Stephen Thompson has revealed that saying no to newco is proving to be a winner at the box office.
On Thursday night Dundee United announced that they’d be voting against newclub Rangers being invited to join the SPL.
Thompson had previously described the vote as a lose-lose situation but is already seeing evidence that he made the right choice.
Despite uncertainty over the Sky television deal and whether Charles Green can actually put a club together the Tannadice club are starting to look forward to the new season.
It was a similar story at Tynecastle following Vladimir Romanov’s outspoken opposition to Rangers which has given other clubs the conviction to speak out and follow the wishes of their biggest sponsors- rank and file supporters.
Thompson admitted to the Daily Record: “If a club fails to listen to its customers then it dies, it’s as simple as that. Without our fans’ full backing Dundee United dies in five or six years.
“We stuck our heads above the parapet when we went public and some other clubs might have to be put under pressure before they will do the same.
“There’s a feeling of anxiety about Sky TV and whether they’ll walk if Rangers aren’t in the SPL next season.
“The new, five-year deal we have with them isn’t signed yet but I’m also looking at the knock-on effects of taking a stance on the newco vote. I spoke to people at Hearts and they’ve noticed an immediate uplift in ticket sales after Vladimir Romanov’s statement that he couldn’t back Rangers’ right to stay in the SPL.”
Thompson added: “I turned on my computer and there were messages from fans of all sorts of clubs saying well done for coming out and making United’s stand a matter of public record.
“On my way out of the ground to go for a quiet coffee I also met a fan who said he wasn’t going to buy a season ticket if we had approved a newco but was now getting four.
“The past few months have been stressful on a personal basis.
“I like to think I’m thick-skinned but you have to be concerned whether the fans will back the board after we’ve made our decision on the game’s biggest issue.
“It’s a big risk and you don’t take these matters lightly.
“There’s a feeling that you want to do what’s right and a realisation that doing the right thing brings with it a huge financial pressure. It was a massive decision for us to take and a tough one as well.
The blow of losing Rangers could be compensated for United by the arrival of neighbours Dundee in the SPL with the Dens Park side or Dunfermline likely to be promoted from Division One.
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Let’s hope the SPL grounds are packed next season- without sevco united.
I maintained months ago that significant increases at SPL games would follow from the right decisions being made. History shows this to be the case as in the years when other clubs were the main challegers for trophies and not us and ‘them that was’. I am just as convinced that the differential in gate receipts will more than likely offset the T.V. deal if it is cancelled. It may take a couple of seasons to establish a truly balanced league but when does arrive then make Sky or any other T.V. Co. pay a proper price for the product. Disgraceful that Scotland received a mere pitence of what it contributes to these robbers. We are not helped by self interested authorities ready to do a quick deal rather than professional negotiations.
H H
Any shrewd businessman will see the £££’s to be made in moving up a place in the league, chance of Europe and a good cup run…fans will return to watch a successful team.
All this crap about lost revenue with the demise of Dodo FC is just rubbish, based upon previous financially doped teams….they will have no Internationals, no chance of a challenge, much much less support…no major loss to the top table.
Instead of distancing themselves from the worst bigots in the Country, they are actively trying to appease them….Linfield next stop…seems they never learn.
Well done Dundee Utd. Today I shall be purchasing my season ticket. If it had been a yes vote for Cheats FC returning to the SPL then I would have put new windies in the hoose instead.
lol what kind of windies do you get for the price of a season ticket ?
Stephen Thompson should be congratulated for taking the correct decision based on Sporting Integrity and listening to his own supporters.
Let this be a lesson to the Kilmarnock’s of this world who are so shallow and money driven that they can’t see past their own greedy selfish interests.
Can’t wait to see the tumble weed blowing across their park next season and for many more season’s to come with little or no away support to line their filthy mercenary pockets.
No matter what happens they will be lucky to have a 2 or 3 thou (if that) ‘strong’ traveling support next season and I doubt they will be reaching the heady hights of the 17 thou home gates they were getting before their ‘crisis’ hit, any time soon.
Thats assuming, of course, newco can stay in business long enough to put any side together at all!
Well done Dundee utd fans, and i hope fans from other middle of the road clubs, Motherwell and killy to name a few put the utmost pressure on there chairman to vote NO TO NEWCO, otherwise they will be financially burdened 4 years when CELTIC and possibly other clubs bhoycott them nxt season, time to grow a pair and stop showing any sympathy to CHEATS FC. hail hail, CMON THE TAXPAYERS
To avoid a criminal offence taking place, Mr Green, The Scottish Media, The SFA and SPL should be aware of the following:
The law prohibits the re-use of a name of a company previously gone into liquidation, (section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986). A prohibited name is a name by which the liquidated company was known at any time in the 12 months immediately before liquidation: whether this is a registered name at Companies House, or its trading name, or any name so similar to its registered or trading name as to suggest an association with the liquidated company. It is a criminal offence to contravene section 216 of the Insolvency Act. Anyone contravening the Act may be prosecuted by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and could go to prison if convicted. In addition, under section 217 of the Act, you could be made personally liable for the debts incurred during the time that you were involved in managing a business using a prohibited name, even if it was a limited company. This could happen whether you are prosecuted under section 216 of the Act or not.
Ally McCoist should be aware of the following:
Even if you are not contravening Section 216 of the Act, you will be personally responsible for the debts of the company if you are involved in managing a business and you act on instructions from someone you know who is contravening Section 216. This is because you are helping someone to commit a criminal offence by contravening Section 216.
Reference: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/pdfs/guidanceleafletspdf/reuseofcompanyname.pdf