£130,104

[Boab]

That’s the one, FF.

Cheers.

[davemclaren]

7 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Trying to use big words to keep my mind ticking over, sorry you had to google it 😆. 

I thought I should get a dictionary definition as you seem not to understand it. 

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Footballfirst said:

FOUNDATION UPDATE

Dear Member

As we are all aware, the last week or so has been a difficult time for all Hearts fans. Through that, though, we are really grateful to everyone who contacted us over the last few days. As ever, it is invaluable to hear your range of views. We have tried to respond to emails but the volume has been huge, so our apologies if you haven’t had a reply.

There have been some recurring themes in the messages we received, so in addition to giving you an update on where we are with pledge numbers, we thought it would be helpful to address these in a general update to Foundation members.

First, a number of pledgers who have been in touch with us have attacked the Foundation for not representing the views, as they see it, of Foundation members and for not making these views clear to the club. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our communications with the club reflect the strength of feelings that pledgers have brought to us and is passed on with no diluting of the emotions expressed. This does not fall on deaf ears - and of course, the club itself hears from fans and is well aware of people’s many opinions. We are able to supplement that and can also report on pledge numbers.

Equally, the views of Foundation members inform and shape the standpoint of those who represent the Foundation on the club board.

We have also been attacked by some for – to put it bluntly – not firing the manager. As most pledgers understand, the Foundation does not run the club. It is right and proper that the club board makes the final management calls, and it is right and proper that the Foundation - through communicating with the club and through our representatives on the board - aims to inform and influence strategies and decision-making. That is what we have done and that’s what we will continue to do when the Foundation becomes the majority shareholder of the club. The Foundation has always put forward the message of fan owned, not fan run. Foundation members overwhelmingly sanctioned the governance model which has this concept at its heart and it remains a pillar of the organisation’s structure.

Sadly we must also mention that there has been a level of vitriol and abuse in some of the emails and other communications which is intolerable. This type of attack has also been visited on club officials and staff and we utterly condemn it. Equating passion for a club with this kind of behaviour is totally misplaced. Passion for a club comes in many shapes and forms but abusing others, many of whom are working on a voluntary basis, is most certainly not one of them.

Looking ahead, the board is considering ways in which debate among Foundation members can be encouraged and structured. As mentioned above, we are very appreciative of members taking the time to bring us their views and constructive advice, and we will shortly be looking to create a new post - a director of members affairs - which, we believe, will help the communication process, but we are certainly open to other positive developments on this issue.

Meanwhile, to update you on pledge numbers and activity, we have seen in recent days around 250 cancellations of pledges. That equates to approximately 3 per cent of the membership. We’ve also seen some new pledgers coming on board and that range of activity leaves us with a total number of current pledgers today of just over 8100.  

It is in times of real pressure or challenge that individuals and organisations reveal their true character. This was the case when our club faced possible extinction. The character of the supporters then was unbelievable and has paved the way for the most successful fan initiative in British footballing history. We thank everyone who has been involved in this and who, by pledging, continues to lay the platform for a better future for Heart of Midlothian.

Kind regards

Stuart Wallace, Alastair Bruce, Paul Cheshire, Donald Cumming, Garry Halliday and Louise Strutt
 

Yeah I read at the time. Lots of words but no actual action or criticism of the club wasting millions of our money. 
They sound quite shocked at the level of abuse, it might well have been much worse if fans were at games. 
Extremely similar to statements from the club, the mantra of fan owned not fan run prominent as ever. 

[Footballfirst]

Ideas in action FOH style.

 

April 2021

 

...... we will shortly be looking to create a new post - a director of members affairs - which, we believe, will help the communication process, but we are certainly open to other positive developments on this issue.

 

April 2017

 

...... We propose that one of the directors will be designated as Director of Members’ Affairs, and this director will have primary responsibility for ensuring that an effective dialogue with members takes place.

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, davemclaren said:

I thought I should get a dictionary definition as you seem not to understand it. 

My understanding is fine thanks, my lecturers and tutors at The University of Edinburgh over 5 years didn’t have any problems with them. 

[Boab]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Yeah I read at the time. Lots of words but no actual action or criticism of the club wasting millions of our money. 
They sound quite shocked at the level of abuse, it might well have been much worse if fans were at games. 
Extremely similar to statements from the club, the mantra of fan owned not fan run prominent as ever. 

Respect but disagree with your opinion. We’ll leave it there as we’ve said our piece.

👍

[Pasquale for King]

5 minutes ago, Boab said:

That’s the one, FF.

Cheers.

So what do you think that achieved in the grand scheme of things?

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Boab said:

Respect but disagree with your opinion. We’ll leave it there as we’ve said our piece.

👍

Fair enough.

[davemclaren]

5 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

My understanding is fine thanks, my lecturers and tutors at The University of Edinburgh over 5 years didn’t have any problems with them. 

Oooh, a University graduate.
 

Reads like you need a bit revision if you think that’s an appropriate use of haemorrhaging. 😄 

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, davemclaren said:

Oooh, a University graduate.
 

Reads like you need a bit revision if you think that’s an appropriate use of haemorrhaging. 😄 

I’ll be the judge of that, or any other words I use. 

[indianajones]

Its a good sum but should be more. 

 

 

[davemclaren]

8 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

I’ll be the judge of that, or any other words I use. 

As always. 😂 Until the next monthly numbers…

[Phage]

How much to buy out Damour' contract?

[Kiwidoug]

I honestly worried that when we all became aware of the size and scope of this curse of a virus, pledges could have virtually collapsed.  The fact that hasn't happened is truly remarkable.

 

When we start playing consistently well and seriously challenging for trophies, I think £175,000 per month is realistic.

[soonbe110]

5 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Indeed. That’s around 200 pledges down is it not, it would be good if we were told that figure. 

Probably nearer 100 based on average monthly pledge. 

[Marvin]

4 hours ago, JWL said:

 

Yeah, same here but had to look at the bigger picture. May increase once Mrs Budge steps back and lets football people run the football club.

 

Can't argue with that.

[Guest ToqueJambo]

2 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

FOUNDATION UPDATE


Sadly we must also mention that there has been a level of vitriol and abuse in some of the emails and other communications which is intolerable. This type of attack has also been visited on club officials and staff and we utterly condemn it. Equating passion for a club with this kind of behaviour is totally misplaced. Passion for a club comes in many shapes and forms but abusing others, many of whom are working on a voluntary basis, is most certainly not one of them.

 

 

 

 

Seriously? The Robbie Out, Phoodle, plane hiring lot featuring strongly no doubt.

 

Aside form them, we still have the best, most loyal fans in the country by a long way. Playing in the Championship in a pandemic with an economic crash, with a shit half a season (or more depending on your view of Neilson), and only down a grand or so.

Edited June 1, 2021 by ToqueJambo

[Vlad Magic]

I do love a positive news story.

 

Massive thanks to everyone who puts their bit in. It all helps.

 

Reassuring the floor sweeper of Edinburgh Uni who doesn’t know the meaning of “haemorrhaging” has his nose out of joint over the good news 👍

[Vlad Magic]

Those “tutors” will be wondering what they did wrong.

[Guest ToqueJambo]

3 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Yeah I read at the time. Lots of words but no actual action or criticism of the club wasting millions of our money. 
They sound quite shocked at the level of abuse, it might well have been much worse if fans were at games. 
Extremely similar to statements from the club, the mantra of fan owned not fan run prominent as ever. 

 

Nah. Let's not equate this hardcore group of mentalists who have attached themselves to Hearts with the support as a whole.

[Turkishcap]

Done, been meaning to increase for a while so that's it.

[Bazzas right boot]

Why are folk always angry at the club. 

 

Folk Litterally spitting feathers about everything. 

😂😂

[luckydug]

18 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

Why are folk always angry at the club. 

 

Folk Litterally spitting feathers about everything. 

😂😂

Seems to be the way it is nowadays. 

The world is an angry place made worse by SM and some folks inability to share opinions with respect. 

[ADAM]

6 hours ago, JWL said:

 

Yeah, same here but had to look at the bigger picture. May increase once Mrs Budge steps back and lets football people run the football club.

Can you name the 'football people' who will run the club? 

[Independence]

8 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I’m sure the FoH could tell us those actual figures to save you bashing your calculator instead of averages that mean extremely little. 

Give it a rest. So boring and monotonous.

 

Well done Hearts fans this is really positive.

[Pasquale for King]

2 hours ago, Vlad Magic said:

I do love a positive news story.

 

Massive thanks to everyone who puts their bit in. It all helps.

 

Reassuring the floor sweeper of Edinburgh Uni who doesn’t know the meaning of “haemorrhaging” has his nose out of joint over the good news 👍

 

2 hours ago, Vlad Magic said:

Those “tutors” will be wondering what they did wrong.

Nice of you to look down on floor sweepers, not unexpected really. 
At least have the balls to quote me directly. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Pasquale for King

[Pasquale for King]

3 minutes ago, Independence said:

Give it a rest. So boring and monotonous.

 

Well done Hearts fans this is really positive.

Don’t tell me what to do ok. 

[JWL]

1 hour ago, ADAM said:

Can you name the 'football people' who will run the club? 

 

Bizarre question; do you? I'm just hoping that when Mrs Budge takes a step back, the people taking over will focus a lot more on the football side of things than she ever did. Not too much to ask is it?

[MadVlad1962]

10 hours ago, novoman said:

£130,104    Slightly down on last months total. £1,736 to be precise.

 

another amazing amount contributed by the greatest fans in the world during a pandemic. 

Brings the total contributions to £11,953,893 

 

Lots of positive news coming from Hearts, with the takeover coming closer and Ann Budge handing over more responsibility to others also Mr James Anderson coming on board which can only be a good thing. 

 

Have a a great summer everyone 

we are back where we belong. 

 

Cmon the famous. 

🇱🇻♥️🇱🇻

And what have we done with it feck all

[davemclaren]

Just now, MadVlad1962 said:

And what have we done with it feck all

We just got it this month. 🤷‍♂️

[MadVlad1962]

1 minute ago, davemclaren said:

We just got it this month. 🤷‍♂️

I’m talking about the overall figure of over 11 million

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, MadVlad1962 said:

I’m talking about the overall figure of over 11 million

Just £6k under 12m which is amazing. Well done us. 

[davemclaren]

2 minutes ago, MadVlad1962 said:

I’m talking about the overall figure of over 11 million

Most, if not all, of it went to,

 

- providing initial capital when we came out of administration

- donation to the stadium redevelopment project

- repaying the loan Ann Budge provided to gain the UKIO shares

- funding the club through the pandemic 

 

 

 

 

[Kiwidoug]

2 hours ago, Smith's right boot said:

Why are folk always angry at the club. 

 

Folk Litterally spitting feathers about everything. 

😂😂

I'm not sure that angry is the right word.  I'm critical of some aspects of the way we are run but I'm sure that would be true of every club.

 

If we lost all 4 of these league cup games next month and Neilson was still there, however, we'd all have every right to be seething about the club.

[Fxxx the SPFL]

5 hours ago, soonbe110 said:

Probably nearer 100 based on average monthly pledge. 

seemingly 40 pledgers in total 30@£51 and 10@£20 is what i heard 

[jr ewing]

1 hour ago, BarneyBattles said:

The £1,700 reduction might simply be a little fluctuation in one-off donations / top ups rather than cancelled monthly direct debits. 
 

Chill lads, FOH continues to exceed ALL (and I hate capitals😂) expectations, to the chagrin of hibee twats the length and breadth of Lochend. 
 

🍻

So how many cancelled? They must have that information at hand. Why not publish it,

[jr ewing]

1 minute ago, BarneyBattles said:

Why are you asking me?

 

Who cares. A tiny fraction might have but we’re still well up from a year ago and FOH obviously is a pledge for life. 
 

Hibs fans will find that a bitter pIll to swallow but given numbers have actually increased over seven years they’re just going to have to accept the reality. 

Hope it's not wasted. 

[mitch41]

9 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

FOUNDATION UPDATE

Dear Member

As we are all aware, the last week or so has been a difficult time for all Hearts fans. Through that, though, we are really grateful to everyone who contacted us over the last few days. As ever, it is invaluable to hear your range of views. We have tried to respond to emails but the volume has been huge, so our apologies if you haven’t had a reply.

There have been some recurring themes in the messages we received, so in addition to giving you an update on where we are with pledge numbers, we thought it would be helpful to address these in a general update to Foundation members.

First, a number of pledgers who have been in touch with us have attacked the Foundation for not representing the views, as they see it, of Foundation members and for not making these views clear to the club. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our communications with the club reflect the strength of feelings that pledgers have brought to us and is passed on with no diluting of the emotions expressed. This does not fall on deaf ears - and of course, the club itself hears from fans and is well aware of people’s many opinions. We are able to supplement that and can also report on pledge numbers.

Equally, the views of Foundation members inform and shape the standpoint of those who represent the Foundation on the club board.

We have also been attacked by some for – to put it bluntly – not firing the manager. As most pledgers understand, the Foundation does not run the club. It is right and proper that the club board makes the final management calls, and it is right and proper that the Foundation - through communicating with the club and through our representatives on the board - aims to inform and influence strategies and decision-making. That is what we have done and that’s what we will continue to do when the Foundation becomes the majority shareholder of the club. The Foundation has always put forward the message of fan owned, not fan run. Foundation members overwhelmingly sanctioned the governance model which has this concept at its heart and it remains a pillar of the organisation’s structure.

Sadly we must also mention that there has been a level of vitriol and abuse in some of the emails and other communications which is intolerable. This type of attack has also been visited on club officials and staff and we utterly condemn it. Equating passion for a club with this kind of behaviour is totally misplaced. Passion for a club comes in many shapes and forms but abusing others, many of whom are working on a voluntary basis, is most certainly not one of them.

Looking ahead, the board is considering ways in which debate among Foundation members can be encouraged and structured. As mentioned above, we are very appreciative of members taking the time to bring us their views and constructive advice, and we will shortly be looking to create a new post - a director of members affairs - which, we believe, will help the communication process, but we are certainly open to other positive developments on this issue.

Meanwhile, to update you on pledge numbers and activity, we have seen in recent days around 250 cancellations of pledges. That equates to approximately 3 per cent of the membership. We’ve also seen some new pledgers coming on board and that range of activity leaves us with a total number of current pledgers today of just over 8100.  

It is in times of real pressure or challenge that individuals and organisations reveal their true character. This was the case when our club faced possible extinction. The character of the supporters then was unbelievable and has paved the way for the most successful fan initiative in British footballing history. We thank everyone who has been involved in this and who, by pledging, continues to lay the platform for a better future for Heart of Midlothian.

Kind regards

Stuart Wallace, Alastair Bruce, Paul Cheshire, Donald Cumming, Garry Halliday and Louise Strutt
 

While I do not agree with those who abuse our FOH Committee members by EMail  I think if you can’t take criticism from our membership maybe you are too sensitive to be involved with football fans. Now the overwhelming view in polls and contact with family, friends & fellow supporters is that Robbie Neilson should be sacked and a new manager appointed as long as Ann Budge has no say or involvement with the process. Now we hear that the club has been made very clearly that the FOH and individual supporters have been making recurring points which I can guess is 90% plus about the incompetent management of the team. We also read that the fans issues do NOT fall on deaf ears and yet the club just ignores  the FOH members which sends the message that Ann Budge knows better than the Hearts support. Ok maybe the way the club and FOH’s agreement is that the board will have the final say on the management but to ignore the vast majority of my fellow loyal supporters can lead to a bad taste in the mouth. 

[Vlad Magic]

9 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

 

Nice of you to look down on floor sweepers, not unexpected really. 
At least have the balls to quote me directly. 

Im not looking down on floor sweepers. I’m looking down on you.

[Leveins Battalion]

I threw my toys out the pram at the end of last season,stopped my pledge I had since the start.

 

Started it back up again.Budge and Neilson are temporary. 

[Kiwidoug]

Just now, Leveins Battalion said:

I threw my toys out the pram at the end of last season,stopped my pledge I had since the start.

 

Started it back up again.Budge and Neilson are temporary. 

Well done.  We've all been subject to intense frustration.  We all know the reasons.  

 

But we're Hearts.

[soonbe110]

9 hours ago, **** the SPFL said:

seemingly 40 pledgers in total 30@£51 and 10@£20 is what i heard 

👍

[soonbe110]

7 hours ago, mitch41 said:

While I do not agree with those who abuse our FOH Committee members by EMail  I think if you can’t take criticism from our membership maybe you are too sensitive to be involved with football fans. Now the overwhelming view in polls and contact with family, friends & fellow supporters is that Robbie Neilson should be sacked and a new manager appointed as long as Ann Budge has no say or involvement with the process. Now we hear that the club has been made very clearly that the FOH and individual supporters have been making recurring points which I can guess is 90% plus about the incompetent management of the team. We also read that the fans issues do NOT fall on deaf ears and yet the club just ignores  the FOH members which sends the message that Ann Budge knows better than the Hearts support. Ok maybe the way the club and FOH’s agreement is that the board will have the final say on the management but to ignore the vast majority of my fellow loyal supporters can lead to a bad taste in the mouth. 

Based on the last poll it’s far from overwhelming. A majority on here, yes, but not overwhelming. Different in the world outside kickback too. Let’s see what happens with season tickets. After all a couple of years ago that was your acid test of how the fans feel. 

[Boab]

46 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Based on the last poll it’s far from overwhelming. A majority on here, yes, but not overwhelming. Different in the world outside kickback too. Let’s see what happens with season tickets. After all a couple of years ago that was your acid test of how the fans feel. 

Don’t think you need to be fortune teller to know ST sales are going to be good. 

[soonbe110]

13 minutes ago, Boab said:

Don’t think you need to be fortune teller to know ST sales are going to be good. 

Hope you are correct. 

[John Findlay]

12 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

 

Nice of you to look down on floor sweepers, not unexpected really. 
At least have the balls to quote me directly. 

Did you achieve your 1st/2and in misery?

[Francis Albert]

21 hours ago, Midloth_Iain said:

 

98% of membership still pledging. In a pandemic.

 

Bloody miraculous if you ask me. 

 

Depends how you define membership. There are currently active members with live monthly DDs, lapsed contributors (like me) who have contributed enough to qualify for an ongoing the right to vote on a few defined big ticket issues, and lapsed members who haven't met that threshold.

Numbers remain excellent given that FOH has not fulfilled its pledge to deliver fan ownership.

[Mysterion]

Said this yesterday - saying it again:

 

Go bump up your pledge by £1 every so often. 

https://www.foundationofhearts.org

 

Makes a difference. 

I know not everyone can do this though. 

 

Got a bairn hitting their formative teenage years ? Create an account for them if they are old enough and chip in and build their points tally. 

 

The Foundation has been set, fan ownership is coming - the next decade is going to be huge for the club. 

[mitch41]

1 hour ago, soonbe110 said:

Based on the last poll it’s far from overwhelming. A majority on here, yes, but not overwhelming. Different in the world outside kickback too. Let’s see what happens with season tickets. After all a couple of years ago that was your acid test of how the fans feel. 

And yet I will buy my ST as I always do but it doesn’t mean I agree with what is going on with the management of our team. These days a ST is not the acid test because our support have a loyalty in their DNA which is there because of everything we’ve been through especially since administration.

[OTT]

£1.5m coming into the club each year is incredible to see. It will be interesting to see where it goes after Budge. Could be a game changer for infrastructure investment.