New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[STFC_Manc]

The problem will be that no one else is willing to step up and put themselves forward, an easier way would be for some of the people complaining to put their hand up to volunteer.  I repeat myself but if you want change but only if you don't have to put any effort it then, it's not going to happen.

[Robinz]

Robert....
Very right what you are saying.
Trouble is it's probably gone to far down the track for this to happen.
In truth we don't even know who the club is owned by any longer. All we do know is the shareholding and shareholders and 1 x Director.
The side agreements are not shown and therefore not visible.
We then wonder why no good person wants to buy into this shit situation.

[STFC_Manc]

For me, the Trust has become all things to all people, and that creates confusion, division and a lack of deliverables.  It's taken on a role that the Supporters Club should be left to fulfill, it has taken on roles that the Club should be left to do on it's own and it has dabbled in stadium related activity that should be for the JV to manage (I know two members of the Trust will need to focus 100% on that activity).

instead, it should revert to two things - the JV (which can, almost, be carved out - so the two Board members who take this on, that is what they do, nothing else and the rest of the Trust focuses very little on it).  The JV should report back on progress, but be a sort of standalone project.

Second, and the primary focus for everyone else on the Board and within the membership, the Trust should focus on the supporters gaining an interest in the Football Club.  Be that a position on the Board, a minority equity stake, a significant equity stake, partner in a full takeover, or the ultimate aim of full ownership.  Whatever model they think will deliver the best results, maybe with staging posts between zero and the end game.  

Drop everything else.  They don't actually need a relationship at all with the club, not in the sense of needing to be too close or needing to send out public criticism's.  Let the club do what the club needs to do, and work towards your own goals.  As and when needed, relationships can be developed to achieve a goal.  For example, to get a place on the board - first we need to understand how that would be possible, what do the club expect and what do the Trust need to do to get into the right position to deliver?  Next, how would the Trust go about pooling funds to buy into the club, even a 5% stake to begin with for example?  Who would they need to work with at the club to agree terms, and so on.

Leave shouting about wrongdoing to us, the rabble on the outside, the freeloaders, the riff raff.  That way they do not burn bridges, but they also do not end up being a mouthpiece.

What other clubs are higher than league 1 being owned by supporters and Exeter aren't doing that great in league 1.

[mexico red]

Hearts, Motherwell, Fluminese, Athletico Bilbao, barcelona, to name a few

[RobertT]

I was going to say, the entire German League as well.

That is not the point though - 100% ownership by the fans may very well be a goal, but it doesn't have to be.  Partial ownership may be the best model.  I don't know - that is the point, it needs real work to identify the goals they should have, and then determine a strategy and plans to deliver.

If we believe anything Clem says, and Hall, then our current owner does not want a club that he needs to fund.  That would not differ from fan ownership, if the goal is never to need investment to cover Opex.  Also, we are talking about an 8m expenditure per annum business here - I imagine there are plenty of privately owned businesses turning over and spending that type of money within Swindon.

Again though, it need not be that full ownership is the goal or even the desired outcome.

What the Trust should not be doing is debating whether or not they should fund an xmas party for OAP's, or build a statue of Don Rogers, or help run stadium tours, or waste time looking at pretty financial pictures that don't have sufficient detail to be of much use, or have to respond to every bit of marketing and PR the club put out etc.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

The problem will be that no one else is willing to step up and put themselves forward, an easier way would be for some of the people complaining to put their hand up to volunteer.  I repeat myself but if you want change but only if you don't have to put any effort it then, it's not going to happen.

That simply isn't true, is it? Its the same defeatist tripe like "but who would buy the club" when we know full well there are interested parties. I know people that have spoken about running.

Just because certain posters (myself included) aren't interested in running but criticise doesn't mean there aren't candidates out there.

[mexico red]

There are also plenty of people who have volunteered and done time on the trust board before like myself, I can criticise them and ive done my time, is that ok?

[STFC_Manc]

Hearts, Motherwell, Fluminese, Athletico Bilbao, barcelona, to name a few

Yep all English football teams

[Nemo]

Fan ownership can also be a path to selling to the 'right' owner as Portsmouth did.

[Mooneyraker]

Fan ownership can also be a path to selling to the 'right' owner as Portsmouth did.

There was a fan element at Wrexham too, no? Maybe they owned the ground or something.

[STFC_Manc]

That simply isn't true, is it? Its the same defeatist tripe like "but who would buy the club" when we know full well there are interested parties. I know people that have spoken about running.

Just because certain posters (myself included) aren't interested in running but criticise doesn't mean there aren't candidates out there.

People can run every year, can't they? You can criticise but it's not going to change anything.

[STFC_Manc]

There are also plenty of people who have volunteered and done time on the trust board before like myself, I can criticise them and ive done my time, is that ok?

I've not said anyone can't criticise but I'm pointing out that nothing will change without people volunteering? Or am I wrong.

[RobertT]

There was a fan element at Wrexham too, no? Maybe they owned the ground or something.

They owned the club.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

Yep all English football teams

Cop out.

[STFC_Manc]

Cop out.

In what way? Unless Swindon aren't in the English football league?