Exclusive: Chairman Warns Of Part-time Football

[big B]

Is Rae for real he states "The size of the crowd on Saturday was appalling". Well Douglas I put the ball back in your court if you are reading this. We have won five league games at home all season the team's performaces have been Appalling.

 

Why should the fans pay their money to watch a mediocre team?

 

Why should the fans pay their money when we have a board that lacks ambition and will not take Morton into the SPL?

 

Maybe you should ask the management team and players why the consistantly under perform because that is WHY apart from my 2nd last paragraph is why the fans are staying away.

[SpoonTon]

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Is Rae for real he states "The size of the crowd on Saturday was appalling". Well Douglas I put the ball back in your court if you are reading this. We have won five league games at home all season the team's performaces have been Appalling.

Why should the fans pay their money to watch a mediocre team?

 

Why should the fans pay their money when we have a board that lacks ambition and will not take Morton into the SPL?

 

Maybe you should ask the management team and players why the consistantly under perform because that is WHY apart from my 2nd last paragraph is why the fans are staying away.

 

Because they're fans?

 

Being s*** is no reason for not turning up, pfft, have you learned nothing from following Morton

 

It's not Rae's fault that too many people don't have the balls to stick it out when the going is tough.

[cappiecat]

I already put in an offer of £750000 last season and was turned down,running costs are aprox £500 000 per annum. I was contemplating putting another offer this yr but have opted on another business venture nearer to home.

Thank f*ck for that.

[vikingTON]

Because they're fans?

 

Being s*** is no reason for not turning up, pfft, have you learned nothing from following Morton

 

It's not Rae's fault that too many people don't have the balls to stick it out when the going is tough.

 

Ridiculous argument. Morton have a core support of about 12-1400 fans: the rest are all people that need to be persuaded to attend through encouraging performances, hopes or expectations for the forthcoming season.

 

It seems Rae is not the only one to have forgotten this.

[LargsTON]

I hear this a lot, about ambition: but every Morton manager under Rae, with the exception of Peter Cormack who was left to pick up the pieces after administration, has been backed heavily by the board. Even Moore, who has had a tighter budget, was backed to bring in players like MacDonald, Jackson, Young and to extend Tidser's deal. I don't really see lack of ambition as being a problem. A lack of a coherent plan to fulfill that ambition, maybe, but not lack of ambition itself.

 

Nor am I keen on him selling for the sake of it - it has ended badly for a few people in the past (ourselves included).

 

Maybe in the past but over the past couple of years the spending's been curtailed to the extent that fans are deserting the club in their droves. In fact, I'd suggest the amount we've lost in gate receipts over the past couple of seasons will eclipse what we've saved in wages.

 

I keep telling my Rangers mates that I'm reluctant to point and laugh at them as much as I'd like to as imo Morton may not be around in a decade. If we are, we'll be largely forgotten about, floundering the seaside leagues and playing to crowds of 1,000.

 

I think it's that grim just now and I fear for the future under Rae.

 

There has to be someone out there with the business acumen to run Morton closer to a break even level. Crowds will flock back if people see the club moving in the right direction and with a clear and concise business plan.

 

 

[SpoonTon]

Ridiculous argument. Morton have a core support of about 12-1400 fans: the rest are all people that need to be persuaded to attend through encouraging performances, hopes or expectations for the forthcoming season.

 

It seems Rae is not the only one to have forgotten this.

 

That's not what I meant at all. We'd have a much bigger core support (to put a figure on our core support is like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling IMO) if people knew how to be a proper club football fan, i.e. someone who knows how to follow their club no matter the perfomances.

 

It's not Rae's fault that not enough people have the stomach to follow Morton in that way, and stop attending cause we got hammered in a cup match.

 

That was the extent of my point. I could come up with a very long this of things I would like Rae to change at Morton. And I don't believe creating a bigger core support is just about performances on the park. We need to find ways (beyond free tickets for local kids groups) to help create an atmosphere which encourages ardent followers of Morton. Partick Thistle have no bigger a core support than us, and have had similar seasons to us, yet they are still getting bigger crowds than we are.

[vikingTON]

That's not what I meant at all. We'd have a much bigger core support (to put a figure on our core support is like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling IMO) if people knew how to be a proper club football fan, i.e. someone who knows how to follow their club no matter the perfomances.

 

No sorry, that is exactly the absurd point I picked up the first time. If people don't wish to attend through thick and thin you can't teach them to do so. They don't want to: the club has to engage with them, rather than hector them. They are not your core support and you should not budget for their attendance under every eventuality. That is a mistake made by Mr Rae, not anyone else and certainly not those who don't turn up. I can't blame them.

 

And above all, it is insulting to those who still turn up week in week out to have our efforts denigrated by someone who barely wishes us to be in the ground at all, when it suits his nasty and divisive agenda.

 

You have to imagine what businessmen in any other walk of life - particularly in the so-called leisure and entertainment sectors - would think of a business that slates its paying customers for not turning up in enough numbers, or not following the party line when they actually turn up. He really is a sad wee Willy Wonka figure who thinks we exist to feed his ego.

[SpoonTon]

No sorry, that is exactly the absurd point I picked up the first time. If people don't wish to attend through thick and thin you can't teach them to do so. They don't want to: the club has to engage with them, rather than hector them. They are not your core support and you should not budget for their attendance under every eventuality. That is a mistake made by Mr Rae, not anyone else and certainly not those who don't turn up. I can't blame them.

 

And above all, it is insulting to those who still turn up week in week out to have our efforts denigrated by someone who barely wishes us to be in the ground at all, when it suits his nasty and divisive agenda.

 

You have to imagine what businessmen in any other walk of life - particularly in the so-called leisure and entertainment sectors - would think of a business that slates its paying customers for not turning up in enough numbers, or not following the party line when they actually turn up. He really is a sad wee Willy Wonka figure who thinks we exist to feed his ego.

 

What? So you can't criticise those who claim to be fans yet don't attend matches cause we're not playing well enough and Rae for not doing enough to encourage people to come to matches and an atmosphere at Morton that encourages fans?

 

So we're stuck with a set of circumstances that are objective in nature; unchangable, they are what they are? And we simply work with those unchanging pieces and those unchanging rules, like a game of chess?

 

I'm not saying that Rae is doing a good job of encouraging people to come to games. But there are too many people that claim to be Morton fans yet refuse to attend games when we don't perform well enough - I'd like to criticise them too. I'm not saying such criticism is going to make them come out in numbers; they are people who can't stand us losing, so it's fairly safe to assume that they are also the type who don't like criticism!

 

The problem is that Rae has only pointed out the obvious. There aren't enough people that follow Morton who are willing to tough it out. But what do we do to change that? Call me an optimistic, or an idealist, or whatever, but I actually believe that it is possible to create a club which encourages more proper fans. But then again, this would probably involve some sort of Event, and those are impossible to plan. But we could move towards a better set of circumstances to make such a transformation possible. Lets start by creating real value for season tickets, creating a bigger presence in the area, and treating away fans well.

 

Btw, aren't most businessmen like this, especially those involved in football?

[TRVMP]

Btw, aren't most businessmen like this, especially those involved in football?

 

I work in an audience-based business and if anyone around here ever publicly criticised the audience for being so remiss as to withdraw their custom, their feet wouldn't touch the floor.

[Scott]

Dougie can go f*** himself, why should we watch s***e week in week out? Get a decent team on the park who care and win, and fans will turn up.

It's not only fan money he's losing, it's sponsorship. A close friend is a sponsor of the club until the end of this season and has been for 5 years but won't be after this season. Not once has this person been thanked for their contribution. To make things worse, his w*** of a son was speaking to this person, and never even knew who he was even though business names etc were mentioned in the same conversations.

A complaint is sent to Dougie. The reply comes back hand written on the original letter with a coffee stain on it. How professional, that's why you're losing sponsorship

Dougie is the one dragging this club down. Yes he's saved us, but he's only taking us back. the club needs some new faces, not just on the field but in the board, less family members are needed too.

[big B]

What? So you can't criticise those who claim to be fans yet don't attend matches cause we're not playing well enough and Rae for not doing enough to encourage people to come to matches and an atmosphere at Morton that encourages fans?

 

So we're stuck with a set of circumstances that are objective in nature; unchangable, they are what they are? And we simply work with those unchanging pieces and those unchanging rules, like a game of chess?

 

I'm not saying that Rae is doing a good job of encouraging people to come to games. But there are too many people that claim to be Morton fans yet refuse to attend games when we don't perform well enough - I'd like to criticise them too. I'm not saying such criticism is going to make them come out in numbers; they are people who can't stand us losing, so it's fairly safe to assume that they are also the type who don't like criticism!

 

The problem is that Rae has only pointed out the obvious. There aren't enough people that follow Morton who are willing to tough it out. But what do we do to change that? Call me an optimistic, or an idealist, or whatever, but I actually believe that it is possible to create a club which encourages more proper fans. But then again, this would probably involve some sort of Event, and those are impossible to plan. But we could move towards a better set of circumstances to make such a transformation possible. Lets start by creating real value for season tickets, creating a bigger presence in the area, and treating away fans well.

 

Btw, aren't most businessmen like this, especially those involved in football?

I would like to hope that jibe at the top was not directed at me as I go to most home games apart from when I am working.

I don't blame fans for staying away as the football on show is CRAP. Until the product improves maybe Rae should be directing his frustrations on the people that serve up the dross that is the only way to attract the fans back is by ENTERTAINING them.

[SpoonTon]

I work in an audience-based business and if anyone around here ever publicly criticised the audience for being so remiss as to withdraw their custom, their feet wouldn't touch the floor.

 

I was thinking mainly of those involved in football TBH. We've had a few of them here: Scott, Peden, Rae. There's also guys like Craig White, David Murray, most of the recent Dundee chairmen, Romanov and so on.

 

And again, I'm not saying Rae is right to publically criticise those in the area...just that I agree with some of his criticisms!

 

 

[MacKTon]

Dougie can go f*** himself, why should we watch s***e week in week out? Get a decent team on the park who care and win, and fans will turn up.

It's not only fan money he's losing, it's sponsorship. A close friend is a sponsor of the club until the end of this season and has been for 5 years but won't be after this season. Not once has this person been thanked for their contribution. To make things worse, his w*** of a son was speaking to this person, and never even knew who he was even though business names etc were mentioned in the same conversations.

A complaint is sent to Dougie. The reply comes back hand written on the original letter with a coffee stain on it. How professional, that's why you're losing sponsorship

Dougie is the one dragging this club down. Yes he's saved us, but he's only taking us back. the club needs some new faces, not just on the field but in the board, less family members are needed too.

 

In all fairness has the Chairman not tried to do that? Most fans wanted Moore as Manager and he was signed. The Chairman then gave him funds to sign the players he wanted i.e. MacDonald & Jackson & keep Tidster and Fred. Early this season it looked like this was going to pay off, unfortunately it has not been the case, but I think the Chairman honestly thought he was funding a good winning team.

 

However, I totally agree with your point re the lack of thanks to sponsors like your friend for his kind financial support of the Club. That seems to me to be shocking. A friend of mine (who many on here would have known) sadly now no longer with us was a Morton fan through and through and regularly gifted the Club training equipment e.g. bibbs, balls,training cones etc. and never got any thanks. Not that he did it because he wanted a pat on the back, but this type of kindness and effort should always be recognised!

[Greacen2000]

CHAIRMAN THREATENS TO RUN CLUB RESPONSIBLY AND WITHIN IS MEANS

[tom]

Dougie can go f*** himself, why should we watch s***e week in week out? Get a decent team on the park who care and win, and fans will turn up.

It's not only fan money he's losing, it's sponsorship. A close friend is a sponsor of the club until the end of this season and has been for 5 years but won't be after this season. Not once has this person been thanked for their contribution. To make things worse, his w*** of a son was speaking to this person, and never even knew who he was even though business names etc were mentioned in the same conversations.

A complaint is sent to Dougie. The reply comes back hand written on the original letter with a coffee stain on it. How professional, that's why you're losing sponsorship

Dougie is the one dragging this club down. Yes he's saved us, but he's only taking us back. the club needs some new faces, not just on the field but in the board, less family members are needed too.

This....

[SpoonTon]

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I would like to hope that jibe at the top was not directed at me as I go to most home games apart from when I am working.

I don't blame fans for staying away as the football on show is CRAP. Until the product improves maybe Rae should be directing his frustrations on the people that serve up the dross that is the only way to attract the fans back is by ENTERTAINING them.

 

 

It wasn't directed as you, or any other particular individual.

 

I, like many other football fans, will continue to attend matches whatever the results. I don't believe that not going to matches is going to help us improve at all, it just leads us to a point of stalemate between the chairman and the fans.

[EanieMeany]

Rae's an idiot, he should keep his mouth shut instead of coming out with this nonsense every two minutes.

 

For what it's worth, I don't think part-time football would be bad for a club of Morton's stature (whatever that means) if it was ran with intelligence and vision.

 

Which means we'd be ****ed.

[vikingTON]

I'm not saying that Rae is doing a good job of encouraging people to come to games. But there are too many people that claim to be Morton fans yet refuse to attend games when we don't perform well enough

 

I don't think there are 1) As many of those people as you think and 2) That the club should in any way be relying on their continued attendance. And even if what you say is correct, a tedious rap lecture in the local paper is absolutely not the method to convince them.

 

The problem is that Rae has only pointed out the obvious.

No he hasn't. The 'obvious' is that he has continually over-estimated the Morton crowds over years, and has continually undermined and denigrated the Morton support with his mixture of bring a friend/shop a fan lecturing.

 

That is a failure of his 'business model', joke that it is. It's almost as if he wants to keep the club running at a loss! Oh wait...

 

Btw, aren't most businessmen like this, especially those involved in football?

 

When Thomas Cook suffered financial difficulties in the winter, I don't recall the Chief Executive blaming the customers for not booking more holidays. Football clubs are not in the position to depend on the 'loyalty' of its customers, and Rae is doing an absolutely abysmal job of handling those who remain willing to go to games.

[vikingTON]

I was thinking mainly of those involved in football TBH. We've had a few of them here: Scott, Peden, Rae. There's also guys like Craig White, David Murray, most of the recent Dundee chairmen, Romanov and so on.

 

You're picking some terrific examples there to back up your point, really.

 

If you're point is that Rae is as much of a damaging egotist as most of the above, sure.

[EanieMeany]

CHAIRMAN THREATENS TO RUN CLUB RESPONSIBLY AND WITHIN IS MEANS

 

 

A bit late for that! That's kinda what we've all expected, and not got, from him over the last year which is why people are rightly annoyed when he opens his gub and lets his belly rumble like this.