PRESS RELEASE
from St Kilda Footy First
St Kilda Footy First (SKFF) has learned that the current St Kilda Football Club Board is attempting to prevent the EGM called by current Director John Gdanski, who forms part of the SKFF ticket, from going ahead. SKFF has already received 7,500 proxy forms, and expects this number to hit 9,000-10,000 by next week. The current President has called a Board meeting for Monday 24 September 2007 at 4pm, knowing Mr Gdanski is interstate, and is expected to try and hijack Mr Gdanski's meeting by substituting its own. Greg Westaway, who leads the SKFF ticket, said trying to prevent Mr Gdanski's meeting was nothing short of trying to hijack the process.

"Again, the current President has ignored Saints members and discredited the voice of members who are expressing their thoughts about Mr Gdanski's resolutions by sending in their proxy forms by the thousands," he said. "This is simply a case of using legal maneuvering to stop Mr Gdanski's meeting, which has been fairly and lawfully set in place, from going ahead. "In the spirit of listening to our members, Director Gdanski moved the EGM forward to end the challenge early. "Mr Gdanski's resolution is simple; tick yes to vote for removing five current Directors and tick yes to appoint the SKFF ticket."

A Notice to call the EGM on Tuesday 23 October, which was drafted by Barristers and a Queen's Counsel, was issued to St Kilda Football Club by Mr Gdanski prior to last week's board meeting. Under the Corporations Act a Board Director can call an EGM 21 (+3 days for postage) days from Notice. Mr Gdanski's Notice, issued last Tuesday, generously gave 35 days notice. The five directors proposed to be removed under Mr Gdanski's Notice, voted for two of them to form a sub-committee. Extraordinarily this sub-committee's has appointed itself to determine all aspects of Mr Gdanksi's own meeting, including whether to even call it or not.

They have also directed the St Kilda Football Club Company Secretary and Chief Executive to have no input unless the sub-committee requires. Further, the sub-committee has refused the Company Secretary and Chief Executive to appoint the services of lawyer Richard Loveridge as an independent person to decide all matters. It is standard practice that any Notice by a Board is issued by the Company Secretary, who, in the case at St Kilda is the Club's Chief Financial Officer. "It is outrageous that over 7,500 members who, in one week, have demonstrated their desire for change by backing the SFF ticket, have been ignored," Mr Westaway said.

While Mr Gdanski is currently on leave, SKFF is considering its position. SKFF still hopes that the sub-committee will abandon its hijack attempt and allow Mr Gdanski's Notice be mailed to members by September 30 to meet legal requirements.
SKFF Answers to members questions
From the St Kilda Footy First website

Turmoil - Messy - Infighting - Bloody coup - Implosion.

These are the words being used to describe what is happening at our club right now. If you picked up the paper or read Saintsational (St Kilda fan forum), you'd think we were doomed. Board the joint up and give up.

But what's the big deal? Why is everyone so excited or freaked by this?

It's been 7 years since this Board took over. And funnily enough, all the morons out there bagging us for our 'culture' and our ability to implode are saying 'see, I told you you'd implode'. 7 years FFS!!!!

Essendon are in 'turmoil'. Carlton have been for 5 years. North had Board spills last year. Hawthorn only 2 years ago. Richmond not long ago either. The list goes on.

Then there is player 'issues'.
We haven't had an issue in this area for a long time. Compare that to West Coast, Collingwood, Geelong and many others and you'll find that we're incredibly stable. And isn't that what matters? The players?

Just to add to that, we don't have debt. Haven't gone to the AFL for assistance, ever. And will get close to 35k members next year.

Implosion? Turmoil? Culture?
I tell you what, if this is the new St.Kilda culture, then sign me up! We have a professional group challenging another professional group. They waited until the season finished, and timed it when 3 other Victorian clubs are still in the race. Perfect timing. Most of our own players aren't even in the country.

We've signed key players, and with any luck will get a couple of others. We have a new coach who's now had a season to look at his list. We also have several player who will actually get a pre-season this year!!

The current Board saved the club. I applaud them for it. The methods used to wipe the debt were correct at the time. However, over the past 24 months I think they were outdated. This Board is being challenged. Big fricken deal! How long do people expect the current Board to be in for?? For ever??!!

I genuinely don't see what the issue is here.
People get so sucked in by Caroline Wilson and her obsession with off-field politics, and Patrick Smith with his . . . well . . . I don't even know what he writes about or why. And Hutchy. People forget that these people are paid to make headlines. Wilson said on 'Footy Classified' the other night that she has immense pressure put on to her to make headlines. So she does.

They have made what in reality is a very, very professional and mature challenge to a Board - into some sort of nightmare. I can understand other supporters getting sucked in by it - because they want to. They want to believe we aren't a threat. It worries them knowing that we still have the best spine in the league. A crack midfield under 24yo who actually will get a pre-season this year, and a list that has had a full season under a new coach.

But why do we get sucked in by it?
I'll tell you why. Two reasons.
1) Because those lauding the sacking of Thomas supported the Board in their decision. And as is the way on here, once you make an alliance, you fight tooth and nail to defend it. So, those defending the Board back then, continue to do so now.
2) St.Kilda supporters want to believe we aren't a threat either. It's much easier to be the hunter, then it is the hunted. Much easier to hide in the group and not wear the pressure of expectation.

Well, I've got news for you. I've got news for our own supporters. I've got news for Smith, Wilson and Hutchison. And I've got news for rival club's supporters - we are a threat.

We will be for a long time. We don't implode. Not anymore. This is no big deal.

This is a fix for an issue that in the past would have led our club to an implosion. But not anymore.

The Post 'rodgerfox' saintsational.com

. . . I cannot believe the passion and abuse that have come out of all of this debate. After 3 decades as a loyal Sainter, I feel I am only now starting to understand the nature of the club.

Why are people so devout in their support of this guy or that guy? Why are they so derisive of those whose opinions differ from their own? Let's not forget people - this is a footy club, not a political party. It's about winning premierships and being successful on and off the field.

For those who are supporting RB - I say this, 7 or 8 years with one of the best lists in our history, and we still haven't made the last day in September. Yes we have improved under the incumbents, and I was very supportive of RB, GT and BW in early days, but $1m profits are not as good in the trophy cabinet as the major silverware. A football club is not a profit organisation - profits are only useful as a tool to improve the club onfield.

For those who care to know I will be supporting FF and sending my proxy in this week.

I don't need to see a detailed financial plan, what I need to see is an alternative that I feel has the skills, credentials and ambition to make improvements. I need to see that they share my vision of the future and understand what needs to be done to create that improvement.

I believe that RB is a lot like GT in that he was the right man for the right time, but that time has now passed. It was all about the club up until about 18 months ago, but it appears to be all about keeping the job now.

There are several deal-breakers for mine - the public spat with GT, sacking a succesful coach for personal reasons, the injury problem failing to be addressed and most recently the approach to Handy Andy to take the vote away from the members.

For all the drama queens, this is not an implosion or further proof of our mediocrity. This is the standard mechanism of change for an AFL club, and I see it as our collective rejection of the acceptance of mediocrity - in the past the cult of celebrity, or "Messiah" as some have taken to calling it, would have seen us clinging to the chosen one all the way down the drain, declaring undying loyalty. Now we have set our sights higher, and when we see that a servant of the club has gone as far as they can and begun to stagnate, we demand that they step aside and make way for those that can take us to the next level.

Much as GT was seen as a victim of the very culture change he sought to instigate, I believe RB is going down the very same path. Both should be proud of what they have acheived - their success has put them out of a job (albeit unpaid in RB's case).

The Post 'True Believer' saintsational.com