The Chairmans Message

[Westie1875]

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Another email sent from me today, the Board are so far out of touch with the fans its untrue....... They really are a patronising, ineffective, bungling shower of men........

I sent one off last night, wish I'd waited until I'd seen the chairman's thoughts first, I now know what to expect in terms of a reply though.

[Broken Gnome]

What he says is ok to be honest...

... If it included the missing paragraphs that acknowledged what exactly we've been putting up with, and some sort of manifesto for transfer window that at least tries to convince us that the board realise how serious things are.

As it doesn't, it'll be a rallying call to no one.

[Northernhibee]

Might be very unpopular,but it's as truthful a statement as you're going to get.

Costs have been cut big time as of late as revenue falls - you can only cut costs so much and the only way we're going to stay solvent is if we keep our revenue steady.

Would have been wise to credit the fans for putting up with poor results and poor fitba, but I'd rather that than a load of bull**** about how everything is hunky dory.

[N.Wales Hibby]

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No, no, no - its all my fault. Well me and thousands of others

It's my fault. I should not have left.

[Pretty Boy]

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It's my fault. I should not have left.

It's actually my fault, I moaned when on an internet forum when we lost yet another home game therefore I'm a Hearts fan.....apparently.

[Sergy Pie]

I think it's clear this board don't know how to run a football club. Business yes but not a football club.

Yes the club has gone in the right direction on the odd occasion but given the length of time the board have been here and the amount of changes in that time, the law of averages ensures a few of those set ups will have worked. What is clear is that the board don't know how to ensure the right formula is in place on a consistent basis. What is also clear from the program statement is theyre not going anywhere anytime soon if they think it's not their fault we're in this mess.

[iain nolan]

why did he not generate funds by selling calderwood when it was clear the man wanted to go back to england and fans where starting to stay away at that time . poor team performance damage the club .that resuilts in poor attendances .he needs gate money to generate funds now as the team are that bad no other club are intreasted in any off our squad players so no transfer money is coming into club

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Together we must reach out to other like-minded supporters, who for whatever reason are not here today. For the team to progress and for the club to flourish we need everyone on board for the journey.

It is easy to speculate that the poor run of results in 2011 has kept supporters away. Reduced attendances damage the club therefore also damage the team. We have to be self sustaining - there is no-one out there who wants to subsidise the cost of our football. So what we have we generate from our own efforts. We have the ability to be the third best attended stadium in the SPL. We should aim to fulfil that potential in 2012.

Cheers Rod - heres my hard cash for usual 5 new season tics, thanks for the encourgement!

[Pretty Boy]

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I think it's clear this board don't know how to run a football club. Business yes but not a football club.

Yes the club has gone in the right direction on the odd occasion but given the length of time the board have been here and the amount of changes in that time, the law of averages ensures a few of those set ups will have worked. What is clear is that the board don't know how to ensure the right formula is in place on a consistent basis. What is also clear from the program statement is theyre not going anywhere anytime soon if they think it's not their fault we're in this mess.

A football club and a business are one and the same now.

If the football club is a failure then so is the business.

[N.Wales Hibby]

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'Like minded supporters' ?!?!?!
Firstly mr petrie, i'm not an aberdeen or a rugby fan. dont *****in dare suggest that you are a 'fellow' fan. I wouldnt think you've ever paid to get into ER in yer puff. Not to support Hibs anyway.
Secondly, we why are we the 3rd most expensive team to 'walk up' and watch, in testing economic times for the majority of us, if you are so desperate to get bodies through the door?
Thirdly under your stewardship we've seen 2 teams worth of talent and a number of managers either sold off or leaving due to being scunnered with your approach. The speed that you sought to clear the debt and build the infrastructure at the expence of the on field 'product' served to benifit only 2 people - you and your boss TF. Anyone buying the club previously would have seen the largest part of their payment going to secure the debt, so not only have you increaed the 'value' of the club in respect of facilities, stadium, HTC, land etc. So that it has grown in value over the years, so its worth more when its sold.
It also means that, when it is sold, far less of the money that exchanges hands will go to secure the debt and it will be a vastly larger sum that you (mr 10%) and TF will walk away with.
When you have invested as much of your emotions, time and percentage of you lifetimes income into Hibs as I (and no doubt the overwhelming majority of the folk on here) have, then, and only then, should you dare to bump your gums and 'lecture' us as to what we should be doing.
Until then, shut yer yap and bolt (with yer pockets stuffed with cash). No wonder you got a reputation for playing 'hardball' during transfer negotiations. So on top of being one of the best paid chairmen in the league for most of your tenure, you also knew that all the money you eeked out of other clubs was going on equity and ultimately your eventual profit the day you walk away.
Go on prove me wrong. Show me that you have Hibs in your heart by handing back every penny of profit you make when the club is eventually sold. After all, you've already been paid handsomely in your time here. You dont need it.

In a Nutshell

[Sergy Pie]

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A football club and a business are one and the same now.

If the football club is a failure then so is the business.

With that in mind then, how many businesses would have survived neglecting the product for so long and investing so heavily on fixed assets?

[Northernhibee]

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It's actually my fault, I moaned when on an internet forum when we lost yet another home game therefore I'm a Hearts fan.....apparently.

Point I was trying to make was that those who are more interested in saying how pish we are, how we're losers, how we're *****, how we'll be relegated, how PF doesnae have a clue, how some players are an embarrasment, how we seem to moan about a misplaced pass more than we celebrate a goal (and you're not the worst offender by a country mile, very few of the things I've mentioned would be true of yourself - credit when it's due) are doing the work of the Yams fans more than anything else and unsettling their team - I'd rather they were yams tbh.

Read that thread again before the two times we equalised, it's utterly, utterly pathetic. 60%-70% of the posters here need to grow a set of balls and realised that "support" needs to stretch to lean times as well, and if you're going to moan, do it in a constructive fashion as opposed to all out abuse as some people do, threads that read "Taxi for Hart Scott O'Hanlon" etc. (and that isn't a thinly veiled reference, whoever started that thread is a disgrace as it's all been said a thousand times before and doesn't need to be repeated an infinite number of times).

Admittedly it may have been yourself that made a small comment that was the straw that broke the camels back yesterday (there are much worse offenders, I will apologise for that), but really, the vast majority of this board needs to man the **** up and realise that constant negative posts about individual players only adds to the pressure and lack of confidence that can be seen on the pitch, I don't blame anyone in the team for not wanting to be a leader and sticking their neck out to the judge, jury and executioner approach to so many Hibs fans.

Yesterday we twice came from behind to a team in incredible form away from home, and had only conceded 5 goals in 10 matches - if we had a leader or two in centre mid and central defence, it would have been a very different story.

Trust PF to find those players in a different window - he's not just signing players for the sake of it like we all complained how CC did with Divis, Agogo etc - this is possibly the biggest mission any new Hibs manager has faced.

The letter sent to the Hibs team before the Dunfy game visibly lifted the team, as did several thousand fans supporting properly - old fashioned 90minutes of lung-bursting singing support- and we got a win.

This week - we go a goal down, woe betide us, we're going to be relegated, they're all ***** - and we collapse in a nervous wreck.

If the players we have aren't good enough to stay up then that's the case - the level of abuse and personal criticism levelled towards them will only get worse.

We each, indivuually, have two choices. Man up and support our team over the finish line and see if we can stay up, or do the work of the yams themselves and bludgeon them into submission.

[greenlex]

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'Like minded supporters' ?!?!?!
Firstly mr petrie, i'm not an aberdeen or a rugby fan. dont *****in dare suggest that you are a 'fellow' fan. I wouldnt think you've ever paid to get into ER in yer puff. Not to support Hibs anyway.
Secondly, we why are we the 3rd most expensive team to 'walk up' and watch, in testing economic times for the majority of us, if you are so desperate to get bodies through the door?
Thirdly under your stewardship we've seen 2 teams worth of talent and a number of managers either sold off or leaving due to being scunnered with your approach. The speed that you sought to clear the debt and build the infrastructure at the expence of the on field 'product' served to benifit only 2 people - you and your boss TF. Anyone buying the club previously would have seen the largest part of their payment going to secure the debt, so not only have you increaed the 'value' of the club in respect of facilities, stadium, HTC, land etc. So that it has grown in value over the years, so its worth more when its sold.
It also means that, when it is sold, far less of the money that exchanges hands will go to secure the debt and it will be a vastly larger sum that you (mr 10%) and TF will walk away with.
When you have invested as much of your emotions, time and percentage of you lifetimes income into Hibs as I (and no doubt the overwhelming majority of the folk on here) have, then, and only then, should you dare to bump your gums and 'lecture' us as to what we should be doing.
Until then, shut yer yap and bolt (with yer pockets stuffed with cash). No wonder you got a reputation for playing 'hardball' during transfer negotiations. So on top of being one of the best paid chairmen in the league for most of your tenure, you also knew that all the money you eeked out of other clubs was going on equity and ultimately your eventual profit the day you walk away.
Go on prove me wrong. Show me that you have Hibs in your heart by handing back every penny of profit you make when the club is eventually sold. After all, you've already been paid handsomely in your time here. You dont need it.

I might be wrong but the like minded supporters bit was about the whole item (ie the ones that generated the atmosphere at EEP rather than RP himself.
Also I think the only manager that has been scunnered by club policies or RP for that matter is Collins. The others were removed from the position or left to do other things.
As for selling the club in case you havent noticed there is no massive queue of buyers for any Scottish football club let alone Hibs.It will be a long long time if ever Hibs are sold to anyone.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Speculate that performances are keeping fans away??? Speculate??? FFS. I will state that as a plain fact.

[Pretty Boy]

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Point I was trying to make was that those who are more interested in saying how pish we are, how we're losers, how we're *****, how we'll be relegated, how PF doesnae have a clue, how some players are an embarrasment, how we seem to moan about a misplaced pass more than we celebrate a goal (and you're not the worst offender by a country mile, very few of the things I've mentioned would be true of yourself - credit when it's due) are doing the work of the Yams fans more than anything else and unsettling their team - I'd rather they were yams tbh.

Read that thread again before the two times we equalised, it's utterly, utterly pathetic. 60%-70% of the posters here need to grow a set of balls and realised that "support" needs to stretch to lean times as well, and if you're going to moan, do it in a constructive fashion as opposed to all out abuse as some people do, threads that read "Taxi for Hart Scott O'Hanlon" etc. (and that isn't a thinly veiled reference, whoever started that thread is a disgrace as it's all been said a thousand times before and doesn't need to be repeated an infinite number of times).

Admittedly it may have been yourself that made a small comment that was the straw that broke the camels back yesterday (there are much worse offenders, I will apologise for that), but really, the vast majority of this board needs to man the **** up and realise that constant negative posts about individual players only adds to the pressure and lack of confidence that can be seen on the pitch, I don't blame anyone in the team for not wanting to be a leader and sticking their neck out to the judge, jury and executioner approach to so many Hibs fans.

Yesterday we twice came from behind to a team in incredible form away from home, and had only conceded 5 goals in 10 matches - if we had a leader or two in centre mid and central defence, it would have been a very different story.

Trust PF to find those players in a different window - he's not just signing players for the sake of it like we all complained how CC did with Divis, Agogo etc - this is possibly the biggest mission any new Hibs manager has faced.

The letter sent to the Hibs team before the Dunfy game visibly lifted the team, as did several thousand fans supporting properly - old fashioned 90minutes of lung-bursting singing support- and we got a win.

This week - we go a goal down, woe betide us, we're going to be relegated, they're all ***** - and we collapse in a nervous wreck.

If the players we have aren't good enough to stay up then that's the case - the level of abuse and personal criticism levelled towards them will only get worse.

We each, indivuually, have two choices. Man up and support our team over the finish line and see if we can stay up, or do the work of the yams themselves and bludgeon them into submission.

I realise I'm being totally arsey over what was a heat of the moment comment/comments so I do apologise.

I think.were I am coming from is whilst the negativity isn't nice nor desirable it is to some extent understandable.

Since the CIS cup win ( almost 5 years ago now ) as a support we have had to endure far more downs than ups, we have been allows to slide into a downward spiral and show no signs of getting out of it.

In an ideal world we would all turn up week in week out and back the team with positive encouragement but the reality isn't like that. I feel for some of the players because at the end of the day its not.their fault they aren't good enough, however they are in the firing line. A lot of the abuse they are taking is frustration not just at them or the performance but also at the board and the overall situation. Most fans have and continue to spend a hell of a lot of money supporting Hibs and we deserve better.

Surely as a group the players can understand, if not agree with, some of the frustration they are on the receiving end of. I tend to keep control at games but I can.understand why others can't. I generally avoid criticising players too much even on here but I'm becoming far more vocal in my critcism of the board because from what i see they are hopelessly out.of.touch not just with the fans but also the gravity of the situation.

[HFC 0-7]

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Might be very unpopular,but it's as truthful a statement as you're going to get.

Costs have been cut big time as of late as revenue falls - you can only cut costs so much and the only way we're going to stay solvent is if we keep our revenue steady.

Would have been wise to credit the fans for putting up with poor results and poor fitba, but I'd rather that than a load of bull**** about how everything is hunky dory.

Dont think anyone expected or wanted a message stating everything was fine. The problem people have is that the statement is basically asking the fans to bail the club out of a mess that the current board have got us in. Rightly, many have lost confidence in the board to spend money and people are now unwilling to put money in when we could have to go through another season like the past few. Many fans talk about wanting the board to show ambition, until it is shown, IMO, many fans wont be willing to take a punt on a ST.

[sadtom]

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I might be wrong but the like minded supporters bit was about the whole item (ie the ones that generated the atmosphere at EEP rather than RP himself.
Also I think the only manager that has been scunnered by club policies or RP for that matter is Collins. The others were removed from the position or left to do other things.
As for selling the club in case you havent noticed there is no massive queue of buyers for any Scottish football club let alone Hibs.It will be a long long time if ever Hibs are sold to anyone.

I disagree. I think RP is, at the very least, infering that he too is a 'supporter' - he's not.
I think you will find Mowbray, Mixu and Yogi (prob even Coco the clown too) were unhappy with RP's 'policy', lack of support and his rigidity. Not to mention his lack of support in some cases and felt they were undermined or worked with their hands tied.
As for selling the club? The lack of suitors does not detract from the point. If someone offered them the going rate for the club TF & RP would be outta here quicker than sh*t through a goose disappearing into the sunset wich a relatively huge profit.

[Sammy7nil]

SOME MAY HAVE MISSED THIS BUT THERE IS AN ON GOING RECESSION.

Many people have lost there jobs been forced to take a pay cut or have not had a pay rise for years whilst inflation means they have less money. Their families may struggle for day to day living let alone luxuries like holidays ST's etc.

Take that in to account and a lot of fans cannot justify buying a season ticket to watch a very poor team that most probably affects their mood in a negative way. It is simply easy to say I cannot go.

Hibs have taken little or no account of the recession and if it is to be believed ST will increase next season.

I would have no issue if Hibs said we cannot pay for quality players and give the full reason why - Put in policy to reduce prices ask fans to get back on side and hopefully increase numbers at games and still have a similar budget to work with. If that fails then so be it, the Club is the fans and if they continue to stay away despite the boards best efforts to offer value then they club has spoken and the answer is we are not bothered.

[GreenPJ]

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I disagree. I think RP is, at the very least, infering that he too is a 'supporter' - he's not.
I think you will find Mowbray, Mixu and Yogi (prob even Coco the clown too) were unhappy with RP's 'policy', lack of support and his rigidity. Not to mention his lack of support in some cases and felt they were undermined or worked with their hands tied.
As for selling the club? The lack of suitors does not detract from the point. If someone offered them the going rate for the club TF & RP would be outta here quicker than sh*t through a goose disappearing into the sunset wich a relatively huge profit.

A relatively huge profit, how do you work that one out?

[Dr Jimmy]

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I think it's clear this board don't know how to run a football club. Business yes but not a football club.

I don't know many businesses that are losing money added to losing customers at an alarming rate that can be deemed a success. Therefore the board are failing on all fronts and should either have individuals changed to allow new ideas or completely replaced as they are not delivering.

[Feed McGraw]

This man has gone too far. He`s almost blaming the fans for the pathetic state of our once proud club- UNBELIEVABLE.


He would not know a football if it hit him square in the puss, so hence he does not understand real football supporters either. Oh, these are sad times indeed for the Hibs - Almost 50 years I`ve been going to see them and regardless of poor teams and bad results in the past, THIS PAST FEW YEARS is the worst I`ve ever felt and I and many others are totally disillusioned.

[greenlex]

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This man has gone too far. He`s almost blaming the fans for the pathetic state of our once proud club- UNBELIEVABLE.


He would not know a football if it hit him square in the puss, so hence he does not understand real football supporters either. Oh, these are sad times indeed for the Hibs - Almost 50 years I`ve been going to see them and regardless of poor teams and bad results in the past, THIS PAST FEW YEARS is the worst I`ve ever felt and I and many others are totally disillusioned.

I must have missed that. Where about?

[Bigbobajob]

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'Like minded supporters' ?!?!?!
Firstly mr petrie, i'm not an aberdeen or a rugby fan. dont *****in dare suggest that you are a 'fellow' fan. I wouldnt think you've ever paid to get into ER in yer puff. Not to support Hibs anyway.
Secondly, we why are we the 3rd most expensive team to 'walk up' and watch, in testing economic times for the majority of us, if you are so desperate to get bodies through the door?
Thirdly under your stewardship we've seen 2 teams worth of talent and a number of managers either sold off or leaving due to being scunnered with your approach. The speed that you sought to clear the debt and build the infrastructure at the expence of the on field 'product' served to benifit only 2 people - you and your boss TF. Anyone buying the club previously would have seen the largest part of their payment going to secure the debt, so not only have you increaed the 'value' of the club in respect of facilities, stadium, HTC, land etc. So that it has grown in value over the years, so its worth more when its sold.
It also means that, when it is sold, far less of the money that exchanges hands will go to secure the debt and it will be a vastly larger sum that you (mr 10%) and TF will walk away with.
When you have invested as much of your emotions, time and percentage of you lifetimes income into Hibs as I (and no doubt the overwhelming majority of the folk on here) have, then, and only then, should you dare to bump your gums and 'lecture' us as to what we should be doing.
Until then, shut yer yap and bolt (with yer pockets stuffed with cash). No wonder you got a reputation for playing 'hardball' during transfer negotiations. So on top of being one of the best paid chairmen in the league for most of your tenure, you also knew that all the money you eeked out of other clubs was going on equity and ultimately your eventual profit the day you walk away.
Go on prove me wrong. Show me that you have Hibs in your heart by handing back every penny of profit you make when the club is eventually sold. After all, you've already been paid handsomely in your time here. You dont need it.

Couldn't agree more. The ignorance of RP is staggering.

[Saorsa]

[BEEJ]

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Would have been wise to credit the fans for putting up with poor results and poor fitba, but I'd rather that than a load of bull**** about how everything is hunky dory.

He did pay credit to the fans though:

"It was heartening to see 3,500 Hibernian fans attend East End Park last Saturday and dominate the atmosphere. Many of you were there. You saw what it meant to the players. Hopefully today we can see a big crowd and create a daunting atmosphere within Easter Road Stadium. The team needs support home and away, but it is only attendances at home that add to our revenues."

He was trying to build on the positives of the previous week and pointing out the important part the supporters played in the team grinding out that victory at Dunfermline.

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I might be wrong but the like minded supporters bit was about the whole item (ie the ones that generated the atmosphere at EEP rather than RP himself.

[Pedantic_Hibee]

Can anyone let me know the appropriate email addresses for me to fire off a retort to yesterday's ridiculous programme statement?

[Feed McGraw]

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I must have missed that. Where about?

I did say ALMOST blaming because I do feel there is a wee subliminal message there saying if you don`t come it can only get worse.

IMHO he should be apologising to one of the most loyal, long suffering supports in the history of the game.

[sadtom]

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A relatively huge profit, how do you work that one out?

RP invested zero of his money in the club and until the last few years was the 3rd best paid chairman in the league. He now has a 10% stake in the club.

TF invested less than 1 million of his own money in the club but has been a guarantor for the debt-mortgage.
At his insistance the FF stand was fitted out to a far highter spec than originally planned and increased the cost 3-4 fold for 2 years after it was opened TF took back all profits made by the FF stand, outside sat afternoon income. Only after this was exposed by Simon Pia did the policy change. Incidently TF 'leant' on the owners of the Scotsman and threatened to withdraw advertising from his associated companies and friends if Simon Pia continued to write 'critical' articles, ie the TRUTH (i know this to be true.)

If we play with made up figures for simplicities sake.
If at the time of TF taking over the clubs entire assets - buildings, squad, land etc were worth 20 million but the debt was 15 million then selling the club for the same as its value would mean that the person owning would walk away with 5 million as the new owner would take on the 15 million debt.
However the rush to clear the debt and invest in fixed assets, the training centre and the stadium, saw the value of Hibs rise by, lets say 5 million, to 25. At the same time the debt was reduced by say 7 million, to 8 million.
So therefore the potential sale of the club at its new face value would see the owners walking away with 17 million - not 5 million and they had invested zero extra money and the increase in profit is down to the money spent by the support and the sale of players which went into debt clearance and new infrastucture.
I hope you understand these are hypothetical figures but you get the gist. Its where they've directed the money that is going to allow them with 'huge profits'.
If these figures are anywhere near the reality then RP would walk away with more than 1 and a 1/2 million (not a bad return on f*** all investment) and TF 15 million, a hell of a lot more than the several hundred thousands he invested.

I said relatively cause they aint the biggest sums in the world of sport, Man citeh's owners wouldnt bat an eyelid but they're huge in our respect.

[Steven_Hibs]

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What £££££ Signs are these? The 900k loss last year? Wake up there is no money to spend. The only ones that are going to help us is us.

Except the £2m sitting in the bank

[carnoustiehibee]

has anybody ever brought this up with petrie when hes in behind the goals?

the odd occcasion ive been there before the game ive seen him walking about, is he up there every game?

[Newhaven]

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SOME MAY HAVE MISSED THIS BUT THERE IS AN ON GOING RECESSION.

Many people have lost there jobs been forced to take a pay cut or have not had a pay rise for years whilst inflation means they have less money. Their families may struggle for day to day living let alone luxuries like holidays ST's etc.

Take that in to account and a lot of fans cannot justify buying a season ticket to watch a very poor team that most probably affects their mood in a negative way. It is simply easy to say I cannot go.

Hibs have taken little or no account of the recession and if it is to be believed ST will increase next season.

I would have no issue if Hibs said we cannot pay for quality players and give the full reason why - Put in policy to reduce prices ask fans to get back on side and hopefully increase numbers at games and still have a similar budget to work with. If that fails then so be it, the Club is the fans and if they continue to stay away despite the boards best efforts to offer value then they club has spoken and the answer is we are not bothered.

ST prices increasing? No way Jose.