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PaulSmith
04-04-2012, 04:04 PM
http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120404/clear-heads-and-calm-nerves_2262950_2722711

muzzhfc
04-04-2012, 04:05 PM
The chairman speaks . . .

http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120404/clear-heads-and-calm-nerves_2262950_2722711

Heedersnvolleys
04-04-2012, 04:06 PM
http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120404/clear-heads-and-calm-nerves_2262950_2722711

:pfgwa

Beefster
04-04-2012, 04:09 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

Golden Bear
04-04-2012, 04:14 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

:agree:

Given the current circumstances, I don't think RP would realistically expect anything else at this stage.

PaulSmith
04-04-2012, 04:18 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

An assumption, granted maybe true but surely the chairman addressing concerns head on cannot be a negative.

Having watched the interview then there's nothing 'new' in it but we wish for the Board to speak more often and they should be applauded for doing so in a manner which is honest.

Spike Mandela
04-04-2012, 04:23 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

My first thought as well. Price, very poor team, tv times, easy availability of seats on matchday and the Rangers situation will really be damaging season ticket sales I would imagine.

soul_driver
04-04-2012, 04:27 PM
An excellent message if you ask me. The club need our support now more than ever. If you can't see that then maybe best to find a new team.

Pretty Boy
04-04-2012, 04:27 PM
Fair play to Rod for sticking his head above the parapet.

Actions will, yet again, speak louder than words though.

Spike Mandela
04-04-2012, 04:29 PM
An excellent message if you ask me. The club need our support now more than ever. If you can't see that then maybe best to find a new team.

..........or just not go like a lot of folk have clearly chosen to do this season.:rolleyes:

bingo70
04-04-2012, 04:29 PM
We've been buying season tickets based on blind faith and cheap talk for years now.

It's time for the club to start performing on the pitch, if we do that fans will come back, nothing to do with statements like this, its going to be more difficuilt for fenlon than previous managers but not impossible and he just needs to make it work, if he does the rewards will be great, if he doesn't no doubt we'll have another statement like this from petrie again this time next year

HFC 0-7
04-04-2012, 04:29 PM
An assumption, granted maybe true but surely the chairman addressing concerns head on cannot be a negative.

Having watched the interview then there's nothing 'new' in it but we wish for the Board to speak more often and they should be applauded for doing so in a manner which is honest.

Completely agree, I have been a big critic of his but what he says in the article is bang on, and taking some blame publicly by saying he made mistakes is a good things. A lot of fans, myself included, have been calling for him to make a statement like this.

Beefster
04-04-2012, 04:33 PM
An assumption, granted maybe true but surely the chairman addressing concerns head on cannot be a negative.

Nope, it's not negative but they really do need to find a new message.

soul_driver
04-04-2012, 04:33 PM
..........or just not go like a lot of folk have clearly chosen to do this season.:rolleyes:

Fair enough. Bet they will be the first to moan when they can't get a Cup Final ticket if we get through.

Andy74
04-04-2012, 04:35 PM
Surprised not much of a mention for Rod saying sorry for his mistakes. Clearly mentions Calderwood as a disaster.

Fair message really.

bingo70
04-04-2012, 04:35 PM
Fair enough. Bet they will be the first to moan when they can't get a Cup Final ticket if we get through.

I'm absolutely certain that won't be a problem based on the amount of st holders we've currently got and how many tickets we'd get for the final if we get there

matty_f
04-04-2012, 04:35 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

That was my first thought, I have to admit.

IMHO, if that's the case and Petrie's making a very passionate plea here, is that those that haven't renewed, and those that are weighing up whether or not they should get a season ticket for next year have pretty much got two choices.

The first is to do nothing, and when we're up the creek next season they can point to poorly priced/packaged season tickets and a poor couple of seasons as being the reason behind the the fact that we're crap (as we will be, if Fenlon's budget is massively hampered by a lack of money coming in from season ticket sales). As Petrie points out in his interview - we can choose to keep on punishing the club for historic mistakes, we're within our rights to do so, but it's not going to help anyone.

The second thing choice is to realise just what the stark reality of catastrophic season ticket sales would be, and then do something about it. Go and get a season ticket.
For Petrie to be coming out with this type of plea, we must be in fairly dire straits. It's our club, we've stood by it through some horrendous times, and now we need to do it again. Forget all the bulls**t about 'product' and 'customers' and remember that Hibernian is much more than that - much, much more. A half filled (at best) stadium next season watching a team put together on an absolute shoestring is only going to further disenchant an already frustrated fanbase.

IMHO, we all have a responsibility for the wellfare of the football club. Season ticket holders are the people that can and will make a difference to how good a side we watch next season. If the figures are well down then we could very well see Hibernian in the First Division at the end of next season.

It's something I'm sure I'm not alone in being absolutely passionate about. It's time to 'suck it up' a bit, and if folk can afford to get a season ticket, then I'd plead with them to go and get one. Help the club, it really won't do anyone any good to sit and do nothing. It's not going to 'send a message to the Board' - it just makes their already difficult job harder and gives them an even more difficult job of selling season tickets in a year's time. It's not going to let Fenlon know that we're not happy at results and performances - he knows that already, it just makes it harder for him to do anything about it.

For the club to be coming out now and give it the big plea for people to buy season tickets tells us that they're concerned about how poor the uptake has been. The implications of this are massive. Go and get a season ticket.

lucky
04-04-2012, 04:39 PM
A fairly blunt message from RP, season tickets sales must be dire but what did they really expect. The package they sent out was a let down and misleading. Interesting that they are now guaranteeing all existing ST holders will be accepted on the payment plan. I doubt much of what he said is actually going to get more people to sign up. Football is just to expensive for most fans these days. We have a cracking big stadium, the board should have tried more to fill it. The FF stand should have been open to families are a reduced rate and rather try be smart with the BOGOF on the strips and giving OF tickets away they should have reduced the price.

soul_driver
04-04-2012, 04:39 PM
It's more than just buying tickets, we have to start backing the team this season too.

carnoustiehibee
04-04-2012, 04:43 PM
Hindsight is a wonderful thing! He slagged of yogi and praised cc, now Slags off cc and praises fenlon.

Get a team on the park and the fans will come back, but with different ko times, rangers situation and dire football people won't be racing out to spend 400 smacker-rooneys

Sir David Gray
04-04-2012, 04:43 PM
We've gone way beyond the point of issuing statements and rallying calls and hoping that they'll be effective.

Fans have seen literally no return on their season ticket money for more than 2 years now and it's up to the club to deliver results on the pitch, where it really matters.

Last season was horrendous and, with the exception of the run to the semi finals of the Scottish Cup, this season has unbelievably been even worse.

Hibs could not underachieve any more than we have been, without losing our SPL status and it's got to change now.

Spike Mandela
04-04-2012, 04:44 PM
It's more than just buying tickets, we have to start backing the team this season too.

Even if we survive this year I think we are favourites for relegation next year unless the team is improved dramatically. We need support and financial support more than ever but I fear the balance may be tipped too far in the opposite direction and people don't see the value of a season ticket.

A Scottish Cup win would be a welcome boost though:greengrin

bingo70
04-04-2012, 04:45 PM
Third option matty, get the club to prove to us this time its not just talk by making up any shortfall from reduced season ticket sales, if they're confident it'll be different next season if we all renew then they'll make the money back in no time through pay at the gate supporters when there's a better team on the park.

They've done nothing to entice us to renew other than guilt trips and relying on blind loyalty, maybe its time for them to put there money where there mouth is like they're asking us to do. And yes, I am aware we made a loss last year, however it sounds like pretty severe costs could be getting cut from fenlons budget if we don't renew.

Haymaker
04-04-2012, 04:47 PM
Surprised not much of a mention for Rod saying sorry for his mistakes. Clearly mentions Calderwood as a disaster.

Fair message really.


Fair play that he came out and said it IMHO.

marinello59
04-04-2012, 04:51 PM
We've gone way beyond the point of issuing statements and rallying calls and hoping that they'll be effective.

Fans have seen literally no return on their season ticket money for more than 2 years now and it's up to the club to deliver results on the pitch, where it really matters.

Last season was horrendous and, with the exception of the run to the semi finals of the Scottish Cup, this season has unbelievably been even worse.

Hibs could not underachieve any more than we have been, without losing our SPL status and it's got to change now.

And if he says nothing he gets attacked for that as well. I don't read anything much in to club statements myself, this one certainly doesn't do any harm though. Does it?:confused:

Hibercelona
04-04-2012, 04:54 PM
We've heard this all before.

The board can't request our trust without reason to do so. They've given us very little reason to put much faith in them over the last several years.

As has been said plenty of times on here. "Actions speak louder than words" and we must start witnessing some action in order to break out of this funk we're currently in.

Statements won't increase ST sales, actions will.

Billy Whizz
04-04-2012, 04:57 PM
In the next few weeks Pat Fenlon will be looking to secure new players for next season, if this hasnt already started. His budget will be based on season tickets income. We all know it's been a terrible few years, but if we don't back the club this could go on for another few years or so

Emerald
04-04-2012, 05:06 PM
He could have extended the early bird date even. If sales are so poor it may have got more sold in the long run.

sambajustice
04-04-2012, 05:11 PM
Killie, motherwell, st johnstone, st mirren etc etc MUST have smaller budgets than us and DO have smaller crowds so all this keech about hampering the player budget etc doesn't wash with me. Smaller teams with less crowds and far smaller budgets consistently do a lot better than us and get in better quality players. There's something far more wrong at Hibs than just fans not turning up for games or season tickets.

I'd be willing to bet we'll get more season ticket holders next season than the average crowd at the aforementioned teams along with inverness and ross county.

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:12 PM
We've gone way beyond the point of issuing statements and rallying calls and hoping that they'll be effective.

Fans have seen literally no return on their season ticket money for more than 2 years now and it's up to the club to deliver results on the pitch, where it really matters.

Last season was horrendous and, with the exception of the run to the semi finals of the Scottish Cup, this season has unbelievably been even worse.

Hibs could not underachieve any more than we have been, without losing our SPL status and it's got to change now.



So what we gonna do about it? How we gonna change it?
You say its up to the club to deliver results. Are we not the club?


You are obviously looking for some sort of return for your season ticket money. I pay mine to see the team. I pay mine to watch the games. Most of my time watching Hibs has been below average seasons with the occaisional decent one. Very occaisionally we have a team that plays decent football but most have been watching avarage stuff and occaisionally utter garbage (like the last two seasons).
I have renewed for next season in hope rather than expectation.

Beefster
04-04-2012, 05:12 PM
And if he says nothing he gets attacked for that as well. I don't read anything much in to club statements myself, this one certainly doesn't do any harm though. Does it?:confused:

Criticising them for saying nothing doesn't mean that every subsequent statement should then be praised.

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:13 PM
Killie, motherwell, st johnstone, st mirren etc etc MUST have smaller budgets than us and DO have smaller crowds so all this keech about hampering the player budget etc doesn't wash with me. Smaller teams with less crowds and far smaller budgets consistently do a lot better than us and get in better quality players. There's something far more wrong at Hibs than just fans not turning up for games or season tickets.

I'd be willing to bet we'll get more season ticket holders next season than the average crowd at the aforementioned teams along with inverness and ross county.

Do these teams consistently and continually finish above us in the league?

marinello59
04-04-2012, 05:14 PM
Criticising them for saying nothing doesn't mean that every subsequent statement should then be praised.

Agreed. Where did I suggest otherwise?

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:16 PM
Fair play to Rod for sticking his head above the parapet.

Actions will, yet again, speak louder than words though.

Out of interest what actions are you expecting?
We have appointed a manager with a winning record. We are backing him. We need funds to do this. The rallying call has been made.
What more do you want?

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:18 PM
We've heard this all before.

The board can't request our trust without reason to do so. They've given us very little reason to put much faith in them over the last several years.

As has been said plenty of times on here. "Actions speak louder than words" and we must start witnessing some action in order to break out of this funk we're currently in.

Statements won't increase ST sales, actions will.
What actions are you looking for?

matty_f
04-04-2012, 05:21 PM
We've gone way beyond the point of issuing statements and rallying calls and hoping that they'll be effective.

Fans have seen literally no return on their season ticket money for more than 2 years now and it's up to the club to deliver results on the pitch, where it really matters.

Last season was horrendous and, with the exception of the run to the semi finals of the Scottish Cup, this season has unbelievably been even worse.

Hibs could not underachieve any more than we have been, without losing our SPL status and it's got to change now.


That's the spirit.


Third option matty, get the club to prove to us this time its not just talk by making up any shortfall from reduced season ticket sales, if they're confident it'll be different next season if we all renew then they'll make the money back in no time through pay at the gate supporters when there's a better team on the park.

They've done nothing to entice us to renew other than guilt trips and relying on blind loyalty, maybe its time for them to put there money where there mouth is like they're asking us to do. And yes, I am aware we made a loss last year, however it sounds like pretty severe costs could be getting cut from fenlons budget if we don't renew.

If you're aware we made a loss (and it was a significant one), and my suspicions are that it will have been repeated this season as well, then where else are the club getting the money from? They HAVE made up the shortfall so far as I can see.


We've heard this all before.

The board can't request our trust without reason to do so. They've given us very little reason to put much faith in them over the last several years.

As has been said plenty of times on here. "Actions speak louder than words" and we must start witnessing some action in order to break out of this funk we're currently in.

Statements won't increase ST sales, actions will.

See the posts above. The Board have tried to change things. They've hired managers with enough about them to suggest they were (at the time of hiring) good options. They then backed those managers, and when it never worked out they got another manager and backed him.




What we all have to realise is that the situation won't improve without our intervention. If we don't back the club, nobody will.

HibbyDave
04-04-2012, 05:24 PM
RP stating the obvious.....we are in a tough climate. Lots of same old same old (Blame Calderwood etc) I'm delighted he feels it relevant to make an impassioned plea for fans to support the club and buy season tickets. I think that the difficulty for lots of people is simply the product is not good enough. We could be in the first division next year, we could survive by the skin of our teeth. Looking up or down won't change what happens now.

I'm certain the fans will support the team big time between now and the end of the season as this is "The Business End of the Season".


Just wonder if RP still favours a ten team league set up? or has that been binned due to the problems at Rankgers? Why not tell the fans?

Just wonder what stance "Our Club" V "our Board" will take when it comes to Divvying up the votes/ TV revenues etc etc at the extra special meeting of the gang of ten scheduled for later this month? Why not tell the fans?


Come on Hibs, engage with the fans not pander to their wish list of the holy grail making this potentially a season to be talked about forever IF it comes to pass.

I believe the fans will roll up in their thousands if we get it right on the pitch.

I believe the fans don't care about TV revenues etc, they want a winning team and SKY/ESPN can go away ASAP so we can get back to Sat at 3pm.

I believe the fans don't trust the games regulators and that the Rankgers thing will be the final nail in the box if they go into liquidation and we allow them to walk straight back into the SPL whilst seeing other better run clubs get relegated.

For these reasons Rod I ( and many more) didn't renew this season and I won't renew until you and your board deliver what I expect and pay for. I choose when to see Hibs instead of blindly paying up front without knowing where we are headed.


The board are just TRUSTEES of the club but they need to invest as well as fans or move aside.

Still GGTTH

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:29 PM
RP stating the obvious.....we are in a tough climate. Lots of same old same old (Blame Calderwood etc) I'm delighted he feels it relevant to make an impassioned plea for fans to support the club and buy season tickets. I think that the difficulty for lots of people is simply the product is not good enough. We could be in the first division next year, we could survive by the skin of our teeth. Looking up or down won't change what happens now.

I'm certain the fans will support the team big time between now and the end of the season as this is "The Business End of the Season".


Just wonder if RP still favours a ten team league set up? or has that been binned due to the problems at Rankgers? Why not tell the fans?

Just wonder what stance "Our Club" V "our Board" will take when it comes to Divvying up the votes/ TV revenues etc etc at the extra special meeting of the gang of ten scheduled for later this month? Why not tell the fans?


Come on Hibs, engage with the fans not pander to their wish list of the holy grail making this potentially a season to be talked about forever IF it comes to pass.

I believe the fans will roll up in their thousands if we get it right on the pitch.

I believe the fans don't care about TV revenues etc, they want a winning team and SKY/ESPN can go away ASAP so we can get back to Sat at 3pm.

I believe the fans don't trust the games regulators and that the Rankgers thing will be the final nail in the box if they go into liquidation and we allow them to walk straight back into the SPL whilst seeing other better run clubs get relegated.

For these reasons Rod I ( and many more) didn't renew this season and I won't renew until you and your board deliver what I expect and pay for. I choose when to see Hibs instead of blindly paying up front without knowing where we are headed.


The board are just TRUSTEES of the club but they need to invest as well as fans or move aside.

Still GGTTH

Do thesed two paragraphs not contradict each other?
I am not investing for these reasons but I expect the board as trustees to do the same as us fans? Bizarre.

1two
04-04-2012, 05:33 PM
Well I'm convinced, Wheres my renewal application?

Seriously though, I think deep down I knew I was always going to renew. I just told myself I wasn't cos it's seemed the correct thing to do on principle. But the mans right, WE are Hibernian. I'm behind my club no matter what, we might be pish at football at the moment but were still the greatest club in the land.
So wheres my renewal application?

WhileTheChief..
04-04-2012, 05:34 PM
I thought it was a really good statement.

That's the first time I've heard an apology from anyone at Hibs for anything and to me it's very welcome. I wanted to hear the club acknowledge that mistakes have been made and to hear RP personally apologise actually means something to me.

For too long I always thought that the Club just swept problems under the carpet, didn't see the things that we saw and lacked any real passion. I thought RP came across very well and I couldn't argue with anything he said.

Maybe I'm just naive but my first thoughts weren't that this was a plea for ST sales but more of an acknowledgement that things have been 'catastrophic and that if we stick together things will get better.

From my own point of view I'm fed up feeling down about Hibs all the time so from now on I'm going to look forward to the semi, stop worrying about relegation and start to think about a brand new Hibs next season.

Hibstrooper
04-04-2012, 05:34 PM
Reads as a simple message to me, he's admitted we've been woeful and he has made mistakes and apologised for them - something I note a lot of people on here have wanted so fair play to him.

The next part is him asking for our help, it is our club and if we truly want to recover from a terrible couple of years we need to pull together now more than ever. Sure people can choose to now pick and choose their games until the team gets better however I hope they realise that this stance is only going to make it harder and longer for us to recover.

if you only go to the games for the football then ok, see you when you fancy it again however if Hibs are more than just a football team to you then now is the time to dig in, our club needs us!

HibbyDave
04-04-2012, 05:35 PM
Do thesed two paragraphs not contradict each other?
I am not investing for these reasons but I expect the board as trustees to do the same as us fans? Bizarre.

Not Bizarre- simply an unspoken observation ( maybe badly worded!) that the board members/owners (STF in particular) have deeper pockets than the fans and since they made the Horrendous appointments previously, I think that before the fans shell out more cash the board need to lead the way and invest Big Time in the club playing pool. I don't really care about the shiny new Stadium and I have never seen anyone say what actually happens at E Mains ( although whatever it is, I think it's part-time at best). Still RP managed to get them into his statement.

Apologies if it appeared contradictory.

ancient hibee
04-04-2012, 05:37 PM
Coincidentally I renewed this morning(admittedly at old codger's rate-and family rate deduction as well).As I've been paying to watch Hibs since 1953 it would be silly to stop now.

greenlex
04-04-2012, 05:39 PM
Not Bizarre- simply an unspoken observation ( maybe badly worded!) that the board members/owners (STF in particular) have deeper pockets than the fans and since they made the Horrendous appointments previously, I think that before the fans shell out more cash the board need to lead the way and invest Big Time in the club playing pool. I don't really care about the shiny new Stadium and I have never seen anyone say what actually happens at E Mains ( although whatever it is, I think it's part-time at best). Still RP managed to get them into his statement.

Apologies if it appeared contradictory.
:aok:

keithkeith
04-04-2012, 05:40 PM
Personally, I think it's an excellent message. Just what I wanted to hear from RP. I want the Board to admit they are hurting and they have made mistakes and he is big enough to do it.

Barney McGrew
04-04-2012, 05:45 PM
We've heard this all before

I really don't think we have. I can't recall any statement coming out of the club where someone holds their hands up and admits they've made mistakes. Fair play to Petrie for have the baws to come out and say it, there's been more than enough people on here clamouring for the board to come out with some kind of statement and now we have one.

It's chicken and egg stuff now. I think we can assume season ticket sales are poor, mainly because the product isn't great right now, and that's going to have a knock on effect to what we can put on the park. If we don't have the money to put the team on the park, we won't have a great team. And the downward spiral continues.

It's down to us. We are all Hibs, not just the guys who are at the top of the tree right now.

I was genuinely not going to renew next season, but that statement makes a lot of sense and for once I agree with him. I'll be renewing tomorrow.

TornadoHibby
04-04-2012, 05:51 PM
An excellent message if you ask me. The club need our support now more than ever. If you can't see that then maybe best to find a new team.

You should try and see the issues or difficulties that people may justifiably have at this time and appreciate that there are reasons why people are not renewing ST's! :confused:

I guess Rod is at last admitting to his own inadequacies with regard to the past few seasons and the woeful mis-management of the ST cash over that time in managers and players who were not up to the task! Why doesn't he and/or STF, as his boss, step up to the plate and put the necessary funds up to get the quality of the squad up to a level which is similar to that which we had before all the best players were sold for handsome sums without adequate re-investment in players to maintain on field quality! :agree:

That might persuade those not renewing now to change their mind and do so! :dunno:

Awful on field performances is one of the biggest reasons why people are doing other things and when you add in the economic environment and TV scheduling alone you get some compelling reasons surfacing which, those that "will buy a ST whatever the quality on the park is like 'cause they love Hibs" would do well to remember! :rolleyes:

Finally, who gets the ultimate financial benefit of Hibs successes? :dunno:

Hibercelona
04-04-2012, 05:56 PM
I really don't think we have. I can't recall any statement coming out of the club where someone holds their hands up and admits they've made mistakes. Fair play to Petrie for have the baws to come out and say it, there's been more than enough people on here clamouring for the board to come out with some kind of statement and now we have one.

It's chicken and egg stuff now. I think we can assume season ticket sales are poor, mainly because the product isn't great right now, and that's going to have a knock on effect to what we can put on the park. If we don't have the money to put the team on the park, we won't have a great team. And the downward spiral continues.

It's down to us. We are all Hibs, not just the guys who are at the top of the tree right now.

I was genuinely not going to renew next season, but that statement makes a lot of sense and for once I agree with him. I'll be renewing tomorrow.

Personally I think if the board are so confident in their ability to change things around, they can find a way of putting the money forward now and recouping it later when the fanbase builds back up again.

Why must they have the fans money "right now" if they're so confident that they can change things around?

I'm not buying into the whole "We need you". We've been hearing that tune for years and have been disappointed repeatedly.

Col2
04-04-2012, 05:56 PM
We've gone way beyond the point of issuing statements and rallying calls and hoping that they'll be effective.

Fans have seen literally no return on their season ticket money for more than 2 years now and it's up to the club to deliver results on the pitch, where it really matters.

Last season was horrendous and, with the exception of the run to the semi finals of the Scottish Cup, this season has unbelievably been even worse.

Hibs could not underachieve any more than we have been, without losing our SPL status and it's got to change now.

Spot on - 100% my thoughts as well.

Top Pans Hibby
04-04-2012, 05:56 PM
I've been a season ticket holder for last few seasons. Why? Because I love the Hibs and I enjoy my Saturday afternoons at ER with the boys. However as we speak my ST renewal envelope still remains unopened.

I have simply lost faith in the board AND the owner of our club. To err once is understandable but to err twice whilst repeating the same mistakes as the previous season is just a farce.

After the shambolic pre season friendly at Falkirk, I wrote to the board but received the same sort of platitudes that currently litter Mr Petrie's latest offering. Apparently we have learned nothing.

As for Tom Farmer, I just don't get it. What is his strategy, goals, objectives for the Club. His silence is deafening. I've said it before but I will repeat. The current leadership and ownership of our club is like a dead hand on the tiller of our Club taking us nowhere.I

I feel sick to the pit of my stomach as I really want to support and have faith in Pat Fenlon but actions talk louder than words. Real action is now required from the board before I renew.

matty_f
04-04-2012, 05:58 PM
Not Bizarre- simply an unspoken observation ( maybe badly worded!) that the board members/owners (STF in particular) have deeper pockets than the fans and since they made the Horrendous appointments previously, I think that before the fans shell out more cash the board need to lead the way and invest Big Time in the club playing pool. I don't really care about the shiny new Stadium and I have never seen anyone say what actually happens at E Mains ( although whatever it is, I think it's part-time at best). Still RP managed to get them into his statement.

Apologies if it appeared contradictory.

Great logic there, as well. :rolleyes:

It's all relative - the board will and have (IIRC) put money into the club, they are asking the fans to do the same but on a more reasonable scale - the price of a season ticket.

It's our club, our team. If we don't give them the money, nobody will.

matty_f
04-04-2012, 06:01 PM
I thought it was a really good statement.

That's the first time I've heard an apology from anyone at Hibs for anything and to me it's very welcome. I wanted to hear the club acknowledge that mistakes have been made and to hear RP personally apologise actually means something to me.

For too long I always thought that the Club just swept problems under the carpet, didn't see the things that we saw and lacked any real passion. I thought RP came across very well and I couldn't argue with anything he said.

Maybe I'm just naive but my first thoughts weren't that this was a plea for ST sales but more of an acknowledgement that things have been 'catastrophic and that if we stick together things will get better.

From my own point of view I'm fed up feeling down about Hibs all the time so from now on I'm going to look forward to the semi, stop worrying about relegation and start to think about a brand new Hibs next season.

:top marks


Reads as a simple message to me, he's admitted we've been woeful and he has made mistakes and apologised for them - something I note a lot of people on here have wanted so fair play to him.

The next part is him asking for our help, it is our club and if we truly want to recover from a terrible couple of years we need to pull together now more than ever. Sure people can choose to now pick and choose their games until the team gets better however I hope they realise that this stance is only going to make it harder and longer for us to recover.

if you only go to the games for the football then ok, see you when you fancy it again however if Hibs are more than just a football team to you then now is the time to dig in, our club needs us!

:top marks

I really don't think we have. I can't recall any statement coming out of the club where someone holds their hands up and admits they've made mistakes. Fair play to Petrie for have the baws to come out and say it, there's been more than enough people on here clamouring for the board to come out with some kind of statement and now we have one.

It's chicken and egg stuff now. I think we can assume season ticket sales are poor, mainly because the product isn't great right now, and that's going to have a knock on effect to what we can put on the park. If we don't have the money to put the team on the park, we won't have a great team. And the downward spiral continues.

It's down to us. We are all Hibs, not just the guys who are at the top of the tree right now.

I was genuinely not going to renew next season, but that statement makes a lot of sense and for once I agree with him. I'll be renewing tomorrow.
:top marks

Barney McGrew
04-04-2012, 06:02 PM
A few people have made comments about actions speaking louder than words.

As far as I can see, they booted Calderwood (albeit way past his sell by date), brought in Fenlon and have backed him to bring in virtually a new first XI. Petrie has finally admitted that mistakes have been made. Results are improving and we're in a cup semi final for the first time in five years.

That looks like actions and a wee bit of progress to me.

blackpoolhibs
04-04-2012, 06:14 PM
I thought it was a good interview, and Rod obviously knows how little season tickets we have managed to sell, and felt something needed to be done about it. Fair play to him, i think we need more of this, maybe another one from Pat Fenlon, making another plea to the heart strings too.

Sales will be down, minimising that is a must, this is a start i suppose. A cup win would help, but i'm sorry Rod, its way too late for me.

HIBERNIAN-0762
04-04-2012, 06:16 PM
I'm in shock!, he actually came out and said something!...

I need a lie down!

:rolleyes:

Pretty Boy
04-04-2012, 06:21 PM
A few people have made comments about actions speaking louder than words.

As far as I can see, they booted Calderwood (albeit way past his sell by date), brought in Fenlon and have backed him to bring in virtually a new first XI. Petrie has finally admitted that mistakes have been made. Results are improving and we're in a cup semi final for the first time in five years.

That looks like actions and a wee bit of progress to me.

Not sure about others but here's my thinking.

I've never had any doubt the board back the manager to the best of their ability finance wise. Likewise I respect the ability to admit mistakes were made.

What I mean by actions speaking louder than words is changing things to ensure we start to perform on the park. What things? I don't know but then its not my job to know. We have changed the manager several times and the playing squad likewise but the downward spiral has continued. This suggests it may be a combination of problems that need addressed.

I just hope the board don't continue to do the same things that have gone previously as they haven't worked. A change in strategy to acheivement the shared aims of 'a winning and entertaining football team' is what I'd like to see.

HibeeSince85
04-04-2012, 06:45 PM
I was swaying, a bit of doubt about renewing, work commitments playing a part but this is when we need to come together, no more us and them, that will be 2 renewals Friday.

NAE NOOKIE
04-04-2012, 06:55 PM
You should try and see the issues or difficulties that people may justifiably have at this time and appreciate that there are reasons why people are not renewing ST's! :confused:

I guess Rod is at last admitting to his own inadequacies with regard to the past few seasons and the woeful mis-management of the ST cash over that time in managers and players who were not up to the task! Why doesn't he and/or STF, as his boss, step up to the plate and put the necessary funds up to get the quality of the squad up to a level which is similar to that which we had before all the best players were sold for handsome sums without adequate re-investment in players to maintain on field quality! :agree:

That might persuade those not renewing now to change their mind and do so! :dunno:

Awful on field performances is one of the biggest reasons why people are doing other things and when you add in the economic environment and TV scheduling alone you get some compelling reasons surfacing which, those that "will buy a ST whatever the quality on the park is like 'cause they love Hibs" would do well to remember! :rolleyes:

Finally, who gets the ultimate financial benefit of Hibs successes? :dunno:

Sorry Tornado:

I am in the renew come what may camp. I think that most Hibbies who think the way I do are well aware of the different factors, both on the pitch and off it, which affect peoples decision as to whether or not to renew their ST or even pay at the gate.

The point I and Hibbies like me are making is that our love of the club and support for it will be shown by putting our money in and supporting the club from the stands on matchday, in spite of all of the downsides you have listed but without being blind to them.

To make it clear I do not include economics in this argument. Family, day to day life, paying the bills, feeding the kids etc are a million times more important than ANY football club and if you dont go cause you feel you cant afford it then your choice is the right one.. I have been there and done that.

Hibs have stated lately that "we are Hibernian" for my part I have always thought that .... long before Rod Petrie ever started on about it.

Without the people who support them Hibs would be an amature football club playing in the public park on a Saturday. The people who support Hibernian make this club what it is and if they turn their backs on the club because it lacks success or doesnt play the type of football we all want to see, then Hibernian Football Club will cease to have any meaningfull existence.

I pay my money because life without my brilliant wee football club would be deminished and the poorer for it not being there. Through my support of Hibs I have had some funny, scary, fantastic and downright depressing experiences. I have also met some fantastic people and made lifelong friends.

Finally I will say this ...... Every now and then ( like a lot of folk on here I dare say ) I dig out the old 2007 cup final DVD and give it a watch ... like everybody else I am impressed by how moving the rendition of Sunshine on Leith is at the end of the game.

But what has many a time brought a tear to my eye is the montage of pictures at the very end of the DVD ... Pictures of groups of people, individuals and families who I have never met, but who at the same time as me on that March morning in 2007 had put on their Hibs gear and headed off to Hampden in the hope that, for once, they would be able to watch the Hibees actually win something.

They are what makes being a Hibby worth every heartache, every mind numbing derby defeat, every rubbish team, every semi and cup final defeat, every relegation.

The folk to whom supporting this small, unsuccessfull, but BRILLIANT football club means something.

Folk like me.

Craig_in_Prague
04-04-2012, 06:56 PM
Glad to see many getting behind the club and fair play to RP and a good interview.

What I must add though, is regardless of the ST sales we should still have a sufficient budget which means we can compete with the likes of D Utd, Well and St J... Ultimately not fighting relegation at least!

Hihs fans will start flocking back over time once Fenlon gets.us more competitive and watcheable. Crowds will go up as the performances improve. YES the ST sales are important but as I said the club management should still.hold themselves accountable if we are down the bottom again next season...

Assuming of course we do stay up this season. Its not a given.

Get a fit organised competitive team on the park and crowds will take care of themselves.

Billy Whizz
04-04-2012, 07:00 PM
Rod, says season tickets are the highest level of membership of Hibernian FC. I can see current and new holders getting 3 tickets each if we reach the Scottish Cup final:thumbsup:

Onion
04-04-2012, 07:05 PM
ST sales are obviously catastrophic.

:agree: Thrashings of a desperate man. Anyone could see this coming the moment we had to sack Calderwood. The Hibs Board, their decision-making, procrastination and basic mis-management of the footballing side of the business has got us into this position - but let's not try apportion blame at this point :green grin

I'm 100% behind the team in the last few games of the season to keep us in the SPL, cos I invested my faith in a Season Ticket. As for new season, Petrie and Hibs can stick their ST offer when the sun doesn't shine in Leith. Words are cheap, sick of being duped, what we need is ACTION, Petrie.

Iggy Pope
04-04-2012, 07:06 PM
I thought it was a good interview, and Rod obviously knows how little season tickets we have managed to sell, and felt something needed to be done about it. Fair play to him, i think we need more of this, maybe another one from Pat Fenlon, making another plea to the heart strings too.

Sales will be down, minimising that is a must, this is a start i suppose. A cup win would help, but i'm sorry Rod, its way too late for me.

I would expect better from you! Hibs win the SC and you wouldn't buy a Season Ticket?

Naaaaah, surely not? Hibs bring that cup down Elm Row and any Hibby that can afford a season surely must buy one to help us win it next year too. Anything else would amount to treason......

Onion
04-04-2012, 07:06 PM
We've been buying season tickets based on blind faith and cheap talk for years now.

It's time for the club to start performing on the pitch, if we do that fans will come back, nothing to do with statements like this, its going to be more difficuilt for fenlon than previous managers but not impossible and he just needs to make it work, if he does the rewards will be great, if he doesn't no doubt we'll have another statement like this from petrie again this time next year

Bingo :agree:

soul_driver
04-04-2012, 07:11 PM
You should try and see the issues or difficulties that people may justifiably have at this time and appreciate that there are reasons why people are not renewing ST's! :confused:

I completely understand it's not possible for everyone to get a season ticket. Tbh my post was a reaction to the first few cynical responses that got my back up a bit.

Judas Iscariot
04-04-2012, 07:13 PM
How many times is it now RP has got it "wrong"?!

3? 4?!

In any other business he'd of been shown the door a long time ago as he's culpable for the 5 years of dross we've endured due to his ***** choices of manager..

RP hasn't exactly got a good record to rely on fans' blind faith to renew and trust that he'll get it right for the 1st time in 5 attempts..

This is the guy in charge of our club who publicly backed that monstrosity CC, refused to let him go, then had to sack the **** a few months later after EVERY single Hibs fan KNEW he wasn't up to task donkeys ago...


Prices should've been lowered and all the other "carrots" shouldnt of had the multitude of strings attached as they did..

Unless we win the SC Petrie will be having to deal with the lowest number of ST holders in years, an issue he's all but singularly to blame for

Gatecrasher
04-04-2012, 07:13 PM
fair play to Rod, he has admitted mistakes have been made (we all make them from time to time) and he is asking the fans to support their club.

matty_f
04-04-2012, 07:23 PM
fair play to Rod, he has admitted mistakes have been made (we all make them from time to time) and he is asking the fans to support their club.

:agree: He is, IMHO, asking supporters to not punish the club for his mistakes.

Football isn't any other line of work and Hibs aren't any other business.

blackpoolhibs
04-04-2012, 07:27 PM
I would expect better from you! Hibs win the SC and you wouldn't buy a Season Ticket?

Naaaaah, surely not? Hibs bring that cup down Elm Row and any Hibby that can afford a season surely must buy one to help us win it next year too. Anything else would amount to treason......

I cant justify it anymore, its not really down to Rod. In fact if we were relegated i'd get one, but i'm not paying for a season ticket i use maybe 12 times a season. Sorry but its pay at the gate for me from now on.

The Harp Awakes
04-04-2012, 07:28 PM
I've had a season ticket for 27 years and last season was the 1st time I thought twice about renewing. This time I thought 3 times before renewing 2 tickets (1 for the laddy) on Monday.

The bottom line for me is that I don't want to damage the Club further by not renewing. There's definitely a valid argument that says don't renew and put pressure on the Board - short term pain for long term gain, etc. While there's something in that argument, I genuinely believe that Pat Fenlon has the guts and determination to turn things around given our backing. I don't think we should miss that opportunity:flag:

Pretty Boy
04-04-2012, 07:28 PM
:agree: He is, IMHO, asking supporters to not punish the club for his mistakes.

Football isn't any other line of work and Hibs aren't any other business.

I'm buying a season ticket so he doesn't have to convince me.

Unfortunately we heard a similar plea when he kept CC last year and blamed a lot of the ills on 'previous incumbent' Hughes as well as taking a portion of the blame on himself.

Sadly he's made one too many mistakes for some and the club will pay through reduced sales. That's his fault, not the fans who don't renew.

Sir David Gray
04-04-2012, 07:29 PM
And if he says nothing he gets attacked for that as well. I don't read anything much in to club statements myself, this one certainly doesn't do any harm though. Does it?:confused:

Not by me, he wouldn't. I have lost count of the number of times in recent seasons that the players, management team and now the board have come out publicly and stated how x, y and z is going to change and we're going to do this and that etc etc. When it comes to the crunch, we come up short where it really matters - on the pitch.

I'm personally not interested in the slightest in what anyone at Hibs has to say any more, with regards to reviewing past failures. I just want the board to do their job and ensure that the necessary things are put in place to allow us to be a relatively successful football club. I don't think I'm asking for much when I say that I expect Hibs to be making trips to Hampden on a more regular basis than once every five years and also to be more competitive in the SPL with clubs such as St Johnstone and Motherwell, who are playing nice football and putting together fairly talented squads on a fraction of the budget that we have available, even if these lapsed fans choose not to respond to Petrie's plea to come back.

If I was as bad at my job as the Hibs board has been at theirs in recent times then I would have been sacked years ago. That's not being dramatic, that's just a fact.

It's so easy to say that the club needs people to part with their money to allow us to improve things in the summer. When it comes to it though, you really can't expect people to part with their £400 yet again, when they've been doing that time after time for years on end and being rewarded with watching absolute garbage every other week.


So what we gonna do about it? How we gonna change it?
You say its up to the club to deliver results. Are we not the club?


You are obviously looking for some sort of return for your season ticket money. I pay mine to see the team. I pay mine to watch the games. Most of my time watching Hibs has been below average seasons with the occaisional decent one. Very occaisionally we have a team that plays decent football but most have been watching avarage stuff and occaisionally utter garbage (like the last two seasons).
I have renewed for next season in hope rather than expectation.

As it happens, so do I. I'm unsure if I'll be buying a season ticket next season for no other reason, other than the fact that my work circumstances have recently changed and I will be working more weekends than I was before, therefore making a season ticket a waste of time.

If I was doing a Monday-Friday job, there's no question that I would be there every week. I've said before that I would go and watch Hibs playing in the East of Scotland junior leagues if I had to. However, not everyone is like you and I. They need to see a return on their money. They need to see an exciting and entertaining brand of football being played before they'll be encouraged to come along to games. The fact that the football at Easter Road over the past few years has been anything but exciting or entertaining means that these people are simply not interested and have found better things to do on their Saturday afternoons.

Five or six years ago, we were averaging more than 14,000 people every week at Easter Road. This year, that figure is down to under 10,000. There is not a hope of those 4,000 people returning until the club manages to turn things around first or, at the very least, shows some signs of recovery and improvement.


That's the spirit.

What is the point in that reply? :confused:

hugo boss
04-04-2012, 07:33 PM
i get my kill at him buy your season tickets for every one we sell the cash goes back into the squad...what about for every season ticket we sell the board put the same amount in???? he has a cheek we arent even safe yet..although i have renewed mine ha ha

The_Todd
04-04-2012, 07:36 PM
Surprised a bit to see an apology and also a clear indication that the club aren't happy about the scheduling of matches to suit TV. So much for non OF chairmen pandering to the "cash cow" and not rocking the boat, as a public statement slating TV scheduling isn't exactly the act of a club too scared to upset the broadcasters.

Still, it does also seem like a plea for more ST sales more than anything and I'm still in the same boat. Unless prices become realistic then I'm out. 3rd most expensive STs for the 2nd worst team just doesn't stack up I'm afraid.

Hibees07
04-04-2012, 07:40 PM
Actions speak louder than words, time for our multi-millionaire owner to start investing some of his spare millions into the squad.

Get a winning team on the park and his money will be re-couped by filling the stands with supporters.

I'm sick of the pulling the heart strings statements, trying to get the hard up supporters to pay hundreds of pounds to watch utter dross.

Hibbyradge
04-04-2012, 07:44 PM
i get my kill at him buy your season tickets for every one we sell the cash goes back into the squad...what about for every season ticket we sell the board put the same amount in???? he has a cheek we arent even safe yet..although i have renewed mine ha ha

You want the board to buy a season ticket each?

Or you want them to buy one for each that we buy? If the latter, why would they do that? :faf:

Onion
04-04-2012, 07:44 PM
fair play to Rod, he has admitted mistakes have been made (we all make them from time to time) and he is asking the fans to support their club.

Realistically, what else did he have left in the bag other than to apologise and grovel to the fans, playing on the heartstrings - its quite pathetic that it has got to this point. Everyone makes mistakes, but Petrie's catalogue of calamitous decisions over the last 4 years shows the most basic lack of judgement and insight and cannot be erased with a simple apology. Let there be no doubt that the current Hibs Board is squarely to blame for the predicament the club finds itself in. They keep on fielding a new front man to hide behind (Fenlon being the latest) when resignations should have be tendered at Board level long ago. It saddens me that our club is so badly run by people who would not get a penny for that pitch on Dragon's Den. I'll support the team but as far as next years ST is concerned ... I'm Out !

Iggy Pope
04-04-2012, 07:46 PM
I cant justify it anymore, its not really down to Rod. In fact if we were relegated i'd get one, but i'm not paying for a season ticket i use maybe 12 times a season. Sorry but its pay at the gate for me from now on.

I think that open-topped bus would change your mind.

StevieC
04-04-2012, 07:46 PM
I'll start doing what clubs want me to do when clubs start doing what supporters want them to do.

We have supporters giving their views on the Rangers debacle, fixture changes and league reconstruction and yet every SPL club/chairman is conspicuous with their silence.
How about a statement from the club backing the supporters and their views?

Rod talks of mistakes the club has made, IMO the season ticket package can be added as one of those mistakes.

SouthamptonHibs
04-04-2012, 07:47 PM
Rod, says season tickets are the highest level of membership of Hibernian FC. I can see current and new holders getting 3 tickets each if we reach the Scottish Cup final:thumbsup:

Don't forget us club members, we're all due a ticket for the big day hail hail

blackpoolhibs
04-04-2012, 07:49 PM
I think that open-topped bus would change your mind.

I'd settle for that dilema. :wink:

Iggy Pope
04-04-2012, 07:49 PM
I've had a season ticket for 27 years and last season was the 1st time I thought twice about renewing. This time I thought 3 times before renewing 2 tickets (1 for the laddy) on Monday.

The bottom line for me is that I don't want to damage the Club further by not renewing. There's definitely a valid argument that says don't renew and put pressure on the Board - short term pain for long term gain, etc. While there's something in that argument, I genuinely believe that Pat Fenlon has the guts and determination to turn things around given our backing. I don't think we should miss that opportunity:flag:

Hear, ******g, hear!

silverhibee
04-04-2012, 07:49 PM
Surprised not much of a mention for Rod saying sorry for his mistakes. Clearly mentions Calderwood as a disaster.

Fair message really.


He should have acted earlier with CC, remember he was the one that backed him when it was quite clear that about 90% of the fans were wanting him dumped pre-season and Petrie stuck by him with that made up stats statement that he thought he could fool the fans with.

Easy to say sorry now, maybe he should have listened to the fans in the summer and everyone else that new CC was working his ticket out of the club, it was clear as day what CC was up to to everyone apart from RP could see it, if he maybe listened to the fans then he wouldn't be saying sorry now.

Onion
04-04-2012, 07:49 PM
:agree: He is, IMHO, asking supporters to not punish the club for his mistakes.

Football isn't any other line of work and Hibs aren't any other business.

Usually when a CEO or Chairman does this it's while they are leaving the building. In Petrie's case, he still expects us to pay for his future mistakes as well :rolleyes:

Iggy Pope
04-04-2012, 07:52 PM
I'd settle for that dilema. :wink:

If I hear of people malingering on the Season Ticket front while basking in the glory of a Scottish Cup win I shall 'name names' if you catch my drift......
:devil:

blackpoolhibs
04-04-2012, 07:53 PM
If I hear of people malingering on the Season Ticket front while basking in the glory of a Scottish Cup win I shall 'name names' if you catch my drift......
:devil:

:greengrin

Makaveli
04-04-2012, 07:54 PM
Even with a worst-case scenario - average gate of say 8,000 - it'll be higher than 7 or 8 of the other SPL clubs.

We also have better training facilities so should really expect to get more out of fairly equal players.

This blaming the fans pish doesn't wash. I'm not saying Petrie is doing this here, it's actually decent rallying call. It's when people are saying we can expect a relegation battle again if sales are poor. However it goes, we have enough resources that bottom 6 (never mind 2) should be utterly unacceptable.

If we're here again in a year Fenlon will have questions to answer, as will the board who appointed him. It won't be down to fans who are no longer willing to pay >£400 to watch poor football in an essentially corrupt league at f*** knows what time on whatever day Sky/ESPN see fit.

Top Pans Hibby
04-04-2012, 07:54 PM
If I recall correctly we've heard nothing from Tom Farmer since his defence of Petrie at the AGM. If so desperate for us to part with £405 let Farmer come out and tell us of his ambitions, plans, objectives, goals for our Club. Mr Farmer took time out to donate a tidy sum to the SNP and the reasons for doing so. Surely the time has now come for Mr Farmer to divulge his short, medium and long term plans for Hibs. No info, no cash from me this time I'm afraid.

BEEJ
04-04-2012, 07:56 PM
Having watched the interview then there's nothing 'new' in it but we wish for the Board to speak more often and they should be applauded for doing so in a manner which is honest.
I thought the personal apology was very new. Never heard that uttered by this Board before.


Surprised not much of a mention for Rod saying sorry for his mistakes. Clearly mentions Calderwood as a disaster.
:agree: Needed to be said and credit to RP for doing so.


- we can choose to keep on punishing the club for historic mistakes, we're within our rights to do so, but it's not going to help anyone.
True.

But its whether we have confidence that the team can be restored to competing comfortably in the top half of the league again next season. There are no guarantees that the money will be invested in the squad any better than before and supporters are hacked off with two years of massive under-performance.

I thought it was a really good statement.

That's the first time I've heard an apology from anyone at Hibs for anything and to me it's very welcome. I wanted to hear the club acknowledge that mistakes have been made and to hear RP personally apologise actually means something to me.
:agree:

HibbyAndy
04-04-2012, 07:58 PM
Even with a worst-case scenario - average gate of say 8,000 - it'll be higher than 7 or 8 of the other SPL clubs.

We also have better training facilities so should really expect to get more out of fairly equal players.
This blaming the fans pish doesn't wash. I'm not saying Petrie is doing this here, it's actually decent rallying call. It's when people are saying we can expect a relegation battle again if sales are poor. However it goes, we have enough resources that bottom 6 (never mind 2) should be utterly unacceptable.

If we're here again in a year Fenlon will have questions to answer, as will the board who appointed him. It won't be down to fans who are no longer willing to pay >£400 to watch poor football in an essentially corrupt league at f*** knows what time on whatever day Sky/ESPN see fit.



And that my friend is post of the year.


How can teams like Killie, Motherwell and ICT, st.mirren finish above us with average gates like 4 k ?..Hibs will get at least 7K plus season ticket holders next season, So the budget is still wayyy better than the pishy teams ive mentioned.

WhileTheChief..
04-04-2012, 07:59 PM
Easy to say sorry now, maybe he should have listened to the fans in the summer and everyone else that new CC was working his ticket out of the club, it was clear as day what CC was up to to everyone apart from RP could see it, if he maybe listened to the fans then he wouldn't be saying sorry now.

Whilst I totally agree with you about CC, maybe RP was listening to all the fans on here saying 'give CC till Xmas', 'he needs time for the team to gel' etc etc. There are plenty of fans on here that are just as guilty as RP when it comes to CCs time in charge. :wink:

pentlando
04-04-2012, 08:01 PM
Actions speak louder than words, time for our multi-millionaire owner to start investing some of his spare millions into the squad.

Get a winning team on the park and his money will be re-couped by filling the stands with supporters.

I'm sick of the pulling the heart strings statements, trying to get the hard up supporters to pay hundreds of pounds to watch utter dross.

I don't think anyone should be telling STF what to do with his money, it's his money and he'll do with it what he wishes. I also think in the interview at no time does he ask 'hard up' supporters to buy a season ticket. It was aimed at those who are currently deliberating over whether to get one, trying to convince them of the merits of a season ticket (discounted deals, more money for Fenlon to invest in squad and priority for tickets).

SouthamptonHibs
04-04-2012, 08:01 PM
No ST for me next year club membership is ideal. I'll give hibs my usual purchases next season home and away top plus pay at the gate (5 home games if doing crap) & (10 if going well). Live to far away for a season ticket to benefit me. hail hail

Billy Whizz
04-04-2012, 08:10 PM
No ST for me next year club membership is ideal. I'll give hibs my usual purchases next season home and away top plus pay at the gate (5 home games if doing crap) & (10 if going well). Live to far away for a season ticket to benefit me. hail hail

If at least half of the Hibs support did as well as you, we'd have good crowds every week. Well done!

tamig
04-04-2012, 08:11 PM
And that my friend is post of the year.


How can teams like Killie, Motherwell and ICT, st.mirren finish above us with average gates like 4 k ?..Hibs will get at least 7K plus season ticket holders next season, So the budget is still wayyy better than the pishy teams ive mentioned.

I think we'll be doing well to sell 5k STs for next season. Also easy to look at crowds alone. Our overall cost base for the stadium and training centre will drain a lot of cash. It's not just about the crowds but what we shell out as well - and not just on wages.

Hibbyradge
04-04-2012, 08:15 PM
H

maybe he should have listened to the fans

Can you imagine if the board made its strategic and personnel decisions based on what the fans said?

For a start, which fans should they listen to?

The fans on hibs.net? Or those that write things in the on line newspaper comments? Or should they canvas the entire registered fanbase?

Some folk wanted CC to get booted. Some wanted him to get more time.

Derek Riordan is another case in point. Some fans want him back, some don't.

What ever the issue, there will be a myriad of different opinions.

The fans are not a good place to start if you're looking for the solution to a problem.

HibbyDave
04-04-2012, 08:16 PM
Great logic there, as well. :rolleyes:

It's all relative - the board will and have (IIRC) put money into the club, they are asking the fans to do the same but on a more reasonable scale - the price of a season ticket.

It's our club, our team. If we don't give them the money, nobody will.

Yes it's all relative.

Can you state with any accuracy how much time the players spend at E Mains or what they do there? Alledgedly they are F/T Players but they don't look fit to me. I am fed up watching players that cannot retain the ball at throw-ins, cannot pass the ball over 5 yards. I must be spoiled what with all the TV matches I've watched this season instead of attending.

Regarding the board funding players wages, how much do you think they have personally contributed? I see no evidence in the club accounts.

I know it's our team. I simply choose to fund it my way to suit my budget. If we end up in the first division will we still be charging SPL entrance prices? Let's hope that's not something we need to consider or do we blindly renew and hope for the best?

I made the point in another thread that until the board come out with a clear stance over a number of things I won't buy-in to their philosophyE.G.10 team league anyone (RP)? Newco Rankgers walking straight back into the SPL? (I know they have not yet gone into liquidation) but what do you think is the stance of our board? Could it be: Please stay with us RnkGers or GTF Gers (if they do liquidate)?
These sort of things matter to me enough to withold season ticket cash until a clearer picture emerges.

greenlex
04-04-2012, 08:16 PM
I'll start doing what clubs want me to do when clubs start doing what supporters want them to do.

We have supporters giving their views on the Rangers debacle, fixture changes and league reconstruction and yet every SPL club/chairman is conspicuous with their silence.
How about a statement from the club backing the supporters and their views?

Rod talks of mistakes the club has made, IMO the season ticket package can be added as one of those mistakes.

He has stated in that statement he is at the forefront of doing whats right for the fans and the club.

SouthamptonHibs
04-04-2012, 08:22 PM
If at least half of the Hibs support did as well as you, we'd have good crowds every week. Well done!

Agree with you.
For the Semi i've got 13 of us going to the game Four of my mates have not been to easter road for the past two years. Im hoping the semi will get them in the mood to go to more games next year! Fenlon and co have 90 mins to shine. I'll always go when i can regardless how bad we r but alot of my mates won't go to a game for free and they stay in Edinburgh

silverhibee
04-04-2012, 08:34 PM
Can you imagine if the board made its strategic and personnel decisions based on what the fans said?

For a start, which fans should they listen to?

The fans on hibs.net? Or those that write things in the on line newspaper comments? Or should they canvas the entire registered fanbase?

Some folk wanted CC to get booted. Some wanted him to get more time.

Derek Riordan is another case in point. Some fans want him back, some don't.

What ever the issue, there will be a myriad of different opinions.

The fans are not a good place to start if you're looking for the solution to a problem.


Well if they are not going to listen to the fans at times what's the point in saying sorry to to us, i take it the sorry from RP is to the fans.

down-the-slope
04-04-2012, 08:51 PM
Can you imagine if the board made its strategic and personnel decisions based on what the fans said?

For a start, which fans should they listen to?

The fans on hibs.net? Or those that write things in the on line newspaper comments? Or should they canvas the entire registered fanbase?

Some folk wanted CC to get booted. Some wanted him to get more time.

Derek Riordan is another case in point. Some fans want him back, some don't.

What ever the issue, there will be a myriad of different opinions.

The fans are not a good place to start if you're looking for the solution to a problem.

You are correct...unless you are talking about the treatment of the Buns....total unity there

Jonnyboy
04-04-2012, 09:02 PM
So what we gonna do about it? How we gonna change it?
You say its up to the club to deliver results. Are we not the club?


You are obviously looking for some sort of return for your season ticket money. I pay mine to see the team. I pay mine to watch the games. Most of my time watching Hibs has been below average seasons with the occaisional decent one. Very occaisionally we have a team that plays decent football but most have been watching avarage stuff and occaisionally utter garbage (like the last two seasons).
I have renewed for next season in hope rather than expectation.

I've read the whole thread and have decided that A's post most closely reflects my feelings on this. So ...... (boring old fart alert) I'm into my sixth decade of watching Hibs. I've seen some stunning performances, a few trophies won, a dramatic rise and fall in our attendances but mostly I've seen average footballers turning in average performances and yet I still love Hibs. Point? It's a heart ruling the head thing. What we've all watched for the past few seasons has been mostly dire but that's nothing new as it's all happened before.

As to Rod's message I applaud him for it. He accepts mistakes were made by him and he apologises and believe me that IS a first. Yes (silver and others) he should have acted sooner re CC but I took his apology as an acceptance of that fact and so I think it unfair to criticise him for making it!

I renewed my season ticket today. My heart once again ruled my head

muzzhfc
04-04-2012, 09:03 PM
He has stated in that statement he is at the forefront of doing whats right for the fans and the club.

according to what set of fans? all fans are divided in the ways forward. we all agree that we went the OF to GTF but some want a larger league, some want a smaller one. some want this while others want that. democracy is great but no matter what happens, your gonna piss someone off

O'Rourke3
04-04-2012, 09:07 PM
Good statement but bottom line -cut the price of the ST drastically and whether the product is good or bad - it'll entice fans to buy.

At that point you then sell more drinks pies etc. If the team's any good then the shop benefits and the walk ups increase.

Loads of free or discounted stuff from the shop isn't the way to get people to part with their hard earned when that hard earned is harder and harder to earn and the cost of everything makes every decsion one where the fan thinks "Can I afford this....."

joebakerforever
04-04-2012, 09:22 PM
Because of my personal circumstances and living within in walking distance of ER, I should be able to attend all home matches irrespective of the constant rescheduling of matches to time & date away from the norm 3pm Saturdays.

Therefore a ST offers value to me and I have renewed.

However I can appreciate that for those unable to attend all games outwith the recognised Saturday 3pm, a ST is not value for money, so why should they be expected to buy one instead of paying at the gate ?

Referring to Petrie's statement on money available to Fenlon, viz. "His budget will be based on Season Ticket renewals", can someone clarify to what purpose pay at the gate and tv monies will be budgeted for :dunno:

Ozyhibby
04-04-2012, 09:22 PM
Buying a season ticket is pointless for me as I struggle to make any of the ridiculous lunch time kick offs.
The situation with Rangers also will have a bearing on whether I attend games next season.

jgl07
04-04-2012, 09:27 PM
He should have acted earlier with CC, remember he was the one that backed him when it was quite clear that about 90% of the fans were wanting him dumped pre-season and Petrie stuck by him with that made up stats statement that he thought he could fool the fans with.

Easy to say sorry now, maybe he should have listened to the fans in the summer and everyone else that new CC was working his ticket out of the club, it was clear as day what CC was up to to everyone apart from RP could see it, if he maybe listened to the fans then he wouldn't be saying sorry now.

Petrie listened to the fans and appointed Franck Sauzee. He later listened to the fans and appointed John Collins, Mixu Paateleinen, and John Hughes.

smurf
04-04-2012, 09:28 PM
I welcome the statement and the content. I called for similar this time last year. I constantly call for leadership and communication from our chairman and here we have it. I welcome the apology. I accept 100% that everything he says he means and what he says is the truth and reality. Thus far sales of season tickets are obviously dreadful.

However.... clubs with smaller budgets, smaller supporter bases and smaller season ticket numbers are outperforming us. As supporters we have been digging deeper than most other supporters of other clubs in the SPL. We turn up in greater numbers. We buy more season tickets. Yet last season and this we are fighting relegation from the dreadful SPL. So just where is the correlation between season ticket sales and success on the park?

Rod got the tone and content correct. I applaud him for it. However, i am sorry. Although it has tugged the heart, I'm thinking with my head for now. My two season tickets won't be renewed. I will reassess at the end of the season.

StevieC
04-04-2012, 09:29 PM
He has stated in that statement he is at the forefront of doing whats right for the fans and the club.

I praise Rod for his statement, but there's the get-out clause.
In the past the "club" have shown that they will prioritise profit over supporters wishes almost every time. What's right "for the club" will involve bending over for Rangers, SKY, not expanding the league and not giving Scottish football the shake up it needs.
If the club really want my ticket money up front then I'd like to see a similar statement giving their view on a NewCoRangers getting into the SPL, league expansion, 2 games a season, distribution of cash and how to take Scottish Football forward. I'd like to see counter arguments against the Scottish Media's attempts to brush Rangers cheating under the carpet and all but give them retention of their SPL status.

BEEJ
04-04-2012, 09:59 PM
Petrie listened to the fans and appointed Franck Sauzee. He later listened to the fans and appointed John Collins, Mixu Paateleinen, and John Hughes.
Put that simply, I very much doubt that was the case.

And in fact, if it was, the Board should be condemned for merely pursuing a populist approach to what is the most important appointment that the club can ever make.

Devine
04-04-2012, 10:03 PM
There are far bigger gripes than kick off times for me yet RP continually trots this out as the MAIN reason we are struggling for ST sales. In the real world most people arent renewing because of the absolute dross we have seen, cost of the tickets, lack of investment, lack of decent playing staff & complete lack of atmosphere (due to the wisdom of building a massive stand when there was no demand for it).

I've heard all this nonsense before, actions speak louder than words. I dont blame anyone who waits and sees what happens especially with this guy in charge!

down the slope
04-04-2012, 10:03 PM
Rod can kiss my erse ! We have all heard his weasel words before, he should have apologised and resigned. what is to stop him repeating the mistakes of the past ? Nothing I would say, if he knows the secret of running a good club why the hell has he not done it before ?.

Hibs90
04-04-2012, 10:45 PM
ST sales must be shockingly bad, but no wonder. I don't blame them for not renewing etc. Personally I would get a ST if I could every season regardless but work commitments say otherwise at the moment. I get along when I can but to be honest it's only been 10 times or so this season. What Petrie says is right, but until the fans see a big improvement on the park week in and week out I seriously doubt that this message is going to persuade anyone into buying for next season.

Newhaven
04-04-2012, 10:51 PM
Typically direct & bold from Mr Petrie. I love the use of the selective facts in that were progressing under Pat, which I believe we are, but to say it's a shame that we've been beaten by teams in the top six. This is a top six that we should be part of EVERY season given the budget and resources at our disposal. Yes were not going to win every game but at least compete and give 100%. We seem to be scared to beat the top six teams who only two have definitive larger budgets than us. What's happened here?

Yes mistakes have been made which he admits to but whilst hindsight is great our form from the day Calderwood took over to the glorious day he left was shocking. The board had time to consider all options yet picked the man with no SPL experience.A post split shambles which included getting beat to Hamilton at home was surpassed with brutal league performance both at home & away at the start of the season. Colin also showed how high a regard he held for the club by the way he conducted pre-season interviews when he was linked to other jobs. And what bold steps did the board take then? They produced a similar statement to what has been published today telling us that we want Colin. Look where that got us. They should have stood up and been counted THEN and sacked him

I suspect current season ticket sales will be poor hence this statement and the players going to ocean terminal to interact with the community today. Great ideas (along with the leaflet drop round Leith) yet they have been suggested many years ago at various fans forums and by people on here. Why has it taken now for the club to act? However, there is still time to salvage some season ticket sales by keeping ahead of the pars and d-day a week on Saturday against Aberdeen.

As Hibby Andy & many people including myself have raised before questions and scrutiny need to be asked how teams with both smaller crowds, poorer stadia and I predict worse training facilities have managed to pull so far ahead of us. These teams must have more expensive tickets than us for this success surely? Well no. Of the two I found (St Johnstone and Motherwell) both paid £325 and £280 respectively for the privilege in 2011/12. Yes there may be revisions for 2012 but not to threaten the £400 barrier. How can these teams do it and not just this season but fairly consistently over the last 5/6 years? Maybe we need to cut our cloth even more and deliver better performance than currently to see what real pressure is like

Yet people will say price doesn't matter well trying saying that to many who are cutting costs and can no longer afford the scottish matchday experience which they're paying top dollar for. Many fans will and should wait and see what happens. This doesn't make us any less a hibs supporter than the fans who have renewed and well done to those that have paid up.

Finally, our biggest rivals now take each derby with three points already in the bag before a ball is kicked, They have a better mindset, preparation and desire to do it for the fans. Even when they're down and not paid they still stroll through a game and take the p*** out us. Could we mention why this is in the next board statement please?

Petrie has done a great job in his time with the club. I spoke to him directly about his tremendous handling of the Brown/Kevin T transfer farce but that was over 5 years ago and with with other areas of the executive being freshened up perhaps he needs to say I've taken the club as far as I have and pass the baton onto someone else to progress the club? Given the state of Hibernian FC in 2012 the new person couldn't do any worse surely.....

scotia44
04-04-2012, 11:26 PM
Rallying call from our esteemed leader as sales slump!

I for one and the wee man are not renewing but does that make me less important as a supporter? I wont give details as why as I don't need my decision justified.

Petrie seems to indicate that to be part of the club you have to stump up for a season ticket in the hope I repeat hope that we come good and its only season ticket holders we have to thank or rely on to do so.

We are all in this and STH aint any different to any other supporter

If I pay at the gate every week 2012/2013, buy the strips, pay for food etc is that not contributing to the "club" ?

And if you are renewing fair play to you but the whole petrie statement & this thread has an undercurrent of we are STH and we are special

Its slightly embarrassing

marinello59
04-04-2012, 11:29 PM
Rallying call from our esteemed leader as sales slump!

I for one and the wee man are not renewing but does that make me less important as a supporter? I wont give details as why as I don't need my decision justified.

Petrie seems to indicate that to be part of the club you have to stump up for a season ticket in the hope I repeat hope that we come good and its only season ticket holders we have to thank or rely on to do so.

We are all in this and STH aint any different to any other supporter

If I pay at the gate every week 2012/2013, buy the strips, pay for food etc is that not contributing to the "club" ?

And if you are renewing fair play to you but the whole petrie statement & this thread has an undercurrent of we are STH and we are special

Its slightly embarrassing

Complete nonsense. Sneer away if it makes you feel better though. People have expressed opinions and some have given reasons for renewing. It's called debate.

IWasThere2016
04-04-2012, 11:33 PM
.. Unfortunately we heard a similar plea when he kept CC last year and blamed a lot of the ills on 'previous incumbent' Hughes as well as taking a portion of the blame on himself.

Sadly he's made one too many mistakes for some and the club will pay through reduced sales. That's his fault, not the fans who don't renew.

Yup - should be dispensed with asap.

Now panicking - and publicly too.

Another large loss looms - with STF having to dig deep to cover it.

Low STs will add to the cash-flow concerns ..

All avoidable if there wasn't such a push on assets over the team.

Fundamentally flawed decision-making from a poor Board/Chairman; and the apologies are too little too late IMHO.

I think we'll see the new guy's value soon with a restructuring of our debt needed to improve the cash-flow. I don't see RP's 'the best to your wallet is via your heart' cry working personally.

KWJ
05-04-2012, 03:20 AM
Still behind Petrie. Don't see how anybody else could do much better really. Off the pitch he's done brilliantly well. On the pitch most of the managers he's hired have had our blessing.

Who else is there to hire?

Peevemor
05-04-2012, 05:55 AM
Yup - should be dispensed with asap.

Now panicking - and publicly too.

Another large loss looms - with STF having to dig deep to cover it.

Low STs will add to the cash-flow concerns ..

All avoidable if there wasn't such a push on assets over the team.

Fundamentally flawed decision-making from a poor Board/Chairman; and the apologies are too little too late IMHO.

I think we'll see the new guy's value soon with a restructuring of our debt needed to improve the cash-flow. I don't see RP's 'the best to your wallet is via your heart' cry working personally.

Where do you get that from? Hibs have consistently outspent nearly all other clubs on the playing side while using the 'windfall' monies on infrastructure.

The problem is the board have put too much trust in dodgy managers (albeit their appointments).

Septimus
05-04-2012, 06:54 AM
Petrie uses the royal we when he says that he is suffering. But is he? Perhaps if he was on a paid by results scheme he would suffer financially when the team gets worse and worse and virtually no action is taken.

I would willingly pay a season ticket to watch Hibs TV every other week. In fact I did for several seasons. However, Hibs saw fit to dump the service without any consultation in spite of offers to continue it at no cost to themselves. Overseas supporters obviously mean nothing to them so why should locals?

It would be good to win the Scottish Cup but are we really serious in hoping that we will? Come on. Lets have a little bit of reality in the debate.

Captain Trips
05-04-2012, 07:08 AM
Good to see he has aknowledged the mistakes however they should have been aknowledged with his resignation 5mins after CC left. What happened in the summmer was a nonsense his judgement in thinking CC was good to continue into this season after his previous 9mths was simply terrible.

I accept hiring a manager is a gamble but at start of this season we had seen what CC had to offer and it was not a gamble. We could and should have had a manager in at seasons start giving us a real chance to be higher in table, IMO Rod Petrie has wasted this season through his bad decision in summer and is not fit for purpose anymore.

Geo_1875
05-04-2012, 07:09 AM
I've had a ST for a number of years but this year I refuse to put my money up front to end up missing games due to ridiculous scheduling which means I pay more than a walk-up. Remember it's only a couple of years since we were asked to pay £50 for a cup top then all 3 home games were reduced prices totalling £40. What a bargain.

marinello59
05-04-2012, 07:21 AM
I've had a ST for a number of years but this year I refuse to put my money up front to end up missing games due to ridiculous scheduling which means I pay more than a walk-up. Remember it's only a couple of years since we were asked to pay £50 for a cup top then all 3 home games were reduced prices totalling £40. What a bargain.

The cup top up is always a gamble, pay your money and take your chances. Matches against lower league sides will always be discounted. If we had progressed further we would have been quids in. I assume you did accept that it might not pay off when you bought it?

Lucius Apuleius
05-04-2012, 07:36 AM
Here is how I see it. Petrie makes a statement, he is castigated. Petrie doesn’t make a statement, he is castigated. Petrie apologizes, empty and shallow and a load of crap. Petrie doesn’t apologize, why the **** not? The man cannot win.

Anyway, I am not saying he should be absolved of all blame. He, after all was the one who appointed the managers we have had. Managers in the main that we the supporters wanted and were delighted with. Some of whom it has to be said, some supporters would rather have back at the club. Same goes for players, nobody can surely deny that Petrie (must be him as everybody says so) has backed every manager with funds to buy the players the manager wanted. Please note, the manager wanted. Not for one nanosecond do I believe Petrie goes looking at players and tells managers to sign them. I agree he is merely the custodian of our football team. As such it is his duty to ensure that Hibernian endures not only throughout our lifetime but through our children’s children’s children, and if you think I am a wee bit moody blue, you are correct.

Here is a question that I am sure someone will have the answer to at their finger tips. We say the Killies, St Js, St Ms, Motherwell etc of this world can all fare better then we can on lesser crowds. Now, I may be well off here, hence the question. What would the rates (or whatever they are called nowadays) be on ER compared to say McDiarmid Park? I would say we have much bigger overheads simply because we are striving (and failing at the minute) to be 3 rd best in a crappy league.

Now the main crux of my rant. Supporter representation???? You must be ******g joking!!! Who would these supporters be and who would they represent? Who is the guy that is high heid yin of the Hibs Supporters Association or whatever it is called, an elected person by members of that association, who gets slagged down every time he opens his gob? Most of the time quite rightly in my opinion but the man is only voicing his opinion. Imagine if we had a dozen of them? Carnage.

As an aside, I probably manage 6 home games a season if I am lucky. ST getting bought today.

Keith_M
05-04-2012, 07:47 AM
Large uptake of Season Tickets is a relatively recent thing, and is only one way of getting income from fans.

If the club wanted to base their spending next season on large Season Ticket uptake and not on projected total income including walk-up, they've done a very poor job of providing an incentive to actually BUY Season Tickets.

He seems to be marketing STs purely on the emotional aspect, get behind YOUR club. Well, people have done that for a number of years and a lot of them are now fed up paying a lot of money for a sub-standard product, with no guarantee they can make every game, thereby paying more on average per game than Pay At The Gate.

It's great he's admitting previous mistakes but a bit disappointing that he seems oblivious to the ones he's currently making.

dangermouse
05-04-2012, 07:55 AM
:agree: Thrashings of a desperate man. Anyone could see this coming the moment we had to sack Calderwood. The Hibs Board, their decision-making, procrastination and basic mis-management of the footballing side of the business has got us into this position - but let's not try apportion blame at this point :green grin

I'm 100% behind the team in the last few games of the season to keep us in the SPL, cos I invested my faith in a Season Ticket. As for new season, Petrie and Hibs can stick their ST offer when the sun doesn't shine in Leith. Words are cheap, sick of being duped, what we need is ACTION, Petrie.

But what action can he take if he has no money to take the action with?

Beefster
05-04-2012, 08:10 AM
Here is how I see it. Petrie makes a statement, he is castigated. Petrie doesn’t make a statement, he is castigated. Petrie apologizes, empty and shallow and a load of crap. Petrie doesn’t apologize, why the **** not? The man cannot win.

If he is being castigated, it's because of the content of the statement and not the fact that he's made a statement. I don't get why folk can't see that and instead have to polarise everything into 'no statement - bad, any statement - good'.


But what action can he take if he has no money to take the action with?

Folk are behaving as if ST money is the only source of income for the club. I have an ST but I can acknowledge that PATG supporters/members play their part.

Edit: Incidentally, this is a prime example of how the club is failing to deal engage the disillusioned supporters and unite the overall support. Rather than get everyone pulling in the same direction, yet again, they've chosen to turn it into a 'good supporter/bad supporter' thing - intentionally or otherwise.

Speedway
05-04-2012, 08:22 AM
I applaud Rod publicly apologizing.

My only concern is you know how you only see celebrities on chat shows when they've got something to sell? That's how this feels to me. Rod's on Hibs telly because he's got a sales target to hit.

Now I know that no income is as important as ST income and so he's only doing his job and fair play. I wish he'd do candid interviews and apologies when there's nothing to sell, that's all.

marinello59
05-04-2012, 08:31 AM
If he is being castigated, it's because of the content of the statement and not the fact that he's made a statement. I don't get why folk can't see that and instead have to polarise everything into 'no statement - bad, any statement - good'.



Folk are behaving as if ST money is the only source of income for the club. I have an ST but I can acknowledge that PATG supporters/members play their part.

Edit: Incidentally, this is a prime example of how the club is failing to deal engage the disillusioned supporters and unite the overalll support. Rather than get everyone pulling in the same direction, yet again, they've chosen to turn it into a 'good supporter/bad supporter' thing - intentionally or otherwise.

Read through the thread again. There are posters saying the time for talk is gone, it's only action that matters. So he is being criticised for talking at all. I haven't seen anybody suggesting that content doesn't matter either, to suggest that would be truly bizzarre.
Also who is behaving as if season ticket income is the only source of income for the club. It's important income as it's guaranteed money in the bank making planning a bit easier. The only crime being commited there is stating the bleeding obvious surely? Nowhere has it been said that other sources of income are not important. Has it? I really don't see where this good supporter / bad supporter thing has come from apart from a few over sensitive wee souls on this thread.

Paisley Hibby
05-04-2012, 08:39 AM
Surprised not much of a mention for Rod saying sorry for his mistakes. Clearly mentions Calderwood as a disaster.

Fair message really.

That's what I though too.

flash
05-04-2012, 08:44 AM
If he is being castigated, it's because of the content of the statement and not the fact that he's made a statement. I don't get why folk can't see that and instead have to polarise everything into 'no statement - bad, any statement - good'.



Folk are behaving as if ST money is the only source of income for the club. I have an ST but I can acknowledge that PATG supporters/members play their part.

Edit: Incidentally, this is a prime example of how the club is failing to deal engage the disillusioned supporters and unite the overall support. Rather than get everyone pulling in the same direction, yet again, they've chosen to turn it into a 'good supporter/bad supporter' thing - intentionally or otherwise.

Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some.

If i felt as bad as they do, and i am unhappy with what i have watched this season, then i would take a break from all things Hibs including this forum instead of taking what seems like delight in posting the same stuff time after time after time.

Barney McGrew
05-04-2012, 08:46 AM
Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some

:agree:

500miles
05-04-2012, 09:00 AM
if he maybe listened to the fans then he wouldn't be saying sorry now.

Like when he sacked Mixu? Who then proceeded to set the building blocks of a successful Killie side, and is now manager of his country?

Maybe the fans' opinions are just a spurious as anyone elses.

Beefster
05-04-2012, 09:15 AM
Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some.

If i felt as bad as they do, and i am unhappy with what i have watched this season, then i would take a break from all things Hibs including this forum instead of taking what seems like delight in posting the same stuff time after time after time.

That's possibly true. In my case, I want to see/hear something different or concrete signs of lessons learned to make me renew (although I may renew before the final deadline either way - my will is bending already). IMHO, the apology aside, the message about Sts is the same stuff we get every year (albeit not necessarily straight from Rodders) and the stuff about the management is exactly what he said last summer but with Calderwood replacing Hughes and Fenlon replacing Calderwood.

I want to get back to the days (not that long ago) where I couldn't wait for the football because I knew, win or lose, it was going to be entertaining.

That all may be perceived as 'negative' but Hibs want me to part with a large wedge of cash and give up family time so I need to be tempted to do so far more these days than ten years ago. Part of the ageing process, I suppose.

Speedway
05-04-2012, 09:21 AM
Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some.

If i felt as bad as they do, and i am unhappy with what i have watched this season, then i would take a break from all things Hibs including this forum instead of taking what seems like delight in posting the same stuff time after time after time.

:agree: Completely agree.


Like when he sacked Mixu? Who then proceeded to set the building blocks of a successful Killie side, and is now manager of his country?

Maybe the fans' opinions are just a spurious as anyone elses.

This manager and his building blocks was widely regard as the 'Fat Finn Clown' by Hibernian fans. They did not want him anywhere near their club. They wanted him to 'GTF' and they wished that the board would look beyond the ex-player route when appointing new managers.

Listen to the fans? yes. Do what they want? maybe not so much.

matty_f
05-04-2012, 09:25 AM
Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some.

If i felt as bad as they do, and i am unhappy with what i have watched this season, then i would take a break from all things Hibs including this forum instead of taking what seems like delight in posting the same stuff time after time after time.

Good point, well made.:agree:


That's possibly true. In my case, I want to see/hear something different or concrete signs of lessons learned to make me renew (although I may renew before the final deadline either way - my will is bending already). IMHO, the apology aside, the message about Sts is the same stuff we get every year (albeit not necessarily straight from Rodders) and the stuff about the management is exactly what he said last summer but with Calderwood replacing Hughes and Fenlon replacing Calderwood.

I want to get back to the days (not that long ago) where I couldn't wait for the football because I knew, win or lose, it was going to be entertaining.

That all may be perceived as 'negative' but Hibs want me to part with a large wedge of cash and give up family time so I need to be tempted to do so far more these days than ten years ago. Part of the ageing process, I suppose.

The thing is, Beefster, that if everyone is sitting waiting for that to happen it's harder and harder for Fenlon/the Board/everyone else at the club to do it. Football's a much more pleasant experience in a busy stadium, watching better players.

I get the point being made, at the moment it's not good value in the sense that the performances have been poor, but supporting a team is about more than paying your money and expecting it to be great. If it was just that then only the very best teams would survive. Football clubs need football fans because they do come back time and time again, they do love the club, they do support the club financially and vocally, and they do know their contribution is essential to the (relative) success of the club.

Anyway, I'm sounding like a stuck record. Go and buy a season ticket - it's the right thing to do!:greengrin

ahibby
05-04-2012, 09:25 AM
Rousing stuff from Rod. Unfortunately it's not just the team that have become underperforming but also the the official website and season ticket phone line. I have been trying to buy a st this morning and the website just leads me round in circles getting no where and when I use the phone number, it rings out. I'll keep trying until I get somewhere. I haven't bothered with a st for two seasons now but I never had problems like this getting through either on web or phone before.

blackpoolhibs
05-04-2012, 09:25 AM
That's possibly true. In my case, I want to see/hear something different or concrete signs of lessons learned to make me renew (although I may renew before the final deadline either way - my will is bending already). IMHO, the apology aside, the message about Sts is the same stuff we get every year (albeit not necessarily straight from Rodders) and the stuff about the management is exactly what he said last summer but with Calderwood replacing Hughes and Fenlon replacing Calderwood.

I want to get back to the days (not that long ago) where I couldn't wait for the football because I knew, win or lose, it was going to be entertaining.

That all may be perceived as 'negative' but Hibs want me to part with a large wedge of cash and give up family time so I need to be tempted to do so far more these days than ten years ago. Part of the ageing process, I suppose.

:agree: I think that is 100% spot on, negative or not it is the way you think, others too. This has been the case over the years for everyone who gets older, some go some stay, and those that go are replaced by younger fans.

I believe the price of football these days and differing times, along with the pish on offer are the real reasons crowds are dipping alarmingly. Buying a season ticket is supposed to address the football side of the problem, but its not done so recently.

A season ticket for some used to be worth it all day long, but now if you miss one game you are better off as a pay at the gate customer.

With all the different start times now, missing games on the season ticket is common for most folk.

Perhaps the club should be looking at how they fund Fenlons budget differently?:confused:

matty_f
05-04-2012, 09:40 AM
:agree: I think that is 100% spot on, negative or not it is the way you think, others too. This has been the case over the years for everyone who gets older, some go some stay, and those that go are replaced by younger fans.

I believe the price of football these days and differing times, along with the pish on offer are the real reasons crowds are dipping alarmingly. Buying a season ticket is supposed to address the football side of the problem, but its not done so recently.

A season ticket for some used to be worth it all day long, but now if you miss one game you are better off as a pay at the gate customer.

With all the different start times now, missing games on the season ticket is common for most folk.

Perhaps the club should be looking at how they fund Fenlons budget differently?:confused:

I think they should be looking at that, definitely. It's a good point.

I suppose the issue with football is that you only really have a few guaranteed (in that you know how much you will receive at the start of the season) revenue streams - season ticket income, sponsorship money, and tv money. The rest comes from walk-ups, hospitality, club shop, cup runs and various other off-field activities.

I don't know what the answer is, to be honest. I do, though, think the policy of guaranteeing that every penny of season ticket income will go to Pat Fenlon to spend is a good one and certainly, for me anyway, makes the decision to purchase a season ticket much easier.

matty_f
05-04-2012, 09:46 AM
Manager Pat Fenlon said this week he is both enthused and optimistic about the future and wants as many Hibernian Season Ticket Members - the core support of the club - on board for the journey ahead.Fenlon said: "My message to supporters, who are deciding whether or not to buy a season ticket is to please back the team."We said at the start when we came in it will take a little bit of time to turn everything around. We are showing signs that this is happening and we're working very hard to make sure we do that."We understand and we know there has been a lot of heartache over the last season or two and we need to change that."We don't want the club to be in this position again next season, that's for certain. That is what we're working hard towards."By people purchasing their Season Ticket it means we can move forward as a club. It means we can bring in some quality players to help the boys we already have here."So if you haven't done it yet, I would ask you to please go out and sign up.

Message is clear and consistent, they know it's been pish, they want to improve, they need us with them to do it.

smurf
05-04-2012, 09:53 AM
Like when he sacked Mixu? Who then proceeded to set the building blocks of a successful Killie side, and is now manager of his country?

Maybe the fans' opinions are just a spurious as anyone elses.

History has been rewritten re Mixu. We were awful. Though admittedly better than we have been....

Let's not forget we were heading down the road of Ross Chisolm extended deals...

Mixu did well at Killie but got lucky with certain loan signings. Good luck to the big man though. He had to leave ER but no reason why he can't go on to be a top manager. Some great managers in the game were deservedly sacked at points in their career.

Baker9
05-04-2012, 09:59 AM
Killie, motherwell, st johnstone, st mirren etc etc MUST have smaller budgets than us and DO have smaller crowds so all this keech about hampering the player budget etc doesn't wash with me. Smaller teams with less crowds and far smaller budgets consistently do a lot better than us and get in better quality players. There's something far more wrong at Hibs than just fans not turning up for games or season tickets. I'd be willing to bet we'll get more season ticket holders next season than the average crowd at the aforementioned teams along with inverness and ross county.

Spot on. The farcical, unprofessional comings and goings of the last few years have been embarrasing. Panic sets in yet again.

truehibernian
05-04-2012, 10:03 AM
Sadly I get quite cynical when Rod puts out statements these days.

In the past I have been critical of his lack of exposure and real lack of media presence (good or bad times). So I suppose one should be both thankful and surprised at this frankness and a sudden attack of humility.

However the timing says two things to me - financially we are not doing well and secondly he sees the division amongst the fans and the boardroom. Things that I have spoken about in recent weeks on many threads. So I'm afraid my empathy and sympathy towards Rod is now long gone. For me it is time to acknowledge his tremendous service, and equally tremendous achievements, and ask him to step aside for someone more dynamic and with more football vision. He is becoming like an old jumper you just don't want to throw out or give away.......but just sits in the wardrobe in a shroud of sentimentality.

When people are talking about striking while the iron is hot with regards changing the face of Scottish football, I can't help thinking that Hibernian, a club who has a history of being 'visionary', has missed a trick in changing the face of the club.

We now have a comfortable and beautiful arena to watch a game of football - sadly the football, the entertainment (not just the game), the food, the actual day out, is not worth the money. Hibernian could have chosen this time to make a real 'apology' to fans and cut/slash prices. They didn't. Instead, for me, they see fans rightly voting with their feet and wallets, and then decide a statement is needed to generate interest - sorry to be negative and cynical, but that's the only way I see it.


6 huge huge league games coming up - would season ticket holders have been upset if the club had put together a wee package for the run in, ensuring every supporter could afford to come along and support the club ? As an apology I would have liked them to open the doors for the next home game free of charge - yes, season ticket holders could mump and moan - I don't care really, moan away. I want the fans who are swithering to maybe be enticed back - and if that means a wee £20 freebee, so be it. I'm married to Hibs so they will always get my cash - it's the one's who feel detached I want to see back in the stands.

I also want to see positivity from the minute I enter Easter Road to when I leave, regardless of the result. You don't get that from statements.

Baker9
05-04-2012, 10:05 AM
Message is clear and consistent, they know it's been pish, they want to improve, they need us with them to do it.

Who got us into the mess we are in? They did! Petrie is not experienced, he has just been doing it wrong for longer.

StevieC
05-04-2012, 10:06 AM
Well, people have done that for a number of years and a lot of them are now fed up paying a lot of money for a sub-standard product, with no guarantee they can make every game, thereby paying more on average per game than Pay At The Gate.

It's great he's admitting previous mistakes but a bit disappointing that he seems oblivious to the ones he's currently making.

:agree:

The games I missed last season (due to fixture changes etc.) meant that the average cost per game for me was £32.

If this years season ticket had been better priced (instead of freebies that I was never going to use) then I would have renewed.

blackpoolhibs
05-04-2012, 10:09 AM
Here's a wee idea for the board, lets say we sell 8000 season tickets a year. Lets have the board put that money up front now for Fenlon to use, then take it back from future sales, a bit like seasonticketus.

Perhaps then they might focus more on getting things right on the park?

BoltonHibee
05-04-2012, 10:24 AM
Only 12 months to wait before we hear the same tripe coming out his gob again. ( Although it will probably be Fenlon getting it in the neck this time)

Rod, do us all a favour and fall on yer sword

Onion
05-04-2012, 10:31 AM
Petrie listened to the fans and appointed Franck Sauzee. He later listened to the fans and appointed John Collins, Mixu Paateleinen, and John Hughes.

He isn't paid to listen to the fans, he's paid to make the right decisions and in all the cases mentioned he made MAJOR mistakes in appointments, sacking and management. If the right decision coincides with the fans wishes then all good and well.

Craig_in_Prague
05-04-2012, 10:43 AM
Message is clear and consistent, they know it's been pish, they want to improve, they need us with them to do it.

So Hibs cannot improve the product on the park, unless very healthy numbers turn up or buy ST?

How many # ST does RP want exactly? Why not give us a number?

There is no reason this club cannot compete on the park with the likes of D Utd, Motherwell or St Johnstone, irrespective of the # in the stands. We should always have enough finances to compete.... and we have this amazing training facility right, and are based in a nice city.

So why don't all the suits and football management staff, get on with their jobs - get a fit hungry and competitive team on the park and stop whining about lack of ST sales - Other clubs seem to have good sides with smaller crowds.

I am not against the statement or interview and think it's good RP done this, but to say "we need the fans to progress" does not wash with me.

blackpoolhibs
05-04-2012, 10:50 AM
So Hibs cannot improve the product on the park, unless very healthy numbers turn up or buy ST?

How many # ST does RP want exactly? Why not give us a number?

There is no reason this club cannot compete on the park with the likes of D Utd, Motherwell or St Johnstone, irrespective of the # in the stands. We should always have enough finances to compete.... and we have this amazing training facility right, and are based in a nice city.

So why don't all the suits and football management staff, get on with their jobs - get a fit hungry and competitive team on the park and stop whining about lack of ST sales - Other clubs seem to have good sides with smaller crowds.

I am not against the statement or interview and think it's good RP done this, but to say "we need the fans to progress" does not wash with me.


100% spot on, lets hear them say just what they need for us to compete with St Johnstone, a club who struggle to get 4000 through the gate?

Onion
05-04-2012, 10:51 AM
Here is how I see it. Petrie makes a statement, he is castigated. Petrie doesn’t make a statement, he is castigated. Petrie apologizes, empty and shallow and a load of crap. Petrie doesn’t apologize, why the **** not? The man cannot win.

Anyway, I am not saying he should be absolved of all blame. He, after all was the one who appointed the managers we have had. Managers in the main that we the supporters wanted and were delighted with. Some of whom it has to be said, some supporters would rather have back at the club. Same goes for players, nobody can surely deny that Petrie (must be him as everybody says so) has backed every manager with funds to buy the players the manager wanted. Please note, the manager wanted. Not for one nanosecond do I believe Petrie goes looking at players and tells managers to sign them. I agree he is merely the custodian of our football team. As such it is his duty to ensure that Hibernian endures not only throughout our lifetime but through our children’s children’s children, and if you think I am a wee bit moody blue, you are correct.

Here is a question that I am sure someone will have the answer to at their finger tips. We say the Killies, St Js, St Ms, Motherwell etc of this world can all fare better then we can on lesser crowds. Now, I may be well off here, hence the question. What would the rates (or whatever they are called nowadays) be on ER compared to say McDiarmid Park? I would say we have much bigger overheads simply because we are striving (and failing at the minute) to be 3 rd best in a crappy league.

Now the main crux of my rant. Supporter representation???? You must be ******g joking!!! Who would these supporters be and who would they represent? Who is the guy that is high heid yin of the Hibs Supporters Association or whatever it is called, an elected person by members of that association, who gets slagged down every time he opens his gob? Most of the time quite rightly in my opinion but the man is only voicing his opinion. Imagine if we had a dozen of them? Carnage.

As an aside, I probably manage 6 home games a season if I am lucky. ST getting bought today.

Erm, I think that's what the word "untenable" means :rolleyes:

MB62
05-04-2012, 11:04 AM
Killie, motherwell, st johnstone, st mirren etc etc MUST have smaller budgets than us and DO have smaller crowds so all this keech about hampering the player budget etc doesn't wash with me. Smaller teams with less crowds and far smaller budgets consistently do a lot better than us and get in better quality players. There's something far more wrong at Hibs than just fans not turning up for games or season tickets.
I'd be willing to bet we'll get more season ticket holders next season than the average crowd at the aforementioned teams along with inverness and ross county.

Totally agree, especially with the bit in bold :top marks:

Being asked to buy a season ticket when we don't even know what division we will be playing in is a no brainer for me, even if I did have any intention of buying one, which I don't.

It must be great being the owner of our club, safe in the knowledge that you will never again be expected to put your hand in your pocket to help sort things out.
For me, this is just a revamp of the Stand Up and Be Counted appeal, when the owner starts showing an interest in what happens on the park, maybe I will too.

I wonder if Mr Kennedy is still interested in buying a football club?

Peevemor
05-04-2012, 11:08 AM
Like when he sacked Mixu? Who then proceeded to set the building blocks of a successful Killie side, and is now manager of his country?

Maybe the fans' opinions are just a spurious as anyone elses.

Was Mixu sacked?

Captain Trips
05-04-2012, 11:22 AM
Disgraceful once
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/scotland/premier-league/2010-2011

But to make the same error twice
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/scotland/premier-league/2011-2012/table

2 seasons in a row is beyond apologies when it had a chance of getting fixed in summer, I do not think you should be any part of us all coming together Rod.

Ozyhibby
05-04-2012, 11:28 AM
Maybe Rod should try the old fashioned way of boosting season ticket sales and sign some good players for a change.

silverhibee
05-04-2012, 11:45 AM
100% spot on, lets hear them say just what they need for us to compete with St Johnstone, a club who struggle to get 4000 through the gate?

4002 on Saturday. :wink::greengrin

Capt Mainwaring
05-04-2012, 11:45 AM
Thing is Beefster i reckon a lot of folk on here are determined not to be engaged at any cost. Buy a season ticket, don't buy a season ticket it's individual choice. What hacks me off is the almost relentless negativity shown by some.

If i felt as bad as they do, and i am unhappy with what i have watched this season, then i would take a break from all things Hibs including this forum instead of taking what seems like delight in posting the same stuff time after time after time.

Spot on Flash. I'll be renewing today because I want to make my contribution to the cause.

Have no real issue with the guys that won't be renewing. Everyone has a choice to make based on either personal circumstances or views on the way the club is run and the team is managed, but I don't get the need for a few on this Site to feel the need to constantly drive negativity and find reasons not to buy. The " I hate Rangers more than I love Hibs -therefore if the Huns go into liquidation and the SPL accept an Application from Newco, I'll not be renewing" excuse is particularly close to the bottom of the barrel.

Lucius Apuleius
05-04-2012, 11:48 AM
Erm, I think that's what the word "untenable" means :rolleyes:

Hmmm, different definition from me then.

Bad Martini
05-04-2012, 11:57 AM
"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques."

Bill Shankly was right.

Putting that aside, the sooner Petrie and his mates wake up and smell the first divison coffee, the better. All the rallying calls/condascending (wrapped in "Im sorry/we're in this together") pish in the world wont make a blind bit of difference if we get relegated...though, FWIW and if the board/Petrie and his mates are listening, consider the following:


1) Get of your arse, walk into the Hibs Dressing Room before the next match and tell the "employees" they are in a relegation battle. They should know this, but remind them. Tell them, if they dont understand this and dont understand what it means to sweat, run their fat ***** off and make a difference for the FULL NINETY MINUTES+, they can **** off now.
Make sure it's clear their employment (where legally possible) WILL be swiftly terminated, where they fail to produce the goods. Also make sure you make it clear that where you can, for non-compliance and lack of "effort", you'll make sure they sweat for the rest of the week, 9-5, over on the holiday camp just outside Tranent.

2) After you've done that, get your arse in the middle of the pitch, ala Judas McLeish, take the announcers mic and do it where it matters. Stand up and say "we got it wrong. We hired the wrong men and made the wrong decisions and for that, we are really sorry". Then take the boo or applause. THAT, is how you apologise...

3) ...then carry on and say "and now we need YOU, the paying punters to help us because we need YOU to get us right out this mess that WE created. We need YOU to sing, shout, cheer and make as much noise as you can and we need you to draw a line under ALL we have done before"...

4) ..."we are nothing without you and YOU ARE the club". Not the players, manager, directors, chairmen or even the owner. NONE of them are the club. YOU, are the club. If you dont come, we dont come and thats it.

5) Do that (which is what he tried to do via a website) and drop in the odd bit of sincerity and you WILL get people listening. You MIGHT even win some respect. People wont forget your screw ups but they might just respect you a bit more and you'll have far more on your side than against you. It requires balls and you'll need to mean it...and make it clear you mean it.

6) Then making ****ing sure point 1 above is addressed for the remaining games, we have, consider simple economics:
- Your current season ticket offer went down like a lead baloon
- If you want to sell more Season Tickets, here's some radical ideas, working on the principle that selling more tickets at an overall lower return, will in fact make you much more than you are making now

* Season ticket deadline is extended a month...
* The "free" top - sorry, we screwed that up. How about we give you £35 off the price of any top if you buy from the club shop within 4 weeks of the new top coming out
* The "free" celtic and rangers tickets - scrapped. We'll give you £25 off your season ticket.
* The payment plan - we cant pay your interest but we'll take your cash over 12 months
* The free kids tickets - since we've NEVER sold ER out since spending all YOUR money on a stand, we'll honour that. Not for 250 kids. But for as many as you can muster. Why? Cause THEY are our future. So, if 1000 punters want to bring their kids, we'll give them their free kids ticket with every adult ticket sold. We may have to house you in a different place if demand is high but we think its fair and most would agree.
* For those with no kids, who dont want a free top and who are essentially going to the game on their todd with mates say, we'll give you £25 off your ticket too cause we value everyone.

...do all that, Petrie/etc, do that, and watch your tickets sell. Yes, you will not make as much money than your current package. However, if you current package isnt selling, I reckon you're better to go for bulk sales. That comes with other benefits; more crowds = more catering bought, more programmes bought, more noise, more atmosphere, more of everything and more money.....

ABOVE ALL. Make sure every game, you tell the "employees" their wages are being paid so they perform. No more ****ing around or you WONT be renewing any of them.

ENDOF

Phil MaGlass
05-04-2012, 12:00 PM
Great logic there, as well. :rolleyes:

It's all relative - the board will and have (IIRC) put money into the club, they are asking the fans to do the same but on a more reasonable scale - the price of a season ticket. It's our club, our team. If we don't give them the money, nobody will.

Did´nt the fans do this for the Stand Up And Be Counted campaign, the fans turned up, did their part and it ended up being Stand Up And Be Shafted with the crap we had to put up with.
I dont blame anyone not renewing their ST, especially with what we have had to put up with over the years,also if the buns are (as it seems) just going to waltz back into a SPHell of 12 teams, how will that effect the ST sales, hopefully the rest of the league get the message aswell, the the OF cant go on ruining our game any longer, or the other clubs will also have problems shifting ST,s.
I would not have renewed my ST if I had the option, pick and choose games especially with pi55 poor KO times.
A big well done to the fans who have/will.:thumbsup:

500miles
05-04-2012, 12:04 PM
Was Mixu sacked?

Not straight out, but certainly pushed.

Broken Gnome
05-04-2012, 12:08 PM
Not straight out, but certainly pushed.

Which was a popular decision at the time.

smurf
05-04-2012, 12:17 PM
Not straight out, but certainly pushed.

He received compensation that suggests to me he was sacked.

AndyM_1875
05-04-2012, 12:18 PM
Which was a popular decision at the time.

Ah yes Mixu.

Effectively punted by Hibs due to grumbling and whinging from fans due to the playing style of the team at the time.
And then look at his results just before his departure - home draws with both cheeks of the Old Firm erse and home and away wins over the Pub Team as well as a top 6 finish. Not exactly something to be ashamed of for Mixu, unlike the fans who wrote whinging letters and emails to the Directors.:rolleyes:

Mixu was not brilliant by any stretch but he was a you8ng manager learning and I do think we should have stuck with him rather than dump him and run off down the blind alley that was the Hughes tenency before the unmitigated car crash of Calderwood.

IWasThere2016
05-04-2012, 12:30 PM
Where do you get that from? Hibs have consistently outspent nearly all other clubs on the playing side while using the 'windfall' monies on infrastructure.

The problem is the board have put too much trust in dodgy managers (albeit their appointments).

The problem is the Board was/is running out of cash as Holding Co stepped in last year, will need to do so next year and RP's plea this time is to avoid a further injection next year as ST will be poor. We did not need to a) spend the cash we did on tangibles nor b) spend it at the rate we did. We have not spent well - poor appointments by the Board as you say - but nor have we dedicated enough resource to the team. All coming home to roost ..

Phil MaGlass
05-04-2012, 12:31 PM
"At a football club, there's a holy trinity -

whole post, excellent

mibbe could have added a bit in the speech that the newcobuns can GTF aswell, I would definitely buy a ST if he said that microphone in hand.

500miles
05-04-2012, 12:49 PM
He received compensation that suggests to me he was sacked.

I think it was more complicated than a straightforward sacking. Certainly, the press said he left, and Mixu released a statement about parting ways for the good of both parties. Suggests that the board made it clear that they wished him to step down, with compensation. Like i said, more of a shove than a sacking.

And the only reason they could have done that was because they took the loudmouth element within the support too seriously. It was clear that Hibs would be undergoing a big rebuilding job, and that we would stutter. However, people would rather game with a new face, than stick with the guy that managed us to a steady top six change in the face of that rebuilding job. I'm still puzzled by it, and, after a few beers, Mountcastle Hibs still gets my anger about that decision spouted at him :greengrin. Good guy, good Hibby, and as he showed, both at Hibs and elsewhere, good manager.

Speedway
05-04-2012, 01:07 PM
This is an interesting idea for STs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17610789

blackpoolhibs
05-04-2012, 01:12 PM
This is an interesting idea for STs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17610789

The Hartlepool way seemed to work for them, the first 4000 tickets were at so much, every 1k extra brought so much off everyones price, cant remember the figures. The outcome was a sell out of season tickets, and prices were virtually halved if my memory is right. I think we'd all like a season ticket for £200.

bawheid
05-04-2012, 01:16 PM
And the only reason they could have done that was because they took the loudmouth element within the support too seriously.

They do this continually - this is their biggest failing.

The vast majority of football supporters know **** all about how to run a football club. The majority of them know **** all about football, if we're being honest.

Hibs need to stop listening and reacting to them, and actually do some leading for a change. There are no leaders at the club at all.

Take the decisions which need to be taken to make Hibs work again. Don't bother pandering to the supporters - they'll come and watch a winning side regardless.

Beefster
05-04-2012, 01:27 PM
This is an interesting idea for STs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17610789

It's a great idea but it looks like it would only work well if the majority of the club's turnover didn't come from ticket sales.

IWasThere2016
05-04-2012, 04:07 PM
It's a great idea but it looks like it would only work well if the majority of the club's turnover didn't come from ticket sales.

Hibs soon then.

Baker9
05-04-2012, 04:08 PM
They do this continually - this is their biggest failing.

The vast majority of football supporters know **** all about how to run a football club. The majority of them know **** all about football, if we're being honest.

Hibs need to stop listening and reacting to them, and actually do some leading for a change. There are no leaders at the club at all.
Take the decisions which need to be taken to make Hibs work again. Don't bother pandering to the supporters - they'll come and watch a winning side regardless.

Good post. Lots of talk about strategy but no sign of it. Plenty signs of panic!

HibeesLA
05-04-2012, 08:02 PM
It's a great idea but it looks like it would only work well if the majority of the club's turnover didn't come from ticket sales.

Noticed that as well. How about (and forgive me here, this is off the top of my head and not fully thought through) extending the membership scheme and get rid of "season tickets". As both Blackpool and StevieC mention, missing a game or two means that the cost of the Season Ticket wasn't worth it, and with the TV companies looking likely to still control kick off times, more people are going to dump the Season Ticket and do walk up.

So, extend the Membership, maybe charge £200 for it, and then charge a nominal fee on top for each game attended. Make it so that if you attend all home games, including Cup/Europe, the price works out to be around £400. If you miss a few, then you've only paid £350. Easier for the fans to stomach, some cash up front for the club.

As stated, off the top of my head thinking, but surely the club needs to do something to offset the kick off times issues at the least, and give them assurances of capital to start spending on the playing staff.

BEEJ
05-04-2012, 09:49 PM
Ah yes Mixu.

Effectively punted by Hibs due to grumbling and whinging from fans due to the playing style of the team at the time.

And then look at his results just before his departure - home draws with both cheeks of the Old Firm erse and home and away wins over the Pub Team as well as a top 6 finish. Not exactly something to be ashamed of for Mixu, unlike the fans who wrote whinging letters and emails to the Directors.:rolleyes:

Mixu was not brilliant by any stretch but he was a you8ng manager learning and I do think we should have stuck with him rather than dump him and run off down the blind alley that was the Hughes tenency before the unmitigated car crash of Calderwood.
Everything back then now seems wonderful relative to the context of what we've had to endure since. It doesn't mean that Mixu was the answer, unfortunately.

Have we really forgotten already that ruddy 'diamond' formation with which he peristed but for which we did not have the proper calibre of player? I vividly recall a match against ICT at ER in November 2008 in which we were royally hammered 2-1 going on 5-1. It was awful. And sadly that wasn't a one off.


And the only reason they could have done that was because they took the loudmouth element within the support too seriously. It was clear that Hibs would be undergoing a big rebuilding job, and that we would stutter. However, people would rather game with a new face, than stick with the guy that managed us to a steady top six change in the face of that rebuilding job. I'm still puzzled by it, and, after a few beers, Mountcastle Hibs still gets my anger about that decision spouted at him :greengrin. Good guy, good Hibby, and as he showed, both at Hibs and elsewhere, good manager.
For whatever reason, Hibs and Mixu did not fit well.

I think Mixu would argue off the record that he was given less freedom in his player dealings at ER than he would have liked. But clearly his year-out after his exit from ER would also have done him the world of good in terms of his education on the management aspects of the game.

mca
05-04-2012, 10:00 PM
Sadly I get quite cynical when Rod puts out statements these days.

In the past I have been critical of his lack of exposure and real lack of media presence (good or bad times). So I suppose one should be both thankful and surprised at this frankness and a sudden attack of humility.

However the timing says two things to me - financially we are not doing well and secondly he sees the division amongst the fans and the boardroom. Things that I have spoken about in recent weeks on many threads. So I'm afraid my empathy and sympathy towards Rod is now long gone. For me it is time to acknowledge his tremendous service, and equally tremendous achievements, and ask him to step aside for someone more dynamic and with more football vision. He is becoming like an old jumper you just don't want to throw out or give away.......but just sits in the wardrobe in a shroud of sentimentality.

When people are talking about striking while the iron is hot with regards changing the face of Scottish football, I can't help thinking that Hibernian, a club who has a history of being 'visionary', has missed a trick in changing the face of the club.

We now have a comfortable and beautiful arena to watch a game of football - sadly the football, the entertainment (not just the game), the food, the actual day out, is not worth the money. Hibernian could have chosen this time to make a real 'apology' to fans and cut/slash prices. They didn't. Instead, for me, they see fans rightly voting with their feet and wallets, and then decide a statement is needed to generate interest - sorry to be negative and cynical, but that's the only way I see it.


6 huge huge league games coming up - would season ticket holders have been upset if the club had put together a wee package for the run in, ensuring every supporter could afford to come along and support the club ? As an apology I would have liked them to open the doors for the next home game free of charge - yes, season ticket holders could mump and moan - I don't care really, moan away. I want the fans who are swithering to maybe be enticed back - and if that means a wee £20 freebee, so be it. I'm married to Hibs so they will always get my cash - it's the one's who feel detached I want to see back in the stands.

I also want to see positivity from the minute I enter Easter Road to when I leave, regardless of the result. You don't get that from statements.










:aok: hit the nail on the head.. watching football is no worth more than a tenner - is it ?

ALF TUPPER
06-04-2012, 03:10 PM
Got my season ticket for 2012/13 sorted. Premier league? sure hope so , .... 1st division ? ( dread the thought) But no matter what division. I'll be there cheering the Hibees on.

Glory Glory

Sunny1875
06-04-2012, 05:58 PM
Hindsight is a wonderful thing! He slagged of yogi and praised cc, now Slags off cc and praises fenlon.

Get a team on the park and the fans will come back, but with different ko times, rangers situation and dire football people won't be racing out to spend 400 smacker-rooneys


Anyone know how the other 'rebel' clubs are fairing with ST sales in light of these developments ?

zlatan
06-04-2012, 11:52 PM
Ah yes Mixu.

Effectively punted by Hibs due to grumbling and whinging from fans due to the playing style of the team at the time.
And then look at his results just before his departure - home draws with both cheeks of the Old Firm erse and home and away wins over the Pub Team as well as a top 6 finish. Not exactly something to be ashamed of for Mixu, unlike the fans who wrote whinging letters and emails to the Directors.:rolleyes:

Mixu was not brilliant by any stretch but he was a you8ng manager learning and I do think we should have stuck with him rather than dump him and run off down the blind alley that was the Hughes tenency before the unmitigated car crash of Calderwood.

Mixu took a year out after leaving Hibs to completely rewrite his management style. He travelled all over Europe and shadowed coaching to pick up new techniques and methods which he then introduced at Killie. For that he deserves nothing but respect and admiration but it doesn't mean he was the right person for Hibs at the time.

JimBHibees
07-04-2012, 11:28 AM
Mixu took a year out after leaving Hibs to completely rewrite his management style. He travelled all over Europe and shadowed coaching to pick up new techniques and methods which he then introduced at Killie. For that he deserves nothing but respect and admiration but it doesn't mean he was the right person for Hibs at the time.

I also wouldnt understimate that he had Kenny Shiels as his assistant at Killie.