Delighted Aberdeen are now free of their “debt servicing burden” after long-term supporters Willie and Elaine Donald proposed to reduce net debt by an astonishing £14.9m. The club have been able to service their debt but it’s been caught between paying for old overspends and driving ahead with a new stadium to provide for its future.
Aberdeen has a vibrant business and corporate entertainment sector which the club is well-placed to exploit. In the right environment, specifically, playing a regional league with a new stadium, they could be transformed into a European power, as they were back in the day.
Unfortunately, it’s not all rosy positive financial news for Scottish football clubs. Rangers International’s statement to the stock market this morning confirmed that Mike Ashley’s £2m loan will not be enough to see the club through to the end of this month. Ash’ has provided a further £1m, which will take them through to the second week in December – at least!
The statement confirms yet more money will be needed before the end of the year and that the directors have begun a cost cutting exercise. So where does this leave them?
Living week-to-week is fine if you are within sight of season ticket renewal deadline but that’s six months away. The funding requirement to get them to that day is likely to be north of £10m, with Ashley now the only wallet in town.
A great deal of analysis is taking place over his commitment to the SFA that he’ll not acquire more than 10% of the club, but this overlooks all the important factors, specifically that owning more share capital is neither necessary nor helpful to Ashley.
Football clubs are a collection of businesses. There is the football, of course, but there is also a media business (print, online), retail services, brand merchandising, corporate hospitality, there’s advertising space to fill, and with some, there’s a link to a charity, which requires administration.
The charity and football operations cost money but everything else tends to make a profit. Football clubs are horrible entities to manage. You have unrealistic competitive pressures, fans who demand conflicting objectives and your performance can be undermined by a defender’s lapse, before you’re scrutinised in public. Only lunatics would apply.
By contrast, corporate retail management is a walk in the park. Ashley already has a healthy share of Newco’s retail, merchandising and IP rights. He can and will make money out of them, and no one has been able to tell me why he’d be remotely interested in owning an ounce more than Rangers International.
The funding which will get the club through the rest of the season is likely to cost them all those profitable income streams in perpetuity. There’s a good chance security will be required over the property assets too.
Newco is pretty much hollowed-out already but the scavenging isn’t finished. By the time the consequences of all that ‘we will continue to act like a big club’ nonsense of the last two years has comes home to roost, the cost of their hubris will be laid bare to even the most blinkered mind.
All of this was inevitable when Sir David Muray overruled his board’s recommendation and sold out oldco to a liquidation expert.
TIME CHANGE Remember, we’ve got Davie Hay on the blog tomorrow from 9:30 – 11:30.
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Davie,
Do the players in the modern game have any awareness of what the fans think? I am thinking of Celtic players referring to the `Old Firm` when most fans I know never liked the term and like it even less now that Rangers are no longer.
JJ
David Hay was manager the first time I saw the hoops .
Against the hoops,shamrock rovers in Dublin then the league cup final against the late lamented club
You always did your best for us on the pitch ,in the dugout and when scouting for us and hopefully you’re not finished with us
Nearly forgot ,what did you think when cloughie brought the team to your pub?
morning Davie .
are you a hun ?
mine shafter or happy clapper ?
toasted or roasted ?
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
09:35 on
13 November, 2014
Macjay,
40 years and more would be the right time, they used to tell me watching from the gantry made them appreciate the game more as it took on the form of a game of chess in some games.
They did not go to the gantry very often as they were creatures of habit and liked their usual place.
But they were members of the Celtic Film Society and had passes.
Both gone now god rest them, and a pair of argumentative carnaptious auld buggers you are likely to meet.
NurturenotnatureCSC
———————————————————————————————————————-
Auld argumentative buggers?
You mean something like you and me?
Cheers,pal.
Whether we like it or not,after all is said and done,we`re on the same side.
Where it really matters.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Love and kisses.
:-0
Mr Hay,
When I was a wee bhoy I’m sure my mum had a wee bit of a thing about you. She always talked about you in glowing terms and would harbour no criticism.
HH
Davie. Hello from a warm Sydney 39 tommorow :(
Did it frustrate you when you were boss that the board did not match your or the fans ambitions
And has it come full circle again :(
beatbhoy
A bit of that. There were 3 areas where I wanted to strengthen – right back, centre half and outside right. Davie Proven wasn’t going to get back from his illness. I looked at Stevie Clarke but we didn’t go the extra mile and lost him. Centre half I wanted was Joe McLaughlin and I also wanted Pat Nevin. My mind was made up but at that time the relationship with Jack wasn’t favourable. I got told I would have to buy them myself.
There were 3 or 4 players whose contracts were up – in the papers it was all was Mo going to sign or not and it became a big distraction. So I said all talks are off until end of the season – was that a reason? Possibly. The club could have handled it better and so should I really.
Davie, I posted a question just before beatbhoy.
Thanks in advance.
Macjay..,
Politics separate us and Celtic bring us back together
Hail Hail bruv
Davie
Welcome to your spiritual home and hearth.
This was yours.
Wo oh oh oh oh oh oh,Davie Hay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYYiaZcuEuk
Thanks for the reply, Davie. As we would expect, no shirking the issue from you, just as you never shirked a tackle!
Had you got the players you wanted, I’ve no doubt with the forwards and midfielders we had in that team, the league would certainly have been retained that season.
Hail! Hail!
Davie,
Good to see you on Davie.
After league cup final in 86 you were quoted as saying
“If it was up to me our application to join the English league would be made tomorrow”
Did you ever ask the board to explore this?
Hail Hail
SffS
Bawsman
Thanks for the kind words. Your comments are much appreciated. I’ve always said there is only one club I would return to and that’s Celtic. If it happens, it would be wonderful. If not, I’ll still support the club.
What is the stars
I need u to drop me a text. Your number not available on my phone for whatever reason. Ta. ( before sat pls!!!!)
Philbhoy
I thought it was sixty yards. Actually, it was just great to hit from a fair distance and see it fly into the net. It was a Scottish Cup-tie and we won 3-1.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
09:54 on
13 November, 2014
Macjay..,
Politics separate us and Celtic bring us back together
Hail Hail bruv
————————————————————————————————————————
Stuff politics.
Celtic are more important.
Hail Hail to you ,bruv.
Mr.Hay
Greetings from Punta Secca. !
You hold the honour of playing in the only football match Mrs S of T ever attended .
Christmas 1976 . Chelsea 2 Fulham 0 . A huge crowd by Chelsea standards , a huge crowd for a Division 2 game . Bobby Moore was playing , George Best was playing , cant remember if Rodney Marsh was playing ..
My Inter supporting father was there too. He wasnt that bothered about the likes of Moore and Best but was delighted that you were playing ————-
” Great player , great defender —–I was really pleased he didnt play against us in 72 “.
Best wishes !
A very warm CQN welcome Davie!
Had the great pleasure of seeing you many times in the Hoops, and enjoyed reading your biography. Great title!
Couple of questions:
Which Atletico Madrid player(s) did you whack in the tunnel that night in 1974?!
Have you seen your old pal George Connelly recently, and if so how is he?
HH!!
Davie
Great to have you on.
Boring yet interesting question: Best player you’ve played with and against (with elaboration :-) ?
Dear Mr Hay(Davie)
Thank you for a lifetime of memories.
From singing your name in the primary school playground, crying when you left and many others.
You sir are a gentleman and an asset that Celtic could well do with at the moment In My Humble Opinion.
May only good things come your way and again thank you.
davie
what did you really think about the rapid vienna fiasco ?
Jungle Jim
Players would automatically say Old Firm, but I tend to call it the Celtic v Rangers game.
Ginger
When Cloughie brought his Nottingham Forest team into my Paisley pub I just thought I would have to pay! Actually, Cloughie did buy the second round.
Bognorbhoy
I think everyone knows where I’m coming from. My first club was St Mirren when I was growing up. That changed later in life.
Skyisalandfill
Who’s your mum?
oopla !.
My Inter supporting father in law .
My old man is going to kill me !
Davie hay
Many thanks for your reply!
Take care.
Sydneytim
I answer this in the book. I made a case to strengthen the team, but the board obviously didn’t agree because of the costs. There is little doubt when Graeme Souness arrived at Ibrox everything changed. But it is not comparable these days because of the amount of money available in England.
Mr Hay
As a St Mirins Academy boy myself you were a hero to everyone at the school , did you actually play for the boys guild ?
HH
southoftunis
I remember this game. George Best, Rodney Marsh, Alan Mullery and Bobby Moore all played for Fulham. It was around Boxing Day and was played in in front of a massive crowd. I played as a twin centre-half that day.
Good Morning Davie.
I have a couple of questions.
1. Can you give us your memories of the game against Leeds at Hampden and what it was like to be drafted into that squad at that time?
2. Who were (a) The hardest and (b) the most skilful players you played with and against?
3, What are your memories of playing against Roberto Rivellino in the 1974 World Cup and do you think that was your best International Game?
4.Is there a big gap between managing at domestic level in Norway and managing Celtic in Europe.
5. What do you think was your best day as a Celtic player and then manager.
Lastly, say hello to your brother Brian, He used to be my accountant when I had more than a tenner and before Winning Captains drank all my money!
DavieHayaforeverhero
Good morning, you did your own 5IAR from seasons ’70-’74 but I was surprised to read that after your debut early in ’68 you don’t have a league medal for season 68-69.
My question to you is how would you encourage our young players, who’ve made some starts but then slipped out from the first team squad, to then not lose heart or confidence in their ability to play for Celtic and become champions themselves?
DAVIE
Thanks for the reply. I know with the media we have in Scotland Celtic players and ex-players have to be careful what they say.
All the best to you and yours,
JJ
Tallybhoy
I think it was Ruben Ayala, an Argentinian with long flowing locks. Big George was my closest friend at Celtic. We’re still in touch. It was a pity we both left the club around the same time.
leftclicktic
Thanks again for what you’ve just said. These things mean more than actually playing and managing the club. It’s nice to be remembered.
Davie
Perhaps you could ask a question? Ask BRT & H if he knows how many are in ` a couple`. 0:-)
JJ
Bognorbhoy
I believe we were unjustly asked to play that third game. I still felt comfortable we would win. But early in the game Roy Aitken hit the post and they raced up the field to score. That made it 4-1 on aggregate and at that stage I could see the game slipping away from us. As soon as that goal went in there was a flatness about the place.
Davie,
I hope you are well.
Brian McLaughlin is someone you played alongside and later managed. I know it is difficult to say but just what might he have achieved had he not been seriously injured as a youngster?
All the best,
Paul
Davie
Many thanks for the reply.
You are a true Celtic legend!
HH!!
Ps. When you next talk to big George give him best wishes from CQN.
Thank you for the reply
Didn’t see you play , but as a boss , bhoy could you spot a player :)
Why oh why don’t the club use you as a scout ?
guyfawkesforeverahero
I did get a medal for that season. We used to wait for lengthy spells before getting your medals. I’ve no idea why there were delays back then, but you used to get a pile of medals all at once. We developed as the Quality Street Kids because we trained constantly with players who had conquered Europe. That was a great experience. But, of course, you had to be patient back then.