Statement from Sir Seton Wills

[sonicyouth]

Erm, well for one thing there was getting cross-party support for the motion to redevelop the CG without which the club would not even have been talking to the council about the CG redevelopment the statement slagging off the Trust urges us all to get behind.

Are you trying to say the Trust are solely responsible for the motion to redevelop the CG?

[pauld]

oh dear are the trust now trying to make out they got us a scoreboard? :box:

http://www.thisisstfc.co.uk/forum_new/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21695

No, that's just someone posting on the Adver forum who apparently can't tell the difference between the Trust and the SC

I didn't see anyone from the trust try to put them straight which is a pity since when anyone posts anything negative about the trust - up pops a trust person with their spin......

To be fair, I just went over there to do that and sonicyouth had done it before me. I could post a message saying the same as sonic did, but I don't think it would be very helpful would it.

Erm, if it helps,  by the way, as you seem to have a strong dislike for Justin T, I've never voted Tory in my life and don't intend to start in the near future.

[pauld]

Erm, well for one thing there was getting cross-party support for the motion to redevelop the CG without which the club would not even have been talking to the council about the CG redevelopment the statement slagging off the Trust urges us all to get behind.

Are you trying to say the Trust are solely responsible for the motion to redevelop the CG?

In terms of initiating getting the motion in, drafting the motion, scurrying round in the background meeting the leaders of all the political groups on the council to get all-party support for it, re-drafting the motion so the politicos could all agree on it, redrafting it again when they fell out a bit about some obscure wording, sorting out the petition backing it, getting members and fans to write to and email their councillors supporting the motion, being the only ones who answered the letters in the Adver from people slagging off the motion, then, well, yes to that extent I am. Apart from that though we did fuck all and just sat back.

[Dazzza]

I think to question the overall trust’s motivation is very low.

Sorry folks but there it is.

What have they done for the club?

Financially from memory they secured the clubs training ground in a sponsorship deal a few years back.  Not to mention the Red Army fund, which they have campaigned tirelessly to promote and we have already seen the results in the Michael Proctor deal this season.

Not to mention they where successful in collecting over 4,000 signatures and helping to get the stadium development back on its feet.  Hardly representing a minority view.

Sorry Mrs Spacey but who does the printing is just not an issue worth even debating.  

Although it’s absolutely narrow mindedness in my opinion I can understand why some people might question Justin Tomlinson’s position, after all he is a Tory. However, he puts in a lot of work for the trust and so what if it buys him a little publicity?  If his efforts benefit the club at the end of the day what the fuck does it matter?  To label the whole of the trust ‘political’ on that basis and that basis alone is ridiculous.

As I mentioned previously the supporters club are an absolute shining light, but to use a term I’ll hate myself for here, their ‘mission statement’ is a very different one to the Trust.  

I have followed the trust closely since it came about and I can say that they are an impressive example of people who have the clubs very best interests at heart.  

The statement made today and in the circumstances is pitiful.  As it was released on the website, as I understand it at present, members of the trust where in a meeting with Bob Holt and Sandy Gray who agreed that they would work together with the Trust.

The one sentiment that I agreed with Sir Seton Wills in that statement is that now is a time we all need to work together and rally behind the club.  This really has had the completely opposite effect.

I must admit if this now serves to drive a wedge between the club, Sir Seton Wills, the board, between the fans themselves, the supporters club and the trust I will be gutted.

[sonicyouth]

Not to mention they where successful in collecting over 4,000 signatures and helping to get the stadium development back on its feet.  Hardly representing a minority view.

4,000 people supporting the development, not the Trust. Huge difference there.

Nobody is questioning the motives of the Trust, they are fans and want what's best for the club. I simply don't see what they have done that's worthy of seat on the board of directors.

As far as I'm aware there's already a 'wedge' between the Trust and the supporter's club

[pauld]

The statement made today and in the circumstances is pitiful.  As it was released on the website, as I understand it at present, members of the trust where in a meeting with Bob Holt and Sandy Gray who agreed that they would work together with the Trust.

Bob Holt wasn't there in the end, but I was along with Tony Norris and Andy Ratcliffe for the Trust as was Sandy Gray and the club's press officer/website editor. Sandy G showed us the statement and told us it would be going out at the AGM - she "forgot" to mention it had already been released on the club website. We told her that we thought Sir Seton had been badly misinformed as to the nature and purpose of the Trust and what we have and have not said and done. And that there was nothing to be served by releasing this statement and starting a public spat. She appeared to agree with us, although as she presumably knew (as CEO and with the website editor sat next to her) that the statement had already been released on the site while we were waiting to go into the meeting with them, this kind of sticks in my craw a little at present.

I must admit if this now serves to drive a wedge between the club, Sir Seton Wills, the board, between the fans themselves, the supporters club and the trust I will be gutted.

As will we. I've got nothing but respect for SSW - although I do think he's been ill-advised to the point of being misled over this. We've tried very hard to work with the board this season, but it would appear everything we've done of a positive nature is forgotten or dismissed because we had the temerity to criticise the ticket prices. "Pay up and shut up" it would seem is the appropriate attitude for fans.

[Johno]

the trust has good motives but they never seem to ever get much done in my opinion, and nor do the supporters club really. Both organisations are great and for a good cause just don't seem to do that much, might be just me.

i signed up with the truststfc this season and got 1 thing thorugh the post about what there doing.... didn't last long. it was good and gave information, but we want regualrly updates on what there doing.

[pauld]

As far as I'm aware there's already a 'wedge' between the Trust and the supporter's club

Not as far as I'm aware there isn't, and I'm a member of the Trust board so if there is a wedge it's a pretty one-sided one. Erm, can you have a one-sided wedge?

I certainly hope there isn't because I think the SC do a top job (and I don't know anyone who thinks otherwise), it's just they do a different job to the one we do. And they do it bloody well.

[mrs_spacey]

oh dear are the trust now trying to make out they got us a scoreboard? :box:

http://www.thisisstfc.co.uk/forum_new/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21695

No, that's just someone posting on the Adver forum who apparently can't tell the difference between the Trust and the SC

I didn't see anyone from the trust try to put them straight which is a pity since when anyone posts anything negative about the trust - up pops a trust person with their spin......

To be fair, I just went over there to do that and sonicyouth had done it before me. I could post a message saying the same as sonic did, but I don't think it would be very helpful would it.

Erm, if it helps,  by the way, as you seem to have a strong dislike for Justin T, I've never voted Tory in my life and don't intend to start in the near future.

You might like to post on the Adver forum to confirm that the trust had nothing to do with the scoreboard in case Sonic's post may be deleted (due to the fact he has the townend website in his signature and they really don't appreciate the competition :roll: )


I've looked into the Supporters' Club and the Trust and I would like to think that I never express an opinion unless I am happy that it is a reasonably informed opinion (aside from the occasional mucking about stuff).

The Supporters' Club have raised over 10 times as much money for the club in the same period of time as the Trust.  They do not makes demands of the Board.

I'm quite happy to learn why you (as in you the Trust - not you personally) seem to think you have the right to speak for all of us fans.  Also why do you think you have the right to tell somebody else how to run their company?


Again I'd like to stress that this isn't personal and I know that some of you really do have the best intentions.


Well, as for Tomlinson, where do I start?  I reckon he's a liability to be honest.  He came on here - professing to tell us all what's going on with the redevelopment and basically patronised us and then bored us all into a coma, then ran away to slag us off on the trust site...the only thing I learnt from him was that you can fit 4 bags of rubbish into a wheelie bin!

[sonicyouth]

Obviously, I don't know the whole situation but from what I understand the Trust aren't the most popular of people amongst many people from the supporters club. Perhaps I misunderstood and got the wrong end of the stick.

For the record, I am totally biased but you already realised that.

So what exactly is it that you do which makes you so different to the supporters club? Moan about ticket prices and rant on internet forums?

[Dazzza]

The point was the Trust where the ones that instigated it all and as PaulD mentioned above where responsible for doing a lot of the ground work.

What have the board done worthy of a seat on the board?  Being employed by Mike Diamandis?

Speculation and not really an issue I know.  But, I think their work speaks for its self and if that's not worthy of a place on the board I don't know what is.

Trust/fan representation on the board would be a massive boost for the fans in terms of bringing the club closer to it’s supporters base and help clear up and improve a lot of the negativity that exists..

As for the rift between the supporters club and the Trust it’s not something I am aware of but would be interested to know about.  If there is I see both parties have had the good grace not to air their dirty laundry in public.

[Johno]

i think the fan on the board is a great idea and get it done. but i just don;t want one of them nonces from the trust doing it, want someone that will just tell us whats happening, not some 60 year old. a proper fan would be nice.

also....maybe the wrong time to ask but who is Mike Diamandis?

[pauld]

the trust has good motives but they never seem to ever get much done in my opinion, and nor do the supporters club really. Both organisations are great and for a good cause just don't seem to do that much, might be just me.

I don't think that's very fair on either us or the SC - but maybe both of us need to be better about communicating what we are doing. But then when we do that, we get slagged off for being in the press too much :?

i signed up with the truststfc this season and got 1 thing thorugh the post about what there doing.... didn't last long. it was good and gave information, but we want regualrly updates on what there doing.

That'd be the latest newsletter I assume? You should have had one a few weeks ago. To be fair, there's pretty regular updates on what we've been doing on the website, and this season we've been sending fairly regular email updates to members - if you haven't been getting them send me your membership ref and email  to members@truststfc.co.uk and I'll add you to the list, (also if you didn't get the newsletter sent through a few weeks ago). We try and keep the amount we send out by post down because of the cost. The idea is to try not to spend too much money on postage and letters etc so we have more money for (e.g.) getting leaflets printed backing the CG redevelopment, putting in for the Harold Fleming medals etc.

[sonicyouth]

fucking hell, do we have to go down the Mike Diamandis path? I don't want Dazzza getting the club knocking down his door  :shock:

[Johno]

oh right, fair enough then mate. yeh i got the newsletter thing a few weeks ago.
Well, just keep telling us what your doing. i probably should also just look at the site more often.

yeh i was going to e mail you cause you lot also have my details all completely wrong   i will e mail sometime in the near future