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SMISA meeting 6/9/21


Doakes

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SMISA Q&A 6/9/21

 

A welcome from George Adam, SMISA chairman. “Has there been some screw ups? Yes. No one can deny that” - a good admission in his opening statement before the floor gets opened up.

 

John Needham now speaking.

“I intend to be as open as I can be tonight”

 

“Kibble aren’t going to go away, they’ve paid for a stake in our club. They’re keen to make the relationship work… I can confirm we’ve got more out of the relationship than them so far”

 

Chairman @johnneedham1961: “we’ve had our greatest successes when all at the club pull together in the one direction”

 

The floor now being opened up.

 

Re: club’s poor recent communication

 

JN: communication not been proactive and comprehensive, we concede that; however, unreasonable to respond to everything on social media…

 

Re: seemingly dodgy contracts being given out to the same company

 

JN: Contracts have not been given out to the same company. Tony & club mgmt responsible for contracts. There has been due diligence done and a robust interview process.

 

Re: why stewarding company were changed

 

JN: The contract was up for renewal after three years. JN unsure whether previous stewarding company was invited to tender or not.

 

Re: Ticketing fiasco

 

JN: A lot of negative feedback on outdated ticketing system meant that renewal seemed a good option. New & old systems weren’t compatible, hence the registration and renewal issues. New system will have benefits moving forward, details on that in the future

 

Re: St. Mirren’s recent apparent mistreatment of long-term staff

 

JN: apologies on behalf of the club to a long-standing member of club staff who is in attendance.

 

GA: “we need to embrace fans’ anger, and get everything out there”

 

Re: No away fans against St. J

 

JN: Didn’t want to risk it with new stewarding company and ticketing system that day

 

Re: smoothing out club operations moving forward

 

JN: Club operations run by Tony. Kibble been great in mitigating issues including covid amongst staff etc. JN going to become more hands-on, meeting regularly with Tony.

 

Re: limited attendance at start of season

 

JN: health and safety issues main reason there was no further attendance increases… won’t admit what these health and safety issues were.

 

Re: Skyview

 

JN: Skyview changed their mind once strips were already ordered. Provan Sports been very good in printing over sponsor logos. Sponsors’ contracts will be robustly checked moving forward.

 

Re: buying out kibble in future

 

£400k… not something SMISA would think about just now, criticism of Kibble been apparently unfounded.

 

GA: developing a working relationship with Kibble has been different than expected due to pandemic

 

SLO’s have collated info to improve the match-day experience, especially around entering/leaving and the car park… this will be improved

 

Re: “give the kibble an inch, they’ll take a mile”

 

JN: the kibble don’t have a veto on any boardroom decisions; with two votes in a board of 8, they don’t have control of any big decisions.

 

Correction: Kibble do have a veto on decisions that are reserved shareholder matters, including who SMISA can add to board.

 

JN: what kibble want is for their young people to get work experience at the club… there will always be a kibble employee at the club, as they have a duty of care over these young people

 

JN: General manager coming from Kibble is free of charge, so a good deal for us.

 

On Old Firm Fans getting two stands:

 

JN: going to have a good look at it… ideally doesn’t want to have old firm fans in. However, the money made is ‘a big chunk of income’. The challenge is filling family stand with paying saints customers.

 

One fan: “We should be celebrating owning this club, but everyone here is embarrassed”


John Needham saying “the board don’t make day-to-day decisions in the club”… that’s Tony’s responsibility


 

EE65D040-2944-4F90-B7CC-F8A6DCA9419D.jpeg

Edited by Doakes
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Updates 
 

 

A welcome from George Adam, SMISA chairman. “Has there been some screw ups? Yes. No one can deny that” - a good admission in his opening statement before the floor gets opened up.

 

John Needham now speaking.

 

“I intend to be as open as I can be tonight”

 

“Kibble aren’t going to go away, they’ve paid for a stake in our club. They’re keen to make the relationship work… I can confirm we’ve got more out of the relationship than them so far”

 

Chairman @johnneedham1961: “we’ve had our greatest successes when all at the club pull together in the one direction”

 

The floor now being opened up.

 

Re: club’s poor recent communication

 

JN: communication not been proactive and comprehensive, we concede that; however, unreasonable to respond to everything on social media…

 

Re: seemingly dodgy contracts being given out to the same company

 

JN: Contracts have not been given out to the same company. Tony & club mgmt responsible for contracts. There has been due diligence done and a robust interview process.

 

Re: why stewarding company were changed

 

JN: The contract was up for renewal after three years. JN unsure whether previous stewarding company was invited to tender or not.

 

Re: Ticketing fiasco

 

JN: A lot of negative feedback on outdated ticketing system meant that renewal seemed a good option. New & old systems weren’t compatible, hence the registration and renewal issues. New system will have benefits moving forward, details on that in the future

 

Re: St. Mirren’s recent apparent mistreatment of long-term staff

 

JN: apologies on behalf of the club to a long-standing member of club staff who is in attendance.

 

GA: “we need to embrace fans’ anger, and get everything out there”

 

Re: no away fans against St. J

 

JN: Didn’t want to risk it with new stewarding company and ticketing system that day


 

(will update OP as we go)

Kuble should sell up and go. Fans don't trust them. Being a community club is great. But first and foremost we are a professional football club. Don't think Kibble have quite grasped that.
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"JN: the kibble don’t have a veto on any boardroom decisions; with two votes in a board of 8, they don’t have control of any big decisions.

Correction: Kibble do have a veto on decisions that are reserved shareholder matters, including who SMISA can add to board."

The veto that was denied and was also deemed essential even though it would "never be used!" [emoji850][emoji26]

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Very worrying a lot of the answers given tonight, the free of charge general manager is probably the worst out them all, I’d rather the club paid money on a Brian Caldwell than someone with little or no football expertise.
The loss of Brian Caldwell has never been fully appreciated and he has never been replaced! [emoji850][emoji26]
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All updates in OP

Hoped that questions would be answered but if anything seems to have raised more questions.

Disappointed that Tony F and Jim Gillespie (or someone else from Kibble) didn’t show, was a great chance to get everything out. 

Hearing that the meeting is still going but mostly just shouting at the moment

Edited by Doakes
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1 minute ago, Cookie Monster said:
12 minutes ago, linwood buddie said:
Have none of the Kibble members of the board turned up , they are major players here and should be along to listen too and explain things to the majority shareholding you think?

It was SMISA meeting not a club function.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a SIMSA meeting or not , the folk that pay in their money want answers ,not a dance , a function😆

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SMISA Q&A 6/9/21
 
A welcome from George Adam, SMISA chairman. “Has there been some screw ups? Yes. No one can deny that” - a good admission in his opening statement before the floor gets opened up.
 
John Needham now speaking.
“I intend to be as open as I can be tonight”
 
“Kibble aren’t going to go away, they’ve paid for a stake in our club. They’re keen to make the relationship work… I can confirm we’ve got more out of the relationship than them so far”
 
Chairman @johnneedham1961: “we’ve had our greatest successes when all at the club pull together in the one direction”
 
The floor now being opened up.
 
Re: club’s poor recent communication
 
JN: communication not been proactive and comprehensive, we concede that; however, unreasonable to respond to everything on social media…
 
Re: seemingly dodgy contracts being given out to the same company
 
JN: Contracts have not been given out to the same company. Tony & club mgmt responsible for contracts. There has been due diligence done and a robust interview process.
 
Re: why stewarding company were changed
 
JN: The contract was up for renewal after three years. JN unsure whether previous stewarding company was invited to tender or not.
 
Re: Ticketing fiasco
 
JN: A lot of negative feedback on outdated ticketing system meant that renewal seemed a good option. New & old systems weren’t compatible, hence the registration and renewal issues. New system will have benefits moving forward, details on that in the future
 
Re: St. Mirren’s recent apparent mistreatment of long-term staff
 
JN: apologies on behalf of the club to a long-standing member of club staff who is in attendance.
 
GA: “we need to embrace fans’ anger, and get everything out there”
 
Re: No away fans against St. J
 
JN: Didn’t want to risk it with new stewarding company and ticketing system that day
 
Re: smoothing out club operations moving forward
 
JN: Club operations run by Tony. Kibble been great in mitigating issues including covid amongst staff etc. JN going to become more hands-on, meeting regularly with Tony.
 
Re: limited attendance at start of season
 
JN: health and safety issues main reason there was no further attendance increases… won’t admit what these health and safety issues were.
 
Re: Skyview
 
JN: Skyview changed their mind once strips were already ordered. Provan Sports been very good in printing over sponsor logos. Sponsors’ contracts will be robustly checked moving forward.
 
Re: buying out kibble in future
 
£400k… not something SMISA would think about just now, criticism of Kibble been apparently unfounded.
 
GA: developing a working relationship with Kibble has been different than expected due to pandemic
 
SLO’s have collated info to improve the match-day experience, especially around entering/leaving and the car park… this will be improved
 
Re: “give the kibble an inch, they’ll take a mile”
 
JN: the kibble don’t have a veto on any boardroom decisions; with two votes in a board of 8, they don’t have control of any big decisions.
 
Correction: Kibble do have a veto on decisions that are reserved shareholder matters, including who SMISA can add to board.
 
JN: what kibble want is for their young people to get work experience at the club… there will always be a kibble employee at the club, as they have a duty of care over these young people
 
JN: General manager coming from Kibble is free of charge, so a good deal for us.
 
On Old Firm Fans getting two stands:
 
JN: going to have a good look at it… ideally doesn’t want to have old firm fans in. However, the money made is ‘a big chunk of income’. The challenge is filling family stand with paying saints customers.
 
One fan: “We should be celebrating owning this club, but everyone here is embarrassed”

John Needham saying “the board don’t make day-to-day decisions in the club”… that’s Tony’s responsibility


 
EE65D040-2944-4F90-B7CC-F8A6DCA9419D.thumb.jpeg.24b708bd63204ce76ab6922bbc3a6473.jpeg
Thank you for sharing that. [emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]
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Closing question: “What are your aspirations for St. Mirren?”

JN: make us as successful off the park as we are on it. This includes comms, matchday experience, stadium improvements and generally increasing income.

On park - sustained success in Premiership.

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Closing question: “What are your aspirations for St. Mirren?”
JN: make us as successful off the park as we are on it. This includes comms, matchday experience, stadium improvements and generally increasing income.
On park - sustained success in Premiership.
As we are on it?

Mediocrity and underachievement it is then.

Potential for so much better but willing to settle for less. [emoji850][emoji26]

This club has massive potential.
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Potential requires a leap if faith to achieve it, in case of a football club you need to spend a bit of money, not going mad but enough to push forward. I do think and its only imo that GS was glad to step aside early and not have to put up with the lack of ambition from others who it would appear like the ego trip but shy away from decisions.

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My take on tonights meeting.

1. John Needham doesnt really have a handle on how the club is run. So many times tonight he said he was unaware of things, it had never come to the board, "Tony and his team decided that". I know its early days for him but he needs to get a handle on it pretty damn quick.

2. Who are these mysterious figures in Tonys "team". 

3. Tony may be a club legend, but he doesnt have the specific skills needed to be a CEO. Thats not his fault, however i believe his "team" who may, coincidentally, have connections with Kibble, have sniffed this out and are manipulating Tony to make naive and possibly dodgy decisions.

4. We're going to continue to sell our players on the cheap.

All in all, we're in a bit of a mess and confidence in those in the position to sort it, based on tonight, is low. However, we need to give Mr Needham time to sort it - a good first step would be to scrutinise everything and not just leave it to "Tony and his team".

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