The Falkirk FC Thread

[LatapyBairn.]

10 minutes ago, Shabba said:

Did the Navy Blue group put 600k in or is that still a possibility?

Most of the people involved with the NB group have already invested as patrons now. Not sure how much more they’d want or be able to afford to invest again as a group, some may well invest further but I doubt to the level the club needs. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by LatapyBairn.

[Springfield]

Just now, Shabba said:

Did the Navy Blue group put 600k in or is that still a possibility?

Question I asked earlier, surely after the tanking the previous BOD got for many things including the NB investment ?

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

It’s unprecedented times for the majority of people as everyone’s disposable income has been stretched to the limit. The majority of our fans want fan ownership however the majority of fans also cannot afford it or have other, more pressing priorities just now.

This statement is from OUR board to OUR fans. It’s an absolutely appalling statement to have issued.

If a member of our board has gone rogue and written this it’s bad enough but if this has been proof read by other people and still issued it’s bloody criminal.

It had all the Board members name on it. 
I only really have an issue with the one paragraph which I have already mentioned, the rest I can’t see an issue with. 
The Board have a job to do. They have to ensure the club has enough cash to keep the doors open. The fans either want fan ownership or they don’t - as you say some can’t afford it to contribute more. 
IMO it could have had the same impact by saying we need the FSS to raise X per Month to make Fan ownership work. That would have thrown it back to the fans and not pointed the finger at those who can’t be bothered, those who don’t agree and those who can’t afford. 

[Dawson Park Boy]

I think we can all agree that it was badly worded but everyone makes mistakes.

Im prepared to let it go but I think they need to be a lot more honest with the fans.

How bad really is it?

What are the consequences of the Auditors not signing the Accounts off.

Will it affect us with the football authorities?

Will it demoralise the staff?

When is the AGM?

Brutal honesty is what’s needed and, yes, I’m sure the fan base will rally to the cause.

[Shabba]

They obviously feel it’s now desperation stage for money. It just could have been worded without the need for the good guy/w**k divide

[PedroMoutinho]

Tbh it rarely ends well when any business starts attacking its customers or blaming them for not purchasing its product.

How that totally tone deaf email presumably got past a whole board of directors is beyond me. Accusing supporters who’ve continued to back the club in huge numbers frankly well beyond what it deserved of ‘sitting back’ is particularly offensive.

Clearly the number of FSS sign ups has been disappointing (through absolutely no fault of the guys involved) but to me you’ve got to look at what can be done to make it more attractive rather than trying to emotionally blackmail people.

Imo there should be a £5 a month option, particularly in these difficult times. There should also be a ‘share save’ option allowing people to purchase shares in their own name and get something more tangible for their investment.

There also needs to be a greater platform for FSS members who are not patrons to be involved in decision- making.

There seems to be a suggestion now from some BoD outriders that the plan is to effectively sideline the FSS and concentrate even greater control in the hands of the patrons, which would be totally the wrong approach Imo.

Edited September 29, 2022 by PedroMoutinho

[Grangemouth Bairn]

4 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

It had all the Board members name on it. 
I only really have an issue with the one paragraph which I have already mentioned, the rest I can’t see an issue with. 
The Board have a job to do. They have to ensure the club has enough cash to keep the doors open. The fans either want fan ownership or they don’t - as you say some can’t afford it to contribute more. 
IMO it could have had the same impact by saying we need the FSS to raise X per Month to make Fan ownership work. That would have thrown it back to the fans and not pointed the finger at those who can’t be bothered, those who don’t agree and those who can’t afford. 

The reaction has certainly proved they have a real disconnect with the fans which is a shame as things were starting to look really positive on the pitch.

There is massive economic uncertainty in the UK just now. People either don’t have the money or due to the uncertainty won’t risk increasing their outgoings on what they don’t deem as a necessity. People are worried and rightly so.

The board have totally mis-read the room here.

[Guest Ecosse83]

Wasn’t aware of the email but I was expecting a lot worse after reading some of the comments on here. 90/10 thing could have been worded better but it’s not exactly that bad! 
 

Hopefully it’s prompts some more to sign up. 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Tbh it rarely ends well when any business starts attacking its customers or blaming them for not purchasing its product.

How that totally tone deaf email presumably got past a whole board of directors is beyond me. Accusing supporters who’ve continued to back the club in huge numbers frankly well beyond what it deserved of ‘sitting back’ is particularly offensive.

Clearly the number of FSS sign ups has been disappointing (through absolutely no fault of the guys involved) but to me you’ve got to look at what can be done to make it more attractive rather than trying to emotionally blackmail people.

Imo there should be a £5 a month option, particularly in these difficult times. There should also be a ‘share save’ option allowing people to purchase shares in their own name and get something more tangible for their investment.

There also needs to be a greater platform for FSS members who are not patrons to be involved in decision- making.

There seems to be a suggestion now from some BoD outriders that the plan is to effectively sideline the FSS and concentrate even greater control in the hands of the patrons, which would be totally the wrong approach Imo.

I agree it would be totally wrong approach, I also agree there should be a sharesave scheme for those not wanting to join FSS. Not really sure how those fans could be easily represented in the club without another organisation springing up called for example “small shareholders organisation” 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

The reaction has certainly proved they have a real disconnect with the fans which is a shame as things were starting to look really positive on the pitch.

There is massive economic uncertainty in the UK just now. People either don’t have the money or due to the uncertainty won’t risk increasing their outgoings on what they don’t deem as a necessity. People are worried and rightly so.

The board have totally mis-read the room here.

In terms of the 10%/90% comment I agree. What else in note however is wrong? They have to get finance in and are laying it bare to the fans what is required. Imagine they didn’t give the fans that chance and sold the share set aside for the Partons and FSS to an outsider. What reaction would that have brought? 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Shabba said:

They obviously feel it’s now desperation stage for money. It just could have been worded without the need for the good guy/w**k divide

I don’t think it is desperation I think it is laying out what has to happen or they will need to change course and modify the current plan. The fans have a month or so to raise the finance or the Board will have no option but to go to plan b. Back in 2010 the fans raised over 300k 

[Grangemouth Bairn]

8 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

In terms of the 10%/90% comment I agree. What else in note however is wrong? They have to get finance in and are laying it bare to the fans what is required. Imagine they didn’t give the fans that chance and sold the share set aside for the Partons and FSS to an outsider. What reaction would that have brought? 

The 90%/10% comment is what everyone is focused on though so the rest of the message isn’t as impactful.

I really don’t get how a group of successful people, supposedly with a high level of business acumen could proof read that and not pick up on it.

[LatapyBairn.]

Reading between the lines the club is trying to push/expedite the sale of the unsold shares which were originally intended for the FSS / Patrons Group to cover the end of year financial short fall. If this isn’t successful and the two fans groups don’t buy these shares it will either be back to soft loan territory which will hamstring the club going forward or the shareholding will then be flogged in bulk to which ever Tom, Dick or Harry is prepared to pay the money, the latter for me in itself is massively disappointing, it totally ruins any chance of proper fan ownership and opens the club up to more of your Lex Miller or Mark Campbell type owners who are in it for all the wrong reasons. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by LatapyBairn.

[knee jerk reaction]

Timing of the email is definitely a problem, pre mini budget might have been acceptable but releasing the email with all the uncertainty over mortgage rates etc is bad timing at worst. Obviously the club needs fans to step up and hopefully improvement on the park will attract extra fans and sponsorship. I know I've said on here that a % of fss money could go back to individuals as shares as it might make joining more attractive to new members

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

The 90%/10% comment is what everyone is focused on though so the rest of the message isn’t as impactful.

I really don’t get how a group of successful people, supposedly with a high level of business acumen could proof read that and not pick up on it.

That is unfortunate but look at one or two other bits in there 

[Guest FFC1965]

You'd have to be certified to invest substantially now when the club has put out this communication. 

Its the very definition of counterproductive. 

An appeal to the heart was required, not a lecture.  

Massive own goal.  

  

 

 

[Dawson Park Boy]

2 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

That is unfortunate but look at one or two other bits in there 

Yes, but are there willing lenders out there?

Easier said than done.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

6 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Yes, but are there willing lenders out there?

Easier said than done.

There will be but the interest rates will reflect the current economy and the state of the club financially at the time of lending so will likely be on the high side.

[Bairn in Exile]

Just checked my inbox and I am in receipt of this email. However, how many fans actually get these emails? What percentage of our fans receive them? An honest question as I don't know. I'm just thinking but by the tone of the email things are extremely serious. Maybe the uptake in FSS membership is low because not enough fans are actually aware as to how bad things are? That being the case, and again I am writing through ignorance here, would a flyer being handed out to every home fan at the game on Saturday when the board will have a captive audience of some 4,000 fans not be a worthwhile idea and an opportunity to get their message across? (I suggest that they edit the original email mind).It might lead to more fans, who can afford it, signing up.

 

[Grangemouth Bairn]

13 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

That is unfortunate but look at one or two other bits in there 

Absolutely but all the focus is in the headline statement which is my point.

There was a real feel-good factor at the club after the last two performances which should have been advantageous but the board have really made a mess of this comms.