Raheem Kassam

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ty cobb
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Raheem Kassam

Post by ty cobb »

Odd request, but does anyone know whether this individual may one day inherit our ground?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... seats.html

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/5 ... _on_deputy

He is described as

Of Indian Muslim origin, his parents are immigrants from Tanzania. Mother a secretary, father set up a fast food restaurant and later became a hotel manager.


http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 50892.html

Which tallies quite well with the description of Firoz given here http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... load&t=413

(although I would doubt this site somewhat as it also says he spent £50m on OUFC and us fans as fickle!).

I can't find any direct links online which means they are either nothing to do with each other, or go to great lengths to avoid any association online - I guess having a multi million pound father plays less well with the Ukippers than a father who is a hotel manager.
ty cobb
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by ty cobb »

Now running to be leader of UKIP.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

I've wondered about the relationship before as well. Certainly Raheem Kassam is very neurotic about what is said about himself online, so it's quite conceivable that he might be controlling any references to his father. This lengthy CV doesn't give any clues.

Firoz, meanwhile, according to this piece, was a Conservative Party donor (which might give a hint about the family's politics; plus Raheem was involved with the Tories in his younger days, significantly), but details of his family are also bizarrely hard to come by.

POSTSCRIPT: Whilst doing some digging, I came across this appraisal of Uncle Firoz in an old When Saturday Comes by a certain M. Brodetsky. The line "[s]ome United supporters remain suspicious but the majority are now convinced of Kassam’s integrity" very much dates it!
ty cobb
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by ty cobb »

Interesting reading - I didn't come across this article but it does add to the worries of what would happen to this club if he is indeed the son of Firoz and did one day take over the stadium.
Hog
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by Hog »

I only ever remember references to daughters when Kassam was first involved and attended games at Grenoble Road. I particularly remember this because a (then) regular contributor to TiU (last heard of living in Slumdon) gleefully boasted that he had bought both daughters a birthday present to try and ingratiate himself as thanks for what their wonderful father had done to save OUFC and I remember thinking to myself what does a local building supplies rep buy for the teenaged daughters of a multi-multi-millionaire?
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

So, Raheem has today withdrawn from the UKIP leadership race.

His statement suggests to me that he is conclusively NOT the offspring of Firoz, when he says he has been the victim of "disgraceful treatment by the media: I am tough and I can take it, but when Times journalists show up at my elderly parents’ house at dusk, intimidating them, I draw the line."

I don't think Firoz could be described as elderly, and nor do I think he'd be easily intimidated by a journalist!
slappy
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Re: Raheem Kassam

Post by slappy »

Kairdiff Exile wrote:So, Raheem has today withdrawn from the UKIP leadership race.

His statement suggests to me that he is conclusively NOT the offspring of Firoz, when he says he has been the victim of "disgraceful treatment by the media: I am tough and I can take it, but when Times journalists show up at my elderly parents’ house at dusk, intimidating them, I draw the line."

I don't think Firoz could be described as elderly, and nor do I think he'd be easily intimidated by a journalist!
On YellowsForum, someone said they had asked him on twitter if he was related to Firoz, and the reply was that he thought they were distantly related.
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