The St. Mirren FC 2022/23 thread

[FTOF]

3 minutes ago, Billy_Gunn said:

 

Agree will all of that and would add that I feel we’re now at a modernised club, on par with Motherwell in terms of fan engagement / experience as well as being as connected with the town as much as I can ever remember. A level we should’ve been at a decade ago. Gilmour and his old mates couldn’t have given one f**k about the fans or how the club engaged with the town and it showed. The stadium feels like home now, it’s no longer a soulless concrete shitehole, we’ve got a decent team on the park, gates are up and the club and support feel like one body moving forward with the same ambition. A vote for Gilmour is a vote for the old times and it’ll be the old timers that vote for him.

Sadly, I think he’ll get in the door and It’ll be hugely detrimental to our club.

I'm old and I didn't vote for him. 

[Billy_Gunn]

1 minute ago, FTOF said:

I'm old and I didn't vote for him. 

Good.
Please tell all the boys down the bowling club to do the same, please. Cheers 

[FTOF]

2 minutes ago, Billy_Gunn said:

Good.
Please tell all the boys down the bowling club to do the same, please. Cheers 

Far too strenuous an activity. Although the cheap beer on offer is a plus.

[djchapsticks]

31 minutes ago, Billy_Gunn said:

Good.
Please tell all the boys down the bowling club to do the same, please. Cheers 

Unfortunately with 4 places up for grabs and only 6 candidates running to fill those roles, it's almost a given that he'll be one of the four, given two of the lads are 22 and folk won't vote them on board because 'too young'.

[Hendo]

28 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Unfortunately with 4 places up for grabs and only 6 candidates running to fill those roles, it's almost a given that he'll be one of the four, given two of the lads are 22 and folk won't vote them on board because 'too young'.

I hope at least one of the young lads gets in, we need to encourage more young fans, one of the positives recently has been some of the really good work done by the club to try and achieve this.

As for big Stu, I get all the arguments that he has had his day - my main current reservation with SMISA is that I think it has become a bit of a clique and not as democratic as I would like, and some of the answers from Needham at previous meetings have been politicians answers to say the least - someone in there to shake things up and provide some scrutiny might not be a bad thing.

The danger of course is that it could lead to civil war.

So kept in the dark or civil war? Daddy or chips? Difficult decision.

[McG]

5 hours ago, geo87 said:

I don’t follow. Are you saying that 4 members of the board have resigned in (less than) as many months due to their support of SG…?

That doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.

I’ve heard from a very reliable source over the last hour or so that the smisa members that have resigned have so because of Gilmour, they don’t want to be part of it if he has something to do with it.

Also someone has been making up stories to make things sound a lot worse than they actually are, the whole financial thing has totally been blown out of proportion.

who would make up such stories? 

[NorthBank]

I have had some concerns over SG in the past however I also recognise the good that he has done.

I am led to believe there has been a big problem with the SMiSA Board not standing up to the Kibble and letting them dictate policy in a Board imbalance. I am also led to believe that there is a financial situation that must be addressed (from a very reliable source). The Club has improved no end over the last few years and that has to be applauded for the turnaround and upward growth at all levels. And while I wholeheartedly applaud the Kibble's input I am concerned about the balance of power on the Board and the spending issues.

I believe we need a strong SMiSA representation on the Board or else give us our money back and let Kibble take over completely (which is a valid option). If they are doing a great job let them continue but then it is not a fans' run club. For a fans' run Club we need SMiSA to be able to challenge and significantly contribute the the running of the Club and not just bask in being a Board member. SG ticks a lot of boxes for me - short term involvement; help address the finances and help balance the Board. And he is only one member and not the Chairman. SG will get my vote.

I do get that there is probably not enough information out in the public domain for everyone to make their best judgement but from the information I have that is a route I am going down. To each his own.

[FTOF]

38 minutes ago, McG said:

I’ve heard from a very reliable source over the last hour or so that the smisa members that have resigned have so because of Gilmour, they don’t want to be part of it if he has something to do with it.

Also, someone has been making up stories to make things sound a lot worse than they actually are, the whole financial thing has totally been blown out of proportion.

who would make up such stories? 

If that's the case, then the individuals involved should be totally ashamed of themselves. Although, if the posters of BAWA who are peddling this angle, are anything to go by, then I wouldn't hold my breath.

I voted against Kibble involvement. However, the more I see of this sly behaviour, the more inclined I am to side with The Kibble.

If individuals have concerns, by all means they should air their views, but they should try doing it in an adult manner.

One of the posters in particular has only ever posted to criticise the club/The Kibble, and that makes me question their motives.

Anyway, it's only a football club and life goes on.

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by FTOF

[geo87]

I’ve heard from a very reliable source over the last hour or so that the smisa members that have resigned have so because of Gilmour, they don’t want to be part of it if he has something to do with it.
Also someone has been making up stories to make things sound a lot worse than they actually are, the whole financial thing has totally been blown out of proportion.
who would make up such stories? 

Fair enough McG, your far more itk than me. I just don’t understand why you would walk away before this happens, therefore increasing the chance of the very person you don’t want in to be elected.

I really hope he isn’t elected, I hold him in the same regard as others have mentioned for stepping in at a very difficult time in our history, but he has come across as a slavering mess at some of the SMISA evenings that just wants to stir Up trouble or has old axes to grind.

[McG]

16 minutes ago, geo87 said:

Fair enough McG, your far more itk than me. I just don’t understand why you would walk away before this happens, therefore increasing the chance of the very person you don’t want in to be elected.

I really hope he isn’t elected, I hold him in the same regard as others have mentioned for stepping in at a very difficult time in our history, but he has come across as a slavering mess at some of the SMISA evenings that just wants to stir Up trouble or has old axes to grind.

I don’t doubt what I got told earlier mate, source is 100 spot on with everything I’ve been told so far.

Wanting to vote rangers in…..Armageddon etc sounds familiar to the rumour of our financial state that’s floating about just now.

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by McG

[Hendo]

56 minutes ago, FTOF said:

If that's the case, then the individuals involved should be totally ashamed of themselves. Although, if the posters of BAWA who are peddling this angle, are anything to go by, then I wouldn't hold my breath.

I voted against Kibble involvement. However, the more I see of this sly behaviour, the more inclined I am to side with The Kibble.

If individuals have concerns, by all means they should air their views, but they should try doing it in an adult manner.

One of the posters in particular has only ever posted to criticise the club/The Kibble, and that makes me question their motives.

Anyway, it's only a football club and life goes on.

 

I think the issue is that there is a lack of transparency from the Board and SMISA, the non answers over legitimate questions at some of the meetings has been embarrassing, which gives an environment for rumours to thrive. 

I am encouraged by some of the candidates who have put their name forward, fresh ideas and a critical eye is whats needed IMO.

[Buttocks Brown]

1 hour ago, NorthBank said:

For a fans' run Club we need SMiSA to be able to challenge and significantly contribute the the running of the Club and not just bask in being a Board member. SG ticks a lot of boxes for me - short term involvement; help address the finances and help balance the Board. And he is only one member and not the Chairman. SG will get my vote.

Just to be clear: what's being voted on here is for a place on the SMISA board, not the SMFC board.

Replacing Alan Wardrop's SMISA post on the SMFC board is a separate recruitment process. Who knows? Maybe Mr Gilmour will also apply for that and reclaim his comfy seat at the back of the Main Stand.

[ZingaliMan]

2 hours ago, McG said:

I don’t doubt what I got told earlier mate, source is 100 spot on with everything I’ve been told so far.

Wanting to vote rangers in…..Armageddon etc sounds familiar to the rumour of our financial state that’s floating about just now.

 

S.G and G.S. are like chalk and cheese putting it extremely lightly.  You sound very much in G.S. camp which is fine. There is one way to stop this shit on its tracks. Chairman come out with a statement accounts are stable but this won't happen. NorthBank makes a sound case for Gilmour he is not interested in running the club. It's the accounts need looked at to stop the rife rumours circulating.  

[McG]

7 hours ago, ZingaliMan said:

S.G and G.S. are like chalk and cheese putting it extremely lightly.  You sound very much in G.S. camp which is fine. There is one way to stop this shit on its tracks. Chairman come out with a statement accounts are stable but this won't happen. NorthBank makes a sound case for Gilmour he is not interested in running the club. It's the accounts need looked at to stop the rife rumours circulating.  

If someone told you the club was going bust tomorrow mate you would believe it. You’ve been getting fed absolute nonsense figures and have lapped it all up. 

Listen to Needham’s interview with Graham Spiers, we will shift 1 or 2 on in January which is normal, we’ve got Brophy sitting there on a good wage and he isn’t getting a sniff, he’s been a poor investment by our last management team so I can see him getting shifted, maybe 1 more. 

Why should the chairman come out and give a statement because a few fans are having meltdowns on the forums due to made up stories? 
 

Also anyone reading Gilmour’a statement should be alarmed, he’s on about coming in and causing a divide etc, the club is in the best place it’s been in for years and a lot of that is down to Gordon Scott/Kibble.

Let’s not forget the Argentinian consortium, voting Rangers in and Armageddon etc.

Like I said those smisa members didn’t leave because of Kibble…… 
 

 

[Shuggie_Murray7]

SG did many great things for the club, I don't think anyone can deny that.

However, let's not forget the utter shambles that he left us in when his time was up. We were a floundering Championship side who appointed dud after du as manager. Rae, Murray, Teale, and Craig anyone?

For all his good he did, his time has been and gone. The game has passed him by at this stage.

Thanks for everything he did for the club, but it's a hard no from me.

[Drooper]

Read the room, Stewart....

[FTOF]

28 minutes ago, Drooper said:

Read the room, Stewart....

Indeed.

Whilst he still has some degree of his dignity intact.

[djchapsticks]

1 hour ago, McG said:

Also anyone reading Gilmour’a statement should be alarmed, he’s on about coming in and causing a divide etc, the club is in the best place it’s been in for years and a lot of that is down to Gordon Scott/Kibble.

Let’s not forget the Argentinian consortium, voting Rangers in and Armageddon etc.

This is what alarms me. He's pretty much said in his mission statement he's there because he wants to be a cat amongst the pigeons at a point in time where, aside from a few voices who appear increasingly to be SGG's mates, there is no such thing required.

It's also pretty much undermining everyone who has stepped into his shoes since he released control. Without having to say it directly, the very inkling in his head of coming back means he clearly thinks everyone following him has been doing a substandard job when you would actually say the opposite is true.

Edited October 27, 2022 by djchapsticks

[Div]

I tip my hat to all six candidates for putting themselves forward.

Each one of them has something to bring to the SMiSA table IMHO.

Some younger blood coming in would certainly do no harm, and would almost certainly help to grow the membership of the Trust. I personally don't think we do enough to encourage new members to join to be honest and the more fans who join the stronger we become. It would be great to see more younger members signing up.

The older heads who have put themselves forward also have plenty to offer. Willie, Kenny and John are all sound guys who have been around the block with the supporters either via the travel clubs they are heavily involved with or as an excellent SLO in Johns case. All these guys would represent the supporters well IMHO.

Stewart is obviously the divisive one.

Personally I don't want Stewart to return to the football club board. I think that ship has sailed and we already have one ex-chairman on there, adding another would be a bit of a mistake and would almost certainly lead to increased friction that I don't think we need.

In terms of joining the SMiSA board though I don't see much downside in having a guy there who has decades of experience of successfully running our football club.

Yes that board made some bad footballing decisions, especially in the last few years of their tenure, but from a business perspective they took the club from £2m in debt with a crumbling ground to a debt free one with a brand new stadium and a dedicated training facility. And we broke even pretty much every season after that too, winning a major trophy along the way.

Having that level of experience on the SMiSA board should be a positive thing?

Stewart is obviously concerned about the finances at the club, and you'd have to assume that those concerns are based on more than just pub or forum rumours.

The accounts to the year ended 31st May will be out fairly soon and will give us an idea of where we are at. I suspect they won't make for pretty reading but I doubt (hope) they will be as bad as the rumours would have you believe. The truth will be somewhere in the middle I reckon.

SMiSA need to be more than just an idle majority shareholder. We need to be an organisation that has the ability to challenge the club board and ensure that the finances are being manged responsibly. Stewart is a decent candidate to provide that challenge IMHO.

As I say though, for me personally, I'd like to know for sure that SG has no aspirations to re-join the club board before I'd consider lending him my vote.

And to that end I'm going to ask him that very question.

 

[Buddie Holly]

if sg gets in i fear we will end up with a partick thistle or stirling albion type situation.those two fan owned clubs are totally divided with lots of in house fighting.at the last smisa meeting i attended the sg table done everything possible to make it difficult for the top table answering the questions and there was a feeling of them and us in the room.thanks for what you have done in the past sg but let’s leave it in the past.

at this moment in time i’m leaning towards willie,kenny,john and one of the youngsters