snorbens_caleyman

I'm not disputing any of this. But if that's the intention, then I don't understand why it has to be based around the football club. There is plenty of unused land to the south-east, on the sea side of the A9 all the way to the A96 junction. Admittedly, a lot of this is land that was reclaimed in my lifetime. It used to be the tip, so I don't know if it's useable, or if there are toxic chemicals and/or methane in the ground. But it would offer the same geographical advantages as the stadium side - proximity to the A9, A96, the town centre, and not far from the airport. So why not just build there? Unless the Council has said "We'll let you do that if you rescue the football club."?

And here's what I wrote on the 5th of June https://caleythistleonline.com/topic/36262-kelty-is-this-a-joke-merged-thread/page/33/#comment-566433 "Turn ourselves into a global soap opera on the internet. "See the plucky Highlanders' fight for survival!". Regular update episodes, and global pay-per-view of matches. Spin-offs and merchandising. Prequels covering the past 30 years. Everyone's heard of the Loch Ness Monster, so feature Lionel Nessie heavily. Get written into the Outlander TV series. Only need to hook 1 person in a million to get 8,000 subscribers. Yes, I know, we'd need to finance a production company, scriptwriters, marketing.... I'll stop now before I start believing this stuff "

Without going back to check the quote, I would assume that he means the people whom he has lined up - or hopes to line up - to invest in his "venture". That's his business model, isn't it? Get others to invest - presumably they get tax relief for investing in a venture capital scheme - build up a company, and then get out, with everybody, including him, recovering their original investments together with handsome profits. In theory this should leave a healthy company - ICTFC in this case - but, as Scotty pointed out yesterday, this isn't always the case. And removing the investments could finish off the business. Interesting that he is looking to set up a venture capital fund this year or next. These are generally regarded as high risk/high return, and often make relatively small investments in many new businesses, on the assumption that most of them will tank but one or two will bring in massive profits. One interesting point is that ICTFC is not, by any definition, a "new" company. I don't know what the rules are around venture capital investing, but it does tend to be associated with new companies. This would suggest to me that he intends to set up a new company associated with the club - either by liquidating the current private limited company and transferring its assets to a new company, or by setting up a new company of which the football club is a subsidiary. We live in interesting times....

"A few months" and "8 weeks" are not, in my book, the same thing

Well, if the "new owner" has made a considered decision to keep Gardiner on, that'll get you off to a good start But the truth has to be smoked out, somehow.

I had looked it up too. To be fair, that photo is over 12 years old, and tells us nothing.

So they are selling the club to a venture capitalist? And what's the first thing that a venture capitalist does when they invest in something? Why, of course, they start planning their exit strategy - how they are going to get out and extract as much money as possible whilst doing so. Like others here, I have had a quick look at Companies House and at their (very minimal) website, and I'm not impressed. I'm not a financial person, but doesn't the most recent thing at Companies House - 28th June, Registration of a Charge - mean that they are receiving a loan from a company based in Jersey (so forget any investigation of that!) and putting up a lot of their assets (what are they?) as security for the loan? Of course, this might be nothing to do with ICTFC - but it makes me very nervous. I look forward to the new owner explaining to the other shareholders where his money is coming from. And I just can't understand why he should be interested in a small football club in a remote part of the country. We shall see.....

Pretty sure the board won't have any idea either

If anyone can contact the powers-that-be, a round of applause - NOT silence! - for Johndo tonight would be a gracious gesture.

That's very, very sad news. I was in the same year as him in the Academy, and although our paths didn't cross often, everyone knew him and he was a friend to all. Our paths did cross in the spring of 1974, when we had a mock general election. I was "chairman" of a party who shall remain nameless. Johndo was the entirety of his own party. The result was never in doubt, with him winning on an unstoppable tide of populism. I last saw him on a hot night in Romania, but he didn't look as though he would welcome conversation. He's not the first from my school year to pass away, but he was still far too young. It's a shame that he won't see the club climb out of it's current hole. My commiserations and sympathy go to his family, and to his very many friends.

https://ictfc.com/ticketing-terms-and-conditions/ Plenty there that they could cite - 9, 10, 15, 22... Number 19 is a good one - "The wearing of colours and/or regalia of any Football Club other than ICT FC in the Main and North Stand is not permitted. Persons wearing the colours of other Clubs will be refused entry to these areas and if already admitted, will be ejected from the Stadium." Presumably directors of visiting clubs are asked to remove their club ties?

Don't think there's anyone here who wants to see the team do badly.

Scotty, I agree 100% with you. When I said "surely many will remain", I meant that I just can't see a complete clearout and replacement happening. Though I would indeed welcome that. If we survive, then a complete reset - new board, new management and new attitudes to players, fans and community - is desperately needed, even if it means some time in the lower leagues.

Did I say that? No. Of course the fans can protest. In fact, without checking, I think I suggested this last season when Dodds was still around. All I said was that the Trust might wish to consider whether to support or arrange such a protest. Robert pointed out, reasonably, that a protest might spook investors. Maybe, but perhaps only if they were planning to keep the current CEO around. There's also nothing to stop fans writing/emailing directly to the SLO with their views. Even if these aren't read, a sizeable inbox sends its own message. Anyway, it's Sneck. When did anyone last protest about anything in the town?

Difficult one. The Trust has to work with whoever is in charge of the club, now and in the future. Even if Gardiner is removed in the near future, surely many of the current board will remain. So gaining a reputation for "rabble-rousing" or stirring things up - which is how the Board would see it - might not be the best thing for the Trust to do. I would expect them to continue to attempt - frequently and persistently - to have dialogue with the club management. Diplomatic, but very clear about the problems. And neither condemning nor condoning actual protests.

My wife has just suggested parking a cherry-picker there with a live-streaming camera on top.

Surely someone daft keen enough to invest £2M or upwards in the club would do enough due diligence work - formally or informally - to tell them that keeping Gardiner on would be disastrous? I would hope that those involved in discussions have spoken to more than just Gardiner and the board. To the Supporters Trust, for a start - and I appreciate that the Trust may not be able to tell us about it if they have been involved. Failing that, just read the news media and this forum!

He does persist in using the term "new owner", doesn't he?

I think that many others, outside of the Highlands, don't realise how bad things are with us. Was talking to my wife's Stenny-supporting relatives last week, and, even though they are plugged into most things happening at that level, they were still expecting us to be up there challienging for promotion. Even when I explained that we had a team of mostly untried youngsters, they still couldn't take it in. "You've still got Mckay who scores all the goals, haven't you?". "Yes, but he's into his late 30s now, and he can only score goals if he is in an attacking position and gets good service!".

He was in town last week

What if he was a convicted felon whose surname rhymed with chump, hump and stump?

The club should just tell us. If anyone knows there's no point in suing them, it's Gardiner

That's why I said "guesses". The 2023 cup final - remember? we were in it! - was on 3rd June, so presumably the proceeds from that will be included in our 2023-24 accounts, which we won't see for another 12 months. And presumably those cup monies will mean that 2023-24 won't be as bad as 2022-23? We've had financial setbacks in the past 12 months, but IIRC they are things which have not materialised, rather than real money actually leaving the club. Still a dire situation, though, even if I'm correct.

So that was up to 30 May last year. Any guesses for the last 13 months?

Aye, 'tis but a flesh wound