by Willie Wastle » Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:27 pm
So what are the characteristics of this innovative approach?
Most football clubs are very badly run, treated as the plaything of local small businessmen, vanity projects, with little regard for the fans or "paying customers". They're mainly run on the same old business model, as they've always been, regardless of changes in society and advances in technology and systems over the decades. The price some football clubs pay for this myopia is they go out of business, and in a context where the SFL has lost Third Lanark, Clydebank, Gretna and East Stirlingshire (and yes, I know most of those clubs still exist, but not at senior level) and 11 senior Scottish football clubs have experienced insolvency events this century, it's amazing Accies have survived.
The features of this innovative approach, in my opinion, which have enabled us to not just survive but thrive, are as follows:
1. First and foremost, genuine commitment to, and investment in, youth football. The Accies Academy is the envy of most clubs in Scotland, yet few have managed to replicate it - basically because they won't give it the same attention and funding as we do at Accies. This broadens the club's base, develops our talent from within, provides an income stream from sale of players, and gives us a competitive edge.
2. Second, a values-based model, where the club looks after its own, promotes from within, and is a community that football people want to belong to. Including women and children. The much-vaunted attention to charities and the local community is a part, but just a small part, of this.
3. Third, fiscal prudency. No waste, not paying any daft transfer fees, and budgeting for affordable wages for all players and staff. This is what allowed us to bear the loss of last season's financial fraud, which would have destroyed lesser clubs.
4. Fourth, a long term view, where for example coaches know they'll get time to succeed, and won't be dumped because of a few bad results.
5. Fifth, openness to new ideas. Hence our artificial surfaces, mooting of an indoor facility, and various other initiatives that have been tried over the last 15 years - not all successful, but the point is to be open to them. Consulting fans, and acted on some of what they say, is part of this.
Not everything Ronnie's touched has turned to gold. In his first couple of seasons he hoped to attract more experienced players (remember the Scott Severin saga?) but the wage policy meant that never happened. Marketing has been poor, and our online presence is almost non-existent. Accies TV is a nice new initiative, with scope for further development, but which to be honest should have happened years ago. And nothing seems to attract bigger crowds, much as we would all like that to happen - the interest just doesn't seem to be there. But the balance sheet is overwhelmingly positive.
Other clubs should take a leaf out of Ronnie's book (but I'm quite glad they don't).
sic a wife as Willie had, I wadna gie a button for her!