Fan ownership

[doversparkred]

thanks to everyone who entered this poll.  93% of those who responded would buy a community share, and by my maths those 53 people would buy shares worth £26k.  Multiply that by 200 (!) and that's £5.2m.  I wonder what could be achieved if the fans, OSC, Trust, community and local businesses worked together to make this happen?

[Bob1978]

thanks to everyone who entered this poll.  93% of those who responded would buy a community share, and by my maths those 53 people would buy shares worth £26k.  Multiply that by 200 (!) and that's £5.2m.  I wonder what could be achieved if the fans, OSC, Trust, community and local businesses worked together to make this happen?

I’m not sure I’d be interested if the trust were involved!

[RedRag]

Just a hunch but I think fan ownership would be weak in terms of managing liquidity and every bit as naive as the current ownership and that it would also alienate non-owner fans and ultimately become as internally divided as the present ownership once the going got tough.

My gut would counsel me against bothering with the present STFC as part of a Supporters Trust. The present example of the Trust has not been a positive other than working alongside the Eady Will Trustees - and there our the Fans' Trust has had all the financial heavy lifting done for it in terms of professional advice etc.

Perhaps I'm too negative?  Not sure about the AFC Wimbledon story or about Bath or Exeter etc.  Perhaps there are positive examples out there.  If ever STFC had to re-start as low in the pyramid as AFC then I'd input for sure.  Nothing to lose then and pure desperation.

[Oaksey Moonraker]

Maybe there was an opportunity missed when season ticket holders gave up their 2020/2021 refunds to exchange that money for shares in the club.

That money was effectively a cash injection to the club with no say or control as a result compared to the shares Clem handed.

[Power to people]

Take a look at Exeter - fan ownership is sadly not the way to go - the Trust (yes, I know) should be ideally having a discussion with any interested parties to see how they can aid a takeover and smooth the way as well as doing the due diligence on anyone.

Lets hope the reincarnation of the Trust is able to do this type of thing instead of jumping for Clem then asking if he minds if they jump a bit higher.

[Cookie]

What's the problem with Exeter? They appear to be doing much better than us.

[DiV]

I mean - they are 19th in L1 with a manager they hate, 4 points from safety and will probably get dragged into a relegation scrap.

Sure, better than we are doing but not what anyone really should be aspiring too…
Whilst they might be stable financially (again better than us) they won’t ever compete any higher than they already are under fans ownership - that’s a depressingly low ceiling ‘bottom half L1 team’

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

What if the Trust could scare up the funds to buy the gruesome twosome 22,%  and get a place on the board

[RobertT]

I mean - they are 19th in L1 with a manager they hate, 4 points from safety and will probably get dragged into a relegation scrap.

Sure, better than we are doing but not what anyone really should be aspiring too…
Whilst they might be stable financially (again better than us) they won’t ever compete any higher than they already are under fans ownership - that’s a depressingly low ceiling ‘bottom half L1 team’

Exeter <> Swindon

Our starting base is much higher, so any imaginary ceiling should be higher as well.  They also offer one type of ownership model, full, but that doesn't have to be the only way.

It's the same as people discounting the Crewe model - a club that has half our attendances.  Imagine if Crewe could get 10k in this division with the youth set-up they have, they'd be able to get higher up the Divisions and ask for more money for some of their talent (as it will be proven at a higher level more regularly).

[Cookie]

I mean - they are 19th in L1 with a manager they hate, 4 points from safety and will probably get dragged into a relegation scrap.

Sure, better than we are doing but not what anyone really should be aspiring too…
Whilst they might be stable financially (again better than us) they won’t ever compete any higher than they already are under fans ownership - that’s a depressingly low ceiling ‘bottom half L1 team’

Fair points but we should have more revenue in a similar position. Bottom half of league one is fantasy for us at the moment so if a change to fan ownership achieves that I'd be satisfied in the short term. Worry about the next bit if you get there.

[RobertT]

What if the Trust could scare up the funds to buy the gruesome twosome 22,%  and get a place on the board

As a minimum, this would be my goal for the Trust right now.  I've said it before - it's a no brainer and a great way to get inside the club while Clem not really having much he could say against it in public. 

It relieves Clem of the cash burden to purchase back the shares
It ensures the fans have ownership in the club - a goal the Trust should aspire to
It should be leveraged as a way of getting a vote on the Board - Clem has publicly said he is good to have fans reps, well, make him have to decide for real (I know a higher % is needed to force his hand legally).
Clem has made it public knowledge they were worth around 1.45m - a number that could be obtained with the right sort of campaign, project team and resources applied.

[Berniman]

The only reason I would back 100% fan ownership is if it was a mechanism to get this lot out and that clears the path for a sale to a credible owner that can provide longer term financial "stability", heck just getting close to a semblence of a well run club that puts the product on the pitch at the forefront of it's priorities.  Would I trust the Trust in it's current form to be able to get this done and identify a potential credible owner? No..  but things can easily change..

[RobertT]

The only reason I would back 100% fan ownership is if it was a mechanism to get this lot out and that clears the path for a sale to a credible owner that can provide longer term financial "stability", heck just getting close to a semblence of a well run club that puts the product on the pitch at the forefront of it's priorities.  Would I trust the Trust in it's current form to be able to get this done and identify a potential credible owner? No..  but things can easily change..

Hence why going after the 22% is a goal they could aspire to.

Set-up a separate group (likely using the existing legal entity of the Trust still though) designed to focus all their attention on purchasing those shares and then managing them once transferred.  Similar to how the JV is designed to work, a person or two people, get voted onto a 'Board" which in turn operates as the conduit to the clubs actual Board.  Negotiations would be needed with Clem to get on the clubs Board and determine the % voting rights they would receive, because 22% will not deliver anything on its own.

Those who remain on the general Trust Board can then focus on whatever else is left.

The Club Share ownership rep/duo will likely then need to arrange a team to support them.

I'd also pay for someone to come onboard with the Trust to ensure they do this full belts and braces.  A Fixed Term contract for two years let's say.  Enough to manage it through to implementation and a bit beyond.

[Berniman]

Hence why going after the 22% is a goal they could aspire to.

Set-up a separate group (likely using the existing legal entity of the Trust still though) designed to focus all their attention on purchasing those shares and then managing them once transferred.  Similar to how the JV is designed to work, a person or two people, get voted onto a 'Board" which in turn operates as the conduit to the clubs actual Board.  Negotiations would be needed with Clem to get on the clubs Board and determine the % voting rights they would receive, because 22% will not deliver anything on its own.

Those who remain on the general Trust Board can then focus on whatever else is left.

The Club Share ownership rep/duo will likely then need to arrange a team to support them.

I'd also pay for someone to come onboard with the Trust to ensure they do this full belts and braces.  A Fixed Term contract for two years let's say.  Enough to manage it through to implementation and a bit beyond.

Oh I 100% agree with you, i just don't think it will be straight forward due to the people we would be negotiating with.  I wouldn't be against those that manage the Eady foundation being involved with the fan ownership part, they seem like savvy people and have done a great job in protection the Eady legacy so far.  I think Nick Watkins is involved with it from what I remember.

[Tails]

Fan ownership is a terrible idea. Especially at this club.