Details to be spelled out to fans next week
A consortium bidding to take over Stirling Albion this week set out their plans for the club.
As revealed in the Observer last week, the group is headed by former professional footballer John Neill and Stirling businessman Colin Rowley.
Lawyers acting for Mr Rowley, managing director of Stirling-based electrical equipment company Dron & Dickson, have written to fans, offering to buy their shares for a nominal £1 in return for an agreement to invest £600,000 in the Binos over the next five years.
If the takeover is successful exHearts and Clyde player Mr Neill will take over as full-time club chairman, replacing Stuart Brown who will be expected to resign.
Mr Brown has been at odds with some fans who accuse him of keeping them “out of the loop” and last year began moves to oust him.
If he gets control Mr Neill intends to “drive the club forward” and aims to secure promotion to Scottish Professional League Division One in four years and the Championship in eight years. Consortium members are due to outline their plans at a public meeting at Stirling University next Wednesday (March 7) at 7pm. In a statement the consortium acknowledge the achievement of fans in rescuing the club in 2010 and coming up with the cash to buy out former owner Peter McKenzie. Around 270 members of Stirling Albion Supporters Trust own 83 per cent of the club’s shares, making Binos the only fanowned club in Scotland. The consortium want control of the 876,264 £1 shares in the club in return for £1 and the promise of future investment. A spokesman for the consortium said: “By working together we can secure a more ambitious approach that delivers greater success on the park, better community engagement and improved inclusivity.
“Today we have submitted a formal offer to acquire an interest in the club of approximately 76 per cent in return for a significant personal and financial investment in the club.
“Our offer not only guarantees a significant minimum investment of £600,000 but opens the door to put Forthbank at the heart of the community, just like Annfield used to be.
“We believe our offer puts an end to the ongoing public discord in a respectful and harmonious manner and puts the focus firmly back on promotion and support for our manager and team.
“The consortium want our club to be shaped by dynamic people, plans and actions.
“We have defined what success looks like to us: the fans come first, not the club or trust boards.”
Trust board secretary Jim Thomson acknowledged they had received an offer to transfer ownership and confirmed it would be considered.
He said Mr Neill had been “in schmoozing with some of the club’s supporters” and admitted some had been “seduced” by the proposals.
Councillor Thomson said their lawyers would now go through the offer.
He added: “We are in a position in which we have got rid of a debt of £400,000, we have a bank balance of £150,000 and the licence to run a football club.
“When you add that all together it is amazing to think we would allow someone promising to put in a sum of money to take it over.”