Dunfermline Athletic vs Ross County

[frankthetank22]

35 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Our manager admitted we had offers "blown out the water" by County for Brian Graham and Ryan Dow. 

I asked how a team of of County's size could afford to do that, and how they could survive with millions of pounds worth of debt, season after season. 

I made the point its effectively financial doping, and there's no difference between them and Gretna as they're spending money that isn't the clubs to get a sporting advantage. 

No idea where the FM stuff appeared from, tbh. 

I know I know, I shouldn't bite...

But what millions of debt season after season are you referring to?

Local guy who has been Chairman/board member for nearly 40 years invests £ into his local team, yeah that's exactly like what we saw at Gretna, get over it, you're getting  tiresome. 

[TheScarf]

You're right there's no debt, because the owner writes it off every year.  RG's point is still valid though.

[RandomGuy.]

3 minutes ago, frankthetank22 said:

I know I know, I shouldn't bite...

But what millions of debt season after season are you referring to?

Local guy who has been Chairman/board member for nearly 40 years invests £ into his local team, yeah that's exactly like what we saw at Gretna, get over it, you're getting  tiresome. 

It was reported you'd made £2m losses over the past two/three seasons. 

As I say, you're spending money that isn't sustainable for the club (highlighted by the losses), MacGregor being a local fan doesn't change that fact.

Gretna - Spent the owners money to gain a sporting advantage. 

County - Spending the owners money to gain a sporting advantage. 

You know it, and your fans know it, this whataboutery is utterly pointless. 

[smpar]

Can folk name a few of these mistakes?

I’m not going to spit the dummy with things like “he was a total bomb scare” and say that I’m glad he’s gone, but he made a few howlers in his time with us. Morton’s first goal in the 3-2 defeat at Cappielow last season was a pretty bad mistake from Morris.

Can’t really think of any more just now but he is prone to a bit of a lapse in concentration.

[staggy4life]

46 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

It was reported you'd made £2m losses over the past two/three seasons. 

As I say, you're spending money that isn't sustainable for the club (highlighted by the losses), MacGregor being a local fan doesn't change that fact.

Gretna - Spent the owners money to gain a sporting advantage. 

County - Spending the owners money to gain a sporting advantage. 

You know it, and your fans know it, this whataboutery is utterly pointless. 

Christ, I thought we'd have peace from you by moving down a division but you're still as obsessed as ever.

Not denying we pay good wages but most of the losses from the last two season have come from MacGregor spending a lot on one-off things to do with the infrastructure. Community and the youth system is something he's passionate about so we spent very well to try and get into this Project Brave top tier, with a load of staff we've never needed before as well as a new 4G pitch at our training ground.

New changing rooms both at the matchday side and training ground side, new transformation of the reception, new club shop, new bar inside the stadium, new hospitality area and offices space.

That all doesn't come cheap. To me it's clear he's done all of this one off stuff as he's going to leave in the next few years but leave it in the best possible shape.

You're also deluded if you think Ross County are the only team where a chairman or board step in to write off the loses at the end of every season.

[DA Baracus]

What are the referee changing rooms like at Dingwall?

[All-Star-Par]

6 minutes ago, staggy4life said:

Christ, I thought we'd have peace from you by moving down a division but you're still as obsessed as ever.

Not denying we pay good wages but most of the losses from the last two season have come from MacGregor spending a lot on one-off things to do with the infrastructure. Community and the youth system is something he's passionate about so we spent very well to try and get into this Project Brave top tier, with a load of staff we've never needed before as well as a new 4G pitch at our training ground.

New changing rooms both at the matchday side and training ground side, new transformation of the reception, new club shop, new bar inside the stadium, new hospitality area and offices space.

That all doesn't come cheap. To me it's clear he's done all of this one off stuff as he's going to leave in the next few years but leave it in the best possible shape.

You're also deluded if you think Ross County are the only team where a chairman or board step in to write off the loses at the end of every season.

Does this include referee changing rooms? Need to know before I make the trip up and part with my cash this season.

[HoBNob]

Always interesting what fans will say to try and get away from the fact that they're paying players big wages, back in the seaside leagues you had Stranraer fans telling everyone that they were sustainable and just had a good bookkeeper, Brechin fans were adamant that players were joining because of the family feel around the club. 

 

And now Ross County have spent millions on referees changing rooms, (Dumbarton fans like this) meanwhile the humongous player turnover that County would often have has nothing to do with it. We live in wild times. 

[All-Star-Par]

Do the referee changing rooms have a direct link to Holland?

[frankthetank22]

25 minutes ago, All-Star-Par said:

Do the referee changing rooms have a direct link to Holland?

Yes, the link being a new 4g training pitch.

Lovely ref changing facilities & a cracking new bar area too. 

[CountyFan]

Of course we have to pay higher wages to encourage players to come north. That isn't unique to football, look at the trouble NHS Highland are in with recruitment for an obvious example. If you're not local and St Johnstone or Kilmarnock offer you the same money of course you're more likely to go south. Same applies if FVRH or the Western General offer you a nursing post. Not sure why that's the source of so much angst tbh. 

[RandomGuy.]

43 minutes ago, staggy4life said:

Christ, I thought we'd have peace from you by moving down a division but you're still as obsessed as ever.

Not denying we pay good wages but most of the losses from the last two season have come from MacGregor spending a lot on one-off things to do with the infrastructure. Community and the youth system is something he's passionate about so we spent very well to try and get into this Project Brave top tier, with a load of staff we've never needed before as well as a new 4G pitch at our training ground.

New changing rooms both at the matchday side and training ground side, new transformation of the reception, new club shop, new bar inside the stadium, new hospitality area and offices space.

That all doesn't come cheap. To me it's clear he's done all of this one off stuff as he's going to leave in the next few years but leave it in the best possible shape.

You're also deluded if you think Ross County are the only team where a chairman or board step in to write off the loses at the end of every season.

Brian Graham rejected a first team wage and starting place with us, to sit on your bench. 

"good wages", right enough. 

I've said similar to Dundee fans, any club who relies on an owner to pay off their debts is financially doping. 

[yoda]

9 minutes ago, CountyFan said:

Of course we have to pay higher wages to encourage players to come north. That isn't unique to football, look at the trouble NHS Highland are in with recruitment for an obvious example. If you're not local and St Johnstone or Kilmarnock offer you the same money of course you're more likely to go south. Same applies if FVRH or the Western General offer you a nursing post. Not sure why that's the source of so much angst tbh. 

Financial doping IMO.

[Stellaboz]

Also his second debut away to Alloa in the cup. Nearly gave away the game after being 3 up.

[All-Star-Par]

There is plenty examples of Morris charging about making an arse of it, the reason no one pinpoints exact examples is that they happen nearly every game so become the norm. Cant understand the hard on some folk have for him and refuse to ackowledge the facts.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

I've never understood the thinking that wealthy owners of English/Foreign Clubs pumping money into the club seems to be OK and indeed encouraged  but if it happens at a Scottish Club it is frowned on amid claims it breaches "sporting integrity" whatever that actually means.  A supporter of any club that wouldn't welcome substantial financial input from any legitimate source whether short term or long term, needs a reality check. Of course contingency plans have to be put in place in the event of the funding drying up but that is up to the club to deal with it,  if they don't, they suffer the consequences. 

The Ross County benefactor seems to be investing (paying for)  more than just the 1st Team going by some posts and it's helping the wider community.  It's not a toy project or basically an ego trip like Gretna was to Mileson. Following his illness and subsequent demise it became clear that no contingency plans were in place,  his family weren't interested and it transpired he wasn't the wealthy millionaire that he portrayed. He was basically a "likeable rogue" who took people in.  

Partick Thistle get backing from a lottery winner which no-one seems to have a problem with. Granted the funding afaik is directed to Academy and youth set-up but it should filter through to help the 1st team in the long term. 

Maybe there's a bit of jealousy in people knocking the likes of Ross County but its the Chairman's money after all for him to use as he wishes.  If he's not breaking any rules I don't see a problem. 

[CallumPar]

I’m not going to spit the dummy with things like “he was a total bomb scare” and say that I’m glad he’s gone, but he made a few howlers in his time with us. Morton’s first goal in the 3-2 defeat at Cappielow last season was a pretty bad mistake from Morris.

Can’t really think of any more just now but he is prone to a bit of a lapse in concentration.

His return away to Alloa. Morton’s equaliser in the second game at Cappielow last season. Running halfway up the park to miss the ball v Falkirk last season. Hesitating and missing his chance to make a challenge, for the United winner in the playoffs. Moving out of position and getting nowhere near the ball, leaving Ashcroft isolated for the red card in the playoffs.

These are just some examples. If I spent time thinking, I’d probably come up with a lot more. On his day, Morris is a great defender. However, he loses concentration and gives away stupid fouls far too often. He’s also made a whole load that (fortunately) went unpunished - players missing chances or being bailed out by Murdoch/Robinson/Ashcroft.

Not saying I’m glad to see the back of him, think we’ll miss his pace and aerial ability this season. Just don’t think he’s a huge loss.

[RandomGuy.]

47 minutes ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

I've never understood the thinking that wealthy owners of English/Foreign Clubs pumping money into the club seems to be OK and indeed encouraged  but if it happens at a Scottish Club it is frowned on amid claims it breaches "sporting integrity" whatever that actually means.  A supporter of any club that wouldn't welcome substantial financial input from any legitimate source whether short term or long term, needs a reality check. Of course contingency plans have to be put in place in the event of the funding drying up but that is up to the club to deal with it,  if they don't, they suffer the consequences. 

The Ross County benefactor seems to be investing (paying for)  more than just the 1st Team going by some posts and it's helping the wider community.  It's not a toy project or basically an ego trip like Gretna was to Mileson. Following his illness and subsequent demise it became clear that no contingency plans were in place,  his family weren't interested and it transpired he wasn't the wealthy millionaire that he portrayed. He was basically a "likeable rogue" who took people in.  

Partick Thistle get backing from a lottery winner which no-one seems to have a problem with. Granted the funding afaik is directed to Academy and youth set-up but it should filter through to help the 1st team in the long term. 

Maybe there's a bit of jealousy in people knocking the likes of Ross County but its the Chairman's money after all for him to use as he wishes.  If he's not breaking any rules I don't see a problem. 

Where have I knocked it? Seems to be a fairly defensive reaction every time someone talks about this, I think that tells its own story. 

[forkboy]

37 minutes ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

Maybe there's a bit of jealousy in people knocking the likes of Ross County but its the Chairman's money after all for him to use as he wishes.  If he's not breaking any rules I don't see a problem. 

I have some sympathy for it. We're not currently living beyond our means because McGregor is willing to fritter away some of his obscene wealth on the club but if he suddenly died we'd have to cut back a fair bit. Because we mostly rely on 1 year deals I'm not overly worried about that, but I can understand the frustration of other teams fans when we've seen so many teams do this only for it to go tits up before, Dundee, Livingston, Dundee again, Gretna, Livingston again, Dunfermline, Rangers, Livingston again, etc. Perhaps naively though I have faith that when McGregor does pull out he'll leave us in a good enough position that we transition  from our current free spending (relatively) nature to something more long-term viable fairly painlessly from a financial perspective. Maybe I'm wrong to think that we'll end up screwing a bunch of local companies we owe money to after administration, it's a possibility.

Personally I'd be quite happy supporting a Ross County team who lived within their means, even if that means we end up flittering between the Championship and League One with an occasional Championship challenge in a lucky year when everything comes together.

My big problem is it's just fucking boring reading fans of other clubs speculating constantly. I don't give a shite if Morton are poorly run and go out of business, aside from finding it funny when it happens. Change the record eh?

[Stellaboz]

Naw.