1990 & 1991 Club Ownership Issues

[smurf]

Can anyone give a breakdown of what actually happened in terms of ownership of our club in 1990 and 1991?

Obviously in 1990 Mercer launched his takeover in the summer. Farmer and Harrison acquired a small % (less than 10% IIRC) on the London Stock Market that made it difficult with David Duff not selling (always forgotten that he could have sold and made a decent wedge and not saved us regardless of his introduction of David Rowland) for Mercer to get the necessary percentage to achieve the takeover.

Or could he have? Or was it the threats and outrage that forced him to back down?

Thereafter do I remember correctly that Duff stood down as chairman despite still being the owner? Though his brother in-law Jim Gray stayed on as Managing Director? Tom Farmer and the guy (Tom?) Harrison joined the holding company Edinburgh Hibernian board alongside Rowland, Duff & Gray?

And this dragged on until the following summer in 1991 with the football club owned by a holding company Edinburgh Hibernian that owned bars and restaurants in wiltshire (or somewhere similar!).

Did that company go into liquidation summer 1991?

And then both Kenny Waugh senior (former owner who sold to David Duff who borrowed the money from David Rowland) and Tom Farmer competed to buy the football club?

It is a fascinating period in our history. A complex one and the above is the memory of a then 17/18 year old.

It is a series events that has a direct result of today's ownership. Our fanbases fears on ownership. Etc etc.

It amazes me how many of our fans remember events of summer 1990 and 1991 as if it all happened at the same time.

I wonder just what made non football fan Sir Tom over the course of that year involved as a minority shareholder decide that he wanted to own us despite others wanting to own us.

Any replies appreciated.

[Kevvy1875]

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Can anyone give a breakdown of what actually happened in terms of ownership of our club in 1990 and 1991?

Obviously in 1990 Mercer launched his takeover in the summer. Farmer and Harrison acquired a small % (less than 10% IIRC) on the London Stock Market that made it difficult with David Duff not selling (always forgotten that he could have sold and made a decent wedge and not saved us regardless of his introduction of David Rowland) for Mercer to get the necessary percentage to achieve the takeover.

Or could he have? Or was it the threats and outrage that forced him to back down?

Thereafter do I remember correctly that Duff stood down as chairman despite still being the owner? Though his brother in-law Jim Gray stayed on as Managing Director? Tom Farmer and the guy (Tom?) Harrison joined the holding company Edinburgh Hibernian board alongside Rowland, Duff & Gray?

And this dragged on until the following summer in 1991 with the football club owned by a holding company Edinburgh Hibernian that owned bars and restaurants in wiltshire (or somewhere similar!).

Did that company go into liquidation summer 1991?

And then both Kenny Waugh senior (former owner who sold to David Duff who borrowed the money from David Rowland) and Tom Farmer competed to buy the football club?

It is a fascinating period in our history. A complex one and the above is the memory of a then 17/18 year old.

It is a series events that has a direct result of today's ownership. Our fanbases fears on ownership. Etc etc.

It amazes me how many of our fans remember events of summer 1990 and 1991 as if it all happened at the same time.

I wonder just what made non football fan Sir Tom over the course of that year involved as a minority shareholder decide that he wanted to own us despite others wanting to own us.

Any replies appreciated.

This part is because presumably he felt that it was his duty to save Hibs as his great grandfather? Philip Farmer done back in the late 1800's.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

I was an uberfan back then, i feel ashamed now.

[tamig]

This gives a pretty good summary of the chain of events;
http://www.scotsman.com/news/mercer-...-bid-1-1246616

[7 Hills]

Smurf, I believe that it was the late, great Kenny MacLean who swayed Sir Tom by talking up STF's Grandfather's and Great-Uncle's roles in saving Hibs in the 1890's. I'm sure that I heard this tale in a video at some point over the past 20 years? In any case - one of the unnamed stands should be named after Mr. MacLean IMHO.

[stu in nottingham]

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I wonder just what made non football fan Sir Tom over the course of that year involved as a minority shareholder decide that he wanted to own us despite others wanting to own us.

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

This part is because presumably he felt that it was his duty to save Hibs as his great grandfather? Philip Farmer done back in the late 1800's.

I remember him saying that he was fed up of seeing so many miserable faces around Leith at that time, or words to that effect.