Jump to content

Buy The Buds


buddiecat

Recommended Posts

Relax BC, not a member YET. whistling.gif

Just trying to look at the future after we/us/who knows have paid the 10 years of £12 monthly installments.

If somehow some folk who turn out not to be working in the best interests of all, hike up the amount that's needed to be members to a level that only a few of them can afford. They could take control of the shareholding that SMiSA holds. Leaving those that have paid in for all those years with SFA.

Possibly an extreme example but is a possibility if I've read the constitution correctly.

Two quick points:

1 - The trust is one member one vote - the membership fee is decided by the membership - so the scenario you describe could only happen if the members voted for it.

2 - the constitution of the trust (and I believe a condition of being part of SD) is that membership has to be 'affordable' and open to all. Whilst this is a bit subjective, ultimately it would protect against the situation you describe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Two quick points:

1 - The trust is one member one vote - the membership fee is decided by the membership - so the scenario you describe could only happen if the members voted for it.

2 - the constitution of the trust (and I believe a condition of being part of SD) is that membership has to be 'affordable' and open to all. Whilst this is a bit subjective, ultimately it would protect against the situation you describe.

The first point is not technically correct. The board decide but obviously the membership decide the board.

Not a condition of SD membership as such but is a condition of being a trust either a CBS or IPS which then allows you membership of SD .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the above concern. You commit to 10 years and get nothing in return

If your looking for something in return, the answer is you have your club in the hands of the people who care most about it's continued survival. SMiSA is a not for profit trust and if it were to somehow fold then all funds have to be given to a similar community benefit trust (Could be another SMFC fans trust that sets up) or a charity.

Quite simply you don't sign up to something like this and expect to walk away with anything other than the satisfaction and pride that you were part of it all. Hopefully you never choose walk away from it at all, without good reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a hard one but I think a minimum would a 5 shares that way you literally own the club. But the bulk of shares will be owned by SMISA

It would be a token amount but not enough to affect the running of the bid aims and goals

For 2500 you get 10 shares. So for £1400 you 5 and if after 10 years you stop or walk away you have something to show for your commitment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HSS, apologies, for delay, i am checking this out right now

David got back to me not long after this so cheers for that.

Again my point is.....a missed e-mail could be a missed £12.People who were maybe swithering about joining and wouldn't bother because they've not had a reply to a mail.

Anyway.....keep up the good work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What, exactly, do you want in return?

Me personally, I don't want anything. All I want is to play my part in giving the club I love to the people who I hope will always keep its best interests at heart. I already have my 10 shares, my brick in the wall and will more than likely still be a season ticket holder in 10 years. For me doing my bit is enough.

However I was talking to my brother about it a couple of weeks ago. He is a saints fan but isn't a share holder and doesn't go week in week out. A tenner a month wouldn't be a struggle for him but I found it hard to explain to him why he would want to do it, even though I'm a believer that it is a great way forward.

Some sort of recognition may encourage some people. For example if you pay £12 per month for 10 years you become and honoury member? Or you get a name on a board or in a book in the stadium as a someone who helped bring the club to the people. Maybe a I bought the buds certificate or something.

I know things like these cost money but it gives people (who aren't as close to the club or SMISA) a feeling that they are buying into something.

The guys who signed up for the bar, get their names on a board, they get a private drinking bar and a parking space, yet guys joining SMISA could help put the club into a safe ownership but get no credit for it. As I say safe ownership is enough for me but might not be enough for some others to part with their cash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me personally, I don't want anything. All I want is to play my part in giving the club I love to the people who I hope will always keep its best interests at heart. I already have my 10 shares, my brick in the wall and will more than likely still be a season ticket holder in 10 years. For me doing my bit is enough.

However I was talking to my brother about it a couple of weeks ago. He is a saints fan but isn't a share holder and doesn't go week in week out. A tenner a month wouldn't be a struggle for him but I found it hard to explain to him why he would want to do it, even though I'm a believer that it is a great way forward.

Some sort of recognition may encourage some people. For example if you pay £12 per month for 10 years you become and honoury member? Or you get a name on a board or in a book in the stadium as a someone who helped bring the club to the people. Maybe a I bought the buds certificate or something.

I know things like these cost money but it gives people (who aren't as close to the club or SMISA) a feeling that they are buying into something.

The guys who signed up for the bar, get their names on a board, they get a private drinking bar and a parking space, yet guys joining SMISA could help put the club into a safe ownership but get no credit for it. As I say safe ownership is enough for me but might not be enough for some others to part with their cash.

Good post

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first point is not technically correct. The board decide but obviously the membership decide the board.

Not a condition of SD membership as such but is a condition of being a trust either a CBS or IPS which then allows you membership of SD .

Well it depends how you interpret the wording. The board sets the subscription rate and a change to that rate is (arguably) a change to the society's rules - although I get where you are coming from. And as you point out - if the members are unhappy at the decision, they can easily vote to replace the board.

The second point is really more crucial - ultimately if 'future smisa board' decided to set the membership fee at a rate that was deliberately prohibitive, they would be in breach of their own rules, the spirit of SD more importantly, the laws governing CBSs.

I think we agree - its pretty unlikely.

Edited by BLF
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me personally, I don't want anything. All I want is to play my part in giving the club I love to the people who I hope will always keep its best interests at heart. I already have my 10 shares, my brick in the wall and will more than likely still be a season ticket holder in 10 years. For me doing my bit is enough.

However I was talking to my brother about it a couple of weeks ago. He is a saints fan but isn't a share holder and doesn't go week in week out. A tenner a month wouldn't be a struggle for him but I found it hard to explain to him why he would want to do it, even though I'm a believer that it is a great way forward.

Some sort of recognition may encourage some people. For example if you pay £12 per month for 10 years you become and honoury member? Or you get a name on a board or in a book in the stadium as a someone who helped bring the club to the people. Maybe a I bought the buds certificate or something.

I know things like these cost money but it gives people (who aren't as close to the club or SMISA) a feeling that they are buying into something.

The guys who signed up for the bar, get their names on a board, they get a private drinking bar and a parking space, yet guys joining SMISA could help put the club into a safe ownership but get no credit for it. As I say safe ownership is enough for me but might not be enough for some others to part with their cash.

The Smisa website says there will be some form of recognition in the main stand for the fans who back the bid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also what is the scope for people who are backing it through their businesses to be recognised. Tam on here said he has a hairdressers and someone said well that would be 1000 new customers but will there be a publication whether a magazine or an email telling us all where his shop is?

I would be delighted to use other buddies businesses but how do we learn about them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be fair I did read that but I thought it was just a copy of the bricks on the main stand idea.

If its going to be inside then what happens if you are west stand customer or if you are doing it on behalf of a late partner will never get a chance to see a members board

I get the feeling there is a missed opportunity that would persuade the maybes to a yes and the NO to a maybe to get closer to the number required

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be fair I did read that but I thought it was just a copy of the bricks on the main stand idea.

If its going to be inside then what happens if you are west stand customer or if you are doing it on behalf of a late partner will never get a chance to see a members board

I get the feeling there is a missed opportunity that would persuade the maybes to a yes and the NO to a maybe to get closer to the number required

Care just has to be taken to recognize the separate legal entities that are involved.

The Club is owned by its shareholders.

It just so happens that one of those shareholders will also be a company SMISA owned by its fan members, but despite them (hopefully) owning the majority they are simply a shareholder like any of the other IIRC 900 shareholders and so the Company (which is the Club) needs to be careful not to do anything that treats one shareholder differently than another, no matter how justified it might be in terms of promoting a FO bid....equally the bidder needs to be careful not to appear to be offering (as a result of its shareholding) any assets of the Club to just itself and by default its members as a result of a potentially majority shareholding position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to see so many questions coming out from fellow buds re Smisa & GLS bid. Would be great if these and many more are brought up at the public meeting 19 May in the hospitality suite for Smisa & Gordon to answer directly, alternatively Smisa/Gordon will be inviting questions from those who cannot attend to be put to the bid team on the night.

The meeting is being streamed live, as well as recorded so as many buds as possible can be involved.

Remember as a Smisa member its your ideas that count and make the difference! Its easy to look round for others to think of, and suggest everything. But as a Smisa member you have a genuine reponsibilty to do the right thing for the club and the trust. If younwant to know who has the real influence in this bid..? Look in the mirror bud!

Direct you're questions to Smisa & GLS if you want the full and correct answer, avoid others agendas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to see so many questions coming out from fellow buds re Smisa & GLS bid. Would be great if these and many more are brought up at the public meeting 19 May in the hospitality suite for Smisa & Gordon to answer directly, alternatively Smisa/Gordon will be inviting questions from those who cannot attend to be put to the bid team on the night.

The meeting is being streamed live, as well as recorded so as many buds as possible can be involved.

Remember as a Smisa member its your ideas that count and make the difference! Its easy to look round for others to think of, and suggest everything. But as a Smisa member you have a genuine reponsibilty to do the right thing for the club and the trust. If younwant to know who has the real influence in this bid..? Look in the mirror bud!

Direct you're questions to Smisa & GLS if you want the full and correct answer, avoid others agendas.

What's your position within SMISA LP?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally speaking I'm happy to pay £12 a month for ten years just to know that my kids and grandkids will have a club to follow and "enjoy" in years to come.

I don't care about having my name on a wall and I've no interest in sitting on boards or committees.

I'd also be happy to keep contributing to a fund even after the club is bought and paid for but I'd want to see that money invested in the club either in terms of the academy or the infrastructure/facilities for the supporters.

Stuff like stadium maintenance should be budgeted for by the club. I don't think the fans can really be expected to pay for that on top of everything else!

I spoke with a fella last night who I don't know that well, but he's a Saints fan I see every week and I did struggle to explain why he should be signing up. Eventually I just said he should attend the meeting and find out more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I'm in Tenerife I'll not be able to ask the questions personally on the night so I'm glad that buddiecat has answered the questions I've asked and rea for his contribution. It's highlighted a potential problem that I'm sure will be easily rectified and watched out for in the future.

If anyone thinks I've got or party to any agenda against this buy out then they are mistaken.

Fan-tastic!

Buddiecat is a Smisa board member so you are hitting the spot there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During lunch was speaking to my companies lawyer and he has basically backed what REA has said.

He was not sure why you have to be a member of SMISA to be part of the bid also when I mentioned rainy day fund his face said it all. Then again I might not have explained it fully.

Hopefully all will be explained at the meeting next week should be interesting

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During lunch was speaking to my companies lawyer and he has basically backed what REA has said.

He was not sure why you have to be a member of SMISA to be part of the bid also when I mentioned rainy day fund his face said it all. Then again I might not have explained it fully.

Hopefully all will be explained at the meeting next week should be interesting

You have to be a member as being a member of SMISA is what gets you your single share in SMISA which then give you the right to vote on SMISA matter such as how any vote to which the shares they one in SMFC are relevant is cast.

It SMISA that own the shares collectively on behalf of the members.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...