J. Brayshaw - what about we say thank you

[ferball]

'Cept you mate.

 

[ferball]

Cheers JB.

Plus everything everyone has already said again.

 

[roomy elephant]

It took a lot of people to keep North South. But JB is the one who has just moved on, so let's focus on him for a minute.

When I sat in my car that day in December 2007, waiting to hear the result of the vote, JB became the voice of the decision to stay. And when he strode onto the stage at Dallas Brooks Hall that night, he became the face.

We Are North Melbourne. Pipe dreams come true. Thanks, James.

For me, H2H nails it - there were indeed a lot of people involved (including everybody who's posted here), but at the end of the day, somebody credible had to step forward and lead the resistance, and that's why North people will forever be indebted; thanks Jimmy

 

[ROORAGE]

Also the guy behind We are North Melbourne, David Wheadon I think. That bloke was right at the coalface when it really hit the fan. Much respect.

 

[Donkey Chop]

He is indeed a legend. I said in the Syd Barker thread that although he generally shies away from it, Peter was long overdue some recognition for his incredible generosity over the years. Basically bankrolled The Huddle out of his own pocket, and made sure that when we took the decision to stay in Melbourne, that he would do his level best to make sure the club didn't falter (financially).

However, if I had to nominate one North identity who ignited the spark of anti-relocation, and then laid the groundwork to make it a reality, it is Ron Joseph. (And without wanting to big note myself in any way, I reckon my mail on this stuff is pretty good.) In the early part, the vast majority of people associated with the club - even our own President - saw relocation as somewhat of an inevitability. (IIRC, maybe even Ron himself for a short time.) There were other dissenters (Arch comes to mind), but when the jungle drums of relocation started to gather serious momentum, Ron was the one publicly hanging his arse in the breeze, asking the tough questions in the press, lobbying people in the background, and generally refusing to accept relocation as a fait accompli. If metaphorically-speaking 2007 had its version of the guy standing in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square, it was Ron.

But as has been said, this is a thread about giving thanks to JB. And I don't want the above to been seen as an attempt to undermine James' contribution to "saving the club" or detract from his achievements in the period after. There's no denying that him jumping on board the anti-relocation train when he did was a godsend and super timely. And the fact is that he stood up and became the public face of our push to stay in Melbourne at a time when so many were still reluctant to do so. Whether that's "saving the club", I don't know, but I do know for that he absolutely deserves our praise and respect.

And in the time after, he has led the club through what has been a fairly prosperous period off-field, and a reasonably successful one on it. While we may (rightly) quibble about gaffes he has made over the course of his tenure (no-one mention the 7 home games in Tassie thing....I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it), I believe that on the balance of things his time in charge has been a positive for the NMFC.

Tl;dr?

Thanks, James.

I've tried to think of ways I can respond to this in a suitably articulate fashion. Each time I haven't even come close. You certainly have a way with words TOD and for that I will be forever equal parts envious and appreciative.

After I posted about Scanlon being the man, almost immediately my thought was 'I hope I didn't down play or undermine the contribution of JB to our club'

We owe a lot to JB. I don't care if he dresses up as Wonder Woman, shit he can dress up as Xena for all I care.

There are many others to thank for the survival of the NMFC. They'll all get their dues. Like you wrote earlier, this is JB's appreciation thread.

He'll go down in history as the man who put a face to our club staying at North Melbourne.

He'll be remembered forever for it.

 

[Egga]

Thanks JB!

 

[GoNorth]

I can not express how thankful I am to JB for all that he has done!

I love this video. It is so stirring. Credit to the person responsible for creating it. Long Live the North Melbourne Football Club! And a massive THANK YOU to JB for his efforts since 2007.

 

[Wells Now Williams Fan]

Was part of ending the career early of our 2nd greatest ever player this year and with continuous Bulls*#t excuses....

Has been good but an A- turned into a C- in the last 6 months of his mantle....

My Avatar reminds me everytime the cloud that remains over the club and will for many years and I aint taking it down !!!!

 

[ChrisHunt313131]

Thanks again JB!

 

[True North]

Well done JB. Your biggest contributions far outweigh anything negative.

I always find it fascinating to see who here was up and about during the relocation period. It's a bit of a shame that most on here will never hear first hand accounts.

 

[Groucho]

Without JB those following the Gold Coast Kangaroos would now be trying to stave off a merger with Brisbane! OMG am I greatful the way things have turned out. Thanks JB,Ron,Rob Smith (RIP) and everyone else mentioned in this thread,the alternative doesn't bare thinking about.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Also the guy behind We are North Melbourne, David Wheadon I think. That bloke was right at the coalface when it really hit the fan. Much respect.

Posts here as Davo01.

 

[RooBoyz24]

JB thank you and we will always be thankful that you saved us from going o the GC.

 

[Roozee]

Was part of ending the career early of our 2nd greatest ever player this year and with continuous Bulls*#t excuses....

Has been good but an A- turned into a C- in the last 6 months of his mantle....

My Avatar reminds me everytime the cloud that remains over the club and will for many years and I aint taking it down !!!!

If it wasn't, in large part, for JB's defiance to stave off the relocation Boomer probably wouldn't have even ended a one club NMFC man.

And if you counted what would have been the "Gold Coast Kangaroos" as a different entity or club then most definitely not.

 

[The Other Dean]

I've tried to think of ways I can respond to this in a suitably articulate fashion. Each time I haven't even come close. You certainly have a way with words TOD and for that I will be forever equal parts envious and appreciative.

After I posted about Scanlon being the man, almost immediately my thought was 'I hope I didn't down play or undermine the contribution of JB to our club'

We owe a lot to JB. I don't care if he dresses up as Wonder Woman, shit he can dress up as Xena for all I care.

There are many others to thank for the survival of the NMFC. They'll all get their dues. Like you wrote earlier, this is JB's appreciation thread.

He'll go down in history as the man who put a face to our club staying at North Melbourne.

He'll be remembered forever for it.

Really appreciate the kind words, DC, and I don't think you have any concerns at all about replying in "suitably articulate fashion". That was both succinct and extremely well said. Nice one.

 

[The Other Dean]

If it wasn't, in large part, for JB's defiance to stave off the relocation Boomer probably wouldn't have even ended a one club NMFC man.

And if you counted what would have been the "Gold Coast Kangaroos" as a different entity or club then most definitely not.

No "if" about it. We can argue the toss in defining the different shades of co-location, but the GC shift would have meant the death of the North Melbourne Football Club as we know it. A club fully relocated interstate, with a different name and different colours, is no longer the NMFC in any shape, way, or form.


(Well, in my opinion, anyway. But I'd be interested in hearing a counter.)

 

[Frank Thring]

Good job Jimmy. Thanks

 

[Marstermind]

Nicely done JB. Thanks.

 

[Roo-hoo]

That'll do, JB, that'll do...


That night at Dallas Brooks Hall still feels as clear as when it happened - the passion, the venom towards the journalists and AFL, the joy when JB said we were staying, the singing, the clapping, the cheers - what a night!! Thanks to JB, the "white knights", all the other people putting in time and money in the background. Someone not mentioned (that I saw) in the thread - Eugene Arocca - I thought his contribution was immense, and cut short.

 

[Groucho]

Also the guy behind We are North Melbourne, David Wheadon I think. That bloke was right at the coalface when it really hit the fan. Much respect.

Dave was great as the face and voice of WANM. I recall when Patrick Smith decided to go at him in an SEN interview. After being initially shocked at Smith's mindless,illogical and ferocious attack,Dave stood his ground and made some really good points by staying calm when the temptation to give some vitriol back must have been very high.

 

[Kanga Glory]

That video shows the passion North supporters have. That would have been lost if the move to GC was not stopped.
JB for for all he prevails on tv is to be thanked so much.
Peter scanlon might play down his importance in all this but this man shuns the limelight but not his generosity towards our great club.
Most of our lives are scheduled around our great club and I would have it no other way

 

[czero]

James Brayshaw is more than another just another name on a wall. He is beacon in our clubs story, and though he likes to mention so many others as shinboners, he epitomised our spirit like very few have.

His lead was daring, it was against all odds, and it was with an integrity that is possibly peerless in our clubs history.

If we evaluated the different clubs chairman like we do footballers, we would arguably call him the GOAT.

Its because of him that I can go and watch my team play, thank-you James.

 

[Zondor]

Not sure if I've mentioned this before but Jame Brayshaws is a bonafide Turkey. Thanks for the laughs as Wonder Woman and nearly shipping us off to Tasmania. Much Appreciated. :stern look

 

[Jasemon]

Sincerely thank you will never be enough JB for what you and other great NMFC figures did for our club when the AFL wanted to kill us during the Keep North South campaign. Your legacy will be a great one. And I know you'll continue to champion our club into the future in your media roles. On to your next chapter.

 

[Northworth]

We all talk #### about footy and love this club. JB actually did something for the club and all of us.

He took on the AFL over the gold coast deal.... sorted out the shareholder structure... redeveloped arden st... increased footy dept spend and oversaw a period of unprecedented membership expansion at a time when the club has an outward social conscious and community focus

I am extremely grateful for his intervention and commitment. Cheers JB