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9 minutes ago, Hugh Johnston said:

 

Not only the board though. More fans need to attend on a regular basis to make our finances more viable. Support from the board needs to be matched by commitment from supporters.

You're right, and the last time we got relegated the board then committed £1 Million towards getting us straight back into the top league....and that commitment was matched by the fans with increased season ticket sales, merchandise sales etc....so we know it's an approach that works.

There has been investment since Summer 2017....and the records show that the majority of that investment has come from fans who don't sit on the board*.  £900k total investment had come in according to the last figure provided by the chairman....with more needed.

So, going back to your idea that "Support from the board needs to be matched by commitment from supporters"....I'd say the support are more than holding up their end of the deal.  In fact, they are holding up their end by a ratio of at least 5:1 (based on information to hand).

*Never been comfortable with the idea that board members should not be seen as fans.

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On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 10:00 PM, CaleyD said:

Said this on Twitter earlier...but if the board are serious about making a push for promotion this season, then they need to find a way to increase Robbo's budget in January so a couple more players can be brought in...he and the squad have earned it.

Given that Elbouzedi came off the books at the end of August, and Calder had his contract terminated just recently, we are a bit short numbers-wise, but it must have released a bit of money in wages...Owain Fon-Williams contract runs out in May (?) next year, but he seems to be having a decent time in the US, so maybe another loan to see him finally off the books, might release a tad more cash. Personally I think we still need to replace Vigurs, and we need another right back (one with a decent turn of speed and cross).  I guess we all want another striker, but that maybe un-obtainable cash-wise, whereas being able to deliver better balls into the box, might get more out of the four strikers and two wingers we already have.

Edited by Eagle4Caley
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Great result for the ICT and full credit to Robbo and the boys. Quite agree with other posts that if we are serious about promotion we do need spend in the January window. Our unbeaten run and results like this show the team has a backbone but we do need some more firepower up front.

:ictscarf:

 

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12 hours ago, Hugh Johnston said:

 

Not only the board though. More fans need to attend on a regular basis to make our finances more viable. Support from the board needs to be matched by commitment from supporters.

Absolutely correct. We need far more fans through the gates and we do play good football. Come on Sneck get behind ICT.

:ictscarf:

 

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Much as he went down in my estimation for his flat cap and flasher coat antics at Easter Road, one advantage we had last time in attracting more fans through the gate the last time we were vying for promotion was the much higher profile we had with Terry Butcher cheerleading very loudly which also helped with attracting lower league players from South of the border.

That is not a criticism of Robbo who is a very competent manager and coach.

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I feel he's gone unnoticed in recent weeks but credit to Jamie McCart who is looking really assured at the back with Donaldson. If I was Brad Mckay I wouldn't be feeling too great about keeping my place in the side once Rooney comes back from injury. Between the two of them, our CB pairing must be one of the youngest in the league yet their apparent lack of experience doesn't show. 

Edited by RiG
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3 hours ago, Glen Mhor said:

Great result for the ICT and full credit to Robbo and the boys. Quite agree with other posts that if we are serious about promotion we do need spend in the January window. Our unbeaten run and results like this show the team has a backbone but we do need some more firepower up front.

:ictscarf:

We need to sort out the silly mistakes at the back

The strikers are fine just need to play two of them up top and get decent balls into box.

Been saying this for weeks, on Saturday we needed 3 goals to just obtain a draw, cmon we need to wake up and stop blaming the strikers.

Will say it again Thank God for Ridgers,apart from his dashing out of box on Saturday.

However that first goal was shambolic and we need to be more disciplined as a defensive unit when we are attacking and not through as many bodies forward.

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3 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

Much as he went down in my estimation for his flat cap and flasher coat antics at Easter Road, one advantage we had last time in attracting more fans through the gate the last time we were vying for promotion was the much higher profile we had with Terry Butcher cheerleading very loudly which also helped with attracting lower league players from South of the border.

That is not a criticism of Robbo who is a very competent manager and coach.

I think Terry Butcher had a significantly greater budget for attracting players from south of the border.

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According to the pundits on O A M our players are being paid  buttons, some in chocolate buttons relatively speaking to other sides in the league so the commitment and the unbeaten run from the Team is absolutely remarkable.

The Board should take a leaf out of their book and get out there and find the means to get this Team promoted. Come on Mr Chairman show us real commitment. It is your job to motivate and get the best out of your Board  to give these lads the encouragement and assistance needed that will boost  their potential to realisation point.

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3 hours ago, bughtmaster said:

According to the pundits on O A M our players are being paid  buttons, some in chocolate buttons relatively speaking to other sides in the league so the commitment and the unbeaten run from the Team is absolutely remarkable.

The Board should take a leaf out of their book and get out there and find the means to get this Team promoted. Come on Mr Chairman show us real commitment. It is your job to motivate and get the best out of your Board  to give these lads the encouragement and assistance needed that will boost  their potential to realisation point.

If I remember rightly Robertson believed that we have something like the 6th biggest budget in this league behind County, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Dundee United and Partick. 

Whilst I agree it would be great to see more cash from the board let's not forget that the fans have largely walked away from this team as well. We're around 1,500 supporters down on previous averages and whilst a lot of that is due to reduced away attendances the massive drop off in the home support is going to start to bite sooner rather than later. We need them back. Desperately. 

With the new TV deal announced today rumoured to be valued around £30 million a season we really need to get back into the Premiership as soon as possible.

Edited by RiG
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I do wonder though if the board did publically back Robbo with some cash which shows intent would some fans return again? 

There is a view rightly or wrongly that club are at our natural level and are not prepared to make a real push for promotion as that will take more investment. To get these missing folk back we need to prove otherwise? 

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1 hour ago, RiG said:

If I remember rightly Robertson believed that we have something like the 6th biggest budget in this league behind County, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Dundee United and Partick. 

Whilst I agree it would be great to see more cash from the board let's not forget that the fans have largely walked away from this team as well. We're around 1,500 supporters down on previous averages and whilst a lot of that is due to reduced away attendances the massive drop off in the home support is going to start to bite sooner rather than later. We need them back. Desperately. 

With the new TV deal announced today rumoured to be valued around £30 million a season we really need to get back into the Premiership as soon as possible.

I agree with what you are saying Rig, We all know about the drop in  supporters but it is up to the Board to take the initiative and find the means to lead the return of that that support which is exactly what OCGirl is implying in her reply.

IF as you say we .have the 6th largest budget in our league and we are not paying a huge wage bill what is the money being spent on ? if it is in the bank looking for interest then it is being wasted. We have got to be promoted at the end of this season, yes to get into a share of the new money but more importantly it will be a case of languishing in the Championship for another season with our income getting smaller and smaller as support fails even further.......and then what?

IMHO it is crucial that the Board get the proverbial out sharpish and be seen to be leading  the push into the Premiership by demonstrating their actions visibly not verbally..........correction verbally too.

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45 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

I do wonder though if the board did publically back Robbo with some cash which shows intent would some fans return again? 

There is a view rightly or wrongly that club are at our natural level and are not prepared to make a real push for promotion as that will take more investment. To get these missing folk back we need to prove otherwise? 

We will never have a huge fan base but I agree with you that some public demonstration of faith and commitment on the part of the board would entice some, perhaps a few hundred, fans back and that could make a difference not only financially but in terms of atmosphere to encourage the team at home games.

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7 hours ago, Gregor said:

We need to sort out the silly mistakes at the back

The strikers are fine just need to play two of them up top and get decent balls into box.

Been saying this for weeks, on Saturday we needed 3 goals to just obtain a draw, cmon we need to wake up and stop blaming the strikers.

Will say it again Thank God for Ridgers,apart from his dashing out of box on Saturday.

However that first goal was shambolic and we need to be more disciplined as a defensive unit when we are attacking and not through as many bodies forward.

Don't remember any of our strikers scoring to rescue the point on Saturday. So yes we still need a regular striker. And three of our 4 were on the park at some point.

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3 hours ago, MorayJaggie said:

Don't remember any of our strikers scoring to rescue the point on Saturday. So yes we still need a regular striker. And three of our 4 were on the park at some point.

If you were at the game you would have seen the difference two strikers on at same time makes to the dynamic of the team,it allows more space for others like Polworth and Walsh as the defence have to keep their wits about them to cover the two forward players, imo both Austin and White did really well when introduced and helped change the outcome of the game. 

This isnt a critiscm of Oakley regarding  the game on Saturday as one up top leaves the striker a bit isolated, I feel we really need to go all out attack on Sunday and two up front as a partnership would help greatly.

 

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Thee seems to be quite a lot of criticism of the Board in these posts, mostly pleading rather than downing however.

But are these Board Members rich or what? Are they in it for the glory or to boost the revenue of their possible business ventures--or what? .  If they have funds then it is reasonable to at least expect some financial  response from them with regard  to exactly what they are putting back into the club for the privilege of occupying the position they wanted and now occupy?

If they are penniless and don't want to invest a nickel then perhaps we should be suggesting a change of  the  Board member composition !

The only alternative is, as always, to take out a large loan from the bank which, of course, must then be paid back from income on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that the bank will probably not advance large loans without the protection of additional security.  If the loans defaulted  and the worst happens then the club would need to be placed into Administration if calling in the funds that had been advanced to the club could not be paid back, even serviced (interest payments), and then what? A firesale of residual assets, no less.

And then the  probable demise of Inverness Caledonian Thistle to boot unless the Prince of Thieves rode into town on his white charger and bailed the whole shebang out with,..what though? The way out? Well, for starters the club should perhaps concentrate their financial direction on club promotions,  the offering offering of small gifts or rewards , or a small legal lottery with accompanying good rewards and so on.

The  club should now be embarking on a critical and continuous club promotion  to garner more funds . Then spend money on direct promotion of the actual ,frankly pretty good,  record to date of the performances of the young lads and  how well they are holding their own  and strutting their stuff. A little bit of hyperbole would not go amiss either  to bring in the fans and newbies. If the stand at home is half empty then fill it at any cost just to improve the atmosphere of togetherness and welcome young boys and girls  with special gifts that won't cost a fortune but will impress them no end. Also,  once they are in the door,  entertain them at half time with, golly gosh, even a clown on steroids for goodness sake ….remember Daddy (and maybe Mum also) has to come to the park if the wean is to enjoy the show., right?

This is entertainment, lads and lasses, nothing else, Make it a family affair. It's showbusiness and the show must go on if the  punters are going to spend their money. Nowadays we must cater to all the family and make it a day out, or close to that.   EVEN a pipe band at half time coming into the stadium in full regalia will attract a few more people (especially if the nutters in  Glasgow introduce  Summer Football).

 I was not a young man when I took over a run-down office and window cleaning business in North Vancouver, British Columbia, away back in 1979. I gave myself a year as a trial period but stayed 29.  I delivered leaflets  round doors asking for business and within 5 years  had quadrupled the business. Mind you,  I  worked very hard setting high standards of workmanship and loved being self-employed. Talking is fine but action carries the ribbon of success. Go for it--or remain standing where you are now! Suit yourself. Either moan -- or act! 

Approach the Board with suggestions and demand that they come out into the open for  regular discussions then  be sure to offer your services to help the club get more money into their coffers.

I rest my case , M'Lud.

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1 hour ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

 

This is entertainment, lads and lasses, nothing else, Make it a family affair. It's showbusiness and the show must go on

 

Spot on Scarlet me old pal! It is nothing more than entertainment.

And sadly nowadays, the masses demand only the best. Watching football now involves attaching oneself to a top-tier team from some country or other and sitting in front of the telly watching highly-skilled multi-millionaires exhibiting their abilities on Sky. The attachment is seldom geographical - maybe one likes the name, maybe it's a team that usually wins, or perhaps one is drawn to a star player.

The financial gap between the top teams and your local team is ever widening and so long as people choose to pump their money into rich football teams with no geographical relevance and Sky Sports, I can't really see the situation changing.

Football, as a spectator sport has evolved from the tribal affair it used to be, to a 5-star exhibition of riches and skills that we, supporters of our local team, could never realistically aspire to.

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18 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

Thee seems to be quite a lot of criticism of the Board in these posts, mostly pleading rather than downing however.

But are these Board Members rich or what? Are they in it for the glory or to boost the revenue of their possible business ventures--or what? .  If they have funds then it is reasonable to at least expect some financial  response from them with regard  to exactly what they are putting back into the club for the privilege of occupying the position they wanted and now occupy?

If they are penniless and don't want to invest a nickel then perhaps we should be suggesting a change of  the  Board member composition !

The only alternative is, as always, to take out a large loan from the bank which, of course, must then be paid back from income on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that the bank will probably not advance large loans without the protection of additional security.  If the loans defaulted  and the worst happens then the club would need to be placed into Administration if calling in the funds that had been advanced to the club could not be paid back, even serviced (interest payments), and then what? A firesale of residual assets, no less.

And then the  probable demise of Inverness Caledonian Thistle to boot unless the Prince of Thieves rode into town on his white charger and bailed the whole shebang out with,..what though? The way out? Well, for starters the club should perhaps concentrate their financial direction on club promotions,  the offering offering of small gifts or rewards , or a small legal lottery with accompanying good rewards and so on.

The  club should now be embarking on a critical and continuous club promotion  to garner more funds . Then spend money on direct promotion of the actual ,frankly pretty good,  record to date of the performances of the young lads and  how well they are holding their own  and strutting their stuff. A little bit of hyperbole would not go amiss either  to bring in the fans and newbies. If the stand at home is half empty then fill it at any cost just to improve the atmosphere of togetherness and welcome young boys and girls  with special gifts that won't cost a fortune but will impress them no end. Also,  once they are in the door,  entertain them at half time with, golly gosh, even a clown on steroids for goodness sake ….remember Daddy (and maybe Mum also) has to come to the park if the wean is to enjoy the show., right?

This is entertainment, lads and lasses, nothing else, Make it a family affair. It's showbusiness and the show must go on if the  punters are going to spend their money. Nowadays we must cater to all the family and make it a day out, or close to that.   EVEN a pipe band at half time coming into the stadium in full regalia will attract a few more people (especially if the nutters in  Glasgow introduce  Summer Football).

 I was not a young man when I took over a run-down office and window cleaning business in North Vancouver, British Columbia, away back in 1979. I gave myself a year as a trial period but stayed 29.  I delivered leaflets  round doors asking for business and within 5 years  had quadrupled the business. Mind you,  I  worked very hard setting high standards of workmanship and loved being self-employed. Talking is fine but action carries the ribbon of success. Go for it--or remain standing where you are now! Suit yourself. Either moan -- or act! 

Approach the Board with suggestions and demand that they come out into the open for  regular discussions then  be sure to offer your services to help the club get more money into their coffers.

I rest my case , M'Lud.

What a blether you are SP but a lot of what you are saying is right. 

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"Yep, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Festus,  come forth words of wisdom"

Well, If I am right, Caley Boy, please stop havering  and check out Buckett's post two steps up which is  excellent. I.e . look,  listen and learn. Then give him a "like" for insight and effort. And try to respond to the  issue rather than dissecting poor feeble,  brow-beaten, penniless  pensioners who can't fight back. Remember to be nice on the way up to those you may meet when coming down. Grrrrrrr!

"Festus, are you there , help me up on old Dobbin will ya. Gotta meet up with George Armstrong Custer at 7.p.m.for a blether before he moves on to the Little  Bighorn  for some kind of a skirmish with some warring Blackfoot  injuns. Yep, Life gets tedious don' it."

 

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On 11/20/2018 at 10:15 PM, Scarlet Pimple said:

Are they in it for the glory or to boost the revenue of their possible business ventures--or what?

I am not aware of any our board members who think there is any financial gain to be had from being on the board, or have active business ventures which could possibly benefit. How would that even work? Some of them have dipped their hand into their own pocket, but there is obviously a limit to that.

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And  What is your answer to the problem? Say  nothing , do nothing, don't push the Board who are supposed to be in charge of running the whole show and have close access to anything , everything and to the playing and managing staff on a daily basis? The buck or quid stops at their desks , no question about that and the fate of the club rests entirely in their hands when "push comes to shove".

Should you rely solely on the fans who keep the club afloat since you imply that  none of the management puts any money into the club? How do you suggest strong changes can be made without the input of instant money when needed? And you don't want to hurt anybody's feelings by asking direct questions of the upper levels of the Board etc.? The Board Members are not Gods. They have major responsibilities and must protect the assets of the club. Usually, as  top dogs, they have already invested in the club by means , probably , of shareholder loans which they  realise may, or may not , be repaid if things go West. However, if they have not individually invested a penny in the club, what do they have to lose in the event of liquidation? AND, why are they sitting there at all?

Have  they ever told the fanbase openly that the bank(s) won't lend the club any more money without the provision of  Guarantees from  all the Board Members, almost certainly supported by the deposition of securities from each Board Member that can easily be converted into cash  in the event of the club having to default on the club's loan repayment obligations? Perhaps these Board members have already gone through that  trial by fire when the Bank(s) have demanded repayment and these folks don't ever  want to get embroiled in these matters again. Then, if the loans can't be fully repaid, that leaves the banks to have only one  avenue to get full repayment and that is the sale of Assets--which effectively could mean the end of the club.

In short, serious business and that's why the fanbase should  politely ask the Board Chairman  for further information about their financial involvement, or not. Plus, since the club is most certainly a public company, you can obtain and look at the Balance Sheets and Profit and Loss accounts of the club (for successive years ) to follow the ups AND DOWNS and see where the money has been, and is,  going. I think it very likely indeed that the Bank(s) involved with the club have adequately secured their own financial position very well  but that does not directly affect the ongoing financial matters on a daily basis within the club itself...so long, of course, that the club continues to operate within the strictures or rules laid down by the Banks when they approved the loans to the club in the first place.

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I don't have any more answers than you do, or anybody else. Of course I am in favour of open communication and transparency. But it is also easy to sit in your armchair and blame the board, whilst at the same time expecting them to come up with large amounts of money, much as i would like them to. You have a load of questions/implications there of which I haven't the slightest idea of their veracity or accuracy. Contrary to your suggestions i don't have any qualms about hurting anybody's feelings, or think they are gods, or anything other than people not that different from the rest of us. If change is needed let's hear about it, and let's have it. But I would prefer it is based on some actual facts and not the reams of wild speculation that tends to fly about here. If you want answers to those questions, then you won't get them here, perhaps open up some communication with the board yourself. Hopefully the resurrected Supporters Trust will be doing exactly that, and i will be very glad to support them doing so, where we can hopefully have a collaborative dialogue.

But if anybody thinks running a Scottish football club in the Championship is easy, on low crowds such as ours, you are welcome to contribute your ideas.

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