Queen's Park 2019/20

[Mick1867]

13 hours ago, qpfc said:

Unable to make the meeting tonight, anyone know how it went and what was discussed ?

Great meeting. The majority of those who spoke -either committee or supporters - did so with passion and with real hope for the future. The general mood I got from the meeting was that we should go for it.  Some auld timers who would have been against going pro previously seem to be now firmly for it.  This included ex players who wouldn't have got a bean back in the day for their fine efforts.  There was of course those who were wary on how the whole thing would be funded and quite rightly asked about future business models and plans.

I was quite surprised at the lack of dissent. I know for a fact there were some people in that room firmly against it yet they said absolutely nothing. This was their opportunity to give their opinion. I can't really understand why they didn't take it  

[NathanQP]

I was quite surprised at the lack of dissent. I know for a fact there were some people in that room firmly against it yet they said absolutely nothing. This was their opportunity to give their opinion. I can't really understand why they didn't take it  

Yes. I was also surprised by the lack of amateur campaigners. Have they simply read the tea leafs and see it going the other way so don’t want to rock the boat or do they only want to stay amateur for nostalgic reasons and know that would come across as silly in a meeting format.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

2 hours ago, NathanQP said:

 

Yes. I was also surprised by the lack of amateur campaigners. Have they simply read the tea leafs and see it going the other way so don’t want to rock the boat or do they only want to stay amateur for nostalgic reasons and know that would come across as silly in a meeting format.

 

It was the right thing to do to make the survey anonymous, not everyone is comfortable about talking amongs their peers. It was also well considered to make the third question about more info available. There really isn't much more detail to consider but it provides a bridge for those who are denying the inevitable and also avoided a binary option.

Members and the committee will also recognise that this is an historic moment. Similar meetings would have been held when we moved to Cathkin and then again third Hampden. Much angst must have been felt when we finally capitulated and joined the league. It's only proper that the record shows this was given a fair trial. Just don't let it drag along too much.

#thrivenotsurvive

[williebraveheart]

Was anything said about the continuing management model for the club? Are we also looking to embrace a more professional system seeking directors with possible funding or continue with the archaic committee system. Just as important as the playing staff in my mind.

[Dooflick]

It is good to hear that someone was asking about a business plan because from what I ascertain, is that they do not have one, or if they do they are keeping it very secret.  It's just lets turn Pro and take it from there. For us to go Pro we will need money. They SFA are paying the club in instalments, our income will be down over £300k per year, our gates are poor, we will have to save money somewhere to pay players, so it seems to me that we will have to cull the staff to find the money to do it. So in effect we are going to make people unemployed, that''s a nice thought.

[The man with no name]

34 minutes ago, Dooflick said:

It is good to hear that someone was asking about a business plan because from what I ascertain, is that they do not have one, or if they do they are keeping it very secret.  It's just lets turn Pro and take it from there. For us to go Pro we will need money. They SFA are paying the club in instalments, our income will be down over £300k per year, our gates are poor, we will have to save money somewhere to pay players, so it seems to me that we will have to cull the staff to find the money to do it. So in effect we are going to make people unemployed, that''s a nice thought.

Did you attend the meeting? We are not talking huge numbers and we will make money from developing our youth players that are walking out the door for nothing. It seems to me that if we stay amateur the Club will die a lingering death once the Hampden payments dry up. Professionalism gives the Club the opportunity to access funds not currently available and at least give it a fighting chance.

[williebraveheart]

19 minutes ago, The man with no name said:

Did you attend the meeting? We are not talking huge numbers and we will make money from developing our youth players that are walking out the door for nothing. It seems to me that if we stay amateur the Club will die a lingering death once the Hampden payments dry up. Professionalism gives the Club the opportunity to access funds not currently available and at least give it a fighting chance.

Were figures mentioned? I have no issue with paying players and getting some fees for youth development/transfers but there is a hell of a lot more to running a football club. It will not succeed with the current President/Friends on the Committee system we have at present. If we go professional lets go professional in every department.

[Hampden Diehard]

The management of the club was mentioned by the President and by contributors. Nothing's off the table. Knowing some of the absolute arses who put money into clubs and feck them up ( or don't put money in but still feck them up - Craig White, eg), this is something we would have to manage too.

 

The archaic system, as you call it, with fans running the show, is seen as the perfect model by some. It's the individuals and their expertise that is important, not necessarily the model.

Was anything said about the continuing management model for the club? Are we also looking to embrace a more professional system seeking directors with possible funding or continue with the archaic committee system. Just as important as the playing staff in my mind.

 

[The man with no name]

1 hour ago, williebraveheart said:

Were figures mentioned? I have no issue with paying players and getting some fees for youth development/transfers but there is a hell of a lot more to running a football club. It will not succeed with the current President/Friends on the Committee system we have at present. If we go professional lets go professional in every department.

£40 to £60 per week for youth players to take advantage of potential compensation. Hardly worrying figures. 

[The Spider]

6 hours ago, Mick1867 said:

I was quite surprised at the lack of dissent. I know for a fact there were some people in that room firmly against it yet they said absolutely nothing. This was their opportunity to give their opinion. I can't really understand why they didn't take it  

Perhaps keeping their powder dry Mick. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming this would need to go to a Club Members vote if the Committee wish to formally propose the change? For what it's worth I feel there is an inevitability about this, but as is the case with all secret ballots people you can never be certain that people will actually vote the way they publicly say they will.

[an86]

Thought Gerry Crawley spoke well. I'd like to see him heavily involved in taking this project forward, regardless of club structure. 

It's clear that we can't have any sort of financial plan until the feedback from last night has been digested. That's the next phase. 

Edited July 26, 2019 by an86

[JT1867]

2 hours ago, The man with no name said:

we will make money from developing our youth players that are walking out the door for nothing. 

Will other clubs be so happy to take them if they have to pay for them? I suspect not. Although the upside of that is that we would then get the benefit of these players in the first team.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

3 hours ago, Dooflick said:

It is good to hear that someone was asking about a business plan because from what I ascertain, is that they do not have one, or if they do they are keeping it very secret.  It's just lets turn Pro and take it from there. For us to go Pro we will need money. They SFA are paying the club in instalments, our income will be down over £300k per year, our gates are poor, we will have to save money somewhere to pay players, so it seems to me that we will have to cull the staff to find the money to do it. So in effect we are going to make people unemployed, that''s a nice thought.

The "business plan" bit was step 10 and the meeting was about moving from step 1 to 2. Some folk just like to be heard but when you're moving your entire business model around 180 degrees flexibility is the best tool. The fine detail can come later.

By the way, if you wish to become a member and stand for President next summer to steer the ship through just let me know.

[The Spider]

16 minutes ago, JT1867 said:

Will other clubs be so happy to take them if they have to pay for them? I suspect not. Although the upside of that is that we would then get the benefit of these players in the first team.

That raises a very important point JT which just occurred to me. Consider the following two scenarios (based on the assumption we were a professional club) :

a) We have an U-17 player who has been with us for several seasons working who attracts attention with his performances and potential, and one of the old firm come in for him before we even have the chance to get him in the first team. in this circumstance I understand we would be entitled to the compensation that our business model would potentially be based on?

b) We have an U-17 player who has been with us for several seasons working who attracts attention with his performances and potential, but nobody comes in for him because they aren't willing to take the gamble of paying for him. The player, who had become aware of the interest in him, becomes a bit disillusioned, his form drops and he simply leaves at the end of the season becoming "out of contract". 6 months later a club takes him on trial and then sign him on the basis that he was a free agent. Are we entitled to anything? Genuinely don't know the answer.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

20 minutes ago, JT1867 said:

Will other clubs be so happy to take them if they have to pay for them? I suspect not. Although the upside of that is that we would then get the benefit of these players in the first team.

I agree with that JT1867 and that's exactly the point. At the moment, our home-grown talent is being whisked away to play in a youth development league when they could be playing first team for us. If they are really good then clubs will pay. At the moment they are just being taken as mibbees because there's no risk for the sharks. Whist any revenue will be welcome I'm sure the head coach would equally be keen to have some stability in the playing squad. How healthy would it be for Mark to be able to sit down with the hotshots in March and know by mid-April if he had a squad for next season or not. What is very definitely a lose-lose at the moment would immediately become a win-win.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

29 minutes ago, an86 said:

Thought Gerry Crawley spoke well. I'd like to see him heavily involved in taking this project forward, regardless of club structure. 

It's clear that we can't have any sort of financial plan until the feedback from last night has been digested. That's the next phase. 

Copy that. There's an option for an incumbent President to be allowed an additional year in office under the current set-up. I'd say that should be a given.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

1 hour ago, Hampden Diehard said:

The archaic system, as you call it, with fans running the show, is seen as the perfect model by some. It's the individuals and their expertise that is important, not necessarily the model.

Very true HD. Whilst it takes a lot of time and commitment to be part of a committee, as someone who has worked in the private sector all my life and looked over a cliff edge many times, running a business is a precarious lifestyle at any time and requires a strong mind and above all commercial acumen. The job skills, from what I've learned, available from our committe members weren't collectively best matched to what the last 2-3 years demanded. It's a poor leader who believes that his title means he has ultimate responsibility for everything to be done. A good leader will find the best skillsets, set them on course and let them run.

I think this is an incredibly difficult time for the committee. It's turkeys voting for Christmas but if they don't deal with their own weaknesses this great opportunity will have limited success.

[spiders4ever]

59 minutes ago, Bring Your Own Socks said:

The "business plan" bit was step 10 and the meeting was about moving from step 1 to 2. Some folk just like to be heard but when you're moving your entire business model around 180 degrees flexibility is the best tool. The fine detail can come later.

By the way, if you wish to become a member and stand for President next summer to steer the ship through just let me know.

I don't agree. If we're told that staying amateur is not sustainable but going semi-professional is then they should already have financial forecasts in place. I am not saying that these should be in fine detail but should be in enough detail to support the proposition. This would also enable the rest of us to form an opinion as to the validity of the assumptions being made and the strength of the case for change.

[an86]

46 minutes ago, spiders4ever said:

I don't agree. If we're told that staying amateur is not sustainable but going semi-professional is then they should already have financial forecasts in place. I am not saying that these should be in fine detail but should be in enough detail to support the proposition. This would also enable the rest of us to form an opinion as to the validity of the assumptions being made and the strength of the case for change.

There's likely to be a further meeting on detail. Last night was to test the mood. Of course there will have been things working in the background in terms of planning, but what would the point be of spending time and money on a major plan, only to see 60 or 70% of the vote go in favour of remaining amateur. 

This is going to be done in steps and, to their credit, they've kept us as informed as they can keep us throughout this process. It's also worth noting that one of the options on the paper was along the lines of agreeing to the idea in principle, but requiring more information. 

I really can't believe people want facts and figures at this stage. We're looking into an unknown, regardless of what happens. Why is the call for detail on remaining amateur not as loud from those who wish to remain that way? We're faced with two different types of upheaval and the task of discussing and deciding which one is likely to give the club the brightest future. There's nothing we'll do that won't be a risk. 

Edited July 26, 2019 by an86

[roger ram jet]

QP fans must be really excited about the current crop of players signed up for this season, Marko Roberts seems to have done his homework
Thought the 2 guys from Largs looked the part and generally the team looks far stronger than last year, all the best for the season ahead, from what little I’ve seen of them I’d be really surprised if they’re not in the play offs this year
Clyde don’t know what’s about to hit them!!!