Dave King gives an update.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

A lot of good points there DB. You are right re the hysteria that seems to engulf many of us(myself included) we could all do with looking at the bigger picture and playing the long game. Personally, I started to get twitchy when I felt DK was suggesting second would be acceptable. It is not. If it happens I will understand the reasons why and we go again next year. It isn't nor will ever be acceptable, for me anyway.

Edited August 9, 2016 by cooponthewing

[Bluedell 5,624]

Why not let us get into full swing before making up an opinion on how our first year back in the Premiership will transpire?

 

Should we lock the forum for a month or so?

 

People are quite entitled to give their opinions now, and they will change on a weekly basis, no doubt.

 

2 weeks ago, most were purring about Nico, and now there are doubts creeping in. It's just part of being a fan.

 

We enjoy giving our opinions based on what we have seen recently. It's why we use the forum.

[limeburner 0]

I think last year the average season ticket price was in the region of £290. This year will be closer to £350 so you're talking around £15m season ticket income give or take a million. Retail and sponsorship monies will be next to negligible and people have to appreciate that gives us little room for manoeuvre when it comes to investment.

 

As it stands, the bulk of the season ticket income will be used to address existing staffing costs and essential overheads such as the stadium maintenance. I assume both of these substantial costs will have risen over the last year despite not all that much being spent in actual transfer fees.

 

Could King et al pony up some more? Yes, they could but we still have to pay off such soft loans at some point so how much debt (friendly or not) do we want to incur down the line? I'd argue we'd be better waiting until we qualify for a Europa or Champions League before we start thinking about more serious investment. Chucking a few million at a defender and/or a striker may make us all feel a bit better but it doesn't guarantee anything and imbalances our finances further.

 

All in all, people have to start appreciating just how tricky things still are financially. Yes, we can look towards a sugar daddy but I'd much rather our club was self-sustainable to avoid what happened under the last two or three supposed custodians with wealth off the radar. Being self-sustaining may not be as glamorous or gratifying but it's perhaps the only route forward as Scottish football goes down the swanny.

 

This isn't the 1990s any more. Wake up.

I think it would help matters if we as fans,shareholders etc,knew exactly how much we actually owe Dave King.

WE could then have a say as to whether or not we want anymore soft loans from him.

We could say "thanks but no thanks".It cant always be his decision to make surely?

As you say,this dosh is gonna have to be repaid sometime.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I honestly feel if the money was there, and it was around the 1-1.5k(wages same on top) mark for a decent CH we should spend it. It really could be the difference between success and failure this season. Not qualifying for Europe would be unthinkable, just disastrous!. Both with our standing in the game and financially. The finances we would look to gain from European competition would repay any "soft loan". If the nightmare scenario happens and we do a Hearts, then 1-1.5k soft loan would not be the end of the world and we can work with it.

Before anyone has a coronary, I am not advocating that we liberalise our credit policy, far from it, I simply feel that at the moment should a CH become available and we had that kind of money available to us, we should use it.

[Frankie 8,562]

I think it would help matters if we as fans,shareholders etc,knew exactly how much we actually owe Dave King.

WE could then have a say as to whether or not we want anymore soft loans from him.

We could say "thanks but no thanks".It cant always be his decision to make surely?

As you say,this dosh is gonna have to be repaid sometime.

 

I think the next set of accounts will enable us all to make a form a fuller picture of where we are. These should be due around November.

 

King is the chairman of the board and the majority shareholder (though only at 15.57%). Park, Letham and Taylor have more than that combined so I'm sure if there was any issue over the financing of the club, they'd be able to counter.

 

If 'we' want to decide strategy then 'we' have to increase our stake via other methods such as Club1872. As it stands people want to dictate our financial/transfer outgoings but also have reservations about the enabling vehicle being set up for us to do that.

 

People have every right to be critical (and this place would be boring without it) but I do believe people have to be more realistic in what to expect. Our club almost ceased to exist and, even after that, it's now the subject of a variety of litigation. Quite frankly, I find it amazing we're any any sort of position to challenge Celtic given what has happened in the last five years.

[Frankie 8,562]

I honestly feel if the money was there, and it was around the 1-1.5k(wages same on top) mark for a decent CH we should spend it. It really could be the difference between success and failure this season. Not qualifying for Europe would be unthinkable, just disastrous!. Both with our standing in the game and financially. The finances we would look to gain from European competition would repay any "soft loan". If the nightmare scenario happens and we do a Hearts, then 1-1.5k soft loan would not be the end of the world and we can work with it.

Before anyone has a coronary, I am not advocating that we liberalise our credit policy, far from it, I simply feel that at the moment should a CH become available and we had that kind of money available to us, we should use it.

 

Chances are we'd have two or, probably, three qualifying games just to try and obtain group stage Euro football and as we've seen in recent years (and experienced ourselves pre-2012) there's no open goals in that sense even when you've not heard of the opposition.

 

Spending money we didn't have is why we're struggling now. Why are people not prepared to learn that lesson?

[forlanssister 3,114]

It was never going to be a case of revolution but rather evolution.

[limeburner 0]

I think the next set of accounts will enable us all to make a form a fuller picture of where we are. These should be due around November.

 

King is the chairman of the board and the majority shareholder (though only at 15.57%). Park, Letham and Taylor have more than that combined so I'm sure if there was any issue over the financing of the club, they'd be able to counter.

 

If 'we' want to decide strategy then 'we' have to increase our stake via other methods such as Club1872. As it stands people want to dictate our financial/transfer outgoings but also have reservations about the enabling vehicle being set up for us to do that.

 

People have every right to be critical (and this place would be boring without it) but I do believe people have to be more realistic in what to expect. Our club almost ceased to exist and, even after that, it's now the subject of a variety of litigation. Quite frankly, I find it amazing we're any any sort of position to challenge Celtic given what has happened in the last five years.

Fair enough but it has to be remembered,our only real source of income is from the fans.

Therefore the only realistic way of repaying debt is from the fans (1872 members or not).

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I take your point Frankie and again I'm not advocating going ballistic with the cheque book, I did say "if the money was available" I didn't say "lets go asking for credit we can't afford to repay". I understand we mustn't go back to where we were and tbh its slightly unfair to suggest supporters "haven't learned their lesson". Where I am standing it would seem that if we do not address the centre of defence frailties, it will cost us a place in Europe, by DKs and MWs own admission that is the least they wish to achieve this year.

 

I was hearing again last night more talk of a striker, I agree we need one but the part of our team that needs addressing is the CH position, that is where it may cost us dearly this year. Again I think to say supporters haven't learned their lesson is way off the mark, we are a business, and if we stand still we will never move forward. There must be a balance between spending what we feel is appropriate for success and not putting us into financial difficulties.

[Tannochsidebear 2,406]

Every Rangers fan knew last year that the two centre halfs needed replaced. Before we bought another million midfielders/wingers, we had to get this right. No team wins a top tier title that cannot defend. Ever.

 

If we have blown the budget on Barton/Nico/Rossiter/Hodson/Dodoo/Gilks/Windass/Crooks then the management will have failed in their duty. I dont think we have blown the budget and that we have enough available to acquire a decent quality CH.

 

I am not sure after taking on board the Brentford fans, and seeing first hand last season, that MW would know a centre half if he was standing beside him! Perhaps he should delegate this to his assistant.

 

He needs to get this sorted out quickly. I know it, we on Gersnet know it, the fans that were there on Saturday know it, and the dog in the street knows it. Any chance of the title depends on it.