East Fife ,it now seems, are starting to splash out the cash.The signing ov Mitchall,and the rumours ov Cramb,Ward,Miller etc have excited more than a few ov the readers ov this forum.It seems that it could be Willie Gray pulling more than a few strings here.Does this not worry fellow supporters or is it the fact that people ARE only interested in what gets put out on the park?I for one have mixed feelings on this one.When at the Rovers,they had a few good players.Andrews,Cameron,Nova,Brewster to name but a few.These players i seem to remember were sold on at prices well below what many Rovers fans thought they were worth.Sure they built stands etc ,but many Rovers fans felt that instead ov alot ov money being put aside to help streagthen the team,alot ov the money went in the directers pockets.Willie being one ov them.(maybe Johny Rover can comment on that one)If willie IS funding the side,or should that be,loaning money to the club,whats to say the same thing won't happen here.At the moment,we have really only one asset.Steve Fortune.In my opinion East Fifes best player by a mile last season.Not near the finished artical,but improving all the time.Plays for Scotland under 19s and is the skipper ov the side.IF he has a good 18 months or so (which i hope he does),how much will he go for?Say for easyness,50k.Ov that money,how much money will go towards the team?Many older East Fife fans will maybe say the same about the players we sold on in the mid 80s.But,i'll give Baxter is due.He was maybe an auld bugger,but we did sign players from other clubs for quite good money.Again, off the top ov my head,Sludden 70k un Tam Spence 10k(Killie),Beaton un Cowell 35k(Falkirk)Charles 20k(Montrose),we sold Kirk ti Motherwell un got 35k plus Ray Blair who they valued at around 20k.Mcnaughton 10k(Hearts)Burgess 10k(Albion,who were quoted 50k from Notts county a year before),Moffat and Munro 10k each (Alloa un Cowden).These figures could be wrong(christ its fower in the morning),but you get the jist.Then you get oor Derrick.To his credit(just mind you)he knocked back two offers from Berwick un Hamilton(20k) fer Dr Deuks.We ,i don't think signed a player for money,before Savage(1k),Gorden (2k) at the last transfer window.In realty however,we got rid ov a few players,and it cost the club £270.I don't think Broon will spend a penny ov any transfer we get from any player,whether it be Steve or any other player.The man already has stated that the shareholders are the club.As for Gray,i feel he'll give,but by god he'll take back bigtime.Its this sort ov thing,and i might be wrong,that makes me determined to protest till Broon is gone and AT LEAST ONE SUPPORTERS GROUPS voice is heard on the board.I think it will be the only voice that will speak for the GOOD ov the fans as the rest,i feel,are a bunch o puppets un yes men.

The more money Mr Gray spends on The Fife the less tax he will probably pay on his scrap business.
Don't be negative too soon Enfifer. As for my self it has been a while since i have taken a seat in Bayview and to tell the truth i have lost the inclination to go back. I actually prefer the away games [I missed the last few due to health] The stadium is part of the problem for me and i have to admit and i do miss the old ground.
Looks like we are building a team capable of promotion and i am not concerned about Mr Gray as he has done nothing wrong so far. We have enough on our plate with the battle v Brown, one thing at a time Enfifer.
On the bright side, crowds in England have increased and hopefully football is becoming fashionable to the middle of the road fans again. That might just filter up to Scotland, you never know.
I look forward to the day when i can get up on a Saturday morning with the feeling of anticipation of going to see The Fife again, with optimism and a smiling face going into Bayview. Same for away games, preparing the scarf and tammy, sannies made and hip flask full. Can i ever feel this way again? I hope so.
I am though, optimistic for the team for next season and think they will do well, but last seasons crazy goings on has been the worst time for me as a supporter. For the coming season? Not going to watch my team was not an option before, it came first over anything else. For next season? I don't know.

If things do get sorted out and we all hope they do the Club has to make a huge effort to get regular advertising going.
I am fed up going down Leven High Street on a Saturday morning and being asked if there is a game on that afternoon. A small advert in the EFM apparantly costs three figures, surely a sponsor could cover that every second week.

You know what Brown would say to that Jim "folk arny interested in comin tae Bayview, naebdy wants tae use the lounge midweek and we never get ony functions either"

I remember when posters we plastered up all over Dubbieside and Methil high street advertising the next home game. I remember they always had the away team first, which I thought was strange. I suppose there's some law against that sort of thing now, but it got the message across and attendences were higher.

Re Jim Beavers comment on the price of an ad in the EFM.

1 column wide by 4 or 5cm long (imo enough to advertise the games) would be no more than 50 quid. Also as regular advertisers they would be able to negotiate some sort of discount on this.

Jim Beaver, do people of Leven/Methil not get the Sunday papers to read the forthcoming fixtures.

I doubt that mere ads in the EFM will draw any more fans to Bayview. There needs to be some community envolvement. Schools, pubs, youthclubs, sports centres, shopping malls. A visual presence. Saying "East Fife v Dumbarton, 3:00" wont cut it.

Derrick Browns resignation would help!