Barnsley FC: ‘I am not an owner... more of a custodian’ - Neerav Parekh

AMID all the talk of stocks and shares at the breakfast table of the Parekh family residence in an opulent part of the Indian state of Maharashtra, there is also time for chatter about something completely different.
Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FCBarnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FC
Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FC

It remains a project all the same.

Neerav Parekh is a businessman based in Mumbai, the de facto financial centre of the world’s second most populated country.

The family business is one of the leading makers of adhesives and sealants in India.

Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FCBarnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FC
Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Barnsley FC
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Parekh is a successful entrepreneur in his own right, but also happens to be chairman of Barnsley Football Club.

Working life resolves around business, but the Oakwell club provides a pleasurable diversion which he cares passionately about.

It’s also a business, too.

Parekh, who became chairman in May after a boardroom restructure, said: “I am a Barnsley fan. I can’t claim to be as much as a fan as people who have been here for decades, but it is definitely something that matters to me.

“I watch the majority of games on iFollow and the weekday games start at 1am and 3am and I haven’t missed a (weekday) game for the last few years. It’s tough, but it is worth it.

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“I’ve taken my wife all over the country and I have taken her to some parts where I think she never thought she’d go to for games.

“My parents have come over a few times and are very supportive as well and look for the results every morning after a game when I go down at breakfast time. They say ‘We saw the score last night.’

“Like every kid growing up in India, you are a cricket fan. But I became a football fan pretty quickly. It was mostly the Premier League at that point. I’ve been watching football since I was seven or eight.

“I actually enjoy watching the Championship more if I am honest. It is more physical and feels more authentic.

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“There’s a tiny Reds community in India now. Let’s see if we can grow it. We might at one point see if we can find that one Indian player.”

Parekh’s pride was manifest when he was officially unveiled as Barnsley’s chairman to the media in June and it clearly means a lot to him. The scarf draped around his neck wasn’t there for effect.

He now personally owns 21.25 per cent of the club, having initially invested in 2017 when a deal with a club on the continent fell through. He stresses that his involvement is long-term, with his allegiances firmly with Barnsley.

His talk about being a club custodian and a desire to be more of a visible presence at Oakwell – certainly a lot more than his predecessors in Paul Conway and Chien Lee were – is encouraging.

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Parekh’s rationality when speaking about the situation Barnsley currently find themselves in adds to his authenticity.

Parekh, who has spoken about the club addressing a shortfall in revenue of between £7m to £8m following relegation, commented: “Honestly, I love the club and have become a fan. I should not say this as an owner because at the end of the day, you need to stay rational as an owner and think with that hat when you are making decisions. But I care about the club, want to be here long term and it means a lot to me.

“Hopefully, we can change things, but it is going to take some time. There is a disconnect and we need to get the town on board again.

“Last summer was a disastrous window, recruitment wise. I also think there were softer factors such as the culture of the club for example, there was disharmony in the boardroom and employees leaving the club.

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“All of that filters down and has a result on the players and their mentality. It is not just one factor. Recruitment is a big deal, but we are trying to change all the other factors as well.

“The plan is absolutely to come up this season. Some players will leave, but if we don’t get the right valuation for the player, then we will keep them.”

Pledging to be seen and not an absentee chairman on the other side of the globe, he continued: “I’ve always been here once every six weeks. Besides a very brief period during Covid when flights were banned, I’ve been here.

“When I was coming earlier, I was one member of the board and I did not have much say. Now, I’ll be spending more nights and time in Barnsley. The idea is staying involved and I am carving out a chunk of time to make sure I can devote some time.

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“Currently, all the calls are happening on Zoom and people are spread all around the world. But I think there is no substitute for in-person meetings and I will be here in person as often as I can.

“I am not an owner. I would like to think of myself more as a custodian. Look at Patrick (Cryne) when he was there as well. He looked out for the best of the club.

“Jean (Cryne – director) is a fan and resonates with the Barnsley fans more than anyone on the board with Rob Zuk as well, who is Barnsley through and through.

“I think there’s a lot I can learn from them in terms of what Barnsley means to the fans.”

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