Joint Statement By 10000Hours And Selling Consortium

[Stuart Dickson]

It is 10000 Hours conditions though. They must have known about these conditions at the public meeting - why the secret? Does anyone else remember these conditions being presented? Aren't we entitled to know what these conditions are as we're supposed to be the owners?

In truth I don't know cause I've got no more information than everyone else. However I'm encouraged by the fact that the deal is still on, that a vote on the Newco is being delivered - hopefully with an open presentation of the arguments both for and against - and by what appears to be a bit of fiscal prudence with members money being shown by the leaders of the 10000hours bid.

[div]

I'm embarrassed for you:

It's a shame that you can't see what is there in front of you. Maybe you don't care about our football club in the same way that I do but each to their own.

So the one group that has actually seen the numbers disnae fancy it that much. We started out with how many social funders - was it 6 or 7? Now we are down to one and they don't sound like they fancy it that much either. The other group that may have seen some of the numbers, SMiSA have pulled out - currently.

10000 Hours are effectively blocking the consortium from committing to a "no" vote along with the other clubs who have done what every St Mirren fan wants them to do. Surely, you of all people must be boaking about this. Is 10000 Hours so important to you now that you would vote for scumgers to stay in the SPL?

This is an absolutely scandalous post. You've gone too far this time John, the stakes here are miles too high to be playing your stupid games.

I hope anyone with common sense and an appreciation of your track record on this forum will completely disregard this utter rubbish.

[St. Sid]

In truth I don't know cause I've got no more information than everyone else. However I'm encouraged by the fact that the deal is still on, that a vote on the Newco is being delivered - hopefully with an open presentation of the arguments both for and against - and by what appears to be a bit of fiscal prudence with members money being shown by the leaders of the 10000hours bid.

How can you have arguments for and agauinst the unknown Stu. The vote is taking place in less than two weeks. There has already been an admission that 10000 Hours and the consortium do not know what SKY will actually do. So the "facts" fans will be presented with will be a Bii backed 10000 Hours version of what may happen that will be scaremondgering on the same level as the two mystery bidders. It was clear this was going to be the case when GLS started rambling about the £500K loss in the PDE. When I suggested that 10000 Hours didn't fancy an SPL without scumgers it was rubbished - now we have conditional offers depending on the outcome of the vote.

[div]

Sorry but I don't have time today to deal with the conspiracy theorists.

You either believe the facts or you don't.

So you are trying to say that without sky money every club outside of Celtic will be in Administration.Because we are ment to be one of the better off clubs and you are saying we would be in it then the other clubs have no chance of surviving.So Sky would be seen to have been the death of Scottish football if they pulled out and they would not want to be seen as the bad guys in all of this so it aint going to happen .As far as i can see this is just pure scare mongering on a few peoples part maybe to try get more fans on board .......Come to think off it why the hell even put a bid in in the first place if it bothers them that much.

I can tell you with certainty that if Sky walked away from the SPL (again to clarify I personally don't think they will but it IS possible) and no alternative contract was put in it's place to cover it then we would be among 4 or 5 clubs that could certainly face administration.

It's not about being "better off". We operate on a break even position every season. This season the manager has a budget that was built based on certain money coming into the club based on us being in the SPL and the TV sponsorship and commercial contracts that exist in that division.

The players wages are committed through contracts.

If the TV sponsorship money suddenly stopped then you tell me how we pay those players wages ?

There is no multi millionnaire like Romanov sitting in our boardroom who could bankroll us this season until the players contracts expire and we can downscale the playing budget.

Again, I repeat, I personally do not think Sky will walk away, but they COULD and that risk is a real and present danger to St.Mirren FC.

You may not like it, I may not like it, but it is a fact.

The club and 10000Hours are simply exercising common sense and prudence. There is absolutely no point in gambling on certain outcomes that are completely outwith our control.

[DXBBud]

It's a shame that you can't see what is there in front of you. Maybe you don't care about our football club in the same way that I do but each to their own.

This is an absolutely scandalous post. You've gone too far this time John, the stakes here are miles too high to be playing your stupid games.

I hope anyone with common sense and an appreciation of your track record on this forum will completely disregard this utter rubbish.

I have been here for only a few days but have followed the forum for much longer than that. It is clear to me that despite what other impressions he wishes to portray of himself, that St Sid is nothing more than a WUM.

Always quick with a negative post or criticism of anyone whose thoughts, opinion or ability to attend games differs from his own.

What a sad little man.

[Ayrshire Saints]

The concers raised in the statement are perfectly understandable but why make these concerns public now ? These concerns were there in the lead up to yesterday's meeting so why was a statement to the effect that it was an unwise time to be making the bid not made and yesterday's meeting portponed. Had all the funding required to offer the full sum being demanded been in place yesterday surely the offer wouldn't have been made had these concerns been a worry at that time. This smacks of a delay to raise the cash on the 10K hrs side and a realisation that this is the only realistic concrete offer on the table from the current boards side. Surely there will be some middle ground compromise at the end of all this.

[div]

10000 Hours didn't fancy an SPL without scumgers it was rubbished - now we have conditional offers depending on the outcome of the vote.

Rangers being in the SPL is not the issue.

Let's make this point absolutely 100% clear yet again, as I am not sure you got it the first dozen times it was said;

The bid is not dependent on Rangers being in the SPL.

[aldo_j]

So the one group that has actually seen the numbers disnae fancy it that much. We started out with how many social funders - was it 6 or 7? Now we are down to one and they don't sound like they fancy it that much either. The other group that may have seen some of the numbers, SMiSA have pulled out - currently.

10000 Hours are effectively blocking the consortium from committing to a "no" vote along with the other clubs who have done what every St Mirren fan wants them to do. Surely, you of all people must be boaking about this. Is 10000 Hours so important to you now that you would vote for scumgers to stay in the SPL?

What an embarrassing statement.

You've said some decent stuff over the last couple of years on the takeover, outweighing the shite you post in other areas, but that last paragraph is so far off the money it's not real.

Probably in all actuality 10000 hours would be more likely to vote No to newco than the current board.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

It's not just as simple as ticking a Yes/No box unfortunately here. We have to outline various scenarios occurring and then ask members to respond accordingly based on each of those scenarios.

All 10000hours members (currently 984) will be asked to complete a secure online survey on the NewCo question. The wording of those questions is currently under consideration and we hope to be able to launch this very soon.

We have to protect the integrity of the survey so unfortunately it can't just be published as an online link for anyone to take part.

The survey will instead be sent to each email address we have in our GoCardless system, The link to the survey will be a one time use only which is specific to that email address, all of this prevents the survey from being open to abuse from outside influences.

Remember here that this is intended to deliver the opinion of the 10000Hours members to the board, it is not definining the decision the board will make which remains entirely their call to make.

Div this is a nonsense, you’re the man the supporters look to. You’re the link whether you like that or not. You have been sucked in to be involved and it’s disappointing to be fed bread crumbs.

Here I am guessing because no one in 10,000hour including your self will come clean. What’s to ask the fans. They have their answer in general discussion in the form of a 97% rejection on Newco. Have made my stand clear today , we vote any way or from on a yes vote then I am done with 10,000hours and I would imagine the vast majority will. Feelings are running high.

[Julian Banjos]

Sky have a clause they can invoke once Rangers are out of the league which allows them, if they so wish, to exit the contract. That is a fact and whilst it seems unlikely it still COULD happen.

Okay then, that clears things up a bit and is probably the key point in all of this? We move forward once Sky TV makes their position clear. Players have been given contracts based on the Sky deal being in place and there's a small chance Sky could walk away completely leaving us unable to pay wages.

As you say Div, it's unlikely they would tear up the contract and consign the majority of the clubs in the league to administration. Prudent though to wait and see what happens.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Julian Banjos

[St. Sid]

Sorry but I don't have time today to deal with the conspiracy theorists.......

.......and then goes on to spin another conspiracy theory that suits 10000 Hours.

We asked for detailed information and all we got were more soundbites + scaremongering about other bidders. Now we'll get scaremongering about the SPL / SKY implications to try and get us to keep scumgers in the SPL. Its a shambles. Fans should be demanding the entire thing gets postoned until full details are provided. They haven't even given us the courtesy of telling us how many 87 club members and 1877 club members are signed up.

[strbumelmac]

I find it hard to believe that, at this stage of the game, the SPL (and member clubs) do not have confirmation from ESPN, SKY and their other commercial partners as to what they will do if Rangers are kicked to touch.

It's all very well us and Motherwell saying they will canvas fans views, but to make any informed view you need the figures to determine what you really should be being as opposed to what you want to do.

[div]

The concers raised in the statement are perfectly understandable but why make these concerns public now ? These concerns were there in the lead up to yesterday's meeting so why was a statement to the effect that it was an unwise time to be making the bid not made and yesterday's meeting portponed. Had all the funding required to offer the full sum being demanded been in place yesterday surely the offer wouldn't have been made had these concerns been a worry at that time. This smacks of a delay to raise the cash on the 10K hrs side and a realisation that this is the only realistic concrete offer on the table from the current boards side. Surely there will be some middle ground compromise at the end of all this.

The bid we tabled yesterday was fair and sustainable. We would like to have more members on board so that potentially we can pay off the borrowing quicker and we can get more fans into the CIC but I do not see the actual final figure of the bid changing much to be honest.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Rangers being in the SPL is not the issue.

Let's make this point absolutely 100% clear yet again, as I am not sure you got it the first dozen times it was said;

The bid is not dependent on Rangers being in the SPL.

As my post above reads Div bread crumbs no wonder all sorts of stuff is being written.

Your one of us Div what's the score

[Stuart Dickson]

How can you have arguments for and agauinst the unknown Stu. The vote is taking place in less than two weeks. There has already been an admission that 10000 Hours and the consortium do not know what SKY will actually do. So the "facts" fans will be presented with will be a Bii backed 10000 Hours version of what may happen that will be scaremondgering on the same level as the two mystery bidders. It was clear this was going to be the case when GLS started rambling about the £500K loss in the PDE. When I suggested that 10000 Hours didn't fancy an SPL without scumgers it was rubbished - now we have conditional offers depending on the outcome of the vote.

I would expect to see arguments for and against as they are being presented to the SPL Chairmen by the SPL. If I am being asked to take a vote on an issue as important as this I would expect to have as much information as Stewart Gilmour and Richard Atkinson - otherwise what would be the point.

If the issue is BII and their conditions attached to their loan then that should also be presented to the membership and it would be for the membership to decide whether they want a Community Interest Company at the expense of sporting integrity or not.

I don't understand the logic of getting wound up about it. Fans have got what they wanted - a vote on the Newco.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Stuart Dickson

[HSS]

If Newco and Sky are both involved in the SPL next season and we have helped keep them there then we can say goodbye to the Sellic away support.

[div]

Div this is a nonsense, you’re the man the supporters look to. You’re the link whether you like that or not. You have been sucked in to be involved and it’s disappointing to be fed bread crumbs.

Here I am guessing because no one in 10,000hour including your self will come clean. What’s to ask the fans. They have their answer in general discussion in the form of a 97% rejection on Newco. Have made my stand clear today , we vote any way or from on a yes vote then I am done with 10,000hours and I would imagine the vast majority will. Feelings are running high.

Very disappointed to read that and makes me wonder why I am bothering spending all this time and effort on this and the bid to be honest !

I'm away now to try and do some work as I've done nothing but St.Mirren stuff this week and sadly that isn't going to pay any bills.

Over and out !

[WeeBud]

Sorry but I don't have time today to deal with the conspiracy theorists.

You either believe the facts or you don't.

I can tell you with certainty that if Sky walked away from the SPL (again to clarify I personally don't think they will but it IS possible) and no alternative contract was put in it's place to cover it then we would be among 4 or 5 clubs that could certainly face administration.

It's not about being "better off". We operate on a break even position every season. This season the manager has a budget that was built based on certain money coming into the club based on us being in the SPL and the TV sponsorship and commercial contracts that exist in that division.

The players wages are committed through contracts.

If the TV sponsorship money suddenly stopped then you tell me how we pay those players wages ?

There is no multi millionnaire like Romanov sitting in our boardroom who could bankroll us this season until the players contracts expire and we can downscale the playing budget.

Again, I repeat, I personally do not think Sky will walk away, but they COULD and that risk is a real and present danger to St.Mirren FC.

You may not like it, I may not like it, but it is a fact.

The club and 10000Hours are simply exercising common sense and prudence. There is absolutely no point in gambling on certain outcomes that are completely outwith our control.

Hi Div

I think I agree with most of what you stated above but just for clarification are you saying irrespective of whether CiC goes through the club would possibly be in administration in 4/5 months time without any "Sky" money??

If that is the case and with the likliehood that it is going to be "no to NewCo" irrespective of what we (SMFC and 10000hours) decide, is it a scenario where the funder is saying no to funding us without sufficient income streams coming into the club (SMFC) through commercial contracts,or, is it purely down to the possibility that we are buying 52% of something that is about to change shape and may not be worth as much as we were originally going to bid??

[Ayrshire Saints]

The bid we tabled yesterday was fair and sustainable. We would like to have more members on board so that potentially we can pay off the borrowing quicker and we can get more fans into the CIC but I do not see the actual final figure of the bid changing much to be honest.

So who's court is the ball in then. If the offer made yesterday was the final offer (size wise) then who makes the first move after the fall out (Sky money wise) from the Newco vote. Assuming it's a no and assuming Sky want to re-negotiate as opposed to walk away is that process not going to take some time to come to a conclusion and hence further delay any proposed sale ?

[St. Sid]

They've even tried to fiddle the vote further. Now it will only be signed up 10000 Hours members that will get a say on the scumgers vote. 10000 Hours dependent on scumgers being in the SPL......only 10000 Hours members get to vote on it. 10000 Hours doesn;t even exist at this point in time and yet the club is putting 10000 Hours members views above the rest of the support

In order to get a say in whether scumgers stay in the league or not you need to sign up to £1.5Million of debt. If you're not in the CIC then you're no longer a valued customer of SMFC.

[pod]

Hi Div

I think I agree with most of what you stated above but just for clarification are you saying irrespective of whether CiC goes through the club would possibly be in administration in 4/5 months time without any "Sky" money??

If that is the case and with the likliehood that it is going to be "no to NewCo" irrespective of what we (SMFC and 10000hours) decide, is it a scenario where the funder is saying no to funding us without sufficient income streams coming into the club (SMFC) through commercial contracts,or, is it purely down to the possibility that we are buying 52% of something that is about to change shape and may not be worth as much as we were originally going to bid??

He's not listening

[Julian Banjos]

So the information released today.....

1. 10,000 hours (with its 984 St Mirren fans) are very close to concluding a deal to buy the club. That's what most of us want.

2. Those 984 St Mirren fans will have a direct say in whether the blue bigots are in the SPL next season. That's what most of us want.

Why all the gnashing of teeth?

[St. Sid]

Its a disgrace that Div is having to field all the questions on this - where's REA / GLS / Chris Stewart / Brian Caldwell.......why should Div be giving up his time for this?

Fans are clearly concerned and they were hovering earlier no doubt expecting concerns to be raised. Why leave Div with all the questions?

[WeeBud]

Div this is a nonsense, you’re the man the supporters look to. You’re the link whether you like that or not. You have been sucked in to be involved and it’s disappointing to be fed bread crumbs.

Here I am guessing because no one in 10,000hour including your self will come clean. What’s to ask the fans. They have their answer in general discussion in the form of a 97% rejection on Newco. Have made my stand clear today , we vote any way or from on a yes vote then I am done with 10,000hours and I would imagine the vast majority will. Feelings are running high.

What's to ask the fans???

I thought that was one of the reasons that the CiC was of interest to many supporters, to have our voices heard after being provided with "the facts". Being a supporter on the outside and praising/criticising directors is easy when decisions don't rest on your shoulders. Being members of the CiC and tabling votes, on major issues, based on "collective decisions" have to be taken by "asking the fans/members"!!

[WeeBud]

He's not listening

He disappeared as I was typing but I'm sure Div will be back later