Week Ending: Brabners loses a Lynch-pin; Begbies quiz results & more
MARIAN Lynch, one of the region’s longest-serving legal PAs is retiring after a career spent keeping some of the sporting world’s best kept secrets.
Marian Lynch, 61, joined Manchester solicitors James Chapman and Co, now Brabners, 44 years ago and has worked closesly alongside top sports lawyer Maurice Watkins CBE, formerly Manchester United director and club solicitor.
She witnessed many high profile signings and also play departures too, as well as notorious cases such as Eric Cantona’s “kung-Fu” incident at Crystal Palace – and recalls her many conversations with Sir Alex Ferguson, and that firebrand former United captain Roy Keane was a difficult customer from the outset of his career.
She relates: “Sir Alex always used to call me Marilyn by mistake, and I never corrected him. He would make me laugh and he was always in good humour. I remember him waiting in reception one time at James Chapman and for a joke he sat alongside the ladies on the reception desk – when other clients and staff came in they didn’t know what to say.”
She recalls the signing of Roy Keane, then a young player coming to Manchester from Nottingham Forest. He arrived in Manchester on a Sunday from Cork and was given details of where he would be met outside in the city centre and taken to the office. Watchers were posted with binoculars waiting for his arrival.
“When the paperwork was done I went to open a bottle of champagne but saw we had no glasses. I went outside and got some paper cups from a takeaway. But when we poured out the drinks, Roy said he didn’t drink champagne.”
Watkins said: “Marian has been a true friend and colleague always loyal, enthusiastic and supportive. She knew all the clients and they were very happy dealing with her appreciating her professionalism and reliability throughout. I will miss her very much, particularly her famed shorthand note taking”.
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ONE never likes to blow one’s own trumpet, but Week Ending is happy to report a triumph in Thursday night’s annual Begbies Traynor professionals quiz.
In its 10th year, the quiz which is organised by partner Gary Lee, welcomed 24 teams competing for the prestigious title.
After a closely-fought battle, which rested on the outcome of the final ‘Who am I’ round, TheBusinessDesk clinched the title by three points from RBS Invoice Finance team A and Factor 21 team one.
A good night was had by all attendees at Dukes 92, apart from perhaps ABN Amro, which suffered a spectacular reversal of fortune. Having won in 2014 the team picked up the wooden spoon. Let’s hope they haven’t set a precedent.
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CONGRATULATIONS are also due to Endless’ Darren Forshaw who has been crowned the first Yorkshire Rainmaker of the Year by the corporate finance community on the east side of the Pennines.
Fordshaw, who hails from Southport, and is an ardent Liverpool fan, was sporting team colours in the shape of a jazzy red tie as he collected the award in Leeds on Thursday night.
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VETERAN inventor and engineering company founder Michael Oliver was on fine form this week as he shared the pearls of his wisdom to guests of accountancy firm Hurst.
Oliver, founder and chairman of international exporter Cheshire-based Oliver Valves was the guest of honour at the gathering on King Street.
His top tips and phrases are: “The most dangerous place from where to watch the world is from behind your desk” ;”Impossible is not an option”; “Life is short, take risks” and most importantly that “gross margin is king.”
He added: “It’s all about the bottom line, not turnover. The key to running a business is getting the best people you can afford. Every business has got to embrace change, it brings a lot of opportunities.”
Wise words indeed!
