To be fair, Tek. That's not rocket science 

Tek wrote:

Hopefully his supporter liasing techniques have improved since.

I think they have: having written to the club many times, and been ignored, Jim contacted me today and comprehensively covered a number of topics.
 

Tek wrote:

PatReilly wrote:

Tek wrote:

Hopefully his supporter liasing techniques have improved since.

I think they have: having written to the club many times, and been ignored, Jim contacted me today and comprehensively covered a number of topics.
 

That's good to hear Pat.
 

I'll write up something here soon about it, and btw, your mailbox is full.

Following a dialogue I had with Jim Spence yesterday, he gave permission, and in fact encouraged me to write an account of the conversation here.
 
I’d contacted the club for a number of reasons, including the governance of the game by the football authorities, and whether someone at the club could convince me to purchase a season ticket again.
 
Jim offered the opinion that eventually the truth will emerge regarding the peculiar handling of events at Ibrox by the SFA and SPFL, however offered no reassurance that United were likely to instigate or be involved in seeking to expose wrong-doing by these authorities
 
He then spent considerable time on developments at Tannadice.
 
    Meetings with fans: Jim would like to get out and visit supporters’ groups, not necessarily organised clubs but including them. He hopes to get some sort of vehicle (a battle bus or ambulance [!] he suggested) to get out and gauge feelings of the fans. He feels some folk in AT and the Fed will not move their position on Stephen Thompson, and simply want him gone. However, they can offer no options on who would take over. Some fans think he should ‘walk away’, but the there is no one who can take over presently within the board (due to other commitments, or in John Bennett’s case, as he is leaving the board soon). A further complication is Justine’s situation: additions to the board would require her support, given the percentage of the club she owns.
 
   Which brings me to Laura Conway: a smart woman who he knows from a period of further education, and it seemed he was instrumental in encouraging her to come on board (subject to Justine okaying it). He says Laura is a life-long fan, and very well off, but a private individual who does not want to be in the spotlight. He reckons she’ll suss out whether and what type of involvement she wants very quickly. Mentioning private individuals, he feels that the folk who actually want to own a football club normally enjoy the high profile publicity involved, and that type of person would already be known if they were interested in United.
  
  However, he also said that he is hoping for another addition to the board this week (subject to Justine’s eventual approval). I had the feeling that this was connected to a meeting he had on Saturday night, where UfC2 was mooted among a number of well known (and some well off) United fans: however, even some of the folk there, Jim said, were disdainful towards him, for ‘taking sides’, in their view, with ST. One huge sticking point for UfC2: no figurehead. There is no-one really wanting the publicity, good and bad, which ST has had throughout his time at Tannadice.
 
  To Hugh Drummond Duncan next…… yes, he owns the security over Tannadice, but the bank owned that for 25 years previously, so this is a better position, as he is a United fan, and a rich, but again very private individual, who is getting on now. He may, however, be putting more money in as a loan this week.
    
    Money brings me to budget: Jim stated he hoped United fans would support Ray McKinnon’s efforts by buying season tickets, as this, as it is for many clubs, is a time when cash isn’t flowing in so readily. Ray, when he was talking to the club, took mere minutes to agree on his salary, but several days to negotiate the budget for players. At one point, Jim suggested, the deal was looking like failing. He outlined how impressed he is with Ray, who has outlined many wee changes already for next season. Nonetheless, we are staying at St Andrews as a training base, as Ray feels this is an attractive aspect for possible signing targets.
 
   Also on money, the involvement of agents and the costs to clubs in general was raised. Jim stated that, on occasion, three or four agents can be involved when a player is moving from one club to another, all of them wanting a cut. He described football as a ‘dirty’ business. Further, transfer fees received are often invented by the media, and even if accurate, the stash removed from the deal by agents is not taken into account. Thus supporters get a skewed idea of money the club actually receives.
 
    Jim also suggested the setting up of a ‘fans board’ which would comprise perhaps a representative from AT, one from the Fed, but also others unconnected to the leadership of these groups. Further, he’d got acceptance for an additional fan member to be on the club board, but AT had rejected this, which I found odd.
 
    We talked about some of the difficulties ST faces, some of his own making as he admits he game Jackie and Mixu too much money to pay on wages, and we are stuck with these issues presently. One player who has rarely featured is on £2000 a week, as an example. If he can be encouraged to move on, that would fund two decent replacements. However, on the positive side, Jim pointed out that under ST we have vastly reduced our debt, which was over £7million, owed to the bank when Eddie died. He also said that some folk at AT and the Fed seemed to think going into administration was a way out.
 
    When I pressed him about the possibility of administration at Tannadice, Jim thought that was a distant prospect.
 
     We then turned to reflection on our last outing in the second tier, and chatted about the quality of our squad at that time. And finished on a positive note by both agreeing we were actually looking forward to the forthcoming season.
 
   I would hope this reflects fairly the conversation, and, of course, if Jim looks in here, he could always correct any errors or misunderstandings.
 

Does anyone have an email address for Jim?

GingerW@nker.co.uk

Jeez, these last two posts will help encourage the dialogue which many fans have been asking for.

Do we want to have an input to the direction the club might take, or just poke at anybody involved at Tannadice with a stick?

Arabnophobia wrote:

PatReilly wrote:

Jeez, these last two posts will help encourage the dialogue which many fans have been asking for.

Do we want to have an input to the direction the club might take, or just poke at anybody involved at Tannadice with a stick?

 

Struggling to understand strength of comments towards Jim Spence. Even though when you count the number against him it's very low in proportion.

Each to their ain opinion though.

I'm mair than sure that he has the best interests at heart and isn't prioritising anything over that whether pay, friendship or career related stuff.
Don't know him, never spoken to him online or in person but slate me if you like.

I think he can do a better job for the club's good than many other employees or fan groups with his media influence and manipulative ways.

Sure he can take some shite and do a job anyway. He's probably as stressed as maist arabs right now so mibbies judge him later.

I was on a course at Radio Tay and was introduced to Jim by Ken Macleod. I found him a pleasant and sincere kind of guy. Ginger, yes, but then we cannae all be perfect! 
 

Last edited by Leedsy2 (19/5/2016 9:56 am)

Me and Dragoodane Ristic have spoken to him a few times in Frews after Utd games and he has always came across as a sincere guy, who clearly wants what's best for us.

Last edited by lifesanocean (19/5/2016 4:27 pm)

PatReilly wrote:

Following a dialogue I had with Jim Spence yesterday, he gave permission, and in fact encouraged me to write an account of the conversation here.
 
I’d contacted the club for a number of reasons, including the governance of the game by the football authorities, and whether someone at the club could convince me to purchase a season ticket again.
 
Jim offered the opinion that eventually the truth will emerge regarding the peculiar handling of events at Ibrox by the SFA and SPFL, however offered no reassurance that United were likely to instigate or be involved in seeking to expose wrong-doing by these authorities
 
He then spent considerable time on developments at Tannadice.
 
    Meetings with fans: Jim would like to get out and visit supporters’ groups, not necessarily organised clubs but including them. He hopes to get some sort of vehicle (a battle bus or ambulance [!] he suggested) to get out and gauge feelings of the fans. He feels some folk in AT and the Fed will not move their position on Stephen Thompson, and simply want him gone. However, they can offer no options on who would take over. Some fans think he should ‘walk away’, but the there is no one who can take over presently within the board (due to other commitments, or in John Bennett’s case, as he is leaving the board soon). A further complication is Justine’s situation: additions to the board would require her support, given the percentage of the club she owns.
 
   Which brings me to Laura Conway: a smart woman who he knows from a period of further education, and it seemed he was instrumental in encouraging her to come on board (subject to Justine okaying it). He says Laura is a life-long fan, and very well off, but a private individual who does not want to be in the spotlight. He reckons she’ll suss out whether and what type of involvement she wants very quickly. Mentioning private individuals, he feels that the folk who actually want to own a football club normally enjoy the high profile publicity involved, and that type of person would already be known if they were interested in United.
  
  However, he also said that he is hoping for another addition to the board this week (subject to Justine’s eventual approval). I had the feeling that this was connected to a meeting he had on Saturday night, where UfC2 was mooted among a number of well known (and some well off) United fans: however, even some of the folk there, Jim said, were disdainful towards him, for ‘taking sides’, in their view, with ST. One huge sticking point for UfC2: no figurehead. There is no-one really wanting the publicity, good and bad, which ST has had throughout his time at Tannadice.
 
  To Hugh Drummond Duncan next…… yes, he owns the security over Tannadice, but the bank owned that for 25 years previously, so this is a better position, as he is a United fan, and a rich, but again very private individual, who is getting on now. He may, however, be putting more money in as a loan this week.
    
    Money brings me to budget: Jim stated he hoped United fans would support Ray McKinnon’s efforts by buying season tickets, as this, as it is for many clubs, is a time when cash isn’t flowing in so readily. Ray, when he was talking to the club, took mere minutes to agree on his salary, but several days to negotiate the budget for players. At one point, Jim suggested, the deal was looking like failing. He outlined how impressed he is with Ray, who has outlined many wee changes already for next season. Nonetheless, we are staying at St Andrews as a training base, as Ray feels this is an attractive aspect for possible signing targets.
 
   Also on money, the involvement of agents and the costs to clubs in general was raised. Jim stated that, on occasion, three or four agents can be involved when a player is moving from one club to another, all of them wanting a cut. He described football as a ‘dirty’ business. Further, transfer fees received are often invented by the media, and even if accurate, the stash removed from the deal by agents is not taken into account. Thus supporters get a skewed idea of money the club actually receives.
 
    Jim also suggested the setting up of a ‘fans board’ which would comprise perhaps a representative from AT, one from the Fed, but also others unconnected to the leadership of these groups. Further, he’d got acceptance for an additional fan member to be on the club board, but AT had rejected this, which I found odd.
 
    We talked about some of the difficulties ST faces, some of his own making as he admits he game Jackie and Mixu too much money to pay on wages, and we are stuck with these issues presently. One player who has rarely featured is on £2000 a week, as an example. If he can be encouraged to move on, that would fund two decent replacements. However, on the positive side, Jim pointed out that under ST we have vastly reduced our debt, which was over £7million, owed to the bank when Eddie died. He also said that some folk at AT and the Fed seemed to think going into administration was a way out.
 
    When I pressed him about the possibility of administration at Tannadice, Jim thought that was a distant prospect.
 
     We then turned to reflection on our last outing in the second tier, and chatted about the quality of our squad at that time. And finished on a positive note by both agreeing we were actually looking forward to the forthcoming season.
 
   I would hope this reflects fairly the conversation, and, of course, if Jim looks in here, he could always correct any errors or misunderstandings.
 

 

Nice one Pat, I'd like to point out that no one from the Fed mentioned Admin. The only person who mentioned it was Jim Spence...

HeggyHandshake wrote:

Nice one Pat, I'd like to point out that no one from the Fed mentioned Admin. The only person who mentioned it was Jim Spence...

Apologies if I got that wrong, but it may be someone from the Fed committee put that to Jim outwith the meeting. Or maybe not. I don't think he necessarily meant it was a comment at the Fed meeting. 
 

PatReilly wrote:

HeggyHandshake wrote:

Nice one Pat, I'd like to point out that no one from the Fed mentioned Admin. The only person who mentioned it was Jim Spence...

Apologies if I got that wrong, but it may be someone from the Fed committee put that to Jim outwith the meeting. Or maybe not. I don't think he necessarily meant it was a comment at the Fed meeting. 
 

  Pat, no apologies required. Didn't come from anyone on the Fed Committee but have a feeling I do know who it came from.... Cheers.