The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Hank Scorpio]

Scary to think we had Goodwillie and Templeton in the same team and still never won the league.

[grumswall]

Someone on FanTalk who was at the meeting tonight said that we received £5,000 from Blackburn over the Goodwillie deal. What a deal that is!

I know iv been critical of the board recently, maybe not so much on here but that is a cracking clause the board have worked into the loan agreement. £5000 may be feck all at the end of the day but its still a fair wack of money to take considering the player was not owned by us and we were most likely paying very little of his wage.

As happy as i am with that thought, was it a 1 of thing? (hopefully not) the likes of the kevin smith transfer to notts co? would have been something we could have taken money from if so.

[Broken Algorithms]

Scary to think we had Goodwillie and Templeton in the same team and still never won the league.

Not really, given that Templeton often underperformed and Goodwillie was still young. Throw in that we had a good few injuries that year, Ross County had a clinical forward in Barrowman (at that level) and Airdrie had Russell. Throw in a few under performers like Winter, Borris and Renton and it isn't surprising. The next season we were far better.

[P.C]

Not really, given that Templeton often underperformed and Goodwillie was still young. Throw in that we had a good few injuries that year, Ross County had a clinical forward in Barrowman (at that level) and Airdrie had Russell. Throw in a few under performers like Winter, Borris and Renton and it isn't surprising. The next season we were far better.

Templeton was always bullied off the ball that season wasnt his debut the 4-2 Cowden game where he scored a double?

I remember speaking to McGlynn about Templeton asking why he kept playing him on the wing as he was playing shit and couldnt get passed his man and to try him up top, couple weeks later he did. and he was shit

Renton was a bombscare of a keeper the only decent game i can remember him having was the cup tie against St.Johnstone at Starks when it went to pens, Winter never looked like a player we should of spent money on and Borris was brillant when he first signed but never recovered after his injury

[Yoss]

wasnt his debut the 4-2 Cowden game where he scored a double?

Only scored one, if my memory is right. (Which it usually is.)

(Edited to add: and I'm sure Cowden only scored once as well.)

Edited September 30, 2011 by Yoss

[Yoss]

If we are not going to get a big millionaire spender to come and take us over then the realistic option is to appeal to the local business community. An increase in sponsorship and hospitality.

It's a very easy thing to say, but the hospitality market has mostly bombed - it's one of the first and most obvious things businesses can cut back on in a recession.

That's not to say nothing more can be done, of course, you've always got to look at what you can do better. But it's very easy to wave your hand in the air and say let's increase our sponsorship income - what evidence do we have that the current regime are failing, what concrete ideas are there to suggest anyone else can do better?

(Incidentally, I don't want a millionaire big spender, I'd much rather we lived within our means.)

[P.C]

Only scored one, if my memory is right. (Which it usually is.)

(Edited to add: and I'm sure Cowden only scored once as well.)

I bow to your superior knowledge it was indeed 1 goal tho he did setup Sloan for the first goal and it was 4-1... Senile already god help me

[Ding Dang Doo]

It's a very easy thing to say, but the hospitality market has mostly bombed - it's one of the first and most obvious things businesses can cut back on in a recession.

That's not to say nothing more can be done, of course, you've always got to look at what you can do better. But it's very easy to wave your hand in the air and say let's increase our sponsorship income - what evidence do we have that the current regime are failing, what concrete ideas are there to suggest anyone else can do better?

(Incidentally, I don't want a millionaire big spender, I'd much rather we lived within our means.)

You just have to ask around the local businesses. The majority of them see no sense of loyalty to the club anymore. The see supporting the club financially as chucking notes into an open fire. The club makes no concerted effort to engage with local businesses.

It's not just since the recession this has happened...it's been going on for the last decade. There are no local links anymore. The club does nothing to encourage any sort of investment.

The club needs to go back to phoning up businesses, offering things at discounted prices and encouraging them to come along and support the local team. A business that has never been involved with the club before are hardly going to do anything at full price when they see absolutely no benefit coming there way. There has to be a bit of give and take whilst the board just want to take take take. It comes down to the same point as the admission prices. People are not going to and pay £17 every second week if they are getting nothing out of it.

Football needs to be run like a business and I think the problem is that there is such limited business experience on the board. There is nobody apart from Mario Caira that has run their own business and needed to bring extra investment and increase the profitability.

[Ebanda's Handyman Services]

You just have to ask around the local businesses. The majority of them see no sense of loyalty to the club anymore. The see supporting the club financially as chucking notes into an open fire. The club makes no concerted effort to engage with local businesses.

It's not just since the recession this has happened...it's been going on for the last decade. There are no local links anymore. The club does nothing to encourage any sort of investment.

The club needs to go back to phoning up businesses, offering things at discounted prices and encouraging them to come along and support the local team. A business that has never been involved with the club before are hardly going to do anything at full price when they see absolutely no benefit coming there way. There has to be a bit of give and take whilst the board just want to take take take. It comes down to the same point as the admission prices. People are not going to and pay £17 every second week if they are getting nothing out of it.

Football needs to be run like a business and I think the problem is that there is such limited business experience on the board. There is nobody apart from Mario Caira that has run their own business and needed to bring extra investment and increase the profitability.

Do you know for a fact that the club doesn't contact local businesses?

Also, do you know the business credentials that the current board outwith Mario have?

[Mij]

I know that Mario has probably put a fair bit of money and time into the Rovers with nothing in return. Turnball Hutton and especially Drysdale are another matter. They both hounded out the last owner and investor who wanted to put money into our club (Alan Kelly). They then were involved in the sacking of Nichol and appointment of John McVeigh and Peter Hetherston (what an outcome that was!). They welcomed with open arms firstly Danny Smith, Colin McGowan and the rest of the Glasgow gangsters and then after they had left allowed Flaud Anelka to come in. Both times the club was on the brink of extinction.

The links that were developed with the local community in the 1990's have disappeared. The club expects to be given handouts and give nothing in return. We have nobody on board (Caria excepted) with any real business experience and knowledge.

Yes we McGlynn but everyone knows this will not be for much longer.

There are serious problems at this club and I think that a clean sweep of the board is the only way forward. If we are not going to get a big millionaire spender to come and take us over then the realistic option is to appeal to the local business community. An increase in sponsorship and hospitality. This is never going to happen under the current board.

Have a greenie in fact have two .

Do you know for a fact that the club doesn't contact local businesses?

They have now that D Sommerville has taken on his voluntary role . If what I heard at the meeting last night was correct prior to that no . Interestingly our commercial guy was conspicuous in his absence from the meeting so really didnt get an answer when the commercial side was ripped to threads by a previous board member .

I know that Mario has probably put a fair bit of money and time into the Rovers with nothing in return

some which he is making from the catering that he controls so in a roundabout way some of the money invested is coming from the fans who choose to purchase pies,bovrils and the like .

Edited September 30, 2011 by Mij

[roverthemoon]

decent summary of what went on is up on the trust website

www.raithtrust.org.uk

Edited September 30, 2011 by roverthemoon

[Rovers_Lad]

the external debt is therefore approximately £170k today.

to 3 creditors

A recent issue emerged with a major creditor which could have had catastrophic implications for the club.

minutes from a Dundee scenario if not worse for a debt which was miniscule in comparison to theres. No need to spell out who the major creditor was .

[Scary Bear]

decent summary of what went on is up on the trust website

www.raithtrust.org.uk

From the Trust website:

Crowds are down significantly on equivalent fixtures last season (e.g. Falkirk gate was down by 700, Dundee gate was down by 1500), so this season’s budget has been recast accordingly – before the season a profit of £40k was projected, but a loss of £80k is now expected instead. If attendances recover this loss can be avoided.

Is that a typo?

We had 2716 for the first Dundee game last season, and it was midweek. We had around 3,143 for the second one. We had 2695 for this years Dundee game.

Good summary of events and helpful that someone was taking notes.

[roverthemoon]

I think that particular figure was based on the last Saturday game v Dundee which was the year before

[P.C]

From the site the agreed condcordat

Whilst recognising fully that Raith Rovers Football Club must adhere to the regulations

of the football authorities and conform with company law, the Board and fans of the club

agree that the following aims and values should shape the way in which the club

operates and its future development.

1. Raith Rovers is an inclusive entity comprising the companies that govern it,

the Board of Directors, the players and staff, the fans and the local community.

2. The core objective of all that we do is to maintain and develop a healthy,

vibrant and well-respected football club in Kirkcaldy that makes a positive

contribution to Scottish football and the local community for present and future

generations.

3. We must always act with the long-term interests of Raith Rovers at heart,

with any risks being measurable and manageable.

4. Our ambition in football is to compete at the highest level possible and

achieve the greatest success, while operating within the resources available.

5. The club should play an active role at the heart of the community and

continually aim to strengthen bonds with the local community through working

closely with public bodies and local businesses and organisations.

6. The stadium in which the team plays should be fit for purpose for playing

football, the safety and comfort of fans and developing and securing commercial

sources of income.

7. Shared and stable ownership is the best way forward for the club, thus

avoiding short-termism by individuals which could damage our long-term

interests.

8. Mutual respect is important, with the voice of supporters being listened to

and fans having a reciprocal responsibility to work together in a productive and

positive manner.

9. The club should operate in an open and inclusive manner, while

recognising there will be issues where commercial and personal confidentiality

apply.

Just be interesting to see how long they stick to this

[Rovers_Lad]

And the benefit of this is ?What the fff

An agreed concordat thought up by a minority of the supporters and agreed by the minority of supporters.Has the trust nothing better to do than concoct a set of rules?

[P.C]

And the benefit of this is ?What the fff

An agreed concordat thought up by a minority of the supporters and agreed by the minority of supporters.Has the trust nothing better to do than concoct a set of rules?

the problem is that its all well and good putting it up and to be honest all of the above should be happening anyway

[Ebanda's Handyman Services]

The Trust should have called it, '9 things moaning people can look to pick up on in the future'.

Because let's be honest, that's what's going to happen.

I reckon that the aims set out in the concordat hit the nail on the head for how the club needs to be run.

[Broken Algorithms]

It's all very well and good writing something up which didn't really need written up at all. Sadly, some people will think this as a form of progress. We need proper change with our ideas commercial side of the club while trying to cut back as reasonably as possible. As PC says, this is what we should have been doing all along.

[bobbykdy]

Caught a glance at a Fife Free Press this morning in the papershop. The front page suggested the club were 7 minutes from going into Admin/out of business (I cant remember which as it was only a quick glance.)

Was this mentioned at last weeks meeting? Does anyone know if there is any truth in this?