SMISA March Update

[TsuMirren]

 

Welcome to the March update from the trust. We are conscious this has been the first update in a while but things have been busy behind the scenes and there will be a few key dates coming up over the next couple of months.

 

AGM and committee election

 

The trust is due to hold its annual general meeting this spring and we plan to hold this on Saturday 29 April, before the Raith Rovers home game (time and venue to be confirmed).

 

The AGM will look back on what has been an historic year for the trust as it was the one we we set St Mirren supporters on the route to owning their own club.

 

We will also look ahead to what we hope to achieve in 2017/18. Papers, including our annual accounts, will be issued not less than 14 days in advance of the meeting.

 

It also means there will be an election for new members to the trust committee. Currently there are seven places on the 12-member board open for election.

 

Five committee members elected in previous years will continue to serve for at least another year - George Adam, Peter Black, Jim Cumming, David Nicol and Colin Orr. The board is supplemented by John White, who was appointed to serve as secretary.

As one third of the elected board members each year must stand down and apply for re-election, three previously-elected committee members will have to stand again – Jim Crawford, Tony Dorris and Barry Mitchell.

 

There are other members who have either been co-opted on to the committee or who have been helping the board over the past year who may now also run for election.

 

However any other members who wish to stand can now put themselves forward.

 

Committee members are expected to attend fortnightly meetings (these are usually held on Monday evenings in Paisley town centre) and be able to make a meaningful contribution to the trust, both in terms of their time and the quality of their input.

Anybody who would like to stand should email [email protected] and request an application form.

 

To stand, you will need to be nominated by two members of the trust and to have been a member of SMISA for at least 90 days prior to the date nominations are due to close, which is Sunday 9 April 2017.

 

You will also need to submit a 500-word statement explaining why you would like to be elected and to submit a photograph, both of which will be used on the election webpage on the SMISA website.

 

Voting will run for two weeks from Thursday 13 April and will be concluded in time for the AGM.

 

The election will be administered by an election management group made up of the six members of the SMISA committee who are not up for election, who will verify all nominations.

 

Latest member updates

 

Our membership numbers at end February stood at 1,300. So while our numbers have declined from the peak of 1,374 last summer, we had always factored in we would lose some in the first year. In that time some people have left or stopped paying, but new people have joined too.

 

We remain ahead of our initial target and our finances are healthy but as always, we would remind you the long-term goal of fan ownership can only be realised if we retain a large number of members over the years ahead.

 

April £2 spend

 

We are soon due to ask our members what they would like to do with the contents of the £2 discretionary pot from the first three months of the year.

 

The committee have been working away behind the scenes on a number of projects to put before you in the next couple of weeks, which we are finalising the details of now.

 

We have a varied selection of projects in mind, some of which were inspired by member suggestions, and we will get the ballot and voting link out to you soon.

 

Member benefits update

 

We are continuing to deliver the member benefits promised when people signed up to #BuyThe Buds last year.

 

A group of our Premium members enjoyed a meal at the stadium in the company of some former players before getting boardroom access for the recent game against Dunfermline.

 

A number of our Plus (£25 per month) members have been able to watch a game from the directors guest lounge, with a different member drawn for each home league game.

 

And we are currently planning our next Plus member event, which has been pencilled in for near the end of the season. More details will follow once we have them

 

The Saint newspaper and match giveaways

 

Some of the SMISA committee have been out before recent games handing out plastic hand clappers to young fans as a way of helping them generate a bit more noise around the ground.

 

We have also been handing out copies of the Saint newspaper which was published at Christmas-time with major contribution from SMISA.

 

While those of you based locally or who come to games will likely have seen the paper by now, any members based further afield can read a pdf copy on our website.

 

Next two games

 

It has been a grim season at times but the transformation in the team since January has been remarkable and the momentum is there now.

 

We would like to think the money our members chose to put into the playing budget at that time has made a real difference – certainly none of our rivals had that sort of direct financial backing from their supporters.

 

The next two games, against Ayr and Dumbarton, are massive – two of the biggest the club has faced in years.

 

The club have reduced prices for those games and we would appeal to all members to get down to the Paisley 2021 Stadium, bring a friend, and make some noise.

 

That’s all for now and as always, if there are any issues you want to raise with us, you can do so via [email protected]

 

The SMISA committee

[bazil85]

Good solid update.  

A bit disappointed that 74 (more if new members have joined) paying members have fallen away from the plan within nine months of it starting.  I know some of the reasons for this will be financial and mitigating but got to think a number will probably not have a valid excuse.  It was always set out as a 10 yer commitment and it is disappointing so many people have already dropped out of that.  Still I suppose we got a little bit of money from those fans. 

Would love to see a campaign for new members over the summer! 

[faraway saint]

Very encouraging that the numbers are pretty close to the original 1374.

[Soctty]

The fact that only 74 have stopped their DD (net, obviously as some new members have joined0 is very encouraging, as this has surely been the most difficult season we've had in a long, long time. Bottom of the league for nearly 7 months of the season, didn't win a league game til December, yet still fans are standing by the team, getting behind the club and making a good case for the argument that we are in this for the long haul.

 

Let's hope the season finishes on a high, and we can carry the momentum into the summer and beyond.

[Drew]

1 hour ago, faraway saint said:

Very encouraging that the numbers are pretty close to the original 1374.

That was my first thought.

[David Mc]

Do SMISA have a friendly printer and joining forms could be left on seats at the Dumbarton game.  Even if one person signs up as a result and stays the distance that £1,000 plus in revenue.

[paul torfason]

a was thinking a on-off special St.mirren/smisa scarf or something for every member that signed,maybe even if its after 5 years of paying,a wee incentive

[Hambud]

Good solid update.  
A bit disappointed that 74 (more if new members have joined) paying members have fallen away from the plan within nine months of it starting.  I know some of the reasons for this will be financial and mitigating but got to think a number will probably not have a valid excuse.  It was always set out as a 10 yer commitment and it is disappointing so many people have already dropped out of that.  Still I suppose we got a little bit of money from those fans. 
Would love to see a campaign for new members over the summer! 

All 74 are probably that guy who spends a lot of time on the Official forum.

[bazil85]

20 hours ago, Hambud said:

All 74 are probably that guy who spends a lot of time on the Official forum.

Stuart Dickson and Shull signing up and cancelling in a rage 32 times each 

[stlucifer]

Just now, bazil85 said:

Stuart Dickson and Shull signing up and cancelling in a rage 32 times each 

37 surely

[bazil85]

Just now, stlucifer said:

37 surely

You know what they say.  Three types of people in this world.  Those that are good with numbers and those that aren't. 

[Ayrshire Saints]

Saw the thread and thought there was going to be a parade through Paisley or some sort of sponsored walk !

[salmonbuddie]

You know what they say.  Three types of people in this world.  Those that are good with numbers and those that aren't. 

10 types - those who understand binary and those who don't.

[antrin]

11 of those who left the buyout would be the pipefitter and his couple of sons.

Edited April 1, 2017 by antrin

[antrin]

16 minutes ago, Slartibartfast said:

You've got to feel sorry for the both of those 10 boys.

I'm sure that the 514 who remain wouldn't put a hex on them...

 

[antrin]

je suis un snowflake.

[antrin]

I thawt so.. 

 

[Julian Banjos]

Really pleased again with the thought that's gone into the latest spend:

The amount available from the January to March subscriptions is £8,249.01. This quarter, we are putting forward three suggested projects which total £8,200 when added together.
However these are three separate projects and we are asking members to cast three votes – yes or no – for each one, with results decided by simple majority.
So rather than asking you to vote for Project A or Project B with the result one must happen and one doesn’t, this gives greater flexibility, as – depending on how you vote – all, none, or some of the proposed options could be passed.
If members vote against any of the projects, the sum of money allocated to it it will stay in the pot for future use. The projects we are asking you to vote on – along with proposed spend – are as follows –

1) Community season tickets (£6,000)
Over the years the club have run many free-tickets-for-kids schemes to get more young fans along to games. A couple of our members had suggested SMISA subsidise the cost of this and it was one the committee were keen to look into, although we felt it shouldn’t just be restricted to kids.
Our research uncovered a simple scheme initially run by the Portsmouth Supporters Trust – where the trust buys a block of season tickets and invites community or youth groups to apply to use them, with a different group getting the block of tickets, free of charge, for each game.
We propose setting aside £6,000 for this scheme, which would buy a block of 24 adult season tickets for 2017/18 (we negotiated a bulk discount with the club).
We chose adult season tickets so we could open up the scheme to other groups, for example, charities working with disabled or elderly adults. Even if the tickets were being used by a youth group, a number of adult tickets would be needed for helpers, so this keeps the arithmetic simple.
We see this as an all-round win – SMISA benefits the Renfrewshire community, up to 19 community or youth groups get a free day out at the football, and the club gets guaranteed income and people through the gate who may come back as paying customers.
If members voted in favour, we would produce a more detailed application process and criteria, but as a general principle we would open the scheme up to any local charity, youth or school group.

2) Hall of Fame boards (£1,500)
As members will know, the Hall of Fame boards around the ground have not been updated in some time. Also, they still carry JD Sports branding, who will no longer supply club kits after this season.
We have costed the replacement of these boards at £1,500 and would ask members to vote for or against that spend.
If approved, the new boards would include players added to the Hall of Fame since the boards first went up and would carry SMISA branding, meaning less JD Sports presence around the stadium.
3) Youth team sponsorship (£700)
We have also been looking into various ways SMISA could bring the club and local youth football community closer together. While we weren’t able to make all our ideas happen in the timescale we had, there is one we think will work.
We are proposing SMISA sponsors a local youth team for next season. We would set aside a £700 budget for the team to buy a set of new kit – which would carry SMISA’s logo as the main sponsor.
If the spend is approved by members, interested youth clubs could put their names forward and we would draw the winner from a hat.
We would then keep members up to date with our adopted team’s progress over the season – and would involve St Mirren’s staff and players with the youth team where their commitments allowed.
 

[Drew]

I supported all three proposals. 

Poz will be pleased

[davidg]

Suggestion for the next proposal. 

Nets for shooting practice at the family stand. I've seen these at plenty of other clubs, the nets are temporarily in place for shooting practice before the game. 

There have been quite a few kids hit and we're lucky that none have been seriously injured. When your sitting in your seat watching then you are prepared for the stray shot but walking along the concourse or heading up the stairs an unexpected ball whacking a child would probably knock them over and those steps have sharp edges. Wouldn't like to f**k my head in them. 

May not seem like much but I'm sure anyone who sits in the family stand will confirm that it's slightly entertaining at times but definitely more than the odd wince or two. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by davidg

[shull]

48 minutes ago, davidg said:

Suggestion for the next proposal. 

Nets for shooting practice at the family stand. I've sent these at plenty of other clubs, the nets are temporarily in place for shooting practice before the game. 

There have been quite a few kids hit and we're lucky that none have been seriously injured. When your sitting in your seat watching then you are prepared for the stray shot but walking along the concourse or heading up the stairs an unexpected ball whacking a child would probably knock them over and those steps have sharp edges. Wouldn't like to f**k my head in them. 

May not seem like much but I'm sure anyone who sits in the family stand will confirm that it's slightly entertaining at times but definitely more than the odd wince or two. 

Fine the players for every shot that ends up in the Stand.

That will fund lots of nets

[pozbaird]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

I supported all three proposals. 

Poz will be pleased

I fail to see why the boards need replaced at a cost of £1500. Sure, they carry a JD advert at the bottom. Simply print self-adhesive new adverts and affix over the bottom. I worked in the graphics business. We did this sort of thing all the time.

Each board could be re-sponsored by an individual or company paying for the new advertisement covering the old JD logo.... cover every one with Joma logos. £1500 my arse.

[Drew]

9 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

I fail to see why the boards need replaced at a cost of £1500. Sure, they carry a JD advert at the bottom. Simply print self-adhesive new adverts and affix over the bottom. I worked in the graphics business. We did this sort of thing all the time.

Each board could be re-sponsored by an individual or company paying for the new advertisement covering the old JD logo.... cover every one with Joma logos. £1500 my arse.

Fair point.

Hopefully someone from SMiSA can clarify.

[antrin]

Whilst I appreciate the nice thinking behind sponsoring a local youth team, to my mind the only team that SMISA members intended to actually sponsor is surely St Mirren?

That's the only team in which I'd want THAT money to be invested.

if I want to sponsor a local youth team, a charity runner or a cat's home I'd take that decision myself and use other money for that purpose.

let's concentrate on St Mirren.

[Julian Banjos]

25 minutes ago, antrin said:

Whilst I appreciate the nice thinking behind sponsoring a local youth team, to my mind the only team that SMISA members intended to actually sponsor is surely St Mirren?

That's the only team in which I'd want THAT money to be invested.

if I want to sponsor a local youth team, a charity runner or a cat's home I'd take that decision myself and use other money for that purpose.

let's concentrate on St Mirren.

The key point on that is: "We would then keep members up to date with our adopted team’s progress over the season – and would involve St Mirren’s staff and players with the youth team where their commitments allowed."

I've actually found it quite sobering looking at Morton's attendances this season. Arguably their best team for 30 years and they're still not getting any more than 1700-ish home fans coming to games. You wonder what their attendances will be like 10 years down the line.

We can't assume that there will be a next generation of St Mirren fans who will come along and replace those who are getting too old to come to games or passing away. We've got to get out there and sell the club to kids.

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by Julian Banjos