Mariner's Trust

Quoted from Dan

I don't see any problem with the trust financing the club with £30,000 a year - if it's possible to raise it. I'm a member of the trust, but must confess I have absolutely no idea about the structure of the trust, their finances, and haven't really done anything since sending of the membership form. But the way I see it is the trust is still a shareholder and the club needs financing in many different ways. What is the problem people have with the trust contributing to that if they are able to? Surely the point of the trust - as well as giving fans a voice in the running of the club, is to contribute to its health. Why would anyone think an additional 30k going into the clubs coffers is a bad thing? If the trust can raise this money, what else do people expect them to do with it?

I don't see a problem with the Trust financing the Club either Dan, what I do have a problem with is it being a precondition of board representation especially when they have gifted JF 200,000 shares.  It isn't a prerequisite of the other board members so why the Trust?

As far as I'm aware - through the historical fishy grapevine - there is a pre-condition that board members put up a lump sum. I can't remember what I read, but seem to think it was £50,000. It could be much more though. If it is much more - 250,000 say, then really the cost of this is just being spread over many years.

I'm taking no stance on the politics of either the results of giving the shares away or JF's demands, only the fact that giving the trust a clear target in terms of membership numbers and finance should actually be a healthy thing.

Trusts are not the way to go you end up with jobsworths who just like the position of power no insult towards those currently involved.At Lincoln it was fantastic for a few years and there were some good people involved now it's awful people with no talent or drive involved and its now just a cosy little old boy club.

The Trust giving away all those shares to JF is like giving a blow job to someone who has just killed your family.

as a member of the trust since its inception and a firm supporter of it i have to say that i agreed with chris' point of view last year and am inclined to agree with his latest post.
unfortunately it does seem like the club are taking the mickey out of the Trust again. if the criteria for joining the board is £50,00 for everyone else up front then why have the rules suddenly changed when it's the Trust who want to come on board? are the other directors now under  a similar obligation to donate thousands of pounds every year in order to keep their seat on the Board? no , i thought not.
and as soon as the trust fails to raise the £30k you can bet your bottom dollar that we'll be booted out the door - whilst the other directors who contribute feck all comapratively, will continue to 'serve' the club, whilst making full use of the hospitality advantages afforded by Board memebership

Quoted from STB

The Trust giving away all those shares to JF is like giving a blow job to someone who has just killed your family.

that is one way of looking at it.

Seriously though £30,000 is steep for a supporters Trust to join.

How many members do The Trust have?

It may appear to some that the Directors do not want the Trust on the board, this may not be the case though with out looking at the other Directors financial input

Quoted from forza ivano

as a member of the trust since its inception and a firm supporter of it i have to say that i agreed with chris' point of view last year and am inclined to agree with his latest post.
unfortunately it does seem like the club are taking the mickey out of the Trust again. if the criteria for joining the board is £50,00 for everyone else up front then why have the rules suddenly changed when it's the Trust who want to come on board? are the other directors now under  a similar obligation to donate thousands of pounds every year in order to keep their seat on the Board? no , i thought not.
and as soon as the trust fails to raise the £30k you can bet your bottom dollar that we'll be booted out the door - whilst the other directors who contribute feck all comapratively, will continue to 'serve' the club, whilst making full use of the hospitality advantages afforded by Board memebership

No members of the Trust Board are willing to take advantage of any directors advantages at a match day and have said this since any mention of a seat on the Board came about. I can't speak for any other Trust Board member but in my opinion we are just fans like everyone else and thats all we will be. All we want to do is try and make a difference, Id do what ever for the Trust whether I was on the Board or not, it seems there is just isn't enough people with the time to do it or have the typical 'someone else will do it' attitude. I know the idea of a Trust doesn't float everyones boat but together we can achieve much.

I think you got confused with the Trust Board and the GTFC Board of Directors (Chapman and Elsom is it? the silent ones) who enjoy whatever the probably naff hospitality it is 5 tier football has to offer.

I would fully expect whoever represents the Trust on the Club's board of directors (if it happens) to "take advantage" of the hospitalility on offer! An important part of being a director is to network with those of other clubs exchanging information and ideas. I may be wrong but, as I recall, they pay for their own drinks at home games although they may get the odd butty thrown in!!

Quoted from BlackandWhiteBarmy

If the Trust can raise £30K a year then it should keep it and build up its own funds ready for the time when benign loans are suddenly not benign. Trusts need money and you only have to look at Darlington etc. to see why.

The club should not be putting targets up for the Trust to get a seat on the board, when other board members do not have to meet similar targets. Either give the Trust a seat using the same criteria as other board members and put it to a vote at the AGM or tell them to bog off, but don't ry and bleed them dry every time it lookds like they may be getting somewhere.

The Trust are not a threat, they want the same as everybody else and that includes the present board.

This. I have always said the trust should be preparing for life without Fenty and they should have no part in funding the current regime. As a trust member I would like to see the trust save for the future as I  feel if the club is not promoted this or next season we will be copulated and our glorious leader may leave is right in sticky stuff.