From what I've read some are saying that Sid and Willie want Brown to go. If that is the case why would Sid vote him into a paid position? With a three year contract he could be entitled to 3 years wages after even a short time in the job. It has been suggested that this is being done to avoid a 9 month legal wrangle (Re shares?)but the legalities involved in getting rid of Brown from a paid postion could cause much more bitterness. This is obviously a deal with a sweetener for Brown and who will pay this? Yes the fans who support the club.

On the board meeting. Was it a flanker ie one of Brown's usual tricks or was it just convenient for the 3 non attendees not to be there and be seen to cast their votes the wrong way. I would have thought that the issues involved were so important that it was critical that all the board were present.

The new directors seem to be aligned with the protestors by what they say but their actions seem to belie their words. In fact Brown is getting more entrenched even if he is not chairman. It was also stated there would be a new degree of openness so why can they not tell us the true reasons behind Brown's appointment and what are the legalities to getting rid of DB they have been talking about. It is obvious this had been agreed before WG and DH met the supporters and even after being told it would not be acceptable they went ahead with it anyway.

It stinks and makes you wonder if they take heed of our opinions. Dare I say it a bit like Brown.

A lot of apparently contradictory stuff is going on here. Can I assure you all that at the karaoke to celebrate the supporters winning back the club I shall sing Redemption Song by Mr R. Marley.
So there. GIRFUY and East Fife forever etcetara etcetara

Willie Gray doesn't give a toss what the fans think.

That's not the point.

I couldn't give a toss what WG or anyone else thinks of me or other fans provided their actions lead to the club being run in the way I'd like it to be, starting with a Brown-free zone around Methil.

I also accept that it may take a wee while for this to come about and I'm prepared to wait a few weeks.

Eugene you may be prepared to wait a few weeks for DB's removal but what is a few weeks. And after that what will you do if the answer comes back "its going to take a little longer".

Face the evidence in front of your eyes (if what D Marshall said about the board meeting is true) Brown is here for the duration. I presume that the vote was unanimous to give Brown the job. Which just shows that Sid's words are not to be taken at face value. As for WG he was conviently absent from the meeting for whatever reason, and whatever he thinks he has been presented with a fait accompli. Just where is the power based in our club and who is pulling the strings. From my reading Brown has got, if not the job title at least a paid position that I am sure he will use to great advantage. His pension is assured now.

There is a slim possiblity that if DB is still a director he may run foul of the SFA as they need to approve appointment of paid positions. Get some legal eagle to look at EFFC articles.

My waiting a few weeks does not mean leaving the mound etc.

There are obviously elements we are not party to and that's why I say I'm willing to allow a few weeks to let these things be dealt with. Not everything is as straightforwrad as it may appear and the wheeling and dealing to get rid of brown may well take some time. Almost any action involving organisations takes time even when the need for change is pressing.

Let's be clear about one thing - I've spent over two years trying to get the club to a position whereby it functions in a way that meets the needs of our supporters and the community. I'm not walking away now!

So you accept that it was a neccesary action to give DB this position in order to get rid of him in the long run? I do not see it this way and feel it is a payoff to get him ousted as chairman and out of the limelight. But he is going to be around for a long time yet despite what some people say or think.

We all know what he is like and he will cling to his position like grim death. Who would think any sane man would put up with the abuse and bad publicity he has had over the last year.

It has been suggested that An EGM is the way to get him at least off the board. But even this is not certain and would suggest that this is the reason one has not been called as he must still have some support from other shareholders

He does have the support of the Rodgers family, who are significant shareholders.

Why? I'll never know, I can only assume that they aren't the brightest bulbs in the packet, a bit like JDB.

You may be right Igor but slagging them off won't help our cause especially if we wish to convert them .

I don't think the Rodgers can be converted. They are more pro Brown than Betty. They continue to sit in the stand, watch the bottom fall out of the club, and do nothing to stop it. Even for the sake of their own Saturday afternoon being an enjoyable experience you would think they would say 'no more'. Instead they defend Brown to the hilt.

Which leads me to the conclusion that they might call themselves fish merchants, but they are in fact fish.

Whoa troops! Time to re-group and re-think.

Brown is a problem that will eventually go away, some way, some how. But, you've not yet identified that another, perhaps more serious problem, has arisen.

Have Messrs Collombine and Gray actullay committed to 'allowing' a Trust/fans reresentative on any new board under their control?

Do you think this far, that the aforementioned gents have been straight with the supporters they have spoken to?

It's all very well EF fans saying that they don't care who is in charge, as long as it's not Derek Brown, and while to a degree I understand the sentiment, it really is just re-arranging the deck chairs on a metaphoric Titanic.

Collombine and Gray need pinned down with written, yes written assurances that they will FULLY involve the EF fans. Anything else will just be a sop.

Accuse me if you like of not liking Sid or Willie, but to do so would be missing the point. Liking or not liking people is neither here or there, it's about their motives and desires.

If Sid is just motivated by being a football club director then fine on a certain level. Some people get their jollies this way. But I would suspect that it's more than that.

One thing though is clear. The EF Supporters Trust will have no bigger opportunity at a) recruitment of memebrs and b) negotiating a shareholding.

But if Willie shakes your hand, count your fingers.

Thanks for your thoughts, Sons Fan. I don't think too many EF fans see Willie and Sid as 'The Holy Grail'. I think most of us also realise that, when Derrick goes, it's not the end of the issue, but the start of the next chapter.

Another poster on another thread made the most pertinent point though - we're not exactly blessed with a host of wonderful options here.

I think on blaance, we have a slightly better chance of working out some kind of sustainable solution with Willie and Sid in charge than we have with Derrick in charge (where the chances are zero).

At the same time thoguh, I think we would do well to heed your warnings.

Willie Gray stated that there would be significant changes to the current board and also that the trust would be involved.

There are a lot of people offering insights and opinions as to the motives of Gray & Collumbine but at the moment we will just have to wait and see what develops and unfolds over the next few weeks. Getting written assurances would certainly go some way to restoring confidence in the new regime. As things stand, we were all preaparing to go back, buy season tickets etc but in reality we are further away than ever from going back into the ground.

The main aim of the protests is the complete removal of Derrick Brown.
By general concensus, his backers appear to be
Betty Brown - acting in her husbands interests.
D Stevenson takes no part in board matters - well actually he did attend Derricks famous 1 hour early board meeting on Saturday. He also recently fronted a campaign to buy shares for nameless backers. Does this man attend games?
Mckay the fishman is a spineless, shameless, cowering blob of compliance who will do whatever Broon tells him. Rumour has it that he quit a few weeks ago and now he's suddenly re-appeared. How does he sleep?

Hopefully we'll see a statement shortly from the new regime.

hopefully being the operative word!

"cowering blob of compliance" ... brilliant choice of phase, i like it!

Spirit of the Mound wrote : "There are a lot of people offering insights and opinions as to the motives of Gray & Collumbine but at the moment we will just have to wait and see what develops and unfolds over the next few weeks."

Why 'wait and see'?

Why not force the issue yourselves?

'Wait and see' policies are always doomed to failure.

Sons fan - a hard core of 40 or so fans turn up on the mound and have conducted protests, marches, written letters to the media, kept up the pressure on the board.
Most supporters have just given up the ghost and yet others still trudge wearily along every week in dwindling numbers to support the team from within. The place is like a morgue.
Other than hire a hit man, what else would you suggest?
Supporters can only keep up the pressure on the board - ultimately it is the board and shareholders (are you reading this Rodgers family?) who can effect the change that is so necessary.