ashbyjan
Well-Known Member
Many thanks to all who attended the meeting last night despite all the traffic problems and alternative attraction of Coldplay - attendance was around the 25 people. Might not sound a lot but considering past experience and the minimal publicity (thanks for nothing CWR) for the event we were pleased.
Following a series of talks with Supporters Direct and the current Sky Blue Trust, it was decided that to launch a new Trust would not only be administratively complex legally but that our efforts would be better spent reinvigorating the currently dormant existing organisation than reinventing the wheel just for the sake of it.
At the meeting John Fletcher, Chairman of the SBT, explained the Trust had been so dormant simply because in its constitution it must have a board of six to make decisions etc but they only had a board of four so were hamstrung by their own rules - our first move is to increase board membership so this doesn't occur again.
The meeting covered a series of topics but mostly reflected the two strands that will form the basis of the Trust going forward:
1. How to make the match day experience better and more attractive to fans and lapsed fans.
2. To position the Trust in such a way that should SISU carry our their threat to put the club into admin or even liquidate the club the Trust is ready to rescue the name of the club and have plans in place to start the rebuilding of the club. It was agreed that we cannot simply sit back and hope a: that these uncaring, ruthless owners won't carry out the threat and b: that there is a new owner just around the corner, we must take control of our own destiny as best we can.
Actions from the meeting was various people volunteered to contact other clubs Trusts that own or have partial ownership of their clubs to see if we can learn anything - to get a better idea of what can be achieved please go to the link below:
http://www.swanstrust.co.uk/History.aspx
There were plenty of other ideas including having an identified Trust representative in every stand on match days so fans could approach them with ideas, gripes etc that they can then take to the club.
The media were to be contacted to publicise the rebirth of the Trust, its new aims, encourage membership and publicise the next meeting.
Overall it was a very productive and positive meeting that finished with a clear mission - stated above - but the real starting point is to get the membership numbers up and raise the profile of the SBT with the club, the fans and the media.
The next meeting will be a proper SBT meeting where people can join the Trust, join the board and get the whole ball rolling and in the right direction.
Next meeting to be at the Squirrel, Greyfriars Lane, Coventry - Wednesday June 6th at 7.30pm - If you agree with us that there is a good chance that SISU will put club into admin or liquidation I urge you to attend the meeting and help us start to put plans in place should SISU carry out their threats, if we don't start now it could be too late. Its OUR club, lets not let these people destroy it for ever in the name of profit.
Following a series of talks with Supporters Direct and the current Sky Blue Trust, it was decided that to launch a new Trust would not only be administratively complex legally but that our efforts would be better spent reinvigorating the currently dormant existing organisation than reinventing the wheel just for the sake of it.
At the meeting John Fletcher, Chairman of the SBT, explained the Trust had been so dormant simply because in its constitution it must have a board of six to make decisions etc but they only had a board of four so were hamstrung by their own rules - our first move is to increase board membership so this doesn't occur again.
The meeting covered a series of topics but mostly reflected the two strands that will form the basis of the Trust going forward:
1. How to make the match day experience better and more attractive to fans and lapsed fans.
2. To position the Trust in such a way that should SISU carry our their threat to put the club into admin or even liquidate the club the Trust is ready to rescue the name of the club and have plans in place to start the rebuilding of the club. It was agreed that we cannot simply sit back and hope a: that these uncaring, ruthless owners won't carry out the threat and b: that there is a new owner just around the corner, we must take control of our own destiny as best we can.
Actions from the meeting was various people volunteered to contact other clubs Trusts that own or have partial ownership of their clubs to see if we can learn anything - to get a better idea of what can be achieved please go to the link below:
http://www.swanstrust.co.uk/History.aspx
There were plenty of other ideas including having an identified Trust representative in every stand on match days so fans could approach them with ideas, gripes etc that they can then take to the club.
The media were to be contacted to publicise the rebirth of the Trust, its new aims, encourage membership and publicise the next meeting.
Overall it was a very productive and positive meeting that finished with a clear mission - stated above - but the real starting point is to get the membership numbers up and raise the profile of the SBT with the club, the fans and the media.
The next meeting will be a proper SBT meeting where people can join the Trust, join the board and get the whole ball rolling and in the right direction.
Next meeting to be at the Squirrel, Greyfriars Lane, Coventry - Wednesday June 6th at 7.30pm - If you agree with us that there is a good chance that SISU will put club into admin or liquidation I urge you to attend the meeting and help us start to put plans in place should SISU carry out their threats, if we don't start now it could be too late. Its OUR club, lets not let these people destroy it for ever in the name of profit.
