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If we want to keep up the level of paying members , Stop using the members as a Cash Cow , its really that simple.

The £2 fund has definitely been overused in matters that are associated with running the club, from the sports scientist to new balls. Ideas that I don't really feel the £2 pot was supposed to be about. I was sold it was about community projects, something that would boost St. Mirrens profile off the pitch and make us a hub for the communities around Renfrewshire, from late night youth football to supporting local sports teams that have not had links with the clubs.

The £10 pot is for buying the club, and that alone, no money should be taken out of this apart from the purchase of shares.

Buy the Buds isn't a vehicle to support the club on the pitch or in the background. It's about a group of supporters taking over a business, we have to treat it accordingly, so we can shape the club how we see fit. Too many people understandably can't or won't be able to separate the business from the club they support. That in the long run will make things difficult when we do hit sticky patches. When this AstroTurf needs relayed under our ownership it'll be rightly be coming out the playing budget, if we don't want to do that, we don't have an AstroTurf field.

People signed up for buy the Buds because the felt the old ownership was stale and had a fear of a rogue businessperson running the club into the ground. It feels now that Smisa is just giving the fans the option to vote for poor future management with the constant club bowl being passed around.

I'm still awaiting to hear back from SMISA, but to be honest depending on what they say and future votes I'll be seriously reconsidering my membership of a project that clearly isn't on the right track and may not be able to correct itself.

The £2 fund has definitely been overused in matters that are associated with running the club, from the sports scientist to new balls. Ideas that I don't really feel the £2 pot was supposed to be about. I was sold it was about community projects, something that would boost St. Mirrens profile off the pitch and make us a hub for the communities around Renfrewshire, from late night youth football to supporting local sports teams that have not had links with the clubs.

The £10 pot is for buying the club, and that alone, no money should be taken out of this apart from the purchase of shares.

Buy the Buds isn't a vehicle to support the club on the pitch or in the background. It's about a group of supporters taking over a business, we have to treat it accordingly, so we can shape the club how we see fit. Too many people understandably can't or won't be able to separate the business from the club they support. That in the long run will make things difficult when we do hit sticky patches. When this AstroTurf needs relayed under our ownership it'll be rightly be coming out the playing budget, if we don't want to do that, we don't have an AstroTurf field.

People signed up for buy the Buds because the felt the old ownership was stale and had a fear of a rogue businessperson running the club into the ground. It feels now that Smisa is just giving the fans the option to vote for poor future management with the constant club bowl being passed around.

I'm still awaiting to hear back from SMISA, but to be honest depending on what they say and future votes I'll be seriously reconsidering my membership of a project that clearly isn't on the right track and may not be able to correct itself.

I think it’s a shame this debate is centred on the abuse of the main fund (which I agree should not be used as a lending bank for St Mirren)
My main gripe is that we are supporting a mainstream requirement which should be planned with costs being spread over the life of the asset and budgeted appropriately by the club. 
What we are in fact doing is providing £50K to the club to save them from spending £50K on what is a normal business cost.
So why dress it up as a project - just give the club the £2 pot and and save all the charade.
And that is why I voted NO

the £10per month is from any plain reading of the Constitution and member offer a "restricted" fund. you cannot borrow from it or move it around. Whoever the Auditor is should be asked to give final opinion of this. if the Auditor agrees that the Fund is Restricted then case closed if not then Vote cam go right ahead.

I've emailed Smisa over the matter, hopefully they respond early next week, and if they aren't releasing a proper statement regarding the decision I'll post whatever response I get.
 
It's always going to be a hard line to tread, with the 'we want what's best for the club' against the fact the takeover is a takeover of a business and needs to be treated as much, cold and clinical.
 
Smisa have helped out the playing squad far more than I thought they would have already with regards to balls and bibs, to the ush heating nonsense.
 
 

I've emailed Smisa over the matter, hopefully they respond early next week, and if they aren't releasing a proper statement regarding the decision I'll post whatever response I get.
 
It's always going to be a hard line to tread, with the 'we want what's best for the club' against the fact the takeover is a takeover of a business and needs to be treated as much, cold and clinical.
 
Smisa have helped out the playing squad far more than I thought they would have already with regards to balls and bibs, to the ush heating nonsense.
 
 

Voted no for both, and will be sending an email to SMISA to ask why the £10 fund is being put to vote, while limiting future £2 spends.

I have to agree with the majority of what's been posted above. Its a poor decision from SMISA to have accepted this proposal from the club, and put it to vote.

Come on you have to admire the audacity of the club. Rather than keep asking every quarter for SMISA to bank roll some club consumables/initiative they ask for a lump sum upfront to be bankrolled by future SMISA quarterly spend. Such a suggestion ties up practically every future quarterly spend for the next 2.5 years. 
On a separate partly related issue. Why are SMISA requesting to purchase tickets again from the Club for £3k under the masquerade its of for the community. Tickets bought at face value which equates to even more funds going to the club. Surely the club could make that gesture themselves or even offer to match the gesture by discounting the tickets.
Individuals on here are pointing the finger of blame at the club. The club is not the issue. They are only, as a business, trying to exploit every funding avenue open to them. Cheeky but fair play.
The real problem is the lack of leadership, innovation and foresight of the board that represent SMISA. I worry for the future. 
If SMISA want to be serious as being custodians of the club they need to start running SMISA as a business. Stop ego maniacs wanting to get involved and stop being the clubs lapdogs. 
 

For me the £2 monthly pot was to improve the experience for supporters and to help the Community. I was happy last season to use the money towards a player budget as we were in dire straits and regarded that as exceptional circumstances. However I am reluctant to keep using the money to fund projects which I see are the responsibility of the Club. The problem there lies when SMiSA eventually takes over - where do they go to get money? Spending money on Club responsibilities seems to me like we are living beyond our means. I know we are all in this together but I would prefer the money to be used to install more murals around the stadium; a few TV sets for the vormitories for fans to maybe catch a live game before our kick off; a segregation gate in the North Stand to allow Home supporters there if required: and rubbish bins (!), to name a few examples. I also support buying seats and letting groups use them or other community suggestions that may attract more fans or give us publicity.
However funding a pitch doesn't fit my view. I have supported almost all the proposals so far but probably not this one.

Do we still do radio coverage of games? Currently stuck out in the North Sea, so listening to a convincing win would make my night.

HT 2-0

Comfortable stuff really. Thought we’ve looked really good going forward, could have had a couple more. Open goal missed there just at half time by Smith I think.

Our first goal by Morgan was a thing of beauty, superb build up and a delicious curling finish by the best player in the league.

Samson pulled off a fantastic save just after our second, some boy.

I think most people are annoyed at the standard of performance considering what had happened the week before.

It should have been a game that we bounced back with a confident performance and got back what we lost in goal difference against Livingston. Instead we were delivered a lacklustre performance, that you'd see on the last game of the season between two teams with northing to play for.

Bit of a worry, if the defeat before was playing on the mind of the players. We had only one gear at the weekend, fortunately it happened against Brechin.

I think most people are annoyed at the standard of performance considering what had happened the week before.

It should have been a game that we bounced back with a confident performance and got back what we lost in goal difference against Livingston. Instead we were delivered a lacklustre performance, that you'd see on the last game of the season between two teams with northing to play for.

Bit of a worry, if the defeat before was playing on the mind of the players. We had only one gear at the weekend, fortunately it happened against Brechin.

I think most people are annoyed at the standard of performance considering what had happened the week before.

It should have been a game that we bounced back with a confident performance and got back what we lost in goal difference against Livingston. Instead we were delivered a lacklustre performance, that you'd see on the last game of the season between two teams with northing to play for.

Bit of a worry, if the defeat before was playing on the mind of the players. We had only one gear at the weekend, fortunately it happened against Brechin.

Excellent post.
Only wish to add that the Board have done the right thing in letting him speak with Barnsley. 
They have also treated players in a similar way and not stood in the way of them improving their incomes. This attitude helped Lewis Morgan e.g. in his remaining with us till the end of the season.
I echo the sentiment that if Jack stays he will have a chance to add to his CV by taking the Championship trophy. If he goes however, he will go with my best wishes amongst many others.
This is a profession. Managers are not fans in most cases of the teams they manage nor players the team they play for. Careers are short and uncertain. 
 

In the last three transfer windows, Alfie Mawson, James Bree, Marc Roberts, Angus MacDonald, Josh Scowen, Connor Hourihane, Marley Watkins, and Sam Winnall have all moved on to clubs with bigger budgets and got bigger wage packets to boot, add to that Paul Heckingbottom, and about 7 or 8 loan players who have gone on to secure jobs at bigger budget clubs, due to us helping develop them and giving them a stage to showcase their talents, I’d say we’re well and truly a stepping stone to better things for a lot of players. 

You talk about ambition and having a championship trophy. Let’s be honest, in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter a great deal. 
Plenty of managers have had great careers at a high level without winning a single trophy as a manager. 

Unfortunately for us moving to Barnsley, no matter what happens, is much better for his CV than staying here to get us over the winning line. If he moves he'll get credit for the work he's put in the if he doesn't then who knows if he'll be wanted by that level again. These sort of opportunities are limited especially in the footballing world.

Our recruitment team have been working wonders recently, we’ve had some really really good players at the club in the last couple of years, most of whom have moved on to bigger budget clubs, on bigger wages, our last two head coaches also moved to bigger budget clubs on bigger wages. Our club is proven to be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for most of the people who pass through it, this’ll have massive appeal to any prospective head coach. 

Barnsleys new owners are in for the long haul and with Billy Beane involved your imagine they'll be rather analytical in their decision. I doubt they'd be sacking anyone if they do go down unless performances were that bad. Working with someone like Beane alone would be of interest to a lot of managers.

Ross ticks the box of youth development, something Barnsley have excelled at over the years. Along with his man management skills, we're not a team that have turned our fortunes around with over the top tactical schemes, instead having a system that suits the players we have. That's why he could be viable for them.

I'd be surprised if Ross didn't take the job if offered, I doubt there's going to be much bigger offers from down south until he's made an impact in the top flight here.

Barnsleys new owners are in for the long haul and with Billy Beane involved your imagine they'll be rather analytical in their decision. I doubt they'd be sacking anyone if they do go down unless performances were that bad. Working with someone like Beane alone would be of interest to a lot of managers.

Ross ticks the box of youth development, something Barnsley have excelled at over the years. Along with his man management skills, we're not a team that have turned our fortunes around with over the top tactical schemes, instead having a system that suits the players we have. That's why he could be viable for them.

I'd be surprised if Ross didn't take the job if offered, I doubt there's going to be much bigger offers from down south until he's made an impact in the top flight here.

That he is, but his approach to the game in terms of fitness and ability can't really be underestimated.

He wouldn't be massively inspiring, but I don't think he'd be the worst player to have around the squad, even with the younger players.

I ended up giving the barman a £5 in the Rising Sun next to St Paul's to put it on. Worth every penny.

I ended up giving the barman a £5 in the Rising Sun next to St Paul's to put it on. Worth every penny.