The Swiss : Is Club About To Be Sold ?

[TediousTom]

What is the source on these Swiss businessmen?

Could it be two well dressed gents were mistaken for "Swish businessmen"?

[davidg]

Doubt it and hope not.

Edited September 15, 2013 by davidg

[Leicester Saint]

What a shit analogy.

Leicester Shity have had their own issues with foreign ownership as have many other English clubs which has not exactly been a bed of roses.

There are not many examples of foreign ownership in the UK that have benefited clubs and their communities in the long term.

When teams get relegated from the English Premier League or old Div 1 and the cash bubble disappears many end up struggling to survive and a lot have entered administration including:

Portsmouth, Blackburn, Bolton, Coventry, Leicester, Leeds Utd, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Bradford City,

Leicester Shity racked up debts of £30,000,000 and went into administration in 2002. Frankly I'd have thrown them out of the league along with other clubs that have been so mismanaged financially that in any other line of business they would not be able to trade under the same guise.

Fcuk foreign ownership and all who sail with them.

You ought to seek some anger management classes brother.

What a nasty, argumentative post you made. Add in the personal digs and you've really made yourself look a bit silly there.

[shull]

Yeah, it's really held back Man City and Chelsea.

And when the Sugar Daddies pull out, we are left with an unsustainable Club and death.

Mileson and Gretna.

Let's just live sensible via the support and spending of our hardcore fanbase and we'll survive happily and forever.

[Leicester Saint]

And when the Sugar Daddies pull out, we are left with an unsustainable Club and death.

Mileson and Gretna.

Let's just live sensible via the support and spending of our hardcore fanbase and we'll survive happily and forever.

All of which is based on the assumption that foreign owners = spending shitloads of money.

[davidg]

All of which is based on the assumption that foreign owners = spending shitloads of money.

I agree with what you are saying but the major issue with foreign owners is they don't have black and white blood.

If the football club isn't a toy to them it's an investment. They have no emotional ties to the club and will want to get as much of this investment back as possible when they decide it's time to chuck it.

How would they achieve this? They might not care or be as picky as SG & co on where the club ends up.

[Leicester Saint]

I agree with what you are saying but the major issue with foreign owners is they don't have black and white blood.

If the football club isn't a toy to them it's an investment. They have no emotional ties to the club and will want to get as much of this investment back as possible when they decide it's time to chuck it.

How would they achieve this? They might not care or be as picky as SG & co on where the club ends up.

I can see your point. Very well made, and reasonably argued, unlike others on here.

However, I would just like to see the club sold. I think the current owners are now holding us back.

There's never going to be a guarantee that any new owner will be great, but we need to move on now, and try to develop the potential of our great club. (f**k, who do I sound like now!?)

[elvis]

Dougie on twitter saying its a load of crap .Just like our team.

[rea]

If any owner of any club describes their ownership in terms of "investment" then IMHO it means they are looking for a return on that "investment" if a return is made to the owner then that has to come from money generated by the Club which is their investment and which under different ownership model could have instead stayed in the club and benefited the budgets avaliable for the 1st team or youth development.

[Ayrshire Saints]

They are very fond(ue) of the club and particularly like Cheezy ***shakes heid***

[linwood buddie]

We will never be seen as an investment, our fan base is too small.

[shull]

Anyway, no need for us to worry.

I fully trust Mr Gilmour and Co, not to sell to anyone, other than sensible St Mirren supporting business persons.

Those who support our wonderful Club with heart and head.

Edited September 15, 2013 by shull

[whydowebother]

God f*cking help us if we are going to be run by foreign owners and not St Mirren Supporters.

Having 'The Alps' , they are used to having a mountain to climb

We certainly have an uphill struggle, but there has been bigger queues lining up to buy clubs with huge debts as oppossed to a club with no debt/own training complex/stadium etc.

I think as someone else has said , with a small fanbase they may not see that bringing a return ( albeit football doesnt usually return profits regardless).

[Leicester Saint]

To get back on topic a little here Slash, what's ANY of that got to do with having foreign owners!!??

Leicester are now owned by very rich Thai businessmen. They weren't in 2002.

Sorry you don't like LCFC very much, but I couldn't care less really. Though I'd have thought the fact I'm a St.Mirren fan, from Paisley, first and foremost would have allowed you to be a little more decent towards on of your fellow Buddies.

[Solitaire]

I heard a few rumblings as well, Put it down to a dodgy ruby tho,

[billyg]

Sod foreign ownership.

I agree , but we can't go on as we are with no apparent leadership from anyone within the club !

[Leicester Saint]

There's a lot of, quite frankly, racist bullshit on this thread.

All the clubs who have gone into administration or liquidation DIDN'T have foreign owners!! Some did, some didn't.

And where exactly is the correlation between being foreign and being an uncaring or poor businessman???

Some owners are responsible, some aren't. It's that f**king simple.

[Leicester Saint]

Are you implying that I'm a racist?

I just don't want anyone but St Mirren supporters owning our club. I'm not alone.

To make statements about someone's personality or intentions, or what likely behaviours that person may have, based solely on their nationality is racist, so if the cap fits brother.

[JM1]

Why would a non-St. Mirren supporting businessman want to invest in St. Mirren?

[TediousTom]

There's a lot of, quite frankly, racist bullshit on this thread.

All the clubs who have gone into administration or liquidation DIDN'T have foreign owners!! Some did, some didn't.

And where exactly is the correlation between being foreign and being an uncaring or poor businessman???

Some owners are responsible, some aren't. It's that f**king simple.

Goodness me.

I agree with the point that Slash has made so forcefully. We only have to gaze toward Gorgie Road to see the risks involved with unknown investors (who may or may not be foreign). Brookes Mileson bankrolling Gretna ended in disaster whereas Motherwell did get off lightly after John Boyle mismanaged them.

The fact is that anyone from Switzerland (who incidentally I doubt even exist, potential investors that is and not Swiss people) will definitely not have any personal connection to our beloved club and as such that could well leave the fortunes of the greatest club Paisley has ever known in a somewhat precarious position. It just seems like yesterday that a fellow called Reginald Brealey attempted to buy the Paisley giants and I thank my lucky stars that Mr Gilmour and Mr Campbell stepped up and stopped that particular deal from happening.

In this country we have seen many clubs disappear from existence. Examples are

Rangers

Third Lanark

Abercorn

Airdrieonians

Clydebank

Vale of Leven

Gretna

Obviously the list is not exhaustive but you will find that foolish reckless behaviour with money will have been a factor in every single club that failed.

Be careful what you wish for my vocal forum friend, be careful indeed.

Edited September 15, 2013 by TediousTom

[Leicester Saint]

Why would a non-St. Mirren supporting businessman want to invest in St. Mirren?

I'm sure it's already been the case.

[Leicester Saint]

Goodness me.

I agree with the point that Slash has made so forcefully. We only have to gaze toward Gorgie Road to see the risks involved with unknown investors (who may or may not be foreign). Brookes Mileson bankrolling Gretna ended in disaster whereas Motherwell did get off lightly after John Boyle mismanaged them.

The fact is that anyone from Switzerland (who incidentally I doubt even exist, potential investors that is and not Swiss people) will definitely not have any personal connection to our beloved club and as such that could well leave the fortunes of the greatest club Paisley has ever known in a somewhat precarious position. It just seems like yesterday that a fellow called Reginald Brealey attempted to but the Paisley giants and I thank my lucky stars that Mr Gilmour and Mr Campbell stepped up and stopped that particular deal from happening.

In this country we have seen many clubs disappear from existence. Examples are

Rangers

Third Lanark

Abercorn

Airdrieonians

Clydebank

Vale of Leven

Gretna

Obviously the list is not exhaustive but you will find that foolish reckless behaviour with money will have been a factor in every single club that failed.

Be careful what you wish for my vocal forum friend, be careful indeed.

How many of them were ran by foreign investors? THAT'S the point I'm trying to make Tom. Some businessmen are just not good businessmen!! Their country of origin has nothing to do with it.

[Leicester Saint]

I have given factual examples of badly run football clubs in this country and England where foreign ownership has proven to be detrimental to those clubs and their supporters. Dundee, Gretna and Hearts were all (or were part) foreign owned in Scotland.

Leicester City owed £millions to the UK Government and countless creditors due to improper financial mismanagement. Will history repeat itself UNDER a foreign owner - like Portsmouth, like Dundee??

History does not provide a good track record for foreign ownership of football clubs in this country.

Only time will tell what happens to your Leicester City.

What about the countless clubs around the world, or in this country, who have fallen into administration who were run by people from that country?

I just don't get this 'foreign ownership' trip that people go on!! What on earth does someone's nationality have to do with anything!?

I'd rather have someone we know to take over the club, but tbh, as long as someone can come in who will show they're there for the good, I don't care if they're Scottish, English, Swiss, Indian or Peruvian!! It doesn't matter.

There are good people in life, and bad people. Nationality shouldn't even come into it.

You also seem to have a real chip on your shoulder about LCFC for some reason? Strange, that one. Sorry if it offends you that I live there, and have therefore chosen to follow them alongside St.Mirren, as they're my local team.

My advice Slash? Get over it.

[Kendo]

Some people are never happy, remember the fans take over bid, it turned into a bitchfest. It is obvious that the club will be sold to some unknown investor. We had our chance and argued and squabbled and blew it.

[alanb]

Are there any Saint Mirren supporting buyers out there that our selling consortium can trust ?.

Would not seem so,therefore whoever they sell to,then we need to get behind them.

Trouble is who would buy us at the moment,I suspect we may be a better buy in a league we can possibly win.Constantly fighting against all odds is not a good seller.

The consortium may well need to 're-evaluate their target,if some want out,go with haste and let the club move on asap.

Either stay and fight or sell up and free the club to move on...whatever start making decisions again for the best