What do you expect of the Chairman and Board

[St.Ricky]

Lots of people on lots of threads seem to be bringing up this question. For what it's worth,  I think we are in a good place right now.  

The key question has Tobe... Is the club in a better position than it was 2/3 years ago and the answer surely is yes. 

I had a job for 20 years that put me in a position where I was requested/paid to advise boards of directors on strategy and behaviour in organisations up to50000 employees and more. 

I only say this to put my remarks in context. My view is worth no more and I hope no less than any other fan. 

My take... But I welcome discussion... Is that GLS is shrewd but used to a hands on style of leadership and management. 

This might be exactly what we needed. 

People seem (rightly perhaps?)  impatient to see a  more participatory approach. 

So rather than criticise.... How would you like to see things done? 

[whydowebother]

f**king behave yourself FFS!

[Ayrshire Saints]

I expect nothing of anyone bar the manager and players - as a fan I'm only interested on what goes on where it matters i.e. on the park. Leave all the petty behind the scenes politics to those that seem concerned by it.  Amazed at how concerned some folk seem to get by what goes on behind the scenes at a football club !!!!

[Tommy]

45 minutes ago, St.Ricky said:

Lots of people on lots of threads seem to be bringing up this question. For what it's worth,  I think we are in a good place right now.  

The key question has Tobe... Is the club in a better position than it was 2/3 years ago and the answer surely is yes. 

I had a job for 20 years that put me in a position where I was requested/paid to advise boards of directors on strategy and behaviour in organisations up to50000 employees and more. 

I only say this to put my remarks in context. My view is worth no more and I hope no less than any other fan. 

My take... But I welcome discussion... Is that GLS is shrewd but used to a hands on style of leadership and management. 

This might be exactly what we needed. 

People seem (rightly perhaps?)  impatient to see a  more participatory approach. 

So rather than criticise.... How would you like to see things done? 

So we can blame you for all the large companies that had closed down like Brown & Polson, Roots, Robertson jam works, Singers, Woolworth, BHS, John Brown shipyards plus all the jobs lost in Babcock, Roll Royce, the Shipyards and many more ?     Booooooooooo   to you   

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

Gordon Scott has some ideas for one of the corners of the stadium though I would think the playing side will be well supported within our needs first to get established in the premiership. Gordon Scott also looking at maximising income to become a top six club. 

[St.Ricky]

16 minutes ago, renfrew said:

So we can blame you for all the large companies that had closed down like Brown & Polson, Roots, Robertson jam works, Singers, Woolworth, BHS, John Brown shipyards plus all the jobs lost in Babcock, Roll Royce, the Shipyards and many more ?     Booooooooooo   to you   

Not my style at all.

But I  get what you are saying 

[St.Ricky]

55 minutes ago, whydowebother said:

f**king behave yourself FFS!

Do you have any views WDWB?

Other than exasperation.

[rabuddies]

So we can blame you for all the large companies that had closed down like Brown & Polson, Roots, Robertson jam works, Singers, Woolworth, BHS, John Brown shipyards plus all the jobs lost in Babcock, Roll Royce, the Shipyards and many more ?     Booooooooooo   to you   

No - that would have been accountants (or money grubbin' scum) who have sadly risen to power in this country rather than the engineers, retailers, innovators and other real producers. I'm not biased though.

[Tommy]

1 hour ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

Gordon Scott has some ideas for one of the corners of the stadium though I would think the playing side will be well supported within our needs first to get established in the premiership. Gordon Scott also looking at maximising income to become a top six club. 

More seats for the bigots then

[Cornwall_Saint]

I'm happy enough. Gordon Scott gives of updates of what's on through the official website. Everyone involved has a clear interest in the football club doing as well as it can. All you have to do is look at the likes of Blackpool, Leyton Orient, Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers where you see owners who don't give a damn about the club or its fans. We are one of the lucky ones, it could be very different. Scott and co have the clubs interests at heart. They will give Jack what they can budget wise without going overboard. I'm perfectly happy with the board right now 

[StuD]

I'd expect more. 

See for me there are departments within the football club - appointed positions - where certain outcomes are required. It would be hard to criticise Jack Ross and the coaching and playing staff. In the main they've recruited well - with a few wasteful exceptions - and the results on the pitch have been much better than most people could have hoped for. Gordon Scott and Tony Fitzpatrick appointed Jack Ross and James Fowler who seem to have sparked the playing revolution at the club and they deserve credit for their bravery in making that appointment. So they get a tick in the box for that. 

However its in the commercial and community areas of the club that I see failings. Tony Fitzpatrick promised "big things" happening behind the scenes. But it looks like the only big thing happening is them dipping into SMISA funds. There's been a change of club kit supplier and sponsor - until the annual accounts come out it will be difficult to know if the new deal was as profitable as the old one. Kit supply seems better, but there were huge quality issues that will hopefully be resolved in time for next seasons kits hitting the shop. The Fans Council scrapped their profitable match day raffle - it's never been replaced. The club ditched it's previous initiatives to give free tickets to certain matches to local kids, instead option to sell season tickets to SMISA to hand out instead - and they did so offering SMISA a ridiculously poor value deal for their purchase. This seasons deal looks better value for next season but it's still sad to see a club run initiative that was supposed to drive new supporters into the club being cashed in on at the supporters expense. And there is a glaring lack of community engagement throughout the club, indeed Gordon Scott's ridiculous statement about Glenvale being the competition to Street Stuff was as misguided as it was ill informed. 

Gordon Scott also has to work on his own personal honesty. He pledged free match tickets for those who wore St Mirren tops in the Paisley 10k that beat him. Those tickets were never delivered. He promised no away fans would be sitting in the home end if a certain number of West Stand season tickets were sold. After the target was hit the club promptly scrapped segregation in the family stand to have opposition fans sit in there as the club had closed the away stand. He promised that fans would be consulted before any decision was made to put Rangers or Celtic fans in the home end at St Mirren Park yet he's issued an edict with no consultation that family stand season ticket holders will be moved for matches against the Old Firm. 

For the on field progress to remain sustainable it's important that the Chairman and the CEO do their jobs much better than they have done to date. So for me the report card has to read "must do better" 

[Drew]

Jesus f**king Christ!

[pod]

Carry on as before, they're doing a fine job.

[zico]

Jesus f**king Christ!

Yes?

[jaybee]

26 minutes ago, StuD said:

I'd expect more. 

See for me there are departments within the football club - appointed positions - where certain outcomes are required. It would be hard to criticise Jack Ross and the coaching and playing staff. In the main they've recruited well - with a few wasteful exceptions - and the results on the pitch have been much better than most people could have hoped for. Gordon Scott and Tony Fitzpatrick appointed Jack Ross and James Fowler who seem to have sparked the playing revolution at the club and they deserve credit for their bravery in making that appointment. So they get a tick in the box for that. 

However its in the commercial and community areas of the club that I see failings. Tony Fitzpatrick promised "big things" happening behind the scenes. But it looks like the only big thing happening is them dipping into SMISA funds. There's been a change of club kit supplier and sponsor - until the annual accounts come out it will be difficult to know if the new deal was as profitable as the old one. Kit supply seems better, but there were huge quality issues that will hopefully be resolved in time for next seasons kits hitting the shop. The Fans Council scrapped their profitable match day raffle - it's never been replaced. The club ditched it's previous initiatives to give free tickets to certain matches to local kids, instead option to sell season tickets to SMISA to hand out instead - and they did so offering SMISA a ridiculously poor value deal for their purchase. This seasons deal looks better value for next season but it's still sad to see a club run initiative that was supposed to drive new supporters into the club being cashed in on at the supporters expense. And there is a glaring lack of community engagement throughout the club, indeed Gordon Scott's ridiculous statement about Glenvale being the competition to Street Stuff was as misguided as it was ill informed. 

Gordon Scott also has to work on his own personal honesty. He pledged free match tickets for those who wore St Mirren tops in the Paisley 10k that beat him. Those tickets were never delivered. He promised no away fans would be sitting in the home end if a certain number of West Stand season tickets were sold. After the target was hit the club promptly scrapped segregation in the family stand to have opposition fans sit in there as the club had closed the away stand. He promised that fans would be consulted before any decision was made to put Rangers or Celtic fans in the home end at St Mirren Park yet he's issued an edict with no consultation that family stand season ticket holders will be moved for matches against the Old Firm. 

For the on field progress to remain sustainable it's important that the Chairman and the CEO do their jobs much better than they have done to date. So for me the report card has to read "must do better" 

You certainly come across as a 'reasonable' person, with an apparently valid argument, however if we take everything in context then I would have to ask ..... A) Have you put in  the cash or   B;  the time and effort that GS has?   By my understanding GS owns the majority shares; ergo he is entitled to do as he pleases and whilst I do understand Fans (myself included) wanting more info and more involvement in 'all things St Mirren',  I as someone who is most definitely  not ITK think he is being more than reasonable himself in keeping Fans informed and offering explanations as to why certain things are being done.  Let us be honest St Mirren were damned near in the proverbial and it was only through the sale of Love Street that they have managed to survive, (and I am aware that this was not specifically attributable to GS) , but he is a Fan with a degree of  financial acumen and I would argue that should we not be pleased that he is using it for the 'long term' benefit of our club.

[St.Ricky]

39 minutes ago, Drew said:

Jesus f**king Christ!

Apart from exasperation Drew...You clearly take a different view from Stud

What is your opinion?

Are your expectations being met?

Are they on the right lines?

All in your own opinion.

 

[Drew]

6 minutes ago, St.Ricky said:

Apart from exasperation Drew...You clearly take a different view from Stud

What is your opinion?

Are your expectations being met?

Are they on the right lines?

All in your own opinion.

 

Like Pod, I'm satisfied with the progress the Chairman, CEO, and BoD have made.

Is it perfect? No.

Is anything perfect? No.

Can I be arsed reading yet more of Dickson's unremittingly negative ramblings? Most certainly not.

ETA - in fairness, it wasn't unremittingly negative in this instance, but it was certainly tiresome, coming, as it does, from a man who seems to have little interest in the club beyond seeking out any opportunity to be critical.

Edited May 9, 2018 by Drew

[Callum Gilhooley]

I'd expect more. 
See for me there are departments within the football club - appointed positions - where certain outcomes are required. It would be hard to criticise Jack Ross and the coaching and playing staff. In the main they've recruited well - with a few wasteful exceptions - and the results on the pitch have been much better than most people could have hoped for. Gordon Scott and Tony Fitzpatrick appointed Jack Ross and James Fowler who seem to have sparked the playing revolution at the club and they deserve credit for their bravery in making that appointment. So they get a tick in the box for that. 
However its in the commercial and community areas of the club that I see failings. Tony Fitzpatrick promised "big things" happening behind the scenes. But it looks like the only big thing happening is them dipping into SMISA funds. There's been a change of club kit supplier and sponsor - until the annual accounts come out it will be difficult to know if the new deal was as profitable as the old one. Kit supply seems better, but there were huge quality issues that will hopefully be resolved in time for next seasons kits hitting the shop. The Fans Council scrapped their profitable match day raffle - it's never been replaced. The club ditched it's previous initiatives to give free tickets to certain matches to local kids, instead option to sell season tickets to SMISA to hand out instead - and they did so offering SMISA a ridiculously poor value deal for their purchase. This seasons deal looks better value for next season but it's still sad to see a club run initiative that was supposed to drive new supporters into the club being cashed in on at the supporters expense. And there is a glaring lack of community engagement throughout the club, indeed Gordon Scott's ridiculous statement about Glenvale being the competition to Street Stuff was as misguided as it was ill informed. 
Gordon Scott also has to work on his own personal honesty. He pledged free match tickets for those who wore St Mirren tops in the Paisley 10k that beat him. Those tickets were never delivered.

**He promised no away fans would be sitting in the home end if a certain number of West Stand season tickets were sold. **

. After the target was hit the club promptly scrapped segregation in the family stand to have opposition fans sit in there as the club had closed the away stand. He promised that fans would be consulted before any decision was made to put Rangers or Celtic fans in the home end at St Mirren Park yet he's issued an edict with no consultation that family stand season ticket holders will be moved for matches against the Old Firm. 
For the on field progress to remain sustainable it's important that the Chairman and the CEO do their jobs much better than they have done to date. So for me the report card has to read "must do better" 

** Did he ? **

Here’s the statement .
If we achieve 1000 Adult/Concession season ticket holders in the West stand, the Club would guarantee that the whole stand will be for St Mirren fans, with the exception of Cup games, where it may need to be segregated.

Where does it say what you have quoted ?

[St.Ricky]

1 hour ago, StuD said:

I'd expect more. 

See for me there are departments within the football club - appointed positions - where certain outcomes are required. It would be hard to criticise Jack Ross and the coaching and playing staff. In the main they've recruited well - with a few wasteful exceptions - and the results on the pitch have been much better than most people could have hoped for. Gordon Scott and Tony Fitzpatrick appointed Jack Ross and James Fowler who seem to have sparked the playing revolution at the club and they deserve credit for their bravery in making that appointment. So they get a tick in the box for that. 

However its in the commercial and community areas of the club that I see failings. Tony Fitzpatrick promised "big things" happening behind the scenes. But it looks like the only big thing happening is them dipping into SMISA funds. There's been a change of club kit supplier and sponsor - until the annual accounts come out it will be difficult to know if the new deal was as profitable as the old one. Kit supply seems better, but there were huge quality issues that will hopefully be resolved in time for next seasons kits hitting the shop. The Fans Council scrapped their profitable match day raffle - it's never been replaced. The club ditched it's previous initiatives to give free tickets to certain matches to local kids, instead option to sell season tickets to SMISA to hand out instead - and they did so offering SMISA a ridiculously poor value deal for their purchase. This seasons deal looks better value for next season but it's still sad to see a club run initiative that was supposed to drive new supporters into the club being cashed in on at the supporters expense. And there is a glaring lack of community engagement throughout the club, indeed Gordon Scott's ridiculous statement about Glenvale being the competition to Street Stuff was as misguided as it was ill informed. 

Gordon Scott also has to work on his own personal honesty. He pledged free match tickets for those who wore St Mirren tops in the Paisley 10k that beat him. Those tickets were never delivered. He promised no away fans would be sitting in the home end if a certain number of West Stand season tickets were sold. After the target was hit the club promptly scrapped segregation in the family stand to have opposition fans sit in there as the club had closed the away stand. He promised that fans would be consulted before any decision was made to put Rangers or Celtic fans in the home end at St Mirren Park yet he's issued an edict with no consultation that family stand season ticket holders will be moved for matches against the Old Firm. 

For the on field progress to remain sustainable it's important that the Chairman and the CEO do their jobs much better than they have done to date. So for me the report card has to read "must do better" 

Stu.

In summary (if I read you rightly )

Football side.

Keep the present approach.

Business Side

Could do better.

Fair Enough

As you know from experience this is pretty well the default position in most, if not all organisations and I feel sure that the board and management would agree with that without in any way diminishing what has been achieved in what has been a relatively short period.

Three things stand out

1 Following up on promises made.

(Although interpretation differs)

2 Relationships with SMISA to be clearer.

As far as the 

3 Operationalising of business and marketing plans.

Underlying these is a perceived need to improve communications and transparency.

Pretty standard stuff for what is an organisation moving from a passive if not downward trajectory to one focused on fast growth with the added cultural change of ownership model.

I would like to see you, or anyone else, put forward ideas in a consecutive 1...5 step outline. Maybe that then leads on from what might be perceived as negative to a positive stance

Hope that you might be in agreement in principle, if not in detail.

[FTOF]

53 minutes ago, Callum Gilhooley said:

 

 

 

 

** Did he ? **

Here’s the statement .
If we achieve 1000 Adult/Concession season ticket holders in the West stand, the Club would guarantee that the whole stand will be for St Mirren fans, with the exception of Cup games, where it may need to be segregated.

Where does it say what you have quoted ?

 

 

Does it matter?

He just loves making things up.

[FTOF]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

Like Pod, I'm satisfied with the progress the Chairman, CEO, and BoD have made.

Is it perfect? No.

Is anything perfect? No.

 

Me too.

His two greatest decisions to date are sacking Alex Rae and then appointing JR.

We wouldn't be in the top league if it wasn't for Gordon's decisions.

It's also amusing that his mere existence has sent one particular poster into a foaming mess of a meltdown since he took over the club.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by FTOF

[Callum Gilhooley]

9 minutes ago, FTOF said:

Me too.

His two greatest decisions to date are sacking Alex Rae and then appointing JR.

We wouldn't be in the top league if it wasn't for Gordon's decisions.

It's also amusing that his mere existence has sent one particular poster into a foaming mess of a meltdown since he took over the club.

 

 

[StuD]

2 hours ago, St.Ricky said:

Stu.

In summary (if I read you rightly )

Football side.

Keep the present approach.

Business Side

Could do better.

Fair Enough

As you know from experience this is pretty well the default position in most, if not all organisations and I feel sure that the board and management would agree with that without in any way diminishing what has been achieved in what has been a relatively short period.

Three things stand out

1 Following up on promises made.

(Although interpretation differs)

2 Relationships with SMISA to be clearer.

As far as the 

3 Operationalising of business and marketing plans.

Underlying these is a perceived need to improve communications and transparency.

Pretty standard stuff for what is an organisation moving from a passive if not downward trajectory to one focused on fast growth with the added cultural change of ownership model.

I would like to see you, or anyone else, put forward ideas in a consecutive 1...5 step outline. Maybe that then leads on from what might be perceived as negative to a positive stance

Hope that you might be in agreement in principle, if not in detail.

Yep Ricky, I think that's fair. I'm not sure why anyone would think that was even remotely controversial. The club clearly has areas it needs to improve on, it's far from the perfect football club, and for a fan to act like everything is perfect just seems odd to me. 

Five steps? I think I could offer loads but to keep it reasonably concise I'll just do 3 just now. 

1. I'd like to see the club being more inclusive. It's small minded for it not to be. Let's face it the club can only ever accommodate 8.023 customers through the turnstyles on 18 league match days this season (19 next season).  But there is no upward limit on the number of members or affiliates that the club could have. Womans football is an area of rapid growth within the sport. As I said on the other thread an adult womans team was very ambitious, but setting up a girls footballing academy and enrolling girls teams in every age group would be a huge step forward. There is no reason why a girls academy should have a negative impact on club finances. Juvenile clubs can make girls football self sufficient and there's no reason why a senior football club with it's own facilities couldn't replicate the model. 

2. I'd like to see more community involvement. A number of clubs in Scotland that are far smaller than St Mirren are already good at this. Edinburgh Spartans is a particularly good example. Take a look at their oral health programme - Spartan Smilers -  that they deliver around local schools to Primary 3 children. The programme they deliver has proven to be extremely successful with tests showing that the information retention is around 60% higher than previous dental health programmes. Dribbling through cones to teach kids how to floss between their teeth. Rolling the ball up and down a plastic tooth, teaches the kids how they need to brush their teeth. The benefit to the club? Well first off they get paid to deliver the courses. Secondly they improve the clubs visibility in the town. And thirdly it enhances it's reputation as a proper community club. If Spartans can do it and can make it work, alongside homework clubs, alternative schools and with mentoring primary school pupils - then why couldn't a senior professional football club with a far greater annual turnover not make it work also? 

3. I'd like to see St Mirren build bridges to clubs like Glenvale and to work with them for mutual benefit rather than stare them down as competition and opposition. After all St Mirren and the local juvenile football clubs in Paisley and Renfrewshire have far more in common than they do in competition. Sharing resources would be the obvious place to start. For example look at the community coaching sessions the club does during the school holidays. Kids pay money and play football for a week and then they just go away again. Wouldn't it be better for all concerned if St Mirren were able to give out contact details so that any child who particularly enjoyed playing football for the week, can join a local club and participate in the sport at a level they can play at? Wouldn't it benefit St Mirren financially if they clubbed together with local juvenile clubs in a buying group that would buy all their kit from the one supplier? Wouldn't it benefit St Mirren if they helped those clubs fund raise - using facilities at St Mirren Park? I know it happens already but it's something that the club could be more proactive with. For example a sportsmans dinner would bring in money through bar receipts - whilst allowing the juvenile club the opportunity to fund raise. I'd also suggest looking at a business that Bobby Jenks set up in North Lanarkshire where he set up at Ravenscraig and juvenile football clubs would pay to use his coaches and equipment to then run sponsored fund raising classes. 

There's loads more. Obviously the club chairman and CEO have to start delivering on their promises. If Fitzy is telling people he can get big names up to Paisley to do fund raising talks then it's time we started to see him deliver. If Gordon Scott is promising free tickets to those who beat him in a race wearing a St Mirren strip, then follow through with the free tickets so you don't look like a knob. And someone needs to take a really close look at the way some of the internal operations at the club work. If volunteers are able to make a 5 figure profit running a raffle on match days - then let that run. Don't have it scrapped cause someone within the club thinks it's affecting their targets. 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by StuD

[Bud the Baker]

Jesus fucking Christ!

[smcc]

2 hours ago, Drew said:

Like Pod, I'm satisfied with the progress the Chairman, CEO, and BoD have made.

Is it perfect? No.

Is anything perfect? No.

Can I be arsed reading yet more of Dickson's unremittingly negative ramblings? Most certainly not.

ETA - in fairness, it wasn't unremittingly negative in this instance, but it was certainly tiresome, coming, as it does, from a man who seems to have little interest in the club beyond seeking out any opportunity to be critical.

Don't you realise that Stu D is a paragon of excellence?