TsuMirren Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 As i've said a few times, slash the outrageous salaries of players therefore enabling Clubs to reduce Admission prices. Shull, a lot of us say that. There's no way Saints can campaign to do it by themselves though. What would happen is we enter in to talks and offer players money they absolutely know they can beat elsewhere, we miss out, bring in highly inferior players and everything goes down the swanny. I'm sure the players we've brought in recently have been on less, whilst obviously each 1K increment in support would allow us to bring in more and offer more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isle Of Bute Saint Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 As a fan though, even if you don't think you deserve to have a say, or to be told what's going on - it would be a foolish person these days not to take on board what the fans are saying and what in the main they seem to want. Getting the stripes back on the strips is the first example IMHO, that our club are taking on board what the fans want - and not only that, they have been moving towards a day where the fans very much DO have a say in what goes on inside the club. You either find that prospect exciting or scary. Personally I find it new and exciting, and look forward to seeing the detail and small print before I steam in with the many questions I currently have. They may well be answered when the club are ready to launch their vision for the future. They will do that when the time is right - as indeed the current BOD did with the stadium move. While I am glad your excited at the prospect of a new beginning. Don't think you will see much change on the Park for a while to come. I'm talking quality that is currently missing. The new way will be a building process of time and in many ways will come down to fans and the community buying into the idea. I'm a die hard and know right now I will buy into the idea. Mr Artkinson will have a job trying to get buddies to let go even a small amount of cash m however I am sure he already knows this through Staurt Gilmour. Next big thing I would like to see is children getting into home games for nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidg Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Next big thing I would like to see is children getting into home games for nothing They already do........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidg Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Finally, Richard Atkinson isn't some shady businessman hiding away in Irvine conducting this takeover. He is spending countless hours at St.Mirren Park meeting with supporters, supporters groups, local businesses, suppliers and beyond as he tried to bring this plan through to it's completion after what has been in total almost a years worth of effort. Just wondering what supporters (not groups) and local businesses he is spending countless hours meeting with? Not having a dig at you btw. Edited February 11, 2011 by davidg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 TsuMirren - i'm not a daftie. Of course every Club would have to drop their salary levels. Check my Sìg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) I don’t recall questions about the integrity of the incumbent Directors. All that was raised were questions about how all this works and what is in it for them. Read over the initial quote that kicked off this thread. It is peppered with pejorative terminology, and the tone is accusatory and, frankly, pretty bloody unhelpful. For anyone to have missed the fact that the author of that quote has some tawdry agenda or other quite simply baffles me. What I don't recall is anyone suggesting that, as St Mirren supporters, we are not entitled to have questions and concerns as to how this scenario will pan out. It is credit to the reasonable, measured, and balanced posters on this thread that it has not degenerated into the usual playground squabble with dog shit daubed sticks being proferred, as usually transpires on here. Edited February 11, 2011 by Drew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isle Of Bute Saint Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 They already do........ When did this come about or are you talking percentage of home tickets going to some schools. I mean no charge to all children every home game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidg Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) When did this come about or are you talking percentage of home tickets going to some schools. I mean no charge to all children every home game. 100's of match tickets get given out to school kids and each adult season ticket holder in the South Stand can get up to 3 kids (under 12) season tickets free of charge. Can't ask for much better than that? Edited February 11, 2011 by davidg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendo Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Shull, a lot of us say that. There's no way Saints can campaign to do it by themselves though. What would happen is we enter in to talks and offer players money they absolutely know they can beat elsewhere, we miss out, bring in highly inferior players and everything goes down the swanny. I'm sure the players we've brought in recently have been on less, whilst obviously each 1K increment in support would allow us to bring in more and offer more. This sounds like a summary of what is currently happening Edited February 11, 2011 by Kendo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TsuMirren Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 TsuMirren - i'm not a daftie. Of course every Club would have to drop their salary levels. Check my Sìg. I know, but it is a bit silly entering it into this debate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TsuMirren Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 When did this come about or are you talking percentage of home tickets going to some schools. I mean no charge to all children every home game. The one, well major one I suppose as there will be more, issue would be the loss in through the gate income this could create across the season. I don't have the ration split of adults to children per match, but the club will and the main point in this is that post CIC buy out of the 52% we would all have the potential to gain access to the information of feed views in to those who do (I'm not talking about 3 running the show or anything like that). As a starter, would it be better to give every school child in Paisley and Renfrewshire the option to request a voucher that allows them in to one match for free? Would that see a kick in return business or merchandise sales? In answer to Davidg, I can't speak for anyone else but I've spoken with Richard...pretty obvious considering Div offered to pass on my number earlier in the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaside Nipper Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 How many times has it been suggested on this thread that people pick up the 'phone and call Richard Atkinson, or send him an email? Statements are hollow, manufactured, and consist largely of....yes, you guessed it, sound bites. I'd imagine you'd get a great deal more information of greater worth if you contacted the man directly. What's up? Too shy? Nope. A major issue running through this thread is one of communication, or the lack of. By following your suggestion of calling or e mailing , well that just hits the spot, That action only demonstrates a fundamental and ongoing problem with St Mirren, this time we have the old tail wagging the dog. I mean do you really think on this matter it is satisfactory for supporters to start making one on one calls to MR A. In all honesty that is just plain stoopit and imo misses the point entirely. It is fundamentally flawed. Even Sid in his saner rambling moments was alluding to the fact that the club should/will make an announcement/update/sound bite/bulletin* delete as preferred............ Yet again here we are on a thread where one of the main gripes is St Mirren FC and communication with fans........................or am I missing something Surely, in times of transition in particular, it makes perfect sense to make clear communication one of your principal tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isle Of Bute Saint Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 100's of match tickets get given out to school kids and each adult season ticket holder in the South Stand can get up to 3 kids (under 12) season tickets free of charge. Can't ask for much better than that? That is brilliant. Well done the club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Nope. A major issue running through this thread is one of communication, or the lack of. By following your suggestion of calling or e mailing , well that just hits the spot, That action only demonstrates a fundamental and ongoing problem with St Mirren, this time we have the old tail wagging the dog. I mean do you really think on this matter it is satisfactory for supporters to start making one on one calls to MR A. In all honesty that is just plain stoopit and imo misses the point entirely. It is fundamentally flawed. Even Sid in his saner rambling moments was alluding to the fact that the club should/will make an announcement/update/sound bite/bulletin* delete as preferred............ Yet again here we are on a thread where one of the main gripes is St Mirren FC and communication with fans........................or am I missing something Surely, in times of transition in particular, it makes perfect sense to make clear communication one of your principal tools. If you read back a few posts, I've also speculated that the club will make a statement in the fullness of time, and so they should. If you honestly think anything will be achieved by agitating for some kind of communication from the BoD before they have anything relevant/conclusive/definitive to say, then I can't agree with that. I've been banging on for years about how shite our PR is, so I'm no apologist on that front, but why the sudden clamour for information in the last couple of days? An announcement will be made when it is appropriate to do so. Otherwise, all we'll get is sound bites, and that can lead to more rumour, counter-rumour, idle speculation, and misinterpretation. I'm suggesting we try to be patient as it won't be long.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I know, but it is a bit silly entering it into this debate. Maybe someone will notice and see the sense in it. You widnae need to give Fans special deals if Admission prices were at a proper and realistic level. Whit aboot it Dick ? Tell the troops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaside Nipper Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 If you read back a few posts, I've also speculated that the club will make a statement in the fullness of time, and so they should. If you honestly think anything will be achieved by agitating for some kind of communication from the BoD before they have anything relevant/conclusive/definitive to say, then I can't agree with that. I've been banging on for years about how shite our PR is, so I'm no apologist on that front, but why the sudden clamour for information in the last couple of days? An announcement will be made when it is appropriate to do so. Otherwise, all we'll get is sound bites, and that can lead to more rumour, counter-rumour, idle speculation, and misinterpretation. I'm suggesting we try to be patient as it won't be long.... Yes, and No. I am not agitating for communication here and now foot stamping banging the door. I'd be pissin in the wind when it comes to St Mirren. My interest in this thread particularly kicked in when Div waved the white flag and went quiet. His post summed the whole scenario up for me.Here we have the Top Mod or whatever giving it the old acht 'what do I know , I'll sulk off and eat worms at the bottom of the garden malarkey'. Point is that St Mirren by communicating nowt time and again ad infinitum simply gives grist to the fans frustration mill as Div demonstrated with his withdrawal. Lets face it seasoned pro supporters have seen it all before and will again. Its just more of the same old same old with different leading roles. In an ideal world around all of this latest ownership pre amble I'd suggest the fans are actually due some respect and consideration during this period of lets face it 'significant change.' Anyway , its not the real world , it's not a JV with a multi national , its a diddy wee club , acting like a diddy wee club, so in the grand scheme of all things community related and clubby like , all I'm hinting too is a mis fire in terms of starting gun. At the end of the day, what business is it for the St Mirren fans. Interest yes, a say, erm no, a listening ear from the BoD, you would hope so, however any viable input and attention is gained on the back of the promise of hard cash , so we are in the main total outsiders in this. Anyway , we'll know when we know.... for now this is just the same old same old, nothing to see here , move along now. "The biggest single problem with communication is the illusion that it has actually taken place" GBS ..................a while ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluto Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Anyway , we'll know when we know.... for now this is just the same old same old, nothing to see here , move along now. Quite right. Which is why (apart from a few early flippancies) I've never bothered posting in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Sid Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Yes, and No. I am not agitating for communication here and now foot stamping banging the door. I'd be pissin in the wind when it comes to St Mirren. My interest in this thread particularly kicked in when Div waved the white flag and went quiet. His post summed the whole scenario up for me.Here we have the Top Mod or whatever giving it the old acht 'what do I know , I'll sulk off and eat worms at the bottom of the garden malarkey'. Point is that St Mirren by communicating nowt time and again ad infinitum simply gives grist to the fans frustration mill as Div demonstrated with his withdrawal. Lets face it seasoned pro supporters have seen it all before and will again. Its just more of the same old same old with different leading roles. In an ideal world around all of this latest ownership pre amble I'd suggest the fans are actually due some respect and consideration during this period of lets face it 'significant change.' Anyway , its not the real world , it's not a JV with a multi national , its a diddy wee club , acting like a diddy wee club, so in the grand scheme of all things community related and clubby like , all I'm hinting too is a mis fire in terms of starting gun. At the end of the day, what business is it for the St Mirren fans. Interest yes, a say, erm no, a listening ear from the BoD, you would hope so, however any viable input and attention is gained on the back of the promise of hard cash , so we are in the main total outsiders in this. Anyway , we'll know when we know.... for now this is just the same old same old, nothing to see here , move along now. "The biggest single problem with communication is the illusion that it has actually taken place" GBS ..................a while ago I am one of the biggest proponents for the club communicating better with the fans. However, some times it just isn't appropriate. I stumbled across a belter of an exclusive fairly recently whilst attending a game. An exclusive that is almost irresistable to me as it involves getting it right up the OF. However, it is utterly commercially sensitive and to be very fair the club is entitled to unveil it themselves should it come off and it is just about there from what I am hearing. If I was to post all the genuine stuff I know I would be banned from the ground never mind the forum. Some posters went through a phase of it early on in the web sites existence and I am sure we can all remember pishing ourselves laughing when Div got carpeted for it. One of the great things that came out of it though was the beginning of the Q&A sessions with SG - where he trusted us with critical information that included the situation with John Coughlin and also the plans to try and sell the stadium to eradicate the debt as we had already been living in borrowed time. The trust he put in us was respected and I think that was also the beginnings of SMiSA who went on to do great things with soap on a rope and players dressing gowns or something like that. Back then the fans relationship with the club was poor. Thanks to the efforts of Div and the supporters groups it has come on leaps and bounds. There is more information - and misinformation - available about St Mirren and what is going on at the club than ever before. However, there are times when we need to respect the commercial confidentiality of certain relationships. There were posters that knew the score with the recent shirt deal - I am sure they would have loved to have chipped in with an exclusive but they knew that the info was commercially sensitive. As in other area of life, its often what you don't say rather than what you do that should be the measure of you. As Broony & Co will confirm. If anyone is desparate to know anything drop me a PM and I will invent something for you - then you can claim you are in the know too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) I am one of the biggest proponents for the club communicating better with the fans. However, some times it just isn't appropriate. I stumbled across a belter of an exclusive fairly recently whilst attending a game. An exclusive that is almost irresistable to me as it involves getting it right up the OF. However, it is utterly commercially sensitive and to be very fair the club is entitled to unveil it themselves should it come off and it is just about there from what I am hearing. So why feel the need to let that news slip out at all? Edited February 11, 2011 by pozbaird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTOF Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 If anyone is desparate to know anything drop me a PM and I will invent something for you - then you can claim you are in the know too. So why feel the need to let that news slip out at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) One of the things we have been discussing is the amount of questions we all have about the new 'community ownership' plans, and what they will entail. Personally, I intended to keep my questions until the club had made public their plans, but something that I've been mulling over I have no answer for, wonder if any forum regulars know the answer? For anyone to take over the club, they need to buy 52% of the shares - the shares held by the 'consortium' in the current boardroom. Say for talking sake, SG had accepted an offer for the club from, oh, let's say, Angelo Massoni - that would mean one person being in charge of our club, one person being in possession of that controlling 52%. Has a situation like that ever existed in our past? Have we ever been controlled by just one person? My Saints supporting life goes back to 1976, and to my shame, for much of that I never took much interest in boardroom affairs - not until SG rode in and headed the bold Reg off at the pass. Since SG took over though, decisions at boardroom level have been taken by agreement being reached amongst the various board members. I cannot think if in our history we've ever had one person in a position to take decisions on their own, because they were the single majority shareholder. Anyone anally retentive enough to know? Yeah, I need to get out more, I know. Edited February 11, 2011 by pozbaird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TsuMirren Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Poz, Very much doubt it mate. Even in the early days it would have been by committee. For modern day it's been the board with a chairman at the front be it Todd, Craig, Kane, Paton, Gilmour or whomever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Poz, Very much doubt it mate. Even in the early days it would have been by committee. For modern day it's been the board with a chairman at the front be it Todd, Craig, Kane, Paton, Gilmour or whomever. Aye, that's what I was expecting to hear. Certainly in my lifetime I cannot remember one individual being the 'big cheese' on his own, so to speak. I guess the reason I wondered is because at a lot of clubs the 'action' seems to revolve around one dominant individual like a Roman Abramaovich, or a Brookes Mileson, or an Eddie Thompson, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TsuMirren Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Aye, that's what I was expecting to hear. Certainly in my lifetime I cannot remember one individual being the 'big cheese' on his own, so to speak. I guess the reason I wondered is because at a lot of clubs the 'action' seems to revolve around one dominant individual like a Roman Abramaovich, or a Brookes Mileson, or an Eddie Thompson, etc. Abramovic and Mileson are special cases, whilst I've no idea if Eddie Thomson was the overall 50%+ shareholder or if he was a majority shareholder with the ability to invest more...I have assumed that the Thomson's must own 50% plus though. In the CIC instance it would own the 52% and would provide the Chairman, but you would also have CIC members on the board and as mentioned through this thread that would see fans having a say and with more than the SMISA "let's hope we can get a seat on the board". The most worrying thing about the CIC for me is it not going through and Gilmour etc then going back out to, what must have been poor offers (for them and the club), and asking if the interest is still there. Just what sort of investor would be interested in a club where the fans didn't care enough to take it on? I'd also like to highlight that from what I've heard and been told, by others and Richard, this isn't along the lines of the Ebbsfleet model or the other CIC's in Scottish football. Ebbsfleet was initially about "outsiders" and the gimmick of Pick The Team, plus it was being run by someone who quite frankly lucked out by being the first to try it and having a few media contacts. I could waffle on about what was wrong with Ebbsfleet until sometime next week, but will leave that until the discussions about how we should operate if this goes through. Saint Mirren doesn't have third parties squeezing the life out of the club, has a good stadium, a training complex and we can point to a time when we had crowds that could fill the current ground. Yes we're all a bit apathetic, but the club is running break even and the potential is there for larger crowds...we just need to entice people back and show what a club working together with the fans can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Abramovic and Mileson are special cases, whilst I've no idea if Eddie Thomson was the overall 50%+ shareholder or if he was a majority shareholder with the ability to invest more...I have assumed that the Thomson's must own 50% plus though. In the CIC instance it would own the 52% and would provide the Chairman, but you would also have CIC members on the board and as mentioned through this thread that would see fans having a say and with more than the SMISA "let's hope we can get a seat on the board". The most worrying thing about the CIC for me is it not going through and Gilmour etc then going back out to, what must have been poor offers (for them and the club), and asking if the interest is still there. Just what sort of investor would be interested in a club where the fans didn't care enough to take it on? I'd also like to highlight that from what I've heard and been told, by others and Richard, this isn't along the lines of the Ebbsfleet model or the other CIC's in Scottish football. Ebbsfleet was initially about "outsiders" and the gimmick of Pick The Team, plus it was being run by someone who quite frankly lucked out by being the first to try it and having a few media contacts. I could waffle on about what was wrong with Ebbsfleet until sometime next week, but will leave that until the discussions about how we should operate if this goes through. Saint Mirren doesn't have third parties squeezing the life out of the club, has a good stadium, a training complex and we can point to a time when we had crowds that could fill the current ground. Yes we're all a bit apathetic, but the club is running break even and the potential is there for larger crowds...we just need to entice people back and show what a club working together with the fans can do. From what I know about it all so far, my gut feeling is that it is something I would personally like to get involved in. As I have said myself, since 1976 I have cared little for what goes on inside the boardroom, but fitba' has changed. Much at St Mirren has changed since all I concerned myself with was how to sneak my can of Breaker Malt Liqour onto the North Bank down the leg of my flares. If there's a chance to join others in actually making a difference to what goes on, and to feel more involved, have more pride in the club.... however you want to put it, I reckon I'd be up for it. Don't know how others feel about the concept, but without a St Mirren minded zillionaire out there with a heart of gold and a whopping bank balance..... this could be our best shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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