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Interest comments!
I was reading a post on Blue and Amber the other day. Nothing wrong in that, from the ‘crucible of fan opinion’. The post read simply ‘ FAO The Chosen Few’.
It talked about those who have been invited by the club to attend a meeting with the Chairman, Chief Executive and General Manager for the club to let us know it’s current happenings, and to gain some feedback from us.
Of course when the club talk to a small group of what seems like ‘carefully selected’ people, there are bound to be some who will question the rationale, and effectiveness of such a meeting. Isn’t it just a collection of the ‘yes men’ nodding when told to, and laughing on queue?
As many of you will know, following A Large Scotch’s ‘The Way Forward’ document presented to the club following our relegation, I was instrumental with my ALS colleagues (and with major help from Keith Sayfritz) in setting up the ‘Umbrella Group’. Representatives from all the fans groups and following a notice on Blue and Amber a number of fans who weren’t affiliated to any group formed and met regularly.
It was the first time Town fans had ever had such representation and contact with the board. Following on from the start of the SUFAN campaign, the grouping achieved so much.
I’ve rattled on before about kit design, and ticket policy. About buffets opening later and so on, but from where we were that was a huge step forward. All those involved should be immensely proud.
It brought through some great people who had never been involved in supporters groups. Such as the Trust chair Roger Groves, and Dave Matthias, Sarah Donlan et al , and I think gave more legitimacy to those people already known.
Again I’ve talked before why it stopped, but one thing is for sure, even to have small groups meeting now is vital, to the ongoing development and dialogue over issue, we think, as fan groups are important.
It's interesting that some fans on the thread where intimating democracy (i.e. who has chosen these fans to speak for us). It sounds to me want you really want is a Supporters Trust! D’oh, bugger. We have one at Shrewsbury!
To be fair the only really way you can total influence any decision at a football club, is to have a stake in it. That is why Supporters Direct advocates the purchase of shares in the football club you support. But it’s not about attending AGM’s and Board Meetings and creating havoc. It about responsible people have a say, and being constructive and driven in wanting to take their football club forward without bankrupting it, without bleeding fans dry, without sticking two fingers up to the local community it reportable represents. About openness (as far as is practicable in a business environment), about democracy (not running by committee but by consensus).
There are two models of which football clubs will be run in the future. The ‘Sugar Daddy’ model where the club is backed by a wealthy benefactor and the ‘Supporters Owned’ – Supporters Trust. I know which I support and hope for in the future, not just for Shrewsbury Town but also for every football club. And I think the later will be more relevant and popular and lasting than the former.
I can see a ‘correction’ coming along for football. Where only the fittest will survive, and those that are well run, and entrenched into their communities. When Manchester United and Chelsea start begging for state aid, times will be interesting!
But we certainly have a hard slog. There are still many in the game, both in the fan bases and the boardrooms that don’t like Supporters Trusts. I know our chairman doesn’t like them one bit. That doesn’t stop me from thinking Roland is the best chairman this club has ever had, has achieved more in adversity than anyone I could think, and how the hell he hasn’t walked away is anyone’s guess. A true love of the STFC is the answer. What I want to do with my colleagues and fellows members of shrewsTRUST is help Mr Wycherley and the current board achieve the goal of reaching the Championship, and making sure that Roland’s legacy isn’t destroyed by one of the many ‘opportunist’ who see Football as a play thing, a tax break, a development opportunity, ruining the pleasure of the masses in a simple game of town v town, area v area.
As much as it is believed in Board Rooms that ‘fans cant run football clubs’, the polar view is that ‘good businessman in football don’t exist’.
Exeter City, and Roland Wycherley are examples that fans can run football clubs and good businessman are in football.
Our job as shrewsTRUST is to convince Mr Wycherley and the Board that the Trust is a vehicle to carry on the good work. The Chairman and the Board’s job is to convince us that their appointed successors will carry on the dynasty. We have to hope one of us is right!
That doesn’t mean that we can’t work together, respect each other’s views and opinions, and go forward on common ground. And that is why meetings like next weeks are vital.
And maybe the questions that those who feel so wronged, so unrepresented, so left out by not be asked to attend next week is, well why don’t you join an organisation like shrewsTRUST, get involved in helping it grow (we have vacancies for a number of roles including Secretary of the Trust), and who knows, you may get to sit at the ‘Chosen Ones’ table. But if your not prepared to go out of your way to help when needed, spare some time, just want to rant and moan when it suits, please, please, stay where you are. But I hope it will be the former. So why not join us?
Ade Plimmer
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