The Alternative

[thefutureistangerine4]

We are fortunate to have some intelligent people who post on this board so i will ask them the question.

What exactly, specifically is the alternative to ST right now?

This message board is chock full of comments saying he should leave immediately. So lets assume that is exactly what he did. He walks out the door tomorrow giving up his shares for nothing and thats it - he's gone. What is the immediate and medium term future?

Who is waiting in the wings to step in and what exactly do they offer?

I am not on here to defend ST it is abundantly clear that the last 2.7 years (since Feb 2014) he has presided over a disaster. Prior to that point he was doing a pretty decent job and I suspect was held in pretty high esteem by most within football for bringing down a crippling debt whilst putting a good team on the park. he made some judgement calls after that which have proved to be mistakes and have no doubt led us to where we are today. I don't hate him the way many on here seem to. i believe that he genuinely cares about the club and it must be horrific to feel responsible for the decline of a club he clearly cares about.

I think he has tried hard to support his managers. when he appointed RM the vast majority on here were supportive of the decision (although to read the forum now it appears most of you have forgotten that you supported that decision). He has provided RM with funds this year to put a decent team on the park and he has also secured funding to keep the club operating even though it is losing money. If he had just walked away who would have done that?

I believe that ST needs to go. BUT anyone coming in needs to have sufficient funds to cover any losses indefinitely and underwrite a transitional period to take us back to where a club of our fanbase and stature should be (realistically mid table SPL). I ask my fellow posters who is that person? I am hoping that some of you that are calling for ST to go have some information that I don't and are aware of who is ready to step into the breach. If there is nobody credible in the wings then calls for ST to go are pointless and we would be better supporting him to get us out of this mess until a suitable alternative can be identified.

thats my tuppenceworth - cue the bile.......

[TangerineDream]

Interesting post. I agree with much of that.

We need someone to step up here so Thompson can leave, soon hopefully.

[PortugueseFrank]

No matter who comes in they will need access to funds to cover loses while the ship is righted.

And no one in their right mind is going to come in and invest money in any form other than loans.

If we are lucky the loans will be interest free but I think it’s most likely there will be some interest accruing loans.

Either way we need to be prepared for the short and medium term debts to increase.

Why do I labour that point? Because we need to be prepared for the fact that no matter who is in charge the debt will go up.

This fact could end the honeymoon period for any new owner quite quickly. And if they can’t break down the operating loses pronto the debt will have to increase or sales will have to be made to cover the loses.

In an ideal world we need a full time, hands on, qualified Chief Exec as well as the current staffing structure.

It’s ***** the executive leadership knows what they are doing, how things need to be done and is properly motivated to deliver it. Something we have simply not had in ST.

No matter who comes in or doesn’t we need to be prepared for some debt to increase.

And any buyer needs to not only have the cash to buy out ST and Justine Mitchell, they will also need working capital to invest (most likely in form of loans) to cover loses.

The wrong owner (as we have seen) and it could get a lot worse before it gets better.

Only thing we fans can do is pray someone with the financial means and the business acumen decides they fancy a football club or get organised, united and try to mobilise some kind of significant fan presence in the running of the club.

[Charlie arab]

Agree with your post future, hope some posters can supply answers as there is plenty hints that there are people waiting in the wings with the money to get us back where we belong. Personally I'm not too sure there is anyone , hope I'm wrong.

[SmedDUm]

I think the manager's position is due for assessment at Christmas & the chairman's ownership will be resolved come May.
The manager wants to right things by Christmas & the owner by the end of the season.
I can't see us having either at the helm if we fail to get promoted this season.

So no pressure!

[USArab]

It's all about the money. Finding someone who is willing to invest gazillions in the club, the management staff and the players is probably nowhere on the horizon anytime soon.

The reality is we are where we are and nothing is going to change unless the above happens.

Not holding my breath!

[arab_plumber]

It's all about the money. Finding someone who is willing to invest gazillions in the club, the management staff and the players is probably nowhere on the horizon anytime soon.

The reality is we are where we are and nothing is going to change unless the above happens.

Not holding my breath!

Absolute nonsense that anyone taking over needs gazillions, this is kind of pish frustrates me beyond belief

Stephen Thompson has not pumped millions into dundee united quite the opposite is true

Anyone taking over needs to be more astute than Thompson mind you that's not difficult tbf and not take a six figure salary and employing someone else on a huge salary to do their job.

If Thompson had any clue he'd have Ray in for a meeting just now laying down the law and demanding a huge turn around in form to stop the crowds dwindling,.

[TerryTheTerror]

It needs someone with enough money to buy Thompson out though?

[RAM1971]

I don't think we really know what Thompson's true position on the matter is?

At our current level (Championship), our value is considerably less than if we were our normal Top 6 Premiership side. Therefore it must be highly desirous for us to return to our former status before Thompson will sell? He will not be offered anything like what he wants until we are back where we once were. Of course, returning to that position has to be done as cheaply as possible.

Does ST really want to sell? In our current mess it is not a good sign for what Daddy left us. What would be next for ST? Where would he get his 150 grand or whatever per year, to keep him in the lifestyle he is accustomed to? The current rumours about his personal life, if true, and let's be very guarded about that, could siphon away a lot of his 'wealth' and assets?

Overall I have my doubts that ST really wants to sell, or at least not in the foreseeable future. Dundee United just might be his cash cow and he needs to have his hands on the udders meantime?

Again, a fair amount of speculation on my part, but either we have someone who doesn't really want to sell (at least as yet), or there genuinely isn't anyone prepared to take us on as we are?

[PortugueseFrank]

All points of merit, Ram.

Put yourself in the position for a moment.

We’d all prefer to sell our assets, whatever they may be for as high a price as possible. So Prem status os highly desirable.

It is also desirable for the increased income which could service debt and help keep asking price high.

And with no other business interests to speak of, I can understand why he wouldn’t be in a hurry to walk away from his only income. Who would?

Nobody is stepping forward to buy now. So it will be either through success or further failure that a buyer becomes interested imo.

Fan pressure has so far failed to increase the likelihood of an exit for ST and a new regime.

So I can’t see much movement in the ownership front for 3 years at least.