Sons' sorrow

[colpie]

2 hours ago, pleslie99 said:

A genuine attempt was made to invest money into the club?  So question is, where is it? I cant imagine many football clubs in Scotland would turn down some investment. The problem is you either didnt have any or had alterior motives. Excuse us for thinking you were a chancer cause sounds to me like that's exactly what you are.

You've jumped onto P&B to respond to a comment from months ago in the middle of the night. A few too many wines perhaps? The time for responding to fans, engaging was a long time ago! I hope whatever club you are off too next sit up and take note.

I get all of what you are saying.

At the time of the posts, I wasn’t in a position to discuss anything that was going on with an NDA being signed, so apologies for the silence.

Now I have had a few weeks to settle down and refocus, I did think it was time to give some feedback, not after a few wines or a drop of anything else. A late night reflective mode and knowing no matter what time of day it would be, there would be some obvious kick back for a reply.

I just genuinely think I should give my side of things to help people understand the difficult dynamics you can come across within the business side of football. I spend years as a fan thinking why don't things happen as easily as it sounds to, sign this, sack that for example.

Not sure if this entirely answers your comment but I hope it goes some way. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

5 hours ago, FifeSons said:

Did the board ever bother to reply to that excellently written trust letter?

The DFC Chairman passed the letter to Andrew Hosie who is the effective owner of the club.  An Email reply from him was received by the Trust Chairman but it contained very little of any substance and failed to address most of the Trust's concerns and queries.  In truth that did not come as any great surprise.

 

[Clarko_son]

6 hours ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

In my opinion you are perfectly entitled to air your views on here or anywhere else, and indeed it is always refreshing for anyone involved at Boardroom level at DFC to engage with supporters.

I'm a co-founder of the Sons Supporters Trust and a current Trust Board member, and like many other people I'm very concerned about about the ownership and current direction of the club.

Let me ask you a straight question.  Did yourself and/or your business partner(s) make an initial approach to the majority shareholder of DFC or the current club Board of Directors, or was the overture in the reverse direction ?  I suspect that whatever the answer, your side was 'encouraged' to get involved by the majority shareholder on the premise of potential financial investment, primary because that have no great interest in the football aspects of DFC.

You also mention ambition, or the lack of it, and I can understand your frustration.  Was it your honest view that there is a lack of ambition on the part of the club Board or does it lie with the club ownership, as I'm sure you will have recognised that they are two very separate entities ?  The very fact that we have a Board of a professional football club currently comprising only three persons who are virtually consumed with keeping DFC financially viable, with an ownership intent primarily on land speculation is a truly grim situation.  Did you share that view and if so, did you speak out on it ?

I understand that you may be becoming involved with another Scottish League club.  Good luck in your endeavours, and one thing is for sure - you are unlikely to encounter such a dismal and dubious ownership situation and club structure elsewhere.

Please correct me if I'm wrong here first of all. 

A trust board member is having to resort to asking an ex-director of the club what's going on through pie and Bovril as that's the only way you'll actually get any answers? Is that what I'm actually reading there? 

 

 

[The Moonster]

59 minutes ago, colpie said:

I guess the motive was to reply to some of the comments made with my point of view rather than speculation or creative imagination.

Also happy for you to give me your point of view on me as a person, as we have never met I’d imagine you are a highly skilled judge of character. 

While on the board it would have been unprofessional to “go rogue” and speak out about my ambitions, personally and professionally.

Which are, to use the past 11-12 years of working in football self employed in Scotland (my home) and in the North of England, work inside a club at in influential level, using the contacts made, not just in football, but commercial and other projects. Control the day to day running with a partnership and build something a little different, having a different approach to how clubs at this level work at, perhaps take some calculated risks to explore alternative revenue and exposure. Something that has a good 6-7 years of planning going in to.

The current situation with the land did make our plans a little complicated, and why my partner flew over to have face to face talks with the owners of how we can come to an agreement where we would manage to the football operations, with the current board and support in all areas we could, not just keeping afloat. That agreement couldn’t be made, common ground couldn’t be found to give both parties security. Not just as simple as someone saying to the club, here’s some money and I want nothing in return, that something in return was to control the day to day.

I would say that the current board deserve a medal in what they do for your club and their efforts to continually dedicate their free time in running it for the owners.

My decision to leave was one I didn’t make quickly, but when you have plans and desires to achieve something in life, you have to put all focus in to that, and it would be unethical to seek another club while on the board of another. 

If that was the motive then you could've spoken to me when I made that comment or any other fans when you arrived. You didn't and I'm sorry it's absolute horseshite that you couldn't tell us what your ambitions for the club were. What is "going rogue" about being transparent with fans?

You've not set out any sort of meaningful plan for the club there, just LinkedIn bio bullshit bingo about building partnerships, taking risks and exploring other avenues...I'm sure it sounds great in the boardroom but on these forums it doesn't wash. If you'd bothered your arse to get the fans onside with your vision when you arrived you might've had more clout with owners when negotiating your side...but nope, it was silence and here you are after eveything is done telling folk they've got it wrong. 

I'll ask once again, you could've chosen any club to bring your "investment" and "ambitions", why did you choose DFC? 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

20 minutes ago, Clarko_son said:

Please correct me if I'm wrong here first of all. 

A trust board member is having to resort to asking an ex-director of the club what's going on through pie and Bovril as that's the only way you'll actually get any answers? Is that what I'm actually reading there? 

 

 

I'm principally asking an ex-Director who has now chosen to post on P & B to address some questions regarding his short tenure at the club, and how he came to be here and why he departed. 

On the wider point of 'what's going on' - and I presume you mean at DFC - then I would refer you to a statement made by the club Chairman on 29th January at a meeting between the club Board and Trust Board reps when he informed us that he considered that matters of club ownership were outwith the DFC Board's remit, and their principal role was concerned with football affairs and associated matters.

[colpie]

30 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

If that was the motive then you could've spoken to me when I made that comment or any other fans when you arrived. You didn't and I'm sorry it's absolute horseshite that you couldn't tell us what your ambitions for the club were. What is "going rogue" about being transparent with fans?

You've not set out any sort of meaningful plan for the club there, just LinkedIn bio bullshit bingo about building partnerships, taking risks and exploring other avenues...I'm sure it sounds great in the boardroom but on these forums it doesn't wash. If you'd bothered your arse to get the fans onside with your vision when you arrived you might've had more clout with owners when negotiating your side...but nope, it was silence and here you are after eveything is done telling folk they've got it wrong. 

I'll ask once again, you could've chosen any club to bring your "investment" and "ambitions", why did you choose DFC? 

We were approached about the possibility of investing, so we explored.

I’m sure you are convinced that coming to speak to the fans would help our cause, but why do that before any negotiations? Seems a waste of both of our time until we knew there was a deal to be done, and at the same time cause more uncertainty than you all felt already. 

[WC Boggs]

35k in return for control of DFC and expecting a guaranteed return isn't ambition, it's an insult.

[WC Boggs]

Congratulations on remaining in the Scottish cup and good luck.

[The Moonster]

36 minutes ago, colpie said:

We were approached about the possibility of investing, so we explored.

I’m sure you are convinced that coming to speak to the fans would help our cause, but why do that before any negotiations? Seems a waste of both of our time until we knew there was a deal to be done, and at the same time cause more uncertainty than you all felt already. 

Why take a seat on the board if you didn't know a deal could be done?

You're absolutely at it.

[super-son]

We were approached about the possibility of investing, so we explored.
I’m sure you are convinced that coming to speak to the fans would help our cause, but why do that before any negotiations? Seems a waste of both of our time until we knew there was a deal to be done, and at the same time cause more uncertainty than you all felt already. 

You take a seat on the board before negotiating but it would be stupid to discuss your intentions? That doesn’t make sense.

[Frank Quitely]

19 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Why take a seat on the board if you didn't know a deal could be done?

You're absolutely at it.

Maybe Colpie was sought out and sold a vision by Andy Hosie which turned out to be not quite what it seemed.  I mean it wouldn't be the first time - ask a certain Norwegian who is desperate to exit.

[colpie]

20 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Why take a seat on the board if you didn't know a deal could be done?

You're absolutely at it.

I was invited to meet the chairman and other board members. I expressed an interest about joining the board.

Spoke with them all on a couple of occasions and the manager.

It was decided between the board that I would join and I would work in all the areas I would like to help and improve, hospitality, commercial, recruitment, setting up the DFC Community Trust. 

When talks broke down about investing, (3 months after I joined the board, with talks going on for a lot longer than before I joined) I remained with the board, dedicating my own time in assisting where I could. In the end I preferred my time to be focused on my personal goal, so I resigned my position as I felt I wouldn’t be of benefit to the club going forward while I’m looking to start on something else.

Im sure the board members and the manager wouldn’t have thought I was “at it” or my seat there wouldn’t have been given. But I do respect your opinion on it. 

[colpie]

10 minutes ago, Frank Quitely said:

Maybe Colpie was sought out and sold a vision by Andy Hosie which turned out to be not quite what it seemed.  I mean it wouldn't be the first time - ask a certain Norwegian who is desperate to exit.

It was more a mutual business connection that done the intro and pitch to us, but in summary there’s legs in your thoughts. 

[The Moonster]

1 minute ago, colpie said:

I was invited to meet the chairman and other board members. I expressed an interest about joining the board.

Spoke with them all on a couple of occasions and the manager.

It was decided between the board that I would join and I would work in all the areas I would like to help and improve, hospitality, commercial, recruitment, setting up the DFC Community Trust. 

When talks broke down about investing, (3 months after I joined the board, with talks going on for a lot longer than before I joined) I remained with the board, dedicating my own time in assisting where I could. In the end I preferred my time to be focused on my personal goal, so I resigned my position as I felt I wouldn’t be of benefit to the club going forward while I’m looking to start on something else.

Im sure the board members and the manager wouldn’t have thought I was “at it” or my seat there wouldn’t have been given. But I do respect your opinion on it. 

Why did you want to join the board before you knew your investment could be agreed, if that was the deal breaker for your ambitions for the club? It makes no sense to me pal, and you're 10 months too late in trying to convince me that you weren't here to make a quick buck, just like every other chancer we've had through the door in the last 15 years. 

[colpie]

2 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Why did you want to join the board before you knew your investment could be agreed, if that was the deal breaker for your ambitions for the club? It makes no sense to me pal, and you're 10 months too late in trying to convince me that you weren't here to make a quick buck, just like every other chancer we've had through the door in the last 15 years. 

We were lead to believe it could be done, the next phase was me joining the board, but with only approval of the current board, then start working with them, which I did immediately, bringing in and negotiating a deal with PlayerData for player development and analysis (something that brought in an extra staff member to help with performance and training) building the current seasons commercial document for generating revenue (something that hasn’t been done for a couple of seasons maybe) all done with volunteering my time around full time employment, that’s not being in it to make a quick buck, it’s about being involved in a club, making decisions, looking forward, getting rid of the attitude of “it’s been done before and didn’t work” that was the goal.

The only thing I’m doing here is to show to you from your early comments, that I’m not a circling vulture, I have good intentions and it’s as simple as that. 

Self actualisation is the phrase I use when looking at projects to be involved in, do I want to get paid for the work I do? Yes, who doesn’t, but in the time I was with the club, it was costing me and helping the club. Not really the trait of a vulture or someone wanting a quick buck. 

[Boghead ranter]

20 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Why did you want to join the board before you knew your investment could be agreed, if that was the deal breaker for your ambitions for the club? It makes no sense to me pal, and you're 10 months too late in trying to convince me that you weren't here to make a quick buck, just like every other chancer we've had through the door in the last 15 years. 

Surely he'd learn more, more quickly, about the club he wanted to invest on by being on the board, than he would've if he'd stayed on the outside?

[colpie]

12 minutes ago, Boghead ranter said:

Surely he'd learn more, more quickly, about the club he wanted to invest on by being on the board, than he would've if he'd stayed on the outside?

That was the plan, and it helped both sides, they got to know me and I got to know them. 

[Frank Quitely]

28 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Why did you want to join the board before you knew your investment could be agreed, if that was the deal breaker for your ambitions for the club? It makes no sense to me pal, and you're 10 months too late in trying to convince me that you weren't here to make a quick buck, just like every other chancer we've had through the door in the last 15 years. 

I think you're having a pop at the wrong target here Moonster - the main chancer and buck-chaser in all of this is unfortunately still very much in place.  At least credit Colpie for coming on here and facing his critics, and it's probably the first and almost certainly the last time anyone from within the club Boardroom will lift the lid on anything down there.  Credit too that he didn't take long to realise what he had got into and got out pronto.

[sonsanorak]

35 minutes ago, colpie said:

That was the plan, and it helped both sides, they got to know me and I got to know them. 

Fair play to you Colpie for coming on here to try and put your point over.

In amongst all the noise when you joined I may have misunderstood what you were all about.  I thought you were joining us to try and put players in the shop window.

All the best

[The Moonster]

1 hour ago, colpie said:

We were lead to believe it could be done, the next phase was me joining the board, but with only approval of the current board, then start working with them, which I did immediately, bringing in and negotiating a deal with PlayerData for player development and analysis (something that brought in an extra staff member to help with performance and training) building the current seasons commercial document for generating revenue (something that hasn’t been done for a couple of seasons maybe) all done with volunteering my time around full time employment, that’s not being in it to make a quick buck, it’s about being involved in a club, making decisions, looking forward, getting rid of the attitude of “it’s been done before and didn’t work” that was the goal.

The only thing I’m doing here is to show to you from your early comments, that I’m not a circling vulture, I have good intentions and it’s as simple as that. 

Self actualisation is the phrase I use when looking at projects to be involved in, do I want to get paid for the work I do? Yes, who doesn’t, but in the time I was with the club, it was costing me and helping the club. Not really the trait of a vulture or someone wanting a quick buck. 

Uh huh, and the second you realised there was no money to be made from the club you resigned. I just don't buy this "I was here to help the club" line.

38 minutes ago, Frank Quitely said:

I think you're having a pop at the wrong target here Moonster - the main chancer and buck-chaser in all of this is unfortunately still very much in place.  At least credit Colpie for coming on here and facing his critics, and it's probably the first and almost certainly the last time anyone from within the club Boardroom will lift the lid on anything down there.  Credit too that he didn't take long to realise what he had got into and got out pronto.

Andy Hosie's involvement with the club is border line criminal and if I was ever able to converse with him I'd be as cynical as I am now. Coming on here and facing his critics? I'd have respect for him if he'd done that 10 months ago, not now when he's looking to save face ahead of his next "investment opportunity". I'll leave it there though.