East Fife hire manager convicted of assault
DONALD WALKER

ONE of Jack Vettriano's most recent works is a painting by the name of Long Time Gone, featuring a couple's embrace in the shadow of Methil power station.

The unlikely backdrop has drawn attention to the proposed demolition of the industrial eyesore, and its disappearance from the Levenmouth coastline of the artist's childhood which features so prominently in his portfolio.

There must be something in the sea air at Methil docks, because the setting has again become the focus of high passion. At a mound in the shadow of the power station, angry fans of East Fife FC gather at 3pm every second Saturday to watch their team by looking over the perimeter wall of Bayview Stadium.

The reason for this course of action has nothing to do with thrifty Fifers, or even fly ones. Regular readers might be aware that supporters are in bitter dispute with the club's unpopular chairman, Derrick Brown. Here is a brief summary: the club's major shareholder is an eight-year-old girl, whose mother says the shares are an investment; those shares are proxied to Brown; supporters believe the chairman is responsible for the club's decline; chairman responds by attacking his club's fans.

At the club's agm, Brown issued a 2,000-word statement (500 more than this article) attacking the East Fife Supporters Trust for "running down the club at every opportunity". Recently, he was caught on camera berating fans: "If you [think you] support East Fife more than I do, then I can assure you - you do not!" It was galling for supporters who recall Brown was a director of Cowdenbeath FC from 2000 to 2001. Then this week, a press release to announce a new manager had 250 words on the formalities followed by almost 600 words criticising protesters, whose conduct was referred to in one passage as "disgraceful and a stain on the clubs (sic) name".

Most small clubs suffer from local difficulties, but events at Bayview seem to have escalated beyond repair. The chairman's attacks on his own customers would send most businesses to the wall. With ever-dwindling crowds now averaging 300 - the figure was 800 the season before Brown took over - it's perhaps the way East Fife are going. It is a sad situation for the once-proud club to find itself in, just as East Fife are about to hit the radar again. Later this month, Gretna will attempt to emulate the Bayview club's unique achievement of winning the Scottish Cup while playing outside the top division.

Protestors have decided to donate part of their 'attendance' money to Rachel House, a children's hospice. "Those of us who have been protesting refuse to give any financial support to the club as long as the current chairman is in place," said Matthew McLean, a relation of legendary East Fife and Hearts manager Davie McLean who led East Fife to Scottish Cup glory in 1938. "The money we are not spending should go to a good cause."

Brown's conduct has come under increasing scrutiny in the national press, with much exposure given to a recent incident whereby a protestor in a giant chicken suit appeared pitchside during a match, pushing a wheelbarrow and bearing the slogan 'Taxi for Brown'.

The chairman also courts controversy on national matters. This week, the Fife Council payroll assistant used the press to criticise David Taylor, chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, and John McBeth, the SFA president. "The SFA pays the chief executive and president a considerable salary to run the association and I, along with others, remain concerned at the job they are doing," declared Brown.

It was not Brown's first foray into the affairs of Scottish football at the top level. Earlier this season, he raised at the SFA the appointment of a sex offender as head coach at Hearts. Graham Rix and Hearts were forced to go through an embarrassing series of hearings to ensure Rix met the "fit and proper person" criterion, a process that had not reached a verdict before the coach was sacked.

Hearts supporters will have looked on with dismay this week as Brown appointed Dave Baikie as the new manager of East Fife. Baikie has not worked in senior football since resigning as manager of Cowdenbeath last year, following his guilty plea to a vicious assault that left his victim scarred for life. If Rix's conviction for unlawful sex with a 15-year-old girl was enough to cause concern, Baikie's crime should have alarm bells ringing at Hampden.

Baikie, 52, admitted assaulting David Evans, butting him, knocking him to the ground and kicking him on the head, all to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment. Dundee Sheriff Court was told that the victim had left a bar after an argument with Baikie, but was followed outside and attacked in the street. Door staff intervened to prevent Baikie from assaulting Evans further. Baikie ran off.

A surgeon said Evans had the worst eye socket injury he had ever seen, akin to being kicked by a horse.

"By any standards, this was an appallingly savage attack, albeit on a man you had a poor relationship with," Sheriff Grant McCullough told the court. "He has been left with significant injuries that have affected his personal appearance and his livelihood. There was some history between you two, but nothing to warrant this level of violence. Such levels of violence are not to be tolerated in this city, or this country, ever."

Baikie was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service as well as pay £3,000 compensation to his victim. "This is a rare step," said Sheriff McCullough. "I would never expect to hear myself saying that a headbutt followed by a kick to the head would result in anything other than a custodial sentence."

If the attack was not bad enough, the identity of Baikie's victim makes his crime even more alarming. Evans was the father of one of Baikie's former players. It would be no surprise if East Fife find the appointment is raised at the SFA under the same "fit and proper" criterion used to examine Rix. If Baikie is looking to rebuild his reputation, he has jumped into the frying pan at Bayview.

The irony would not be lost on some when Baikie said of the club's situation this week: "Peace is never negotiated by war and it's only by achieving peace that the club will move forward."

The new manager was appointed after the club's caretaker manager, Greg Shaw, walked out. "The football is a sideshow here," said Shaw. That's probably just as well, because last season East Fife finished in the club's lowest ever league position, 40th out of 42 teams. This season, they have climbed to 39th.

Shaw follows director Dave Marshall out the door, who resigned after failing to remove Brown with a vote of no confidence - the rest of the directors, including Brown's wife, support the chairman. Marshall last week joined the protestors on the mound where the mood is turning darker by the day. One fan, Eugene Clarke, said of the club: "Your business is haemorrhaging customers, you've fallen miles behind the competition, and you're getting dozens of complaints. What do you do? Insult your customers!"

The club issued a statement last night to refute Clarke's remarks.

"The great majority of supporters will have been pleased at our announcement of a new manager and of the board's intention to proceed with plans to take the club forward," said the statement. "These supporters, and the wider community, will be shocked at the hostility to the chairman the announcement generated from a minority. Statements on internet forums and sent to the chairman and club will be condemned by all right-thinking people.

"We urge protesters to return to join with the other supporters in being part of what will be a very bright future."

However, the protestors could be the least of Brown's worries if a colleague at the SFA questions the Baikie appointment. The chairman may find that this time, his chickens really have come home to roost.

You beat me too it

Derrick,

Get that right up ye!!

Brill artical,well done Donald Walker.Broon again being shown for what he really is.Hopefully this will be the first ov many articals in the nationals to help the cause.Its really sad that it has come to this,but its all down ti Broon in the first place.Do you think Baikie will be having second thoughts about taking this job now?As someone said on a different thread"right manager,WRONG time!!!!"

Superb read, nothing else to really say on it.

Fantastic article from start to finish.

Well done Donald.

With Brown now having criticised the SFA so vehemently (surely such abuse is a stain on the Club's name?), wonder if they may be more willing now to look at such matters such as dual ownership or does that just fall under SFL territory. Either way, I'm sure they may want to have a little chat.

I'm also sure Fife Council can't be very happy with having their name dragged into all these articles either. Strange that one of their lowly employees can get away with causing them such embarrassment.

Such embarrassment could have an adverse effect on the Club getting funding for future plans like a plastic pitch.

With certain Fife council employees also now having roles at the Club there could also be conflicts of interest brought into question here.

Maybe a possible follow up article for you to look at Donald.

Terrific. You couldn't pay enough for such publicity.

If I was Brown or anyone in a postion of power I would be saying enough is enough. For a leading Scottish paper to present such a case will make all in football look up and say what is going on here!

Cracking pictures in the Scotsman too! Well done Donald. I look forward to the follow-on story reporting the departure of Brown!

I would advise anyone going to the game today to buy a copy of the Scotsman - it may come in useful!

Wow!

You do not get much better than this.
Also a really good read for "neutrals".
I have already had 6 calls from business associates who previously thought I was making it up.
Are our shareholders mad or bad.

Sorry!

I meant "100 women have called me"

Does Donald have an e-mail address? Just want to thank him for a well written article.

Obviously this article will be condemned by the wider national community and right-thinking people.

Took the words out of my mouth,Matthew.

Er ......
Superb photos, Donald. Any idea where they came from??
(as if I didn't know!!! )

Jim

BadBadBad

I will be very surprised if Chairman Brown survives this latest artictle.
If it was me I would be so embarrassed, I would have no alternative but to do the honourable thing and fall on my sword.

Derrick says the majority of fans back him ...well that is not entirely true. There may be more fans in the ground than on the mound however last year we were getting 800 now its under 300 therefore 500 are staying away for obvious reasons.

Derrick if you have any self respect left, and if you are a true East Fife fan then i appeal to you to do the right thing and step down.

Not a good day for the club, that's for sure.

Not a good period at the club at all Bruce, but certainly not our worst day, we are witnessing a great campaign to reclaim this club by the people that matter, remember we could all still be sitting in a state of apathy whilst this has happened, thats not in the nature of our fans and I sm proud to be one of them.

Hi, Bruce.It is good to "hear" from you and Jim Kamaris in the same week . Brings back better times.

Superb article a big hand to mr walker

My only sadness with this article is that Derrick is not literate enough to read it. Wonder what his answer will be when someone of average intelligence reads the Scotsman article to him. Something along the lines of
" At the end of the day, I blame the protesters for the club's current position. We The Board of Directors saved the club from having their electricity cut off a few years back. We The Board of Directors will cast this up to the protesters time and time again. We The Board of Directors are pleased with the appointment of David Baikie as manager. We The Board of Directors feel he is fit and proper person for the position as manager. At the end of the day he has the full backing of The Board of Directors and we The Board of Directors are going nowhere. I, J.Derrick Brown have the full backing of The Board of Directors and the majority of the fans"
God that was as excruciating to write as it is to read but it gives the gist of Derrick's standard reply. And no I did not write his piece for the East Fife Mail.

If you pinch your nose and read that out in a flat-monotone it sounds just like the real thing

Think I could get a PR job with J Derrick Brown igor? It's easy you just open your mouth and slabber a lot o' wind and piss. We could arrange a meeting at a convenient mutual time. Phone first and tell me the questions you're going to ask, then i'll get back to you!

Good for Bruce Black ! He was the guy who when Chairman let Brown in despite many warnings from those who knew Brown better than he did. Brown, like a cuckoo in the nest soon got rid of those who posed a threat, including the hapless Black. The Black Day from the club was when Black let Brown purchase shares at a discount and refused the substantial cash injection promised.Hence Dave Clark left. Bob Scott was next as he too saw through the Brown tactics.

Yes, I remember Derrick's return to Bayview only too well. At the time, Bruce had formed a Centenary Committee, from people like myself, Jim Beavers, Jim Stewart & John Ross etc. Things were going well, but then Derrick was invited to join the Committee and before we knew it we had all been told we were no longer required. Derrick had taken over and decided to do everything himself - like organise the invitations to former players to attend the Centenary match versus Hearts - and invite entirely the wrong people after Jim Beavers had made up a list which was ignored. Then he introduced John McGarrity as one half of Scotland's oldest married couple, thinking he was introducing 1930's 'keeper John Bernard!
Ach! I could go on - but it's time for bed!

Don't forhgt the black tie fiasco when DB announced in the press without any consultation that the centenary dinner would be formal.

I still can picture his face when he was challenged at the meeting. That's when I was absolutely convinced the man was unsuitable for any decision makig repsonsibility.

My suspicions started the first time I met him when he came along to the Young Fifers committee and suggested the club should take it over. When it was made clear that this was not on the wee lip got petted and I thought - "there's a guy that going to have deep psychological problems if he ever becomes chairman of an SFL club."

Well actually I didn't but hindsight's a wonderful thing.

Outsider - I guess that I probably know the reality better than you do, but it would be churlish to point that out! It was the right thing to do at the time, for reasons most people understand. The club was in a major financial mess then, but with good management (and everyone pulling together) it was turned round on and off the field in a couple of seasons.

What has happened since is another matter. It seems to be almost exactly the opposite now but in a major mess again!

Bruce

Good to see a wise counsel back!
Bit gray in the hair but........

Jim I can't remember DB being invited on to the Centenary Committee, as I remember it he just appeared at a meeting and that was that.
I got the job of contacting players from the past and after many hours spent on phone calls etc handed over a list of 48 players who I had told the club would get in touch with.What did we end up with?A dozen and let's face it some of them were an embarrassment!!
Nearly three years later I still feel I was let down by the club.
Joe Hughes would have travelled the length of the Britain to have been there had he been invited.

Even the mention of Joe Hughes brings a smile of warmth to my face. He was some character, worth paying the admmisson money for. Thanks Jim for reminding me of good times at Bayview. Pity Joe didn't want to be Chairman. Wonder if Derrick ever saw him playing during his 50+ years of undying support. Probably he wouldn't have noticed Joe anyway as Joe was an honest player

Jim
Can you give me a mail, i have a idea to run past you Cheers

Bruce Black... I agree with Outsider. Did you ever look into the finances properly ? I know there was £200,000 laid aside for the club. What happened to the £65,000 that Dave Clark was promised as part of the share deal ? You allowed Brown and his backers to get a cheap deal at the Club expense. Why did you resign..... I take it you like others realised that cuckoo Brown had you out manoevered.

Scottie - I see that you are tremendously well informed!! The only accurate point in your post is that I resigned. Unlike some I never saw it as a job for life.

Can you inform us then Bruce?

Bruce, you acknowledge that the situation is as bad as before. You were part of the solution, and since you departed the club has gone in one direction only. I would guess that you have a decent size of shareholding, and possibly the ear of the Rodgers family too, not to mention a few significant others. How about it?

Footymad - I don't think I can quite do what you ask. One of the points that everyone raises is the need for the club/company to be run professionally and on proper business-like lines in all relevant ways. I fully agree with this and have always taken the view that my duties as a director of this and other companies impose certain responsibilities and duties to the shareholders and to the company, including that of confidentiality.

This may seem like a cop-out but it isn't. It's just the correct and proper line to take. The passage of time does make it less of an issue, though, which enabled me to say the the assertions in the earlier post that I replied to were wrong in every aspect.

Black not Brown - I hear what you say and will continue to do what I can. There is a bit of a tradition in football of chairmen taking a back seat when they stand down, and for that and other reasons (no prizes) I haven't been a regular attender of late. But I am fully aware of the situation and as some people know have not stopped taking an active interest. You don't stop being a supporter when it's been in your blood for 50 years!

Glad to hear it Bruce.