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What happened to this from last October?

 

THE managing director of QTS has revealed the company could pull its sponsorship of Kilmarnock FC unless Michael Johnston resigns from the board.

Alan McLeish, whose company has ploughed close to £1.3 million into the club since 2012, has spoken out after another week of off-field turmoil at Rugby Park.

 

As revealed in last week’s Kilmarnock Standard, Russel Smith resigned as a club director.

That came in the same week almost 1500 fans signed a petition demanding Mr Johnston’s resignation.

Now Mr McLeish has urged the company secretary to walk away from the club.

In a statement issued exclusively to the Kilmarnock Standard , he said: “We have been the title sponsor of Kilmarnock Football Club for the last five years now and during that time our involvement with the club has continued to grow year on year.

“Initially, our partnership started as the club’s kit sponsor.

“Now, we currently retain that position as well as sponsoring the academy, youth, community and ladies’ programmes, providing over 500 kits throughout the club and their affiliates.

“During our partnership with the club, we have witnessed many changes, from the boardroom right down to the grassroots.

“The on-going pressures in the club boardroom are concerning for us, as our partnership with the club is in place to ensure that the team have the best possible resources to perform and focus on the main concern, their football.

“As a sponsor, we don’t like to get involved in the disputes, but the current arrangement is creating a very disturbing atmosphere that we feel is detrimental to the team’s success.

“The fans have made their point quite clear, they want Michael Johnston to go and considering the offer he has been made, I think he should seriously take it.

“Local business, fans, and the club directors have made their positions very clear, and I feel that I must agree.

“The only way the club can move forward now, is for Michael to stand down from the board and let the club move into a new era.”

Mr McLeish added: “QTS would seriously be considering its sponsorship position if Michael stayed in place on the board.

“We feel the only person who can take the club forward at this moment in time is Billy Bowie.

“Any other way would be to the detriment of the football club.”

It was reported last month that Mr Johnston had rejected an offer of £1.9 million for his shares in the Rugby Park club.

Local businessman Chris McMail also led a consortium willing to plough £750,000 into the club if the former chairman stepped down.

Three years ago, Mr McLeish led a separate consortium in a bid to take control of Killie before a debt re-structuring deal was struck by Mr Johnston and fellow director Billy Bowie.

And Mr McLeish admits that former chairman Johnston has done some good in his time at the Ayrshire club – although he believes that the time has come to walk away.

He said: “Football is a very unforgiving business and there’s no doubt in my mind that Michael has done some great things in his time at the club.

“But the time has come for change.

 

 

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Billy Bowie stays to work with MJ, John Kiltie stays to work with MJ, QTS stay to work with MJ, Media seem happy not to create a fuss about MJ,add all this to another successful season staying in the Premiership and basically any protest now comes across as a minority of "Hotheads and Bampots" to the outside world, fans of other clubs will look at us and think WTF do the Killie fans want?

I honestly do not see anything happening except the Trust In Killie initiative along with getting a Supporter onto the board in some kind of capacity, it now looks like our best "out ball", because it sure as hell looks like our club secretary is going nowhere fast.

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50 minutes ago, killie billies pal said:

Billy Bowie stays to work with MJ, John Kiltie stays to work with MJ, QTS stay to work with MJ, Media seem happy not to create a fuss about MJ,add all this to another successful season staying in the Premiership and basically any protest now comes across as a minority of "Hotheads and Bampots" to the outside world, fans of other clubs will look at us and think WTF do the Killie fans want?

I honestly do not see anything happening except the Trust In Killie initiative along with getting a Supporter onto the board in some kind of capacity, it now looks like our best "out ball", because it sure as hell looks like our club secretary is going nowhere fast.

We are still a basket case of a club!!!!

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QTS WILL sponsor Kilmarnock FC next season.

The rail contractors’ managing director Alan McLeish had warned last year they’d pull sponsorship of the club if under-fire director Michael Johnston did not resign from his role.

 

But now Mr McLeish (right) and his board of directors have had a change of heart and the company will continue to be the club’s main sponsor for a sixth year – despite Mr Johnston remaining on the club’s board.

Kilmarnock director John Kiltie announced the deal at a dinner on Friday night in the Park Hotel in front of the club’s other sponsors.

In a statement released exclusively to the Kilmarnock Standard this week, Mr McLeish said: “QTS are delighted to be extending their sponsorship of Kilmarnock for a sixth year and wish the club, its directors, staff, players and supporters the best of luck for the remainder of this season and
next year’s.

“Despite some concerns late this (last?) year surrounding the board, we have now reviewed the situation and decided that as a company we should continue to support the club and its community while board negotiations are ongoing.

“We sincerely hope for all concerned that there will be a resolution and that the board can return to focussing purely on football and community.

“We are fully aware of how difficult any withdrawal of support would be for the club and we decided, on reflection, to simply continue supporting what is a great community club and leave the boardroom issues for others to deal with.”

The Ayrshire company have been Kilmarnock’s main shirt sponsor since the beginning of the 2012/13 season.

They now sponsor all of the youth section at the club as well as Kilmarnock Ladies and it is thought the company has ploughed around £700,000 into the club in that time.

QTS are keen supporters of sport in Ayrshire and also sponsor Northwest Boxing Club in Kilmarnock, among others.

Mr McLeish added: “Our collaboration with Kilmarnock Football Club has developed enormously since 2012 and currently we sponsor the first team, the academy teams, the ladies teams and, in addition, support the newly formed community trust KCST.”

 

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