Exclusive: Chairman Warns Of Part-time Football

[Alibi]

Part-time football is definitely NOT the answer, imo. Fans would desert the club for good and we'd be consigned to the lower leagues forever. You think crowds are bad now? Make us part-time and see how far they plummet. I doubt very much I'd be at Cappielow to follow a team that showed this kind of "ambition." I'd always be a Morton fan but would be reluctant to support a team that had no intention of progressing. I can stick it out when times are tough but efforts are being made but not when there is no indication of taking the club to the next level.

 

The answer is looking at ways of bringing in additional revenue and reducing the annual loss - which im certain could be substantially cut to near enough a break even point.

 

We've been over this all before though, haven't we? <_>

 

Whilst I would prefer to have a full time set-up, I would also point out that some of our best teams over the last 50 years were part time.

[Rhubarb Mess]

No, he tried to get the company i work for to sponsor the shirts.

 

Companies have approached Morton in the past to sponsor the shirt and were declined.

[LargsTON]

Whilst I would prefer to have a full time set-up, I would also point out that some of our best teams over the last 50 years were part time.

 

Times have changed though and you only have to take a look at the recent trends with regards to where part-time teams have finished in the league. We'll never be more than a lower league side in the 1st Div if we go part-time and would yo-yo between there and the 2nd.

[TONofmemories]

Companies have approached Morton in the past to sponsor the shirt and were declined.

Dougie approached us.

[Rhubarb Mess]

Here's a few hard facts. The underlying overhead cost at Cappielow is around £600k per annum before any wages are paid. That covers the likes of rates, electricity, policing matches, insurance, etc, etc, etc. 1400 crowds brings in roughly £300-£350k. Throw in the odds and sods income - hospitality, lottery, replica kit, league money and you are talking about £500k.

 

The arithmetic is not pleasant and maybe its not part time we need to be talking about but amateur if we are to come even close to balancing the books. You may not like what he is saying, but DDFR is right about the level of crowds being unsustainable.

 

The reason crowds are declining is as rightly pointed out, because of performances on the park. Is that all DDFR's fault? He put his hand in his pocket to sign the likes of Jackson and MacDonald and keep Fred here. He signed a management team we all approved of at the time. In the context of the first division he gave us a team this season that had at least top four aspirations. Its not his fault that it has underachieved. That was caused by a number of factors, not the least of which was an exceptionally bad season in terms of injuries.

 

Maybe the Rae's have taken the club as far as they can but they are still funding the losses albeit as lenders. No bank would lend us the money. If we could find a mega rich new owner maybe a change of direction would help but you also have to be careful what you wish for. Ask Rangers, Dundee, Livingston, and others. The last time Morton fans forced a chairman out we got Scott!

 

Astonishing, You change your mind like the weather. One minute you are worried about the direction DDF is taking us the next you are telling us to be careful what we wish for.

 

Anyone would think you are in a back pocket old yin.

 

DDF brought us to this state, no one else squandered money like he did and the fact is the debt continues to grow alarmingly with no end in sight. We could in theory be a solvent club if the past 10 years mismanaging did not occur. Of course pt might be unavoidable, but more so a legacy of bad management being the reason. The failure on the park, the ridiculous signings paying top dollar for bottom of the barrel footballers.

Only one person to blame for that and that’s the owner of the club.

 

And we have not even begun to discuss the contempt he shows for the fans of the club…who’s to blame for that?? The fans? As I said, its some way to run a business when you go out of your way to have digs at the very ones who turn up no matter what pish takes the field.

 

 

Another one of the ‘lets just plod along as utter s***e as long as we have a team’ brigade.

 

You might be satisfied…most are not. Whats to be done? Continue to provide poor fare and expect folk to keep coming? Won’t happen and history has told us that. The crowds will hit ‘core’ next season and this will no doubt in my mind be the culmination of 10 years of poor club management.

 

[Rhubarb Mess]

Dougie approached us.

 

I'm not disputing that!! Do you have difficulty in understanding what I am saying?

[Chris Davidson]

Dougie (or DDF - what's that stand for by the way? Think it is on his car reg plate too, which I saw outside South Street Spar a few weeks ago) said in the Tully piece: "There were 1,306 people at the game on Saturday, which was appalling and we took in less than £8,000".

 

Does that amount mean just the money from fans who paid cash on the day at the turnstiles, or does it include the amount Season Ticket holders paid before the start of the season, and also things like Hospitality / 50-50 & Lotto / Programmes / Merch from the Sincy Van & Smiths / Pies / Advertising Boards / League & Cup money etc.???

[Tonsilitis]

Astonishing, You change your mind like the weather. One minute you are worried about the direction DDF is taking us the next you are telling us to be careful what we wish for.

 

Anyone would think you are in a back pocket old yin.

 

DDF brought us to this state, no one else squandered money like he did and the fact is the debt continues to grow alarmingly with no end in sight. We could in theory be a solvent club if the past 10 years mismanaging did not occur. Of course pt might be unavoidable, but more so a legacy of bad management being the reason. The failure on the park, the ridiculous signings paying top dollar for bottom of the barrel footballers.

Only one person to blame for that and that’s the owner of the club.

 

And we have not even begun to discuss the contempt he shows for the fans of the club…who’s to blame for that?? The fans? As I said, its some way to run a business when you go out of your way to have digs at the very ones who turn up no matter what pish takes the field.

Another one of the ‘lets just plod along as utter s***e as long as we have a team’ brigade.

 

You might be satisfied…most are not. Whats to be done? Continue to provide poor fare and expect folk to keep coming? Won’t happen and history has told us that. The crowds will hit ‘core’ next season and this will no doubt in my mind be the culmination of 10 years of poor club management.

 

Where in my post did I say anything to contradict being worried about the state of the club and what is wrong as part of that with worrying about the financial standing and intentions of a new owner. I will say that when DDFR states the obvious in terms of financial reality, guys like you interpret it as treating fans with contempt, as you do with anyone you decide for your own peculiar reasons to dislike.

 

As for squandering money, hindsight gives 20:20 vision but of course you knew that the likes of Templeman would be a total failure despite scoring for fun with previous clubs. You knew from day one Jim McInally was the wrong man and Irons for that matter.

 

Douglas Rae has shown ambition for the club but I don't think many of us would agree with how that has been channelled or the club has been run. That does not mean everything he has done has been bad and before you replace him, maybe you would want to know something about who was going to take over. Who do you have in mind? Are you going to pop into Ben and Jerry's to tell Scott all is forgiven and come back? Maybe you could drop Craig Whyte an e-mail as he's looking for something to do!

 

FFS whats wrong with counselling care that we don't jump out of the frying pan into the fire!

 

Finally, who are the companies who were turned down as shirt sponsors and how do you know?

[Rhubarb Mess]

Where in my post did I say anything to contradict being worried about the state of the club and what is wrong as part of that with worrying about the financial standing and intentions of a new owner. I will say that when DDFR states the obvious in terms of financial reality, guys like you interpret it as treating fans with contempt, as you do with anyone you decide for your own peculiar reasons to dislike.

 

As for squandering money, hindsight gives 20:20 vision but of course you knew that the likes of Templeman would be a total failure despite scoring for fun with previous clubs. You knew from day one Jim McInally was the wrong man and Irons for that matter.

 

Douglas Rae has shown ambition for the club but I don't think many of us would agree with how that has been channelled or the club has been run. That does not mean everything he has done has been bad and before you replace him, maybe you would want to know something about who was going to take over. Who do you have in mind? Are you going to pop into Ben and Jerry's to tell Scott all is forgiven and come back? Maybe you could drop Craig Whyte an e-mail as he's looking for something to do!

 

FFS whats wrong with counselling care that we don't jump out of the frying pan into the fire!

 

Finally, who are the companies who were turned down as shirt sponsors and how do you know?

 

You have stated, in the past, both on here and in person you are exteremely worried about the direction the club is going under DDF Rae!

As for Rae treating us with contempt, telling us to behave like Celtic fans because they are the best on the planet has nothing to do with how the club is funded. Thats just one example of his flippant attitude toward the clubs own fans.

In regards to Templeman I wrote on the forum at the time that I thought this, and other ridiculous signings made, would be the death of the club unless the fees were coming from DDF's pocket and not attributed to Morton FC.

Some of could see pretty clearly money was been blatantly squandered. I nearly choked on my cornflakes when he signed Templeman never mind the crackpot fee he paid. But remember one thing, Templeman, as with others, was RAE's signing, he admitted as much at the time.

 

From someone who only a few months back was extremely concerned where we are going as a club to now do a full u turn and go with the 'better the devil you know' would bring most folk to only one conclusion!! I don't think i'd need to spell that out given the complete change in direction.

 

As for the last question, seeing as you fail to answer direct questions I think i'll return the favour. If its good enough for you its good enough for me.

I'm not the only one who knows Morton were approached in the past by an external sponsor...it was pretty much public knowledge at the time that DDF rebuffed the approach.

 

 

 

[Rhubarb Mess]

Dougie (or DDF - what's that stand for by the way? Think it is on his car reg plate too, which I saw outside South Street Spar a few weeks ago) said in the Tully piece: "There were 1,306 people at the game on Saturday, which was appalling and we took in less than £8,000".

 

Does that amount mean just the money from fans who paid cash on the day at the turnstiles, or does it include the amount Season Ticket holders paid before the start of the season, and also things like Hospitality / 50-50 & Lotto / Programmes / Merch from the Sincy Van & Smiths / Pies / Advertising Boards / League & Cup money etc.???

 

It doesn't really matter. Its the fans fault we are shite and don't ever forget that.

 

[cmdc]

I'm not the only one who knows Morton were approached in the past by an external sponsor...it was pretty much public knowledge at the time that DDF rebuffed the approach.

 

Just out of interest, did the external sponsor offer to pay more for the privilege than GC currently pay? I could be wrong, and maybe someone with a closer knowlege of the accounts can confirm, but I think GC pay pretty much the market value for First Division shirt sponsorship, which (unless my memory is playing tricks on me, and it could well be) is around £20-25k.

[Rhubarb Mess]

Just out of interest, did the external sponsor offer to pay more for the privilege than GC currently pay? I could be wrong, and maybe someone with a closer knowlege of the accounts can confirm, but I think GC pay pretty much the market value for First Division shirt sponsorship, which (unless my memory is playing tricks on me, and it could well be) is around £20-25k.

 

No idea, at the time the suggestion was that they were prepared to pay more but that even the idea was not entertained....but how much is DDF really paying?..he is in effect paying himself. Out his left pocket into his right pocket..do you see my point?

 

 

Some fresh external investment is the kind of thing we lack.

 

 

 

 

[Rasta Ton]

Here's a few hard facts. The underlying overhead cost at Cappielow is around £600k per annum before any wages are paid. That covers the likes of rates, electricity, policing matches, insurance, etc, etc, etc. 1400 crowds brings in roughly £300-£350k. Throw in the odds and sods income - hospitality, lottery, replica kit, league money and you are talking about £500k.

 

The arithmetic is not pleasant and maybe its not part time we need to be talking about but amateur if we are to come even close to balancing the books. You may not like what he is saying, but DDFR is right about the level of crowds being unsustainable.

 

The reason crowds are declining is as rightly pointed out, because of performances on the park. Is that all DDFR's fault? He put his hand in his pocket to sign the likes of Jackson and MacDonald and keep Fred here. He signed a management team we all approved of at the time. In the context of the first division he gave us a team this season that had at least top four aspirations. Its not his fault that it has underachieved. That was caused by a number of factors, not the least of which was an exceptionally bad season in terms of injuries.

 

Maybe the Rae's have taken the club as far as they can but they are still funding the losses albeit as lenders. No bank would lend us the money. If we could find a mega rich new owner maybe a change of direction would help but you also have to be careful what you wish for. Ask Rangers, Dundee, Livingston, and others. The last time Morton fans forced a chairman out we got Scott!

Partick Thistle made a small operating profit this year despite operating with a similar wage bill and crowd size to use.

[Rhubarb Mess]

Partick Thistle made a small operating profit this year despite operating with a similar wage bill and crowd size to use.

 

They had the sense to invest in a structure which generates income for the club.

[GiGi]

Partick Thistle made a small operating profit this year despite operating with a similar wage bill and crowd size to use.

They had the sense to invest in a structure which generates income for the club.

They also had the fortune, if you look at it that way, to have a sizeable income from the rugby being played at Firhill, assuming you've included that in operating profit.

[CJTon]

Just skimmed over this topic,apologies if someone has made the following comparison -

bottom line is if dougies sweeties were crap no one would buy them,they do buy them and it has made him a very very rich man who has surronded himself throughout his business empire with good honest and trustworthy employees who know how to run a multinational brand and maximize profits while constantly adapting to an ever changing market.

 

Why should we, his other customers pay good money to watch the same s***e year after year,basic economics tells you that if the product is not right it wont sell and will eventually be discarded.

 

How many times have we rebuilt teams and sacked managers,morton are probably the best example of getting the fair weather fans out when the team is doing well,8500 v peterhead,6000 v gretna,the crowd at Raith when we won the 2nd division ,motherwell away 1st time in the cup,killie in the cup,skunks games etc,if the product is right the fans will come out in force,the pricing structure which is set by the league does not help neither does the global economic crisis but if it is being ran and marketed to its full potential then surely it should be better,losing fred,tidser and mcaffrey for so long early in the season as well as constantly chopping and changing an entire back four has certainly not helped,but looking at the basis of the side we should be far better than where we are ,should dougie step back and appoint a chief executive who is proven in football circles and not just someone who is no doubt very good at their own trade ,each man to his trade so to speak!!

 

I know that Dave MacKinnon has expressed an interest in maybe getting involved (certainly was case at back end of 2011). Previously Chief Exec at Kilmarnock and Dundee

[CJTon]

Partick Thistle made a small operating profit this year despite operating with a similar wage bill and crowd size to use.

 

Take away the income from Glasgow Warriors and you might get a different answer. The PT directors certainly dont portray a healthy financial position at Firhill when you speak to them.....oh and their shirt sponsors went bust this year and they have apparently lost money as a result.

[LargsTON]

Still, a small profit even allowing for the warriors income's a far cry from an annual loss of £300K!

 

Until someone comes in and runs the club properly and to it's maximum potential I can't accept our place in the overall scheme of things is the arse end of the 1st Div.

 

Part-time football will be the end of Morton.

[ayrstorm]

Ayr also made a small profit in their last financial year - boosted by sky money from hibs cup game.

With the cup run this season, they must be looking for another breakeven or profit season.

 

This is where we have fallen over consistently for too many years - no boosts to the coffers from decent cup runs and tv pay days

[Spot Ton]

Morton have never made a profit since Dougie took over.