offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Could not help but notice on the new website the section on the Facebook group, showing about 225,000 people 'like' the Rangers Official Facebook group.Which got me thinking...In a relative sense, we all spend a lot of our hard earned cash on supporting the club by way of season tickets, merchandise, expenditure at the games etc. That said, we all love this club more than anything on earth and would give anything for the club to be as successful as it possibly can be.I am in the fortunate situation of being relatively comfortable in a financial sense but feel there is no way to support the club, other than buying more junk from the megastore.So, if 225,000 people can be bothered clicking a Like button on Facebook, perhaps there are a similar number who would be willing to contribute a few quid to the club each year towards a Supporters Fund that can be used by the club on the playing squad. Some people might be able to contribute say only 1 quid a year whereas others might be willing to contribute a few thousand a year. Overall though, there could be some decent money raised for the club to spend on the squad each year given the passion of the fans.Obviously the tax case cloud would need to pass and there would need to be custodial arrangements to make sure the fans money was being spent on the squad, but logistics and details aside, I would love something like this to be set up to allow me to contribute and give back to the club that has given me so much in my life.Any views on whether this would have merit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creampuff 22,628 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Good idea in principle.People would want something for their money though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Depends... spend another tenner on beer over a year which we piss up against a wall and forget about anyway, or give the tenner and see it spent on the team. I know my choice... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Season tickets, football strips/tracksuits etc, paying for Skysports which gives money to the club, etc etc are just some of the ways the fans give funds to the club. The clubs finances need to be managed better. Whats to say the fans bail them out now then in a few years its back to this stage again? What then, the fans bail them out again? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzGers 425 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Love it, I would definitely contribute, although the club would need to be transparent and show us what the money is used for. Perhaps set up a Facebook page and gage reaction? Then get in touch with the club and put the concept forward Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzGers 425 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 This is not a bail out, but a logical way for fans to help our club with transfers etc Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Could not help but notice on the new website the section on the Facebook group, showing about 225,000 people 'like' the Rangers Official Facebook group.Which got me thinking...In a relative sense, we all spend a lot of our hard earned cash on supporting the club by way of season tickets, merchandise, expenditure at the games etc. That said, we all love this club more than anything on earth and would give anything for the club to be as successful as it possibly can be.I am in the fortunate situation of being relatively comfortable in a financial sense but feel there is no way to support the club, other than buying more junk from the megastore.So, if 225,000 people can be bothered clicking a Like button on Facebook, perhaps there are a similar number who would be willing to contribute a few quid to the club each year towards a Supporters Fund that can be used by the club on the playing squad. Some people might be able to contribute say only 1 quid a year whereas others might be willing to contribute a few thousand a year. Overall though, there could be some decent money raised for the club to spend on the squad each year given the passion of the fans.Obviously the tax case cloud would need to pass and there would need to be custodial arrangements to make sure the fans money was being spent on the squad, but logistics and details aside, I would love something like this to be set up to allow me to contribute and give back to the club that has given me so much in my life.Any views on whether this would have merit?Are you setting this up? Are you a Nigerian "business" man? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Season tickets, football strips/tracksuits etc, paying for Skysports which gives money to the club, etc etc are just some of the ways the fans give funds to the club. The clubs finances need to be managed better. Whats to say the fans bail them out now then in a few years its back to this stage again? What then, the fans bail them out again?Agree with your sentiment, but the concept is not a bail out but a Fund that has custodial arrangements so fans know where it is being spent on the squad. Imagine if it had a million quid in it and the trustee of fans could deploy that to the club to help bring [insert name of then current desperate need of player] to the club. Would make me proud as punch too have played a small part in paying for that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godfather 72,390 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 In theory it is a very interesting idea which when I initially though about it sounded more straightforward than it probably actually would be. Facebook as you say has 250,000 likes and even if each of these people gave say £20 each a year that would be £5 million to use on the squad. Of course times are hard and what people do have extra goes on attending games, shirts and other things involved in the club so maybe not as many as people think could give to the club. As others have pointed out the people who give money will want to see it used for only improving the team and would require proof of this so many legal areas would need to be looked at within this. Good idea though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Are you setting this up? Are you a Nigerian "business" man?HahaNo. More likely the sucker who gives to the Nigerian business man... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Agree with your sentiment, but the concept is not a bail out but a Fund that has custodial arrangements so fans know where it is being spent on the squad. Imagine if it had a million quid in it and the trustee of fans could deploy that to the club to help bring [insert name of then current desperate need of player] to the club. Would make me proud as punch too have played a small part in paying for that.And you dont think a multi million pound business thats been going for nearly 140 years should be able to look after itself? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godfather 72,390 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Another thing is that if we start putting our money directly into Rangers solely for the playing squad then how long before we the fans start dictating who we buy/sell since it is partly our money that would be being used? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRICKY1872 118 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 And you dont think a multi million pound business thats been going for nearly 140 years should be able to look after itself?Like say, Woolworths for example? That sort of thing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amcewan 1 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Good idea.And possibly even more attractive to us ex-pats living away who can't spend the money at matches (and are too old to wear the shirt!!).I am already happy to pay my £10 a year to the Stirling Albion Trust so I have a track record!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 And you dont think a multi million pound business thats been going for nearly 140 years should be able to look after itself?absolutely, fundamentally YES it should - but this would add the "icing on the cake". it is amazing what a business can do when it gets additional capital, particularly when the return that capital is looking for is not financial, rather it is purely the enjoyment of the club being successful. Another thing is that if we start putting our money directly into Rangers solely for the playing squad then how long before we the fans start dictating who we buy/sell since it is partly our money that would be being used?agree...hence the 'custodial' comment i made. how the feck it works in practice i do not know, but there are smarter people out there than me to work that out. the club does not control the money, the Fund does...and its custodians can grant the money to club if it so dictates. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Like say, Woolworths for example? That sort of thing?Sorry but to compare Rangers to Woolworths Woolworths went under mainly due to the fact that they never adapted to an ever changing market place. The emergance of low cost places like pound stores selling the same or substitute products at a much lower price killed them.We on the other hand have no real excuse for the mess we are in at the moment and I think asking the fans for a hand out is something the club wont stoop too hopefully. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.T.G 10,773 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 And you dont think a multi million pound business thats been going for nearly 140 years should be able to look after itself?No business is safe, you are just being plain negativeThis is an idea to help the club and provide more income for players and being able to compete since the tv money is scarce Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 No business is safe, you are just being plain negativeThis is an idea to help the club and provide more income for players and being able to compete since the tv money is scarceIm not being negative at all. I just think its a slippery slope when you start handing a big business charity. It will be a case of every 6 months the club will over spend and think "aye its ok the fans will sort us out again, just keep spending". Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godfather 72,390 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 We on the other hand have no real excuse for the mess we are in at the moment and I think asking the fans for a hand out is something the club wont stoop too hopefully.Not all fans of course. I think the OP was meaning fans like him who have the finances where putting some money into the club would not be a problem rather than every single fan. The ones who are willing and able would be the target audience. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek1872 548 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Not all fans of course. I think the OP was meaning fans like him who have the finances where putting some money into the club would not be a problem rather than every single fan. The ones who are willing and able would be the target audience.See post number 18 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Struth 137 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 If the player we bought for £2m sells for £10m would we get a return? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godfather 72,390 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 See post number 18I don't think or I hope the people in charge would not be stupid enough to overspend and get us in another mess. There of course would have to be written and signed agreements like over spending and the budget for the club on wages and players. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godfather 72,390 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 If the player we bought for £2m sells for £10m would we get a return?Don't think so, it would go straight back into the transfer/wage budget to bring in replacements. Well I would have thought so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Im not being negative at all. I just think its a slippery slope when you start handing a big business charity. It will be a case of every 6 months the club will over spend and think "aye its ok the fans will sort us out again, just keep spending".that presumes irresponsible management of the club...which is perhaps understandable given recent history... as a "willing and able" as Scottio said, i simply feel there is not a great deal more i can do to support the club without something like this as unfortunately my finances are a long way from stretching to being able to buy the club! just an idea in any case. could always spend on more junk from the megastore or booze Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offminorthreat 1,465 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 If the player we bought for £2m sells for £10m would we get a return?my personal view is that if i was to "donate" £[xxx]a year to the club, it is a donation and it is gone. your point is valid however and if something like this got up, there could be a pro-rating of any profits - i.e. a £2m player who the Supporters Fund contributed £500,000 towards (25%) then sold for £10m, if the Supporters Fund would then regain control of £2.5m that it would have discretion over. let's call it "co-ownership" of the player! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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