I thought I would start a thread on suggestions on how to raise funds to support the takeover by the fans.
Suggestions can be for raising pence or pounds.
it looks like there is a requirement to raise £50,000 as an initial deposit
Come on guys and gals,suggest away!!

Do we know how much is needed in total yet?

If all the crowdfunding pledgers withdraw and pledge to this cause instead we'll have nearly £25k.

We can have bucket days down the high stret and on match days SAVE OUR CLUB may genertate a few hundred, ask local business to donate prizes have a tombola or go knocking on peoples door in the area asking for donations.

We need to get something that's going to generate a lot and quickly, so maybe try and get some local business to donate some high ticket items for a raffle.

Another idea for some large wads of cash is to sell the naming rights to the stand (not the stadium). Obviously that would have to be in terms of after the takeover is complete.

The Dons Trust at Wimbledon and the Ebbsfleet United Trust are two good places where we should get in touch and see how they went about things, especially in the initial stages.

Can we see about setting up a direct debit where fans can donate as much as they like when they like? I would certainly be willing to donate a small amount each month if it helped secure our future.

I agree a direct debit idea is pretty good. Say a minimum donation of £10 a month to the Trust? That's what happens at Hearts with the Foundation of Hearts and they have almost 8000 people donating an average of £15 a month. Obviously that is a much larger scale than we could ever dream of but the idea is there. Say we could get 750 donating an average of £15 a month, there's over 11k each month coming into the Trust. I know times are tight etc at the moment but an extra £10 a month isn't a huge amount. Think of it as missing one takeaway dinner a month and that's your £10 paid!

We all get these plastic bags through the door requesting old clothes for charity.
Why not take your old clothes to the kiosk in the B@Q Car Park which gives you 50p per kilo .
Instead of buying a coffee with the proceeds ,donate to the fund.

There will an announcement from the Trust very soon about this. All pledgers to Squsreknot have been contacted to ask of they would change their pledge to a buying fund

There's going to be some people who won't donate/pledge unless there's something in it for them. It's inevitable and for those who aren't Fife fans but want to help, somewhat understandable.

So some kind of Kickstarter campaign would be excellent. I've had a bit of experience with one over here, so will share some ideas with the Trust board, but lots of potential in that.

Rather than expect people to hand over money for nothing individually in return, ascertain the price per share and supporters individually are then able to purchase direct from the sellers and at the same time be encouraged to proxy their vote to the trust. This way the trust has control but people actually get something for their money

To stop the admin being too big set a minimum purchase of say 100 shares. People with an interest across the globe then have a chance to own their little bit of EFFC and contribute to overall fan ownership

1,000 people buying 100 shares gets this into fan control

I think this is more realistic than asking people to just give money to the supporters trust

Agree completely with realist. I have an amount of money I've set aside for share purchases, this opportunity has arisen and I would buy shares in my club. It would be preferable for the money put in to have a return to me and not just a donation, so a share ownership would be preferable, however the trust could be the over ruling body ahead of lots of smaller shareholders like myself. This will encourage a lot more folk to invest if they get a return. I've spoken to a fair few folk over the last week since I got wind of it and there is a solid 5 figures of money sitting that can be used to buy shares however only if there is something in return. Surely worth doing as that is only who I've spoken to so vast amounts of money can be generated to buy shares off the current hierarchy.

Scott,
Email me.

How about 100 folk buy 1,000 shares each ?? I'm up for it just 99 more to go

I agree Dubya - the share ownership needs to be resolved from the outset. Clean break and fresh start.

With the limited resources available to the fans, is it even likely that ongoing payments could be met - big risk IMO? Further to that, what happens should the club go into administration......or even liquidation. These prospects are a real possibility so if I were "in their shoes", I'd take what I could get.

And given that buyers are not falling over themselves to buy, the best offer they will every get is a nominal amount from the trust.

A lot of us have been crying out for a deck chair away strip.
I can get quotes for a limited edition shirt to be made. Minimum Quantity required, cost and agreed selling price. Would have to be on a strict pre order/ pre pay basis, so nobody would be out of pocket.
If 500 folk will agree to buy a shirt at £40, I\\\'d imagine there would be at least £20 profit, giving £10,000 to the fund.
I\\\'ll get right on it....

P.S. Reply if you\\\'re in favour of this, or if you think it\\\'s a non starter

A lot of us have been crying out for a deck chair away strip.
I can get quotes for a limited edition shirt to be made. Minimum Quantity required, cost and agreed selling price. Would have to be on a strict pre order/ pre pay basis, so nobody would be out of pocket.
If 500 folk will agree to buy a shirt at £40, I\\\\\\\'d imagine there would be at least £20 profit, giving £10,000 to the fund.
I\\\\\\\'ll get right on it....

P.S. Reply if you\\\\\\\'re in favour of this, or if you think it\\\\\\\'s a non starter

A lot of us have been crying out for a deck chair away strip.
I can get quotes for a limited edition shirt to be made. Minimum Quantity required, cost and agreed selling price. Would have to be on a strict pre order/ pre pay basis, so nobody would be out of pocket.
If 500 folk will agree to buy a shirt at £40, I'd imagine there would be at least £20 profit, giving £10,000 to the fund.
I'll get right on it....

P.S. Reply if you're in favour of this, or if you think it's a non starter

So far, it`s only 2 Davie`s that are in favour of Davie`s idea. It`s a start I suppose.

Sorry about the 3 posts. Too impatient with the anti spam word box.

This deal needs serious cash injection .
The ideas re small fundraiser a are fantastic but it's about buy out and ongoing operating costs of the club .
How is it proposed to manage it .
Notice recent requests regarding trust looking for cash pledge from squareknot pledgers
I for one and sure there is others out there who wish to help club in this way forward but seriously investing in trust to takeover they should at least be opening the doors to a larger commitee not same old same old trust members .
There seems to have been lot if talk re hearts yes supporters based but huge benefactor in Ann Budge
Think without this kind if backing likelihood this may all be non starter
Tell me otherwise please

I agree Efbab. Clubs our size that want a winning team on the pitch run at a loss. Who is going to make up that loss year after year - fan donations....don't think so.....it is hard enough to get fans to pay the gate money, buy strips, and now have to buy teams sheets as well. I think it unrealistic for ongoing supporter's donations to make up the annual shortfall.

Running the club at a profit is a non-starter. Look around Scottish football and you'll see Chairman who are very successful in making money with their own businesses yet can't run the football club without having to plug the shortfall each year.

So if we want a winning team on the park the new post-Rankine East Fife needs to have the door open for the right kind of benevolent chairman to "invest/donate".

Fund raising is great - it allows the fans to buy back the club from administration (should that day come) with perhaps some cash to get things going for a season or so. But to get to the levels we'd like to be at (Championship) a sugar daddy is required.

I think the basic model we have to work to is one where the club breaks even, or makes a small profit. There's too many clubs gone out of existence from following the pie in the sky school of economics.

By all means, there's a place for an investor to put some money in, and bask in the glory of being the big shot who changed things around. But that has to happen on top of the basic break-even model, and can never be allowed to risk the long-term financial health of the club.

As for how to fund the takeover: I think you need a community share offer. Although there's only a hardcore few hundred who attend every game, I think there's tens of thousands out there who count themselves as East Fife supporters.

Can i just ask one thing been looking through these posts and chatting to family back home. How does it come to be that the current owners of EF are willing to take a small deposit From the trust and small payments every month or year? just its my belief the Mr Murray and his backers were prepared to pay a large deposit and large payments. Now i know what i would want if i was the current owner.

PUBLIC MEETING

EAST FIFE SUPPORTERS SOCIETY ARE PROGRESSING WITH PLANS TO BUY A MAJORITY SHAREHOLDING IN EAST FIFE FOOTBALL CLUB.
WE ARE HOLDING A PUBLIC MEETING TODAY, SATURDAY 30TH AUGUST AT 5.00PM IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM LOCATED AT THE FIFE RENEWABLES INNOVATION CENTRE.

This is just across from Bayview – there will be people at the front of the park giving directions after the game.

This meeting will give everyone interested an update on the current situation and an opportunity for the audience to put questions to the steering group.
EFSS need as many people as possible supporting this plan and there will be an opportunity for everyone to pledge their support whether that be financial or skill based.