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it would be better than what we currently have and hopefully a step in the right direction , eventually leading to a bigger say and share holding , although thats not going to happen overnight ...

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Hi everyone. 

 

We've changed the name of the account that was previously registered to Graham for use by the MCT Team. 

 

Now that the initial 8 week pledging phase is over, we are able to devote more resources to ensuring that key Morton audiences are engaged as best as possible with MCT, including the Forum. We can't promise that every question will be responded to every day, however the team values input from Forum members. As a team we will be monitoring the Forum periodically and will respond to any queries you have. We'd also like to remind you that you can communicate with us directly on Facebook, Twitter and through e-mail. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/TonClubTogether/

https://twitter.com/TonClubTogether

enquiries@mortonclubtogether.com

 

Thanks, 

Dean. 

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Hi everyone. 

 

We've changed the name of the account that was previously registered to Graham for use by the MCT Team. 

 

Now that the initial 8 week pledging phase is over, we are able to devote more resources to ensuring that key Morton audiences are engaged as best as possible with MCT, including the Forum. We can't promise that every question will be responded to every day, however the team values input from Forum members. As a team we will be monitoring the Forum periodically and will respond to any queries you have. We'd also like to remind you that you can communicate with us directly on Facebook, Twitter and through e-mail. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/TonClubTogether/

https://twitter.com/TonClubTogether

enquiries@mortonclubtogether.com

 

Thanks, 

Dean. 

Sounds reasonable Dean, does this mean you're going to go back through all our unanswered questions on this thread and provide responses to all of them, or do we need to ask all the questions again?

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I’m now at a crossroads with stuck traffic lights over the MCT pledge v season book decision. This thread could be retiitled “MCT ask me anything but I might not answer”

The article in Thursday’s DR focussed on how far and wide “pledgers” came from, without a word on how the scheme is going to work. I’m now wishing the scheme was never mentioned as an option, as I’d have just bought my season book by now as normal. I don’t really understand how the funds can be used to allow fans to have part ownership in Morton, whilst at the same time the money goes entirely on the playing budget. Meantime we’ve already brought in most of our squad with another 6 to follow before these funds are released to David Hopkin. In the absence of a response from MCT, can anyone explain to me the benefits in pledging my cash to MCT rather than buying a season book, as I won’t be doing both.

 

Money will stay in Morton FC because MCT will be gifted shares in GMFC from Golden Casket in return for our financial contribution over 24 months to Morton First Team costs. MCT is not buying shares on behalf of pledgers. We are being given shares in return for a financial contribution to strengthen the Morton first team for 2 seasons. At the end of that period we will still own the shares.

The whole idea is that over these 24 months the MCT contribution will ADD to the Morton first team budget. Without MCT contribution, there will be a squad. It won’t be anywhere near as good as it could be with the MCT contribution. Currently, if all pledgers choose to convert their pledge to payment, this equates to almost £7000 per calendar month. That buys a lot of Championship team.

The target for first monthly payment from MCT is August 1. The transfer window closes at end August/start September. Time for the squad to be added to. David Hopkin has stated he would ideally like around 20 players in his squad.

 

It’s a personal choice for people to decide to buy a season ticket or not, and to pledge to MCT or not. Or both.

 

Graham. 

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The parable of 'The boy who cried wolf' springs to mind here - What if the club encounters another administration in the near future, will the public at large be willing to stump up yet again to ensure 'our survival' and 'save the ton' after this false alarm?

 

You aren't the only one who doesn't understand the concept, and I reckon that our former players and manager whom have been recruited as figurehead don't understand it much either, and neither do any of the journalists whom I've seen cover it so far. This guy McLennan should have formulated his idea before going public with it. It is encouraging to see that with over £150k worth of pledges that there is sufficient interest in the club going forward to ensure that there will be a Morton in 10-20years time, but my big concern is the quality of this idea - it's not very good - and those pledges may not do so again in our hour of need if this plan goes pear-shaped, which considering that Graham McLennan chap seems hellbent on reinventing the wheel and relying on pledges and promises, this is a very probable outcome.

 

On the “false alarm” question:

 

The MCT idea came after the Gamble Halls when Crawford Rae announced that his family would no longer bankroll Morton and that Morton would operate on a break even budget.

It also came at a time when Morton were dicing with relegation and losing money hand over fist despite his family bankrolling Morton at that time.

MCT believes that without quick and significant action in terms of new monies being made available, there’s a real risk in the context that Mr Rae set out, that Morton will go backwards on and off the field from a pretty low base. We wanted to act before the possibility of real footballing and financial trouble loomed. The urgency is a matter of opinion. MCT looked at the facts and devised the project in response.  The fact that the idea was pitched to the Morton Board and they were interested suggests that they see it as a potential long term solution for Morton. We still don’t see any other options, nor are we aware of any.

 

We firmly believe this is a good idea. From Day 1, MCT has made it clear that a key part of the project is people coming forward to help and to share their own ideas and knowledge to make Morton better, more sustainable and viable. The idea, or very similar versions of it, is in place at St Mirren, Hibs, Hearts, Motherwell, Dunfermline, Clyde, Stirling Albion and several other clubs across the world.

We have consulted with SMISA, HSL, Hearts FC, Scottish Football Supporters Association, expert lawyers and accountants. Input from these individuals and groups are being used to strengthen the MCT proposition. 

 

If anyone has suggestions for improvement of the project then we would urge them to contact MCT to share them. Many already have done this either by email, social media, or by coming to open events. Additional Q and A events have also been offered and if anyone wishes either one to one or group sessions, this would be welcome and please contact us and we’ll get this set up.

 

We appreciate that any project of this nature has a chance of failure. One of our key aims on 26 April was to find out if there is an appetite for Morton supporters to engage in a step towards community ownership. There is and the MCT team is working very hard to try to make this a success.

 

Graham.

Edited by MCT Team
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My thoughts exactly.

 

Is he not a mate of Crawford Rae?

 

It’s astonishing that so few fans actually know this guy. Going into cappielow most Saturdays you recognise faces and get chatting to folk. Very few folk actually know this fellow.

 

Bring a friend to help Hoppy.

 

I'm not a “mate of Crawford Rae.” I've met with him three times on MCT business. I don't know David Hopkin either other than playing against him in the G&D league in the early 1980s. If anyone wants to meet I'm happy to do so, just contact me. I've been going to Cappielow since 1979. I missed one home game last season and perhaps six away games.

 

I don't use social media, our marketing team run both our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Like a number of the MCT team, I'm putting up to 8 hours a day voluntary time into MCT in addition to his full time job and his other family and football coaching commitments. I currently manage all pledges and I'm very passionate about pledging and the project, simply due to my love of Morton and my fear for the future of the club.

 

Graham.

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To keep everyone up to speed, this is a rough timeline of our plans for July; 

 

- MCT set up as a Company Limited by Guarantee with and Asset Lock by week 1 July (the same social enterprise/non profit structure as, say, HSL).

- Finalise the Share Transfer Agreement (STA) with Golden Casket around the same time (this is subject to Golden Casket).

- Finalise written Terms and Conditions and make these available to all pledgers and the public to aid the decision of converting pledges by week 3 in July (this is subject to the STA being finalised).

- Payment plans set up by week 4 July.

- First payment to GMFC August 1. 

 

We'd like to thank you all for posing your questions, critiques and criticisms. We are all working hard to keep MCT moving along and we aim to be more active on the Forum in the coming weeks to keep you up to date on our progress. As we've mentioned before, we are happy to speak to, answer questions from and meet with any Morton supporters. 

 

Thanks, 

Dean.

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I'm not a “mate of Crawford Rae.” I've met with him three times on MCT business. I don't know David Hopkin either other than playing against him in the G&D league in the early 1980s. If anyone wants to meet I'm happy to do so, just contact me. I've been going to Cappielow since 1979. I missed one home game last season and perhaps six away games.

 

I don't use social media, our marketing team run both our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Like a number of the MCT team, I'm putting up to 8 hours a day voluntary time into MCT in addition to his full time job and his other family and football coaching commitments. I currently manage all pledges and I'm very passionate about pledging and the project, simply due to my love of Morton and my fear for the future of the club.

 

Graham.

Thanks for your responses Graham, this sounds quite promising. However I’d just like to ask two questions:

1/ If you’re devoting up to 8hrs per day of your time to this project, how come it’s taken you so long to answer our urgent questions?

2/ I noticed that you’re first articles on this thread were full of spelling and grammatical mistakes, whereas your recent responses are perfect in this respect. Is someone else now writing these responses on your behalf?

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Money will stay in Morton FC because MCT will be gifted shares in GMFC from Golden Casket in return for our financial contribution over 24 months to Morton First Team costs. MCT is not buying shares on behalf of pledgers. We are being given shares in return for a financial contribution to strengthen the Morton first team for 2 seasons. At the end of that period we will still own the shares.

The whole idea is that over these 24 months the MCT contribution will ADD to the Morton first team budget. Without MCT contribution, there will be a squad. It won’t be anywhere near as good as it could be with the MCT contribution. Currently, if all pledgers choose to convert their pledge to payment, this equates to almost £7000 per calendar month. That buys a lot of Championship team.

The target for first monthly payment from MCT is August 1. The transfer window closes at end August/start September. Time for the squad to be added to. David Hopkin has stated he would ideally like around 20 players in his squad.

 

It’s a personal choice for people to decide to buy a season ticket or not, and to pledge to MCT or not. Or both.

 

Graham. 

 

What happens if they don't convert their pledges to payments, and the cub are saddled with players on contracts that they can't afford? Will Golden Casket be expected to make up the shortfall?

 

Surely the best case scenario would be to withhold all monies until say, 1st June 2020 and then hand it over to Morton on an annual basis, allowing the club to work with a guaranteed budget rather than crossing our fingers every month and hoping for the best?

 

I understand that that doesn't necessarily help in the short term and we'd have to do without this season, but in the long run, it would be a far more prudent approach.

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Thanks for your responses Graham, this sounds quite promising. However I’d just like to ask two questions:

1/ If you’re devoting up to 8hrs per day of your time to this project, how come it’s taken you so long to answer our urgent questions?

2/ I noticed that you’re first articles on this thread were full of spelling and grammatical mistakes, whereas your recent responses are perfect in this respect. Is someone else now writing these responses on your behalf?

 

The delay was not down to Graham but myself. This week I've moved to Singapore to take a new job, meaning I've had very little time to keep up to speed with MCT developments. Now that I've moved up and my apartment has WiFi I'm back up and running. Apologies for the delay! 

 

Thanks, 

Dean.

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Surely we wont be buying players til a sum is exchanged? Morton would then surely know what they have to play with

 

My point is that MCT appear to be planning to hand money over to the club on a monthly basis. Handing over £7000 in August doesn't necessarily mean they'll be handing over £7000 in January, as the novelty wears off and folk decide to cancel Direct Debits to prioritise Christmas.

 

All this while the club are committed to contracts that they can't fulfil due to promised funding from MCT not actually materialising.

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Thanks for your responses Graham, this sounds quite promising. However I’d just like to ask two questions:

1/ If you’re devoting up to 8hrs per day of your time to this project, how come it’s taken you so long to answer our urgent questions?

2/ I noticed that you’re first articles on this thread were full of spelling and grammatical mistakes, whereas your recent responses are perfect in this respect. Is someone else now writing these responses on your behalf?

Grammar mistakes. Jesus wept

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TIME FOR CHANGE!

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I'm not a “mate of Crawford Rae.” I've met with him three times on MCT business. I don't know David Hopkin either other than playing against him in the G&D league in the early 1980s. If anyone wants to meet I'm happy to do so, just contact me. I've been going to Cappielow since 1979. I missed one home game last season and perhaps six away games.

 

I don't use social media, our marketing team run both our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Like a number of the MCT team, I'm putting up to 8 hours a day voluntary time into MCT in addition to his full time job and his other family and football coaching commitments. I currently manage all pledges and I'm very passionate about pledging and the project, simply due to my love of Morton and my fear for the future of the club.

 

Graham.

You fear for the future?

 

Are you of the mindset that the club could die under the current ownership?

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My point is that MCT appear to be planning to hand money over to the club on a monthly basis. Handing over £7000 in August doesn't necessarily mean they'll be handing over £7000 in January, as the novelty wears off and folk decide to cancel Direct Debits to prioritise Christmas.

 

All this while the club are committed to contracts that they can't fulfil due to promised funding from MCT not actually materialising.

This was one of many problems faced by MyFootballClub, when they owned Ebbsfleet in England. Short of either delaying payment (as you said) or making pledges in some way binding, it's hard to see a solution.

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EOho8Pw.png

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The delay was not down to Graham but myself. This week I've moved to Singapore to take a new job, meaning I've had very little time to keep up to speed with MCT developments. Now that I've moved up and my apartment has WiFi I'm back up and running. Apologies for the delay!

 

Thanks,

Dean.

So have you been replying on behalf of Graham and signing in his name?

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Grammar mistakes. Jesus wept

My point wasn’t about the grammar mistakes, rather than that the responses suddenly converted from universally poor grammar to almost perfect grammar! IMHO this definitely indicated that a different person was penning the responses. Would that make you you doubt the integrity of MCT? Maybe not. Would it make me doubt it? Possibly.

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