Adam Webb has made a five-year pledge to turn St Johnstone into a modernised football club that will be the envy of their rivals.
The American owner has spent the best part of a fortnight in Scotland after receiving the all-clear from cancer.
He has put the trip – his first since August – to good use as he set-about getting back into the rhythm of hands-on leadership of the Perth side following his six-month health battle.
During Geoff Brown’s years in charge at McDiarmid Park, Saints enjoyed unprecedented success on the pitch and were largely a stable business off it.
Webb has identified a need for innovation and risk-taking, however.
And both will be key parts of the new era under his stewardship.
“I think the Browns were incredible owners and that’s why we are sitting here in the Geoff Brown Stand,” said Webb.
“But there’s a reason why they were selling – because they didn’t have the passion or the energy to focus on it like you really have to.
“I would never say they did anything wrong because the successes they had were incredible.
“Seventeen years in the Premiership, trips to Europe which we aspire to, trophies.
“But I think that’s why they were selling.
“And what we can bring in is a lot of energy, a lot of dynamism, a lot of creativity.
“I believe we should fail quite often in our efforts.
“Because if we’re not failing in some of our enterprises that we try to bring into the club then we’re not trying.
“So, my mindset is get outside the box, make some mistakes – not too costly ones hopefully – then at the end of the day we get a club that’s a little different to every other club in Scotland.
“A club that people will look at and go: ‘We want to do it like St Johnstone are doing it.’”
A modern club
Webb added: “Within five years you will look at our structures and processes and say: ‘That’s a modern club.’
“We have resistance to change in our fan base and even our staff and our long-time supporters, as you always will.
“We have to overcome that resistance. We’ve been doing so. Our decision making and our process has already got a lot more fluid and dynamic.
“The general rule when we got here was: ‘That’s not how it’s been done, we’re not changing it.’
“Well, that’s absurd. We’ve got to change with the times. There’s a reason why some traditions linger, and I respect that.
“There’s obviously a good reason to progress if there’s a better process and better strategy going forward.
“We will be embracing that. We will fail sometimes. If you don’t ever fail, you really haven’t tried.
“I’ve encouraged Fran (CEO Fran Smith) and others to take some risks.”
Bigger job than first thought
Webb admitted that the scale of the work required is larger than he anticipated when he bought St Johnstone in July.
“I think so,” he said. “You learn about other issues – whether it be facilities, structure of organisation, the fan experience.
“People are telling me about their issues, problems, concerns on a constant basis.
“Some I wasn’t aware of in July, and I am now. We have more things to do. The to-do list is 100 items long.
“We are just trying to knock things off that list as we go. Of course, that list grows, and you try to knock off five things, but another two things go on.
“Over time, you get the list down to a reasonable level. I believe over the next five years we will knock out our to-do list.
“You’ll see a lot of physical improvements at McDiarmid Park, you’re going to have a much better game-day experience.
“Our organisational structure, football department will be more dynamic and responsive organisation that can move on a dime more quickly and take advantage of opportunities that arise.
“That’s an exciting challenge. That’s one of the reasons I did it.”
Webb will continue to draw on his Cambridge United experience. A 10% stake in the English League One club (which he has now sold) brought with it an opportunity to observe and absorb.
“As a minority owner at another club, I had seen a lot of things at a great club that was very well run,” he said.
“But it wasn’t always necessarily the thing I would have done. I tried to learn from the mistakes and of course follow the successes.
“If we can institute those here, we will make some great progress. It’s the energy that you bring, the work ethic that you bring.
“There’s no silver bullet that I have, or secret that I have. It’s just rolling up your sleeves and being dedicated.”
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