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21.05.2016
19-05-2014, 03:35 PM
This summer will be the 24th anniversary of the attempted Wallace Mercer take over bid, the clubs darkest days. I was talking to an older hibee the other day and he had some really quite inspiring stories from the time - how the HoH campaign was rallied together etc.

A terrible time in the clubs history and for those hibees old enough to remember the time it is remebered as a very dark period. The intense emotions and the horrible feeling that this beloved club was about to be wiped from the map for good. A very inspiring story though, the club at rock bottom then the triumph of finnaly beating Mercer and going on to bring cup glory back to ER the following year.

What are your memories of that time?

jdships
19-05-2014, 07:11 PM
This summer will be the 24th anniversary of the attempted Wallace Mercer take over bid, the clubs darkest days. I was talking to an older hibee the other day and he had some really quite inspiring stories from the time - how the HoH campaign was rallied together etc.

A terrible time in the clubs history and for those hibees old enough to remember the time it is remebered as a very dark period. The intense emotions and the horrible feeling that this beloved club was about to be wiped from the map for good. A very inspiring story though, the club at rock bottom then the triumph of finnaly beating Mercer and going on to bring cup glory back to ER the following year.

What are your memories of that time?

Yes there were some " inspiring stories" told re the Mercer saga but quite honestly think the whole episode has been done to death and should be laid to rest .
:not worth

big gogs
19-05-2014, 07:22 PM
Mercer lying when facing the media ,claiming it was the only way edinburgh United ,a.k.a.hearts could take on the old firm.but nothing to do with the land from Easter road to the rear of meadow bank was valued at £15,000,000.as stated at the time by the Glasgow herald.all the other media just swallowed mercers party line.there was a story at the time that sir tom farmer met mercer and mercer called s.t.f. An insignificant little business man .no words can explain how much I hated mercer,and to be honest the hate does not fade with time.

jdships
19-05-2014, 07:33 PM
Mercer lying when facing the media ,claiming it was the only way edinburgh United ,a.k.a.hearts could take on the old firm.but nothing to do with the land from Easter road to the rear of meadow bank was valued at £15,000,000.as stated at the time by the Glasgow herald.all the other media just swallowed mercers party line.there was a story at the time that sir tom farmer met mercer and mercer called s.t.f. An insignificant little business man .no words can explain how much I hated mercer,and to be honest the hate does not fade with time.

Was involved quite a bit in the whole sorry affair and never ever heard that story !!( There were meetings )

:confused:

big gogs
19-05-2014, 07:50 PM
I know for certain mercer called an edinburgh businessman ,not s.t.f,and told him not to get involved.with hands off hibs,the business man told mercer I am going to put my hand down your throat and rip your f...ing lungs out,mercer never called him again

21.05.2016
19-05-2014, 08:19 PM
Mercer lying when facing the media ,claiming it was the only way edinburgh United ,a.k.a.hearts could take on the old firm.but nothing to do with the land from Easter road to the rear of meadow bank was valued at £15,000,000.as stated at the time by the Glasgow herald.all the other media just swallowed mercers party line.there was a story at the time that sir tom farmer met mercer and mercer called s.t.f. An insignificant little business man .no words can explain how much I hated mercer,and to be honest the hate does not fade with time.

Wouldnt suprise me - Mercer was an extremely arrogant soul.

Greenblood70
19-05-2014, 08:51 PM
I know for certain mercer called an edinburgh businessman ,not s.t.f,and told him not to get involved.with hands off hibs,the business man told mercer I am going to put my hand down your throat and rip your f...ing lungs out,mercer never called him again

Mergers biggest mistake and it was a mark of his arrogance, was to underestimate the scale of the backlash against him. I mind the beer tent in Princes St gardens during the festival had 'Mercer must die' spray painted on it. Emotions were certainly running very high. The man was an utter tool and got everything he deserved IMO.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

jdships
19-05-2014, 09:39 PM
Wouldnt suprise me - Mercer was an extremely arrogant soul.

Mercer was a regular caller at the office I worked in to see my boss and the Receptionists regularly complained about his bad manners and his general lack of respect towards them.
Never ever heard him say " please or thank you" to anyone .
Strangely enough Robinson was equally bad mannered and disrespectful !!

HKhibby
20-05-2014, 12:39 AM
I know for certain mercer called an edinburgh businessman ,not s.t.f,and told him not to get involved.with hands off hibs,the business man told mercer I am going to put my hand down your throat and rip your f...ing lungs out,mercer never called him again

This is the true event, i was in London at the time and was told this by an off duty Edinburgh Police Officer, who was on business with the Met Police.

Mercer did call him, do not know what was said, but it was words to that effect and he did not deal with STF again, shortly after that is when he and his family asked for police protection and they moved out of Edinburgh!

HKhibby
20-05-2014, 01:09 AM
Mergers biggest mistake and it was a mark of his arrogance, was to underestimate the scale of the backlash against him. I mind the beer tent in Princes St gardens during the festival had 'Mercer must die' spray painted on it. Emotions were certainly running very high. The man was an utter tool and got everything he deserved IMO.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I never ever got near enough to Mercer to ever say anything to him....i would have really liked to! But the only time i could have but couldnt due to other circumstances was about 12 years ago, maybe just a little more, at Miami International Airport! I was with a client having a coffee in an arrivals hall area cafe, the guy i was with had gone to the toilet, when i looked up at all the pasengers who had just arrived on a BA Flight from London.....and amougst them was Mercer, the reason i was attracted to them especially as he was one of about five, all standing with golf club bags... And there was the little runt standing there with hisvred face and an un-lit cigar in his mouth!

At that point the guy i was with came back, the other factor i couldnt have said anything was there were loads of armed police around as another flight had not long arrived from Israel! And i was about to go and check in for my flight back to HK!
I think he died a couple of years after that!

Mathias Jack
20-05-2014, 03:34 PM
Can always remember coming back from holiday that year, my Grandad telling me about the unfolding story on the way home.

My Dad told me the Hands Off Hibs rally was the same day as my birthday party. Really wanted to go to ER that day though. And we did, late for my party, much to the annoyance of my Mum. Learned as a kid, Hibs first...everything else second! My old man taught me well!

mim
20-05-2014, 04:16 PM
Used to see the pompous, fat twat quite regularly in what was Le Bistro in William Street (opposite The Auld Hoose, now Bert's bar).

One of the most obnoxious individuals I've ever had the misfortune to meet.

blackpoolhibs
20-05-2014, 04:28 PM
I never ever got near enough to Mercer to ever say anything to him....i would have really liked to! But the only time i could have but couldnt due to other circumstances was about 12 years ago, maybe just a little more, at Miami International Airport! I was with a client having a coffee in an arrivals hall area cafe, the guy i was with had gone to the toilet, when i looked up at all the pasengers who had just arrived on a BA Flight from London.....and amougst them was Mercer, the reason i was attracted to them especially as he was one of about five, all standing with golf club bags... And there was the little runt standing there with hisvred face and an un-lit cigar in his mouth!

At that point the guy i was with came back, the other factor i couldnt have said anything was there were loads of armed police around as another flight had not long arrived from Israel! And i was about to go and check in for my flight back to HK!
I think he died a couple of years after that!

I love a story with a happy ending. :top marks

Pretty Boy
20-05-2014, 04:33 PM
I was only 4 at the time but I have vague memories of attending rallies at ER and the Usher Hall respectively.

Am I right in thinking that a large part of the reason the 'merger' was scuppered was because of the ***** own arrogance. Did he not go public before the deal was completed, whereas had he kept his trap shut he could have secured enough shares before anyone could have stopped it?

Anyway we're still here so we won. Nae luck.