The Well Society - How Are They Doing?

[joewarkfanclub]

Big shout out to The Well Society for the comedy night last night.

Great night out, very well attended and with all the acts appearing for free, should have raised a nice wee sum for the pot.

Together with the quiz night, prize draw, membership drive and raise a million by May initiative, its good to see the Society Board following through on their promises to be more active in generating revenue for the club to fall back on should it be required.

 

[stv]

Well done to the organisers, the performers and all who attended.

Let's hope the team can replicate their efforts tomorrow.

[weeyin]

  On 3/28/2025 at 10:55 AM, stv said:

Well done to the organisers, the performers and all who attended.

Let's hope the team can replicate their efforts tomorrow.

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TBF, there have been quite a few comedic performances on the park this season too.

[stv]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:31 AM, weeyin said:

TBF, there have been quite a few comedic performances on the park this season too.

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Boooooom 

[santheman]

Night and day from the old regime and kudos to the WS board for all their efforts in promoting the society and club into the wider community with efforts like last night.

The icing on the cake of course would be an announcement of some major inward investment that would give us the transformation that we all want.

[grizzlyg]

  On 3/28/2025 at 9:16 AM, joewarkfanclub said:

Big shout out to The Well Society for the comedy night last night.

Great night out, very well attended and with all the acts appearing for free, should have raised a nice wee sum for the pot.

Together with the quiz night, prize draw, membership drive and raise a million by May initiative, its good to see the Society Board following through on their promises to be more active in generating revenue for the club to fall back on should it be required.

 

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Yup was really good night and well done none of comedians taking a fee. Me and my 4 mates there.  Only criticism was bar shut almost as soon as last comedian finished.   

[grizzlyg]

  On 3/28/2025 at 10:55 AM, stv said:

Well done to the organisers, the performers and all who attended.

Let's hope the team can replicate their efforts tomorrow.

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When the magician done trick with cream crackers I was so tempted to go into Frank Carson mode and shout "That's a cracker!!" Ba boom

[El Grew]

  On 3/28/2025 at 12:04 PM, santheman said:

Night and day from the old regime and kudos to the WS board for all their efforts in promoting the society and club into the wider community with efforts like last night.

The icing on the cake of course would be an announcement of some major inward investment that would give us the transformation that we all want.

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I don’t want to rain on the parade but that is the $64 million question -  where will investment come from if it ever does. Is there anything on the horizon?  Or are we just hoping to get £10 million for young Lennon Miller!

[Yoshi-1991]

Am I missing something? Is quiz nights and getting some free comedians in the master plan? Fair enough it outwardly looks like more effort than previous, but still a mile off the mark.

[Mccus28]

I think we must be missing something.

Whats been done, although slightly out of the box, is something a local bowling club would do to raise funds.

I think its thus far been pretty poor

  On 3/29/2025 at 6:57 PM, Yoshi-1991 said:

Am I missing something? Is quiz nights and getting some free comedians in the master plan? Fair enough it outwardly looks like more effort than previous, but still a mile off the mark.

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[Yoshi-1991]

  On 3/30/2025 at 6:23 PM, Mccus28 said:

I think we must be missing something.

Whats been done, although slightly out of the box, is something a local bowling club would do to raise funds.

I think its thus far been pretty poor

 

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That's how I'm seeing it. 

[wellgirl]

  On 3/28/2025 at 12:04 PM, santheman said:

Night and day from the old regime and kudos to the WS board for all their efforts in promoting the society and club into the wider community with efforts like last night.

The icing on the cake of course would be an announcement of some major inward investment that would give us the transformation that we all want.

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They've posted about where they stand on investment on their Facebook page. It's in the link for sign up to tonight's AGM. Not actively seeking it, not against it but seems that they are concentrating on trying to raise the million - and more if they can 

[Spiderpig]

The " Bowling club" analogy is a perfect description of the WS, creditable fundraising and community efforts but not equipped or capable of identifying or securing significant investment.

As has been said many times our fanbase is not large enough and never will be to realise true fan ownership, the WS is a piggy bank fund to help the club financially as required. This is great but I can't help thinking that the main criteria any potential investor is looking for is control of the club for their cash, which they won't get with the WS.

So for me as a non Member the fundraising is good, but the WS identifying and securing additional significant investment is not going to happen 

[Spit_It_Out]

The Lennon Miller money is the buy us more time card and I still think we will be in the same boat 5-10 years from now I don't see it changing.

I know things take time but the reality of it is we need new owners to make moves and I think too many obstacles to make that happen.

 

 

[David]

From my own perspective, I’d say the situation is a lot more complex than many people tend to assume.

Back in the summer, I was regularly asked by people who have experience in investing, “what sort of ROI can you expect from putting money into a club like Motherwell?” It’s a fair question, and one I’d be keen to put to the forum here to see what others make of it. I’ve got my own thoughts, of course, but I’d genuinely like to hear what others think.

[joewarkfanclub]

  On 3/31/2025 at 11:41 AM, Spiderpig said:

The " Bowling club" analogy is a perfect description of the WS, creditable fundraising and community efforts but not equipped or capable of identifying or securing significant investment.

As has been said many times our fanbase is not large enough and never will be to realise true fan ownership, the WS is a piggy bank fund to help the club financially as required. This is great but I can't help thinking that the main criteria any potential investor is looking for is control of the club for their cash, which they won't get with the WS.

So for me as a non Member the fundraising is good, but the WS identifying and securing additional significant investment is not going to happen 

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Do you think a football club should live outwith its means?

If not, it doesnt matter whether the club is fan owned or not.

Its the job of the club board to raise and expand existing revenue streams so we have a bigger budget to work with. We have a new chairman, directors and a CEO to deal with that.

Its the Society's job to generate sufficient cash reserves to ensure that should the time come we have a big enough overdraft facility to satisfy the governing bodies and deal with any shortfall from operational revenues (apologies for any clumsy terminology, Im not an business person).

Any investor is looking for a return on their money, its not free cash. Thats why Im 100% against any investor having majority control of the club as they could literally bleed us dry.

Nothing wrong with encouraging investment thats a win win for the club and investor, but thats a whole lot more difficult to find.

I would have thought after last summer we might have put all this kind of chat to bed.

Its been less than 12 months since we saw off Barmack. Look at the changes that have occured structurally at the club during that time.

I think those responsible need a little bit of credit for that and maybe a bit of support in moving onto the next phase?

 

[joewarkfanclub]

Attended the Well Society AGM tonight online.

Biggest take away was the explanation re outside investment.

Its been put on hold for now until the Society and Club can get their houses in order.

It was felt that the previous board embarked on a search for outside investment without the club being on a sound footing financially and without actually knowing what the outside investment would look like or what it was for.

Martin Grey gave the analogy of going into Dragons Den looking for investment saying that we were skint, didnt know how much money we needed and that we didnt know what we would do with it when we got it. No surprise that the only offer that turned up was Barmack.

Im summarising, but he said that both Society and Club Boards are still open to outside investment but before proceeding down that line we need to get all our governance issues in order so that the club is steuctured priperly, do what we can to grow the club organically and get a proper valuation of the club so we are in a much stronger position when we go looking for that investment 

Greg Anderson also advised that there are 2 more strategic partnerships in the pipeline following on from the successful collaboration with Social Jungle over the Well Society App. He wasnt able to provide further detail on those at present.

There was some discussion surrounding how the Society operated in the past and the changes that have taken place in the last 7 months to ensure that Society Members have a voice and are no longer paid lip service. There was also discussion around the closer ties and enhanced communications with the club board.

I left the meeting feeling that it was still early days for the new Society and Club Boards but many improvements have been made, with a lot of work still to be done. Ultimately it feels like things are heading in the right direction and that lines of communication are now open.

 

[Busta Nut]

Some of you are living in cloud cuckoo land. 

[weeyin]

  13 hours ago, Busta Nut said:

Some of you are living in cloud cuckoo land. 

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Aye, I miss the safe hands and club stewardship of John Boyle.

[wellfan]

We’re in safe hands with the current Club and Well Society boards.

https://thewellsociety.uk/2025/03/29/progress-and-priorities-our-pre-agm-report/

[Cameron_Mcd]

It's worth looking at how the Americans at St Johnstone are getting on, selling their stadium naming rights and only announcing it via the CEO's linkedin page at midnight, selling 3/4 of the stadium to the OF (moving ST holders, without consulting them) allowed there pitch to be massacred by a guy that has now pranced about Easter Road in a Hibs top after a 3-0 loss.

 

But aye. Well Society bad, investment good.

[wellfan]

  13 hours ago, Busta Nut said:

Some of you are living in cloud cuckoo land. 

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It’s the same individuals seduced by the vacuous mathematical gymnastics presented by Erik ‘AI’ Barmack and supported by the three harbingers of doom (McMahon, Dickie & Feely). 

[joewarkfanclub]

I note that Feeleys term of office on the WS Board is up but he is standing for re-election.

No harm to the guy, but I cant imagine that will be supported by the wider membership.

2 vacancies will be voted on. His and Jay Henderson who is standing down after 8 years.

Opportunity for all those who dont think the current WS Board is doing enough, to step up and make a difference!

[Mccus28]

  3 hours ago, Cameron_Mcd said:

It's worth looking at how the Americans at St Johnstone are getting on, selling their stadium naming rights and only announcing it via the CEO's linkedin page at midnight, selling 3/4 of the stadium to the OF (moving ST holders, without consulting them) allowed there pitch to be massacred by a guy that has now pranced about Easter Road in a Hibs top after a 3-0 loss.

 

But aye. Well Society bad, investment good.

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So all investment is bad then just because you choose to point out failings in St Johnstone's model (in your opinion)

Im sure if you give people 5 minutes they could point to many good investments that have driven clubs forward

Id love the Well Society to work, the dream of fan ownership and taking the club forward through inward investment and initiatives is what we all want, but the reality is, the fanbase is small, there is no getting away from that fact.

Im also confused by your comment, as the current Well Society board WILL be looking for investment.

What people on here are pointing out is the fact that a comedy nights and some bucket money collectors at a game isn't exactly mind blowing stuff, well meaning yes, mind blowing strategy.........no.

Whats going to happen on here is, people who can see no wrong in the Well Society will attempt to demean people who don't think a soley fan based model is the right thing to do and they will do so by typing things like your last sentence and also point out any investments which they think prove their point which doesn't really prove anything.

To move forward, get better players, facilities, matchday experiences etc, the club does need investment, otherwise we will at best stand still. 

That may not look like the EB proposal (which I wasn't a fan of to be clear, you can look back on that thread if you wish) but we do need a partnership of both inward and outward investment to grow.

[joewarkfanclub]

I think before this turns into a binfire, its important to stress that support for the Well Society and fan ownership doesnt have to mean that you can see no wrong in them or that there isnt anything that can be done better.

Similarly, being pro investment doesnt mean that you think all investment is good.

FWIW, I was a little concerned by the Society's change of position on investment in their recent pre AGM blurb.

However, that point was addressed at the AGM and I left feeling more re-assured by the response.

Its not that the Society Board or Club Board are turning their back on outside investment, they just think there is more that can be done within the club currently to grow revenue from within and put structures in place that will attract better offers of investment. That seems emminently sensible to me.

I also dont think there is anyone on the WS Board or Club Board that think they have all the answers. I think anyone with vision or a particular skillset that could help the club progress in those areas would be welcomed. Hence my highlighting of the upcoming vacancies on the WS Board......