Airdrie Trust meet Jim Ballantyne

The Trust board recently held a meeting with Jim Ballantyne during which the following topics were discussed: - Click Here

Player of the Year / Hall of Fame

Jim was apprised of the recent decision the Trust board made to change one of the guest speakers. A decision to appoint another speaker is being delayed to assess the viability of holding the event this year, given the lack of ticket sales so far. It was agreed by all to defer this decision for a few weeks to measure interest.

Airdrie Aces

The Trust board were congratulated by Jim for their work with the Aces. It was felt that this had been a positive step for the club. A training session with the players for the youngsters during the Spring break was discussed. He also guaranteed requests for players to attend Aces events in the future.

Communication

The issue of communication between the club and fans was raised and Jim recognised that improvements could be made in this area. For example, some players had been working with a school this week and it was felt that this type of community involvement was positive and merited publication. The official website is the normal forum for communications of football related topics but an understanding was reached that non football related issues would be also be communicated in future. Jim’s presence at the Tam Cowan evening was also discussed and he assured the Trust that he would be happy to answer any questions put to him concerning the football club.

Stadium

The question of the relationship between the Club and Stadium was raised and Jim reported that the relationship was good and he had no issues with the owners. He reported that there had been significant investment at the Stadium recently, both internally and externally.

Manager / Team

The current position of the manager and team were discussed. Jim reported that he was aware of the unhappiness of supporters and felt that those paying money at the gate had reason to complain about the performance and results of the team so far this season. The Club board also share this concern. He reported that he understands why supporters have protested at the end of some games. The manager’s role was also discussed and it was confirmed that, without going into detail, this was unlikely to change for a number of reasons. Jim reported that the biggest concern for him in the immediate future was ensuring employees were paid. He said that, given the dearth of home fixtures since December and the subsequent reduction of income, the Ballantyne family’s primary focus was to ensure the Club remained solvent.