Nine years ago

[SanguinePar]

Just had these pics pop up in my Google feed from 2013. A reminder of the extremely dodgy administration we were under back then and of how far we've come by sticking together!

[Keyser Soze]

I recall the first open meeting I attended at the Vine Church. Went to a vote of how many wanted to back the share issue, myself and about 3 (2 of whom post on here)others in the room voted against. Wild. Could’ve gone so differently. 

[Digs]

25 minutes ago, Keyser Soze said:

I recall the first open meeting I attended at the Vine Church. Went to a vote of how many wanted to back the share issue, myself and about 3 (2 of whom post on here)others in the room voted against. Wild. Could’ve gone so differently. 

I don't know if there was more than one, but the one I attended there was a joke. Masterton got himself tied in knots and one guy (Colin Maguire's dad I think) tore him up for ar** paper. Masterton patronised him in the beginning  when he asked a question but he knew exactly what he was talking about (when Masterton clearly didn't and didn't expect the response) and pointed out their proposal was actually illegal. I've never seen  a self own in  real  life like it before, it was beautiful. 

I don't remember a vote that night but my memory is terrible. I would say though the atmosphere was not good and I'd be surprised if anyone had voted for it. Bob Purvis standing shouting at us telling us to hand over the £7k for the gas bill was cringeworthy. I felt sorry for him in the end as he had clearly been sold a pup by Masterton too. 

[Guest The Beer Baron]

I only travelled down to the one at the Carnegie Hall. Can't recall it too well, but Leishman was giving it large about ploughing money in still I think. Jim Jefferies came across incredibly well. 

[Digs]

Just now, The Beer Baron said:

I only travelled down to the one at the Carnegie Hall. Can't recall it too well, but Leishman was giving it large about ploughing money in still I think. Jim Jefferies came across incredibly well. 

That was the very first one I think.

[Digs]

2 hours ago, Keyser Soze said:

I attended two at the Vine Church and one at EEP. There may well have been more that I couldn’t make but the feeling at the first one was very much back the board, and the rebels were a tiny minority at this point. Due in no small part to Brian and his cohorts attempting to silence any dissenting voices. His role should never be forgotten, or forgiven imo. The fact he still gets to swan about EEP like he owns the place is an utter disgrace. 

I think  I must have been there then, as I was at a couple at Vine church, the EEP one, and the Carnegie Hall one. I remember a few folk (who later saw the light after being told what was REALLY going on) really being vociferous about supporting it,  some of them volunteer regularly at EEP now. I don't blame  them  at all for that though, the propaganda machine was in full flow at the time, and I remember being in that minority on dotnet, mainly defending others, who had had the temerity to speak out. Arguing with people who had no  idea of the scale of what was going on who were accusing the dissenters of being the ones causing the trouble.

Ironically, some of those, having appeared to have come round to the new regime, are now some of the loudest critics of how things are going on  the park  and seem to have completely forgotten  the absolute state the club was in only a few years ago. None of these people got off their backside and did anything to save 'their club' that they love to bang on  about.

[Deutsch Par]

Seven years ago?  Bloody hell.

[Guest The Beer Baron]

Absolutely agree with the sentiments of your post Piracy.

Except perhaps the Dumbarton day. Again, came down for it from Aberdeen at the time thinking this might be it. The pre match had a... Strange feel to it. Almost like a goodbye. The way the game turned out it began to fully feel that way with fans arguing (those that turned up) as well as a personal moment after full time with a good friend, thinking that was it. The evening was almost too emotional to handle despite not recalling much of it. Mind playing right ****ing depressing music on the jukebox in Montys at some stage.

 

Worked out in the end though and despite the **** poor form at times, we're fighting away to improve.

I love this club and the friends I've made because of it, and the memories I have because of it. **** them all who tried to take it all away. **** them all who knowingly sold the lies.

 

[Piracy]

8 hours ago, The Beer Baron said:

Absolutely agree with the sentiments of your post Piracy.

Except perhaps the Dumbarton day. Again, came down for it from Aberdeen at the time thinking this might be it. The pre match had a... Strange feel to it. Almost like a goodbye. The way the game turned out it began to fully feel that way with fans arguing (those that turned up) as well as a personal moment after full time with a good friend, thinking that was it. The evening was almost too emotional to handle despite not recalling much of it. Mind playing right ****ing depressing music on the jukebox in Montys at some stage.

 

Worked out in the end though and despite the **** poor form at times, we're fighting away to improve.

I love this club and the friends I've made because of it, and the memories I have because of it. **** them all who tried to take it all away. **** them all who knowingly sold the lies.

 

Right enough it was a strange atmosphere in the Old Inn. The march to the ground etc, but there was a sense of determination I felt. We were still relying on Masterton at that stage either somehow guiding us out of it or a miracle happening for the club to survive. It was a freezing cold day as well remember. I felt the camaraderie fondly, maybe that was it, or maybe when I eventually did cry its because we had actually saved the club. 

[Teuchter]

Utterly mad period.

Once the share issue proposal got kicked out I recall the idea of a informal bond issue getting floated on dot net (ie pay the club’s short term bills in exchange for a worthless bit of paper).

There was also the lifetime season ticket for £10k a pop.

Desperate stuff.

[GG Riva]

My memory of these events is a bit hazy. I remember going to the first meeting at Legends and meeting guys like Piracy, his brother and Superally for the first time. We were also told the club needed to find £80k immediately to avoid going bust. I said surely 80 of us could find a grand each and everyone looked at me with astonishment. I thought everybody must be really poor, but maybe they were all far more clued up than me.

By the time I went to the meeting at the Vine, I had a much better idea of Masterton's shenanigans and thought we were well and truly screwed. I wouldn't be too hard on some of the folk who were urging us to buy into a share issue. I think their love of the club was blinding them to the fact that wee Gav was a complete chancer and had duped them into thinking his scheme was a credible solution. 

[Guest The Beer Baron]

I've now remembered my dad was willing to invest in this share issue when he heard. He wasn't someone who was on dot net, or followed closely what was going on.

All I mind is telling him to hold on it for the time being, for whatever reason I can't remember but everything was confusing at that point. Mad how Masterton was openly willing to just take people's cash and run for it.

never forgotten, never forgiven.

[Digs]

1 hour ago, The Beer Baron said:

Mad how Masterton was openly willing to just take people's cash and run for it.

never forgotten, never forgiven.

Aye, all to save his pension as it ultimately turned out...

[Buffy]

Knitting scarves because there were none in the club shop; 

Selling cakes and co organised (with Becky) the craft fair at the Vine Church to raise funds for the players’ wages;

Shaking buckets every home game and at Starks; 

I was doing the updates when KS crossed the pitch and I was grinning from ear to ear coming out the pb to sit with the pars fans outside EEP. 
 

 

[Fifes Elite]

Seen Yorkston a few weeks ago in the town. He mentioned to the person I was with he would like to go back to a game at EEP. Not sure how well that would be received by the supporters tbh

I still have allot of the stuff from over that era. Like the ticket for the PJ malloys gig, the poster in the OP for the share issue. As well as pars alive posters etc. There has been some chat about doing an exhibition of some sort talking about what the club and supporters went through during that period.