UPDATE ON PROTESTS

[Fred Elliot]

http://www.truststfc.co.uk/news_item.php?id=1124


Despite news of talks with new potential investors, TrustSTFC are pressing ahead with plans for fans to protest about the financial plight of the club at the match against Tranmere Rovers this Saturday.

Despite the welcome news that the club has secured some breathing space over the money owed to the Inland Revenue this does not fundamentally change the situation. At best it merely buys the club a little more time. Fans would at least be a little more reassured if the club would reveal the names of the new investors and some indication of their plans for the club.

The fact remains that the club still has to find substantial funds to pay the final CVA instalment as well as its other pressing debts and the only realistic way for this to be achieved is for the current owners to sell the club. They have had six years to get the club on a secure financial footing and have failed to do so.

However, in view of a plea from Paul Sturrock for any protests to be confined to after the match, we are postponing plans for a March and occupation of the Magic Roundabout, and will instead put all our efforts on Saturday into after-match protests outside the main entrance to the ground.

Trust communications officer Andy Ratcliffe commented :"We are in a difficult position because fans voted clearly on Monday night for protests both before and after the game this Saturday. However, all fans recognise the superb job Paul Sturrock and the players have been doing in very difficult circumstances and we do not wish to upset them in any way. The after-match protest was always intended to be the main focus of protests for the day, and that will remain the case."

"We would also like to remind all fans of the need to safeguard their reputation, and that of the club. Protests should be noisy and passionate, but remain at all times non-violent and within the bounds of the law" added Ratcliffe

After consulting with the Police, TrustSTFC are advising fans against any form of pitch invasion at any time. Invading the pitch is a criminal offence and fans are reminded that they are leaving themselves open to prosecution and being banned from future matches if they choose to ignore this advice.

[sonic youth]

sturrock can fuck right off! his job is to manage the team, not dictate to fans what they ought to do regarding off-the-field matters.

[Samdy Gray]

The Trust sound like a bunch of namby-pamby fucking pussies to me.

[yeo]

Nothing stopping it happening still,it will just have to be non Trust organised.

This was always going to happen wasnt it?

[Bogus Dave]

how gay. Theres no point bothering with protests before now, as it will only end up being the hardcore off the internet, not the average joe.

[Arriba]

i am very disapointed by this decision.talk talk?

[STFC_Gazzza]

Protests can still be done unofficially ofcourse it just means the Trust are not going to back them as a body.Was actually looking forward to the march.

[sonic youth]

Nothing stopping it happening still,it will just have to be non Trust organised.

This was always going to happen wasnt it?

after all the talk and hype, the trust take a step back and go "woah, you can't do that!". it makes everyone look more than a little sheepish tbh

[Arriba]

surely the march would have got good publicity, and would have no effect on the players anyway?
as if any of us would want to hinder the team anyway.
i want to march and protest after the game

[Samdy Gray]

Nothing stopping it happening still,it will just have to be non Trust organised.

This was always going to happen wasnt it?

after all the talk and hype, the trust take a step back and go "woah, you can't do that!". it makes everyone look more than a little sheepish tbh

Exactly.

If this was always going to happen, then on Monday night the Trust should have made it quite clear that they weren't getting involved.

[Colin Todd]

where are you marching to after the game? the CGH?

Frankly I'm not bothered as I was only up for the maximum impact protest, ie outside the Arkells afterwards. I still think there will be good numbers there

[janaage]

Political bullshit, how the hell would a pre match march affect the players or management?

This is why the protesting should not have been trust led.  This is why the average fan off the street should have taken control with a figurehead as leader of the protests.

No offence to any of the trust but I do not this has helped matters, if anything it has just undermined the whole protest movement.

Out the back after the match great, like that will have any affect on affairs.

[Colin Todd]

walking round town...... like that will have any effect on affairs

[Mexicano Rojo]

go on then somene grab the fucking nettle. or are you all going to wait for someone else to do it?

[Arriba]

what happend to talk talk organising it?
what happend at the meeting with the police?