"The ICT Thread - From the Premiership to the Seaside"

[oneteaminglasgow]

10 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

He emailed Carlisle saying they didn’t need to bother paying any compensation for Cammy Harper, which would have been around £80k.

That’s f**king mental. What possible justification could he possibly have for doing that?

Like, the other stuff is just clearly him not being good at his job, but I legitimately cannot f**king understand how a sentient being would possibly think this made sense.

In terms of mental, it’s up there with our former chairman saying they didn’t want the fans putting money into the club with no expectation of anything in return.

[Steve Carrella]

14 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Confirmed that it’s Admin on the 16th October unless someone buys the club and there are several interested parties. I’m not seeing how any of these gets any further than first contact to be honest.

The go fund me money is being used to help pay the bills and will help pay for Administration as well, Savage is going to pay whatever is needed to see it through. 

We still owe the directors £3.42 million as we didn’t have enough shares available to convert that into equity.

Gardiner is an absolute f**king lunatic, as if that needed confirming, we started a new 4 year deal with Puma in May where we need to pay them £125k per year. He emailed Carlisle saying they didn’t need to bother paying any compensation for Cammy Harper, which would have been around £80k. The board admitted he was allowed to do whatever he wanted without anybody doing any real checks. They essentially took his word for everything and most of it was complete lies.

And at what point do you see the Board as the fecking problem  

[RiG]

15 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Gardiner is an absolute f**king lunatic, as if that needed confirming, we started a new 4 year deal with Puma in May where we need to pay them £125k per year. He emailed Carlisle saying they didn’t need to bother paying any compensation for Cammy Harper, which would have been around £80k. The board admitted he was allowed to do whatever he wanted without anybody doing any real checks. They essentially took his word for everything and most of it was complete lies.

He's an absolute rat. It's almost certain that he's been lining his own pockets during his time at ICT. 

The Harper fee is staggering incompetence even for that clown.

He's played a massive part in killing this club. Hopefully he's hounded out of the game for good now. 

[forkboy]

12 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Confirmed that it’s Admin on the 16th October unless someone buys the club and there are several interested parties. I’m not seeing how any of these gets any further than first contact to be honest.

The go fund me money is being used to help pay the bills and will help pay for Administration as well, Savage is going to pay whatever is needed to see it through. 

Did anyone bring up that they probably should have gone into admin a month ago if things are so desperate that they need to get the fans to whip around to pay the administrators? I understand wanting to avoid administration at all costs, in the hope that a buyer could be found, but surely a hard nosed successful businessman like Savage should be able to tell the difference between reality & wish fulfilment? And what happens if the fundraiser doesn't hit the target, which so far looks likely despite some generous donations?

 

2 hours ago, Central Belt Caley said:

I think this influx of Arbroath fans into the thread is because we don’t have Sandy posting as often in here. Having your notifications full of his nonsense is enough to keep even the keenest folk away 

Has anyone done a welfare check on auld Sandy? Not like him to go radio silent from posting his senile pish for this long.

[PB1994]

1 minute ago, oneteaminglasgow said:

That’s f**king mental. What possible justification could he possibly have for doing that?

Like, the other stuff is just clearly him not being good at his job, but I legitimately cannot f**king understand how a sentient being would possibly think this made sense.

In terms of mental, it’s up there with our former chairman saying they didn’t want the fans putting money into the club with no expectation of anything in return.

Yeap it’s absolutely incredible and I think there are a million other things we don’t know about.

It was Charlie Christie who told us this, our new CEO, who had run the academy for the last 10 years or so. He still looked fuming and he just couldn’t understand it at all.

[forkboy]

Just now, RiG said:

He's an absolute rat. It's almost certain that he's been lining his own pockets during his time at ICT. 

The Harper fee is staggering incompetence even for that clown.

At that point it goes from incompetence to sheer maliciousness. What possible reason could there be for turning down a fee?

[oneteaminglasgow]

2 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Yeap it’s absolutely incredible and I think there are a million other things we don’t know about.

It was Charlie Christie who told us this, our new CEO, who had run the academy for the last 10 years or so. He still looked fuming and he just couldn’t understand it at all.

I'm f**king fuming about it, and I basically don't care about the situation. 

[Central Belt Caley]

4 minutes ago, forkboy said:

Did anyone bring up that they probably should have gone into admin a month ago if things are so desperate that they need to get the fans to whip around to pay the administrators? I understand wanting to avoid administration at all costs, in the hope that a buyer could be found, but surely a hard nosed successful businessman like Savage should be able to tell the difference between reality & wish fulfilment? And what happens if the fundraiser doesn't hit the target, which so far looks likely despite some generous donations?

 

Has anyone done a welfare check on auld Sandy? Not like him to go radio silent from posting his senile pish for this long.

I think because Savage is a “consultant” just now he can’t do what he’d like to. He’s done an audit and presented his findings to the current board. All that being said I’ve no idea how the ins and outs of these things work. 
 

Think Sandys posted in the politics forum but just not been in this thread much 

[Stephen Malkmus]

5 minutes ago, forkboy said:

At that point it goes from incompetence to sheer maliciousness. What possible reason could there be for turning down a fee?

Most likely the Carlisle directors and Puma sales rep knew all they had to do was sprinkle a few Masonic codewords into their correspondence with Gardiner and he would sort them out.

[Central Belt Caley]

Having just read the article in the P&J about the meeting tonight it says Gardiner didn’t want a youth academy. 
 

I bet that’s the reason he told Carlisle they didn’t have to pay compensation, so he could abolish the youth academy claiming it doesn’t return any money. 

[parsforlife]

I don't think gardiner is smart enough to pul off a con. He's that thick that folk saw an opportunity. Carlisle wouldn't have stated negotiations with harvey if they weren't willing to pay, but the wrote an email just to chance the their arm, probably to see if they could work the compensation down. When they got a reply that have them free will they'd have celebrated the freebie.

[Stephen Malkmus]

From the P&J:

Caley Thistle hope credible buyers might be the struggling club’s saviours within the next eight days – or administration will be inevitable. That message came loud and clear at a special open meeting for shareholders and fans at the Caledonian Stadium on Monday night. There has been interest from America, Denmark, and the United Arab Emirates, but the potential investors need more information about ICT’s finances before taking further steps.

The club’s Save ICT Fund has raised almost £70,000 since launching last Thursday, with its aim of raising £200,000 “immediately to meet the cash requirements of the club for the current month of October no later than Wednesday, October 16.”  The board of directors are exploring all avenues to raise funding to prevent ICT – Scottish Cup winners nine years ago – from entering administration. The on-field impact of that would be a 15-point punishment this season from the SPFL, while other non-football department jobs would almost certainly have to go.

In the packed suite within the Highlander Lounge at the Caledonian Stadium, new interim chairman Scott Young delivered news to anxious fans and shareholders. Also at the top table were fellow directors Graeme Bennett and Gordon Fyfe, honorary president Roddy Ross, and interim chief executive officer and ex-player and manager Charlie Christie. Young told the room of around 200 that the club are “in discussions with possible interested parties, but we will keep to the October 16 deadline.”

Club consultant and former chairman Alan Savage, who has recently injected £350,000 of his own cash to cover key bills, also addressed the audience. After saying the club had suffered “five years of financial and operational neglect”, he stated his view that administration would be the best way forward. He described it as “the better of two evils” when compared to liquidation. He explained, should administration happen, his Orion Group will try to find people jobs if they are let go by ICT and will help suppliers, but insists they would go into administration “in control”.

Young asked people to look forward rather than back following questions about decision made by former chief executive Scot Gardiner by one audience member. Bennett, a former vice chairman of ICT, who has been back on the board for 20 months, said the former CEO’s work as the club’s finances tumbled “were not checked enough” and added: “We have to be responsible (for that).” He also said money expected from the battery farm at the city’s Fairways Business Park seemed like a banker. Billed as a project that would bring in millions of pounds for ICT, a last-ditch appeal was made to overturn Highland Council’s refusal of the controversial plan.

Christie, who is head of youth academy, described club legend Ross Tokely as the “perfect example” of a player who can be found locally and kick on to have a great career at Inverness. He claimed the former CEO didn’t want a youth academy, which he states costs less than 3.5% of the club’s losses last season.

Seventy7Ventures, the investment firm led by Ketan Makwana, had an offer totalling £2.5m to purchase just over 50% of ICT’s shares accepted by the club’s board on July 25. But around three weeks later, the club announced they had suspended negotiations with Makwana and Gardiner had left the club. Although a renewed deal went back in front of the board last week, it’s not thought to be seen as one of those being genuinely considered. Bennett and Christie acknowledged that a 15-point deduction would make life extremely tough for Caley Thistle, with the latter saying it would involve a “real reset” and it would mean part-time football should they end up in League Two.

Speaking afterwards, Young, who is also the club’s supporters’ liaison officer, said: “At the minute, administration looks like the most likely route we’ve got to go down but I am a glass half-full rather than glass half-empty person and I remain optimistic that we might be able to get something over the line before October 16. “We may not and I and the board will hold our hands up and say we looked at and tried every option. “If we do go down the administration route, we will embrace that and hopefully come out even stronger.” When asked about overseas interest, he added: “There are communications ongoing with several interested parties. That’s all I can say at the minute.”

Edited 5 hours ago by Stephen Malkmus

[glasgowlichtie23]

[RiG]

I wonder if Ferguson will start looking at the table when we get hit with a fifteen point deduction. 

[BucksburnDandy]

Big shout to the lads from the Wyness Shuffle. As a Dons fan, I listened today to the interview with Alan Savage and the discussions after. It was clear to me when he kept saying the club needs a reset that his recommendation was going to be administration. Brilliant work to get that interview and get that out before the meeting tonight.

 

Scot Gardiner is an absolute sociopath and a scumbag. That the board didn't keep any check on him is bad enough but that allowed the idiotic Puma deal and Harper going for no compensation at all. Hopefully Alan Savage takes him all the way through the courts.

 

Having moved up here a few years back, I'd hate to see Caley Thistle go under. The town needs a football club to support and one that picks up kids of my daughter's age to become the next generation of fans.

 

To me, as an outsider, that future is best served with Alan Savage either in charge or around the club with guys like Charlie Christie also more deeply involved. I entirely disagree with Alan Savage about the constitutional future of Scotland but he's clearly a good guy who cares deeply about the club and the area.

 

All the best lads and lassies.

[Steve Carrella]

31 minutes ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

From the P&J:

Caley Thistle hope credible buyers might be the struggling club’s saviours within the next eight days – or administration will be inevitable. That message came loud and clear at a special open meeting for shareholders and fans at the Caledonian Stadium on Monday night. There has been interest from America, Denmark, and the United Arab Emirates, but the potential investors need more information about ICT’s finances before taking further steps.

The club’s Save ICT Fund has raised almost £70,000 since launching last Thursday, with its aim of raising £200,000 “immediately to meet the cash requirements of the club for the current month of October no later than Wednesday, October 16.”  The board of directors are exploring all avenues to raise funding to prevent ICT – Scottish Cup winners nine years ago – from entering administration. The on-field impact of that would be a 15-point punishment this season from the SPFL, while other non-football department jobs would almost certainly have to go.

In the packed suite within the Highlander Lounge at the Caledonian Stadium, new interim chairman Scott Young delivered news to anxious fans and shareholders. Also at the top table were fellow directors Graeme Bennett and Gordon Fyfe, honorary president Roddy Ross, and interim chief executive officer and ex-player and manager Charlie Christie. Young told the room of around 200 that the club are “in discussions with possible interested parties, but we will keep to the October 16 deadline.”

Club consultant and former chairman Alan Savage, who has recently injected £350,000 of his own cash to cover key bills, also addressed the audience. After saying the club had suffered “five years of financial and operational neglect”, he stated his view that administration would be the best way forward. He described it as “the better of two evils” when compared to liquidation. He explained, should administration happen, his Orion Group will try to find people jobs if they are let go by ICT and will help suppliers, but insists they would go into administration “in control”.

Young asked people to look forward rather than back following questions about decision made by former chief executive Scot Gardiner by one audience member. Bennett, a former vice chairman of ICT, who has been back on the board for 20 months, said the former CEO’s work as the club’s finances tumbled “were not checked enough” and added: “We have to be responsible (for that).” He also said money expected from the battery farm at the city’s Fairways Business Park seemed like a banker. Billed as a project that would bring in millions of pounds for ICT, a last-ditch appeal was made to overturn Highland Council’s refusal of the controversial plan.

Christie, who is head of youth academy, described club legend Ross Tokely as the “perfect example” of a player who can be found locally and kick on to have a great career at Inverness. He claimed the former CEO didn’t want a youth academy, which he states costs less than 3.5% of the club’s losses last season.

Seventy7Ventures, the investment firm led by Ketan Makwana, had an offer totalling £2.5m to purchase just over 50% of ICT’s shares accepted by the club’s board on July 25. But around three weeks later, the club announced they had suspended negotiations with Makwana and Gardiner had left the club. Although a renewed deal went back in front of the board last week, it’s not thought to be seen as one of those being genuinely considered. Bennett and Christie acknowledged that a 15-point deduction would make life extremely tough for Caley Thistle, with the latter saying it would involve a “real reset” and it would mean part-time football should they end up in League Two.

Speaking afterwards, Young, who is also the club’s supporters’ liaison officer, said: “At the minute, administration looks like the most likely route we’ve got to go down but I am a glass half-full rather than glass half-empty person and I remain optimistic that we might be able to get something over the line before October 16. “We may not and I and the board will hold our hands up and say we looked at and tried every option. “If we do go down the administration route, we will embrace that and hopefully come out even stronger.” When asked about overseas interest, he added: “There are communications ongoing with several interested parties. That’s all I can say at the minute.”

"Also at the top table were Bennett  and Fyfe" No need to call Sherlock Holmes or Columbo to solve the case then. 

[welshbairn]

Did anyone ask what would happen to the gofundme money?

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

I know plenty of his actions could be considered borderline criminal, but Gardiner signing the £125k p/a four year contract with Puma in May is worthy of a fraud investigation by itself. ICT were confirmed to be in the L1 playoff on May 3rd and relegated on May 18th.  It would be interesting to see if someone got a very nice chunk of commission from the deal.

The chairman and directors who let him get away with all his nonsense should be held to account as well. At least it sounds like Grassa Bennett accepted some of the blame at the meeting, while the others who disappeared are no doubt already getting their paperwork together to put in a claim to the administrators.