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David Beattie


dougie247
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I received a response from Maxi. As I'd indicated elsewhere I'd already paid for my season ticket and had asked for a refund in the light of the seeming capitulation to Rangers playing in SFL1 next season as a result of Beattie's comments in the papers last week. My e-mail was blunt and to the point ;-)

 

Anyway, reference was made to the two statements made but confirmed that if I still wished a refund that it would be arranged. All in all, the correct answer to be given and one I was pleased to receive. (My e-mail was also copied into the chair@ e-mail address but I'm not expecting a reponse to that (and I don't mean that in a bad way)

 

Following the second statements and some other discussions I've had I'm now feeling a bit more relaxed about things so will be letting things lie for the moment but the basic premise remains. However, plus marks to the way in which this has been dealt with.

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No reply here, but would expect a clear statement rather than individual replies to what is, hopefully, a barrage of emails. If the club do the right thing, should the actual need to vote arise, I might even get myself a season ticket this year, even though the flights to attend might be a bit on the pricey side...

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As has been said replying to emails individually isn't really realistic, updates should be to the fan base as a whole rather than in an email conversation with individuals where things said could be misinterpreted & not be the actual view of the club/board etc. All emails have been read.

 

I'd disagree with this approach - each person that's contacted the club on an individual is entitled to some response even if it's a stock response referring to publicly made statements. Not doing so is a combination of lazy and disrespectful.

 

You may argue that there are better things for people to spend their time on. That's very possibly true but this was a shambles of the club's own making, or to be more precise David Beattie's own making. As such, the need to tidy their own nest is paramount even if it diverts effort from elsewhere.

 

The lesson is not to make these kind of schoolboy errors of judgement again and you won't have time and effort diverted from other things.

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I'd disagree with this approach - each person that's contacted the club on an individual is entitled to some response even if it's a stock response referring to publicly made statements. Not doing so is a combination of lazy and disrespectful.

 

You may argue that there are better things for people to spend their time on. That's very possibly true but this was a shambles of the club's own making, or to be more precise David Beattie's own making. As such, the need to tidy their own nest is paramount even if it diverts effort from elsewhere.

 

The lesson is not to make these kind of schoolboy errors of judgement again and you won't have time and effort diverted from other things.

 

My point about individual replies was relating to answering specific points raised in emails, not that a reply from the club shouldn't occur, many emails have been replied to with the official statement & this will continue.

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It's unrealistic to expect a personalised response to every e-mail received. Yes, at least an acknowledgement and statement that any correspondence is being considered, but then some people would complain about that.

 

Of course the Chairman could spend his entire day responding individually to every e-mail sent to the him or the club, but then some people would complain that he's wasting his time when he should instead be discussing with other chairmen etc etc.

 

It's simple: you can't please everybody.

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Text of an e-mail I sent to our Chairman on Monday. I have had no reply but I would imagine that this is one of many e-mails he has received and all I am asking for is a statement from the Club saying no to newco in the First Division:-

 

I write to you as a 38 year-old Partick Thistle supporter. I started going regularly to matches when I was 11 and in that time I have been a season ticket holder for the majority of the seasons in between. Like many Thistle supporters I have watched my club through more difficult seasons than prosperous ones, living in the shadow of our two much bigger and more successful neighbours in the city of Glasgow. Like many of my Firhill going friends I have seen Rangers and Celtic afforded far more attractive financial positions and far more clout than we would deem acceptable. Throughout this time Thistle have mostly less lived within our means and we have accepted that the club's league position has been fairly achieved.

 

Twice in the 27 years of supporting the club I have witnessed situations which make the current situation even more galling. In 1998 during the time of 'Save the Jags' we did not enter administration and scraped through, cutting our costs and ultimately being relegated to the Second Division at the end of that season. Then in 2004 we finished bottom of the SPL and despite being in a relegation position we assumed that, as Inverness Caledonian Thistle could not comply with the SPL rules, like others before us, we would retain our SPL status. What transpired made a mockery of fairness and is something which still angers many of us at Firhill 8 years on. Our club spent a fortune by our standards, sticking by the rules, and in our eyes were the victims of an unfair decision which has hampered our progress ever since.

 

Why do I cover old ground? Because throughout both of these episodes all we asked for was fairness, a level playing field, and above all sporting integrity. I also need not remind you that when we played Rangers in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final (the only time we have been there in the past 33 years) the vast majority of their team were in receipt of money from EBT schemes.

 

Now that it is very clear that the Newco will not be playing in the SPL next season the spotlight will fall on the SFL to decide the fate of this new club (and I stress the words new club as Newco are not the old Rangers). Like many others I read the following comments attributed to you in the Evening Times with interest:

 

"I think the plans just now are a good compromise all round," he told SportTimes. "The balance between sporting integrity and commercialisation is one that has to be satisfied.

"This will not be to everyone's agreement. A lot of fans would like to see Rangers in the Third Division, but commercially that would be a nightmare for Scottish football.

 

"I don't think putting Rangers in the Third Division would help Scottish football. Putting them in the First Division is a compromise. It is maybe not palatable for everyone, but it is a compromise that I think works. Out of adversity comes opportunity."

 

Like most fellow Thistle supporters I have spoken to over the past few days these comments greatly concern me. As I outlined above all we ask for as football supporters is a level playing field and fairness. I understand that finances are not easy at Firhill however our supporters abhor the favouritism and advantages given to Rangers and Celtic, and wish to be what we describe ourselves as 'The Great Glasgow Alternative'. Letting Newco into the First Division would alienate not only our own supporters but those of other clubs who are crying out for the principle of sporting integrity to be adhered to. Over the past week we have seen (at the present moment) 6 SPL clubs decree that Newco should not be in the SPL, other clubs in the SFL and their supporters show similar willingness to see the Newco apply for a place in the 3rd Division, and most crucially our own supporters (and some very longstanding followers at that) voice anger and frustration that our club may sell our soul for a season in the spotlight. Short-term thinking is what is wrong with our game in Scotland. If Newco are admitted to anywhere above the bottom rung of the Scottish Leagues then no-one will trust the authorities in our game going forward, and no-one will believe that the Partick Thistles of our game will ever be treated the same as every other club.

 

Mr Beattie, I plead with you not to tear our club and our supporters apart. Please do not be left behind in the argument that fairness wins through in the end. Our club would never be forgiven, not only by others in the game, but more importantly by the vast majority of our own supporters.

 

I will leave the final word to St Johnstone:

 

'Notwithstanding the potentially damaging financial implications, the Board believes that sporting integrity should not be sacrificed in favour of economic expediency'.

I look forward to hearing from you

 

Yours etc.

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