Why didn't Fox buy us a Premiership???

[saintspremiers]

Today I read with interest how Pratt basically funded Carlton's "purchase" of the 1987 and 1995 flags, through the buying of Sticks, Dorovitch, Motley, Braddles, plus a few more.

So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Discuss.

[stinger]

Today I read with interest how Pratt basically funded Carlton's "purchase" of the 1987 and 1995 flags, through the buying of Sticks, Dorovitch, Motley, Braddles, plus a few more.

So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Discuss.

from memory ...didn't put a cent of his money into the saints.......but later on gave heaps to carscum......

[iwantmeseats]

hmm fair question. Was he not prez in the 80's for a while?

Dunno even with mega $$ at the time, if our culture STILL would have been able to pull it off. At least Carlton had a long history of success behind it over 100 years. After that kind of history, you sort of know how to win.

Us....well we knew how to party and help out ex Carlton players in their super plans. Thats about it. A pretty lax time all round in our history.

[ace]

As I remember it St Kilda went heavily into debt to develop the Moorabbin Ground.

That was fine until a Labor imbecile called Whitlam became prime minister.
He threw money around like Rudd.
Pushed interest rates through the roof and sky.
It took Australia decades to recover from the economic damage he caused.

Fox saved the club by threatening creditors with bankruptcy if they didn't accept a fraction of what they were owed.
I just hope that the club never makes the mistake of assuming governments will remain sane and keeps debt low.

Carlton ran into a massive financial problems by trying to develop Princes Park as a rival to the MCG and Docklands.
Pratt saved them from that stupidity.

[ausfatcat]

didn't get rich by throwing money away

[battye]

Carlton ran into a massive financial problems by trying to develop Princes Park as a rival to the MCG and Docklands.
Pratt saved them from that stupidity.

Funny really, the AFL would probably love it now if they had a smaller 30,000 or so seater AFL ready stadium in Melbourne.

[claystreet]

As I remember it St Kilda went heavily into debt to develop the Moorabbin Ground.

That was fine until a Labor imbecile called Whitlam became prime minister.
He threw money around like Rudd.
Pushed interest rates through the roof and sky.
It took Australia decades to recover from the economic damage he caused.

LMAO blame the govt for STKFC finacial woes, those woes were caused by bad managment and a bad club culture. Whitlam was only in long enough to bring our boys home from Vietnam saving millions $$$ and more lives, he also disbanded National Service. Then that other nut bag Fraser took over he stuffed the country for a decades. Dont bring politics into footy, govts do nothing for or against the footy clubs they the clubs do it to themselfs with bad boards and bad management.

[markp]

Because then we'd be the same cheating, lying scum that they are.

[Go Sainters Go]

A $6,000,000 sponsorship from the Linfox Group over three years with our training headquarters at Linfox Park, Seaford under the Presidency of Westerway (Also in Transport Industry) would be fantastic for our Club.
Come on Lindsay, use your influence mate and benefit from the exposure, just like Pratt did.

[perfectionist]

...So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Mr Fox has put a lot of money into the club over the years, one way or another.

The answer to the original question is complex, but I'll give a highly abridged version and start with Carlton. In fact, they can thank St Kilda and Mr Fox for their 1986 flag, not that it was intended.

As it turned out, with the zone and interstate recruiting restrictions over the years (prompted by South Melbourne's bought flag in 1933), it was virtually impossible to "buy " a flag between then and 1985, although the Saints tried harder than anyone else over the years and the verdict on that is mixed (we did well in the 60s, not so well other times).

In fact, we did try the "SA recruits" to build a flag routine with Mr Fox. Most of them turned out to be duds (Cowie, Linke, Hewitt, Slattery and Faletic!). So, it was not the process but the execution. But as I said, there were still restrictions regarding the number in any one year. Until 1985, that is. It was St Kilda through a number of Supreme Court cases - Cox, Morwood and Foschini, that broke the old rules. The one club to benefit was Carlton who had the opportunity and the money. The loopholes were then closed with the draft, so it has never happened again.

The Saints could not benefit from the opportunity as we were heavily in debt, not due the ground improvements so much, as due to contracts to interstate players like Garry Sidebottom (who came from WA) and to falling gate receipts as performance slid. The scheme of arrangement engineered by Fox saved the club from extinction, although the people (Jeans, Breen, Barker, Duper, etc) who took the 22.5 cents in the dollar are the real heroes.

Every player on mega contracts today owes the St Kilda football club a debt. I suggest those in opposition clubs repay it this year by playing doggo in the next 20 games.

[ace]

[quote="perfectionist"]
I suggest those in opposition clubs repay it this year by playing doggo in the next 20 games.[/quote]

Lets make that the next 21 games just in case of the wrong result in the qualifying final.

[Winmar7Fan]

hmm fair question. Was he not prez in the 80's for a while?

Dunno even with mega $$ at the time, if our culture STILL would have been able to pull it off. At least Carlton had a long history of success behind it over 100 years. After that kind of history, you sort of know how to win.

Us....well we knew how to party and help out ex Carlton players in their super plans. Thats about it. A pretty lax time all round in our history.

Shhh you know how touchy this is and people want to bury there heads in the sand and believe we've always been a highly professionally run club.

(Even though I agree with you 100 %)

[cowboy18]

He was probably too busy writing a weekly report to buy a flag too.

There's only so much one can do.

[saintsrus]

Because then we'd be the same cheating, lying scum that they are.

with 16 premierships

[rogerwa]

we came within a bee's dyck of being the countrys no1 sporting club

during the formation of world series cricket the then vfl wouldnt give permission for games to be held at waverley.. kerry packer said up yours, moorabbin oval will be our show peice (with club approval) massive up to date lighting,ground developments etc etc

old KP would not have stood back & let small fry dyckwits sitting on a lacal council stand in his way he would have chewed em up & spat em out at the drop of a hat

can see it now the likes of tipsy topsy standing up to KP

can you imagine the place today if kerry had gone through with his threat...boutique stadium holding 30000+,lighting to light up the univerese,pokies as far as the eye could see (not a street full of bloody houses) a social club that would be bigger than ben hur

the weak gutted vfl (from our point of view) buckled to his threat & gave him waverley whilst we were left to continue our spiral down the tube

amazing what a difference a bee's dyck makes or as maxwell smart would say ...we missed by 'THAT MUCH'

[plugger66]

Today I read with interest how Pratt basically funded Carlton's "purchase" of the 1987 and 1995 flags, through the buying of Sticks, Dorovitch, Motley, Braddles, plus a few more.

So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Discuss.

He would have put plenty of money in over the years. Actually saved the club even if he screwed some business and players. My question would be why should he buy us a flag.

[ace]

Because Fox knows you can't take premierships with you when you die.
Besides he believes in obeying the law and does not engage in anti-competitive behaviour.

[ausfatcat]

Well not putting money in is better than taking money out of the club like some current directors... If even if it is for services provided. (100,000 last year paid to Levin and Gdanski)

[Solar]

thanks for the history lesson

[saintspremiers]

Today I read with interest how Pratt basically funded Carlton's "purchase" of the 1987 and 1995 flags, through the buying of Sticks, Dorovitch, Motley, Braddles, plus a few more.

So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Discuss.

He would have put plenty of money in over the years. Actually saved the club even if he screwed some business and players. My question would be why should he buy us a flag.

"Buying a flag" is not a sound business decision - it's an emotion decision that someone that has plenty of money can make/decide to do.

Pratt appeared to be wise with his money, but simply loved his team....

Agree Solar, this post has been an excellent history lesson!

[sabras]

slow day in the office - what a stupid question - how would we truly know what fox has done for us???

he is a great Australian- as great as pratt - and he loves the saints....

jeez.....

[Mr Magic]

slow day in the office - what a stupid question - how would we truly know what fox has done for us???

he is a great Australian- as great as pratt - and he loves the saints....

jeez.....

But apparently not the current admin.
My understanding is he's 'estranged' from the CLub atm.

[saint08]

...So WHY didn't our 1980's-prez, Mr Fox, who was also loaded, buy us a flag???

Mr Fox has put a lot of money into the club over the years, one way or another.

.

Name one thing you know for a fact where he has put his or Linfox money in?

[st_Trav_ofWA]

theres a old saying "give a man a fish he will eat for a day teach a man to fish he will eat for a liftime" its a bit like that Pratt may have bailed the cheats out but it was our supporters rattling tins and raising funds that keep us going today in the end us st kilda people apriciate our team for we helped save it not like the cheats who got hand out after hand out to survive .... we dont need white knights on horses to save us we just get on with the job !!!

[Legendary]

Well not putting money in is better than taking money out of the club like some current directors... If even if it is for services provided. (100,000 last year paid to Levin and Gdanski)

And if you or I went out to use the same legal services, the fee would have been 500 grand ...


Fox has worked with all the boards and presidents who have been in charge of the club over the past 20 years .... but I don't think he has particularly liked any of them. He was a supporter of RB at the start but that soured, and while he respects the current board with Burke and Westaway and Nettlefold, I don't think he is the biggest fan of them either.

Still, he works with them and understands when they are putting St Kilda first. At least someone in the family does.

Great bloke is Lindsay though, terrific Australian and has given everything to this country.