north stander

Apologies for selective quoting, I could have picked any number of posts, but these three recent ones encapsulate a question I'd like to raise. I keep reading on here that these foreign venture capitalists will have the wherewithall and deep enough pockets to invest in PTFC. However, and I admit I haven't been researching 24/7 on it, but can anyone point me to cold hard factual evidence of what they invested into Nice and Barnsley, and more pertinently at what specific risk to them (the venture capitalists)? From what I have read (and I may be wrong, hence asking the question), they bought both Nice and Barnsley and whatever money they "put into" these clubs, was simply added to the clubs balance sheet as debt to be paid back to them, while they also reaped sizeable fees for their involvement. As far as I can see, they didn't fund the likes of player signings from their own pockets, it was raised against the clubs, the purchase of the clubs was covered by mortgaging the clubs assets - and while they sold Nice for a tidy profit, that appears to be off the back of a good couple of seasons by the teams performance, and with Barnsley they also seem to have sold their best players in the summer. PTFC, as much as I'd like them to be, is no Nice, nor is it even a Barnsley, in terms of what they can generate from TV deals, attendances, sponsorship, prize money etc either. As far as I can see from all the speculation and (the limited amount of) whats been said in the media (as we have heard nothing official in terms of a press release or a public engagement with the fans), they plan to use PTFC as a feeder club, and their ownership of PTFC would follow the same model as Barnsley and Nice. So, it appears, if the venture capitalists "bought" PTFC and "invested" in it, all these financial transactions would be put onto the club, so PTFC basically "pays for the privilege" of them being owners, and the club goes into debt, while they also take a sizeable chunk from the club for their time. So, in essence it currently appears to me, the venture capitalists cannot lose out financially - best case scenario they improve us and sell us in a few year for a tidy profit (and would the new new owners then do the same, and put their investment/purchase on to the club, so even greater debt?) - worst case scenario, they don't lose any money, and still make a tidy sum for their time owning us by taking money out the club for their fees, and get their original purchase amount, and any money they "put into the club", back in full, as it's been put onto the club as debt in order to pay them back their purchase outlay. So no risk of financial loss to them either way - but if it doesn't work where PTFC end up being "worth more" than before they came in, they can walk away and leave the club saddled with whatever debt that may be. Am I wrong? As I said at outset, if anyone can disprove how things look to how they bought and invested in Barnsley and Nice, and the above scenario I foresee for PTFC if the venture capitalists do end up owning the club (or company if anyone wants to be pedantic), and point me to hard evidence that this is not their model and way of doing things, I would be much obliged.

I actually think we've got the worst run in of the bottom 5, the way the fixtures for each team are falling, particularly given the fact it's going to be Ross 1st, Yinited 2nd, and Ayr/Fake Thistle fighting it out for 3rd and home advantage in 2nd leg. This means (if not after this weekend, then next), Ross will likely be foot off gas and Yinited the same, looking to avoid injuries, playing fringe players, in last few games, so points can be picked from them more easily AFTER this weekend. Look at our competitors run ins first. Falkirk, just behind us - two winnable games against a team who're going nowhere now who'll finish 5th, then their judas hatefest against a morten side in reverse. Then they play the top 2 in their last 2, which could conceivably see them get 6 out of 6 last 2 games if the top 2 are in beach mode. Alloa, got a head start on us - home against a qots side likely dobbie-less, then us - if we don't beat alloa, then anything they take keeps or increases the gap, while remaining games reduced. Depending how Ayr and Fake Thistle fare in next couple of games, by time alloa play them, 3rd and 4th finishing positions may already be decided. Queens, like alloa, got a head start on us - first they've got alloa, which can't see Queens getting any more than a point -if they get it- if they get a point, it could increase their points gap over us thisvweekend, then they've got the team stuck in 5th, before they face a on the beach Ross, then us on their not-so-fantastic plastic. A huge amount of their fortunes will depend on how long Dobbie is out for, and how they cope with it. Morten, again ahead of us, more points in bag, but like queens they are in reverse - the games against fake thistle and grangemouth could go either way, then they face a team with no playoff hopes or relegation fears, and a Yinited on the beach last day., so again, last 2 games can see them getting points there As for us - Ross have chance to win the league this weekend, depending on Yinited result, so we are facing them at worst time - while Falkirk and Queens will play them once they've been confirmed as league winners - so I fear we'll get nothing while the F & B's will. Our game v Alloa is pivotal as already mentioned, then the double header against Ayr may or may not be against a team already knowing whether they're guaranteed 3rd or 4th by then. And then its Dumfries or Die. If we win all our games, we've nothing to worry about, but I'm already resigned to virtually writing off this weekends. So it's down to what we do v Alloa and Ayr, but can see last game in Dumfries being a "winner escapes bottom 2, loser in 9th or 10th" affair. If Falkirk, Morten or Queens can pick up points against the on the beach Ross and Yinited, that spells bad news for us, as they'll be playing at a less competitive level likely than we'll face this weekend. Fact is, the board and both managers have f*cked up this season, we shouldn't be in this position, but we are and deservedly so ultimately, so now we have to find enough points in 4 games to overtake at least one of the three above us, and hope Falkirk don't get more points than us in run in, and I feel Alloa will do enough to stay above us, or at least out of the bottom 2, so that leaves 2 from 4, and as I say, I reckon games/opponents are falling kinder for Queens, Morten and Falkirk, than us in the run in. Lots of twists and turns to come, but struggling to see how we can be "safe" before last game of season. Thanks Jacqui, Alan, Gary etc.

It's going ahead, players report there on Monday 17th June, doing full preseason there, and then for the season they fly back to Glasgow day before each game and fly back out the night or morning after each game. That way they get to live and bond with each other throughout whole season, the trip last week was just a dry run for the full thing in 2019/20 onwards, as the club believes the £4-7m can be spent better this way. Kirkys dead, long live Tenerife. * Okay, not heard this until I typed it, but now I believe it

Played 11, this is form table for last 10 (the one game excluded from this was the 1-1 tannadice draw)

who gets to decide whether the tenure of the board, chair etc, this season is acceptable, and if there is confidence in them remaining in post?

1. When Archie was finally binned, we were in 8th, 5 pts ahead of 9th and 6 pts ahead of 10th, and just 2 pts off of 4th. Can anyone raise their hand and honestly say that they envisaged us to be, approaching 5 months later in March, sitting in 10th? - and 11 pts off 4th, and more points behind the league leaders than we have amassed in total? 2. Especially after our chairman stated her pick to replace AA was the outstanding choice and that she was "blown away by Gary's interview preparation" and that "he had done an analysis of each player, identified a training schedule to deal with the fitness levels and pulled together a vision of how to get Thistle playing well enough to secure promotion," On these 2 points alone it is clear to everyone that the appointment of GC has been an abject and unmitigated disaster and failure, and both the chair and manager should be nowhere near Firhill by 1st June, no matter what position we finish in come 4.50pm on 4th May.

From his twitter https://twitter.com/17ChrisErskine

@Norge, thats disgraceful, but just one of many examples of how shambolic and embarrassing our club has become. As for Chris Erskine being forced out the door. F*CK OFF Caldud F*CK OFF Low And if GB is in on this , he can F*CK OFF too. Chris's Twitter statement says it all (between the lines as to whats gone on), just look at the 150+ replies already to it, what he means to the fans, and what Thistle obviously means to him - he loves this club, and when the incompetent dud playing at being a football manager is banging on about character and right attitude, treats a player and a gentleman such as Chris Erskine this way, it it clear as day what's gone on. Sick to the back teeth of these clowns, playing at being a football manager and a chairman, total imposters, get the f*ck out my club. Not been to games much lately for various reasons, after 40+ years of following Thistle solidly (including 10 years of driving near 300 mile minimum trips to see them at home (usually more if away),), but after todays news, thats it, I'm done with this sh*t. Not a cat in hells chance I'll ever be back til these incompetent f*ckwits are gone. So if Chris, or any of the GC-JL-GB trio are looking in, like many many Thistle fans tonight, you bet I'm angry (and being reactionary), and I'm sad as hell for Chris being treated the way he has and been forced out, and it being allowed to happen. Neither the Imposter Manager or Imposter Chairman has done anything of note since they appeared on the scene - other than take us backwards at an alarming rate. So once again, in the politest way possible, Caldud and Low (and anyone else backing them) GET THE F*CK OUT OF OUR CLUB

This is a relatively small forum on the outskirts of the internet. A forum is for discussion, and a few people airing their concerns, fears etc, is hardly likely to "kill this club". I think you will find there are at least a couple of people, currently in influential positions within the actual club structure who will make the likelihood of "killing the club" a more likely scenario, than a few supporters with no actual influence or input into how the club is run (into the ground)., having a wee discussion amongst themselves on a internet forum.

I caught the post match interview on the radio, it was excruciating. Like you, don't know the lassie, she may even not be overly experienced and a couple of her questions could have been better phrased, but in the main she asked the right questions, in a polite and reasonable manner. In response, I heard a defensive rudeness, arrogance and unedifying condescending manner (towards a female, simply doing her job), that came across as him thinking "why am I having to speak to this stupid woman".. All in all, totally unprofessional and unbefitting of a PTFC manager.

Caldud was appointed on 15th Oct. IF there is a 3 month probationary period clause in his contract, then there is less than 48 hours to activate it. If there isn't such a clause or he isn't emptied by Monday night, then the person currently playing horrendously at being chairman should be made to walk on the same day that caldud is inevitably binned.

Caldud calling someone else arrogant. Pot. Kettle. Black. Deflect deflect deflect, smoke and mirrors everywhere. FML

She's not listening. Expect this and more of the same for a long while yet.