MontyPython

HI GMCA, Trust Rule 4 4. In order to achieve its objects the Society may either itself or through a subsidiary company or society acting under its control: a. buy, sell and lease property; b. borrow; c. grant security over its property and assets; d. establish promote and maintain for the purposes of the Society any lawful fund raising scheme; e. buy and hold shares in the Club or any limited company owning or controlling the Club; f. to lend or gift money to the Club or any limited company owning or controlling the Club in order to promote the Society’s objects; APPLICATION OF PROFITS 6. The profits or surpluses of the Society are not to be distributed either directly or indirectly in any way whatsoever among members of the Society but shall be applied: a. to maintain prudent reserves; b. on expenditure to achieve the Society’s objects. Its rule 6 that prevented the "investor" from taking profit that was the reason for it to go no further. The profit could only be re-invested. By the way when the Club refers to "investment", what they ought to have said was "loan". And the terms of that loan were detrimental to the Trust and its members. That is a moot point as the "Investor" walked away and the contractural stuff became irrelevant.

Stirling Albion supporters are angry, some now demanding the Club is sold in the belief that there is a benefactor out there willing to pour millions into the Club. There might very well be but no one has so far come forward. The fans wanting to sell the Club to get what they call "investment", needs to understand there is nothing in the Trust rules that prevents anyone from investing. Anyone can inject cash into the Club, I know some who already do, expecting nothing in return, except hopefully watching a successful team on the pitch. Fans who want the Club sold are in reality looking for a benefactor willing to sustain the financial losses that go with trying to compete beyond your means. You only need to look at Hearts to realise what damage can de done by investors. Vladimir Romanov virtually bankrupted the Club. Hearts are now fan owned. What of fan ownership, I'm quoting the Scottish Supporters Network, - fans believe "benefits of community ownership are the financial sustainability and stability it brought, the fact under community ownership clubs are run for the benefit of their respective communities and that it brought democracy and transparency with fans represented at board level". There are many good example of how fan ownership is working. Those who want to sell the Club need to explain why it can't work at Stirling Albion FC. I'll repeat what I said earlier, private individuals can invest in fan owned Clubs, what I can never accept though is for that any investor to puts the Club back in jeapordy, by expecting a financial return. Our younger fans just don't appreciate how close we were from going out of business a decade ago. I never want to go through that again. What we all want is a team on the park that we can be proud of. Throwing money at it does not guarantee success. J. T.