some thoughts on the replacement
There were some good people involved in the SCG but that got buried under a landslide of ego and a reluctance to speak up
so the new set up
- It should cover the match day experience
- it should not exclude providing a two way dialogue on team performance or club finances - both are important to the fans
- it should have the opportunity to challenge what it is told, and be challenged on what it does. It must relay fans concerns, thoughts, congratualtions to the club or vice versa and provide feedback
- be open, transparent and timely in what it does
- it must be independent of the club, however that does not mean the club should not support its cost or include relevant space on the club website. The EFL expect the club to liase well with its fans take them seriously and act on things where appropriate.
- the members must be seen to represent someone other than just themselves.Be able substantiate who they represent and demonstrate contact, representation and relaying of information.
- it should sign off its own minutes. If it is confidential and can not be told to the fans dont say it - do not get in to the position of ego because they know something the rest do not. If amendments are requested but not agreed then that disagreement must be included in the minutes
- it should include the following The Trust, the London Supporters Group, the Diamond club, JSB/tickets for schools, but also represent other groups so that it can demonstrate equality, diversity etc. No group gets more than one place.
- it must be a clean start, and that means consulting with fans as to how they want to be represented and the format adopted. The club must not simply impose it and expect it to work.
- New members can be elected to the group once they prove the above as to who they represent
- a director should attend every meeting and bring others from the club with him/her as the agenda dictates
- the club has to take the group seriously. The fans need to feel represented and heard
It should not
- deal with personal issues or personal ego
- deal with issues regarding ownership changes
- disclose correspondence that is not addressed to it
- be used to bully any party individual or organisation
- it should not compromise its position by jollies in the board room. Attendance at the odd directors meeting is ok in theory but does it actually achieve anything
- be a propaganda mouth piece for any organisation, but a place for reasonable and reasoned debate and dialogue
I think it should meet the club every other month (6 times pa) unless there is an exceptional need.
The intervening months should be used for the group to meet without the club to agree an agenda to be put forward to the club for the following months meeting
It will need a strong Chairperson. It needs a clean break from the past
the chairperson is not authorised to issue statements unless content is cleared by the group to do so
I would think the club could use its database to contact supporters so that those supporters choose the group they wish to represent them. Each group can then elect or if necessary take a volunteer to represent them.
Obviously not every one will agree with the above, and some of it may be difficult to achieve ........ but thats my two cents