glen

As it is Sunday 
Jeremiah 5:21
‘Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not’. 👂
 

As it is Sunday 
Jeremiah 5:21
‘Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not’. 👂
 

As it is Sunday 
Jeremiah 5:21
‘Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not’. 👂
 

23519622.st-mirren-faces-court-action-leaks-ignite-charity-care-centre-row/
Surely the Kibble directors and the club board weren't misrepresenting the truth? Alas, Emails from within the council contradict entirely what we've been fed. So it seems, after all, that it wasn't Alan Wardrop who was misleading the fans. The Herald has seen, as have various others within the club, council e-mails contradicting the so called "official" version that's been peddled.
The council e-mails state quite specifically that "The Council assisted with the bid but the content was produced and signed off by Kibble in terms of the parameters of the proposal."
"In the ensuing row, an email seen by the Herald on Sunday from Mr Gillespie said that the council "wrongly shaded in an area of land owned by St Mirren" and gave a "categoric assurance" that club land would not be used.
As the dispute emerged, Kibble said Mr Wardrop's allegations are based on the "entirely false premise that there was ever any intention to build on land owned by St Mirren".
The Herald on Sunday can reveal that the council does not agree that areas of land indicated on a submitted map were produced in error and say the area earmarked in the application to Scottish Government was pinpointed by Kibble.
St Mirren's board insisted that the application was "unspecific" as to the precise location and that it was "not on land owned by St Mirren".
But leaked emails from council managers have told a different story - with a diagram submitted to the Scottish Government for public funding showing that land proposed to be built on was, in fact, on St Mirren land."
 
So, in summing up, first of all Kibble directors submitted an application naming the St.Mirren charitable foundation as a partner without their knowledge - a scandal in itself, which the board glossed over then, to compound that disgraceful decision, the Kibble directors submitted plans showing that the so-called non specific land was actually on specific land i.e. St.Mirren owned land.
In attempting to cover this up the board and Kibble claimed, in an e-mail sent to Smisa - that it was a council error whereas the council contradict that by saying  that the content of the application was produced by Kibble. No error by the council after all, they simply followed "the parameters of the proposal produced and signed off by Kibble". This contradicts what Mr Gillespie stated in his e-mail. 
It seems that both the club board and also Kibble directors have been, shall we say, economical with the truth. To add insult to injury and in an attempt to stifle free speech (i.e. AW's criticism of Kibble and not the club itself) the board then ban AW from the stadium?  I suggest that there are a few individuals who may have to reconsider their position.
 

This a letter from the same John Needham who in December 2021 was hit with a £6,000 fine by the Scottish Football Association for making "discriminatory or offensive" comments by the SFA compliance officer. He later apologised after the match Writing on Twitter, he said: "On Friday 22 October a number of Tweets I created in the past referring to Rangers fans were highlighted on Twitter. As a club chairman I have extra responsibility for the conduct and example I show. These posts are completely inappropriate and do not reflect my character or beliefs as a person and I very much regret them. I apologise unreservedly to the directors and fans of Rangers and to everyone at St Mirren. I am acutely aware of my responsibilities. This won't happen again."
But on the 6th March 2023 he 'liked' a social media post claiming that Andrew Dallas was operating VAR from an 'Orange Lodge' during our match against Celtic.
If anyone should be banned from the stadium it should be him.
Regardless of this current PR mess, it is time for this man and his Old Firm supporting Kibble associates to go. They presided over a loss of over £1.5 million on a turnover of £4 million last year. We cannot afford them much longer
 

This a letter from the same John Needham who in December 2021 was hit with a £6,000 fine by the Scottish Football Association for making "discriminatory or offensive" comments by the SFA compliance officer. He later apologised after the match Writing on Twitter, he said: "On Friday 22 October a number of Tweets I created in the past referring to Rangers fans were highlighted on Twitter. As a club chairman I have extra responsibility for the conduct and example I show. These posts are completely inappropriate and do not reflect my character or beliefs as a person and I very much regret them. I apologise unreservedly to the directors and fans of Rangers and to everyone at St Mirren. I am acutely aware of my responsibilities. This won't happen again."
But on the 6th March 2023 he 'liked' a social media post claiming that Andrew Dallas was operating VAR from an 'Orange Lodge' during our match against Celtic.
If anyone should be banned from the stadium it should be him.
Regardless of this current PR mess, it is time for this man and his Old Firm supporting Kibble associates to go. They presided over a loss of over £1.5 million on a turnover of £4 million last year. We cannot afford them much longer
 

This a letter from the same John Needham who in December 2021 was hit with a £6,000 fine by the Scottish Football Association for making "discriminatory or offensive" comments by the SFA compliance officer. He later apologised after the match Writing on Twitter, he said: "On Friday 22 October a number of Tweets I created in the past referring to Rangers fans were highlighted on Twitter. As a club chairman I have extra responsibility for the conduct and example I show. These posts are completely inappropriate and do not reflect my character or beliefs as a person and I very much regret them. I apologise unreservedly to the directors and fans of Rangers and to everyone at St Mirren. I am acutely aware of my responsibilities. This won't happen again."
But on the 6th March 2023 he 'liked' a social media post claiming that Andrew Dallas was operating VAR from an 'Orange Lodge' during our match against Celtic.
If anyone should be banned from the stadium it should be him.
Regardless of this current PR mess, it is time for this man and his Old Firm supporting Kibble associates to go. They presided over a loss of over £1.5 million on a turnover of £4 million last year. We cannot afford them much longer
 

From today's (Friday) "rag paper" . PS. The Herald was founded in 1783. It is the longest running national newspaper in the world.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/23516895.ex-st-mirren-director-gets-stadium-ban-secret-charity-project-row/

The fact that the board statement confirmed that they weren't aware until after the initial application merely confirms to me that Kibble have been in the wrong and it should be looked into. Whether there was any intentional "deviousness" is another matter - maybe they're just incompetent.

So, no, it's not settled, minimal or irrelevant.

The " supporter association " owns most of the club ! Time it started acting like it does. 

Has the concept of free speech been discussed at board level?
What next? Will local councillor Kenny McLaren be banned from the stadium after the article in the Daily Record?
Will any poster here be banned?
This is alarming.

The term was clearly aimed at Donald Trump, who, as of two days ago, is a proven sexual predator.

I've tried to maintain objectivity but you remind me of Donald Trump's followers. Those people who blindly continue to support a proven sexual predator   As I've said, there are further revelations to follow but no doubt you'll continue to fly the Kibble flag.

Please explain this part of the Glasgow Herald article :- 
"Applications for public funds to support the project described it as "the St Mirren Masterplan" with an "innovative partnership" with "St Mirren Football Club’s Charitable Foundation cited as one of the three partners with Kibble and the council.
But the foundation has sent a letter to Kibble saying that they had no knowledge of the project when the application for funds was sought in June "much less that its name would be associated with any submission for government funding".
It said it only found out through a third party in October, after a second stage bid was being made.   It decided not to "interject itself" from the process as there was "insufficient time" to make an assessment.
It has called for a "full explanation surrounding the application process" and why there were "material misstatements and representations in support of Scottish Government funding".
It said: "We are deeply concerned that this unilateral action on the part of Kibble was submitted without our knowledge and associates the Foundation with statements and representations of fact that we do not recognise."
 
 
 

Here's some of the pertinent points from the attached article. As I've said previously, there is even more to come.
"The local authority stated in the proposal that land, owned by the club, had already been identified for the wellbeing centre and the sale was proceeding."
"Paisley North councillor Kenny MacLaren reckons the whole thing stinks and said: “Kibble have used the reputation of St Mirren FC Foundation to make this scheme look like a partnership, to help with their grant application.
“It has been a dodgy move by Kibble who have been using another organisation’s names without their permission.
“They have failed to be open, clear and transparent about any of this. I would have concerns that an organisation that acts like this can access public money. They need to come clean on the whole process."
"A spokesman for Kibble failed to explain why the foundation was named as a lead partner in the application without prior knowledge and how land owned by the club had been identified as the location for the proposed hub."   https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/renfrewshire/charity-blasted-over-secret-plan-29953458?fbclid=IwAR1IJnYwaFu9nKwUCQzNvC2ehGGfZ4ySVj_jQai_8MXXGHSUNM-NUURnKiw

From today's Glasgow Herald 
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/23510874.st-mirren-rocked-public-funds-row-regeneration-project/
One of Scotland's oldest football clubs has been plunged into turmoil after a social care charity who are part-owners pushed a 'secret' plan to seek £2m of public money for a well-being centre for disadvantaged children on its land 'without permission'.
One former director of St Mirren FC has revealed he resigned from the fan-owned board at the end of last year after discovering the plan for the £13.4m project while pushed by the Paisley-based social care charity and leading social enterprise Kibble, who three years ago bought a 27 per cent stake to become part-owners of the club.
Alan Wardrop, a lifelong Saints fan who made the step up to the club's board in July 2016 has accused Kibble club board representatives, Jim Gillespie and Mark MacMillan of having a "conflict of interest" by failing to disclose to directors, shareholders and fans of the bid to build the centre that the care charity would run on club land in Paisley while it appeared to wrongly have St Mirren's stamp of approval.
As the dispute emerged, Kibble said the drawings showing the project would be on club land were an error.
Formerly one of four representatives of the St Mirren Independent Supporters Association (SMISA) on the board having played a big part in helping the club moving into fan ownership, Mr Wardrop is now seeking the removal of Kibble representatives on the board.
Applications for public funds to support the project described it as "the St Mirren Masterplan" with an "innovative partnership" with "St Mirren Football Club’s Charitable Foundation cited as one of the three partners with Kibble and the council.
But the foundation has sent a letter to Kibble saying that they had no knowledge of the project when the application for funds was sought in June "much less that its name would be associated with any submission for government funding".
It said it only found out through a third party in October, after a second stage bid was being made.   It decided not to "interject itself" from the process as there was "insufficient time" to make an assessment.
It has called for a "full explanation surrounding the application process" and why there were "material misstatements and representations in support of Scottish Government funding".
It said: "We are deeply concerned that this unilateral action on the part of Kibble was submitted without our knowledge and associates the Foundation with statements and representations of fact that we do not recognise."
 
In seeking election to join the SMISA board Mr Wardrop says that he and many others, "no longer have trust and confidence in Kibble’s directors serving on the board of St. Mirren FC" and that he put forward his application "on the basis I wish to remove them".
It comes three years after Police Scotland launched an investigation into financial irregularities at the club, which is currently sitting sixth in the top tier of Scottish football.
The club alerted police after concerns surfaced over commercial agreements, sub contracts and possible non-payment of tax and national insurance.
The Scottish Premiership club then called in forensic accountants to carry out what they call a "thorough review of a number of areas of its operations".
Renfrewshire Council initially applied for a £2.65m grant for what was titled the "St Mirren Regeneration and Well-being Masterplan" through the Scottish Government's Regeneration Capital Grant Fund in June, last year.
The proposal documents stated the project was due to start on April 3, this year and finish on March 3, 2025.
Project details put to the Scottish Government confirms that Kibble produced a business plan for the well-being centre on the derelict site which would support vulnerable young people and "provides evidence" that it is "financially viable".
It states that Kibble "will deliver personalised, tailored approaches agreed alongside the child and their family".
The plan stated: "The centre will be the first of its kind, to support children & young people with complex mental health needs who are currently falling through the gaps of existing Scottish mental health provision. The centre will provide a safe, nurturing environment for those who have experienced significant trauma."
It stated that "collaboration is crucial to the delivery of the St Mirren Masterplan and will require collaborative working between Renfrewshire Council, Kibble, St Mirren Football Club, residents, local stakeholders and businesses."
Mr Wardrop, who is an SMCF trustee and a retired financial advisor, says the application was not disclosed to other SMISA club board directors and no prior agreement was secured before the funding application was initially sought in June, last year and it was only discovered in September, when a second stage submission was made.
 
Mr Wardrop said: "The situation is scandalous. I have taken legal advice on this. At the very least it is secretive, it has not been transparent. It is not in keeping with the values of fan ownership or the way you should conduct yourself as company directors acting in the best interests of the football club to put in an application for government money and build on St Mirren land, and you don't share it with fellow directors for a period of three months.
"SMISA directors had no idea about the application when it was put in. I challenged at every turn, and the answers I got was there was nothing to see. St Mirren were never going to be a beneficiary of this project. It is a Kibble-run centre, they would operate it and get money from the government.
"The application is full of the use of the word 'collaboration', but there has been no collaboration with St Mirren Football Club. It is unbelievable what they had done."
He added: "As a born and bred Buddy, from the high flats at Stock Street, Paisley, I have supported St. Mirren since a child in the mid 70’s when Sir Alex Ferguson’s, Fergie’s Furies got me hooked. I simply want to serve in the club’s and fans’ best interests and protect and build a successful future for our wonderful club."
Plot drawings submitted as part of the application to Scottish Government, seen by the Herald, confirm that the land earmarked was owned by St Mirren.
According to the grant application submitted in September, the sale of the land "has been agreed" and that the land ownership would transfer on January 2023.
As disquiet about the project began to surface, an email sent by Mr Gillespie on Monday and shared with candidates standing for election to the board of SMISA said that the council "wrongly shaded in an area of land owned by St Mirren" and gave a "categoric assurance" that club land would not be used.
According to submissions to the Scottish Government, the project aimed to develop 10 acres of land - the equivalent of around five football pitches - and create a well-being centre "which will support inclusive growth in the Ferguslie Park area of Paisley, an area consistently ranked in the top 10 most deprived SIMD data zones in Scotland".
The application stated: "The partnership aims to effectively demonstrate how collaboration can leverage investment for the benefit of the physical and social infrastructure of a community and provide a basis to strengthen and sustain regeneration in an area suffering from high levels of deprivation."
St Mirren confirmed that neither the club or the charitable foundation had been engaged prior to the submission "as this was very early stages of the process".
It said "historic discussions and meetings" had taken place around the development of a Ferguslie Master Plan, including the potential development of a well-being centre, had taken place with club board members, Renfrewshire Council senior officials and other stakeholders.
But it said that it had not been expected to offer its land as part of the project.
It said any sale or transfer of its land "would require to be subject to a robust process" including being professionally valued, recommended by a majority of the directors and approved by club shareholders as part of a legal agreement.
"From the discussions that took place at the St Mirren Football Club Board meeting on September 29, 2022 it became clear that the matter would require further conversation with the charitable foundation and that the club should maintain interest in this matter to establish if the project offered any tangible benefit going forward.
"It was agreed that timely and appropriate discussions must take place regarding any potential projects in future to ensure that all stakeholders, directly involved or otherwise, were aware of the approach that was being taken," the club said.
It said that after a second stage application had been submitted, the board confirmed "alignment on the proposal had been achieved and was content that the matter had been concluded appropriately from a St Mirren Football Club perspective."
The club said: "A watching brief on the progress of the application was applied to establish if there were any opportunities for the club arising from the initiative. The club board will always be supportive of any regeneration and development of the area surrounding the stadium if it is complementary to the best interests of the club."
St Mirren became fan owned in the summer of 2021, when SMISA bought out the remaining shareholding of chairman Gordon Scott to become majority (51%) owners of the Buddies in what it called "a historic day".
The move to fan ownership of the Paisley club came after Kibble became part-owners in March, 2020.
SMISA said the deal helped to safeguard the future of the club – formed in 1877 – by placing it in the hands of its supporters, "the people who care for it the most".
Mr Wardrop was previously credited with making fan ownership possible by teaming up with SMISA to initially begin a buyout process in 2016.
When SMISA became majority shareholders, they asked Mr Wardrop to remain on the board as one of their representatives and he willingly agreed.
 
Mr Wardrop was the mastermind behind the 1877 Club in the main stand of the SMISA Stadium and has also contributed several items to the mini-museum inside the club from his personal collection of memorabilia.
When he announced he was quitting the board, A SMISA spokesman said: “Everyone at SMISA would like to thank him for all his time and effort on the board, both before and after he agreed to become one of our representatives.
“Everything he ever did was undoubtedly with the best interests of St Mirren at heart.”
The council have been asked by the Herald if the land designated in the bid for funding was their error.
A council spokesperson said: “The council submitted an application for Regeneration Capital Grant Funding to the Scottish Government on behalf of Kibble last year.
“The formal application itself was non-specific on the exact location of the proposed development, however we did add an appendix to the Stage One application as a guide, showing a site plan with an indicative location, to the north of St Mirren’s stadium.
“Should the funding bid have been successful, the exact location would have been subject to the outcome of a wider masterplan covering all development in the Ferguslie Park area.”
St Mirren said: "This is a storm in a teacup. The board were clear that this project did not involve any land owned by [the club]. However, the club will always be supportive of any proposal that improves SMFC and helps rebuild the economy and social fabric of the Ferguslie area. 
Kibble is classed as one of two that had "significant control" of the club according to Companies House with more than 25% but not more than 50% of the shares.
A spokesman for Kibble said: “Mr Wardrop’s allegations are based on the entirely false premise that there was ever any intention to build on land owned by St Mirren. There simply was not, as has now been confirmed by Kibble, the St Mirren FC board and Renfrewshire Council. 
“Indeed, Mr Wardrop was a member of the board of the St Mirren Charitable Foundation when it discussed and expressly supported the decision to move to Stage 2 of the funding application process. 
“We made a very early-stage, exploratory funding application for a much-needed Wellbeing Centre on one of the many vacant, derelict sites in the Ferguslie Park area.
“The unfortunate error on the part of the council in shading an area of land next to the stadium has led to ill-informed speculation, which has since been clarified.”
Police Scotland were approached about the outcome of the financial irregularities investigation.
 
 

The only things that seem 'closed' are your ears, your eyes and your mind Mr. Kibble.
 

NO ! Try sticking to the facts.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/renfrewshire/alan-wardrop-confirms-st-mirren-28159383
 

This could have serious repercussions for the club and the relationship between kibble and the board. 
Trust is vital. If kibble did this then they have no regard for our club or the concept of fan ownership.
If it’s necessary to delay the SMiSA AGM to get to the bottom of this then so be it. 

I too will vote for Alan Wardrop. Our team must come first. We’ve all seen the damage elsewhere when outside interests have damaged teams, some in England eventually going bust. Remember the promises of better financial management from Kibble? What we got was record losses. The good form on the park must not be a smokescreen. 

NO ! Try sticking to the facts.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/renfrewshire/alan-wardrop-confirms-st-mirren-28159383
 

This could have serious repercussions for the club and the relationship between kibble and the board. 
Trust is vital. If kibble did this then they have no regard for our club or the concept of fan ownership.
If it’s necessary to delay the SMiSA AGM to get to the bottom of this then so be it. 

I too will vote for Alan Wardrop. Our team must come first. We’ve all seen the damage elsewhere when outside interests have damaged teams, some in England eventually going bust. Remember the promises of better financial management from Kibble? What we got was record losses. The good form on the park must not be a smokescreen. 

The " supporter association " owns most of the club ! Time it started acting like it does. 

This could have serious repercussions for the club and the relationship between kibble and the board. 
Trust is vital. If kibble did this then they have no regard for our club or the concept of fan ownership.
If it’s necessary to delay the SMiSA AGM to get to the bottom of this then so be it. 

I too will vote for Alan Wardrop. Our team must come first. We’ve all seen the damage elsewhere when outside interests have damaged teams, some in England eventually going bust. Remember the promises of better financial management from Kibble? What we got was record losses. The good form on the park must not be a smokescreen. 

Less than two years after Kibble’s promises I hear our beloved team is in financial freefall and someone has to point out why.
I have it from a reliable source that we have used up all of the 1.7 million government loan and are now in very serious financial trouble. It is obvious to anyone who takes the time to look that the arrangement with Kibble is just not working. They seem to be the common denominator and there is no escaping the fact. Look at the crazy level of influence they have.
Kibble pay our general manager who is a Kibble employee answerable to Kibble.
Kibble supply food to the corporate hospitality at I am informed a dearer cost than previous supplier.
Kibble also supply food at the academy. 
Kibble have taken over the accounting functions of the club, giving them access to all Saints financial accounts. A conflict of interest.
Kibble connections resulted in a new Chief Operating Officer being appointed who did not even apply for the job and was not interviewed.
Kibble connections have resulted in a £50,000 refurb of the as yet unfinished training ground hitting more than £350,000 with a supplier of their choice.
Kibble has now taken over the ball boy and girl arrangements.
Kibble have two members on the board. One of which (the vice chairman) has direct responsibility for the academy, with the other said to be now in charge of club finance. 
Kibble connections filter what fans are being told on the website.
SMISA members who contribute every month to the team we all love deserve to know exactly what is going on.
St Mirren has no club doctor.
St Mirren has a weakened academy. Redundancies. I’ve just heard from a young player’s parent that only in the last couple of days a most experienced coach and goalkeeping head has been made redundant with not a word. He’s been with Saints for something like 8 to 10 years! Her son has been sent a good wishes message from the coach which I have seen.
St Mirren has only one sports scientist. The assistant mysteriously gone in last couple of weeks according to the same parent.
St Mirren has no well-being officer. Left mysteriously.
Our stadium manager together with lots of St Mirren staff of longstanding have all been shown the door since Kibble came in. She claimed compensation and it cost the club £30,000 !
SMISA Stadium is now being vandalised after the old security firm was sacked. First the spray painting now the slashing of the dome. I have been told that word is it will not be replaced. Nothing like this happened under the previous arrangements.
Our beloved St Mirren is in danger. There is a deafening silence from the board, SMISA and Kibble.I care about the team my great-grandfather supported.
OPEN YOUR EYES AND DO SOMETHING SMISA .FACE UP AND BUY OUT KIBBLE.