The Club Buy Out - 10000 Hours

[band for life]

Tony Fitzpatrick has been involved behind the scenes for a considerable time, and far from being 'rent-a-legend' brought in at the last minute to fool fans, he has had, and will have, an active role to play.

I'll bow to your suprior knowledge, but my surprise remains that this "secret" never leaked.

[pozbaird]

I'll bow to your suprior knowledge, but my surprise remains that this "secret" never leaked.

You don't need to bow to anything. Div linked to newspaper stories that publicly mentioned Tony's involvement. It's not about 'being in the know'!

[TeddyKGB]

Success is the reason why nobody is moaning I would suggest. The two go hand in hand.

If St.Mirren were romping the first division at the moment the crowds would be up and nobody would be moaning. The team wouldn't be as successful as the current one though !

Supporting St.Mirren has never been an easy choice, and we've had a fair few kicks in the nuts in recent years which makes it even more painful.

You know the drill, if you wanted to follow a team that wins in the SPL most weeks you would pop up the road and join the other tens of thousands of brain deads.

We all want to see better football and more entertainment at St.Mirren Park, maybe league re-construction will help that as we will more likely become a yo-yo team going up and down between the two SPL divisions, and with the financial penalty of relegation not being so big we might have more of a go when we play "the big boys".

Finishing 5th out of 10 in the league was a great achievement. But don't think this has anything to do with success. Just all round better entertainment and value for money. No religious poison and a genuine family sport. The Aladdin Cup was the equivalent to the Tennants Sixes sort of.

Scottish Foitball is shit. Like Poz said, if I didn't have an allegiance to my team, I would have quit years ago.

[div]

Finishing 5th out of 10 in the league was a great achievement. But don't think this has anything to do with success. Just all round better entertainment and value for money. No religious poison and a genuine family sport. The Aladdin Cup was the equivalent to the Tennants Sixes sort of.

Scottish Foitball is shit. Like Poz said, if I didn't have an allegiance to my team, I would have quit years ago.

I'm sure it's great and I would like to go along and try it out.

I do however remember the early days of the Paisley Pirates, it was the same heady mix of excitement and big crowds. I went along to a few games then and really enjoyed it too.

Everyone got bored eventually though and it eventually died a death.

Maybe the Braehead team will get support from Glasgow and that will help it to survive longer term.

[TeddyKGB]

I'm sure it's great and I would like to go along and try it out.

I do however remember the early days of the Paisley Pirates, it was the same heady mix of excitement and big crowds. I went along to a few games then and really enjoyed it too.

Everyone got bored eventually though and it eventually died a death.

Maybe the Braehead team will get support from Glasgow and that will help it to survive longer term.

Season is over for the team now. I think the reason they chose Braehead was so as not to alienate Paisley/Glasgow/Ayr etc. A genuine west of Scotland thing. 2,500 at Braehead on Friday night for the play-off game. Clan went down 1-3, went ahead 4-3 then lost out 4-5. Great atmosphere, great entertainment and a few fights too. Not everyone's cup of tea, maybe it is just something different.Time will tell.

Point is Saints/Scottish football can't afford to leak fans. We are treated like mushrooms, fed shit and kept in the dark. I am, of course, referring more to league reconstruction. A genuine opportunity to do something radical and what do we get ? Same old (firm) shit.

[boneshaker]

June 24th 2010 The Herald; ** Link **

June 25th 2010 Daily Record; ** Link **

20th Augist 2010 Official Website; ** Link **

Although the first two stories weren't 100% accurate in terms of his role, it is clear that there have been rumours of his involvement for well over 6 months now.

Tony is a legend who always has the best interests of the club at heart so his presence in the boardroom should offer some re-assurance.

The two appointments signal a step change in the process and the main aim of the group involved is now going to be persuading ALL of the fans that this is a good thing for the club, and to persuade as many as possible to get involved as frankly it won't work without the fans and the community really buying in to it.

Tony ticks all the boxes as someone who knows the club inside out, someone who the majority of the fans respect, someone who is hugely active with working with sport in the community and also someone who is a successful businessman.

There has been some doubt expressed about "non-St.Mirren fans" buying the club, well here is someone who has been involved with the project right from the start and he is very much a Saints man.

Hopefully Tony's enthusiasm and passion for the club will rub off on all those involved both now and in the future.

Div - I have read your comments with interest over many years but have only started contributing over the last two years. I think you are selling this "CIC" too hard. It's turning me off.

Should the "CIC" come to fruition I for one am off.

Be carefull what you wish for. Position on the BOD or not.

[chico]

Read the twitter update regarding Fitzy. Great guy, club legend, but I'm not really bothered he's advising the board.

I started off being confused by the CIC. I think I understand it. I'm not sure I'd want to contribute to it, I'd like to see the SMISA money that I previously contributed to used in some way but guess that won't become a share purchase from the CIC.

I'm worried that only a select few are clues up on this. I'm very much against 'i know but yoose don't ' happening on forums. I'd like to see a statement from the CIC soon but im not expecting one. I'm fairly unexcited and a bit meh over the whole thing.

In general I want to see change at the boardroom, I'd like that change to be reflected somehow on the park. I feel this season has been a grim experience and it needs some ray of light (I'm praying it's Saturday)

A change at the heart of the club could be all we need to hopefully move the club onward from season after season relegation struggle. A sniff at the top six, a few home wins in a row or even seeing a bit of spirit in the playing squad.

[div]

Div - I have read your comments with interest over many years but have only started contributing over the last two years. I think you are selling this "CIC" too hard. It's turning me off.

Should the "CIC" come to fruition I for one am off.

Be carefull what you wish for. Position on the BOD or not.

Sorry to hear that.

All I am trying to do, and maybe failing, is to dispell some of the many untruths being posted about the situation.

How can you decide to walk away from something you don't yet know anything about other than what you've read here ? Wouldn't you be better to go along to the public meetings that are planned and make up your decision based on facts and not heresay ?

For the record I will be joining the CIC, and helping out wherever I can, but I certainly won't be putting myself forward for any boards, I don't have the time.

[div]

Read the twitter update regarding Fitzy. Great guy, club legend, but I'm not really bothered he's advising the board.

I started off being confused by the CIC. I think I understand it. I'm not sure I'd want to contribute to it, I'd like to see the SMISA money that I previously contributed to used in some way but guess that won't become a share purchase from the CIC.

If you join the CIC then for the same fee you used to pay SMiSA you will get a voice in the running of the club, and can participate as much or as little as you like. Isn't that what SMiSA were originally buying the shares to acheive ?

I'm worried that only a select few are clues up on this. I'm very much against 'i know but yoose don't ' happening on forums. I'd like to see a statement from the CIC soon but im not expecting one. I'm fairly unexcited and a bit meh over the whole thing.

Very confusing !

In today's announcement it reads;

Over the next couple of weeks further details will be announced of a shareholders meeting and a number of public meetings at which all people who may be interested in what a Community Interest Company controlling ownership will mean for them, the team and the wider community.

Isn't this a statement from the CIC which is aiming to ensure that anyone who wants to know EXACTLY what is going on can attend one of these meetings and find out ?

[chico]

If you join the CIC then for the same fee you used to pay SMiSA you will get a voice in the running of the club, and can participate as much or as little as you like. Isn't that what SMiSA were originally buying the shares to acheive ?

I'd rather see SMISA increase it's shareholding, but that'd for all the trust members to agree if they help fund the CIC or not I guess.

Very confusing !

In today's announcement it reads;

Over the next couple of weeks further details will be announced of a shareholders meeting and a number of public meetings at which all people who may be interested in what a Community Interest Company controlling ownership will mean for them, the team and the wider community.

Isn't this a statement from the CIC which is aiming to ensure that anyone who wants to know EXACTLY what is going on can attend one of these meetings and find out ?

me bad. Must read more. Never saw that.

[div]

I'd rather see SMISA increase it's shareholding, but that'd for all the trust members to agree if they help fund the CIC or not I guess.

SMiSA have been working very closely with 10,000 hours. I'm sure that the aim will be that all the SMiSA guys will be a key part of all of this, assuming that they want to be !

[Ally]

I'm very sceptical about how much people will actually buy into this idea. The hardcore support is at about 2500-3000 now who already invest a lot of money into the club through ticket sales/merchandise/travelling to games etc... How willing are those same people going to be when asked to handover more money to essentially help sustain the running of the club? This is managed and taken care of already by the present board so how many fans are really interested in having a say on the ins and outs of how the club is actually run. Aren't a lot of people just happy enough to go along and support the team on a Saturday afternoon and let other people worry and finance the actual club? The last share issue wasn't well taken up by the club and that was at a time when we were really desperate. What is going to be different now?

I can see the actual support's financial input being pretty miniscule, which leaves it upto the local businesses having to make up the vast majority of funding... as I presume they would be expecting anyway. However at a time when businesses are cutting back, will getting involved in this CIC(where they can't make any profit whatsover) look appealing? To me that's going to be a very hard sell. They may receive some positive PR from it, but there's only 2500-3000 potential customers. If we're exceptionally successful it's only ever going to get to about 5000... that's not a massive target audience. If I was running a local business it would appear to me to be high risk low reward...

Maybe I'm not understanding the whole CIC idea exactly, however I suspect the amount of fans/companies who'd need to financially commit to it won't make it feasible. Personally I have no interest in spending more money on St Mirren, an already expensive habit in time and money, to be served up with relatively the same product on the park.

[chico]

SMiSA have been working very closely with 10,000 hours. I'm sure that the aim will be that all the SMiSA guys will be a key part of all of this, assuming that they want to be !

Never seen that anywhere before. 10,000 hours?

[div]

Never seen that anywhere before. 10,000 hours?

10,000 hours is the name of the CIC.

[chico]

10,000 hours is the name of the CIC.

Interestng name just googled it.

[Drew]

10,000 hours is the name of the CIC.

Am I missing something?

[Mainstand Sweary Mob]

Football has become disconnected from its supporters and the community in general. Fans no longer feel a part of the club...

For once Sid you have summed it up well.

SPL as a whole asked supporters what they wanted, but it means f**k all what the rest think as they will go with the OF want. If they want to go with 10 team top league rather than expanding it then they will. They try to sell it saying it will help all of Scottish football? Will it? Just doing what the OF want or needs will never be the best for Scottish football.

[div]

Am I missing something?

Not sure what you mean ?

10,000 hours is the name of the community interest company that has been formed for the purpose of taking the majority shareholding of St.Mirren Football Club into community ownership.

[TsuMirren]

Ally,

I believe the club is currently running with minimal investment. Saints fans appear, going by this forum, facebook and comment in the stands, to all want to have a say in the running of the club and this is the best chance they'll have in that. As already said, and missed by virtually all, it won't need to be £10 a month. It could be voted in as less, though the 300 or so would I'd imagine need to be signed up and understanding of the clubs finances beforehand.

If local companies didn't want to get involved them today's press release wouldn't have happened. As for support levels, Cup runs and important games in recent times have shown Saints can still draw...we just need to identify how to harness that. Huge "just" granted!

As for the last share issue, perhaps a sentimental trinket wasn't rewarding enough or involved enough for many.

Another issue...who's to say this will only appeal to Saint Mirren fans and could only draw local or Scottish press? We'd be the only top flight UK club to do this and one of very few outwith Germany. The club has matches live on TV and records all their games so coverage for international football fans is good. We, unlike others down south, could qualify for Europe and that's a draw also for the remote supporter.

[Reeperbahn Bud]

A banker on the board......great!

[Frank McGarvey' wonky legs]

Better than a banker running the club though!!

Edited March 28, 2011 by Frank McGarvey' wonky legs

[animal]

After your performance over the last few weeks I doubt you would be trusted to put the ticket on for a lottery syndicate never mind formulate a business plan.

Hopefully you might actually bother your arse to attend one of the meetings and shut the f"k up and listen to your betters asking intelligent questions rather than just spouting any old pish that comes into your head - that's Faraway Saint's job.

Tony was at the club quite a lot during the first FITT club and was accompanied by RA, so I reckon he has been involved from a very early stage.

The concern about the remaining 48% of the shareholding is another red herring. All the shares in the club would still exist. The CIC cannot just right off shares that they don't own.

I am delighted that the process has moved on to the next stage. I recommend that everyone attends the meetings rather than just relying on third party information as most fans (like animal) are a bit thick and highly irrational.

I suspect I am on the right track when all you can offer in return is personal abuse.

[Kemp]

Season is over for the team now. I think the reason they chose Braehead was so as not to alienate Paisley/Glasgow/Ayr etc. A genuine west of Scotland thing. 2,500 at Braehead on Friday night for the play-off game. Clan went down 1-3, went ahead 4-3 then lost out 4-5. Great atmosphere, great entertainment and a few fights too. Not everyone's cup of tea, maybe it is just something different.Time will tell.

Point is Saints/Scottish football can't afford to leak fans. We are treated like mushrooms, fed shit and kept in the dark. I am, of course, referring more to league reconstruction. A genuine opportunity to do something radical and what do we get ? Same old (firm) shit.

You are watching ICE HOCKEY?

In a SHOPPING CENTRE?

And the team is name after......A SHOPPING CENTRE?

And people are supposed to identify with an "out of town mall" rather than their home town?

I am speechless.

Hope the new owners can get some passion back about the club and the town. It's sad to see so many drift away, but indeed also quite understandable.

[Stu]

I'm very sceptical about how much people will actually buy into this idea. The hardcore support is at about 2500-3000 now who already invest a lot of money into the club through ticket sales/merchandise/travelling to games etc... How willing are those same people going to be when asked to handover more money to essentially help sustain the running of the club? This is managed and taken care of already by the present board so how many fans are really interested in having a say on the ins and outs of how the club is actually run. Aren't a lot of people just happy enough to go along and support the team on a Saturday afternoon and let other people worry and finance the actual club? The last share issue wasn't well taken up by the club and that was at a time when we were really desperate. What is going to be different now?

I can see the actual support's financial input being pretty miniscule, which leaves it upto the local businesses having to make up the vast majority of funding... as I presume they would be expecting anyway. However at a time when businesses are cutting back, will getting involved in this CIC(where they can't make any profit whatsover) look appealing? To me that's going to be a very hard sell. They may receive some positive PR from it, but there's only 2500-3000 potential customers. If we're exceptionally successful it's only ever going to get to about 5000... that's not a massive target audience. If I was running a local business it would appear to me to be high risk low reward...

Maybe I'm not understanding the whole CIC idea exactly, however I suspect the amount of fans/companies who'd need to financially commit to it won't make it feasible. Personally I have no interest in spending more money on St Mirren, an already expensive habit in time and money, to be served up with relatively the same product on the park.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts on the whole thing too. The share issue in 1998 when the club was at death's door wasn't well supported, so why will people contribute £10 a month just to have a say in the club when their shares got them the same?

And I fear certain people may be getting rather optimistic about potential uptake in this - not surprising considering some of the other potential sums I've heard they think they can generate. What happens if they budget for 3,000 folk signing up and only 1,000 do?

Football is an expensive business these days, I can't see folk like shull who (rightly) complain about ticekt prices stumping up even more cash.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Would have to disagree with you there Div, I think it has a helluva' lot to do with Saints. Specifically being one of Britain's lowest scoring teams, the negative stuffy style, the 2010 League Cup Final, the appalling home record...

Apologies for the off-topicness!

History throws up some interesting facts. When I first attended Saints games there were some 7,000 fans going through the gate. A couple of seasons later we were in the lower league. I remember going to a league game where Love street was near empty. Next day it was reported in the press 900 fans attended.

A few seasons later healthy attendance were going through the gates. Attendance is all performance related for sure.

Since moving to the new stadium our fans have witnessed 59 games , out of the 59 games we have won 8 games. There lies the real problem.

Im 52 years of age and have been going to Saints since 1967. Even though I have a season ticket I have attended only half the home games I could have gone to. WHY. Most of the football has been dire not just this season. Our home game against Aberdeen gave me a lift , I remember thinking this is what football used to be like brilliant. Because of that game I made a 6 hour round trip in the car to Aberdeen. It scunnerd me it really did.

We need a philosophy of attacking football. Have a go , if we lose so what at least we tried. The SPL is built around too many teams fighting for survival at any cost. So yourself and Div have valid points.

Im going to give the season ticket one more chance next season , if the buzz of the game returns more often I will be at St. Mirren Park for many years. If the buzz is not there I will give it up.

Edited March 29, 2011 by Lochwinnoch Saint