Supporters' Trust Statement on Court Case

[PetsWinPrizes]

I agree Ardiles, funnily had exactly the same conversation with someone the other day, a recently retired fan with some relevant skills and the bit between their teeth would be ideal. I don't think the Trust is perfect, far from it, hence suggesting Nemo forwarded his thoughts to them but neither are the alternatives. Rikki Hunt, Diamond Mike, Jed, Danny Donnegan etc etc, nothing but a collection of shysters. Maybe there is no alternative but Christ it's got to be worth a try.

[Flashheart]

Not really, I asked a question of another poster who I thought raised some interesting points. That was it

You edited your overly sensitive reply after I called you out on it and then pretended that you never said it to try to make me look like a cunt.

That is fucking snide.

Have a couple of days off.

[PetsWinPrizes]

I edited it because i reconsidered it, and it was written in haste,delete/ modify yours if you want.

I've tried to end this amicably with you, as we are clearly never going to agree, while continuing to discuss things with others like Ardiles.  So for the second time of asking, let's just leave it please.

[PetsWinPrizes]

And it wasn't over sensitive, I was asking someone else a question and you leapt on it for no real reason other than to continue an argument we can both surely agree is pointless now

[Flashheart]

I'm trying to figure out how to ban you for 2 days for being a snide cunt.

I've just not figured out the buttons yet.

[Flashheart]

I think that did it?

[Simon Pieman]

But it's worked at other clubs, so why is Swindon different? Genuine question

I think you need to read my post again. Those are my genuine and frank thoughts. I hope that really spells out some of the issues the Trust needs to address (in my opinion). Perhaps it already has, but there is very little positivity coming out of the Trust from a PR perspective. I'm not trying to be controversial and I know the people involved really do have no other agenda than securing the future of the club and having a positive impact. I think rather than take 'snipes' it's probably only fair that I'm as blunt and honest as possible in that case.

Membership just doesn't interest me any more. It's up to the Trust to change my mind not the other way round. Why am I not buying in to it? Why are other fans not buying in to it? Has any serious thought been given to this?

It is generally accepted that 1000 only joined because the club was really in the shit and the membership was a quid. Whilst those things contributed significantly I don't think that was why so many joined. People genuinely felt they could make a difference. But when push came to shove the Trust collectively bottled it. It's an organisation which rarely (properly) listens the members. Sure, we all voted and accepted the results of the show of hands but what action was taken to effect the resolution from the vote? It was nearly always the diet version, the middle of the road plan so not to stray too far to the edge one way or another.It felt like I was a member of a political party a lot of the time.

I'm not apathetic towards issues beyond the football pitch, far from it. I am sad enough to find stuff out behind the scenes using the resources I have available to me. As soon as I find something out (which is backed by factual evidence) I share it. No discussion, no talking it through with others over PMs or in meetings or with former directors of the football club. I just share that sucker straight away. That suits me just fine from a personal sense and that's about as good as the fan involvement has been - pushing for transparency.

But here's possibly the biggest thing for me. Jed supposedly was in the right place at the right time and bought the club for next to nothing. What happened here? The Trusts priority, pretty much the only reason it exists is to own the football club and it couldn't even manage that when it was primed perfectly for it. A short time later Jeremy Wray is cuddling up to everyone at a meeting, giving them the inside scoop but keeping it 'our little secret'. It's bullshit. Words speak louder than actions should be the motto of the Trust.

I've tried to be as blatant and inoffensive as possible and I've not managed it. I'm not trying to piss on the Trust's bonfire or increase the tide 'going against it', but this is seriously the view the majority hold now. I don't think anyone on the 'inside' quite realises what a joke the Trust has become sometimes and even more so how much hypocrisy there is.

So there you go, I hope that spells it out very clearly and I hope nobody takes it too personally, but I know when you put a lot of time and effort into something and someone critiques it you probably will do. I know some of my friends have been involved past and probably present and this post may upset or anger them. I'm not digging at anyone personally, but it needed to be said I feel.

[sonicyouth]

Brilliantly put Si.

[RWB Robin]

I have been on the board of the trust for six months.  I can make no comment on its effectiveness prior to February last year, when I joined it and attended the AGM, but I know that the long-standing members of the Board are committed, and have worked hard over a long period to 'keep the show on the road', to find the best focus, to build membership and to communicate effectively with the club from a fan's perspective.  It is clearly more difficulot to do that when things are going well, as the energy making their voice heard among fans generally is much less. 

But beyond that, there continue to be changes to the membership of the board, and with change inevitably come new ideas, new initiatives and maybe even a bit more energy.  I think Nemo and Simon P ask perfectly legitimate questions which we should address (and where there is criticism, respond).

But the fact remains, the organisation can only be as effective as its membership allows.  Yes, a key aim is to establish a supporter's voice on the Board of Directors, and even to be in a position to bid for ownership should it come to that.  To get anywhere near being in a position to do that it has to have a larger membership.  Until it IS more representative it can only attempt, as openly and honestly as possible, to build its capacity to speak forthrightly on behalf of the wider supporters' network.  I don't think we overestimate what we can achieve, but any 'common voice' must have a better chance of being listened to than a lot of individuals arguing on a forum. 

The statement (which may or may not accurately sum up what a lot of people are thinking) is simply an attempt to do that at a time when there is real concern about how the club is going to move ahead over the summer.  It doesn't attempt to be revolutionary or controversial.  We don't assume that anything much will change as a result...but hope it might.  But in a situation which seems to a lot of fans to be detrimental to what our football club is about, it seems better to say something than to say nothing, to insist that fans have a right to be listened to (and that, as the statement says, to alienate the fans is to risk destroying the very thing they are fighting over), even if we get bruised and bloody heads for knocking them on a brick wall.....

But I can say, as one, relatively new board member, that sensible criticism of and suggestions for the Trust are heard and will be acted on.  There is to be a new membership drive starting now.  At least give us a chance by joining up!

[PetsWinPrizes]

What RWB said.

[jonny72]

But here's possibly the biggest thing for me. Jed supposedly was in the right place at the right time and bought the club for next to nothing. What happened here? The Trusts priority, pretty much the only reason it exists is to own the football club and it couldn't even manage that when it was primed perfectly for it.

I reckon that if the Trust was ready to take over ownership of the club, Black would have willingly handed it over and most likely written off all his money. He might have even thrown a few quid extra in as well.

Though the worst bit for me is that the Trust has learnt absolutely nothing from it. Things will turn to shit at the club again sooner or later and another opportunity will present itself, yet as far as I'm aware the Trust has still done fuck all about moving in that direction.

I'm not sure the talk about members and money is that relevant, having an organisation that represents the fans and can speak for them is more important. This forum is probably a lot more relevant to represent the fans than the Trust. If someone could be bothered to ask properly there's a good chance the club would interact more on here.

[Bogus Dave]

If the trust was a vocal source of ideas to take the football club forward I'm sure there would be more interest. As it is, they seem to do fuck all apart from hold one meeting a year in a pub, which even then won't always be shared publicly. I can't state enough how utterly amateur and pathetic the cuddly ing up to wray and not releasing what he said appeared to me. That lost most of the credibility in my eyes.

They got complacent when fitton took over, pure and simple, and it needs a big change in mindset (maybe even leadership) to change that.

[RedRag]

But it's worked at other clubs, so why is Swindon different? Genuine question

Weird spat but quality question.

Glass half full "corrected for you" version: But its worked at other clubs, so why is Swindon different so far?

Some very interesting input and debate here, Si Pie and RWB Robin especially but every single post constitutes valuable market research for the Trust, including Bogus Dave's just now. 

God forbid that the TEF ever be united about anything - it's a forum that attracts a glorious (well not always) mixture of opinion and banter - but we are close to being 100% united in our love for STFC and, even if apathetically, reasonably united in favour of the right kind of fan representation in the boardroom.

Snipe or Support or even Snipe and Support?

RWB Robin, why don't you post a link now for some of us to click and debit our way into membership?

[Batch]

I'm trying to figure out how to ban you for 2 days for being a snide cunt.

I've just not figured out the buttons yet.

[kerry red]

What I find strange is that some people think that Swindon is somewhat unique in attracting a succession of shysters/conmen.

I would have thought the majority of clubs, especially those historically seen as 'small', have the exact same problem.

The fact that we may not have heard about it, much the same as others know nothing about our present travails, doesn't mean it ain't happening/happened.

Football is the kind of business that is highly attractive to chancers out for making a quick buck