Phillips Sells Devils

[Warren]

News

Devils Web Site
Sheffield's Web Site

I think the Timing is bad. should waited until the off season IMO.

[Shorty]

I thought we had been reliably told that he had no involvement in Cardiff anymore.............

[Doughnut]

Lol ;D - how did Bob hand over the reigns? Thought it was Maraini's club?

[maxfax]

Where's Gazza when ya need him??

[mattscold]

yes according to Gazza Mariani bought it with her own money?? doesn't sound like it to me!

[Warren]

Perhaps to stop all the arguments on here about Phillips owning / running / medaling with two clubs, Gazza Himself has bought the Devils.

[mattscold]

hehe maybe Warren! anyway on a serious note, best of luck Devils british ice hockey wouldn't be the same without you and im glad someone has taken over who will commit 100% to the club.

[maxfax]

warren said:

Perhaps to stop all the arguments on here about Phillips owning / running / medaling with two clubs, Gazza Himself has bought the Devils.

Saved up his money from his paper round was the rumour I heard!

[Shaggy]

Firstly, I truly hope that this really is all it's cracked up to be - that the Devils get a good owner who does his/her best for them.

It's also a good thing to see that the ridiculous situation of two clubs under one owner is going to be resolved. As Warren points out, the timing looks a bit dodgy - why not wait until the off-season? - but maybe they want to make a big announcement of it at the Play-Offs weekend? Pass...

And finally - the LIE about Bob Phillips not being involved with the Devils any more has been publicly exposed. Perhaps those who have been flaming anyone who mentioned the fact of his ownership should take a good, long look in the mirror...

[gazzathedevil]

I love the cage ;D

Interesting developments this afternoon, Its been a long 15 years with Bob involved and he has been nothing short of fantastic for us.

Onwards and upwards for the Cardiff Devils.

And despite what the press release says Maraini Phillips did purchase the Cardiff Devils and she did run it day to day i have witnessed this situation with my own eyes all season.


I await our new owner, (Owners?) with interest.

[Doughnut]

gazzathedevil said:

I love the cage ;D

*Chuckle* - you must've guessed what was coming before you logged on today

[Shaggy]

gazzathedevil said:

Interesting developments this afternoon, Its been a long 15 years with Bob involved and he has been nothing short of fantastic for us.

This IS the same Bob Phillips whom was so despised by a large number of Cardiff fans that they put his picture up on the wall at one Play-Offs weekend and invited all & sundry to fire rubber darts at it?
I very much doubt he's the demon that some have made him out to be... but I doubt he's anything like as saintly as you seem to imply as well.

Onwards and upwards for the Cardiff Devils.

I think we can all drink to that one! ;D

And despite what the press release says Maraini Phillips did purchase the Cardiff Devils and she did run it day to day i have witnessed this situation with my own eyes all season.

Running it day-to-day isn't the same thing as owning it (as we in Nottingham can see with a seperate owner and general manager). The PR makes it clear that Bob Phillips was the owner... and even that he was actively involved as well.
Or are you saying that the PR is a total lie?

Sort of puts the mockers on the "Bob Phillips has nothing to do with the Cardiff Devils" guff that we've been fed for months, doesn't it?

[spik]

Tut,tut Bob. Big mistako....after all the rubbish we get told.
Who will believe you again?
It only took a ...'Maraini has sold on the club'.....to allieviate cries of 'liar'
Is everyone in hockey thick?

[Doughnut]

spikc said:

Tut,tut Bob. Big mistako....after all the rubbish we get told.
Who will believe you again?
It only took a ...'Maraini has sold on the club'.....to allieviate cries of 'liar'
Is everyone in hockey thick?

It's not just the fact that it says Bob is selling the club, it's also this quote that is quite damning ...

... with the need to focus on building the Sheffield Steelers brand, I can no longer spend any more time assisting Cardiff Devils going forward ...

Ah well, it's just more spin from an EIHL owner/club(s) ... who'd have thunk it?

[newham]

So he sells up once he's sorted out the favourable league placements?

[gazzathedevil]

doughnut said:

gazzathedevil said:

I love the cage ;D

*Chuckle* - you must've guessed what was coming before you logged on today

I had heard abotu the sale before the PR went up so i immediatly thought of you guys.


And you know what i am so pleased for the guy, he has worked hard for us for so long and without him and his wife there wouldnt be hockey in Cardiff. And for that i am eternally greatful, its going ot be weird super weird to not have Bob associated with the Cardiff Devils any longer. Top bloke though and top family get thumbs up all around from me.


As for him being despised shaggy the press release tells you why, he was sold the club under false pretenses and found out later that a seperate company had a 800,000 pound debt that needed to be paid . with that we couldnt sustain ISL hockey anymore and the fans wanted ISL hockey but couldnt have it, basingstoke or the others didnt moan however.

A year after we left the ISL it went to just 4 teams and exploded in on istself, deamon or smart bussiness man who could see where it was headed? you can be the judge.



This is probably going to go round and round with me defending and people calling bob a liar and such and such. End of the day we are moving to a new and possible unchartered area its both exciting and tense and i await news with interest.

[spik]

I too hope you do well out of it.
As long as it's not as well as the Panthers... ;D

[grumpyminer]

This has to be good news for the Devils and I can't see much wrong with the timing. Announcing a big step forward just before the play-offs to give players, staff and supporters confidence and security for next season.

I only hope that the new owner has a love of the sport.
Any clue on who it may be, Gazza? We do have a rumours section on the Cage

[Luca Toni]

In plain English: BOB Phillips owned the Devils, gazzathedevil, whilst a nice guy and a hockey fan, is not a reliable source of information (as judged by his incorrect "bob phillips doesn't own the devils" statements) and finally Phillips would rather run the Steelers.

[texpef]

kind of sums it up for me, basically bob has swapped a borderline successful business that COULD make alot of money if alot of things happen in cardiff for one that can with the right promotion and success generate alot of money NOW..

guess the businessman over the sentimentalist had his way then gazza no?....

[gazzathedevil]

evgenimalkin said:

In plain English: BOB Phillips owned the Devils, gazzathedevil, whilst a nice guy and a hockey fan, is not a reliable source of information (as judged by his incorrect "bob phillips doesn't own the devils" statements) and finally Phillips would rather run the Steelers.

Thanks for the Vote of confidence, Company house is in cardiff want me to pick you up a sheet and show you who has owned the Devils for the past two seasons? also do you want me to show you e-mails as to who i answer to when im carrying out my away travel role for the club? what makes you more qualified than myself to make your statements?

But what do i know im just a hockey fan ;D



And no Tex i believe sentimental issues is what has kept Bob with the Devils this long, i believe he has seen a way in which the Cardiff Devils can really grow and has allowed it. As i said before top bloke i only hope sheffield as a bussiness goes on from strength to strength as i would any hockey bussiness, Sheffield are in good hands.


Who ever comes in to our club has a real chance to make a go of it, there is a real air of positivity aruond the club and that will only get stronger. I await the owners names with interest.

[Luca Toni]

David Simms.

[Shaggy]

gazzathedevil said:

evgenimalkin said:

In plain English: BOB Phillips owned the Devils, gazzathedevil, whilst a nice guy and a hockey fan, is not a reliable source of information (as judged by his incorrect "bob phillips doesn't own the devils" statements) and finally Phillips would rather run the Steelers.

Thanks for the Vote of confidence, Company house is in cardiff want me to pick you up a sheet and show you who has owned the Devils for the past two seasons? also do you want me to show you e-mails as to who i answer to when im carrying out my away travel role for the club? what makes you more qualified than myself to make your statements?

But what do i know im just a hockey fan ;D

Look, Gazza - argue it all you like, something does not add up.

There are two conflicting statements that we've had chucked at us - the first one for some time now by various people (including yourself), the second just today, but as part of an OFFICIAL press release.
Those two statements are:-

1). Bob Philips has not been the owner of the Cardiff Devils this year and has had no involvement with them.

2). Bob Philips is selling the Cardiff Devils and "can no longer spend any more time assisting" them.

Those two statements are mutually contradictory.
Both have been put forward as fact.
One of them is a lie. Not an error, not a misinterpretation of someone's words, not an ambiguity. A lie.

Which is it?*


(* I'm betting that it's the first that is the lie)

[Mark]

Gazza, surely you're not naive enough to believe that a man and wife, who between them own two hockey clubs, run both totally independently with no input from the other party?

This "bought the club with her own money" is a load of guff too. I'm married and there is no "my own money," it's a partnership.

People put assets in a spouses name all the time for all kinds of reasons. I suspect Bob Phillips' wife's name against ownership of the Devils was convenient rather than her out and out owning them. My opinion of course.

If I were being cynical, my usual stance, I'd say Bob Phillips has weighed one club against another, decided that Sheffield is the stronger financial option and has thus sold the Devils.

[gazzathedevil]

All i will say is it would be impossible for Bob to own both clubs. he would have been in with the old bill as soon as it happened. And Norton lea wouldnt sell to a consortium so Bob owns sheffield so that leaves Cardiff without an owner who was Maraini PHillips. What i am saying is fact, dont ask me about the press release i didnt write it.

End of the day the spector of what did go on didnt go on doesnt matter.


I also believe 100% hand on heart dont believe we have been ditched for Sheffield as a more attractive offer. Cardiff ice hockey is a complicated beast and unless your here in the trenches its impossible to explain what a situation it is, i believe we have been sold in the best interests of the hockey club though and if i didnt i would be the first to say.