truth than most posted on this thread. If you have a fake tan and earn 10 - 15 times more than most on this board then you are bound to come in for some stick unless everything is rosy in the Hibs garden, which is hasn't been. That's life. I suspect Ben did more good than harm in his time here and if I was a football club looking for a commercial director, rather than a CEO, I would be talking to him.

Let's move on and look forward to the Balck Knights helping us find someone who can come in and do a great job.

[Steve Austin]

Am I the only one who thinks the timing of his departure is odd in the middle of a transfer window??..:cb

[green day]

WOW, I'm fully aware of the mechanics of how a business is run.

I will make it easy for you, A business can turnover millions and millions of pounds however if its running costs exceed the money it generates its not good news.

Our club has lost millions every year Kensal has been at the club even with Foleys millions this year will be the clubs biggest loss, this has only gone on this long because the Gordon family are covering the losses common sense they won't do that for ever.

Will it?

[Since452]

Jack Ross's sacking

A bizarre signing projects strategy.

Maloney, Johnson, Montgomery.

8th, 5th, 8th.

All on Kensell's watch.

That's what he'll be remembered for.

He's gone. We move on. Onwards and upwards.

[Paulie Walnuts]

He was CEO - how does he not have to worry about the losses? The first person the board would go to when reviewing the accounts is the CEO to get answers. If those answers aren't appropriate or there is no mitigation proposed as to how it will improve from there then he carry's the can whether that be sacking/loss of bonus etc.

Because the losses are just being written off by the owners. If you know losses aren’t going to have any real impact then you don’t really have to worry about them all that much.

Throw in the fact he’s on LinkedIn telling everyone about the superb job he done financially then I’d suggest he’s not the slightest bit concerned about the losses he’s racked up.

[followhibs]

The Foley money doesn't contribute to profit or loss.

Why?

I recall Kensal saying that 3 million was going into a indoor facility and improvements at HTC. I was at HTC in November I was told that has all been binned.

The other 3 million was for playing squad.

So genuine question do you know where the money has gone if it is not shown in the accounts as an income into the club ?

Hence being on the P and L figures?

[CropleyWasGod]

Why?

I recall Kensal saying that 3 million was going into a indoor facility and improvements at HTC. I was at HTC in November I was told that has all been binned.

The other 3 million was for playing squad.

So genuine question do you know where the money has gone if it is not shown in the accounts as an income into the club ?

Hence being on the P and L figures?

The money from BKFC was for shares, which is capital, ie doesn't affect the P and L. It will show in the accounts as an increase in share capital.

As to whether, and on what, it has been spent, we can't know that yet. It should also be borne in mind that the share issue was finalised only in March, ie quite close to the end of the financial year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

What are the changes at HTC that Kensell references that make it unrecognisable from when he arrived?

He’s claimed it regarding the stadium, but we can all write that one off as nonsense because we get to see the stadium. Has there been any changes at HTC that make it unrecognisable?

[Pretty Boy]

What are the changes at HTC that Kensell references that make it unrecognisable from when he arrived?

He’s claimed it regarding the stadium, but we can all write that one off as nonsense because we get to see the stadium. Has there been any changes at HTC that make it unrecognisable?

HTC has been massively renovated over the last few years so he's telling the truth on that one.

I've been down a few times over the years and it is probably fair to say the current guise is unrecognisable. Big increase in office space, upgrades to the gym, changing areas upgraded, reception area tarted up, canteens, laundry rooms etc all upgraded.

I think some of the work started before he was on board but it is very impressive now. The indoor pitch situation needs sorted though.

[followhibs]

The money from BKFC was for shares, which is capital, ie doesn't affect the P and L. It will show in the accounts as an increase in share capital.

As to whether, and on what, it has been spent, we can't know that yet. It should also be borne in mind that the share issue was finalised only in March, ie quite close to the end of the financial year.

Thank you, it will be very interesting to see where and what it has been used for.

[Callum_62]

What are the changes at HTC that Kensell references that make it unrecognisable from when he arrived?

He’s claimed it regarding the stadium, but we can all write that one off as nonsense because we get to see the stadium. Has there been any changes at HTC that make it unrecognisable?How can you question that the stadium and facilities at ER haven't went up about 20 notches?

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[JohnM1875]

How can you question that the stadium and facilities at ER haven't went up about 20 notches?

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Totally agree about the stadium. Always loved it but it’s different class now. (wish the pitch was in better nick, but I’ll blame the weather)

Been in hospitality post-match for drinks a few times too and that's so far above what it used to be its insane.

Yet to try anything in the FF, but if its done to the same quality as the West then I don't doubt its class.

[worcesterhibby]

Totally agree about the stadium. Always loved it but it’s different class now. (wish the pitch was in better nick, but I’ll blame the weather)

Been in hospitality post-match for drinks a few times too and that's so far above what it used to be its insane.

Yet to try anything in the FF, but if its done to the same quality as the West then I don't doubt its class.

and we only have to look at our neighbours to see how easy it is to make a complete pigs ear of spending money on stadium improvements.

The people on here desparate to try to make out that nothing Kensall did was worth a jot is fairly pathetic to be honest (obviously not aimed at you JohnM1875) He has been very good at some stuff.. and either pretty poor at other stuff (transfers and managers) or actually not really in charge of it at all and it's down to the Gordons, depends who you beleive.

[Callum_62]

Totally agree about the stadium. Always loved it but it’s different class now. (wish the pitch was in better nick, but I’ll blame the weather)

Been in hospitality post-match for drinks a few times too and that's so far above what it used to be its insane.

Yet to try anything in the FF, but if its done to the same quality as the West then I don't doubt its class.I was in behind the goals but was given a ticket to go into the Albion after the rangers game

Much preferred behind the goals with it's view over the pitch etc

Albion is nice but feels very much more pubby imo

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[evy]

Why?

I recall Kensal saying that 3 million was going into a indoor facility and improvements at HTC. I was at HTC in November I was told that has all been binned.

The other 3 million was for playing squad.

So genuine question do you know where the money has gone if it is not shown in the accounts as an income into the club ?

Hence being on the P and L figures?

In accounting terms, the BK investment increases the equity of the club and the bank balance. Both of these are in the balance sheet (bank - asset, share capital - equity and non-current liabilities) instead of the P&L.

[WhileTheChief..]

Why not give him credit for making £3m on players?

Always came across to me that this was more important to Ben than what the player did on the pitch.

Signings were all about future sell on values and rarely about what impact they would have on the first team.

[wookie70]

HTC has been massively renovated over the last few years so he's telling the truth on that one.

I've been down a few times over the years and it is probably fair to say the current guise is unrecognisable. Big increase in office space, upgrades to the gym, changing areas upgraded, reception area tarted up, canteens, laundry rooms etc all upgraded.

I think some of the work started before he was on board but it is very impressive now. The indoor pitch situation needs sorted though.

Those would be my thoughts too but arguably the most important change has been the work put into the training pitches. They are like bowling greens and I believe they are hybrid now too. They are maybe too good as the pitch at ER is nowhere near as good

[Centre Hawf]

Always came across to me that this was more important to Ben than what the player did on the pitch.

Signings were all about future sell on values and rarely about what impact they would have on the first team.

Because it was what was important to Ron. Profits from player trading were a huge part of how we've operated in the last few years. We're not really alone in that in football, but the reality is anyone that is good enough to leave for 7 figure fees are allowed to go to, there's no more songs and dances about keeping hold of important players, if Elie Youan scores 20 goals and someone offers £3m he's gone.

We signed a host of young players for this reason and the Dev squad idea was to help further that along. We just got it totally wrong. But look across the top level clubs and you'll see them all hoovering up young lads to make money off of later, or potentially have a player for 10 years instead of 3.

[BSEJVT]

Why?

I recall Kensal saying that 3 million was going into a indoor facility and improvements at HTC. I was at HTC in November I was told that has all been binned.

The other 3 million was for playing squad.

So genuine question do you know where the money has gone if it is not shown in the accounts as an income into the club ?

Hence being on the P and L figures?

You clearly don't know as much as you think you do.

The BK money would show as a capital injection on the balance sheet, it is not a trading item so wouldn't show in the P & L as it doesn't effect profits.

Think of it like this in very very basic form

You are a sole trader who sell apples

Your costs to get the apples to market are £2

You sell them for £1

You have made a loss of £1

You need to put the £1 in from your pocket to keep the bank account level

The BK money in this scenario is the Sole Traders £1

[CropleyWasGod]

Always came across to me that this was more important to Ben than what the player did on the pitch.

Signings were all about future sell on values and rarely about what impact they would have on the first team.


Because it was what was important to Ron. Profits from player trading were a huge part of how we've operated in the last few years. We're not really alone in that in football, but the reality is anyone that is good enough to leave for 7 figure fees are allowed to go to, there's no more songs and dances about keeping hold of important players, if Elie Youan scores 20 goals and someone offers £3m he's gone.

We signed a host of young players for this reason and the Dev squad idea was to help further that along. We just got it totally wrong. But look across the top level clubs and you'll see them all hoovering up young lads to make money off of later, or potentially have a player for 10 years instead of 3.

It's a fair debate.

There is a balance to be struck, of course, and we've probably got that balance wrong in recent years. However, it is an unavoidable part of being a football club that we have to follow that kind of strategy. My point was to the poster that suggested it shouldn't be used as a measure of our financial success. IMO, it absolutely should.

[Centre Hawf]

It's a fair debate.

There is a balance to be struck, of course, and we've probably got that balance wrong in recent years. However, it is an unavoidable part of being a football club that we have to follow that kind of strategy. My point was to the poster that suggested it shouldn't be used as a measure of our financial success. IMO, it absolutely should.

I think it probably should too. If we sell £20m worth of players then we've done something right and people at the club should be praised for that. We're a selling club, Celtic are a selling club, Rangers are a selling club. We're all just selling to different markets for different rates.

[BSEJVT]

Tbh I had no problem with the strategy for the reasons the previous posters have stated.

It was its execution, player identification and the speed the strategy was implemented without any apparent oversight or handbrake when the project was spinning out of control that went badly wrong.

[Paulie Walnuts]

How can you question that the stadium and facilities at ER haven't went up about 20 notches?

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

It’s not unrecognisable, which is what he claimed.

Unrecognisable is what STF inherited to what he left behind. A couple of TVs, electronic advertising boards and tarted up hospitality doesn’t quite equate to unrecognisable for me.

[BILLYHIBS]

It’s not unrecognisable, which is what he claimed.

Unrecognisable is what STF inherited to what he left behind. A couple of TVs, electronic advertising boards and tarted up hospitality doesn’t quite equate to unrecognisable for me.

Where’s the hot running water and chips in all areas ?

[followhibs]

You clearly don't know as much as you think you do.

The BK money would show as a capital injection on the balance sheet, it is not a trading item so wouldn't show in the P & L as it doesn't effect profits.

Think of it like this in very very basic form

You are a sole trader who sell apples

Your costs to get the apples to market are £2

You sell them for £1

You have made a loss of £1

You need to put the £1 in from your pocket to keep the bank account level

The BK money in this scenario is the Sole Traders £1

Appreciate the lesson, my real point is no matter how or where the money is shown can anyone really see any real use of it? (surely it didn't cost 6 million for the re-fub and pitches at HTC?)
I still think the club under Kensal has burned though huge amounts of cash recklessly and will be reflected in the accounts in whatever shape or form.

[CapitalGreen]

Appreciate the lesson, my real point is no matter how or where the money is shown can anyone really see any real use of it? (surely it didn't cost 6 million for the re-fub and pitches at HTC?)
I still think the club under Kensal has burned though huge amounts of cash recklessly and will be reflected in the accounts in whatever shape or form.

What’s the current cash balance of the club?

[CropleyWasGod]

Appreciate the lesson, my real point is no matter how or where the money is shown can anyone really see any real use of it? (surely it didn't cost 6 million for the re-fub and pitches at HTC?)
I still think the club under Kensal has burned though huge amounts of cash recklessly and will be reflected in the accounts in whatever shape or form.

Again.

The share issue was completed in March. So you won't see how, or even whether, it has been spent in the upcoming accounts.

[green day]

Appreciate the lesson, my real point is no matter how or where the money is shown can anyone really see any real use of it? (surely it didn't cost 6 million for the re-fub and pitches at HTC?)
I still think the club under Kensal has burned though huge amounts of cash recklessly and will be reflected in the accounts in whatever shape or form.
We are hardly unique in that.

Without tens of millions in donations every year, Hearts would be in bother.

But they are not, and their accounts will show that.

I don't think the published accounts have a "what if" section.

[Brightside]

It’s not unrecognisable, which is what he claimed.

Unrecognisable is what STF inherited to what he left behind. A couple of TVs, electronic advertising boards and tarted up hospitality doesn’t quite equate to unrecognisable for me.

You dont honestly think thats all thats changed.

[Paulie Walnuts]

You dont honestly think thats all thats changed.

What else has changed that makes it ‘unrecognisable?’

Ultimately, it’s the same stadium with a few tarted up bits. That’s absolutely fine, I’m not suggesting he should have been away filling in the corners or adding third tiers onto the stands or making it unrecognisable.

It most definitely isn’t unrecognisable to summer 2021 though.

[RMQ1967]

It’s not unrecognisable, which is what he claimed.

Unrecognisable is what STF inherited to what he left behind. A couple of TVs, electronic advertising boards and tarted up hospitality doesn’t quite equate to unrecognisable for me.

What about the reality;


Up to date barcode scan gate entry (remember when everyone would moan about that)
Queues at the gates gone
Ticketing office efficiency (remember when everyone would moan about that?)
Commercial partners/sponsorship
Sold out hospitality lounges (even when we're generally crap on the pitch)
Safe standing section (remember the clamour for that)
Fancy disco lights on the pitch
Upgraded sound system (remember the days everyone would moan about that?)
Hybrid pitch (remember when everyone would moan about the state of the pitch?)
Electronic advertising around the pitch (remember a few years ago when we were in the commercial income dark ages & had NHS on the strips? (commendable as it may have been)


All in all, a stadium to be proud of, commercial operations set up to generate revenue to put into the team and a setting fit for the team that we, the BK's, the Gordons & the coaching team all hope to see on the pitch.

[TrinityHFC]

You dont honestly think thats all thats changed.

I think there’s a group of people that were kind of used to being on the inside of the club, in various ways, under Dempster and some of the others. The harping on about her and the hatred of just about everyone to do with the club since I think is largely to do with that. Yeah we haven’t been amazing on the park, we rarely are, but I don’t think many realise the shambles the club had got into, in just about every aspect. Mistakes have been made and on the park has taken too long to rectify but every aspect of what we do is in a far better place than it was.

[Paulie Walnuts]

What about the reality;


Up to date barcode scan gate entry (remember when everyone would moan about that)
Queues at the gates gone
Ticketing office efficiency (remember when everyone would moan about that?)
Commercial partners/sponsorship
Sold out hospitality lounges (even when we're generally crap on the pitch)
Safe standing section (remember the clamour for that)
Fancy disco lights on the pitch
Upgraded sound system (remember the days everyone would moan about that?)
Hybrid pitch (remember when everyone would moan about the state of the pitch?)
Electronic advertising around the pitch (remember a few years ago when we were in the commercial income dark ages & had NHS on the strips? (commendable as it may have been)


All in all, a stadium to be proud of, commercial operations set up to generate revenue to put into the team and a setting fit for the team that we, the BK's, the Gordons & the coaching team all hope to see on the pitch.

Nobodies debating there’s been changes. It’s just the usual Ben Kensell bigging himself up stuff though to claim it’s unrecognisable. There’s been improvements. It’s not in any way, shape or form unrecognisable. None of us walk up to the stadium and see new barcode scanners and go ‘Jesus, wouldn’t know I was at Easter Road’.

[GreenPJ]

What else has changed that makes it ‘unrecognisable?’

Ultimately, it’s the same stadium with a few tarted up bits. That’s absolutely fine, I’m not suggesting he should have been away filling in the corners or adding third tiers onto the stands or making it unrecognisable.

It most definitely isn’t unrecognisable to summer 2021 though.

So the Famous Five stand from a hospitality/usage perspective was unusuable for the last 3-4 years. Now it hosts an area for Hibs kids and Behind the Goals is a very good experience (even although I think £15 entry and high street prices for drinks is too much). That has really been transformed.

[BSEJVT]

Appreciate the lesson, my real point is no matter how or where the money is shown can anyone really see any real use of it? (surely it didn't cost 6 million for the re-fub and pitches at HTC?)
I still think the club under Kensal has burned though huge amounts of cash recklessly and will be reflected in the accounts in whatever shape or form.

The use of the money will eventually be seen in the Income & Expenditure parts of the accounts (specifically the expenditure part)

But it will be well nigh impossible to say the £3m you are interested has been spent on eg Tea Cosies for the new Hospitality Suites and as an earlier poster says the periods won't align anyway

Its possible IMO that the reason those projects were scrapped/delayed if indeed they were/are is that the clubs trading performance was /is far worse than expected and those monies will be needed to fund those losses.

Essentially that Capital introduced will be flung into the overall pot and used to fund the clubs cash flow and you won't know if the season ticket money, hospitality money or SPL payments or whatever bought any individual thing.

That £3m might at a high level have been earmarked for that project but things change

It's like you going into supermarket with £1 to buy turnips, you get to the turnip shelf and think bigger it I will by apples instead.

What you ended up buying is irrelevant but you can only spend the same £1 once

Hope this helps

[snedzuk]

So the Famous Five stand from a hospitality/usage perspective was unusuable for the last 3-4 years. Now it hosts an area for Hibs kids and Behind the Goals is a very good experience (even although I think £15 entry and high street prices for drinks is too much). That has really been transformed.

Theres a community foundation area / kitchen through the back of BTG (accessible / signed from the left side of the stand outside as you look at it), plus the ticket office has also been relocated onto the ground floor.

[RMQ1967]

Nobodies debating there’s been changes. It’s just the usual Ben Kensell bigging himself up stuff though to claim it’s unrecognisable. There’s been improvements. It’s not in any way, shape or form unrecognisable. None of us walk up to the stadium and see new barcode scanners and go ‘Jesus, wouldn’t know I was at Easter Road’.

Of course not on it's own, but non-one can deny the place was becoming a bit of a dump before RG took over, pigeons in the FF lounge, weeds growing out of everywhere, shoddy paintwork, hospitality lounges shabby as hell etc. etc.

Someone else mentioned that even away fans are commenting on how good the stadium is looking. Personally I think that all in, it's an amazing transformation in 5 years or so.

[WhileTheChief..]

I think it probably should too. If we sell £20m worth of players then we've done something right and people at the club should be praised for that. We're a selling club, Celtic are a selling club, Rangers are a selling club. We're all just selling to different markets for different rates.

In principle I agree.

But take Melkerson as an example. Signed with the potential to make money on him after he'd banged in a few goals for us.

But it didn't work out for him on the pitch, for whatever reason.

That to me, means it wasn't a good signing, whereas others will point to the money we made when we sold him as it being a success.

Vente was similar.

If we sell Youan and make some money, then brilliant. He will at least have contributed to something on the pitch. That's the bit I focus on, not so much the accounts!

[Bostonhibby]

What else has changed that makes it ‘unrecognisable?’

Ultimately, it’s the same stadium with a few tarted up bits. That’s absolutely fine, I’m not suggesting he should have been away filling in the corners or adding third tiers onto the stands or making it unrecognisable.

It most definitely isn’t unrecognisable to summer 2021 though.Every time I've been up recently I'd say I've no problem recognising the stadium as being largely the stadium STF left us with with some decent maintenance and improvements on the catering side which I personally feel are blown out of proportion in relation to what our core purpose is and our core ambition should be.

Maybe that's because the football end of the mission has been a disaster until SDG started to get to grips with it, so that's what the golden quadrant guys have been emphasising to deflect for a bit(?) It's been the football offering and the more corporate feel around the approach to fans that was becoming less recognisable from the Hibs I love.

Having a respectable hospitality offering and decent bars isn't something that will get an open top bus going down Leith Walk or the Links bouncing like 2016 for me. Totally understand the potential revenue benefits linked to this but it doesn't amount to much if all of that still amounts to a nett loss and a season where top 6 is seen as a target/success.



Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[jacomo]

Mutual agreement. Interesting


If you intimate that you want to sack someone, it’s usually quite easy to come to a mutual agreement.

Employee leaves with a wee severance payment and lack of public humiliation, employer avoids lengthy dismissal process and can move on swiftly.

I don’t know exactly what happened here, but a ‘mutual agreement’ doesn’t really tell us much.

[jacomo]

And they are covering that. Wanting rid right now makes no sense. BK group will take over soon enough and we will probably have much bigger losses that they will cover too. Our neighbours would be having £10m losses without the.backing of fans and rich benefactors.


BK Group can’t increase their stake in Hibs unless they sell Bournemouth, no?

[Fergos]

What else has changed that makes it ‘unrecognisable?’

Ultimately, it’s the same stadium with a few tarted up bits. That’s absolutely fine, I’m not suggesting he should have been away filling in the corners or adding third tiers onto the stands or making it unrecognisable.

It most definitely isn’t unrecognisable to summer 2021 though.

Agreed. It’s probably unrecognizable for the folk who use the hospitality areas but to the general punter who doesn’t they have got some better kiosks, in stadium screens etc but the whole experience for this sector of our support has changed but I wouldn’t say it’s unrecognizable.

[tamig]

Nobodies debating there’s been changes. It’s just the usual Ben Kensell bigging himself up stuff though to claim it’s unrecognisable. There’s been improvements. It’s not in any way, shape or form unrecognisable. None of us walk up to the stadium and see new barcode scanners and go ‘Jesus, wouldn’t know I was at Easter Road’.

You seem to be a bit fixated on this “unrecognisable” word. The stadium has seen a lot of positive change under BK’s tenure. Can you not just accept that instead of boring people by debating the definition of unrecognisable?

[Pretty Boy]

Agreed. It’s probably unrecognizable for the folk who use the hospitality areas but to the general punter who doesn’t they have got some better kiosks, in stadium screens etc but the whole experience for this sector of our support has changed but I wouldn’t say it’s unrecognizable.

The kiosks in the FF Upper have probably gotten worse in the last couple of seasons if anything. None of the fancy chicken tenders for us.

On the whole though it's churlish not to acknowledge the improvements in the stadium imo. Albeit I probably wouldn't say unrecognisable either, 1990-2007 was unrecognisable, 2019 to now is very obviously the same stadium just tarted up a bit. Splitting hairs though. The screens are a good addition, working scanners are welcome, for those who use it the quality and range of hospitality is much improved and the whole place just looks a lot tidier and better kept.

[Paulie Walnuts]

You seem to be a bit fixated on this “unrecognisable” word. The stadium has seen a lot of positive change under BK’s tenure. Can you not just accept that instead of boring people by debating the definition of unrecognisable?

Na, I can’t just accept that because you’re bored of reading it.

The idea it’s unrecognisable is blatantly wrong. Much like the claim this year’s accounts are going to be so much better will most likely also be blatantly wrong.

[may 21/05/2016]

You seem to be a bit fixated on this “unrecognisable” word. The stadium has seen a lot of positive change under BK’s tenure. Can you not just accept that instead of boring people by debating the definition of unrecognisable?Agree

[Northernhibee]

For me, he was a man with the wrong priorities.

We focused far too much on the "nice to haves" under his tenure whilst the team on the pitch got poorer and poorer. It made things like hospitality, the stadium, and the rest look a bit more like a vanity project at times rather than what we needed.

Same with the team on the pitch - though I get the feeling there were others pushing us down the moneyball route a bit more. Having a project or two in terms of the squad, but for a while it felt like every other signing was a project. I don't think we were a good move for Melkersen to the same degree that Melkersen wasn't a good move for us. He didn't score a league goal and it took a loan to another club - which really would have been the best next move for him before leaving Bodo/Glimt - to continue with his career in any sense. If we have an agent of a promising young player looking at us along with other options for a potential future move, there isn't enough to point to us being a great move recently - but there is plenty against. Hauge, Delferriere, Mueller, Emmanuel Johnson, Bojang - Joao Balde was playing non league Scottish football the last I seen of him.

A lot of the last paragraph may not be down to him, but as part of a bigger picture it will stick to some degree to a CEO. Yes, the stadium is nicer and modern. Yes, hospitality is now making more money and more modern. Yes, HTC is better.

The problem is that for the majority of people, football is either a passion or a business. We managed to go from third in the league (which would have brought the windfall of group stage European football if we maintained that) to bottom six on two occasions, and not making a profit in the last accounts (in fact, making a notable loss). We will need to wait to see what this gives us long term, but football is rarely a long term game.

If we had been a financially profitable club last season or if we had been fighting for third, then opinion of him may have been better.

It also doesn't help that he gave across the demeanour of a candidate on the Apprentice. The laddish charm, the constant rumours (and they are just that, I hasten to add) of someone hearing such and such in hospitality or before a game, getting perceived as a bit too close to the ultras when they have been far from popular in the overall support - it's quite easy to either think he's a breath of fresh air or to take a complete dislike to him and nothing in between.

I do have to say that time may be kind to him - if the changes made help make us a profitable club off the pitch in the mid to long term and a successful club on the pitch, then he will be viewed as massively unfairly treated. I'd be so happy to admit being on the wrong side of things if that were the case. I do also wonder how being so closely attached to Iain Gordon may have skewed perception of him.

I know despite being so vocal in really disliking his time here at the club and saying that it's long past time for him to go that this will sound incredibly two faced, but I do wish him well for the future. He's been involved in good things at the club as well as overseeing some very poor performances in his time as CEO and we've clearly been a club lurching about trying to find itself for a while, so maybe with a club who aren't going through such a radical transformation would allow a less ambigious picture of how talented he may be or otherwise.

[One Day Soon]

Good riddance. Best news in literally years. Hopefully the other chuckle brother moves on next.

[Lago]

David Gray in his pre match interview, very, very complementary in his appreciation of Ben's time at ER.

[tamig]

Na, I can’t just accept that because you’re bored of reading it.

The idea it’s unrecognisable is blatantly wrong. Much like the claim this year’s accounts are going to be so much better will most likely also be blatantly wrong.

Bore on then 👍

[RIP]

Good riddance. Best news in literally years. Hopefully the other chuckle brother moves on next.

Do you mean you want the Gordon family to sell?

[007]

David Gray in his pre match interview, very, very complementary in his appreciation of Ben's time at ER.

Which will no doubt be turned into a negative by some.

[Pete70]

What about the reality;


Up to date barcode scan gate entry (remember when everyone would moan about that)
Queues at the gates gone
Ticketing office efficiency (remember when everyone would moan about that?)
Commercial partners/sponsorship
Sold out hospitality lounges (even when we're generally crap on the pitch)
Safe standing section (remember the clamour for that)
Fancy disco lights on the pitch
Upgraded sound system (remember the days everyone would moan about that?)
Hybrid pitch (remember when everyone would moan about the state of the pitch?)
Electronic advertising around the pitch (remember a few years ago when we were in the commercial income dark ages & had NHS on the strips? (commendable as it may have been)


All in all, a stadium to be proud of, commercial operations set up to generate revenue to put into the team and a setting fit for the team that we, the BK's, the Gordons & the coaching team all hope to see on the pitch.

There’s also the solar panels at ER and EM which IIRC they said would start generating income for us after year 3.

[Since452]

If you intimate that you want to sack someone, it’s usually quite easy to come to a mutual agreement.

Employee leaves with a wee severance payment and lack of public humiliation, employer avoids lengthy dismissal process and can move on swiftly.

I don’t know exactly what happened here, but a ‘mutual agreement’ doesn’t really tell us much.

Yup. Highly unlikely Kensell approached Hibs to mutually terminate his own employment. It's a fancy way of saying he was sacked and letting him leave with his dignity.

[may 21/05/2016]

David Gray in his pre match interview, very, very complementary in his appreciation of Ben's time at ER.If sir David speaks positively about him then that's good enough for me
Rather reading some comments from social media keyboard hacks

[Lago]

Yup. Highly unlikely Kensell approached Hibs to mutually terminate his own employment. It's a fancy way of saying he was sacked and letting him leave with his dignity.
Yup may well be highly unlikely, however it's nobodies business but Ben Kensell's and Hibs, and that's the way it should be.

[NC1875]

Yup. Highly unlikely Kensell approached Hibs to mutually terminate his own employment. It's a fancy way of saying he was sacked and letting him leave with his dignity.

Yet we have all these people telling us what a great job he’s done.

You don’t get relived of your duties for doing a great job.

Maybe Foley has shown the Gordon’s that Ben isn’t the be all and end all that he thinks he is. And that he’d fooled the Gordon’s into thinking he was.

[Eyrie]

Am I the only one who thinks the timing of his departure is odd in the middle of a transfer window??..:cb

Nope.

I would have thought early February would have made more sense.

[tamig]

Yet we have all these people telling us what a great job he’s done.

You don’t get relived of your duties for doing a great job.

Maybe Foley has shown the Gordon’s that Ben isn’t the be all and end all that he thinks he is. And that he’d fooled the Gordon’s into thinking he was.

You and a few others seem keen to paint a bleak picture of his time here. Its interesting that the comments coming out of the club are all very positive towards BK. I’m pretty sure Foley has also publicly said he was impressed by BK during the talks to get the Black Knight group on board.

[NC1875]

You and a few others seem keen to paint a bleak picture of his time here. Its interesting that the comments coming out of the club are all very positive towards BK. I’m pretty sure Foley has also publicly said he was impressed by BK during the talks to get the Black Knight group on board.

Do you ever hear negative views when someone leaves a position in the public eye ?

[Alex Trager]

You and a few others seem keen to paint a bleak picture of his time here. Its interesting that the comments coming out of the club are all very positive towards BK. I’m pretty sure Foley has also publicly said he was impressed by BK during the talks to get the Black Knight group on board.

What would you expect the club and those who represent it to say?

We know what we know and see what we see.

We seen a 3rd place finish followed by an 8th then 5th then another 8th place finish.

Not a single person will honestly reflect on this man’s time at the club as a positive.

Ultimately, no one really cares about the rest outside of the 1st team. The hospitality is indeed much improved.

But people pay the money for hospitality to watch the team.

I would be willing to bet at least five pounds that each and every person who uses hospitality would rather be sat in the old hospitality and watching a team with swagger make semis and finals vs what we have had under BK.

All the best to BK. And good riddance.

[gorgie greens]

Everyone has missed Ben's greatest achievement was to get a falcon flying from the top of the west stand to scare of those seagulls.
game changer 😄

[CentreLine]

I love all the conspiracy theories, much more entertaining than a historical analysis. :greengrin

But after listening to the insightful Hibs blogs over the past 48 hours, a more balanced viewpoint is being put forward:-


The Gordon family took over nearly six seasons ago. Ron was an entrepreneur and wanted to realise his ambition to own AND RUN a football club
Leeann's role was increasingly sidelined as Ron started to lead more, and mentor his son Ian as a decision-maker
Leeann gave notice after two years and then Ron temporarily decided (as Ron had done before) that He and Ian could share the CEO duties, rather than replace her
However they had created their 5-year plan and they lacked a full-time senior manager to bring in finance and develop the stadium
So they brought in a young guy who had a great track record at Norwich. Ron and Ian would continue to play at managing the football operation and the new guy would drive the club forward commercially
To attract that guy, he wouldn't come for a commercial director job (same title he already had at Norwich). So they offered him a CEO role and an appropriate pay hike between England and the SPL
Ben Kensell WAS on a big salary. He earned that wage by spectacularly delivering on the duties they gave him whilst watching helpless whilst Ron and Ian made a complete erse of running the football operation
Ron sadly passed and Ian was a novice senior manager, dropped in the deep end. Because of this the family have dodged accountability for the demise of the football operation (apart from Mikey Stewart, who's nailed that one)
Third then 8th, 5th, 8th. The McDermott fiasco. Hiring and firing head coaches. Ludricrous signings. Ian Gordon in charge of Recruitment.

Everyone who has worked for the Gordons and left/been binned (Dempster, Mathie, Sue McLernon, Tam McCourt, Ross, Maloney, Johnston, Maloney, Kensell) have all been victims of a vanity project by an American family. Maybe if Ron hadn't been so desperately keen for his family to RUN our club, to train up his son as a football Chairman / CEO, to take on responsibilities they were so clearly unqualified for, sideline the best CEO the SPL and Hibs ever had, tear up the CEO/DoF/Head of recruitment/Head Coach model that had served us so well, we Hibs fans would not have had to endure three years of hurt and pain.

We need to recognise that Ron and Ian mis-managed that side of Hibs for five years. After Ron passed in 2023, Ben stepped across to help guide Ian which led eventually to the re-structuring the football operation. In reverting to the model that won us the cup, I'm not remotely surprised that under an experienced DoF (Malky) mentoring a rookie but fast-learning Head Coach (SDG) matched with the hope generated by a new Head of Recruitment (Garvan) the whole football operation appears to be moving in a healthier direction. BK also brought us the Black Knights, the fruits of which we are still to see.

If I was to follow the Longbangers approach and score Ben's performance (also rating him against the Gordons):-

2021 - 2023 When R&G were running the football side & Ben focused 100% on commercial. Ron and Ian 1.5/5 Ben 5/5
2023 - 2024 Ian holding the reins, Ben advising, sidelining the ineffective McDermott Ian 1/5 Ben 3/5
2024 - 2025 Ian finally stepping back, Ben reinstating the cup-winning structure of the football operation, Black Knights coming in, Malky and Gray appointed, Ben and Ian sticking with both Ian 2/5 Ben 4/5

Based on KPI's and the areas of the club that he was granted access to influence in each of the above periods (which I'm not sure all fans acknowledge) I think Ben can be justified in claiming that he achieved a lot in his 3.5 years. However I believe that with the misleading title of CEO, he also became a convenient fall guy for the Gordon's tenure in charge of the football side of the club. In November, when the club were rock bottom and Block 7 lowered the banner, the board needed to pin a tail on a donkey. He would have been served notice then and given the standard 3 months notice to find another appointment. He probably would have been househunting so it's no surprise that his family moved at that point if not earlier. It's a shame he hadn't found a job by the time his notice period was up but these changes often take place in the close season.

Sure there were style, speech and behaviour howlers that Ben was guilty of which left him unable to connect with the culture and supporters majority at Easter Road. That also is part of his legacy. Let's just hope that the BK's, Malcolm and the Board can pull a credible candidate out of the business world for his replacement. And that they offer that person a FULL CEO role from the get go, not just a glorified Commercial Director portfolio. And that the new CEO behaves like a CEO like Leeann with good media skills, nae bluff and bluster and a plain-speaking manner.

Two thirds of your post I think you have nailed. Basically up to the point where you suggest BK was given his jotters. I’m pretty confident that he retains the respect of those he worked with, in particular the Gordons and the Black Knight Group. I suspect the parting was a genuine “mutual agreement”. Only time will tell.

[Chuck Rhoades]

Under BK we’ve achieved:

21/22 - 8th - SC Semi - LC Final - Euro Qualifiers
22/23 - 5th - SC R4 - LC Group - Euro DNQ
23/24 - 8th - SC Quarter - LC Semi - Euro Playoff
24/25 (23 games in) - 6th - SC TBC - LC Last 16 - Euro DNQ

This season is TBC. LC defeat was at Parkhead.

If you then look at the commercial side in terms of turnaround of ER - West hospitality, BTG, big screens, safe standing - I’d class that as successful.

Balance sheet is TBC, will await latest results.

For me personally, it’s felt like a disaster under BK. That’s driven by manager turnaround and many of the failed player signings we’ve made.

However when I look at the facts, I’m left feeling surprised and would consider BK’s time here to be mediocre as opposed to a disaster..

He’s also had to deal with Ron’s passing and that transition. Believe BK also responsible for getting Black Knights involved.

[Chuck Rhoades]

What would you expect the club and those who represent it to say?

We know what we know and see what we see.

We seen a 3rd place finish followed by an 8th then 5th then another 8th place finish.

Not a single person will honestly reflect on this man’s time at the club as a positive.

Ultimately, no one really cares about the rest outside of the 1st team. The hospitality is indeed much improved.

But people pay the money for hospitality to watch the team.

I would be willing to bet at least five pounds that each and every person who uses hospitality would rather be sat in the old hospitality and watching a team with swagger make semis and finals vs what we have had under BK.

All the best to BK. And good riddance.

Interesting to see your view on Rod and Dempster. The latter, scottish cup aside, took 3 attempts to get out the championship and had 4 seasons without Europe. Rod’s even worse. Entitled to your opinion but it’s pretty obvious you dislike the guy as a person, as opposed to looking at it objectively. We made 3/7 Semi/Finals in Cup and best Euro run reaching the play-off.

[Chuck Rhoades]

Yup. Highly unlikely Kensell approached Hibs to mutually terminate his own employment. It's a fancy way of saying he was sacked and letting him leave with his dignity.

BK was out of contract in the summer. His 3-year deal ended. Board were happy to keep him as we transitioned through Black Knights / Malky and BK committed to working his 6-month notice. BK’s family moved back down south in August, including kids moving back to school there. I think you’ll find this was mutual, if anything, driven by BK.

[Alex Trager]

Interesting to see your view on Rod and Dempster. The latter, scottish cup aside, took 3 attempts to get out the championship and had 4 seasons without Europe. Rod’s even worse. Entitled to your opinion but it’s pretty obvious you dislike the guy as a person, as opposed to looking at it objectively. We made 3/7 Semi/Finals in Cup and best Euro run reaching the play-off.

I’d be reluctant in the extreme to give BK any credit for the 21 LC final. That team was built before him coming in, with four signings coming in after he joined - Scott, Wood, Mitchell, and Tait.
I would give him the SC semi final seeing as he had a new manager in place by then.
You also can’t attribute the euro campaign from that season to him, we may well have been out by the time he joined!

So that would leave his record at: 1 SC semi final. 1 LC semi final - hopefully an SC win in his last attempt though that could be open to interpretation.

Two semis over three and a half years.
The best euro campaign for quite some time.
8th
5th
8th.

Rod I’ll leave to one side. Can’t be arsed.

Dempster is different to BK because of both when she came in and the state of the club when she came in.
I would argue you could absolutely attribute her first half season to her.

14/15:
LC 1/4s
SC semi.
3rd in champ.

15/16:
LC final
SC final (w)
2nd in champ.

16/17:
LC pumped second round
SC semi
1st in champ.

17/18:
LC semi
SC pumped fifth round.
4th.

18/19:
LC pumped second round
SC 1/4s
5th.

19/20:
LC semi
SC semi
7th (league called early).

20/21:
LC semi
SC final.
3rd.

I’d be inclined to also add the LC final from 21/22 but will leave it out atm.

6 semis
3 finals (1 W).

The league wasn’t great under Dempster but even with the three champ years it could be argued she had a better record than BK. Euros again weren’t great, but she did get to the euro round prior to that which BK did.

I think you’re probably right that it wasn’t a disaster under BK but given the money he was on, and we were/are spending under him, it’s been pretty poor.

Added to the fact we have had 1 million players and 80 managers in his time, it’s not a good score card.

[JimBHibees]

Under BK we’ve achieved:

21/22 - 8th - SC Semi - LC Final - Euro Qualifiers
22/23 - 5th - SC R4 - LC Group - Euro DNQ
23/24 - 8th - SC Quarter - LC Semi - Euro Playoff
24/25 (23 games in) - 6th - SC TBC - LC Last 16 - Euro DNQ

This season is TBC. LC defeat was at Parkhead.

If you then look at the commercial side in terms of turnaround of ER - West hospitality, BTG, big screens, safe standing - I’d class that as successful.

Balance sheet is TBC, will await latest results.

For me personally, it’s felt like a disaster under BK. That’s driven by manager turnaround and many of the failed player signings we’ve made.

However when I look at the facts, I’m left feeling surprised and would consider BK’s time here to be mediocre as opposed to a disaster..

He’s also had to deal with Ron’s passing and that transition. Believe BK also responsible for getting Black Knights involved.

There is no doubt any CEO is likely to be tainted in a big part at least by the performance of the team which imo is fair enough to some extent as that is the ultimate barometer of a football club. It would be very unfair though not to acknowledge there clearly have been significant improvements in other areas of the club. Personally wish him as well as I would any other club employee who has clearly worked hard to improve the club. Some of the personal abuse he has received is pretty shameful and reflects poorly on the individuals involved.

[Chuck Rhoades]

There is no doubt any CEO is likely to be tainted in a big part at least by the performance of the team which imo is fair enough to some extent as that is the ultimate barometer of a football club. It would be very unfair though not to acknowledge there clearly have been significant improvements in other areas of the club. Personally wish him as well as I would any other club employee who has clearly worked hard to improve the club. Some of the personal abuse he has received is pretty shameful and reflects poorly on the individuals involved.

It’s disrespectful and most of it is baseless. You’d have thought he tried to deliberately destroy the club. Has it been an outstanding success? No. His time here doesn’t deserve some of the tripe being posted though.

[RMQ1967]

It’s disrespectful and most of it is baseless. You’d have thought he tried to deliberately destroy the club. Has it been an outstanding success? No. His time here doesn’t deserve some of the tripe being posted though.

Good summary 👍

[WhileTheChief..]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

[Centre Hawf]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

Do you hand on heart think it was him that hired these managers? He may have been involved in the discussions but it’s another scenario I could see Ian being the driving force on selecting who he wanted and Ben just made sure it worked for us financially. Even Brian McDermott was involved in Monty.

I’m glad he’s away as well because he’s been part of an unsuccessful period for the club on the field. But I’m still not buying that he was anything more than a facilitator to Ian Gordon’s whims and tasked withe managing the ‘boring’ parts of the business so it let the Gordon’s play Football Manager.

[CentreLine]

Do you hand on heart think it was him that hired these managers? He may have been involved in the discussions but it’s another scenario I could see Ian being the driving force on selecting who he wanted and Ben just made sure it worked for us financially. Even Brian McDermott was involved in Monty.

I’m glad he’s away as well because he’s been part of an unsuccessful period for the club on the field. But I’m still not buying that he was anything more than a facilitator to Ian Gordon’s whims and tasked withe managing the ‘boring’ parts of the business so it let the Gordon’s play Football Manager.

That’s the way it looks to me.
I sincerely wish IG allows people, who should know what they are doing, to run the football affairs. I just get the feeling he would do a great job overseeing the off field improvements already made, ensure they are not allowed to slip and to progress that important work in other off field areas. Big projects like overseeing the build of an indoor pitch at HTC need leadership Ian. 👍

[Sioux]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

If you think BK, on his own, selected the managers, you've got rocks in your head.

[tamig]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

You’re miles off in your views on the hiring of managers here. It was people above BK who were most influential in the way out football operations have panned out. But you crack on with the Ben bashing anyway. And tell me how Ian Gordon can step down? He’s stepped away from interfering in football ops.

[CentreLine]

If you think BK, on his own, selected the managers, you've got rocks in your head.

Anyone that thinks it accepting give people abuse needs to have a look in the mirror. No need.

[Paulie Walnuts]

You’re miles off in your views on the hiring of managers here. It was people above BK who were most influential in the way out football operations have panned out. But you crack on with the Ben bashing anyway. And tell me how Ian Gordon can step down? He’s stepped away from interfering in football ops.

No, it’s you that’s miles off.

Kensell was a massive part of the football operations side and he played a massive part in the appointment and sacking of managers.

[we are hibs]

Must've been some gig for Kensell. A massive salary and only responsible for half the job of a CEO according to plenty on here

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

[tamig]

No, it’s you that’s miles off.

Kensell was a massive part of the football operations side and he played a massive part in the appointment and sacking of managers.

Ian Gordon was calling the shots. BK was the commercial head on a CEO wage.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Ian Gordon was calling the shots. BK was the commercial head on a CEO wage.

He wasn’t only dealing with commercial stuff, but ok :aok:

[Paulie Walnuts]

Must've been some gig for Kensell. A massive salary and only responsible for half the job of a CEO according to plenty on here

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

:agree:

He was heavily involved in football operations.

[Since452]

I might be wrong but did Ben Kensell not sit for hours on end interviewing Maloney, Johnson and Montgomery along with Ian Gordon?

I think Gray was the only appointment that Kensell wasn't actively involved in. It was down to Malky.

[Hibbyradge]

Yup. Highly unlikely Kensell approached Hibs to mutually terminate his own employment. It's a fancy way of saying he was sacked and letting him leave with his dignity.

You couldn't be more wrong. Seriously.

[Hibbyradge]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

Let's hire one of those CEOs who only appoint managers who are successful.

[Pretty Boy]

Football people will always be judged to a large extent by results on the park and under Kensell they were generally pretty crap, not a total disaster but nothing to get excited about. Of course he wasn't the sole cause (arguably not even a major one) but then neither was Rod Petrie and he got it far worse than Kensell ever did. There were never whole campaigns and protests organised to oust BK.

If he had been flying on the park and selling players for millions then the hospitality, sponsorship deals and fancy screens would have been raved about. We weren't though so they become an irrelevance at best or a stick to beat him with at worst. Again no different from Petrie with the new East Stand or HTC. Both were obviously needed and worthwhile additions but plenty questioned them for years when we were struggling on the park.

History has a habit of judging people differently. Fergus McCann at Celtic is the obvious example. Maybe BK will get the same treatment. I think the upcoming financial results and our on field performance in the next couple of seasons will go some way to dictating how he is seen. For now it's no real surprise there is some unfavourable judgement; everyone at the club has had it to some extent because of the team on the pitch.

[matty_f]

Ian Gordon was calling the shots. BK was the commercial head on a CEO wage.

I think that’s doing Kensell a disservice, and not really reflective of the situation.

[007]

I’d be reluctant in the extreme to give BK any credit for the 21 LC final. That team was built before him coming in, with four signings coming in after he joined - Scott, Wood, Mitchell, and Tait.
I would give him the SC semi final seeing as he had a new manager in place by then.
You also can’t attribute the euro campaign from that season to him, we may well have been out by the time he joined!

So that would leave his record at: 1 SC semi final. 1 LC semi final - hopefully an SC win in his last attempt though that could be open to interpretation.

Two semis over three and a half years.
The best euro campaign for quite some time.
8th
5th
8th.

Rod I’ll leave to one side. Can’t be arsed.

Dempster is different to BK because of both when she came in and the state of the club when she came in.
I would argue you could absolutely attribute her first half season to her.

14/15:
LC 1/4s
SC semi.
3rd in champ.

15/16:
LC final
SC final (w)
2nd in champ.

16/17:
LC pumped second round
SC semi
1st in champ.

17/18:
LC semi
SC pumped fifth round.
4th.

18/19:
LC pumped second round
SC 1/4s
5th.

19/20:
LC semi
SC semi
7th (league called early).

20/21:
LC semi
SC final.
3rd.

I’d be inclined to also add the LC final from 21/22 but will leave it out atm.

6 semis
3 finals (1 W).

The league wasn’t great under Dempster but even with the three champ years it could be argued she had a better record than BK. Euros again weren’t great, but she did get to the euro round prior to that which BK did.

I think you’re probably right that it wasn’t a disaster under BK but given the money he was on, and we were/are spending under him, it’s been pretty poor.

Added to the fact we have had 1 million players and 80 managers in his time, it’s not a good score card.

Looking forward to you being the 1st to congratulate BK when we win the Scottish Cup this year.

[jeffers]

I might be wrong but did Ben Kensell not sit for hours on end interviewing Maloney, Johnson and Montgomery along with Ian Gordon?

I think Gray was the only appointment that Kensell wasn't actively involved in. It was down to Malky.

He was involved but from memory it was Ron who was the main guy with Johnson, though the whole board sat through 7 hours listening to his pish. I thought Monty was a B McD appointment.

[H18 SFR]

All the mud slinging towards Kensell is a bit suspect for me. Who is the outstanding CEO in Scottish football that sets the bench mark?

[hibsdaft]

Does anyone have any actual financial data on the additional revenue and sponsorship deals Kensell is credited for? I've never seen any actual detail on this.

He says he doubled turnover, but does that rely on player sales, ignore inflation, is it from a low point during Covid, or is it an honest stat?

Does anyone know whether Kensell had stepped back over recent months (e.g. around the time of the rumours last year about him leaving)?

[A Hi-Bee]

Spoke to the guy a few times and he was alright with me, think I will take David Gray's sum up that he was a good guy for Hibs.
Not going to call out Dave Gray as a liar.
Although always good to see so many experts all together.

3 points today is all we is asking for, and thats up to the team on the pitch.

[CropleyWasGod]

Does anyone have any actual financial data on the additional revenue and sponsorship deals Kensell is credited for? I've never seen any actual detail on this.

He says he doubled turnover, but does that rely on player sales, ignore inflation, is it from a low point during Covid, or is it an honest stat?

Does anyone know whether Kensell had stepped back over recent months (e.g. around the time of the rumours last year about him leaving)?

In 2021, turnover and profit from sales was just under £9m.

In 2023, it was £15.6m

2024 tbc

2025 in progress

[RIP]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.


Rewriting history yet again. Are you a press agent for the Gordon family?

Ron and Ian ran the football operation until last season when Ben finally convinced Ian to bring in a DoF and step aside.

[Speedy]

Does anyone have any actual financial data on the additional revenue and sponsorship deals Kensell is credited for? I've never seen any actual detail on this.

He says he doubled turnover, but does that rely on player sales, ignore inflation, is it from a low point during Covid, or is it an honest stat?

Does anyone know whether Kensell had stepped back over recent months (e.g. around the time of the rumours last year about him leaving)?

Details attached. Edit: Looks like it has shrunk the image to the point it is unreadable.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC005323/filing-history/MzQxMzI5NTQxNWFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0

[WhileTheChief..]

Rewriting history yet again. Are you a press agent for the Gordon family?

Ron and Ian ran the football operation until last season when Ben finally convinced Ian to bring in a DoF.

Well you certainly got this one totally wrong.

I've been consistent in my criticism of Ian Gordon for years and wish he would get the hell out of our club. He can still own us without being involved. Works pretty well at Celtic.

BK hired every one of our managers. You just need to go back and watch the press conferences when they were appointed.

He failed every single time. A new laundry room at HTC doesn't cut it.

He was also involved with the whole development team crap and our ridiculous recruitment policy. In fact, as CEO, isn't he responsible for everything that happens at the club?

Imagine where we could have been if we'd had someone competent.

[WhileTheChief..]

Let's hire one of those CEOs who only appoint managers who are successful.

Dempster got 2 out of 3 right and was regarded as being a successful CEO by most on here.

Let's hope our new CEO's record is more like that than like Ben's, no?

[Hibbyradge]

Well you certainly got this one totally wrong.

I've been consistent in my criticism of Ian Gordon for years and wish he would get the hell out of our club. He can still own us without being involved. Works pretty well at Celtic.

BK hired every one of our managers. You just need to go back and watch the press conferences when they were appointed.

He failed every single time. A new laundry room at HTC doesn't cut it.

He was also involved with the whole development team crap and our ridiculous recruitment policy. In fact, as CEO, isn't he responsible for everything that happens at the club?

Imagine where we could have been if we'd had someone competent.

The press conference when Johnson was appointed was taken by Ron Gordon who made it clear that he was making the appointment. Remember the "you weren't in the room" remark?

[snedzuk]

Don't know when BK is actually leaving, but he was in House of Bruar earlier having a coffee with Malky. Maybe he's just going to the game of course.

[Itsnoteasy]

Even Josh Campbell has been getting abuse in his gym, people going up to him etc

Bang out of order

I'm even surprised he would go to the gym. There is a gym at HTC.

[RIP]

The press conference when Johnson was appointed was taken by Ron Gordon who made it clear that he was making the appointment. Remember the "you weren't in the room" remark?

Thank you.

Ron also took responsibility for sacking Jack Ross. And for hiring Maloney and LJ.

After Ron passed in 2023 Ron's responsibility for hiring and firing passed to Ian. Plenty news articles on that topic.

It wasn't until the Board convinced Ian he wasn't cut out for managing the football operation that Ben was able to bring Malky in as our Football Director. And it was Malky who put forward Gray as the best applicant.

In a normal CEO role, they are the top dog accountable for all aspects of the Club.

But with the Gordon's playing Fifa Football Manager for 4 years both Leeann's and Ben's duties were for most of their tenure under our American owners, reduced to commercial, finance and operations.

Instead of rejecting the facts, critics would benefit from watching Longbangers, Hibs Observer and Down the Slope on this topic. They put forward a more enlightened and nuanced position.

[Chuck Rhoades]

I can't believe there are folk on here getting upset because he's taking stick.

One of his main roles was to appoint managers.

Maloney, Johnston and Montgomery were total failures. Kensall carries the can for that.

Clutching at straws if you need to site updating a laundry room or canteen at HTC as a sign of progress.

Thank F he's gone. Imagine how much better things could have been with the right man in place the last 4 years. Now hopefully things can actually start getting better.

Be good if we hear that Ian Gordon is also stepping down and that Malky Mackay has left for pastures new.

Malky has only been here 7 months 🤣🤣

[Alex Trager]

Looking forward to you being the 1st to congratulate BK when we win the Scottish Cup this year.

You’ll note I did say that if we win the cup this year there could be strong arguments put forward that it should be included in his ‘results’.

[bingo70]

Block 7 flag still upside down today I see.

Presumably Kensell leaving hasn’t last them by so it going to need the Gordon’s to sell before ending their protest?

[Centre Hawf]

Thank you.

Ron also took responsibility for sacking Jack Ross. And for hiring Maloney and LJ.

After Ron passed in 2023 Ron's responsibility for hiring and firing passed to Ian. Plenty news articles on that topic.

It wasn't until the Board convinced Ian he wasn't cut out for managing the football operation that Ben was able to bring Malky in as our Football Director. And it was Malky who put forward Gray as the best applicant.

In a normal CEO role, they are the top dog accountable for all aspects of the Club.

But with the Gordon's playing Fifa Football Manager for 4 years both Leeann's and Ben's duties were for most of their tenure under our American owners, reduced to commercial, finance and operations.

Instead of rejecting the facts, critics would benefit from watching Longbangers, Hibs Observer and Down the Slope on this topic. They put forward a more enlightened and nuanced position.

Every word of this is spot on, the only caveat I’ll add is that Dave Gray was also Ian’s man. Malky maybe agreed with it but Ian wanted to make Dave the manager as soon as Monty was sacked.

[tamig]

Block 7 flag still upside down today I see.

Presumably Kensell leaving hasn’t last them by so it going to need the Gordon’s to sell before ending their protest?

Can’t be changed during an unbeaten run surely?

[Iain G]

Block 7 flag still upside down today I see.

Presumably Kensell leaving hasn’t last them by so it going to need the Gordon’s to sell before ending their protest?

Do you think they know it's upside down?

[Bridge hibs]

Do you think they know it's upside down?

I think they have two of those flags with the exact wording but they seem to be using the upside down one more often.

[Frazerbob]

I'm even surprised he would go to the gym. There is a gym at HTC.

That's what you take from that post?

Maybe he doesn't live near east Lothian? Maybe he doesn't want to go to his work when not working? Maybe he goes with friends/partner etc? Maybe he just likes a different gym........I work in a pub but sometimes drink in other pubs.

[snedzuk]

Do you think they know it's upside down?

If you tie it to a railing, then look over the railing at it, it isn't upside down.

[Carheenlea]

Block 7 flag still upside down today I see.

Presumably Kensell leaving hasn’t last them by so it going to need the Gordon’s to sell before ending their protest?

How long did the Green Brigade have theirs upside down for?

It’ll likely be similar to that.

[CL0762]

I'm even surprised he would go to the gym. There is a gym at HTC.

Josh lives in the flats at the old site of the Queen Margaret College in Clerwood & is a member of a local gym, as is Chris Cadden.

Using those facilities in their own time is preferable to traipsing all the way out to EM.

[JimBHibees]

How long did the Green Brigade have theirs upside down for?

It’ll likely be similar to that.

Yes get the impression they share notes

[Itsnoteasy]

Josh lives in the flats at the old site of the Queen Margaret College in Clerwood & is a member of a local gym, as is Chris Cadden.

Using those facilities in their own time is preferable to traipsing all the way out to EM.
👍

[Itsnoteasy]

If you tie it to a railing, then look over the railing at it, it isn't upside down.

😂

[One Day Soon]

Do you mean you want the Gordon family to sell?

Primarily IG away from any involvement at the club at all. Quite happy for them to sell if a better prospect comes along but so long as people who know what they are doing are running the club without amateur interference it will do for me.

[Donegal Hibby]

Anyone see this …

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/14249818/hibs-chief-quit-lunch-ben-kensell-derek-white/

[JohnM1875]

Anyone see this …

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/14249818/hibs-chief-quit-lunch-ben-kensell-derek-white/

Oft! That’s a weird one.

[Donegal Hibby]

Oft! That’s a weird one.

Your not wrong there .

[JohnM1875]

‘ Hibs were asked for comment about Thursday’s meeting however Kensell departed hours later.’

Did someone not say something about ‘truth coming out soon’ or something similar earlier on in this thread?

[flash]

Anyone see this …

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/14249818/hibs-chief-quit-lunch-ben-kensell-derek-white/

This article has been rumoured to appear for several days.

[we are hibs]

"The source said: “People have been saying that Ben was getting emptied in a couple of months but then all of a sudden the decision was taken on Thursday.

“Word started doing the rounds that he had been in touch with Derek who was facing serious allegations here and left midway through the investigation.

“It seems that could have been the final nail in his coffin as the owners were not happy when they found out."


A dull one for the folk who were desperate to create the narrative that he was chased out by the fans.



Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

[Baldy Foghorn]

"The source said: “People have been saying that Ben was getting emptied in a couple of months but then all of a sudden the decision was taken on Thursday.

“Word started doing the rounds that he had been in touch with Derek who was facing serious allegations here and left midway through the investigation.

“It seems that could have been the final nail in his coffin as the owners were not happy when they found out."


A dull one for the folk who were desperate to create the narrative that he was chased out by the fans.



Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

Can't believe that was quoted by someone at the Club:rolleyes:

[Chorley Hibee]

"The source said: “People have been saying that Ben was getting emptied in a couple of months but then all of a sudden the decision was taken on Thursday.

“Word started doing the rounds that he had been in touch with Derek who was facing serious allegations here and left midway through the investigation.

“It seems that could have been the final nail in his coffin as the owners were not happy when they found out."


A dull one for the folk who were desperate to create the narrative that he was chased out by the fans.



Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

Yep.

Ben acting unprofessional, yet again.

Who'd have thought it.

[Clarence]

He seems to have a blind spot for creepy things.

[Coco Bryce]

Yep.

Ben acting unprofessional, yet again.

Who'd have thought it.

Good laugh in the boozer though.

[Paulie Walnuts]

"The source said: “People have been saying that Ben was getting emptied in a couple of months but then all of a sudden the decision was taken on Thursday.

“Word started doing the rounds that he had been in touch with Derek who was facing serious allegations here and left midway through the investigation.

“It seems that could have been the final nail in his coffin as the owners were not happy when they found out."


A dull one for the folk who were desperate to create the narrative that he was chased out by the fans.



Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

:agree:

[jeffers]

Hmmm.

[CropleyWasGod]

3 hours in a Starbucks is a hanging offence for me, never mind sacking.

[jeffers]

Sorry but the idea that Kensell was sacked cos he met up with White is laughable.

[DarrenSQH]

Set up surely.

Livi Starbucks not known to have the paparazzi stand outside.

[Golden Bear]

Derek White? Hibs ?

Never heard of the guy up until tonight, very surprising considering he seemed to have held an important role at the Club.

[MikeyS]

Sorry but the idea that Kensell was sacked cos he met up with White is laughable.

I very much doubt it's the reason either but how thick must Ben Kensell actually be to hang around with that weirdo in public after what he was up to in an official role at the club!

It's just one pr disaster after another with him. Think we are well shot of the clown.

[Allant1981]

Derek White? Hibs ?

Never heard of the guy up until tonight, very surprising considering he seemed to have held an important role at the Club.

He was discussed in depth on this site

[dp00]

Sorry but the idea that Kensell was sacked cos he met up with White is laughable.

Exactly .. no chance that’s why he has been sacked could easily be an ex boss checking in on a young guy who’s had a tough time of it recently , regardless of aligations


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[B.H.F.C]

Set up surely.

Livi Starbucks not known to have the paparazzi stand outside.

Said the same.

[bingo70]

Set up surely.

Livi Starbucks not known to have the paparazzi stand outside.

Set up by who?

Sorry if I’m being thick but I’m not sure what you’re suggesting? 😂

I’m assuming it wasn’t a set up but someone recognised them in there and told someone from the media who would be interested.

[007]

Set up by who?

Sorry if I’m being thick but I’m not sure what you’re suggesting? 😂

I’m assuming it wasn’t a set up but someone recognised them in there and told someone from the media who would be interested.

The private detective Kensell hired for the club to gather evidence on White. 🤔

[Jock O]

Exactly .. no chance that’s why he has been sacked could easily be an ex boss checking in on a young guy who’s had a tough time of it recently , regardless of aligations


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am sure the link to article I seen earlier on FB referred to White phoning Kensell to meet for some career advice, which seems neither unlikely nor particularly suspicious, and arguably shows Kensell in a positive rather than negative light. As you say White is probably not exactly in a good place currently, and that is not defending what he did, but its not going to be an easy road back into any sort commercial life for him.

[CentreLine]

Sorry but the idea that Kensell was sacked cos he met up with White is laughable.

No no. We should always accept the opinion of the Sun newspaper. It’s such a reliable and non sensationalist publication. Surely our former CEO meeting a former employee, in a very public place, is grounds for immediate dismissal and no tribunal would entertain any form of appeal. It’s quite clear BK did not work his three months notice and leave the club on good terms 🙄

[Since452]

Sorry but the idea that Kensell was sacked cos he met up with White is laughable.

Definitely. He was sacked for being hopeless at his job.

[Bostonhibby]

3 hours in a Starbucks is a hanging offence for me, never mind sacking.Probably nothing more than Starbucks doing one of those 2 for the price of 1 deals and no one else would go with him.

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[Smartie]

We’ll no doubt hear an explanation from Kensell on LinkedIn shortly.

[marinello59]

I was no fan of Kensell during his time with us but I’d support him over the innuendo and underhand tactics they have deployed here. Horrible rag.

[matty_f]

I was no fan of Kensell during his time with us but I’d support him over the innuendo and underhand tactics they have deployed here. Horrible rag.

:agree:

Disgusting thing to frame the meeting as the reason for his exit.

[Carheenlea]

I was no fan of Kensell during his time with us but I’d support him over the innuendo and underhand tactics they have deployed here. Horrible rag.

100% :agree:

A disgraceful article and the suggestive tone the very thing that horrific newspaper has plenty form for.

[HFC93]

I'd be interested to know how they had a photographer outside Livi Starbucks to capture this encounter?

[PHeffernan]

I am sure the link to article I seen earlier on FB referred to White phoning Kensell to meet for some career advice, which seems neither unlikely nor particularly suspicious, and arguably shows Kensell in a positive rather than negative light. As you say White is probably not exactly in a good place currently, and that is not defending what he did, but its not going to be an easy road back into any sort commercial life for him.

I agree, it shows Ben Kensell in a very good light. He's gone well up in my estimation for this.

The Sun on the other hand just look their usual nasty sleaze pit.

[JohnM1875]

So, Kensell meets up with a sex pest to give him career advice and it paints him in a good light? 😂

White should’ve been told to get so far to ****!

[flash]

So, Kensell meets up with a sex pest to give him career advice and it paints him in a good light? 😂

White should’ve been told to get so far to ****!

Have to say I am with you on this one. If somebody left my work under similar circumstances I like to think I wouldn't be hanging out with them afterwards.

[Northernhibee]

Have to say I am with you on this one. If somebody left my work under similar circumstances I like to think I wouldn't be hanging out with them afterwards.

Yep. Really not a good look at all.

[Paulie Walnuts]

So, Kensell meets up with a sex pest to give him career advice and it paints him in a good light? 😂

White should’ve been told to get so far to ****!

:agree:

An absolute bizarre take to suggest this is a good look for Kensell.

[BoomtownHibees]

I agree, it shows Ben Kensell in a very good light

Find this opinion a bit strange tbh

[CallumLaidlaw]

So, Kensell meets up with a sex pest to give him career advice and it paints him in a good light? [emoji23]

White should’ve been told to get so far to ****!

Yep, pals or not, while he’s an employee of the club he shouldn’t be meeting so publicly with a guy that left while under investigation by the club.

And as for “how did the paparazzi know how to be there?” If they were in there for 3 hours, it wouldn’t have taken much for someone to tip the sun off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BoomtownHibees]

Yep, pals or not, while he’s an employee of the club he shouldn’t be meeting so publicly with a guy that left while under investigation by the club.

And as for “how did the paparazzi know how to be there?” If they were in there for 3 hours, it wouldn’t have taken much for someone to tip the sun off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or somebody sent the photo and the story to the Sun

[CallumLaidlaw]

Or somebody sent the photo and the story to the Sun

Quite possibly. But the fact they were there for 3 hours means it’s not impossible for the sun to send someone along while they were there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[easty]

I was sacked from my first job, when I was 17, for sending porn over email.

I can confirm, my manager never wanted to catch up for coffee and career advice subsequently.

[CentreLine]

Yep, pals or not, while he’s an employee of the club he shouldn’t be meeting so publicly with a guy that left while under investigation by the club.

And as for “how did the paparazzi know how to be there?” If they were in there for 3 hours, it wouldn’t have taken much for someone to tip the sun off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People just making up why they met up and persuading themselves it’s fact is exactly what the sun article is aimed at.
The fact the meeting was so very public woukd suggest it was anything but sinister. We are unlikely to know what was discussed but I’d be surprised if the creepy person that spotted them didn’t try very hard to eavesdrop. It’s a strange world we live in but one thing is certain, nothing from that report suggest the remotest grounds fur sacking a person.

[flash]

People just making up why they met up and persuading themselves it’s fact is exactly what the sun article is aimed at.
The fact the meeting was so very public woukd suggest it was anything but sinister. We are unlikely to know what was discussed but I’d be surprised if the creepy person that spotted them didn’t try very hard to eavesdrop. It’s a strange world we live in but one thing is certain, nothing from that report suggest the remotest grounds fur sacking a person.

Pretty sure the creepy person involved wasn't the one who took a picture.

[CentreLine]

Pretty sure the creepy person involved wasn't the one who took a picture.

🤣 good point, there is definitely a creepy person in the picture but doesn’t exonerate the creep that spied on the meeting and reported on it. May well have taken the pictures too.

[neil7908]

:agree:

An absolute bizarre take to suggest this is a good look for Kensell.

Yup. **** the Sun but football fans can be really weird. White getting a lot of sympathy for what he's accused of.

Imo this was just another very poor decision by Kensell, in a long line of them. For £350k per year (or whatever he was on) we deserved much better.

[Chorley Hibee]

I was sacked from my first job, when I was 17, for sending porn over email.

I can confirm, my manager never wanted to catch up for coffee and career advice subsequently.

Exactly.

Some mental gymnastics are going on to try and make out that this wasn't ill-advised at best.

A perfect example of his poor judgement and unprofessionalism once again.

[Centre Hawf]

Mental there's some defending him on this. The Sun or not it's a disastrous decision to go meet someone socially that quit while you were investigating him for sexual misconduct towards young people under their duty of care.

Maybe it's the reason he left, maybe he's only met him because he had already signed and sealed his exit and it hadn't been announced yet. Either way it's just a poor move from a man who was King at poor moves.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Mental there's some defending him on this. The Sun or not it's a disastrous decision to go meet someone socially that quit while you were investigating him for sexual misconduct towards young people under their duty of care.

When you actually see it written down it’s even more incredible folk think this paints a positive picture of Kensell. It’s an absolute shocker.

[bingo70]

When you actually see it written down it’s even more incredible folk think this paints a positive picture of Kensell. It’s an absolute shocker.

There were a lot of rumours about Kensell being a bit of a sleaze with female members of staff previously I’m sure. I don’t know how accurate they were, I’ve never met the guy but when you see him with the other guy who clearly was of that nature, it doesn’t paint the best picture in terms of the culture at the club behind the scenes. All strikes me as a bit immature and amateurish.

Again, this is maybe unfair as I don’t know the people involved but my perspective is that I think I’m looking forward to the club being run by grown ups again.

Kensell strikes me as someone who’s probably excellent at running a sales team, running a relatively big business requires other skills.

[Hibees1973]

Have to say I am with you on this one. If somebody left my work under similar circumstances I like to think I wouldn't be hanging out with them afterwards.

A clear error of judgement on Kensell's part.

The club can only be a better place with these two characters gone.

There are still a couple of others with dubious judgement in key roles at Hibs I would like gone as well.

[Jones28]

A clear error of judgement on Kensell's part.

The club can only be a better place with these two characters gone.

There are still a couple of others with dubious judgement in key roles at Hibs I would like gone as well.

Who?

[Alex Trager]

In terms of Hibernian FC, I don’t think this is even a story to be honest.

As for the pair involved, the club is better off without them here.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Who?

I’m presuming Mackay for starters.

[Paulie Walnuts]

:agree:

Disgusting thing to frame the meeting as the reason for his exit.

I’ve no idea why Kensell has left, however I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that if this wasn’t the reason, it could also have been reason enough to empty him if the wheels hadn’t already been put in motion.

The current CEO of a company who employed a guy who allegedly sexually abused a young employee going out and meeting the abuser for a coffee and catchup is horrendous in terms of optics and imo would likely be a sackable offence.

[jeffers]

I’ve no idea why Kensell has left, however I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that if this wasn’t the reason, it could also have been reason enough to empty him if the wheels hadn’t already been put in motion.

The current CEO of a company who employed a guy who allegedly sexually abused a young employee going out and meeting the abuser for a coffee and catchup is horrendous in terms of optics and imo would likely be a sackable offence.

From what I was told Kensell’s leaving had been agreed well before this meeting took place, he hadn’t been around much for a while before it was announced officially.

Personally I think he’s daft to have met White in a public place, though he probably didn’t expect a photographer to turn up. He liked White, but he wasn’t the only one at the club in a position of power who did….

[Pretty Boy]

I'm not sure if it was good judgement on BKs part to meet with White.

The Sun article trying to weave it into the narrative of his departure and giving the impression of some seedy undertone is just typical of how such papers operate and it's out of order. I'll be taking no moral lessons from them on such things. It was a personal meeting between 2 ex colleagues, not news.

[Centre Hawf]

I'm not sure if it was good judgement on BKs part to meet with White.

The Sun article trying to weave it into the narrative of his departure and giving the impression of some seedy undertone is just typical of how such papers operate and it's out of order. I'll be taking no moral lessons from them on such things. It was a personal meeting between 2 ex colleagues, not news.

I'll disagree on it not being news, especially as a fan. We ultimately don't know the facts of how much this impacted his exit if at all, but it's not a good look for an at the time CEO (because as far as we're all aware he was CEO still) to hang about with White and laugh and joke for 3 hours especially given even how recent White's controversy actually is.

I'd go as far to say I'm glad this is out there as it really underlines the level of unprofessionalism that we've seen at the club under his tenure. I won't list it all but this thread highlights numerous examples of it from him when speaking to people, then plus the added, widely known, rumours that have swirled around not just him but others at the club with him. It would be remiss of me to not come to a conclusion that he's not only overseen, but also been a source of, a quite a poor culture within the club in that regard.

The Sun haven't told me how to feel seeing it, I've come to the conclusion myself that it's unprofessional and wrong on numerous levels from everything we've seen and heard about our time with him. People are obviously free to disagree with me on this but I expect better behaviour from whoever steps into his role next.

[Lago]

As we wait for Kensell's replacement I wonder who has assumed responsibility for transfer and contract negotiations, hopefully not IG.

[Pretty Boy]

I'll disagree on it not being news, especially as a fan. We ultimately don't know the facts of how much this impacted his exit if at all, but it's not a good look for an at the time CEO (because as far as we're all aware he was CEO still) to hang about with White and laugh and joke for 3 hours especially given even how recent White's controversy actually is.

I'd go as far to say I'm glad this is out there as it really underlines the level of unprofessionalism that we've seen at the club under his tenure. I won't list it all but this thread highlights numerous examples of it from him when speaking to people, then plus the added, widely known, rumours that have swirled around not just him but others at the club with him. It would be remiss of me to not come to a conclusion that he's not only overseen, but also been a source of, a quite a poor culture within the club in that regard.

The Sun haven't told me how to feel seeing it, I've come to the conclusion myself that it's unprofessional and wrong on numerous levels from everything we've seen and heard about our time with him. People are obviously free to disagree with me on this but I expect better behaviour from whoever steps into his role next.

I didn't like Kensell one little bit. I had limited dealings with him at the very start of his tenure and found him rude, arrogant and dismissive. I was also present at the event when he told random punters about Maloney's impending sacking and there was no real added context needed, he out and out said if we lose to Hearts he will be sacked. It was embarrassing.

But ultimately he has met an ex colleague for a coffee, possibly to offer a bit advice and maybe just to check up on him. Many moons ago a guy I worked with got sacked for stealing from the company. I met him a while later because I was worried about him. He had done wrong but he was named and shamed in the local papers with his address published and a big picture of him plastered all over the 5th page, ostracised by loads of the people he had been friends with and was ****ed financially. A consequence of his own actions certainly but I didn't like the thought of him taking drastic action based on that so met him for a beer and a blether and told him I was available if he needed me.

CEOs don't tend to leave jobs instantaneously. It's been rumoured this has been in the works for a while and probably ties in with a 3 month notice period giver or take. I don't believe for a second that meeting White (who's actions were deplorable btw) had anything to do with it. Both are gone from the club, I'm not upset about that being the case for either but them meeting is not really anything to do with us now, or anyone else for that matter.

[superfurryhibby]

I'll disagree on it not being news, especially as a fan. We ultimately don't know the facts of how much this impacted his exit if at all, but it's not a good look for an at the time CEO (because as far as we're all aware he was CEO still) to hang about with White and laugh and joke for 3 hours especially given even how recent White's controversy actually is.

I'd go as far to say I'm glad this is out there as it really underlines the level of unprofessionalism that we've seen at the club under his tenure. I won't list it all but this thread highlights numerous examples of it from him when speaking to people, then plus the added, widely known, rumours that have swirled around not just him but others at the club with him. It would be remiss of me to not come to a conclusion that he's not only overseen, but also been a source of, a quite a poor culture within the club in that regard.

The Sun haven't told me how to feel seeing it, I've come to the conclusion myself that it's unprofessional and wrong on numerous levels from everything we've seen and heard about our time with him. People are obviously free to disagree with me on this but I expect better behaviour from whoever steps into his role next.

Before I get my pitchfork out, perhaps you could expand upon this for those of us who haven't heard about these widely known rumours?

[CentreLine]

I didn't like Kensell one little bit. I had limited dealings with him at the very start of his tenure and found him rude, arrogant and dismissive. I was also present at the event when he told random punters about Maloney's impending sacking and there was no real added context needed, he out and out said if we lose to Hearts he will be sacked. It was embarrassing.

But ultimately he has met an ex colleague for a coffee, possibly to offer a bit advice and maybe just to check up on him. Many moons ago a guy I worked with got sacked for stealing from the company. I met him a while later because I was worried about him. He had done wrong but he was named and shamed in the local papers with his address published and a big picture of him plastered all over the 5th page, ostracised by loads of the people he had been friends with and was ****ed financially. A consequence of his own actions certainly but I didn't like the thought of him taking drastic action based on that so met him for a beer and a blether and told him I was available if he needed me.

CEOs don't tend to leave jobs instantaneously. It's been rumoured this has been in the works for a while and probably ties in with a 3 month notice period giver or take. I don't believe for a second that meeting White (who's actions were deplorable btw) had anything to do with it. Both are gone from the club, I'm not upset about that being the case for either but them meeting is not really anything to do with us now, or anyone else for that matter.

Good post PB and your motives for meeting with your former colleague should be respected and lauded. This, I think they call it “cancel culture”, we see today is toe curlingly self centred. You don’t have to agree with what a person did to show some humanity.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Good post PB and your motives for meeting with your former colleague should be respected and lauded. This, I think they call it “cancel culture”, we see today is toe curlingly self centred. You don’t have to agree with what a person did to show some humanity.

It’s not about ‘agreeing’ with what someone does or cancel culture.

For starters, it sends a horrendous message to the young man who was targeted by Derek White, a young man that our club and by extension our CEO had/have a duty of care to, that the CEO of the club you play/played for deems it suitable to pal about with your abuser when he knows fine well what he’s done.

[easty]

It’s not about ‘agreeing’ with what someone does or cancel culture.

For starters, it sends a horrendous message to the young man who was targeted by Derek White, a young man that our club and by extension our CEO had/have a duty of care to, that the CEO of the club you play/played for deems it suitable to pal about with your abuser when he knows fine well what he’s done.

:agree:

[CropleyWasGod]

It’s not about ‘agreeing’ with what someone does or cancel culture.

For starters, it sends a horrendous message to the young man who was targeted by Derek White, a young man that our club and by extension our CEO had/have a duty of care to, that the CEO of the club you play/played for deems it suitable to pal about with your abuser when he knows fine well what he’s done.

Wouldn't that depend on the reason for the meeting?

You say "pal about" when none of us know why they met. It could, for example, be them meeting to discuss in detail the results of the investigation into the alleged behaviour. It could, also, have been held with the full knowledge and consent of all of those involved.

All of that is conjecture and speculation, of course, but then so are most of the comments here. The only truth here is that we don 't know all the facts, but we are being led to conclusions based on a few photos in an unpopular news outlet.

[matty_f]

I’ve no idea why Kensell has left, however I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that if this wasn’t the reason, it could also have been reason enough to empty him if the wheels hadn’t already been put in motion.

The current CEO of a company who employed a guy who allegedly sexually abused a young employee going out and meeting the abuser for a coffee and catchup is horrendous in terms of optics and imo would likely be a sackable offence.

It is not a sackable offence, on any legal level it if the club sacked Kensell for meeting an ex-colleague who was investigated for alleged misconduct (and I haven’t seen anything to say what the outcome of those investigations were and so, to date, as far as I know White hasn’t been found guilty of anything) then Kensell could go to town on Hibs at a tribunal.


There are a lot of people who are acting as judge, jury and executioner on this situation, based on some hearsay, some screenshots with very little context around them (albeit on the face of it, those screenshots are indefensible, but then that’s why context is important).

I don’t know why Kensell was meeting him, I have no clue what their relationship was like before or after the allegations surfaced, and I don’t want to speculate because frankly folk have already made their minds up about it and **** that for an argument.

I’ve no skin in the game sticking up for either of them other than to say that we do still have an innocent until proven guilty system in this country, trial by social media is rarely based on the full information and context, and without those things I’m not really minded to jump two footed into Kensell for meeting the guy for a coffee.

[7Hero]

As we wait for Kensell's replacement I wonder who has assumed responsibility for transfer and contract negotiations, hopefully not IG.

We have a director of Sport for that..

[Chorley Hibee]

Wouldn't that depend on the reason for the meeting?

You say "pal about" when none of us know why they met. It could, for example, be them meeting to discuss in detail the results of the investigation into the alleged behaviour. It could, also, have been held with the full knowledge and consent of all of those involved.

The only truth here is that we don 't know all the facts, but we are being led to conclusions based on a few photos in an unpopular news outlet.

Come on, CWG, you don't hold disciplinary meetings (results or not) in a bloody Starbucks for three hours amidst the general public.

At least professional people don't, so in Kensell's case it's probably a possibility.

[TrinityHFC]

It’s not about ‘agreeing’ with what someone does or cancel culture.

For starters, it sends a horrendous message to the young man who was targeted by Derek White, a young man that our club and by extension our CEO had/have a duty of care to, that the CEO of the club you play/played for deems it suitable to pal about with your abuser when he knows fine well what he’s done.

That’s really only a judgement you could make knowing all the facts of the investigation and of the nature of the meeting at Starbucks. He was still employed by the club when an investigation was ongoing and would have come into contact with any number of Hibs employees on a daily basis.

BK will have been aware of the facts, more so than us, and has obviously not been concerned about meeting in a very public place.

Overall, the football performance says that it is probably right that the CEO has gone. I really don’t know enough about this angle to comment on whether it has contributed to him going or not, or whether it should have. I’m sure that applies to all of us really.

[Jack]

A long time ago I worked in HR.

I can quite easily see the scenario where this guy was sacked and, under legal advice, there was to be no direct contact between him and the club.

IF this was the situation at Hibs then Kensell could have put the club in a very difficult situation. Sackable? Probably.

[matty_f]

A long time ago I worked in HR.

I can quite easily see the scenario where this guy was sacked and, under legal advice, there was to be no direct contact between him and the club.

IF this was the situation at Hibs then Kensell could have put the club in a very difficult situation. Sackable? Probably.

He wasn’t sacked. He left whilst under investigation according to reports.

This scenario is highly unlikely.

[Vini1875]

It is not a sackable offence, on any legal level it if the club sacked Kensell for meeting an ex-colleague who was investigated for alleged misconduct (and I haven’t seen anything to say what the outcome of those investigations were and so, to date, as far as I know White hasn’t been found guilty of anything) then Kensell could go to town on Hibs at a tribunal.


There are a lot of people who are acting as judge, jury and executioner on this situation, based on some hearsay, some screenshots with very little context around them (albeit on the face of it, those screenshots are indefensible, but then that’s why context is important).

I don’t know why Kensell was meeting him, I have no clue what their relationship was like before or after the allegations surfaced, and I don’t want to speculate because frankly folk have already made their minds up about it and **** that for an argument.

I’ve no skin in the game sticking up for either of them other than to say that we do still have an innocent until proven guilty system in this country, trial by social media is rarely based on the full information and context, and without those things I’m not really minded to jump two footed into Kensell for meeting the guy for a coffee.

Personally I would like to know how our CEO has three hours to spend in a coffee shop during a working day, regardless of who he was meeting, unless it was on Hibs business. During the transfer window you expect our CEO to have some involvement in comings and goings, rather than afternoon catch ups.

[Lago]

\\You

We have a director of Sport for that..
All well then. :aok:

[7Hero]

All well then. :aok:

i;m not sure about that :faf:

[matty_f]

Personally I would like to know how our CEO has three hours to spend in a coffee shop during a working day, regardless of who he was meeting, unless it was on Hibs business. During the transfer window you expect our CEO to have some involvement in comings and goings, rather than afternoon catch ups.

I don’t think, given the amount of hours the guy works, he’s got any questions to answer on that front, tbh.
He didn’t work anything like a flat 9-5.

[Centre Hawf]

I didn't like Kensell one little bit. I had limited dealings with him at the very start of his tenure and found him rude, arrogant and dismissive. I was also present at the event when he told random punters about Maloney's impending sacking and there was no real added context needed, he out and out said if we lose to Hearts he will be sacked. It was embarrassing.

But ultimately he has met an ex colleague for a coffee, possibly to offer a bit advice and maybe just to check up on him. Many moons ago a guy I worked with got sacked for stealing from the company. I met him a while later because I was worried about him. He had done wrong but he was named and shamed in the local papers with his address published and a big picture of him plastered all over the 5th page, ostracised by loads of the people he had been friends with and was ****ed financially. A consequence of his own actions certainly but I didn't like the thought of him taking drastic action based on that so met him for a beer and a blether and told him I was available if he needed me.

CEOs don't tend to leave jobs instantaneously. It's been rumoured this has been in the works for a while and probably ties in with a 3 month notice period giver or take. I don't believe for a second that meeting White (who's actions were deplorable btw) had anything to do with it. Both are gone from the club, I'm not upset about that being the case for either but them meeting is not really anything to do with us now, or anyone else for that matter.

Your point about meeting your own ex colleague is fine and I do get your point about checking in on people at low moments. But I think we can all agree meeting a colleague who has ruined their professional career is not a questionable decision on the face of it. But to meet someone who ruined their career due to sexual misconduct is, for me at least, an entirely different matter especially when you take into consideration who the accusers were in this scenario.

Also this isn't just two colleagues, this was his boss that has to set a standard for the Club on how we operate and conduct ourselves. What does it say to the rest of the staff seeing their leader laugh and joke with a guy who has been accused of what he's accused of? It would tell me that the man won't take me seriously if I go to him with a similar complaint of anyone else, especially if I know they're chummy. It likewise would make me worried that it maybe tells other people that certain behaviours can be tolerated. As far as leadership goes I find it lacking in responsibility from Ben.


Before I get my pitchfork out, perhaps you could expand upon this for those of us who haven't heard about these widely known rumours?

I won't list them here as it's a fast track route to problems for the board. But I'm sure if you ask around enough offline you'll find out. The same with Lee Johnson, which indicates a pattern of behaviour.

[CropleyWasGod]

Come on, CWG, you don't hold disciplinary meetings (results or not) in a bloody Starbucks for three hours amidst the general public.

At least professional people don't, so in Kensell's case it's probably a possibility.

Didn't I say it was speculation?

So much of the discussion here is based on people's opinions of BK (as you have just demonstrated :greengrin), when none of us know.

Here's another one. Do we know for a fact that the photos were taken on the day claimed? It wouldn't be beneath the Sun to twist that particular angle.

[Chorley Hibee]

Didn't I say it was speculation?

So much of the discussion here is based on people's opinions of BK (as you have just demonstrated :greengrin), when none of us know.

Here's another one. Do we know for a fact that the photos were taken on that particular day? It wouldn't be beneath the Sun to twist that particular angle.

Regardless of my personal opinion on Kensell, surely this meeting is unprofessional and, at best, "ill-advised" given the allegations made?

If there were concerns about White's well-being, or this was a meeting regarding an investigation, etc, there has to have been a better forum for this than bloody Starbucks?

It's another example of why many people have had serious misgivings about Kensell, his performance, and his unprofessional behaviour over a long period.

Delighted he has gone.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Wouldn't that depend on the reason for the meeting?

You say "pal about" when none of us know why they met. It could, for example, be them meeting to discuss in detail the results of the investigation into the alleged behaviour. It could, also, have been held with the full knowledge and consent of all of those involved.

All of that is conjecture and speculation, of course, but then so are most of the comments here. The only truth here is that we don 't know all the facts, but we are being led to conclusions based on a few photos in an unpopular news outlet.

They’re not going to be discussing the outcome of an investigation into sexual abuse of a young man in a Starbucks.

[matty_f]

They’re not going to be discussing the outcome of an investigation into sexual abuse of a young man in a Starbucks.

Yep, that’s pretty unlikely.

Edit - was sexual abuse the allegation?

I know it’s maybe a pedantic point on an emotive subject and I’m really really not wanting to sound like I’m defending White but language is important especially when posting about people in public, and with a view to the other party in the incidents - would they want to feel like victims/survivors of sexual abuse, or is sexual harassment closer to what was alleged (sexual abuse would typically involve significant physical contact whereas harassment would be unwanted sexual behaviour).

[Paulie Walnuts]

That’s really only a judgement you could make knowing all the facts of the investigation and of the nature of the meeting at Starbucks. He was still employed by the club when an investigation was ongoing and would have come into contact with any number of Hibs employees on a daily basis.

BK will have been aware of the facts, more so than us, and has obviously not been concerned about meeting in a very public place.

Overall, the football performance says that it is probably right that the CEO has gone. I really don’t know enough about this angle to comment on whether it has contributed to him going or not, or whether it should have. I’m sure that applies to all of us really.

I am in no way surprised to see you attempting to defend the indefensible when it comes to Kensell, again.

If my son was the victim of Derek White I’d be wanting to remove my son from our club if I was seeing that the CEO of the club was out having a laugh with his abuser.

[CropleyWasGod]

They’re not going to be discussing the outcome of an investigation into sexual abuse of a young man in a Starbucks.

So what was the reason for their meeting?

(which was my real point, of course. I would have dismissed my suggestion as mere uninformed speculation )

[Paulie Walnuts]

So what was the reason for their meeting?

(which was my real point, of course )

I’ve no idea, but it wouldn’t be to discuss that.

Infact now that I’m typing it, knowing how many ill judged moves Ben Kensell makes, maybe they were.

[CropleyWasGod]

I’ve no idea, but it wouldn’t be to discuss that.

Infact now that I’m typing it, knowing how many ill judged moves Ben Kensell makes, maybe they were.

... which is my point.

None of us know.

[Paulie Walnuts]

... which is my point.

None of us know.

I don’t need to know for me to know it’s yet another completely ill judged decision from Kensell.

[JohnM1875]

I don’t need to know for me to know it’s yet another completely ill judged decision from Kensell.

Exactly.

He met a sex pest, who cares if they happen to be an ex-colleague or not.

[TrinityHFC]

I am in no way surprised to see you attempting to defend the indefensible when it comes to Kensell, again.

If my son was the victim of Derek White I’d be wanting to remove my son from our club if I was seeing that the CEO of the club was out having a laugh with his abuser.

I’m not defending anything I’m saying I know nothing about it in order to judge.

I don’t know anything about White either to know whether is appropriate to be talking about victims.

I just think it is very unhelpful generally to be extremely reactionary based on things I know nothing about. I think it can be quite dangerous which is why I usually comment when it happens.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I’m not defending anything I’m saying I know nothing about it in order to judge.

I don’t know anything about White either to know whether is appropriate to be talking about victims.

I just think it is very unhelpful generally to be extremely reactionary based on things I know nothing about. I think it can be quite dangerous which is why I usually comment when it happens.

We know it happened and we know they left together in the same car (not something you’d do on the way home from meeting people to discuss a disciplinary), which is enough to tell us it is yet another spectacularly ill judged decision from Kensell.

[superfurryhibby]

Just for clarity, sexual abuse and sexual harassment are two different things. Random hysterical use of the term abuse does a disservice to the actual victims of sexual abuse.

For further clarity, neither are acceptable.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Just for clarity, sexual abuse and sexual harassment are two different things. Random hysterical use of the term abuse does a disservice to the actual victims of sexual abuse.

For further clarity, neither are acceptable.

Fair point and the point has been taken :agree:

[TrinityHFC]

We know it happened and we know they left together in the same car (not something you’d do on the way home from meeting people to discuss a disciplinary), which is enough to tell us it is yet another spectacularly ill judged decision from Kensell.

We know they met and left in car? Sure. No arguments on that front.

That tells me nothing about any of the background that people are bringing into this to know whether it is unprofessional, ill judged or whatever.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We know they met and left in car? Sure. No arguments on that front.

That tells me nothing about any of the background that people are bringing into this to know whether it is unprofessional, ill judged or whatever.

Of course it doesn’t. People always go and meet the guy that held a disciplinary investigation into them leading to them losing their job and leave in the same car all smiles.. :rolleyes:

[JimBHibees]

Mental there's some defending him on this. The Sun or not it's a disastrous decision to go meet someone socially that quit while you were investigating him for sexual misconduct towards young people under their duty of care.

Maybe it's the reason he left, maybe he's only met him because he had already signed and sealed his exit and it hadn't been announced yet. Either way it's just a poor move from a man who was King at poor moves.

The mistake is to meet in a public place

[TrinityHFC]

Of course it doesn’t. People always go and meet the guy that held a disciplinary investigation into them leading to them losing their job and leave in the same car all smiles.. :rolleyes:

I don’t know anything other than what was reported about the investigation. I don’t know the outcome and therefore the accuracy of the allegations. I don’t know what was behind him leaving his role ultimately. I know nothing about the nature of the coffee meeting. Neither do you know any of these things.

So, all I know is two ex colleagues met. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about that, including when one of those employees may have been the subject of an investigation or a disciplinary.

In fact I do have an ex colleague who had a disciplinary process. Turned out it was a misunderstanding that was taken through a process out of caution. He remains close friends with the manager that put him through the process. It happens.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I don’t know anything other than what was reported about the investigation. I don’t know the outcome and therefore the accuracy of the allegations. I don’t know what was behind him leaving his role ultimately. I know nothing about the nature of the coffee meeting. Neither do you know any of these things.

So, all I know is two ex colleagues met. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about that, including when one of those employees may have been the subject of an investigation or a disciplinary.

In fact I do have an ex colleague who had a disciplinary process. Turned out it was a misunderstanding that was taken through a process out of caution. He remains close friends with the manager that put him through the process. It happens.

Your example of your friend is nothing like this one though, is it?

This one didn’t end with a misunderstanding, it ended up with White losing his job and the CEO of the company with a tens of millions of pounds turnover rather than just a manager deciding it was suitable to continue to pal about with him.

There is absolutely no excuse for such a horrendous ‘misjudgement’ from Kensell.

[Centre Hawf]

I don’t know anything other than what was reported about the investigation. I don’t know the outcome and therefore the accuracy of the allegations. I don’t know what was behind him leaving his role ultimately. I know nothing about the nature of the coffee meeting. Neither do you know any of these things.

So, all I know is two ex colleagues met. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about that, including when one of those employees may have been the subject of an investigation or a disciplinary.

In fact I do have an ex colleague who had a disciplinary process. Turned out it was a misunderstanding that was taken through a process out of caution. He remains close friends with the manager that put him through the process. It happens.

Did your ex-colleague also quit mid process before the findings could be determined?

[jeffers]

Your example of your friend is nothing like this one though, is it?

This one didn’t end with a misunderstanding, it ended up with White losing his job and the CEO of the company with a tens of millions of pounds turnover rather than just a manager deciding it was suitable to continue to pal about with him.

There is absolutely no excuse for such a horrendous ‘misjudgement’ from Kensell.

Last I’ll post on this but if Kensell had already agreed to leave Hibs before he met with White is it really horrendous misjudgment ?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Last I’ll post on this but if Kensell had already agreed to leave Hibs before he met with White is it really horrendous misjudgment ?

At that point in time he was still employed by Hibs, or at least publicly. So yes, I’d suggest it was. Much like many other aspects of his time here being horrendously misjudged.

It does also make me question if there was any substance to the rumours regarding how Hibs (or because of this, specifically Kensell) dealt with the whole affair. If he thinks this was appropriate then I’m not sure I’d put much faith in him dealing with the situation appropriately.

[Centre Hawf]

Last I’ll post on this but if Kensell had already agreed to leave Hibs before he met with White is it really horrendous misjudgment ?

As far as anyone is concerned he hadn't left Hibs yet. Whether we knew he was leaving, heard he was, or think he already left, it doesn't really matter. Hibs announced it when they announced it. The world will take that at face value. Therefore he has a standard to uphold as part of his role until that point in my opinion.

If he chose to the meet the guy the next day after he was announced as left then fine, he's no longer at the club and can do what he likes in that regard. I'm still allowed to think less of him for it either way.

[silverhibee]

Set up by who?

Sorry if I’m being thick but I’m not sure what you’re suggesting? 😂

I’m assuming it wasn’t a set up but someone recognised them in there and told someone from the media who would be interested.

Hibs have used private investigators in the past to snoop on staff.

[silverhibee]

So, Kensell meets up with a sex pest to give him career advice and it paints him in a good light? 😂

White should’ve been told to get so far to ****!

Exactly, Kensell should have told him to do one.

[silverhibee]

I’ve no idea why Kensell has left, however I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that if this wasn’t the reason, it could also have been reason enough to empty him if the wheels hadn’t already been put in motion.

The current CEO of a company who employed a guy who allegedly sexually abused a young employee going out and meeting the abuser for a coffee and catchup is horrendous in terms of optics and imo would likely be a sackable offence.

Maybe this isn’t the first meeting they have had, club gets wind of it, and they put things in motion to catch them together, that photo is a scary thing that he BK though he could meet someone Hibs had sacked for serious allegations of a sexual nature towards a Hibs player, parents of the kids will be wondering if having there kids at Hibs is a good thing and god knows what the player and family are thinking.

[silverhibee]

I didn't like Kensell one little bit. I had limited dealings with him at the very start of his tenure and found him rude, arrogant and dismissive. I was also present at the event when he told random punters about Maloney's impending sacking and there was no real added context needed, he out and out said if we lose to Hearts he will be sacked. It was embarrassing.

But ultimately he has met an ex colleague for a coffee, possibly to offer a bit advice and maybe just to check up on him. Many moons ago a guy I worked with got sacked for stealing from the company. I met him a while later because I was worried about him. He had done wrong but he was named and shamed in the local papers with his address published and a big picture of him plastered all over the 5th page, ostracised by loads of the people he had been friends with and was ****ed financially. A consequence of his own actions certainly but I didn't like the thought of him taking drastic action based on that so met him for a beer and a blether and told him I was available if he needed me.

CEOs don't tend to leave jobs instantaneously. It's been rumoured this has been in the works for a while and probably ties in with a 3 month notice period giver or take. I don't believe for a second that meeting White (who's actions were deplorable btw) had anything to do with it. Both are gone from the club, I'm not upset about that being the case for either but them meeting is not really anything to do with us now, or anyone else for that matter.

You have to be one of the most thoughtful and sensible poster on here, but c’mon bud, one is being investigated for groping a young lad and sending texts to maybe other young players, not stealing some cash from the til, it is a horrific crime to do, if it was a mate of mine he would be wiped clean from ever seeing speaking to them again and if they reached out they would be blanked, we have all known that Kensell was leaving but maybe Hibs needed something to speed things up.

[silverhibee]

It’s not about ‘agreeing’ with what someone does or cancel culture.

For starters, it sends a horrendous message to the young man who was targeted by Derek White, a young man that our club and by extension our CEO had/have a duty of care to, that the CEO of the club you play/played for deems it suitable to pal about with your abuser when he knows fine well what he’s done.

Spot on.

[silverhibee]

Wouldn't that depend on the reason for the meeting?

You say "pal about" when none of us know why they met. It could, for example, be them meeting to discuss in detail the results of the investigation into the alleged behaviour. It could, also, have been held with the full knowledge and consent of all of those involved.

All of that is conjecture and speculation, of course, but then so are most of the comments here. The only truth here is that we don 't know all the facts, but we are being led to conclusions based on a few photos in an unpopular news outlet.

Hibs would have had that kind of meeting in a hotel or somewhere private to discuss these things, not in a coffee shop in a public place.

[silverhibee]

... which is my point.

None of us know.

Would it not be breaching GDPR.

[007]

Hibs would have had that kind of meeting in a hotel or somewhere private to discuss these things, not in a coffee shop in a public place.

The 2 of them being spotted coming out of hotel instead of Starbucks would have looked worse.

[HoboHarry]

Whole lot of time and effort being put into discussing two ex-employees. They've moved on, I wish them both well for the future but that's as much as I personally care.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Spot on.

Former CEO peeps.

[CropleyWasGod]

Would it not be breaching GDPR.

Nae idea :greengrin

Presumably, it's okay if they both cover their notes in case someone sees them :cb


Hibs would have had that kind of meeting in a hotel or somewhere private to discuss these things, not in a coffee shop in a public place.

I would agree, but that's not the point I was making.

[easty]

Whole lot of time and effort being put into discussing two ex-employees. They've moved on, I wish them both well for the future but that's as much as I personally care.

I don’t wish Derek White well. At all. Cretin.

[A Hi-Bee]

Exclusive new story in the sun - Donald Trump says he may be a Hibs supporter, he was surfing the net for things "Green" and he found Hibs.
:greengrin

[JohnM1875]

I don’t wish Derek White well. At all. Cretin.

In full agreement.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I don’t wish Derek White well. At all. Cretin.

Yeah, safe to say I’m not going to be wishing a sex pest well either.

[matty_f]

Yeah, safe to say I’m not going to be wishing a sex pest well either.

Also where I am with it.

[Bostonhibby]

I don’t wish Derek White well. At all. Cretin.Absolutely, how he got into our club and apparently creeped about unchecked even for a short time is reason enough alone for employees and former employees to exercise a bit of judgement and just avoid.

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[neil7908]

Yeah, safe to say I’m not going to be wishing a sex pest well either.

Yup. Some really odd takes on here.

If a Hearts staff member had the same accusations levelled against them I know what they'd be getting called on here.

White wasn't sacked because he was poor at his job. He was behaving extremely inappropriately. Kensell meeting in these circumstances was very misjudged at best.

I'm staggered by some of the responses.

[CentreLine]

Yup. Some really odd takes on here.

If a Hearts staff member had the same accusations levelled against them I know what they'd be getting called on here.

White wasn't sacked because he was poor at his job. He was behaving extremely inappropriately. Kensell meeting in these circumstances was very misjudged at best.

I'm staggered by some of the responses.

To be fair I don’t see any posters on here indicating anything other than contempt for the creep White but the thread is about Ben Kensell and his behaviour. That is always going to attract a variety of views, especially when not one of us knows the purpose or outcome of their meeting. What we do know is that the sensationalist rag that is the Sun newspaper presented the story in a very blinkered manner.

[Paulie Walnuts]

To be fair I don’t see any posters on here indicating anything other than contempt for the creep White

There’s a post literally wishing Derek White well.

[CentreLine]

There’s a post literally wishing Derek White well.

Missed that. Can’t really understand that then. Mind you, unless the sun comes along with better reason not to, I do wish BK well.

[One Day Soon]

The notion that our CEO meeting a former staff member alleged to have behaved in the way suggested, in public, for three hours and that it is somehow perfectly fine/normal/nothing to see here is nuts. That's regardless of what they were discussing or the nature or purpose of the meeting.

One of them resigned and is presumably off leading his new life. Let's hope he is a completely changed man as a result of all this.

The other unfortunately is or was the most senior public face of the club. The sheer lack of judgment involved in going ahead with this meeting in this way is spectacular. To gauge just how ill-judged it was it has further damaged the reputation of both Kensell and the club and has actually done White no favours either in terms of dragging the matter back up in the papers.

If for whatever reason he felt he really needed to engage with this guy he could have done it in private or he could have done it on the phone. From opening his mouth and blabbing at public training sessions years back and on through a series of similar episodes since of stupid and needless public 'look at me' indiscretions this guy has demonstrated that we are well, well rid of him.

[TrinityHFC]

The notion that our CEO meeting a former staff member alleged to have behaved in the way suggested, in public, for three hours and that it is somehow perfectly fine/normal/nothing to see here is nuts. That's regardless of what they were discussing or the nature or purpose of the meeting.

One of them resigned and is presumably off leading his new life. Let's hope he is a completely changed man as a result of all this.

The other unfortunately is or was the most senior public face of the club. The sheer lack of judgment involved in going ahead with this meeting in this way is spectacular. To gauge just how ill-judged it was it has further damaged the reputation of both Kensell and the club and has actually done White no favours either in terms of dragging the matter back up in the papers.

If for whatever reason he felt he really needed to engage with this guy he could have done it in private or he could have done it on the phone. From opening his mouth and blabbing at public training sessions years back and on through a series of similar episodes since of stupid and needless public 'look at me' indiscretions this guy has demonstrated that we are well, well rid of him.

The reality of all that though is you are suggesting that someone who as far as we know hasn't been found guilty of anything inappropriate should be unable to meet people in public.

I think it has been largely well known that changes were happening and Kensell was leaving - as it happens, later that day. Perhaps Kensell did not have to worry about being the CEO of Hibs and was catching up with an ex colleague / friend before leaving the area and heading back down South?

[Paulie Walnuts]

The reality of all that though is you are suggesting that someone who as far as we know hasn't been found guilty of anything inappropriate should be unable to meet people in public.


No it’s not and you know fine well it’s not.

He can go away and meet a multitude of people in public. One person he shouldn’t be meeting though is the guy who at the time of the meeting still had the ultimate duty of care to the young boy that White harassed.