TsuMirren

There's very little to be learned from MyScotFC, though it was a worthwhile microcosm I suppose. Newmains were a poor choice, had I spoke to Shettleston or had more luck around the Third Lanark thing then who knows. I did get on Reporting Scotland though haha. MYFC/Ebbsfleet is something that you can certainly take a lot out of, most of it on what NOT to do. With a bit more trust, honesty and promises being met then it would undoubtedly have seen Ebbsfleet United currently in the football leagues. A lot of the issues were down to the old guard and Will's seeming acceptance of the first half decent nibble along...I assume more around that, but can never quite be sure. When the full membership were engaged it did work, some examples being: - Getting Ebbsfleet into the Galabank Tournament, only for the club to pull out. - The initial addition to the budget and push on to the FA Trophy Final, with subsequent victory. - A number of players being funded, I think 3 or maybe 4 signings came from individal pledges arranged by the members. - Adopt a Player, which is currently running even after everything. - Full match highlights available online and on PS3...I forget the name of the company who ran it. - 1 fully funded admission match. The large votes for Ebbsfleet were the purchase of the club, though I think only 19,000 of the paid 27,000 or so voted...it should be remembered that money was taken pre-club selection let alone pre-agreement...the first kit agreement and the sale of John Akinde to Bristol City (I hope I got the club right). It wasn't all about votes and should never have been about the minor details really, sadly a lot of it was about in fighting and the 25% trying to preserve their club. A club that, frankly, hadn't seen any sort of heaedy heights, had a ludicrous business plan and came to MYFC as opposed to the other way around. At board level it was an absolute nightmare, even when promoting a few wrestling shows I didn't see politics like it. "We don't care the vote result, can't we do something?" was almost a motto at times, members had their employers phoned to check their credibility and it was very difficult to get engagement unless it was an idea that would get the club through the month. Add to that loans being accepted without checks, unclarity over the purchase deal itself and firing staff without any discussion. To sum all the above up, it should have been a very powerful football organisation drawing upon the skills, knowledge and locatiion of the members. I'm not saying it would have changed the world, but it shouldn't have been so afraid to try.

It's certainly got all the potential of what Ebbsfleet should have been and it doesn't even need to be saddled with the gimmick of Pick The Team. Luckily the club are already picking up the notion of developing the brand outwith Scotland and that's something that can be expanded upon. What's to stop Saints or 10000 Hours football camps in other countries and even taking things back a bit from there what's to stop getting sponsorship for match footage available to International members?

Ebbsfleet United fans used to witter on about being a larger club than Wimbledon. I think it's been a fantastic achievement by everyone involved there.

Of all the nonsense you've posted, the above tops the lot. I won't highlight why though, absolutely no need.

It's only a faction if you're not mature enough to cope with the concept of people not necessarily all agreeing with each other. The sub-heading of Sid's latest comedic tirade is potentially more damaging than any Animal post as visitors to the form are guaranteed to see Sid's heading and then read it. They may not read anything else after that.

Having a large International presence also opens things up, with regards to sponsorship and attracting investors, whilst also creating a potential scenario where the majority of members won't initially be Saint Mirren fans.

I don't agree with that at all. I'm sure there will be many who will be concerned, have very valid points to raise and still decide to not join. It'll be for the CIC members to be mature about that and make themselves available for taking concerns etc forward.

SG explained that they've tired, that nobody wanted either a White Knight or someone borrowing on the ground and that the CIC was the best option put to them.

It was at half tme and really nothing not already covered.

Your choice of a muppet as an avatar is highly appropriate. Richard Atkinson will have put more money in to setting up this than you might have put in to Saint Mirren FC in your entire life. Your attacks on other people for merely getting involved are nothing short of buffoonery, it's you sir who are indeed the disgrace. No windows are being smashed or books burned, nobody is being marched to Greenhill Road and forced to sign up with the only other option being a bullet in the back of the head followed by a face first trip in to a lime pit. Your over reaction, after the failure of every other scare tactic, is just pathetic and any valid points that you might have are absolutely and totally lost under the weight of your own stupidity. Saint Mirren fans have called on the club to listen to them whilst also rounding on the Man City, Chelsea, Gretna's and Dundee's of this world. The CIC gives the fans and the area, which if you haven't noticed is in serious need of some sort of community spirit, exactly what it has been crying out for.

You'd be spouting off had it been a Sheikh, an investor from Eastern Europe, an Italian who FIFA should really do something about or any number of other people. From what I've seen you dismiss facts and turn small concerns, which can be managed or monitored, and turn them in to something akin to the design of the Maginot line. You're one of the very few people who'll never be happy, with reality taking a backseat to flights of fancy. How on earth this can be anyone's play thing is beyond me. "ill afford"???? Nobody is demanding they pay the money or even join, indeed I'm sure those who do join and then sit on a board know their life will be made hell by some supporters as that's just how football works. "You've no ideas, I have some but you're not seeing them as you're supposed to have them..." nonsense will be there, of that there's no doubt. I didn't see you coming out and demanding Directors didn't mortages homes or their business, everything was rosey in your garden then. After 40 years you should know that the Directors have never invested much in the squad and racking up debt has only ever led to disaster.

No corporate or community, but there were the other 25% who had a rep on the board and potential veto for absolutely everything. An important aspect of all of this will be to go through the minutes, see what was voted on for the past 12 months and then decide exactly what members should vote on. Not sure if we can request certain matches as part of the fixture scheduling process, but stuff like that should be on the list.

It's what an exec is for under a normal model, it needs a different style of working under a member owned model though.

We hired an executive at Ebbsfleet United and from there he proclaimed he wasn't there to take any sort of guidance or direction from the membership and took many decisions by himself.

Absolutely no soft loans or draw down from club to CIC, in very VERY very plain English. It's a very important monkey to remove from the back, just kick it out the room and in to the Cart.

The thing you're missing is that it isn't out of Richard's price range...

It's in the business plan, admittedly it'll also be up to whomever is in the elected board and club board to also give it some thought. No point just coasting along enjoying what you do have, just as there's no point creating problems.

I can see how it seems like that. That said, how would you react to a person who walked out in to the daylight and asked if it was day or not then did the same thing day in and day out?

I see it as working like follows... If a CIC member company, corporate or community, wants to use the space then it would be something of a split with the club getting the rental and the CIC getting bar proceeds. Club events would occur just as before.

Well done Stu, nice to see a journalist finally doing some research on something related to the CIC.

Why not, we'll have a lovely social space that will need used...I think you'll find there's every chance the CIC could be holding pensioners lunches.

Div, Can this get pinned?

There's a note in my combined notes that look, basically, at the armageddon scenario and the club would go up for sale again. As said previously though, why would anyone buy it if the fans have already shown they don't care. Also, relegation wouldn't see all revenue generating schemes dropped...mostly as the majority of us will still care and still want to volunteer to be involved.

Thank you and yes.

That's the thing, this will be work and the detractors will be waiting in the wings on day one. For me, this wll be easier than my experiences down south...just hope you don't all get bored of me making occasional reference to it all.