The Falkirk FC Thread

[Roboccop]

I have two accounts here ( one for my phone, other my desktop) and I’m happy to be known who I am. 
 

I resigned from FSS committeeafter being the person to get the final deal with the govt over the line. I did so because I was deeply unhappy with the lack of independance of the FSS committee from the club and some personal strong arguments with Board members about how future money should be passed over. I proposed a loan scheme where the money was repaid in shares only if there was a new share issue. I was told by a Board member in a one to one meeting that they would oppose that as “ it wasn’t in the best interests of the club” without any actual reason why that was being given. 
 

I finally left when the FSS chair said at a committee meeting that FSS should not propose anything to the Board “if they could not be certain to get the decision through” the Board - which effectively gave the Board control over FSS. 
 

That view is crass, cowardly and craven and I could not agree to stay if that was how FSS was being led. The tail was wagging the dog. 
 

I asked in advance for the recent members’ meeting to take a vote on my proposal (which I argued for in the meeting) but the FSS committee decided not to allow one  - they said they’d just consider proposals later as a committee.

We now see people saying the contract with the club means a “ loan” option can’t be accepted. I dispute that and certainly no one argued or said that when the contract between FSS and the Board was agreed. I was part of that meeting and agreed to the contract but if I’d had known it would be used later to restrict how the money was to be given then I would have opposed it  

i continue to support FSS and this Board but these are worrying signs of the lack of independance of the organisation: it needs to not just give money but to represent the fans like a trade union.

Everyone is happy just now as things are going well on the pitch but if things start to become problematic then a strong and not weakly led organisation will be needed  

I suspect for the second time FSS has failed to find a director to represent it on the Board: that in itself is a sign that all is not well. The first nomination period passed without much communication from the FSS and this second period also was weakly promoted. FSS needs to be a strong and public voice and be led by someone who above all values the role of fans and can stand tall of their behalf when needed.  

 

 

 

[ShaggerG]

1 hour ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

The only thing the whole episode has confirmed for me is that some of our fans are never, ever happy.

Whether it's taking offence to something fairly innocuous or great delight in explaining what they would have done differently and why - at the end of the day we all just want what's best for FFC and finally seem to be moving in the right direction, and on a much more united front. Hopefully FSS can keep growing and help continue that trajectory 

 

The one thing I could absolutely have guaranteed when the fan ownership idea was launched is that there would be fall outs of some sort as personalities and egos clash. It was inevitable. We can only hope that the guys running the show are big and wise enough to put their differences to one side for the greater good.

[Roboccop]

1 hour ago, ShaggerG said:

The one thing I could absolutely have guaranteed when the fan ownership idea was launched is that there would be fall outs of some sort as personalities and egos clash. It was inevitable. We can only hope that the guys running the show are big and wise enough to put their differences to one side for the greater good.

Can I just say that disagreements are not always personal. I had a real fight with one of the Board members at the FSS meeting but we remain friends and he’s someone I like. Sometimes it really is principle. 
 

I’ll not post again on this unless I have to correct sonething said. This subject has been done to death and most people are fed up with it. But it is important to get the relationship between fans, their representative organisation and the Board right. And that’s what the real issue here is. Else FSS might as well be the failed Falkirk Forever initiative (17 members the last I heard). 

Edited September 12, 2023 by Roboccop

[Forever_Blue_]

1 hour ago, Roboccop said:

I have two accounts here ( one for my phone, other my desktop) and I’m happy to be known who I am. 
 

I resigned from FSS committeeafter being the person to get the final deal with the govt over the line. I did so because I was deeply unhappy with the lack of independance of the FSS committee from the club and some personal strong arguments with Board members about how future money should be passed over. I proposed a loan scheme where the money was repaid in shares only if there was a new share issue. I was told by a Board member in a one to one meeting that they would oppose that as “ it wasn’t in the best interests of the club” without any actual reason why that was being given. 
 

I finally left when the FSS chair said at a committee meeting that FSS should not propose anything to the Board “if they could not be certain to get the decision through” the Board - which effectively gave the Board control over FSS. 
 

That view is crass, cowardly and craven and I could not agree to stay if that was how FSS was being led. The tail was wagging the dog. 
 

I asked in advance for the recent members’ meeting to take a vote on my proposal (which I argued for in the meeting) but the FSS committee decided not to allow one  - they said they’d just consider proposals later as a committee.

We now see people saying the contract with the club means a “ loan” option can’t be accepted. I dispute that and certainly no one argued or said that when the contract between FSS and the Board was agreed. I was part of that meeting and agreed to the contract but if I’d had known it would be used later to restrict how the money was to be given then I would have opposed it  

i continue to support FSS and this Board but these are worrying signs of the lack of independance of the organisation: it needs to not just give money but to represent the fans like a trade union.

Everyone is happy just now as things are going well on the pitch but if things start to become problematic then a strong and not weakly led organisation will be needed  

I suspect for the second time FSS has failed to find a director to represent it on the Board: that in itself is a sign that all is not well. The first nomination period passed without much communication from the FSS and this second period also was weakly promoted. FSS needs to be a strong and public voice and be led by someone who above all values the role of fans and can stand tall of their behalf when needed.  

 

 

 

This is where P&B let's me down. I'd love to her the FSS version of events now we've heard yours. Or atleast their response. 

[Bigbrbairn]

3 hours ago, Roboccop said:

Can I just say that disagreements are not always personal. I had a real fight with one of the Board members at the FSS meeting but we remain friends and he’s someone I like. Sometimes it really is principle. 
 

I’ll not post again on this unless I have to correct sonething said. This subject has been done to death and most people are fed up with it. But it is important to get the relationship between fans, their representative organisation and the Board right. And that’s what the real issue here is. Else FSS might as well be the failed Falkirk Forever initiative (17 members the last I heard). 

Cannot see why consultation of paying members can't be done regularly. I am man enough to realise that what I think is right may not be the view of 51% of FSS members and I am a great supporter of democracy. The only reason not to arrange votes is the fear that it won't toe party line David Cameron found that out to his cost - and Scotlands

[Anthony Fitzgerald]

11 hours ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

In seriousness, a separate thread about the financial and share discussions might be a good idea.

I agree. 19 greenies suggests a few of the same opinion. I wouldn’t want people to stop talking about it as some as clearly interested about it. For me it’s long, complex posts which aren’t the reason I come on here. Fan ownership discussions ain’t going anywhere and potentially rightly so, but separating it to allow others to chat nonsense about the football would be a better experience for some.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

Yep. Pleased many agree, but none of the participants in that discussion have made a thread for it.

Och well. 

[Chinatoon Bairn]

Dan Turner.

[ShaggerG]

9 minutes ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Dan Turner.

 Not again FFS. Or is he buying shares?

TBF to him his scoring record since leaving Falkirk is decent, albiet I assume the level he's playing at is fairly pish?

[SouthStander1876]

Seems its gotten to the point where people are just trying to prove who knows more about FSS

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, SouthStander1876 said:

Seems its gotten to the point where people are just trying to prove who knows more about FSS

Not sure how you got that. It was simply people drawing attention to things fans may or may not have known about. Whether anyone is bothered or unhappy is a different matter but certainly wasn’t a pissing contest. 
 

[Zbairn]

20 hours ago, Forever_Blue_ said:

Falkirk fan unhappy the fans group is giving money to the club the fans support.

Sorry, but I just find it mental people are this unhappy. The club have explained the money we're putting in is helping to sign better players.. Potentially going to the academy in the future. 

The agreement is not set in stone and can be updated (or that's how I understood it from the podcast anyway). 

I agree with the other poster though, either draw a line under this or creating a new thread and people can debate both sides of the arguement on there. 

I actually see the merit in moving to another thread, as there are only about 6 or 7 of us contributing.

However, I remember Van D mentioning the fact that he is posting on here to disseminate the information to a wider audience, which is also important. 

With that in mind, I think it's good that as many fans as possible get to see both side of the discussion and contribute if they wish.

As someone else said previously, if you are not interested, you can easily scroll past.

 

[Guest]

What I don’t quite get is some fans want others to get involved and to care but when they do and then allay any concerns, it’s treated with indignation. 

It was said the club doesn’t need rabble rousers and I agree to an extent that it doesn’t need people to make unnecessary trouble, however I do think we need more people to take an active interest in the governance of the club. Especially now that we’re fan owned.

That includes being able to make sure that fans have an understanding of key issues and that their voices are heard. That doesn’t happen if you don’t at least try to get these kind of discussions going.

This is where the drive for fan ownership came about after all, which incidentally was led by one of the club’s directors. Their great efforts to get the ball rolling have ultimately led to this point. If we all have a say then we all have to accept ownership too if things go wrong. To me that’s what true fan ownership should be. 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Van_damage

[Steven Mill Out]

1 minute ago, Zbairn said:

As someone else said previously, if you are not interested, you can easily scroll past.

I've been scrolling for about a week straight bro

[Zbairn]

1 minute ago, Steven Mill Out said:

I've been scrolling for about a week straight bro

Keep scrolling..... the footy stuff will start in a day or so

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Steven Mill Out said:

I've been scrolling for about a week straight bro

Your last post on here was January 2022 so feel free to talk about something else too!  

[Reggie Perrin]

1 minute ago, Van_damage said:

Your last post on here was January 2022 so feel free to talk about something else too!  

You actually bothered to research that?

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Reggie Perrin said:

You actually bothered to research that?

Literally was their second last post. Wondered because it was a username I was unfamiliar with 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Van_damage

[bairn88]

I was down at a game in London the other week, and was amazed when over the tannoys I heard the name “Olumide Durojaiye” (spelling) in the away team lineup. 

The standard was complete pish - wouldn’t be surprised to see Hartley snap up a few in the winter. 

[Forever_Blue_]

42 minutes ago, Zbairn said:

I actually see the merit in moving to another thread, as there are only about 6 or 7 of us contributing.

However, I remember Van D mentioning the fact that he is posting on here to disseminate the information to a wider audience, which is also important. 

With that in mind, I think it's good that as many fans as possible get to see both side of the discussion and contribute if they wish.

As someone else said previously, if you are not interested, you can easily scroll past.

 

I understand your point and I agree I see the merit too. 

I do believe it is time to create a seperate thread because this specific issue is taking over this thread and I think it's clear from the comments and likes that people are ready to move on from it (my view anyway). 

I believe this issue has had it's time in the view of the wider audience, and I've actually spoken to VD by DM for maybe the past week now and I think he's a really reasonable guy and clearly passionate about the club and his beliefs. I even believe he himself understands the grumblings I had. 

If VD and others remain discontent (and I know they do) then I think it's time to either create a new thread, or arrange a meeting with the FSS / FFC board to get the changes they need agreed/have the issues they have officially addressed/find a way to move forward together. 

Neither the club or FSS are likely to respond on P&B and all this is doing is sort of pitting the fans against each other needlessly. 

I'd be happy to join this new thread, and I'm sure others who have an interest will too. 

That being said, it's not my decision and obviously people can feel free to continue to post as they see fit. 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Forever_Blue_