The share issue of the late 80s

[Kaiser1962]

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She refused to sell her shares as did Duff. It stopped Mercer, who is now dead, killing Hibs as he needed 76% to shut the club down.

Not sure she had any. She was a director put there to represent her ex husbands interests. What she did do was vote against acceptance of Mercer's offer, against Spotty's wishes, thus ensuring that Mercers bid was rejected. It's fair to say neither Rowland or Mercer saw that one coming.

The 76% target was set by Mercer and his ego.

[ballengeich]

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I remember Duff and Gray standing in the east with rolled up sleeves. A lot of us were taken in by them. Me included.

The main problem was that they were taken in by themselves. I believe they were well-meaning, but inadequate for the task they took on.

[Kaiser1962]

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The main problem was that they were taken in by themselves. I believe they were well-meaning, but inadequate for the task they took on.

I think they themselves were taken in by (and financially reliant on) David Rowland.

[ballengeich]

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I think they themselves were taken in by (and financially reliant on) David Rowland.

I agree.

The people behind the current share issue are of a completely different character and calibre.

[Billy Whizz]

I recognise one or two youngish Hibs.net posters from the footage

[Baader]

chucklevision_uk-show.jpg

Both went on to successful careers in entertainment

[jdships]

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I agree.

The people behind the current share issue are of a completely different character and calibre.

Jury's out on that one , at least with most of my Hibbee mates.
Need to see more " proof of intention"
I , with my son , was a shareholder in the 80's and was involved in the " Mercer Negotiations"
Duff's refusal to sell saved the club and as a previous poster said he was a pleasant guy to be with .
Somewhere along the line he got poor advice - the rest is history

[jdships]

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I think they themselves were taken in by (and financially reliant on) David Rowland.

[Kato]

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Not sure she had any. She was a director put there to represent her ex husbands interests. What she did do was vote against acceptance of Mercer's offer, against Spotty's wishes, thus ensuring that Mercers bid was rejected. It's fair to say neither Rowland or Mercer saw that one coming.

The 76% target was set by Mercer and his ego.

At the time the 76% was mentioned as a target as it was/is written into the constitution of the club that it required that amount of ownership to stop the club trading and close the club down. Mercer reached 66% and him and Rowland tried to strong-arm Duff into selling his share which he refused to do scuppering the sale. Which is what I heard anyway.

[Bostonhibby]

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The main problem was that they were taken in by themselves. I believe they were well-meaning, but inadequate for the task they took on.

patsy's tailor made for what the money men were plotting to do.

[McIntosh]

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Duff certainly got jailed, but it was to do with some mortgage scam in England. I met him at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh, roughly 1997 , we were both witnesses at a trial. He had been let out of an open prison and traveled up from England himself and was staying at the Sheraton . He was in good spirits but did not want to talk about Hibs at all. I think Gray went back to running a tarmacadam sub-contracting outfit ..... Boys from the Blackstuff !

Thanks

[Aubenas]

The village full of fraud.
Amazing story of what happened to David Duff and the folk in the village he lived in down south. It reads like Midsomer Murders without the murders!
http://www.nickdavies.net/1993/09/01...eath-of-trust/

[Bishop Hibee]

It was all too Thatcherite for me so I didn't buy any although at that time I could have afforded to. I know a few people who were stiffed out of hundreds of pounds. Bad times around then but that made the League Cup win in '91 all the sweeter. The Jambos had last won a trophy in 1960. It was a brilliant GIRUY to them after they tried to destroy us.

[greenginger]

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It was all too Thatcherite for me so I didn't buy any although at that time I could have afforded to. I know a few people who were stiffed out of hundreds of pounds. Bad times around then but that made the League Cup win in '91 all the sweeter. The Jambos had last won a trophy in 1960. It was a brilliant GIRUY to them after they tried to destroy us.

A story I heard about that League Cup Final. Mercer was on the league management committee at the time and he had argued that there was no need for the final to be all ticket as Hibs V Dunfermline would be a crowd of less than 20,000. Got egg on his face that day too.

[Salisbury Hibby]

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She refused to sell her shares as did Duff. It stopped Mercer, who is now dead, killing Hibs as he needed 76% to shut the club down.

See every time I hear Jambos moaning about how Hibs fans wanted to shut them down, I just think "How dare they".
Mercer started all of this animosity.

[Virginia Hibs]

Wee bit off topic but seeing as how the telly advert made an appearance there was also a photo ad where we (fans) sat in a 'team photo' with the players in the cave. I just happened to...ehem.... be 'aff sick' that day and went to ER for the video and the photo session. Think I only ever saw the photo once and never managed to get a copy. If anyone has access to a copy or know of its existence?

A wee side note - that day was the first time my eyes were opened about some players disregard for us as fans. The players were put through a light training session on the pitch after the photos and videos had been taken. Mid way through a certain Keith Houchen breaks off and goes to the bottom of the slope and starts to pee through the fence on to the terracing. A few shouts of 'thats where we stand ye dirty..? was met with the same 2 fingered salute that was to reappear in Fife sometime later. Mr Houchen went down in our estimations a fair bit from there on.

[cockneymike]

David Rowland - just another reason to hate the Tories:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-conservatives

[Septimus]

My memory is not what it once was but I think that I recall being at a Hibs v Celtic cup semi final at Hampden and watching Duff and Gray walking round the track graciously accepting the plaudits of the Hibs fans. We all thought then that the Brave New World was upon us. We were beaten that day.

[The Falcon]

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At the time the 76% was mentioned as a target as it was/is written into the constitution of the club that it required that amount of ownership to stop the club trading and close the club down. Mercer reached 66% and him and Rowland tried to strong-arm Duff into selling his share which he refused to do scuppering the sale. Which is what I heard anyway.

If he had 66% then I guess he could have had control if he wanted? Unless I am missing something.

Was the company not a busted flush anyhow, which is why Mercer tried to take it?

[CropleyWasGod]

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If he had 66% then I guess he could have had control if he wanted? Unless I am missing something.

Was the company not a busted flush anyhow, which is why Mercer tried to take it?

Certain decisions need 75% majority. The merger was one of them. Hence he needed the 76% to be sure of getting it through.

[erin go bragh]

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A story I heard about that League Cup Final. Mercer was on the league management committee at the time and he had argued that there was no need for the final to be all ticket as Hibs V Dunfermline would be a crowd of less than 20,000. Got egg on his face that day too.

Got locked out that day . As did thousands .
Dont like to speak ill of the dead , but ill make an exeption in this case .
Fat tory jambo barsteward that he was .

Ggtth

[Turkish Green]

David Duff = Charles Green

The only difference then from now is that Tom Farmer managed to buy Hibernian FC Ltd from the receiver of the insolvent parent company Edinburgh Hibernian plc (as a going concern) without the football club ending up in a lower division to start again. It was the same football club, which is the argument that the huns have been making when Rangers went breasts skyward and had to seek election to the SFL as a new club.

Different rules for companies and clubs 25 years ago.

[Turkish Green]

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Duff certainly got jailed, but it was to do with some mortgage scam in England.

Duff moved down to England after he departed Hibs and ran a solicitor practice in Swindon. He was convicted (and subsequently struck off) in 1993 for fraud. Basically, taking out mortgages in the name of clients and pocketing the money. He was jailed for 2 years.

Duff was investigated in 2009 when a charity he was involved with (Edinburgh University Settlement) went bankrupt owing 4M.

What I will say in Duff's defence is that, while he used dubious financial methods for him and Jim Gray to take control of the club and then brought in the asset stripper David Rowland to the board, he did not sell out to Mercer when his subsequent actions would have suggested that he'd go for the quick profit given that Mercer was offering well over the going price for the shares.

Whatever else David Duff has done in his life, he has to be thanked for not selling out to Mercer.

[Kato]

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David Duff = Charles Green

The only difference then from now is that Tom Farmer managed to buy Hibernian FC Ltd from the receiver of the insolvent parent company Edinburgh Hibernian plc (as a going concern) without the football club ending up in a lower division to start again. It was the same football club, which is the argument that the huns have been making when Rangers went breasts skyward and had to seek election to the SFL as a new club.

Different rules for companies and clubs 25 years ago.

Farmer also split the various divisions of the company up, i.e. he let Avon Inns go to the wall.

He also paid up on all the Football Clubs debts, something he wasn't legally required to do.

[Ozyhibby]

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He also paid up on all the Football Clubs debts, something he wasn't legally required to do.

I'm sure Ann Budge is about to do the same with the Yams. ;-)

[Kato]

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I'm sure Ann Budge is about to do the same with the Yams. ;-)

They have "values" which is at the core of their "heritage" and I'm sure they don't want to be seen as a club who just stamp all over small businesses, charities and other football clubs so she be on the verge of paying all that money out any time now..........errm, now..............now?......hold on it will happen.