We have had control for three months now and have been through an eye opening evaluation of where the clubs is right now and what is required to put it back where it belongs. There is much to be done, and for now it is a case of prioritising and progressing on as many fronts as possible.
As I mentioned in my first update I am keen to keep supporters as informed as we can so here is an update on what has happened in the past few weeks.
ON THE PARK
To say things have not gone as we would like on the football side of things so far this season would be an understatement.
First and foremost, every member of the board is a St Mirren supporter and we are all hurting as much as everyone else, however it is vitally important that we all stick together through these tough times and come out the other side stronger as a result.
Personally I have seen enough in the last few weeks both behind the scenes and on the park to have faith that we have the right management team in place to start moving the club forward on all levels. We have started to develop a long term strategy as to how the youth system will funnel into the first team with Tony at the forefront of developing this along with Jack, James, Allan and his academy team.
THE ACADEMY
The academy has just been awarded gold status for another year, which is a fantastic achievement as we are the only side holding gold status in Scotland. Only Celtic & Rangers hold a higher status than St Mirren, so we should all be justifiably proud of this.
Unfortunately the AstroTurf pitch at Ralston will only last another year before it will need replaced as it just scraped through the testing procedure this time.
The first team buildings also need some major repair work as we look to protect our investment in Ralston.
This investment cannot be avoided so this may impact on some of our other planned projects in the short term as we juggle the resources we have available.
DISABLED SUPPORTERS PLATFORM
We will have the raised platform completed in time for the quarter-final of the IRN-BRU Cup against Ayr United. The Fans Council have arranged for some veterans from Erskine Hospital to attend the game on Remembrance Sunday.
Although this is the very first game where the platform will be in use, the disabled supporters association have made the selfless decision to let the veterans have access to the platform. A terrific gesture which reflects well on all at the club.
WORKING WITH SMISA
The funding that was initially available to pay for the platform was dramatically reduced prior to our takeover. Without the assistance of the SMiSA members' £2 a month contribution and the generosity of some others this wouldn't have happened. We will thank them all properly in a future article.
A big thank you as well to the SMiSA volunteer squad who are going around the whole stadium giving it a good clean from top to bottom. We are committed to making the matchday experience as enjoyable and safe as possible for fans of all ages and these efforts definitely help. If you can give your time - and particularly if you have a trade - your support would be very welcome. You can register your interest by emailing jim.crawford@smisa.net
SMISA & THE FANS COUNCIL
We have had positive discussions with the SMiSA and the Fans Council as to how we move forward utilising the unique skill sets of both organisations and as part of that review we are looking at how we develop the St Mirren Trust to increase our role in the community.
NEW FACES AND NEW ROLES
We have employed Fiona Dainty as our new Football Development and Community officer. Fiona is also a coach with Scotland woman's under-17s and part of her remit will be to develop the woman's football side of our club.
James Hunter has now been appointed as our Head of Media. I hope you are all starting to see the increased flow of information on the new website and on our social media channels. Norrie Jamieson remains a valued member of the team and will assist with certain website aspects whilst also co-ordinating the production of the Matchday Programme.
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
We have gone live with online booking for corporate hospitality and player sponsorship on the website in our new e-store and have already taken our first few orders on this platform. Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for supporters and local businesses to book and pay for services online and will be reviewing other operations within the club with a view to taking those online too.
A MESSAGE FOR THE FANS
It would be remiss of me not to mention the support we have received from the fans. I know things have been very tough for everyone connected with the club.
Trust me when I say it hurts even more when you are putting your heart and soul into trying to improve things every day only to be left disappointed on a Saturday.
It has been a massive boost to both Tony, myself and the other board members to receive the backing and support of every fan we meet.
The positive feedback helps reinforce our absolute belief that we are heading in the right direction and will come out of this difficult period as a stronger club. The support for the team on a Saturday has been exceptional even when things haven't been working out.
I'd urge you all to stick with Jack, James and the rest of the team as your support really does make a difference.
Thank you!
