TRUST AGM - TONIGHT 6.30pm. - GW PUB

[Fred Elliot]

I'm definately pro trust, Just don't think they have alot of clout. Their intentions are good so fair play to them

Needs to get past the 1000 members mark to have any muscle IMHO

I may be speaking out of turn but,

The trust should have pushed on to get closer to the old board than they did. This was probably because we were in a really comfy place with regards to how we perceived to board to be conducting business.

To me, that was exactly the time to push for closer unity between the fans and upstairs.

Unfortunately, it's human nature to "not rock the boat" when things appeared so right

That should have been exactly the right time to develop a working party and have some input

I am not saying it was down to fan apathy, more of a scenario of " thank fuck we got that lot out, this lot have bought stability. I am going to sit down, have a beer and enjoy this for now"

[Flashheart]

I am fully behind the trust.

However I did object to their toothless and premature demands to the board (before the takeover was confirmed) a tad off putting.

[Summerof69]

They'll be a brief summation posted as soon as it's been agreed by the board.

There was probably no discussion on what happened, as asked by Jonny, as JW asked that what he said in the meeting, he didn't want to go on public forums

There is no secret society. We invited anyone to come along. We posted about the AGM on here, Twitter, in the club programme, and it was in the Adver on Tuesday.

As Fred said we've all got jobs, and I hardly have very much spare time myself. For the first time in 6 years we've now got more than 5 board members, so hopefully we'll  be able to update the website more. In regards to the website, we had to start from scratch after the old one collapsed, and we lost all the data from the old website. On the old website we were one of the few Trusts to post our accounts on the website, and I hope they'll be on there again soon.

[leefer]

Right here goes...a lot on here shouting the trust down(in a respectfull way)

Fact is if you and me joined the trust and had our say then maybe they would have a lot more clout.

Fully respect the trust and there goals.....even if at times i dont agree with them.

[yeo]

The moral of the story is if you want to hear whats discussed and care go to the meetings and make your own mind up,don't sit and wait on the internet for a distilled version of things..be proactive.

[Fred Elliot]

Right here goes...a lot on here shouting the trust down(in a respectfull way)

Prey tell me

Who do you think on here (apart from Johny) have shouted down the Trust, even in a respectful way ?

And what aims of theirs is it you don't exactly agree with

Would love to know

[jonny72]

I didn't shout anyone down and my apologies if my comments were taken the wrong way and I offended anyone.

I'll keep my opinions to myself in future, on the trust at least.

[Fred Elliot]

I'll keep my opinions to myself in future, on the trust at least.

No.

Please don't

That way you are just perpetuating your own theories surely

This is a forum for goodness sake and this is exactly the type of thing that should be debated here

[Honkytonk]

The moral of the story is if you want to hear whats discussed and care go to the meetings and make your own mind up,don't sit and wait on the internet for a distilled version of things..be proactive.

But I'm LAAAAAAAAAAAZY

[Samdy Gray]

In regards to the website, we had to start from scratch after the old one collapsed, and we lost all the data from the old website.

I realise that people have jobs and little spare time etc. but that was about three years ago.

[Fred Elliot]

Further info for you guys

TrustSTFC News: AGM Report
MARCH 30, 2013 BY THEWASHBAG LEAVE A COMMENT

The TrustSTFC AGM was held on Wednesday 27th March with about 30 members present, including Justin Tomlinson MP and Jeremy Wray, former Chairman of Swindon Town Football Club. The meeting took place against a the background of a revival of interest in the Trust and the debate mostly focused on a Trust manifesto for 2013/14 circulated to members prior to the meeting.  This was endorsed with the following three main objectives, short, medium and long term:

Short term: Get owners of STFC to state whether or not they are investing enough to keep the club solvent.  This was agreed before the club statement during the evening that the £1.2m required by the Football League had been deposited, so it was decided to give the Trust board flexibility in pursuing this.  The following day the Football League lifted their embargo but The Trust still need to know if the owners will continue to invest in the club beyond this initial amount and whether they are taking money out in the form of salaries or consultancy fees.  This will be pursued, but the board will use its judgement over when and how.

Medium term: Establish regular, formal, minuted meetings with the club board leading to having supporters’ representatives on the club board.  It will be important for the Trust to demonstrate that the fans speak with one voice, hence the Trust should seek a closer relationship with the Supporters Club.  Roger Bunce, Supporters Club Chairman had accepted an invitation to attend the AGM but was prevented by illness.

Long term: Increase the Trust’s shareholding in STFC.  Jeremy Wray pointed out that if there was a main shareholder or shareholders who wanted to prevent minority shareholders becoming too influential they could issue more shares, buy them themselves and dilute the fans’ shareholding.  It was therefore decided not to make this an immediate priority.
It was also agreed that in order to take maximum advantage from the increased interest the Trust must become more professional, particularly in communications internally with members and with the media.  BBC Wiltshire had a reporter at the first part of the AGM and Trust Chair, John Ward, was interviewed on the BBC Radio Wiltshire Breakfast Programme the following day.

The meeting elected two new members to the Trust board, Simon Brooks and Steve Mytton, to serve with the existing board members, Alan Jones, Cliff Ponting, Paul Robson, Ron Smith, Phil Stokes and John Ward.  It instructed the new board to draw up a business plan to implement the manifesto and pursue the main objectives, reporting back to members on progress.  Trust members with specialist skills will be co-opted to working groups, the first on internal and external communications, including social media.

It was the clear determination of all members at the AGM to press home the message that whoever may be the owners, manager or players, the fans are the one constant through thick and thin.  They are entitled to have a say in how their club is run and it is the Trust’s responsibility to campaign for this at Swindon in the coming year.

It’s your football club: get involved through the Trust!

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Sounds good. I'm glad the Trust is getting back into the full swing of things. I think now is a good time to push for more of an input from the Trust with the new board and also to push for a fans representative on the board. I am certainly considering becoming a member of the Trust again soon.

[horlock07]

They'll be a brief summation posted as soon as it's been agreed by the board.

There was probably no discussion on what happened, as asked by Jonny, as JW asked that what he said in the meeting, he didn't want to go on public forums

I am sorry but do we now have JW making comments about the present position but not wanting them to enter the public domain, whats all that about, if you have something to say then say it but don't enter into clandestine discussions with the fan groups?

JW was chairman for how long and did he make any real effort to achieve the Trusts objectives for a fan rep on board?

Was he not part of the board that reorganised the shareholding to seriously dilute the Trusts shareholdings?

Was he not part of the board/shareholders who sold to the present owners?

I appreciate all he did for the club, but this all stinks of further political wrangling by him?

[horlock07]

I'm definately pro trust, Just don't think they have alot of clout. Their intentions are good so fair play to them

Wholeheartedly agree with this, just don't see how things such as fan ownership can work without accepting that our present position is as high as we can get.

If you look at how much of a hit Andrew Black took and had to write off to get us to where we are now, and take account of the need to sell Ritchie to just sustain the club for so long (did we ever hear how long that cash would last) I just don't see how the Trust could fund the club, let alone fund developments moving forward.

I do think that Trust has a very important role to play at the moment as a voice and monitor keeping a close eye on whats going on and raising anything that doesn't look right.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Can I ask what JW's part in the Trust meeting was and also why he attended? I know he still goes to games but I was just wondering what his interest in the Trust was.