Hendo

I have raised it with SMISA - I think the change came in when Kibble came on board. I think the only way to change it is to submit a motion to the AGM - I enquired how to do that but didnt receive an answer.

While his location is IMO an issue in carrying out his responsibilities as a board member, the biggest issue is the lack of transparency over who else applied and the lack of a vote. He may be a good candidate, but he got on the board through a coronation, not an election.

We knew we'd never draw a team from Rome, it would probably be a side from a village in the Faroes or Estonia, so when that was the option Dingwall doesnt sound so bad.

Looking forward to this, coming up the day before with my son (consolation prize due to the lack of a European trip this season).

I agree with this, totally opposed to any positive discrimination bollocks. I think the issue is are people from more diverse backgrounds applying, and if not why not? Of course, we dont really know this as SMISA dont tell us, and we also arent trusted to have a proper election to vote them in.

I'm 54, so i refuse to accept that people in their 60's are old as i'm almost there.

Totally agree. We could also start closer to home and try and get more diversity on our own board, so its not made up exclusively of white middle aged men.

As an old leftie i hate the Israeli regime and the war crimes they are committing, but equally i hate what Hamas did last weekend. However, i'm sure our fans are sensible enough to understand how difficult this must be for those who may have family and friends over there.

Hi Jimmy.

I think what SMISA has become is disappointing and not really what fan ownership should be about. The approach has been very hierarchical, with a lack of transparency, democracy and engagement with the membership. The idea that we dont know who applies to be on the St Mirren board and are asked to simply approve the selected candidate by unnamed individuals smacks of "we dont trust the members". It is this approach and attitude that IMO has led to disengagement. Sadly nothing much has changed even with new people on the SMISA board. SG has gone very quiet since he was voted on. As for people who say "look at how well we are doing, lets be positive" thats 100% down to the hard work of the management and players, achieved in spite of rather than because of SMISA.

SMISA in my opinion needs totally reformed. There are some good people there but the lack of transparency and democracy and reluctance to treat members like adults is getting in the way. Not quite at the stage of chucking it but not far off.

Did they play it in Colchester so our new director could see it?

Hopefully back for the new year game so he can score again for us.

Was there not all sorts of rumours that he was a paedophile? Clement Freud, that is, not the dog.

Sometimes people move, cant get to games, have personal circumstances that mean they cant get to games, i get that. However, i'm assuming that your brother hasnt tried to join the Board from his Dublin base, because it would be fecking ridiculous to have a Board member not immersed in the club and joining meetings via zoom. Its almost as ridiculous as having a manager who doesnt live in the country, but we would never do anything like that...

The original comment was that he was as big a fan as anyone on here. So i was just trying to find the evidence for this statement. Many people struggle to find the money for a season ticket, but judging by his CV he isnt one of them. So does he have a season ticket, how many games a season does he go to (granted that may be difficult given he lives in Colchester i believe). Was he at Forthbank in 1998? Maybe he was, but if he is "as big a fan as anyone on here" where is the evidence? Maybe its just me, but i would expect one of our nominated board members to be active in SMISA and their own community, and live locally, otherwise how can they claim they truly understand the club, especially when its role in the community is a major focus? Of course, this whole thing is the inevitable consequence of allowing a small number of people choose the board member rather than have democratic elections where there can be hustings and members can question candidates.

Fair enough. What stand is his season ticket for?

And that "something" is probably called Nick Walsh.

Yes, its a difficult one. Do you want your main challengers for the league to drop points, or Rangers. A draw probably suits you best.

I'm not sure what is going on at SMISA, but the new proposed board member is a guy who I've never seen at any meetings, left Paisley in 1986, lives in Colchester and attends garden parties hosted by sausage fingers. I think i'll be voting naw. Proper fan ownership i think is dead, maybe it was an illusion like so many other things right now.

I would hope so, followed by a minutes booing for Alex Rae.

It puts him under pressure too, it wasnt as if his last game wasnt without controversy, disallowing 3 goals, 2 of which should have stood (even though the offside one was down to VAR). I suppose he could give us everything on Sunday to avoid accusations of bias, you just never know...

I think it was Muir on VAR at the weekend.

The issue isnt VAR but who is implementing it. If you look at european matches, checks are completed quicker, decisions are better and it is much less intrusive than it is here. The problem is we have a collection of referees who are either bumbling idiots or arrogant arseholes, or in the worst cases (i'm looking at you, John Beaton) both.

Those first six games that season contained some of the flattest, most depressing, uninspiring football i've seen at Saints, even worse than most of the 90's when we were rank rotten.