Duff and Gray

[BILLYHIBS]

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The Hearts faithful now appear to revere Mercer. Somewhat different when he sold out his shareholding to Robinson and that numpty Estate Agent whose name escapes me. At one stage Mercer was threatening to take the pair of them to court over payments. He was persona non grata down Gorgie those days.

Mercer attempted to do what no football owner in the UK has ever attempted in many decades and buy up his rivals to shut them down.

Imagine the furore if Villa bought up Birmingham City to close them down or Palace bought up Charlton. Is there a pups chance that the English football authorities would accept that? Apparently it was ok in Scotland.

Leslie Deans

[Pagan Hibernia]

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The Hearts faithful now appear to revere Mercer. Somewhat different when he sold out his shareholding to Robinson and that numpty Estate Agent whose name escapes me. At one stage Mercer was threatening to take the pair of them to court over payments. He was persona non grata down Gorgie those days

historical ‘revisionism’ is what that lot do best. Don’t you know Mercer saved Hibs? That’s one of their favourites

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Ramsay Dalgetty was a colourful Hibs supporting QC who was vice chairman of the Shareholders Association and had met several times with the Association with Duff and Gray. Well conected and was involved behind the sceens trying to get investors to thwart Mercer. Ultimately became a High Court Judge in Tonga I think!

I've heard Hibs fans call Hearts all sort over the years, think of a derogatory term and we've used it … but in all those years I've never heard disdain for Hearts expressed so eloquently as the inflection of Ramsay Dalgetty's voice in the documentary when he says "Heart of Midlowthian" as if the very words leave a bad taste in his mouth

[h1bs4life]

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https://youtu.be/5qS6VBho4Lo

Quite an interesting watch from the time for anyone with a spare half hour.

Who was Ramsay Dalgety? Until I watched the doc above fairly recently it wasn't a name I can recall seeing mentioned in all the stories of the time?

Good watch , was 28 at the time and a member of the Hibs club sure Duff appeared at the club the night it was announced the FTB withdrew his bid. Very difficult time to be a Hibs fan , lots of us turned up outside the stand the day it was announced not knowing what was going on then marching round to the Hibs club where Hands of Hibs started. Hibs fans definitely pulled together , lots of people put a lot of effort in to saving, the club, Hands of Hibs , the rally at Easter Road , people threatening to close there accounts with the Bank. There was a big marquee in Princess street don't know they managed but someone painted Mercer must die on it. Hibs fans did everything they could to save the club. Any youngsters should watch the programme as well as the team that wouldn't die and see how bad it was then to where we are now and why we should have a stand named after Sir Tom Farmer. The sight of Mercer still makes my blood boil sure he pissed of to France for a while then came back to pop his clogs and is now down in hell with other TB Thatcher.

[660]

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https://youtu.be/5qS6VBho4Lo

Quite an interesting watch from the time for anyone with a spare half hour.

Who was Ramsay Dalgety? Until I watched the doc above fairly recently it wasn't a name I can recall seeing mentioned in all the stories of the time?

Thanks for posting this. Really fascinating. Mercer seems to have similar mannerisms to Levein in a peculiar way.

[Forza Fred]

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Gray was the Hibby and a bit of a patsy in the whole thing. His sister had married Gray. Met him a few times and genuinely seemed out of his depth but not crooked.

Many years ago I spoke to an ex Hibs director of that troubled time, and he basically said that while Duff was undoubtedly a crook he felt sorry for Jim Gray who was a decent bloke, but got caught up in his brother in law’s wake.

[FilipinoHibs]

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Interesting watch.

Summaries how far we’ve come and how complicated the football club was in those days. What struck me the most was how Duff referred to Hibs as ‘the company / business’ never the football club.

I remember the whole episode well, to the extent my blood still boils when I see / hear the prick mercer!

Yes and sends a shiver down your spine. Really brings it home what Farmer did for us. The saving but also our transformation to where we are now.

[FilipinoHibs]

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Good watch , was 28 at the time and a member of the Hibs club sure Duff appeared at the club the night it was announced the FTB withdrew his bid. Very difficult time to be a Hibs fan , lots of us turned up outside the stand the day it was announced not knowing what was going on then marching round to the Hibs club where Hands of Hibs started. Hibs fans definitely pulled together , lots of people put a lot of effort in to saving, the club, Hands of Hibs , the rally at Easter Road , people threatening to close there accounts with the Bank. There was a big marquee in Princess street don't know they managed but someone painted Mercer must die on it. Hibs fans did everything they could to save the club. Any youngsters should watch the programme as well as the team that wouldn't die and see how bad it was then to where we are now and why we should have a stand named after Sir Tom Farmer. The sight of Mercer still makes my blood boil sure he pissed of to France for a while then came back to pop his clogs and is now down in hell with other TB Thatcher.

Had a mate who was a Hibs casual and persuaded me to join a gang that jump Mercer's security and spray paint his house. Emotional times.

[FilipinoHibs]

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Leslie Deans

There were fraud claims around his estate agent business but nothing was proved. Money laundering but case dropped after three years because of lack of evidence.

[MSK]

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Had a mate who was a Hibs casual and persuaded me to join a gang that jump Mercer's security and spray paint his house. Emotional times.

I believe Police Scotland are still scouring photos of that event in the hope of making some arrests 🤭

[FilipinoHibs]

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I believe Police Scotland are still scouring photos of that event in the hope of making some arrests 🤭

I have changed a lot in those years. I am in the Philippines and protected by wife's family private militia so feel quite safe. But a very funny post.

[BILLYHIBS]

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I believe Police Scotland are still scouring photos of that event in the hope of making some arrests 🤭

Naw they have moved on to 21/5/16

[BILLYHIBS]

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https://youtu.be/5qS6VBho4Lo

Quite an interesting watch from the time for anyone with a spare half hour.

Who was Ramsay Dalgety? Until I watched the doc above fairly recently it wasn't a name I can recall seeing mentioned in all the stories of the time?

Thanks for posting fascinating watch

Never thought I would feel sorry for Duff.

Makes you realise what STF did for us

We were a baw hair away from extinction

God bless him!

[scoopyboy]

I still have all the paperwork concerned with the bid.

Quite a few publications sent from both sides.

It was a real rollercoaster and a time I will never forget.

[hibbyfraelibby]

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Had a mate who was a Hibs casual and persuaded me to join a gang that jump Mercer's security and spray paint his house. Emotional times.

No-one was ever done for that and you've just admitted to it. Police Scotland will be approaching the admins shortly for your IP address and details. Its called Hibssing it I believe😉

[Peevemor]

For those interested, here's a great site with some newspaper cuttings from the time.

https://thehiblog.wordpress.com/hibl...ummer-of-1990/

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

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There were fraud claims around his estate agent business but nothing was proved. Money laundering but case dropped after three years because of lack of evidence.

A masonic cover up if ever there was one.

[Crunchie]

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Good watch , was 28 at the time and a member of the Hibs club sure Duff appeared at the club the night it was announced the FTB withdrew his bid. Very difficult time to be a Hibs fan , lots of us turned up outside the stand the day it was announced not knowing what was going on then marching round to the Hibs club where Hands of Hibs started. Hibs fans definitely pulled together , lots of people put a lot of effort in to saving, the club, Hands of Hibs , the rally at Easter Road , people threatening to close there accounts with the Bank. There was a big marquee in Princess street don't know they managed but someone painted Mercer must die on it. Hibs fans did everything they could to save the club. Any youngsters should watch the programme as well as the team that wouldn't die and see how bad it was then to where we are now and why we should have a stand named after Sir Tom Farmer. The sight of Mercer still makes my blood boil sure he pissed of to France for a while then came back to pop his clogs and is now down in hell with other TB Thatcher.

Turbulent times indeed, I heard it on the radio and went up with a few mates at the time. We all stood numb at first then the chanting and singing started and we were all told to go round to the Hibs club. They tried to placate us with a rally in a couple of weeks time i think they said, but were quickly shouted down and the rally at ER was hastily arranged, the rest is history as they say.

I used to hate Thatcher and Mercer both, but now that I've mellowed with age, i firmly believe Mercer inadvertently did us a good turn. As for Thatcher, she brought in the law that allowed many working class families to own their own homes which could never have been the case otherwise, to that end i for one am grateful.

[southsider]

I'm not. P[eased to have outlived these two. I will hate the two of them until my last breath. Tramp the dirt dowm seems appropriate for them both. May meet them both in Hell.

[Eyrie]

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No-one was ever done for that and you've just admitted to it. Police Scotland will be approaching the admins shortly for your IP address and details. Its called Hibssing it I believe😉

SingHibs will be safe. Police Scotland will jambottle the investigation when they find out where he lives.

[Since452]

Think it's always important to remember that time occasionally. Keeps everything in perspective. I was only 6 when my dad took me to the Hands off Hibs rally but i still remember the power and emotion of it all even though i didn't really understand what was happening at that age. First and only time i ever saw my dad cry.

[southsider]

Joe Baker getting down from the stage on his hands and knees kissing the Easter Road pitch. Another taken far too young. RIP, Joe. We should name a stand or even a lounge after him.

[Keith_M]

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Turbulent times indeed, I heard it on the radio and went up with a few mates at the time. We all stood numb at first then the chanting and singing started and we were all told to go round to the Hibs club. They tried to placate us with a rally in a couple of weeks time i think they said, but were quickly shouted down and the rally at ER was hastily arranged, the rest is history as they say.

I used to hate Thatcher and Mercer both, but now that I've mellowed with age, i firmly believe Mercer inadvertently did us a good turn. As for Thatcher, she brought in the law that allowed many working class families to own their own homes which could never have been the case otherwise, to that end i for one am grateful.

She killed off the possibility of ordinary, working class people getting decent Council Housing and ensured future generations would have the choice of either buying ridiculously expensive homes or paying over the odds to rent from shyster landlords .......including many who previously bought their council homes but lost their jobs, in large part due to her economic policies, and had to sell the houses to shysters landlords

Yes indeed, we have so much to be thankful for

[Steve-O]

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Ramsay Dalgetty was a colourful Hibs supporting QC who was vice chairman of the Shareholders Association and had met several times with the Association with Duff and Gray. Well conected and was involved behind the sceens trying to get investors to thwart Mercer. Ultimately became a High Court Judge in Tonga I think!

Think you’re right about Dalgety. Bizarrely, whilst working for the Parole Board here in Wellington, ‘Lord’ Dalgety as he is now, was a guest of the Chairman of the Board. Somehow, I ended up with the task of driving him from the prison (he was visiting and watching some parole hearings) back into town and we did talk about Hibs and he mentioned his involvement around that time.! Surreal thinking back on it - this was about 9 years ago now probably.

[FilipinoHibs]

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No-one was ever done for that and you've just admitted to it. Police Scotland will be approaching the admins shortly for your IP address and details. Its called Hibssing it I believe😉

Waiting for them in the mountains of the Sierra Madre with the family militia😎

[FilipinoHibs]

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Joe Baker getting down from the stage on his hands and knees kissing the Easter Road pitch. Another taken far too young. RIP, Joe. We should name a stand or even a lounge after him.

Yes that was a very emotional moment. We should never forget. Getting angry again with all the memories coming back.

[FilipinoHibs]

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She killed off the possibility of ordinary, working class people getting decent Council Housing and ensured future generations would have the choice of either buying ridiculously expensive homes or paying over the odds to rent from shyster landlords .......including many who previously bought their council homes but lost their jobs, in large part due to her economic policies, and had to sell the houses to shysters landlords

Yes indeed, we have so much to be thankful for

Here here. Used the oil revenues for tax cuts and gave the oil fields away to multi nationals.Husband Dennis Chairman of Burmah Oil.

[FilipinoHibs]

I worked for an investment bank in Edinburgh at the time. I was junior but invited to Scottish Business dinner. Tom Farmer was there. After a few drinks I approached him and said "Can you save Hibs?" He said you must be the one thousandth person to ask me that. I replied so you are going to then. He replied we will see son.

[Superfurry72]

A few years after the Mercer takeover madness, I went into an off-licence not far away from the stadium and Jim Gray, to my astonishment, was working in there...now I’m even wondering if I imagined it!!

[FilipinoHibs]

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A few years after the Mercer takeover madness, I went into an off-licence not far away from the stadium and Jim Gray, to my astonishment, was working in there...now I’m even wondering if I imagined it!!

There was a lot of strong drugs around during that period.