Barnsley FC: Paul Conway and Chien Lee will have no influence over day-to-day running of the club, insists new board

NEW BARNSLEY chairman Neerav Parekh insists that former co-chairmen Paul Conway and Chien Lee will have no influence whatsoever in the day-to-day running of the club going forward.

Conway and Lee left the Reds’ board just under three weeks ago following a boardroom shake-up at Oakwell in the wake of the club’s disastrous 2021-22 campaign. Fellow directors Dickson Lee and Grace Hung also stepped down.

Indian entrepreneur Parekh now heads a new-look board alongside existing club directors James Cryne, chief executive officer Khaled El-Ahmad and finance and operations director Robert Zuk alongside new board members Jean Cryne and Julie-Anne Quay.

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The new board own just over sixty per cent of the club’s shares, with the remainder held by Pacific Media Group co-founders Lee and Conway, who were effectively voted off the Barnsley board.

NEW MAN AT THE HELM: Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.NEW MAN AT THE HELM: Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.
NEW MAN AT THE HELM: Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.

Parekh said: “The majority of Pacific Media Group shares were actually owned by investors below them (Lee and Conway) and there was an honorary (board) agreement in place for four years. That agreement expired and the shareholders voted as a block to effect the current changes.

“There were definitely disagreements at board level. But this (shake-up) was in the works for a little bit, for sure. There was some time building relationships and convincing everyone about the direction of the club moving forward.”

“They (Conway and Lee) have all the rights associated with shares as there would be in any company. But at a board level at the football club, neither are on the board and the decision-making at the football club happens at board level.”

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Barnsley’s new board have already pumped in £1m in to help the club cope with the initial hit of relegation to League One.

NEW LOOK BOARD: Director Jean Cryne, left, chairman Neerav Parekh, centre and chief executive Khaled El-Ahmad, right. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.NEW LOOK BOARD: Director Jean Cryne, left, chairman Neerav Parekh, centre and chief executive Khaled El-Ahmad, right. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.
NEW LOOK BOARD: Director Jean Cryne, left, chairman Neerav Parekh, centre and chief executive Khaled El-Ahmad, right. Picture: Courtesy of Barnsley FC.

All told, dropping out of the Championship will cost the Oakwell outfit around £7m to £8m and Parekh has not ruled out a further cash boost to help the club through challenging times.

Parekh admits that players will be sold, but has also pledged that there will be no firesale.

He continued: “The £1m will be used for everything typically that revenue coming into the club is used for. Paying wages, recruiting players over the summer and the general running costs of the club.

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“There is a financial hit. No doubt about that and there is no way to sugar-coat that. But if there is a further need for capital, the board will make the call and see if we need to put it (more) in. 

“I also do not want to hide away from the fact that we are going to sell players (eventually) to bridge the shortfall.

“Part of the reason to put the money in early was to make sure we did not have to sell the players with the first offer that came in.

“If we get a reasonable offer for a player that we think matches the valuation, we will sell. But equally, if we don’t, we will keep the player even if means running down their contract and having them go for free.”

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El-Ahmad has confirmed that some players have expressed a wish to leave, but the club insist they won’t sell any for drastically below their market value.

He added: “We have received some official bids, but none that we have accepted.

“With the very positive injection of capital from the owners, which we have appreciated, it gives us a bit of time. But it is a balance. We want the manager and players in by pre-season, but there’s always going to be room for players coming in (whether) in the last day of the transfer and somebody leaving on the last day.”

On whether certain players have asked to leave, El-Ahmad said: “Yes and no. Yes, meaning certain players have been here for a long time and maybe part of the development is that it is time to leave.

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“The reason I say yes and no is that there’s mutual dialogue.”

The first key decision of the new board centres on who will be their choice to be the next permanent head coach.

A number of candidates have been spoken to and five names are on the final shortlist, which includes Cheltenham manager Michael Duff and Burton Albion chief Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink. Paul Cook is not in the running.

El-Ahmad said: “I think we are down to the final five candidates. The process has been going on for some time as we wanted to make sure we did our due diligence.

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“We want the person to be in place no later than June 13 or in and around when pre-season starts (June 20).

“He (Duff) is a person we have spoken to. I have spoken to Jimmy and we are still speaking to Jimmy and Duff. I have not spoken to Paul Cook.”

On suggestions the process has been overly drawn out, El-Ahmad continued: “In my opinion, there is no real delay as there’s due diligence and contractual situations.

“There is when you can talk to them (candidates). Are you allowed to talk to them, Are they interested or not interested?. It is never a clear process that one manager leaves and you can hire the next one another day.”

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