Sportsound Podcast Tonight

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Worth a listen if you didn't catch it.

Extensive interview with Stewart Gilmour.

http://www.blackandwhitearmy.com/podcasts/130514sportsound.mp3

[saints0]

So you didnt think of conducting any interviews ? "not after we talked to Tommy ,no" !!! Stunned

[zebrakid]

So you didnt think of conducting any interviews ? "not after we talked to Tommy ,no" !!! Stunned

Why are you Stunned ........

As Shirley Bassey one put it "all just a little bit of history repeating"

"Danny Lennon was the only man interviewed for the Saints manager's job, according to club chairman Stewart Gilmour. The former Cowdenbeath boss was officially presented to the media today. Since Gus MacPherson was sacked a month ago, there has been much speculation about who would come in to replace him. Kenny McDowall, Tommy Wilson and Willie McStay were just some of the names mentioned, and there were strong rumours that McStay had been told he'd been offered the job. Lennon, who has signed a two year contract, was only interviewed on Friday before being taken for a tour of the training ground at Ralston. When he returned, he was offered the job and quickly accepted the deal and compensation with Cowdenbeath - which includes a pre-season friendly with Saints - was finally resolved yesterday. According to Mr Gilmour, Lennon was the only man interviewed: "He was the only person that was interviewed. "We looked at all the CV's and we took up some references from people in the game we trusted to give us a reference. And when we interviewed Danny we always had the view that if he came up to the mark in the interview and his philosophy on how he saw the Club was similar to ours then he would get the job." Whether or not this is the truth is hard to tell, as this time last week Mr Gilmour had said he was hoping for an appointment as early as last Friday, which would be difficult considering Lennon wasn't even interviewed until then!"

[Julian Banjos]

Chick's little cameo didn't do anything to allay fears that there could be fallout from this dressing room.

SG - much as you would expect.

[Dibbles old paperboy]

Interesting that while SG says that while St Mirren would like to challenge for top 6, getting there will always be a big ask for a club of our size... which kind of begs the question of why bin someone who had us finishing 8th twice in 4 seasons and who was often getting us to the 40 point mark or beyond and in contention for the top 6. Before people say we missed top 6 by a mile this year, which we did, St Johnstone's 53 points in 6th place is the highest total for 6th in ages and normally the points gaps between 6th and 7th is fairly small and sometimes 7th finish on more points than 6th!

[Dibbles old paperboy]

The other bizarre element of the segment was Derek Ferguson saying a third party had sounded Barry Ferguson out about the manager's job last week (when he was seen at Ralston and while our board couldn't reach a decision on DL) and it sounded like they were puzzled about why approach through a third party and then not do any interview... (glad they didn't!)

[Mid Calder Saint]

Is it too much to ask that we can regularly challenge the might of the fake saints who regularly attract crowds of less than 3000 Inverness and motherwell. What we require at the club are people qualified in public relations and marketing in my opinion.

[Edinbuddie]

The other bizarre element of the segment was Derek Ferguson saying a third party had sounded Barry Ferguson out about the manager's job last week (when he was seen at Ralston and while our board couldn't reach a decision on DL) and it sounded like they were puzzled about why approach through a third party and then not do any interview... (glad they didn't!)

Does this not go on quite a lot though? E.g. an agent approaches Barry Ferguson off his own bat, indicating that St Mirren would like to sound him out about the manager's job. If Ferguson says he'd be interested, agent goes to St Mirren board letting them know that Ferguson is interested in the job and tries to earn himself some commission for brokering the deal? It doesn't necessarily mean that the Board or anyone at the club know anything about any approach.

The Board would know only too well that Barry Ferguson would be an extremely difficult sell to the rank and file, particularly due to his recent nightmare spell as Blackpool boss.

[dardo]

Is it too much to ask that we can regularly challenge the might of the fake saints who regularly attract crowds of less than 3000 Inverness and motherwell. What we require at the club are people qualified in public relations and marketing in my opinion.

Spot on. Our PR/Marketing is non-existent.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Is it too much to ask that we can regularly challenge the might of the fake saints who regularly attract crowds of less than 3000 Inverness and motherwell. What we require at the club are people qualified in public relations and marketing in my opinion.

Do ICT & Motherwell work on a break even basis like St Mirren which is the proper way to run a football club. If you do some research I think you will find both ICT & Motherwell do not work on a break even basis. Ross County and St Mirren are the best run clubs in the league. The Fakes have a bigger income than we have also.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Why not offer the opportunity for local students to work with the club in areas such as PR, hospitality and commercial work.

I'm sure there must be a wealth of untapped talent that would offer their services to get hands on experience for coursework and would boost their CV's when applying for jobs once they graduate.

Why not offer the opportunity for local students to work with the club in areas such as PR, hospitality and commercial work.

I'm sure there must be a wealth of untapped talent that would offer their services to get hands on experience for coursework and would boost their CV's when applying for jobs once they graduate.

That's a great idea the Paisley Uni is full of talent and for students to get out for real life experience in the work place should looked into as it would be good for the club and the students.

[Drew]

Why not offer the opportunity for local students to work with the club in areas such as PR, hospitality and commercial work.

I'm sure there must be a wealth of untapped talent that would offer their services to get hands on experience for coursework and would boost their CV's when applying for jobs once they graduate.

SMFC is a strange entity in a commercial sense. There is more dynamism and creativity in a breeze block. It is as if the club is still caught in a 1970s time warp. Perhaps we could feature in a reprisal of Ashes to Ashes.

Even waiting on the official website to load can be an excruciating experience. I reckon the server they use must be powered by a 40 year old bicycle dynamo, FFS.

From the abject failure to utilise the commercial potential of the void in the Main Stand, to the letter missing from the sign above the main entrance for month after month, you would hardly know that we have a modern, state of the art stadium. Dumbarton have one stand....yes, one stand, yet they manage to lay on a match-day bar and numerous other facilities and functions.

I could go on, but I'd be saying nothing that hasn't been posted on here a million times before - yet nothing has changed....

[Mid Calder Saint]

Lochwinnoch. Saint. Thanks for your reply to my post. You hit nail on the head. Yes fake saints higher income lower attendances than us. Why is that.

[beyond our ken]

Lochwinnoch. Saint. Thanks for your reply to my post. You hit nail on the head. Yes fake saints higher income lower attendances than us. Why is that.

maybe better use of the training pitches and the members club in the stand. i also hear that it's the place to go for a nice lunch. if they get the bus tours in then that is a good earner. add to that weddings and other ventures.

With it's proximity to the airport, New st Mirren park should be raking it in as a conference and events venue. i ran a conference there last year and the feedback was incredible, but I suspect the board don't really back Brian Caldwell in his exploits, so nobody else knows about it

[Wrong Planet]

Clearly like many on here I'm surprised by the decision, and I listened with interest to SG's interview last night. I'm sad to say that none of it addressed the main concerns that I had. I say 'sad' as I'm certainly inclined to be supportive of the Board, and will be again, but if this whole affair has convinced me of anything its that the selling consortium need out, for everyone's sake, most of all their own. I've looked at this every which way, and I can't reach any other conclusion than it being an elaborate cost cutting exercise, regardless of how often I hear the denial. Whether that's right or wrong, fair or unfair, that's where I am.

I was discouraged by what I interpreted as lack of ambition (“We’d like to aim for top 6, but that’s a big ask for a club like St Mirren”) - seems clear then, no stretching targets for the new regime. "Same again" would appear to be the order of the day. Worth saying, I know there are many on this forum who are good with that, so I accept that my own aspirations and ambitions are not shared by all. However the single biggest disappointment for me was....

Richard Gordon asked "Didn't it cross your mind that perhaps it would be better to have a fresh start?"

SG replied "We looked at all the possibilities."

That, by SG's own previous admission, is exactly what we did not do. The job became available around 3pm on Monday, and was filled 24 hours later. We did not advertise the vacancy, we did not interview any candidates. Given that, I'm struggling to understand how an experienced business person in any walk of life can have even the remotest of assurances that they appointed the right person, let alone expect the rest of us to buy it.

Season ticket is purchased, I'll get right behind Tommy Craig, I'll also get right behind Stewart and the Board as I am very respectful of all the good they have done. The events of the last 7 days just don't sit right though. We move on.

[Drew]

Clearly like many on here I'm surprised by the decision, and I listened with interest to SG's interview last night. I'm sad to say that none of it addressed the main concerns that I had. I say 'sad' as I'm certainly inclined to be supportive of the Board, and will be again, but if this whole affair has convinced me of anything its that the selling consortium need out, for everyone's sake, most of all their own. I've looked at this every which way, and I can't reach any other conclusion than it being an elaborate cost cutting exercise, regardless of how often I hear the denial. Whether that's right or wrong, fair or unfair, that's where I am.

I was discouraged by what I interpreted as lack of ambition (“We’d like to aim for top 6, but that’s a big ask for a club like St Mirren”) - seems clear then, no stretching targets for the new regime. "Same again" would appear to be the order of the day. Worth saying, I know there are many on this forum who are good with that, so I accept that my own aspirations and ambitions are not shared by all. However the single biggest disappointment for me was....

Richard Gordon asked "Didn't it cross your mind that perhaps it would be better to have a fresh start?"

SG replied "We looked at all the possibilities."

That, by SG's own previous admission, is exactly what we did not do. The job became available around 3pm on Monday, and was filled 24 hours later. We did not advertise the vacancy, we did not interview any candidates. Given that, I'm struggling to understand how an experienced business person in any walk of life can have even the remotest of assurances that they appointed the right person, let alone expect the rest of us to buy it.

Season ticket is purchased, I'll get right behind Tommy Craig, I'll also get right behind Stewart and the Board as I am very respectful of all the good they have done. The events of the last 7 days just don't sit right though. We move on.

Excellent post.

[santaponsasaint]

I've said it a few times, but until the Consortium sell up we won't see any major changes in the set-up of the club.

It suits the Consortium to keep everything ticking over as it has been for years as it poses no financial outlay or risk.

That's why it is unlikely that the shop will be re-stocked once Provan's depart - unless someone outside the club approaches them to rent it out.

It's far from ideal, but why should they invest additional money for no gain.

The Dome has been part funded by supporters, grants and sponsorship by JD Sports - with probably little direct investment from the Consortium.

If they could deliver the development of the void without any personal outlay then I'm sure they would have done by now, but that project requires a lot of capital upfront and would not qualify for grant aid.

Personally I wish the Void had been developed using the £100,000 profit made from the cup win - sadly that money no doubt was added to the playing budget last season which our outgoing manager used to pay off duds he signed.

Teams like St Johnstone and Motherwell have a great supporters bars in their stadiums - they are always packed and any time we have visited we have been made very welcome.

St Johnstone also charge for use of their car park - we don't even seem to inform our own supporters that you can pay on the day. There should be signs at the car park entrances of how much it is.

Try doubling it, £100,000 would not fit out the void

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Lochwinnoch. Saint. Thanks for your reply to my post. You hit nail on the head. Yes fake saints higher income lower attendances than us. Why is that.

Lochwinnoch. Saint. Thanks for your reply to my post. You hit nail on the head. Yes fake saints higher income lower attendances than us. Why is that.

Simple mate it has been written many times on these forums. They have a far larger commercial Income than we do they use their stadium better than we do ( at the moment )

[santaponsasaint]

The plans 10000hrs had for it are completely different than the club have, If we get new owners they will get the work started, But don't hold yer breath bud,

[FS]

Nothing will change until the current board get their buck and ship out, that much we do know... To mimic the words of Chairman Gilmour on Danny's departure on Monday. "I wish them well, and I'm sure they'll find another club to manage. But for now it's fair to say they've taken St Mirren FC as far as they can. "

[pozbaird]

Nothing will change until the current board get their buck and ship out, that much we do know... To mimic the words of Chairman Gilmour on Danny's departure on Monday. "I wish them well, and I'm sure they'll find another club to manage. But for now it's fair to say they've taken St Mirren FC as far as they can. "

^^^ This.