ian1964 10,448 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 By ALAN PATTULLO Published on Wednesday 10 April 2013 00:00 STEPHEN Thompson has made a last-ditch appeal for clubs to set aside self-interest and vote through league reconstruction at Hampden Park next week. The Dundee United chairman was speaking on the day his club announced season ticket prices ahead of next season. Handing United and other clubs a problem as they seek to entice fans to purchase tickets for the 2013-14 campaign is the continued uncertainty that surrounds next season’s league format. The likelihood of the 12-12-18 proposal being voted in ahead of the next campaign was dealt a heavy blow on Monday when St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour confirmed he will be voting against the new set-up on Monday, when the Scottish Premier League clubs gather at Hampden. Due to the 11-1 voting structure currently in place in the SPL, it needs only one other club to join forces with St Mirren for the status quo to be retained. Thompson does not share the popularly-held view that Roy MacGregor, the Ross County chairman, is a definite dissenter, even though MacGregor has voiced concerns about the new structure, after discussions with his own club’s fans. However, Thompson has appealed to club officials to look beyond their own interests and vote for the overall good of the game in Scotland ahead of Monday’s vote. “If I was thinking solely about Dundee United I wouldn’t vote for this,” he said. “But it’s not just about us and the SPL. This package is the right way forward for everyone. Yes, we know it is not perfect. Indeed, when I met Dundee United fans a few weeks ago, my opening line was: ‘I know it is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction’. “Ultimately, it is up to the clubs. We have done all the talking behind the scenes. I think you will find that others will come out this week and state their position, the work behind the scenes has been done. The clubs have to sell it now. They are the ones who will vote on it in the end. “At Dundee United, we believe it is the best package we are going to get for a long, long time. I got asked a question today: ‘how do you sell season tickets?’ I am asking fans to support the club they love; and the club they care about. I just think it is a huge missed opportunity if we don’t get it over the line. “I just ask for self-interest to be put aside,” he added. “It needs a bit of give and take. The biggest hit is taken by whoever ends up in first place; the top clubs are giving up a lot of money and are prepared to let it flush through the whole league. Thompson is not disappointed in St Mirren’s stance, although he did wonder why their unease about the retention of the 11-1 vote, among other concerns, had not been raised earlier. “I am not prepared to have a go at Stewart in public,” said Thompson, who is also a member of the SPL board. “We get on well and he is entitled to his view. “But we have spent six months around a table, everyone has been heavily involved. There has been compromise galore. There are things I am not happy with – there are things other clubs are not happy with, but we have to forgo that for the sake of the game. “The all-through distribution of money is very important. The clubs in the First Division are struggling. How many other clubs are going to go to the wall before we realise finances are up the spout? “If you get relegated then it’s a disaster financially and we have to address that. The all-through distribution model is a huge thing. It means the money goes right through the leagues. “The clubs in the First Division will get £350,000 instead of a fraction of that. We need to push money down the leagues for everyone’s benefit, not just what’s good for us as individual clubs. And getting one league body is a step in the right direction. People need to take their club hat off for a minute.” Thompson has not given up all hope on the proposals surviving at least the SPL vote on Monday. The Scottish Football League meet to vote on the plans later in the same week. He believes Ross County might still surprise many. “Roy [MacGregor] has highlighted his reservations in the past, but he has not come out and said no,” pointed out the United chairman. “I don’t think it is dead in the water. “I think everyone realises this is a big, big moment for the game,” he added. “There is no plan B. There is no other option. The package has been put together and worked on for many months. It has probably taken two or three years to get to this stage. It is incredible that we even got to the stage where so many clubs were working together.” 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,448 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Mad Joe The Bigots Threat To St Mirren Stewart Gilmour should be aware of the power oif the Celtic Support. St Mirren Chairman Stewart Gilmour would do well to pay heed to the old saying “Beware the power of the people” if he was making his statement regarding league reconstruction because of the wishes of his own supporters, then that is fine, but if he is doing it to pander to the wishes of Charles Green, or whoever might own Sevco, then that’s a different matter altogether. I’m sure Gilmour along with all the other Chairman and GEO’s in Scottish Football watched and read about the very successful demonstration at George Square on Saturday, along with those present there were messages of support from all over the UK and Europe, if goes to show that supporters won’t accept being treated unfairly and unjustly, and that would apply to different situations. If Alex Salmond was genuinely concerned with the wishes and thoughts of the Scottish people he would immediately put in place the structure to remove the obnoxious Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communication (Scotland) Act 2012, but I won’t hold my breath waiting on Alex discovering a conscience amongst his vanity. Getting back to Gilmour, I’m not sure what his position really is regarding the proposals being put in front of the SPL, but I am deeply concerned about his recent cuddling up to Chuckles Green, to invite him to New St Mirren Park as his guest for the recent visit of Celtic seemed strange to say the least, he was lucky that the vast majority of Celtic supporters didn’t know Green was present. I don’t like talking about Green, but when we are talking about shady dealing, then his name certainly springs to mind. This is the guy who openly admitted lying to Craig Whyte in order to take over Old Rangers, so what has he been promising Gilmour, and maybe some of the other SPL Chairmen. One thing Gilmour said he was opposed to was the voting structure concerning major decisions like finance, I’m sure Gilmour would like an even bigger share of the money that we Celtic supporters pour into Scottish football, does he fancy a share of Celtic’s home gate money when we are playing St Mirren? I don’t know the answer to that, but I know what the Celtic supporters answer would be. I don’t know the exact number of demonstrators that turned up at George Square on Saturday, but I think the majority were supporters who travel to watch Celtic playing away from home, maybe they will demonstrate outside New St Mirren Park, as opposed to paying £25 to watch from inside, if Gilmour forges an alliance with Green he should be aware of the downside of that. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nvager Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Let's wait and see what Monday brings. A LOT of pressure will be brought to bear on St Mirren and Ross County. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 "It's this or nothing else and I think it could be many years before we get back to the table and get as many clubs in agreement about taking the game forward This is just nonsense. If it doesnt go through then how about getting EVERYONE around the table and not just Doncaster, Regan and a few pals. STEPHEN Thompson has made a last-ditch appeal for clubs to set aside self-interest and vote through league reconstruction at Hampden Park next week. The Dundee United chairman was speaking on the day his club announced season ticket prices ahead of next season. However, Thompson has appealed to club officials to look beyond their own interests and vote for the overall good of the game in Scotland ahead of Monday’s vote. “If I was thinking solely about Dundee United I wouldn’t vote for this,” he said. “But it’s not just about us and the SPL. This package is the right way forward for everyone. Yes, we know it is not perfect. Indeed, when I met Dundee United fans a few weeks ago, my opening line was: ‘I know it is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction’. Put self-interest aside? How ironic is this. The self interest is coming from a few at the top. The funding fans have already said they dont want it!!! And just as Utd season tickets are about to go on sale....desperation! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Did you see Thompson on the news last night, claiming if we don't do a deal this season it will be years before we can think about it again. WHY? Seeing as the Scottish media have a bee in their bonnet about all things to do with lying these days, made someone should be asking the SPL why they are lying to the football fans about this. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon 1,118 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Did you see Thompson on the news last night, claiming if we don't do a deal this season it will be years before we can think about it again. WHY? Seeing as the Scottish media have a bee in their bonnet about all things to do with lying these days, made someone should be asking the SPL why they are lying to the football fans about this. It is astonishing that no-one in the media has asked why 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 It is astonishing that no-one in the media has asked why Need to get that wee guy from STV on the case, he's like dog with a bone. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,448 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 It is astonishing that no-one in the media has asked why I have been harping on about this for ages,no-one has asked the question!,the media or any of the other chairmen!. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I have been harping on about this for ages,no-one has asked the question!,the media or any of the other chairmen!. Only one show and Ally & Green are playing right into their hands. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,448 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor: I'll decide on Friday whether to sink SPL league revamp plans 10 Apr 2013 08:38 ROY MACGREGOR will make his mind up at the end of the week while his Dundee United counterpart pleaded for common sense at the vote. ROSS COUNTY chairman Roy MacGregor will decide on Friday whether or not his vote will torpedo the SPL’s plans for league reconstruction. And last night his Dundee United counterpart, Stephen Thompson, pleaded for common sense to prevail when the vote on the 12-12-18 proposal is taken at Hampden next Monday. MacGregor’s manager Derek Adams has already branded the plans “ridiculous” but the County chairman was more diplomatic. He said: “A lot of things are right about the proposal and a lot of things are wrong. I have to take the views of our supporters and manager back to the board and we’ll make a final decision on Friday. “My worry is the fans have been forgotten. This may be the start of people not buying season-tickets as they’re unsure of what they’re buying into as two leagues become three.” Thompson told Record Sport “My fear is crowds decline even further and that sponsorship and advertising become harder to get. “If this doesn’t go through I fear where we’ll be five years from now.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ross-county-chair-decide-friday-1821785 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.