St Mirren fans given deadline over ownership bid

St Mirren fans have been given a month to sign up to a fan ownership bid or risk seeing the club sold elsewhere.

The St Mirren Independent Supporters' Association (SMISA) and former club director Gordon Scott hope to put together a deal to buy a majority stake in the Championship outfit.

It's understood a £1million fee has been agreed with Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour and the consortium of shareholders he leads.

But for the deal to go through, SMISA need to sign up 1,000 members paying at least £12 per month to a subscription scheme based on the model used by the Foundation of Hearts.

Since launching their bid last month to takeover the Paisley club, almost 600 Saints fans have pledged their support.

However, with rivals suitors also preparing to move, SMISA chiefs are concerned they may lose and have now set a June 19 deadline for fans to stand up and be counted.

Scott said: "The current board deserve a lot of credit for all they have done over the years - but one way or another they are going to sell up and move on.

"St Mirren fans have a simple choice - either be part of what are doing and build the future of our club together, or leave that future entirely to chance.

"My aim is simple - work with the fans and the community to give St Mirren the fresh ideas it needs, get the club back into the top league where it belongs, and hand it over to the fans to safeguard forever."

SMISA chairman George Adam MSP added: We have had a fantastic reaction from fans, with hundreds signing up the first couple of weeks of fundraising, and we want to thank all of those who have done so to date.

"A team of us have been working hard behind the scenes on this bid for a year now - but its success now rests on what happens in the next month.

"We have one month in which to get the numbers we need to make this deal viable. If we don't we won't get the chance again.

"For the price of a pint a week, St Mirren fans have it in their hands to take control of the future of their club and everything it means to this community, and preserve it for future generations."