Chairman Talks To The Fans

Killie chairman Jamie Moffat released a press statement today aimed at the fans, to keep them abreast of the current situation...

Like many of you I was at Ibrox in 1997 to watch the Club lift the Scottish Cup. It was a proud day for every Kilmarnock supporter, and one which hopefully someday in the not to distant future will be repeated. Over 25,000 Killie fans travelled that day (left) and as I looked around the stadium as another cup campaign begun, it was sad to see that just 3,500 Killie diehards had made the choice to come and cheer on the team against Motherwell.

In the years since that warm summer’s day there have been huge changes in football none more so than here at Rugby park. On the playing side the team has consistently performed well in the top league and despite the financial cut backs imposed since the demise of the lucrative TV deal, there is huge optimism for the future as our wealth of youth and home grown talent grow and develop. The emergence of player’s like Boyd, Murray, Hay, McDonald, Smith and now Naismith (left), testimony to the investment the Club has committed to youth development.

Off the park there have been huge developments in our non-football business. Our 4 star Hotel and Conference centre the Park Hotel is up amongst the best for service and facilities, and the new Sports bar is one we can be equally proud of. Both are delivering profits to offset the debt of the football business.

The Club is half way through its 3 year plan to deliver a trading breakeven position by 2006. The moves made to reduce football expenses and the trading performances of our non football business has made great in-roads to achieving this aim, but now more than ever Kilmarnock Football Club needs our supporters to get behind our Club both on and off the park to ensure a healthy future for Scotland’s oldest professional club.

As you are aware I announced last year of my intentions to put the Club up for sale. At this time I can advise that despite several genuine enquiries, no agreements were concluded therefore I will continue to work with our advisors and the Bank to produce a plan to secure the way forward.

It is imperative that we continue to improve the Club’s finances and I would like to take this opportunity appeal to all Kilmarnock supporters to consider how they can help in supporting the Club.

Each visit to the Hotel or Sports bar, each visit to the shop or attendance at a game will support the Club through this testing period in our history.

You can make the difference.

I fully understand that supporting your club these days can be an expensive business and with our various discounted season ticket offers and reduced kids prices we’ve tried to address this issue. To further help we have decided to subsidise buses to our next cup game, details of which we will firm up shortly with the supporters association.

A big Kilmarnock support at this game will not only provide much needed revenue, but more importantly give the team a great boost in the next step towards a repeat of 1997.

I can further advise that the Club has secured the commitment of several Ayrshire business people to assist in their particular area of expertise, and help the Board and the Executive to develop the many ongoing projects within the Kilmarnock Football Club portfolio. I am delighted to welcome Alastair Crabb, Jim Torbett, Alistair Patterson, and Lorraine Hoyland to the Club’s new Management Committee.
Best wishes

Jamie Moffat
Chairman

Here are some additional  Jamie Moffat press comment quotes that were not included in the above press release - Here