Buy The Buds

[Dibbles old paperboy]

You post on here giving the persona that you are some kind of unofficial SMISA spokesperson. Yet when someone who claims to have signed up for a £25/month contribution asks in my opinion a viable question, you shout them down as a “roaster”.

SD has come up with a viable comment/query on the proposal. The current board has been rightly criticised over the period for under selling the club and not running it like a business. This lack of business acumen has resulted in them failing to sell their wares for 7 years and have also resulted in them having to sell it at half the original asking price.

SMISA had a meeting last week and had a meeting to sell their glorious plan to the public and they didn't. What they advised us and the media was that you have a chance to be part owner of a club FULL STOP. No business plan, no sound bites, no promises, no aspiration, no anything other than fan ownership there was no excitement that would make people take a chance and sign up and be part of something special other than the fans running the club. The meeting was in my opinion a lost opportunity to sell the opportunity to be involved in something special by advising what they were going to do to generate income for the club, open new renew streams, involve the community, make the club more in touch with the fans old and new. Your response to this is sign up and wait and see. They don’t want to promise things they can’t deliver (that’s how the current board run the club)

Your history of character assignation on here and the unofficial SMISA town crier role on here is putting me off being part of the process.

So a question to an official SMISA representative is “What is the business plan and what are you going to do different to the current board in running the club that will sell the club to a wider customer and what ideas do you have to involve the community and the town”

If i want to be involved in a fans ownership i want to know that my money is not going to a board that is the same as we already have.

This!

The leaflet handed out at the Morton game was 4 pages of saying one or two things over and over again using slightly different phrases: you can have a chance (maybe the last chance) to have fans own the club and what can be better / safer than fans owning the club.

There's still hee haw detail.

[Callum Gilhooley]

Is the apparent lack of a business plan not worthy of discussion?

Of course it is. But my response was to address what you said in the first three sentences highlighted.

[Callum Gilhooley]

Is the apparent lack of a business plan not worthy of discussion?

& where do i say its not ?

[shull]

I'm away tae Bed.

Night night all

[Stuart Dickson]

& where do i say its not ?

You don't. Apologies. I may have taken what you've said in the wrong tone.

[gazmc83]

As Callum correctly pointed out nobody on the forum is an official spokesperson for SMISA this is purely a discussion and people expressing their own personal opinion, if you have specific questions many can be answered on the SMISA website and if not by emailing [email protected] , which I myself have done several times and always got a very swift reply.

655 members currently I think is a pretty good return we just need that final flurry of undecided supporters to get us over the line , as many have pointed out I think the main reason fans are holding off signing up is because the club isn't desperate like hearts & Dunfermline etc were , we are a well run club who are just looking for some much needed fresh ideas and to safeguard the clubs future , I personally believe that future is best safeguarded in the hands of the people who care about it the most ... The fans

[Stuart Dickson]

As Callum correctly pointed out nobody on the forum is an official spokesperson for SMISA this is purely a discussion and people expressing their own personal opinion, if you have specific questions many can be answered on the SMISA website and if not by emailing [email protected] , which I myself have done several times and always got a very swift reply.

655 members currently I think is a pretty good return we just need that final flurry of undecided supporters to get us over the line , as many have pointed out I think the main reason fans are holding off signing up is because the club isn't desperate like hearts & Dunfermline etc were , we are a well run club who are just looking for some much needed fresh ideas and to safeguard the clubs future , I personally believe that future is best safeguarded in the hands of the people who care about it the most ... The fans

Wouldn't it help to see some evidence of at least one fresh idea? I'm sure that would help drive the numbers up.

[gazmc83]

I agree perhaps he could have been more detailed in his vision but I think it's pretty simple , give the club a new lease of life ( we all agree this is much need ) get the fans more involved along with finding more revenue streams into the club .

Edited May 25, 2016 by gazmc83

[Lord Pityme]

Please take a moment to go back to the very first post by Buddiecat where he states the aims of this thread are to discuss the possible buyout but CLEARLY posts a link to the SMISA website where questions can be asked & responded to by the appropriate SMISA personnel.

This thread is nothing more than a vehicle for discussion, I would suggest any opinions expressed on here are just that , Opinions.

I have always thought the best way to get answers to direct questions is to ask them clearly & concisely through the appropriate channels. I think if you direct your concerns/questions/enquiries to www.smisa.net , you will get clear & concise answers in return.

Anyone that 'Genuinely' wants an answer, clarification etc, and posts here knows exactly where to get that.

Its happening #BuyTheBuds

[faraway saint]

Maybe somebody could alter the SMiSA BuyTheBuds counter/timeline as it states.............."as at 25th May 2016 23:07"

[div]

The current board has been rightly criticised over the period for under selling the club and not running it like a business. This lack of business acumen has resulted in them failing to sell their wares for 7 years and have also resulted in them having to sell it at half the original asking price.

I completely disagree with that summary mate.

The current board have run the club superbly well as a business ever since they took over. You only need to look at other absolute basket cases of clubs in Scotland to appreciate what they have done for us. The independent report that SMiSA commissioned to value the club has also concluded that the club was very well run.

There are a few reasons why the club hasn't been sold but it being poorly run is certainly not one of them.

[Edinbuddie]

I understand that there's an issue re clarity over some elements of the business plan - ideas on how additional revenues are brought in, ways to further engage with the community etc - but I think the key element of the 'Buy the Buds' bid is that the fans are able to query these things, and participate in the discussion. I'm not sure that I understand the thinking that any lack of clarity on these issues should lead to the bid not being supported.

Members can push SMISA/GS/the new BoD on these issues from a position of increased strength IF the bid is successful. If the bid isn't successful, and the BoD end up selling to a businessman/consortium, then I'm sure that they'll be happy to make promises about business plans, footballing ambition, improved facilities, fan and community engagement and tell us all what they think we want to hear, but they'll end up doing whatever suits them and I doubt if they'll bother too much about listening to fans or the community. That may be a generalisation, but it's based upon the experiences of a significant number of clubs across the UK over the past 10-20 years.

[Magic Monkey]

"Ooh, loads of new posts on the Buy the Buds thread..."

Oh.

[faraway saint]

"Ooh, loads of new posts on the Buy the Buds thread..."

Oh.

This is one of the best....................oh.

[shull]

Oh no.

[stripey]

That is the big question. It was stated at the last meeting that there was another interested party. Due to commercial confidentiality the identity of that group or individual was not disclosed .

However, my understanding is that as things stand there has been NO bid from any other groups.

There is a big difference between being interested, perhaps preparing a bid to actually having & showing the money or the means to buy the Club.

Thanks for the reply CG. As a member of SMDSA I and others had the experience of listening too George Adam (Chairman ) on the current proposals of SMISA/GLS with regards to the fan ownership bid. He answered all questions put to him. I would go even further to say he is an asset SMISA should be proud to have as their chairperson. Please sign up to SMISA its the way forward.

[Gruffalo]

I completely disagree with that summary mate.

The current board have run the club superbly well as a business ever since they took over. You only need to look at other absolute basket cases of clubs in Scotland to appreciate what they have done for us. The independent report that SMiSA commissioned to value the club has also concluded that the club was very well run.

There are a few reasons why the club hasn't been sold but it being poorly run is certainly not one of them.

If you read my post I did not state that they were running the club poorly. What I stated was that they were underselling the club.

Running the club on a budget is a massive tick and the board have to be commended for that. However where in my opinion they have failed as a business are

- Not taken full advantage of the new premises and maximised the income stream from it.

- Made cheap decision is management appointments which results in poor team performances, reduction in attendances and consequently revenue to the club.

- Not engaged enough with local businesses. You only have to look at the half empty

- Hospitality week in week out and the lack of sponsorship.

- Not engaging with their paying customers when it comes to decisions that directly affect them.

- Not embracing enough social, community and local initiatives which indirectly helps improve the branding of the club, its standing in the community and helps drive up attendances.

- Not branding the club enough. It took long enough to have a club shop even then it does not sell the strip.

- Not speculating on the potential asset of our youth players and allowing them to move on cheaply at the end of their contract.

- Etc etc

The boards job while primarily is to ensure that the club break even on an annual basis is also to try and maximise it revenue stream. This is where in my opinion they have let themselves down.

I expected SMISA at their presentation to provide some comment on the above.

[Stuart Dickson]

I just wanted some inkling that there was at least one fresh idea. I've not seen that anywhere.

I don't know Gordon Scott at all and I don't know any of the SMiSA guys personally. I've no reason to doubt their intentions or their trustworthyness. But if I did have then perhaps I'd be less willing to consider the lack of an SEN business plan as an over sight and I might be far more concerned as to why an Independent Supporters Group was not seeking to protect the stadium asset in the event of liquidation or why Gordon Scott would be unwilling to write off the opportunity for personal profit through share dividends rather than be legally bound to have to reinvest profits in the club or the community.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Stuart Dickson

[Stu]

I don't think it's too much to expect GLS or SMiSA to have outlined a few ideas for how they'll change things, rather than just saying it's different folk so they'll bring a fresh approach. I'd imagine Tony F would have had to come up with specific ideas when applying for the chief exec job rather than just telling the board he was someone new so that would lead to change.

Saying how you plan to run the club differently or giving details of a few new initiatives may bring in a few more folk so is surely worth doing.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

I don't think it's too much to expect GLS or SMiSA to have outlined a few ideas for how they'll change things, rather than just saying it's different folk so they'll bring a fresh approach. I'd imagine Tony F would have had to come up with specific ideas when applying for the chief exec job rather than just telling the board he was someone new so that would lead to change.

Saying how you plan to run the club differently or giving details of a few new initiatives may bring in a few more folk so is surely worth doing.

That seems to be it Stu fresh ideas but nobody SMISA and Gordon seem to know what they are. If they have new ideas it would help if they would put them out there.have signed up but the more I read with no proper answers is putting me off. Think I would prefer a fund to go towards the player budget like Dunfermline fans are doing at the end of the day that's what fans want to see an improvement on the pitch.

[Dibbles old paperboy]

I agree perhaps he could have been more detailed in his vision but I think it's pretty simple , give the club a new lease of life ( we all agree this is much need ) get the fans more involved along with finding more revenue streams into the club .

Get the fans more involved currently = 1000 fans paying £12 per month minimum being allowed to elect 1 board member, Still no news of who would join Gordon Scott on the board and how many board members there will be!

[gazmc83]

Get the fans more involved currently = 1000 fans paying £12 per month minimum being allowed to elect 1 board member, Still no news of who would join Gordon Scott on the board and how many board members there will be!

And that one elected board member will be answerable to members and In Trusted with putting members views and ideas to the board. Gordon didn't state the exact make up of his board but he did say he would be open to having more than 1 fans rep on the board if they can contribute something productive to the board , I believe he would keep Ian Henderson on the board as commercial director and probably bring in a few of his own men that he trusts and that can add something to the club Edited May 26, 2016 by gazmc83

[Dibbles old paperboy]

will Gordon reveal who "a few of his own men" are before the closing date for sign ups?

[faraway saint]

will Gordon reveal who "a few of his own men" are before the closing date for sign ups?

That could be very productive....................although maybe not possible at this stage.

[Stu]

will Gordon reveal who "a few of his own men" are before the closing date for sign ups?

Seems a fair enough question. At the moment we know it will be Gordon, Chris Stewart, a fans' representative and maybe Tony Fitzpatrick. Would be good to hear who the others will be - and perhaps they could be unveiled to say why folk should back the bid.