Saints chief hits back at council’s shirt deal ‘inaccuracies’

St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown has stood his ground in a spat with Perth and Kinross Council.

The local authority last week took issue with the Fair City businessman after he told Saints fans of his disappointment that last season’s “Invest in Perth” shirt sponsorship had not signaled the start of a longer term relationship to promote the area.

The council, in turn, expressed “disappointment” over Brown’s comments and accused the McDiarmid chairman of “misrepresenting the situation,” adding that Invest in Perth had not been approached about extending their 12-month shirt deal.

A spokeswoman also claimed that Invest in Perth stepped in last summer when Saints were “unable to secure a shirt sponsor.”

She told The Courier: “In addition to the one year deal, the team has also agreed to an additional £21,000 worth of advertising and sponsorship opportunities since 2014.

“The Invest in Perth team were not approached this year with a request to take up the shirt sponsorship again.

“We remain supportive of the football club, but we can only consider providing support if we are asked to do so. Invest in Perth will consider any future sponsorship opportunities that become available, but should be treated with the respect they deserve in order for a positive relationship to continue.”

But Brown has hit back at the council claims and insisted other shirt sponsorship offers had been on the table last year.

He said: “Regrettably I find myself in a position of having to reply publicly to an anonymous statement issued by Perth and Kinross Council and posted on their Facebook page which contains a number of factual inaccuracies which I feel I must address.

“My comments regarding Invest in Perth – part of my wider annual message to the club’s season ticket holders – included a paragraph outlining my disappointment that they had failed to make the most of the opportunities available through the jersey sponsorship.”

Regrettably I find myself in a position of having to reply publicly to an anonymous statement issued by Perth and Kinross Council and posted on their Facebook page which contains a number of factual inaccuracies which I feel I must address.

Brown stressed: “We approached Invest in Perth to assist in promoting the Perth brand and although we had other sponsorship offers on the table the board of directors, who are all born and brought up in the city, decided to look at the broader picture and play our part in promoting a positive exposure of our city.

“In the same way that we promote the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance by carrying their logo on our shorts, in our view the deal was less to do with benefits to St Johnstone Football Club and everything to do with putting Perth on the map and getting people worldwide to take an interest in the business, cultural and tourism sectors we have in the city and surrounding areas.

“We remain firmly of the opinion that Invest in Perth has failed to capitalise on the opportunity they were given to promote the city via the range of national and international media platforms which the club enjoys.”

It is understood that the Perth club have secured another local shirt sponsor for the new Premiership season and an announcement is imminent.