Ron Gordon

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Originally Posted by Keith_M

Does anybody know what height "Big" Ron actually is?

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3 foot 6. He's keen on marmalade too.

He’s a business man who has stated the club need to seek additional ways to increase the revenue stream.

With that in mind I’m expecting him to announce the purchase of a string of pubs and wine bars in England which he hopes will provide revenue for the football side of things.

Avon Inns is the planned company name I think I heard mentioned in conversation........

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Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

An hotel is pie in the sky.

They costs £thousands per square metre to build so even if they want tiny rooms with no facilities like a bar, restaurant, pool or gym, they're looking at tens of millions.

This is for accommodation at least 2 miles away from the main tourist areas, with a poor outlook and not in an exactly salubrious area compared to what Edinburgh can offer.

It would probably fail, and even if it didn't, it would take decades to pay for itself which is no use to either Ron Gordon or Hibs.

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I don’t think for a second Hibs will want to become hoteliers but selling the area to a company to build a hotel is feasible surely?

Anyway, I think hotels being built is yesterday’s news, short term let’s are where the money is now, especially in Edinburgh so I think that’s where the value would be on that site.

The save Leith walk campaign recently won I think, if the developers who were hoping to build down there are looking for an alternative site, that one could be ideal for them.

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Originally Posted by hibsbollah

3 foot 6. He's keen on marmalade too.

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Not surprisingly, he tends to keep that under his hat as well.

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Originally Posted by Unseen work

People need to calm down and get off his back a bit imo.

I get everyone is anxious and asks where is he, why did he buy the club etc etc. Personally I don’t want a owner who is in the press doing interviews every 2 minutes. He’s clearly passionate about football and saw us as an attractive team/location.

He has already contributed a lot by wiping out debt and investing a 7 figure sum.

Whether the club put his money and the money saved to good use is another question and not one to be aimed at him.

I can see potentially some of the following

Updated sound system and scoreboard/TV in corners
Standing section
Partnership with another team
Indoor pitch
Updated hospitality

I get people want massive signings but I don’t think our wage structure will be moved too much and rightly so. We have the 4/5th biggest budget in the league yet Motherwell and Livi are above us and many above hearts.

I think it’s more a case of improving the recruitment than chucking in millions - Look at the summer signings Vela, Doidge, Newell, Maxwell and James. They’ll be on or would have been on a healthy wage since they were playing in England, doesn’t mean they’re going to transform us.

Where as we could potentially have had Ambrose, Mulumbu, Shankland etc who know the league and I imagine would have came.

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Good post.

Totally agree.

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Originally Posted by Weegreenman

I see hen & stag doo’s travel in from airport and other hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh. I think a hotel at our stadium would be considered a hot spot location to stay for a few day’s.

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I hope Hibs have learned their lesson on this - the last investment in hospitality as good as bankrupt the club.

Left field suggestion - buy a midfielder?

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Originally Posted by bingo70

Did the club not say there was big plans that would be announced in January and they wanted to say more before then but couldn’t?

I suspect I’m one of the people that’s getting a bit carried away but I think it’s the club that have built this up, not over eager fans like me.

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Ffs man it’s the 4th of January calm down do you thing they were waiting till the fireworks to issue their statement.

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Originally Posted by SMAXXA

Ffs man it’s the 4th of January calm down do you thing they were waiting till the fireworks to issue their statement.

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Did you read my OP?

I said I wondered if there might be an announcement as he was in Edinburgh over Christmas? That’s the reason I’m mentioning it this early in the month.

I’m perfectly calm, well as calm as I can be during a transfer window which is an excitable time for me.

I mentioned a while back but I would love to see the hibs club move to the space between the east and FF. sell the hibs club to fund it.

New hibs club with facilities overlooking the pitch. Great place for birthdays, weddings, conferences etc and a good place for drinks before the game.

New development pays for itself. The members get the benefit of a brand new state of the art facility. Everyone wins.

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Originally Posted by Yorkshire HFC

I hope Hibs have learned their lesson on this - the last investment in hospitality as good as bankrupt the club.

Left field suggestion - buy a midfielder?

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Last investment nearly bankrupt the club?? 🤔

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Originally Posted by DarlingtonHibee

Last investment nearly bankrupt the club?? 🤔

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He means Rowland, Duff and Gray with the Avon Inns chain.

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Originally Posted by bingo70

Did the club not say there was big plans that would be announced in January and they wanted to say more before then but couldn’t?

I suspect I’m one of the people that’s getting a bit carried away but I think it’s the club that have built this up, not over eager fans like me.

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I don't think the club said anything of the sort.

Kieran the fans' rep mentioned that plans were being made and would be revealed in due course.

I'm pleased that Ron & the board appear to be taking their time to produce sensible, achievable proposals instead of simply pacifying the support with daft soundbites (à la Vlad, Budge, etc.).

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Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

He means Rowland, Duff and Gray with the Avon Inns chain.

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Can't see us being in that place again.

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Originally Posted by Doh Rae Me

We dont have the chip on shoulder/inferiority complex they have so no need really.

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Ach they started it.

Anyhow, Hibernian wit goes right over their heads so it’s just an in joke, not riling the maroon balloons.

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Originally Posted by Iain G

Would you settle for La Favorita selling some Pizza?

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Hope not, gone all hipster.

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I don't think the club said anything of the sort.

Kieran the fans' rep mentioned that plans were being made and would be revealed in due course.

I'm pleased that Ron & the board appear to be taking their time to produce sensible, achievable proposals instead of simply pacifying the support with daft soundbites (à la Vlad, Budge, etc.).

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I agree. I think the words "big plans" were someone's, probably sarcastic remark, during our horrible run under PH, in response to something Leeann Dempster had said about future plans.

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Originally Posted by hibsbollah

3 foot 6. He's keen on marmalade too.

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:aok:

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Originally Posted by Hibs4185

I mentioned a while back but I would love to see the hibs club move to the space between the east and FF. sell the hibs club to fund it.

New hibs club with facilities overlooking the pitch. Great place for birthdays, weddings, conferences etc and a good place for drinks before the game.

New development pays for itself. The members get the benefit of a brand new state of the art facility. Everyone wins.

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I can't see that being a goer, the Hibs club have just spent a packet on renovating the club. Transport links to the back of the FF are nonresistant, at least you can get a bus to the top of the lane for the Hibs club

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I don't think the club said anything of the sort.

Kieran the fans' rep mentioned that plans were being made and would be revealed in due course.

I'm pleased that Ron & the board appear to be taking their time to produce sensible, achievable proposals instead of simply pacifying the support with daft soundbites (à la Vlad, Budge, etc.).

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I think they did.

It was the series of interviews with Ron, Dempster and Mathie that were released the week of Heckingbottoms sacking.

The one where he laughed at himself as being referred to as the invisible man. It was a good interview.

Edit- I’ve looked on hibs tv on YouTube to try and find it but no joy.

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Originally Posted by bingo70

I think they did.

It was the series of interviews with Ron, Dempster and Mathie that were released the week of Heckingbottoms sacking.

The one where he laughed at himself as being referred to as the invisible man. It was a good interview.

Edit- I’ve looked on hibs tv on YouTube to try and find it but no joy.

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Made up 😂

It would be good to hear something concrete rather than just spin.

Indoor pitch - not sure latest with this but hopefully this can be sorted.

Hospitality needs improved / updated.

Stadium - likewise - new scoreboard at each end and finally sorting the PA system. Also improved TV studio / Male it permanent in FF lower box ?

Regarding the car park / gap - build a hotel and would mean corners not being filled.

A community centre - alongside supporters bar / cafe would be the way forward but not sure they will go this route.

Sorting the FF Lower empty seats and moving signing section to middle FF lower and installing safe standing would bring a new buzz to ER.

Would like to see all corners of the stadium enclosed in some manner to improve atmosphere.

Obviously a link with another team to get players loaned to us would also be useful.

Hopefully they announce the AGM soon and we hear plans before we resume 2nd half of season.

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Originally Posted by bingo70

I think they did.

It was the series of interviews with Ron, Dempster and Mathie that were released the week of Heckingbottoms sacking.

The one where he laughed at himself as being referred to as the invisible man. It was a good interview.

Edit- I’ve looked on hibs tv on YouTube to try and find it but no joy.

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✅ http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/10396

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I don't think the club said anything of the sort.

Kieran the fans' rep mentioned that plans were being made and would be revealed in due course.

I'm pleased that Ron & the board appear to be taking their time to produce sensible, achievable proposals instead of simply pacifying the support with daft soundbites (à la Vlad, Budge, etc.).

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They can take their time but an update of sorts shouldn’t be too hard to put out by him in between him coming in and finalising the plans. Hibs fans aren’t any different to other fans in that silence can cause fans to speculate and when it does get revealed, disappointment. I find it weird that he bought the club and and then went very quiet.

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I don't think the club said anything of the sort.

Kieran the fans' rep mentioned that plans were being made and would be revealed in due course.

I'm pleased that Ron & the board appear to be taking their time to produce sensible, achievable proposals instead of simply pacifying the support with daft soundbites (à la Vlad, Budge, etc.).

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https://youtu.be/BiW8RrDFawU
This is the link to the invisible man interview and talk of revealing the plans

https://twitter.com/hibernianfc/stat...775228418?s=21

Mentions around the 3minute mark that they’d be I a position to reveal the strategic plans to the supporters after the board meeting in December.

https://twitter.com/hibernianfc/stat...950276610?s=21

Around the 7-8 minute mark Dempster speaks about changes coming soon after they’ve been presented To and approved by the board.

Ultimately you’re correct in that there wasn’t any mention of ‘big’ changes but that was certainly the impression I got during those interviews. Maybe that’s my fault for hearing what I wanted to hear though.

In terms of the ‘match day experience’ though, nothing could really interest me less, the match day experience to me revolves round getting a performance and a win on the park, if the strategic plan is going to be around selling hot dogs instead of pies or a new catering company then I’ll be pretty disappointed, again maybe my own fault for making incorrect assumptions.

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Originally Posted by SMAXXA

Made up 😂

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Nothings been made up.

I’ve maybe been guilty of remembering things incorrectly but when I listened to those interviews i got the impression we would finally get to hear Rons big plans after the strategic review. All we have heard to date is short 5-6 minute clips and sound bites.

That’s been fine with me as I appreciate he wanted to learn the business before talking about what else could be done, I did hope at some point we would get an idea of his longer term vision though and I had hoped it would be in January, as was alluded to in his interview.

If it’s just going to be the same but with a few admin changes it cost cutting excercises then that’s pretty disappointing tbh.

As I said before though, maybe that’s my fault for hearing something I wanted to, rather than what he actually said.

Piazza or Plaza facing a new glass curtain with a safe standing area for solo clapping after cup final defeats.

I think it is the least we should expect.

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Originally Posted by bingo70

Nothings been made up.

I’ve maybe been guilty of remembering things incorrectly but when I listened to those interviews i got the impression we would finally get to hear Rons big plans after the strategic review. All we have heard to date is short 5-6 minute clips and sound bites.

That’s been fine with me as I appreciate he wanted to learn the business before talking about what else could be done, I did hope at some point we would get an idea of his longer term vision though and I had hoped it would be in January, as was alluded to in his interview.

If it’s just going to be the same but with a few admin changes it cost cutting excercises then that’s pretty disappointing tbh.

As I said before though, maybe that’s my fault for hearing something I wanted to, rather than what he actually said.

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I was just kidding on with the made up comment no offence intended 👍

I would reiterate though it’s only a few days into January I’m sure we will hear things shortly. I don’t have any expectations that it’s going to be a revolutionary plan that’s going to blow people’s socks off and with that will naturally be people disappointed, either way it’s going to be interesting what direction a new owner will want to take the club.

As someone who has worked in the hotel industry for most of my career, in senior management roles up to and including General Manager level, they are very hard work to get a reasonable profit on each year. It can of course be done but it would be a major gamble and the amount of money it would take to built would likely mean you wouldn't see a return on your investment for the best part of a decade if you're doing well. The venture could of course be a failure , there are a couple of very well known and centrally located hotels that have had major financial issues in recent years and that's with a city centre location.

Ron Gordon is obviously a smart businessman and I would be amazed if he was looking to build a hotel at Easter Road.

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Originally Posted by Since90+2

As someone who has worked in the hotel industry for most of my career, in senior management roles up to and including General Manager level, they are very hard work to get a reasonable profit on each year. It can of course be done but it would be a major gamble and the amount of money it would take to built would likely mean you wouldn't see a return on your investment for the best part of a decade if you're doing well. The venture could of course be a failure , there are a couple of very well known and centrally located hotels that have had major financial issues in recent years and that's with a city centre location.

Ron Gordon is obviously a smart businessman and I would be amazed if he was looking to build a hotel at Easter Road.

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A piazza/plaza though?