FEATURES
AT THE HEART OF THE TOWN Soon, Paisley’s football club – St Mirren FC – will be owned by its supporters. As the campaign continues, SMISA’s Colin Orr elaborates on how…
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t Mirren FC has sat at the heart of life in Renfrewshire for almost 150 years, fostering an allegiance passed down through generations. And soon, the power to safeguard the club’s legacy will pass into the hands of those who care most – its fans. This summer will see the St Mirren Independent Supporters Association (SMISA) buy the majority shareholding in the club from current chairman Gordon Scott. In doing so, St Mirren will join a new contingent of Scottish clubs proudly owned by their supporters. Supporter ownership brings many benefits, particularly as football clubs are precious parts of the communities they serve, harbouring an almost unparalleled ability to bring people together. Case in point, who can forget the scenes of widespread joy across the 10 MILL
town from both ardent fans and casual supporters when the club has won a trophy? And while there is plenty going on to put Paisley on the international map, few things are as intermingled with its identity as our football club. Too many other clubs have fallen into the hands of unscrupulous owners driven by profit, ego or both. But soon, SMISA’s members will be able to stop that ever happening to St Mirren. SMISA has been in existence since 2002 and the Buy the Buds campaign has been five years in the making, with more than 1,000 members making monthly payments since 2016, resulting in its stake in the club rising to 51%. What’s more, we’ve done that through a unique partnership with another centuryold Paisley institution – leading children’s charity and social enterprise Kibble. As of last year, Kibble owns a stake in the club and offers professional expertise to help St Mirren’s off-field operations, while creating job and training opportunities for the young
“SAINTS FANS WILL HAVE MORE CHANCES THAN EVER TO HELP INFLUENCE THE CLUB’S DIRECTION WHILE INVESTING IN ITS LONG-TERM FUTURE”
people in their care. And to help mark the countdown towards fan ownership, the club recently agreed to rename their home The SMISA Stadium until the summer. Of course, fan ownership doesn’t mean the fans will pick the team or make the transfers – the club will still be run by its appointed management and board. However, Saints fans will have more chances than ever to help influence the club’s direction while investing in its long-term future. The more members SMISA has, the more we can do for the club and community. So, we’d love to have you. Visit smisa.net to find out more.
