ascender

I've already privately pointed out to the RST auditor why the accounts were wrong...and it was nothing to do with any of the issues under debate.

Oh you tease BD!

Preview for tomorrow just going up, sorry its a bit late.

Later today OK for the Hearts one? Seems a shame to put it up so soon after last night, but I thought we'd be playing on Sunday.

I thought he was the Insua boy who played for Liverpool. He was class last night as was the wee number 10. He could whip in a great ball.

I thought I recognised him too, but wasn't sure where from. I'm guessing there's a more famous Insua out there!

I thought he showed great drive and skill as well as a decent final product. Pretty much from the minute he came on he looked good, while a few of their other players seemed to come in to the game as we tired.

What chance is their of bringing fans together when the primary forum being used for this dismisses the other forums and their users out of hand as being against them and everything they stand for? Have you read some of the nonsense being posted on FF in the last few days?

Like I said elsewhere, they'd be better off re-naming the trust as the FF Supporters Trust and be done with it.

Thanks Frankie. I just despair. What's the point?

I didn't sign up for this. Why don't they just rename it as the FF Rangers Supporters Trust?

As well as invitations to be co-opted onto the board this morning.

Really??????

Ah bollocks, I've gone and posted on FF. I couldn't help myself when I read one post.....

See, this is what I don't understand. Is FF the official platform for the trust's views? And if so, why does anyone not agreeing with these views have to be against the trust or members for personal reasons rather than just having a different and valid opinion?

Originally Posted by Grandmaster_Suck

Obviously I'd have liked to have been in a position to get it paid off earlier rather than see the issue used to embarrass the Trust by those with self-serving and negative agendas.

Not everyone taking an interest in this has a self-serving or negative agenda. Some trust members like myself are just disappointed with the lack of communication which has been a problem for years and with the way this situation has been handled.

 

I don't doubt there are those who do have a grudge against the trust or some of its members, but I think its a poor show that anyone questioning what's going on are liable to be tarred with the same brush. Its disingenuous to blame this "feeding frenzy" on people who were just looking for answers, but now, thanks to the method of communication from trust board members and other associates across multiple message boards, really don't know what to believe any more. Most people will be clever enough to sort out the facts from those just stirring trouble, but the other problem is that there's no smoke without fire and it will lead to people questioning other things, that's just human nature.

 

This has all snowballed out of control when it could have been controlled much better by the trust themselves. Its now got to the point where it doesn't really matter if there was anything wrong/illegal/improper done in the first place. The (further) damage to the trust's reputation has been done and it now needs strong leadership and a clean slate if its going to carry on from here.

 

FWIW, I still support the trust's aims. They are commendable and I appreciate the fact that volunteers have given up their time in what's a thankless task in trying to achieve them while uniting a fractious and apathetic support.

Is it not the case that one individual on the Trust Board is the catalyst for all the agro.

 

Does it not come down to what is more important, The Trust or MD?

As someone who really doesn't know the history involving MD, apart from the fact he appears to own FF and polarises opinion amongst fans, that's one of the things that has come out of this week for me. I still don't know the rights and the wrongs, but in any other professional organisation I'd have expected someone in his position to have tendered his resignation by now for the good of the Trust.

Part of the problem appears to be that on FF which I've been reading this week although I don't post any more, is that the opinion seems to be that he has done nothing wrong at all. And you know, that might be the case. But the problem is one of perception. The damage has been done to the trust's reputation and nothing will change that.

Meanwhile, I've read lots of comments on there suggesting organised smear campaigns against him and the Trust as a whole by other forums. This again raises the question about FF and whether its an official mouthpiece for the trust and the old thing about whether the views expressed on there by trust board members are the views of the trust or just their personal feelings. Anyone not toeing the line on these views is dismissed as being part of this smear campaign/celtic-minded/a ******* etc.

No-one at the trust appears to be looking at the bigger picture here and what all of this is doing for their reputation. Which makes me then question the board again, MD and whoever else is on it. Can they not see the complete pigs ear they've made of how this has been handled since the AGM? Can they not see the problem they have by using FF as their sounding platform?

Common sense seems to have gone out the window there a long time ago. I still support the aims of the trust, I don't envy the difficult task they have and appreciate the fact that fellow fans are giving up a lot of time to help out, but why does it appear to be run as some sort of after-school club instead of a professional organisation?

Its depressing stuff. Now, what was the point of this post??!?

Couple of quick questions as I can't keep up tbh.....

What exactly did the trust spend money on to lose 10k?

And when all this kicked off and legal advice was sought, who footed the bill for that?

Just had a quick look on FF (the unofficial/official trust forum) and the replies on there are basically saying the statement confirms that Harris is the troublemaker and there was nothing wrong with what happened. So like the statement suggests and others have said, its just never their fault.

I'm the same Craig, just feel like I'd have been better off spending my life membership on booze or on a horse.

I wasn't at AGM nor am I a member however I have learned elsewhere that Mr Harris was asked to hang on until after a certain part of the proceedings and chose to leave.

 

I'll try to confirm this as I know one person that was there but not seen them in a while.

 

I've not really criticised anyone by the way. Just think that this has gone beyond whistle blowing. Just my opinion or is that not welcome?

I remember reading similar on another forum the first day this all came out. Problem is, the story and responses to it are now spread across multiple threads on multiple internet forums.

All the trust had to do was release some sort of statement on their website, ideally send it to their members and then direct people to it surely? No professional organisation would respond to the sort of accusations and questions being raised in the way the trust have done.

That's what I still find really disappointing about them, that they can't seem to get the basics right and are still making the same mistakes they always have done. Its not rocket science, its basic common sense and business sense/customer service we're talking about.

The most depressing thing about all of this is when you look at the transfer fees being paid for players in Europe. Its a sad indictment of the SPL that no-one is willing to spend less than it would cost to buy someone like Torres to get a whole club with a proud history like ours. Its just bizarre when you see some of the money being invested in run of the mill English clubs who have no hope of winning anything. Surely there's a wealthy businessman out there who wants to own a football club who will regularly win trophies and compete in Europe?

Does this guy have the necessary monetary clout or is he just another figurehead , also the thought of Murray sticking around forever fills me with sadness to be honest

I agree RBR, but I suspect some sort of role like this will be a condition of any takeover deal, even if its just to massage SDM's ego and make things go smoothly. I don't for one second think that anyone buying our club would allow anyone but them or their man be in charge of decision making, so I do think its a moot point.

Cheers Frankie. Was just thinking out loud, but really we're at the point where I don't think any of this matters does it? Membership has dwindled and if, as appears to be the case, that only one side of any issue is going to be allowed to be published on somewhere like FF, then what's the point of any of this? The Trust had a great chance to make a real difference and for whatever reason seem to have pissed it up against the wall.

As has been mentioned, it wouldn't take too many people to call for an EGM, but the membership of the Trust seems to be as apathetic as our support in general, so there's nae chance of that happening. Mr Edgar has got a book coming out apparently, so maybe it wasn't all in vain.

Will the last one out the door please turn off the light as I don't think there's any money left to pay the bill by the sound of it.

Has there been any communication as to how all of this will be dealt with/answered (or at least recognised) by the trust? Not seen anything on their official or unofficial websites?

And here's one for you.... would those of you who resigned from the trust board ever consider returning to try and restart the good work and intentions of the trust before all the nonsense started? Assuming these issues that have come to light are resolved?

Perhaps waiving the bonus element and showing solidarity with the rest of the staff at the club would have been a far better move.

I was going to suggest this too. But looking at our accounts for the last while, a massive amount has been paid out to players in the form of bonuses, so where do you draw the line?

We have to hope that our finances are now being run prudently, to the point where we're living comfortably within our means. Which I thought we were, but then you have AJ coming out a few days ago suggesting this isn't the case, particularly if we don't qualify for the CL and make it through the qualifiers.

That's the most worrying thing I've heard in a long time. I thought our whole new business plan and budget were based on us not having CL football, so if we did, that was a bonus so to speak.

I did. The least able member of the RST board thought it would remove any basis for criticism if they returned my life membership fee. Since this obviously sets a useful precedent, I guess any life member is now free to request a refund. Assuming of course they still know where to find the readies.

I'm more interested to hear how you managed to get in touch with them to request such a refund!

Ascender,

 

While being a solid perpetrator of the current soap opera, I'll be the first to admit that much of this is distasteful to anyone who believes that the affairs of the RST should be conducted in a proper and thorough manner.

 

However, there is a clear need for rebuilding here and that can't be started until the site is cleared of debris. The difficulty here has never been running an effective RST, it's been removing entrenched factions whose aim is only to further their own interests. Unless the other board members grow some testicles and use the means at their disposal, the bad guys cannot easily be removed from the outside - hence the need to apply as much pressure as is at our hand, even when it applies to individuals, to expose and hopefully strengthen resolve where it needs strengthening and weaken resistence where that is required.

 

VB and RM will be contacting Gersnet with a view to joint action to save the RST, not destroy it. Hopefully this site will agree to join with others to formulate more vigorous, although perhaps less visible, action.

 

This might have the look of a vindictive squabble but, in actual fact, it is probably the last chance to save this RST.

I agree. It wasn't a dig at anyone on here, I understand that stuff like this has to come out. What's disappointing is that in this day and age with so many ways of communication available, that the Trust doesn't make use of them more often to clear matters up quickly and clearly.

If I could get my money back at this stage I would.

As a lifetime member of the Trust, I've become more disillusioned by it as times goes on. I thought it was a great idea initially, but couldn't understand why more fans didn't sign up to it and the Gersave scheme. I'm afraid I have very little idea about much of the soap opera goings-on which are being mentioned or alluded to, but from where I'm sitting, its a very unprofessional way to run any sort of organisation, let alone one which is supposed to represent the supporters.

Since the time when a lot of the board members resigned en-masse, the RST has been shambolic at best in my eyes. When I had a query about Gersave, the only way I could get an answer was by sending somone a private message on the FF forum. Why bother having contact details on the RST site if no-one monitors them? Similarly, with some of the stuff posted on FF about the RST makes me wonder if certain people there have a personal agenda they're trying to push. And you know what, I really don't give a f*ck about personal agendas, but that's just the point, the RST isn't supposed to be about personal agendas.

While there's the whole secret squirrel bullshit going on now, like some kid who loves to tell you he knows a secret but can't tell you what that secret is, sitting on the sidelines watching as a paid-up punter, its just embarrassing to watch. Its like amateur hour. And for all the good work that someone like Edgar has done with his presence in the media and a lot of the common-sense he speaks, it doesn't matter. The RST has become a joke online and while I realise how fickle and misrepresentative forums can be, what else am I supposed to think about them? People have been asking why membership is so low, but would you join up now if you'd been a member of FF for example over the last couple of years? Not a hope in hell.

And to top it all, this week I read that the Trust lost 10K last year. How the hell can that happen? I could understand it if it was money spent on a big advertising push to get membership numbers up, but apparently not. Maybe if I'd attended the AGM I would know where the money went, but of course I didn't know about the AGM....

Why was the Trust setup initially and what were its aims?

If any of the current board members honestly gives a toss about the above, they should start from scratch, get new members in, then all resign so the Trust can start with a clean slate. I know we have a very ambivalent support, but I fail to believe that a well-run Trust with publicised and defined aims won't attract much healthier numbers to its membership.

To be fair, we don't know the reason for this, is it possibly a performance-related clause in his contract?

Regardless, it's the wrong message to send out although I'm not surprised one of our tabloids has chosen to run it as a major story.

I hope they do, because it will be another incredibly expensive piece of business for them which just doesn't make sense in the current climate no matter how they spin it.

MF, the AGM's have been held on matchdays, not on matchdays, the close season, mid-season.

 

It doesnt seem to matter when they are held, they are still poorly attended.

 

Also, all members were informed they could forward questions/motions by email if they could not attend. They got 2 questions.

 

It would seem that despite the good work done by some of the board, and there are a number of good bears in there, the ability of the board to attract membership, or even interest, is in quiet decline.

I should make a point of reading the website more often as I had no idea the AGM was today and while I couldn't attend, I would like to have asked some questions. Surprised there's no sort of regular email newsletter for starters, that shouldn't be too hard to organise???

What position does he play?

Been out of the loop - what is the paypal account to pay to ?

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