http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2011/09/23/stewart-milne-keeps-aberdeen-running-with-his-own-cash-as-debts-hit-12m-86908-23439964/

 

IN CRISIS on the pitch - flirting with financial meltdown off it.

 

The latest in a long line of cup exits to a bunch of lower-league minnows is devastating enough for Pittodrie punters long used to suffering.

 

But chief executive Duncan Fraser last night laid bare the extent of Aberdeen's plight - and revealed only the support of Stewart Milne is keeping the club out of the administrator's clutches.

 

Chairman and building magnate Milne, often the target for frustrated fans, has had to give his personal guarantee to Dons' bankers as their debt has soared above £12million.

 

And with gates dropping more than 3000 below the break-even figure - meaning Aberdeen are losing around £60,000 at every home game - Milne has had to dip into his own pocket to keep the club going.

 

He even personally funded the signing of Rory Fallon after Craig Brown insisted the striker would turn their dismal season around.

 

And Fraser admitted the only way to entice Red Army deserters back is by putting a winning team on the park.

 

Asked whether Aberdeen could continue to sustain these losses, keep their bankers happy and source finance to build a new stadium, the Dons chief insisted: "There are other clubs in a helluva lot more trouble than Aberdeen but we are fortunate to have the backing we do from our major shareholder.

 

"That's the bottom line. Our guys have been pushing the boat out as much as they can.

 

"Stewart supports the club in terms of its overall operation while we live within our budget which is the highest in my time here.

 

"There are not a lot of people prepared to do that. It's a thankless task."

 

Milne has offered to step aside if a suitable buyer comes forward but interest so far is scarce.

 

Despite the latest cup debacle against East Fife, the Pittodrie board, after holding their own post-mortem on the costly loss, remain convinced Brown is the right man to turn the club around.

 

Fraser said: "Our belief we have the right men in charge won't be changed by one bad cup result.

 

"The meeting was about coming up with ways to help Craig and Archie Knox.

 

"Lots of ideas were kicked around and we hope they will prove beneficial.

 

"We appointed Craig and Archie because we needed the best experienced management team available to take us through a period of transition. Craig and Archie have worked tirelessly to lay the foundations for a more successful team.

 

"The defeat by East Fife is a massive setback and the manager has admitted that but no one at the club is trying to hide from their share of the responsibility.

 

"The result was totally unacceptable and the fact it was only the latest in a long line of poor cup results adds to the disappointment.

 

"But it is the first since Craig and Archie took over and they made it clear they are determined it won't happen again.

 

"Despite the League Cup defeat, progress has been made under Craig and Archie and most observers have praised them for the improvement and organisation shown on the pitch.

 

"They have also made signings over the last period and we have a far stronger squad than last season but that's why the result against East Fife was such a shock.

 

"Everything will now be aimed at improving our league results and giving Craig and Archie everything they need to fulfil their ambitions for our club.

 

"I don't think we should ever put a timescale on results improving.

 

"That is not the road to go down, you don't do that to guys of Craig and Archie's experience. You must make sure you give them as much support as possible. It would do no good to create an uncertain atmosphere among the players at this time.

 

"I have stated our squad is stronger and it's now up to them to respond for the manager and our fans.

 

"I'm sure there will be more changes, as there has been during every transfer window so far.

 

"The manager placed his faith in the players he has now when the last window closed and it's up to them to repay that.

 

"It's not for me to tell our fans what to do. The only way to get them back is by winning games and they have always shown a willingness to do that."

 

Dons boss Brown agreed his chairman had gone the extra mile to back his plans to build a successful team.

 

And he revealed former Pittodrie manager Sir Alex Ferguson had advised him to take the job because Milne would do everything possible to help him.

 

Brown said: "I don't know who is criticising the chairman but I would rather listen to Sir Alex.

 

"When we were considering coming here he phoned and said Aberdeen have a very good chairman.

 

"He is no mug, he has an antenna for everything and is the godfather as far as I am concerned.

 

"We have seen nothing to change our minds on that.

 

"Whether it was Steven Smith or Nick Blackman on loan, or to go and get Fallon, the chairman has found the funding to sign these players. I'm not ingratiating myself here. I'm not a crawler and if I thought otherwise I would say it.

 

"He has been very supportive and there has been a lot of money put in over the years.

 

"The chairman was right, the East Fife result was unacceptable. We had a meeting at Gleneagles and he told us he was putting a statement out, mainly because of the calls he was taking. The statement was spot on.

 

"This is a wonderful club that should not have the kind of result we had on Tuesday against East Fife.

 

"People told me about previous results and we were determined it would not happen to us but it did and it's unacceptable."

Eh??? Whoever thinks that Fallon is going to be the answer to all our goalscoring problems is in the same bananaboat as those who are glad that Mackie is still at Aberdeen after 12 years.

Eh??? Whoever thinks that Fallon is going to be the answer to all our goalscoring problems is in the same bananaboat as those who are glad that Mackie is still at Aberdeen after 12 years.

 

Fallon's looked good IMO my opinion. Always a threat in the air. I've got no doubt he'll get goals for us.

Must've turned the corner in terms of his ability then. I've seen him a few times for the All Whites, and he's been shocking ... screams of Darren Mackie MkII

Back on topic....

 

Here's an idea.

 

How about Milne buying Pittodrie for waaaaaaaaaay more than it's worth.  Say a figure that would wipe out the debt and pay for the new stadium and then he can build property on that site that pays off what he bought the ground for making zero profit but also costing him nothing.

 

That's the fucking least he could do.

 

We could get Rocket to make him do it.

 

Back on topic....

 

Here's an idea.

 

How about Milne buying Pittodrie for waaaaaaaaaay more than it's worth.  Say a figure that would wipe out the debt and pay for the new stadium and then he can build property on that site that pays off what he bought the ground for making zero profit but also costing him nothing.

 

That's the fucking least he could do.

 

We could get Rocket to make him do it.

 

That's what I was thinking. That'd be the only way he could sort things out.

 

I believe the Madrid Council did something similar for Real Madrid that got them out of a spot of financial bother.

That's what I was thinking. That'd be the only way he could sort things out.

 

I believe the Madrid Council did something similar for Real Madrid that got them out of a spot of financial bother.

 

Massive difference being that councils/governments abroad (in general) appreciate the value of their major sporting institutions. Milne couldn't justify paying over the odds to the shareholders/stakeholders of his housing company.

Surely nobody can stop HIM buying the land personally?

Surely nobody can stop HIM buying the land personally?

 

Of course not, but why would he make such a substantial contribution when it hasn't been forthcoming before now? It would be hellish business sense if it is the case he's keeping us afloat (as has been claimed); why pay all the money in interest if all he was going to do in the end was pay over the odds for the ground?

 

You're also assuming Milne has that cash to buy it. His wealth is huge, undoubtedly, but that doesn't mean he necessarily has the cash to buy it.

We could get Rocket to make him do it.

Can I just ask... why the hostility? What is motivating you in this regard? It is likely that you don't even know yourself, far less be able to articulate it.

 

Take this opportunity to stop and think about yourself, your life, your priorities, your likes and dislikes, where you've come from and where you're going.

 

I'll be able to feel your warmth and gratitude from here once you embark on the exercise, one of self-awareness, peace and love.

 

Getting worked up on the internet about anonymous posters isn't good for your equilibrium and would make you look very sad, if indeed this interpretation of you was correct.

 

Can I just ask... why the hostility? What is motivating you in this regard? It is likely that you don't even know yourself, far less be able to articulate it.

 

Take this opportunity to stop and think about yourself, your life, your priorities, your likes and dislikes, where you've come from and where you're going.

 

I'll be able to feel your warmth and gratitude from here once you embark on the exercise, one of self-awareness, peace and love.

 

Getting worked up on the internet about anonymous posters isn't good for your equilibrium and would make you look very sad, if indeed this interpretation of you was correct.

 

Brilliant and presumably deliberately ironic.

 

Can I just ask...

 

No.

 

That's as far as I got.

Can I just ask... why the hostility? What is motivating you in this regard? It is likely that you don't even know yourself, far less be able to articulate it.

 

Take this opportunity to stop and think about yourself, your life, your priorities, your likes and dislikes, where you've come from and where you're going.

 

I'll be able to feel your warmth and gratitude from here once you embark on the exercise, one of self-awareness, peace and love.

 

Getting worked up on the internet about anonymous posters isn't good for your equilibrium and would make you look very sad, if indeed this interpretation of you was correct.

 

Gloriously pish!

I was just wondering this now... If Milne decided tomorrow to pay off Aberdeen's debts would this not take away the tax he would have too pay off of his housing business while at the same time increasing his net worth because he now owns assets that are worth more plus he skipped paying tax because of extra business expenses? I am probably wrong here.

I am pretty sure his accountants are constantly looking at how to juggle thinks to make him pay as little tax as possible, look as wealthy as possible and make SMG look really financially sound.

 

 

Regardless of reality 

does anyone believe anything other than milne homes would be built on the site?

 

how he's getting away with all this bollocks is mind-blowing.

 

in the entire history of aberdeen you could take every single person who has done the club harm and the sum of their impact wouldn't come close to the damage this one individual has done.

 

bring back pitchforks and lynching i say.