Doakes

I tweeted a few morton accounts on twitter who were happy to tweet it to their supporters, will do so again later, twitter is always a good way to get info round

http://www.supporters-direct.scot/supporter-liaison-officer-development-day-round-up/#.V589hezdLHw.facebook
Link above showing SMiSA at the conference and an explanation of what it's about, we definitely need a well known face picked from our fan base to be our SLO, BoD members and or club staff are not suitable as they can't be expected to represent the fans in discussions with themselves.
I know this is a requirement for Europe and it will take us a year before we are there, but well worth consideration now i think.
Just my opinion of course.

Love it. Canny wait to buy one

Stuart - while I agree with many of your posts, banging on about using local suppliers is wrong IMO.
What you are effectively suggesting is jobs for the boys and cronyism.
You go wherever you get the right quality at the right price.

Its a derby, we know by now that anything can happen in these games. Got a good record against them so they'll need to play well to beat us, especially at home. No need for knicker wetting 

We actually beat Edinburgh City by more goals than either of the two teams that finished above us. The result on Saturday wasn't why we didn't go through.

What to expect in future is a discussion between SMiSA and the board on behalf of its members and wider support to come up with a few contingencies that could be put to SMiSA members to decide which are the more palatable in the event of situations like the final game last season, and if A.N. other wants to rent the stadium and re-brand etc.
that after all was all we wanted last season, to be involved, to be part of the decision, to understand the economic reality.

I think communication can always be improved but I'm staggered to see the FC getting slated.

Guys who have worked their nuts off to benefit the club and who have achieved tangible results should be applauded!!


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You can request the safe standing roadshow to visit your ground and work out costs etc. They recently visited Dunfermline, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Celtic & Rangers. Cost is around £80 per seat, normally a seat costs around £30, but safe standing lasts longer as they're not being used as often/more durable.
http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/news/scotlandleadstheway-7groundsin5days
http://stv.tv/sport/football/scottish-premier/celtic/289210-explained-how-safe-standing-would-work-in-scotland/
 
 
 

Echo this! Spartans can fk off

You are invited to attend:
  SMISA fan party
 
Saturday, August 6, 2016 from 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  St Mirren fans just became part-owners of their club - and we're having a party! The SMISA team is marking last week's takeover by hosting a fan party at the University of the West of Scotland after the Morton game on Saturday 6 August.

We are hoping new club chairman Gordon Scott, chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick and team boss Alex Rae will all be there on the day to welcome fans to the event. There will be a bottle bar, and hot food for sale, while Saints fan and DJ Billy Gray will be providing the tunes until the event closes.

The event will be in the cafe at the library in the Paisley Campus of the University of the West of Scotland. Enter via the pedestrianised section of Storie Street, beside the student flats. Entry is FREE but be aware capacity is limited to 250 so it is essential anybody who wishes to come along register below to get their ticket - please bring your ticket on the night either as a print-out or on your phone.

You don't need to be a SMISA member to attend - the event is open to all Saints fans. Due to the venue's license, the event is open to over 18s only. Doors will open at 5pm with the event to start around 5.30pm. We hope to see as many of you as possible there, hopefully after another Renfrewshire derby win! If you need more info, drop us a line at [email protected] Paisley Campus Library University of the West of Scotland (enter via pedestrianised section of Storie Street, beside student flats Paisley, RenfrewshirePA1 2BE Attend Event   Events powered by EventBrite Copyright © 2016 St. Mirren Independent Supports Association, All rights reserved. 
You are receiving this email as a current member of SMiSA and contain up-to-date information regarding the Association, it's activities and the club itself. 
Our mailing address is:  St. Mirren Independent Supports Association 61 Fairley Street Glasgow, G51 2SN United Kingdom
Add us to your address book

If you don't have an SLO, or a fan council... What system would you have? Go direct to Tony Fitz? 
Plenty of need for one or the other, if not both imo. A fan owned club needs the fans to feel engaged or it just won't work. 

I agree.
When you go on P&B a read about the level of communication or lack of it at other clubs, I think ours is relatively good.
However, there is still room for improvement.

Should have been Alan Gow. He was SLO as a week in jail.

Echo this! Spartans can fk off

I'd also like to say welcome to Edinburgh City, glad it's you and not those slimy Spartans.

The pylons are indeed set into big concrete blocks. Those blocks simply cannot be moved, otherwise the disappearance of Stephane Bahoken, Mo Camara, Alan Gow and Aaron Mooy's exercise bike will need to be re-investigated by the authorities.

Strange as it may seem to this Forum's users, many Buddiess do not use the internet. And many that do, do not use this Forum. The Club may already have an SLO but who knows about it? There is nothing on the website or in match programs. How do you contact the SLO?
The Club should have one contact point between it and supporters to which an acknowledgement is an immediate response and a proper response to the query is provided asap. At the moment there in one email [email protected] and a phone number which is great. However in the past I have emailed this account with no acknowledgement and no response. If the Club have a SLO then fans should know about it (web site, match programme, notices in the vomitories, printed on match tickets etc)) . A point of liaison is not just about answering queries / requests but also also about engaging with fans and make them feel part of the Club. Encourage fans to contact the Club and get them involved. Long overdue.

Doakes raises an excellent point, I recently attended a Supporters Direct SLO workshop and heard first hand how the role developed in Germany, Sweden etc to such an extent that every club in the Bundesliga and both feeder leagues employ (aye pay them) between 1-4 full time SLO's augemented in the lower leagues with part-time SLO's
the original concept, and the one that actually provides a return on investment sees the SLO as someone who is at every game home and away, who liases with SLO's around the country to identify, best pub for away fans, no-go areas, parking, how to get to ground, issues with over zealous stewards home and away, etc, etc...
it also sees the SLO form an effective working relationship with the club, the police and matchday officials to ensure the fans get the most out of a safe, friendly fun day. As an instantly recognisable, and approachable person the SLO is the go to guy on the day, and on social media for all sorts of info and advice from around the world. And where it works well the club sees measured increases in merchandise etc as the ordinary fan becomes involved in ideas, design and marketing of stuff they actually want to buy.
i think if we had a 'proper' SLO it would benefit the fans, club, police and help improve everyones matchday experience.

If the club is truly forward thinking and wants the fans to be involved in the running of the club, you can't neglect the supporters who pay their money every week but can't/won't join SMISA. An SLO would go some way to ensuring that those fans are represented too. Also helps from a social media pov in a modern world where everything can be promoted and discussed online. 
Having a point of contact for fans to raise issues, ask questions and seek advice is essential for the modern game. The Celtic shop farce was a prime example of fans being slung a dingie. Club communication should not be an issue in a world where communication is literally instantaneous. It's not hard to update a website/twitter feed.

I'm a fans council member and I've said on many occasions if any would like me to raise anything with the board I'm happy to do that through the fans council. So if anyone wants to PM me feel free. Next meeting of our committee is the first Thursday of August

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We might well end up with GLS and his initially hand-picked BoD, SMiSA, the Fan Council, and a dedicated SLO? That's a five-a-side team just needing an opponent.
Whatever way GLS/SMiSA choose to go about it, communication between club and fans must be improved dramatically. Something like the decision to brand our shop as a temporary Sellik shop is a prime example. The outgoing BoD surely, in the name of the wee man, must have realised it would be an emotive issue for many St Mirren fans. If they didn't realise at all it would be an emotive issue and it simply did not register with them, then shame on them for being so blind. It was an Old Firm club FFS, not a visiting Barcelona or a club we quite like. Anyway - they owned the bloody club. They have a website. Stick a fifty word statement out in advance saying they realise fans will see a sign going up, it is temporary, a good bit of business... Blah, blah de blah. Five minutes. Stick it on the website. Boosh, much grief headed off at the pass. I think most of us forum users would know exactly all that was required.... a bit of common sense. Hopefully GLS/SMiSA don't go about their business in a similar fashion when possibly unpopular decisions need made by them - as they undoubtably will.
As an aside. The club website - has it even recognised that the club has been sold yet!?

I've raised this point on twitter, just wanted to put it to the forum to see what other supporters opinions are on the communication/dialogue between our fans, and the club/board/supporters groups.
The consensus I've picked up, is that despite having the fan council, (who do a fantastic job, loved their input on the strips etc) there's always been a lack of communication between fans and the club itself. 
With the new board and new owners, and fan ownership on the horizon, I've had a look into the SLO (Supporter Liason Officer) initative - which is basically a person nominated to form a bridge between a football club and it's supporters. They would be the point of contact for supporters to get in touch with the club.
The idea started in Germany and has quickly spread over here. Celtic, St Johnstone and Kilmarnock already have SLO's in place. I believe having a point of contact between fans and the club would really drive fan engagement, and help us to get more punters through the gates on a regular basis. 
My suggestion is to appoint someone as St Mirren SLO, who becomes the point of contact between our fanbase and the club. With emphasis on representing the views of the fans, rather than representing the view of the club.
Some info below (mostly stolen from Supporters Direct Scotland) 
 
 

You could fill in the corners without increasing capacity very cheaply like hibs have done by building extra advertising space boards this would be a prime area for business to advertise and also I believe this is used as storage space in behind , could be an idea just to give the stadium less open feel and also provide extra revenue ...

Here, it's a long time since I got out of work - had a pint in the sun, and actually enjoyed the prospect of watching St Mirren. It's a rare moment we should savour as a buddie