PRESS RELEASE - Colin McGowan

[Accies Finest Spark]

Dear HAFC Board of Directors

We the undersigned Fans of Hamilton Academical FC Politely request that Mr Colin McGowan considers his position as Chief Executive of our club.

In light of the recent statement by Mr McGowan dated the 08/04/2016 which has been published on the clubs official site and has been widely condemned within Scottish football as being sexist as well as the subsequent stories regarding Mr McGowan's apparent homophobic stance during an interview which he conducted with the Scotsman newspaper where he stated "44 homosexual violinists" would receive funding from the government but not community football clubs, we also list the attempted intimidation of fans where "trouble makers would be dealt with" throughout the aforementioned statement and also prior to & during Saturday's match v Dundee by Mr McGowan where several stewards mentioned that the directive from the club was to be overzealous and they were to remove anyone from one section of the support if they were found to be swearing.

Mr McGowan has also admitted during interviews with the written press that whilst football is a results business he wouldn't be concerned if the club were to be relegated as long as the clubs community and charity work continues, Mr McGowan during the same interview admitted openly he doesn't attend away games and that he often leaves home games as he doesn't have an interest in football and that he rarely knows the full time score when he does leave.

In short it is the position of the fans that Mr McGowan is someone who should not be involved or associated with Hamilton Academical Football Club and therefore we wish him to consider his position as Chief Executive.

Yours

Fans of HAFC

[Bomber Harris]

Here here. He can take his sexist and homophobic views to the gutter where you belong mr McGowan and take you garden and beach with you

[NaeVay]

Great to see some positive action the fans can get behind and encouraging to see the Evening Times has already picked it up - hopefully other media will too.

It does say "we the undersigned" so would be great if there was an online petition or something which fans can sign to endorse this statement. Could stick the link up on Twitter and Facebook to try and get a decent response.

[Stevie Clarke]

I know a couple of fans who had a run in with him a while back. The man is no more than a gangster. Get him the fuck out of our club.

[really?]

Don't know Colin McGowan myself, but I wonder if this would be much of an issue if we were 'safe' / top 6.

To say the '44 gay violinists' comment (if he said it) is homophobic is taking political correctness to extremes - for the professionally offended only. He does (if he said it) have a valid point concerning the soundbite / ideologically led funding priorities of our government.

If he stops people swearing and behaving like pr*cks then good luck to him - it is shameful some of the language used in front of kids at NDP.

So, I'm not saying you're wrong about CMcG but you've got to come up with more than a throw-away comment and a crackdown on bad language.

[glasgow accie]

Don't know Colin McGowan myself, but I wonder if this would be much of an issue if we were 'safe' / top 6.

To say the '44 gay violinists' comment (if he said it) is homophobic is taking political correctness to extremes - for the professionally offended only. He does (if he said it) have a valid point concerning the soundbite / ideologically led funding priorities of our government.

If he stops people swearing and behaving like pr*cks then good luck to him - it is shameful some of the language used in front of kids at NDP.

So, I'm not saying you're wrong about CMcG but you've got to come up with more than a throw-away comment and a crackdown on bad language.

His comments ( if he did say it ) re. the violinists , even if you think it is PC gone mad , is at best ill advised for someone who runs a charity organisation , as well as representing HAFC .
I also think his statement was both badly written and patronising....never praised the non swearing , going every week punters , just had a pop , basically telling folk to toe the party line or we will throw you out !!
How can you ask the fans to stop swearing when the players on the park all swear ??
Is it only the fans from the section he targeted that swear at Accies ??
It would be laughable if this man was not in charge at our football club .....

[Bomber Harris]

Don't know Colin McGowan myself, but I wonder if this would be much of an issue if we were 'safe' / top 6.

To say the '44 gay violinists' comment (if he said it) is homophobic is taking political correctness to extremes - for the professionally offended only. He does (if he said it) have a valid point concerning the soundbite / ideologically led funding priorities of our government.

If he stops people swearing and behaving like pr*cks then good luck to him - it is shameful some of the language used in front of kids at NDP.

So, I'm not saying you're wrong about CMcG but you've got to come up with more than a throw-away comment and a crackdown on bad language.

A load off old tosh. If wanted a day out where I don't want to hear swearing I'd go to church instead of the football. He made threats to Raith rovers fans who got in his road and now making threat to Accies fans who get in his road. As for this community outreach garbage what the hell has this to do with a football club. Call me old fashioned but the badge on my Accies top says football club but this man is not treating it as a football club. Castles, beaches, mini golf, big red buses sorry I'd rather have quality players on the park rather than Colin building sand castles. He is a horrible dangerous man ( ask the two fans he had a we chat with ) who has no place at Accies with his threats and intimidation

[Admin]

Just sticking my head in to say that while I am allowing this thread to remain open, I will be keeping a close eye on it. No one wants to see any folks getting themselves into bother, and this topic seems like the sort that could easily do just that. Keep the discussion civil please, folks.

Don't want to see anyone finding themselves tatty'd.

[glasgow accie]

Re. Tatty......this sums up what is going in with HAFC and Mr. McGowan........
Speak out against him and you are no longer wanted and/or threatened with expulsion and a ban .
Starting to remind me of the Billy Reid era with TIG and his dad .........

[Bomber Harris]

It is civil admin. Another point I forgot is that kids hear more swearing in the school playground than they do at NDP I bet

[Stevie Clarke]

Plus in my experience the folk swearing near kids are men in their 50s and 60s. I doubt those are the group that McGowan has his beady eye on.

[really?]

I totally understand if people have met some guy and didn't like him but you have to be specific about what he's done that's bad or wrong. I've never met CMcG btw.

I don't care for the bus or the beach or the current manager's abilities as a manager (though I certainly don't dislike MC as a man) - if you're going to go on a rant about some guy you have to explain precisely what you've got against him - we need specifics.

[Bomber Harris]

I totally understand if people have met some guy and didn't like him but you have to be specific about what he's done that's bad or wrong. I've never met CMcG btw.

I don't care for the bus or the beach or the current manager's abilities as a manager (though I certainly don't dislike MC as a man) - if you're going to go on a rant about some guy you have to explain precisely what you've got against him - we need specifics.

I just did. Threatening and intimidating behavior by a man who is our football club chief executive. After the statement on Friday this carried on inside the ground before kickoff. The chief executive stood in front of I'd say about 20 kids, 16,17 year olds if you lucky with some security bloke just there trying to intimidate or I'll even use the word bully these kids. What was that all about? Is it only section a that swears? Why doesn't he stand in front of a 40/50 year man who swears at the football? Because kids are an easy target. It's all wrong. That statement on Friday evening has split a devide between the fans and the board which in the 40 odd years I've been going to the football is a bad thing. Funny that you keep repeating yourself saying you don't know him. I couldn't care less if you did know him or even more I couldn't care less if you where him. It is all wrong what Colin McGowan has come out with. Fans swear from sec a to j so he's got to play fair instead of picking on kids in a certain section of the ground. As for his charity work then we'll done on his hard work with privileged kids I take my had of to that but I'm only interested in the football side of Hamilton Accies football club.

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

The worst swearing and abuse of Managers/Players has always been from the old gits in the middle of the Stand whether at NDP or the old Douglas Park.

I noticed he never came over when the Adults who congregate in Section A appeared.He looked over just after half time and decided against it.Just as well also,some of his sternest critics were not in attendance.That wouldn't have ended well for everyone concerned said Mystic Meg without her crystal ball.

What needs to happen here is simple.A public apology to the fans and a cessation of the second hand intimidation of the kids by the goons in the yellow jackets.The regular Stewards know the fans in Section A and are okay with those who sit there and one defused the situation on Saturday.

The Killie game will likely be highly charged enough without McGowan and his lackeys adding to the situation.

[90mins+ET]

The worst swearing and abuse of Managers/Players has always been from the old gits in the middle of the Stand whether at NDP or the old Douglas Park.

I noticed he never came over when the Adults who congregate in Section A appeared.He looked over just after half time and decided against it.Just as well also,some of his sternest critics were not in attendance.That wouldn't have ended well for everyone concerned said Mystic Meg without her crystal ball.

What needs to happen here is simple.A public apology to the fans and a cessation of the second hand intimidation of the kids by the goons in the yellow jackets.The regular Stewards know the fans in Section A and are okay with those who sit there and one defused the situation on Saturday.

The Killie game will likely be highly charged enough without McGowan and his lackeys adding to the situation.

Totally agree. NDP would be like a library if it was not for the noise/support generated by Section A.

[Todd_is_God]

Re. Tatty......this sums up what is going in with HAFC and Mr. McGowan........
Speak out against him and you are no longer wanted and/or threatened with expulsion and a ban .
Starting to remind me of the Billy Reid era with TIG and his dad .........

If i take up playing the violin, reckon i'd get back in?

[H9crx]

[quote="really?"]Don't know Colin McGowan myself, but I wonder if this would be much of an issue if we were 'safe' / top 6.

This would not be such of an issue is the BOD at our club had respect for the fans! For many this is the final straw from a board who only care about them selfs and their egos or own pockets. No respect for the club or the fans.

[redandwhite1874]

At the clear risk of being misinterpreted; I would add that I agree with the poster regarding those almost looking for offence and if those who feel they are being targeted are bastions of anti homophobic and gender neutral behaviour then fair enough - but I would perhaps be surprised. I criticised the statement from McGowan whilst recognising that there are perhaps those who think they can behave as they please.

The club only seems to come out when its to criticise the fans and never recognises those folk who go home and away - that was my main gripe and not as much as asking people to behave reasonably. Also 'bigging up' the sponsors annoyed me more that his other comments - did we ever find out who the undersigned are who are proclaiming to represent 'the fans'?

I see some comments are now criticising the entire board in general. For some perspective, on Sunday afternoon I happened to be down the Palace Grounds and saw what appeared to be U15s? Accies v Hearts - present was Allan Maitland who was supporting the team and he seemed to know them all by name. Not really evidence of not caring and probably not what some people want to hear; but there you are.

[accies1874]

At the clear risk of being misinterpreted; I would add that I agree with the poster regarding those almost looking for offence and if those who feel they are being targeted are bastions of anti homophobic and gender neutral behaviour then fair enough - but I would perhaps be surprised. I criticised the statement from McGowan whilst recognising that there are perhaps those who think they can behave as they please.

The club only seems to come out when its to criticise the fans and never recognises those folk who go home and away - that was my main gripe and not as much as asking people to behave reasonably. Also 'bigging up' the sponsors annoyed me more that his other comments - did we ever find out who the undersigned are who are proclaiming to represent 'the fans'?

I see some comments are now criticising the entire board in general. For some perspective, on Sunday afternoon I happened to be down the Palace Grounds and saw what appeared to be U15s? Accies v Hearts - present was Allan Maitland who was supporting the team and he seemed to know them all by name. Not really evidence of not caring and probably not what some people want to hear; but there you are.

That bit actually annoyed me. The fact that someone can come out and think that they are representative of all of the fans. We all have differing opinions. This forum shows that we probably aren't ready to have a proper committee for the fans, but we all need to work together as we all support the one club. We all want what's best for Accies. Pretty much everyone disliked McGowan's statement for one reason or another, though. Due to this, we should've worked together to respond to it as a group.

[Bomber Harris]

Has anyone actually got a honest answer to what Colin McGowan brings to the club? I know he's a director in a couple of company's connected to the stadium company but what does he actually bring to Hamilton Academical football club?