Well, it doesn’t look like I’ll ever get to captain my beloved St Mirren and at my age, being newly-elected chairman of SMISA is as good as it will ever get for me now!
I’m honoured and privileged to be part of the team that represents almost 1200 members of SMISA and are the majority shareholders in the club.
Communication is key to the success of any team, whether it’s in sport or business. With the support of members of the new-look SMISA board, I aim to introduce better and more regular communication with you – keeping SMISA members up to date with what’s going on.
So this is my first editorial column for SMISA fans.
We’re keen to see new young blood becoming more closely involved in running SMISA and bringing fresh ideas to the table.
I’m delighted two Saints fans in their early 20s – Jack McSkeane and Stuart Chawk have agreed to accept our invitation to be co-opted on to the SMISA board. I’m sure they will play a big role in taking SMISA and the club forward.
It’s our duty to properly represent SMISA members and we are obliged, on your behalf, to continually closely examine the actions of the main club board and make sure decisions taken are in the best interests of St Mirren.
The current St Mirren chairman, John Needham has admitted in his most recent chairman’s update that an “area of challenge has been getting back to profitability” which suggests the club is currently making a loss.
John has also indicated that the club will need to reduce its wage bill and players may need to be moved on in the January transfer window as part of a recovery plan.
SMISA as majority shareholders should be made aware of the full details of this recovery plan and have an input into making sure it is successfully carried out with the least impact on the team and the club.
We always act in the best interests of SMISA members and St Mirren. All we want to ensure is that there is proper stewardship of St Mirren by the main club board, whose job it is to run the club on behalf of the shareholders.
Well, that’s the ref blowing the final whistle and bringing the first of many chairman’s reports to a close.
But before I go, along with the other SMISA board members, we’d like to wish everyone reading this a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year with us being able to watch Saints players regularly rippling the twine to score a barrow-load of goals between now and the end of the season.
Jack McSkeane
Stuart Chawk
