Club Philosophy

[northernsoul]

What struck me yesterday was the typical hype surrounding one good result which then lead to yet another uncommited performance. The philosophy throughout the Club has to change, starting from the BoD.

 

I know of one fan who was sent out a leaflet encouraging him to buy a season ticket. He had not bought one for a couple of years so fair play to the Club in trying to entice former season ticket holders to come back. In the letter though it contained the phrase:

 

"Take our rightful place in the SPL"

 

Now, we have no right to be in the SPL. The Club needs to earn that right by winning promotion. We are a First Division Club and will be for the foreseeable future. If this is the sort of mentality shown by the people in charge of the Club then you can bet it rubs of on everyone else in the Club. Cowan can patronise fans all he wants by stating that with the budget being cut (again) we can still challenge for promotion. He clearly doesn't have a clue, as with the standard of player we have at the moment and the calibre of player we can attract, due to wages etc then mid table is the best we can hope for.

 

You saw what the squad is capable of against Dundee last week, albeit Dundee were pish but were still dangerous. But you can't take anything anyway for the desire to win and the commitment shown. That's all I ask of my team, each player gives a 100%. We didn't get that yesterday. Some of the body language shown by the players yesterday, quite frankly pisses me off as a paying customer. You know when we go one goal down we are not coming back. It's almost as if the players have it engrained in their heads to just give up after going a goal behind.

 

Look at Raith Rovers, their manager has got them working extremely well as a unit. Do you think their Club see themselves as promotion challengers already? I would quite happily bet all my money they don't. Consolidation would be good for Raith this season but still their manager has the right mentality in his squad. They fight for every point and fight for each other.

 

Whereas we get one good result, it is shown evidently in the players performance yesterday and they are brought straight back down to earth by a team with better ideas and movement when on the ball.

 

The philosophy throughout the Club has to change and quick. Maybe we will get to see more performances like last week if folk at the Club have a thorough reality check on the present situation the Club currently finds itself in.

Edited August 22, 2010 by northernsoul

[uberteeb]

But we are an SPL club and should be in that league. 2 seperate patronising Greenockian ******** (one a season ticket holder at Parkhead, the other at Ibrox) insisted on telling me so yesterday.

[northernsoul]

But we are an SPL club and should be in that league. 2 seperate patronising Greenockian ******** (one a season ticket holder at Parkhead, the other at Ibrox) insisted on telling me so yesterday.

 

Don't get me wrong I see us as an SPL club, as our fan base represents that.

 

It's not however, in my opinion professional to be pretend we are something we are not in the Division below. We need to earn the right.

[German Jag]

Don't get me wrong I see us as an SPL club, as our fan base represents that.

 

It's not however, in my opinion professional to be pretend we are something we are not in the Division below. We need to earn the right.

 

How else are they supposed to push it??? "Our unrightful place in the SPL" or "please just give us your money and we'll piss it up the wall any way we see fit"???

[northernsoul]

How else are they supposed to push it??? "Our unrightful place in the SPL" or "please just give us your money and we'll piss it up the wall any way we see fit"???

 

I'm sure you're aware they can come up with better alternatives.

[lennythistle]

Don't get me wrong I see us as an SPL club, as our fan base represents that.

 

It's not however, in my opinion professional to be pretend we are something we are not in the Division below. We need to earn the right.

 

There is nothing wrong with having optimisim but i totally agree with you. we have no right to be in the SPL and have to earn it.

 

for what it is worth, i think some on the board are still living in the past what with how we were relegated from the SPL and haven't got over it and moved on.

 

I hope yesterday has finally hit home for everyone connected with PTFC that it's time to roll the sleaves up and get down to some damn hard work. What has hurt and angered me about yesterday is there is not one of you who was there, who hasn't said there was a lack of effort and desire. I can accept us losing, even to Morton, who i feel are not as good us, but i hate the thought that there was no effort or desire.

 

I'm certain the majority who post on here, will forgive the lads for losing, if the play with heart, passion and show they give a damn. If they don't then that is unforgivable. Times are hard for everyone. A good few of you spent time and effort to get to the match. you appear to have been badly let down by the players. I only hope the lads realise that and endevour to insure there is no repeat.

[German Jag]

I'm sure you're aware they can come up with better alternatives.

 

I'm sure they can, but I'm not the one bringing it up on a forum (plus iirc there was also a line or two about this on THW). What would you suggest they alter it to?

[northernsoul]

I'm sure they can, but I'm not the one bringing it up on a forum (plus iirc there was also a line or two about this on THW). What would you suggest they alter it to?

 

So you want me to think up better alternatives? That's not my job.

 

Something more inspiring, rather than displaying a dangerous mentality which I'm sure rubs off on everyone involved in the Club.

 

I'll put it to you, what right do we have to be in the SPL?

[Guest Argus]

So you want me to think up better alternatives? That's not my job.

 

Something more inspiring, rather than displaying a dangerous mentality which I'm sure rubs off on everyone involved in the Club.

 

I'll put it to you, what right do we have to be in the SPL?

 

Pardon me while I yawn at the same old attacks on the board that we hear all the time.

 

We have the board we have because no when else has come forward to challenge it.

 

Does the supporters representative body? Nope, so there isn't an alternative>

 

Do we have the right to be in the SPL or the fan base anymore. Nope to both. It needs to be earned.

[crazy davie]

So you want me to think up better alternatives? That's not my job.

 

Something more inspiring, rather than displaying a dangerous mentality which I'm sure rubs off on everyone involved in the Club.

 

I'll put it to you, what right do we have to be in the SPL?

I think "Take our rightful place in the SPL" means we should be a fixture in the SPL by virtue of our (historical) standing in Scottish football. I don't think it means we have a right to be there.

 

I think evertbody understands that we have to earn our place. And at the moment we have "earned" our place as also-rans in the second tier of Scottish football, with no obvious signs of improving that standing.

[Vom Itorium]

Don't get me wrong I see us as an SPL club, as our fan base represents that.

 

It's not however, in my opinion professional to be pretend we are something we are not in the Division below. We need to earn the right.

But does our fanbase represent that these days?

 

I don't see us ever being an SPL club with the way the club is run. Even if we do miraculously make it up we'll be straight back down again as we'd have the worst ever budget the SPL has ever seen.

 

When I first started watching the Jags as a kid in the early 80s we were a First Division club who regularly finished 8th... we're not far off that again and anything above that is a bonus as far as I'm concerned this season. The custodians have safeguarded the demise of our club well and have sadly ripped the heart out of any fanbase that may have given any of us ideas of being 'an SPL club'.

[Fearchar]

I hope yesterday has finally hit home for everyone connected with PTFC that it's time to roll the sleaves up and get down to some damn hard work. What has hurt and angered me about yesterday is there is not one of you who was there, who hasn't said there was a lack of effort and desire. I can accept us losing, even to Morton, who i feel are not as good us, but i hate the thought that there was no effort or desire.

 

I'm certain the majority who post on here, will forgive the lads for losing, if the[y] play with heart, passion and show they give a damn. If they don't then that is unforgivable. Times are hard for everyone. A good few of you spent time and effort to get to the match. you appear to have been badly let down by the players. I only hope the lads realise that and endevour to insure there is no repeat.

To be fair, I think that it was apparent after Donnelly came on that he was orchestrating a revitalised attack. (Yes, I know that ultimately it failed, but it was more vigorous.) It certainly seems that the team has lacked an inspiring captain or similar leading figure for some time, and this problem is affecting our present squad, and it doesn't seem to matter who has the captain's armband. (Generally, the players just seem too nice.) Perhaps as Donnelly and Maxwell take on coaching duties they will grow into being more assertive and influential.

[German Jag]

So you want me to think up better alternatives? That's not my job.

 

Something more inspiring, rather than displaying a dangerous mentality which I'm sure rubs off on everyone involved in the Club.

 

I'll put it to you, what right do we have to be in the SPL?

 

I don't want / am not asking you to do anything!

 

Give us an example of "something more inspiring"

 

No team has a right to be in the SPL, but it is what PTFC should aspire to!

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I don't know how anyone can suggest we've a rightful place in the SPL when since its inception we've only spent two seasons in that league, one of which was of course in 12th position getting relegated.

SPL aside, I think it's a very long time since we could say that over for an example a ten year spell we were more regularly than not a top eleven club. But Cowan talking up our status to sell season tickets is both the least of his faults and the least of our worries. If our chairman happens to be deluded into believing we are still a traditional top 11 club sobeit. Again it's not his greatest failing by some distance.

[GrantB]

Pardon me while I yawn at the same old attacks on the board that we hear all the time.

 

We have the board we have because no when else has come forward to challenge it.

 

Does the supporters representative body? Nope, so there isn't an alternative>

 

Do we have the right to be in the SPL or the fan base anymore. Nope to both. It needs to be earned.

 

We have the BoD we have because they dont want to relinquish their control or their blazers.

 

Look at how they treated Ronnie McDonald before he went to Accies as an example.

[northernsoul]

Pardon me while I yawn at the same old attacks on the board that we hear all the time.

 

We have the board we have because no when else has come forward to challenge it.

 

Does the supporters representative body? Nope, so there isn't an alternative>

 

Do we have the right to be in the SPL or the fan base anymore. Nope to both. It needs to be earned.

 

Yawn all you want, someone could come in and "challenge it" still doesn't mean anything would change.

[Guest Argus]

We have the BoD we have because they dont want to relinquish their control or their blazers.

 

Look at how they treated Ronnie McDonald before he went to Accies as an example.

 

I'll ask again how have the fans tried to change it?

[Guest Argus]

Yawn all you want, someone could come in and "challenge it" still doesn't mean anything would change.

 

Listen you get 3,000 fans out side Firhill protesting, with two large investors in the wings waiting, and you really think the bank won't tell the present board to walk, if it suits them? Then you might get some interest.

 

Bottom line is there isn't anyone, which is why its pointless going on and on about it.

 

Trying to prove your point by assuming any large investor will be knocked back becasue the board want to keep their blazers is just nonsensical. Plenty off them would walk if they could if only due to the jepordy that their PTFC directorship puts their own businesses in if PTFC were to be liquidated.

[GrantB]

I'll ask again how have the fans tried to change it?

 

What has it to do with the fans?

 

The BoD have been approached on several occasions and have never shown any willing to dilute their positions of power in any way. Even the interest generated by the adverts in thr Racing Post when they said there were at least 2 serious enquiries came to nothing.

[McKennan]

So you want me to think up better alternatives? That's not my job.

 

Yet you're happy to pontificate at length as to what is wrong. You and me both, actually.

 

Thank you for this thread. Sadly, I think there's going to be a lot of old ground covered. With that in mind, I'd like to say that I disagree with you about the club's 'rightful place in the SPL'. In 2003/2004 the club fell prey to one of the worst examples of legal chicanery I'd seen in nearly 40 years on this planet.

 

Our football sucked. On that basis we deserved relegation. However, for the league to change its rules of business - which relate directly to the team's ability to hire players and perform - the SPL's behaviour was a disgrace. I have never forgotten those days. You can blame the managers, the players, the board for ridiculous statements to the public but our club did as it was bid by the SPL and when the club sought to hold the SPL to the spirit (and word) of its own rules Thistle was f*cked by word gaming in court.

 

This is killing our club, and now and again I get annoyed by it.

 

Second, Ian's first season in charge. The club came second in the SFL. In any other (sane) world that achievement would at least have been recognised with a (lucrative) play-off opportunity. Not for Thistle.

 

To me, there have to be alternatives to these scenarios. We can't undo the past but, Jesus, how about we all learn from it and hang on to just a little ember of rage?

[Phoenix]

Listen you get 3,000 fans out side Firhill protesting, with two large investors in the wings waiting, and you really think the bank won't tell the present board to walk, if it suits them? Then you might get some interest.

 

Bottom line is there isn't anyone, which is why its pointless going on and on about it.

 

Trying to prove your point by assuming any large investor will be knocked back becasue the board want to keep their blazers is just nonsensical. Plenty off them would walk if they could if only due to the jepordy that their PTFC directorship puts their own businesses in if PTFC were to be liquidated.

You cant even get 3000 fans inside Firhill just now on a regular basis. That's one of the reasons we are in so much trouble.

[mrD]

You cant even get 3000 fans inside Firhill just now on a regular basis. That's one of the reasons we are in so much trouble.

 

 

our average crowd last season was 2801. out of all the teams thats in the first division this year this places us at 6th place. we'd get better crowds at the conferance.

[Junior]

Listen you get 3,000 fans out side Firhill protesting, with two large investors in the wings waiting, and you really think the bank won't tell the present board to walk, if it suits them? Then you might get some interest.

 

Bottom line is there isn't anyone, which is why its pointless going on and on about it.

 

Trying to prove your point by assuming any large investor will be knocked back becasue the board want to keep their blazers is just nonsensical. Plenty off them would walk if they could if only due to the jepordy that their PTFC directorship puts their own businesses in if PTFC were to be liquidated.

 

Pretty much agree with this

 

If any group of fans can find the people willing to invest into the club (not just cash but the time to make the changes needed) then they will get a helluva lot of support from most fans IMO. Looking at £3m minimum to wipe the slate clean , buy back the bing and if required pay off any directors who want their cash back they "invested" and then we can start looking at things.

[McKennan]

We're going in circles here. With that in mind, I'll repeat myself. This is the war of the flea and the dog if it has to be fought.

 

For anyone who wants changes at board level organise a small but vocal group of shareholders to make a complete and utter nuisance of themselves. Take 100 shareholders, write a series of form letters and get each shareholder to send a letter a week. The continual pressure would sicken even the most hard-headed, bull necked of people.

 

Organise a group of 250 season ticket holders and have that group demand refunds on their season tickets. Make legitimate complaints about the standard of the 'product' and services. Do it over and over again. The club does not have the resources to deal with that. Snow the club under with emails and letters, and I mean snow. One or two won't cut it. One hundred will get someone's attention.

 

The question is, do you want to take your club closer to the brink? If you're going to tear something down you'd better have a plan to rebuild or make something better.

 

Three thousand Jags fans protesting is never going to happen. It's fiddling while Rome burns.

[Guest Argus]

What has it to do with the fans?

 

The BoD have been approached on several occasions and have never shown any willing to dilute their positions of power in any way. Even the interest generated by the adverts in thr Racing Post when they said there were at least 2 serious enquiries came to nothing.

 

What has it got to do with the fans? Are you being serious?

The club is the fans without them it would be nothing.

If enough fans really objected would the property deal have got through?

Fans groups do sometimes suceed. At least three of the present directors came in via STJ, so its been done once and could be done again.

As it stands at the moment the fans support the Boards stance on the property deal. Haven't the supporters association written to GCC supporting it? Did the supporters association vote against it at the AGM? Did they try to get support from other shareholders?

As to your comments on the Racing Post ad, I presume you have inside information on these supposed bids and carried out due diligemce on them? Or are you just relying on the comments that were made at the time?