The Trust

Quoted from SteffiMariner

I would anticipate that there would be around 23 other supports trusts that would bite the hand off their board if they were allowed to run the club bars for £30K and get a seat on the board.

Only if the seat on the board was meaningful and could actually influence decision making and the direction of the club

The Trust's seat on the board does neither, they have no real voice or bargaining power (they gave that away when they parted with the shares - sorry to bring it up again but its true)

They are there in name only, Fenty and co make the decisions, the Trust probably vote with them a) so as not to upset Fenty and b) because there's no point in voting against anyway (although I'm sure Trust members would like their representative on the board to grow a pair)

The Trust run the bars with all the organising and time that involves just to be able to show they have a presence in the boardroom which in real terms means nowt.

Quoted from Ipswin

Only if the seat on the board was meaningful and could actually influence decision making and the direction of the club

The Trust's seat on the board does neither, they have no real voice or bargaining power (they gave that away when they parted with the shares - sorry to bring it up again but its true)

They are there in name only, Fenty and co make the decisions, the Trust probably vote with them a) so as not to upset Fenty and b) because there's no point in voting against anyway (although I'm sure Trust members would like their representative on the board to grow a pair)

The Trust run the bars with all the organising and time that involves just to be able to show they have a presence in the boardroom which in real terms means nowt.

The Trust DO have a voice at boardroom level despite that being unacceptable to those who prefer to ridicule everything and anything about the club.

The decision to finally get rid of Slade was pushed by the Trust rep for weeks before others finally fell in line, the discount for Trust members on season tickets is a useful addition, giving adult members a bigger discount that their annual membership- that's value.
I appreciate not everyone will be a season ticket holder but I understand there is movement of the shift workers package but this cannot be introduced until the season starts otherwise it will hit season ticket sales.

Nothing is perfect, despite what some may seem but for me the seat IS worth having, even if the cosmetic price needs addressing.

BTW the other board member who questions Fenty more than anyone will surprise many!

Quoted from Cloudy

the discount for Trust members on season tickets is a useful addition, giving adult members a bigger discount that their annual membership- that's value.

Has this been advertised enough Cloudy ?

This is a great way for the Trust to increase the membership,

Join the Trust and get 5% off your season ticket.

Go for it guys !!!!!!!

Quoted from Cloudy

The Trust DO have a voice at boardroom level despite that being unacceptable to those who prefer to ridicule everything and anything about the club.

The decision to finally get rid of Slade was pushed by the Trust rep for weeks before others finally fell in line, the discount for Trust members on season tickets is a useful addition, giving adult members a bigger discount that their annual membership- that's value.
I appreciate not everyone will be a season ticket holder but I understand there is movement of the shift workers package but this cannot be introduced until the season starts otherwise it will hit season ticket sales.

Nothing is perfect, despite what some may seem but for me the seat IS worth having, even if the cosmetic price needs addressing.

BTW the other board member who questions Fenty more than anyone will surprise many!

exactly, you can only make changes from within. In a democracy you vote for who you think represents your views. The Green Party only have one seat in Parliament but that seat represents what the majority of people in that CONSTITUENCY want. It may not be that influential but it is still a voice.

I don't quite know how he's done it but hats off to John Fenty on this one.

Four months ago people were protesting against him before games, undertaking 'covert' filming operations on him and generally feelings against him had never reached such heights.

Today he's managed to split the fan base and make the Trust the subject of the in-fighting.    That's some deflection job there.

Is the Trust perfect? No.  Does it need a refocus? I think so.  Does it need new blood and new ideas? I also think so.   But whatever you think of the Trust, it still remains the fans best vehicle for change.  The options are pretty simple really:

1) Get on the bus and see where it takes you.
2) Get on the bus and grab the steering wheel to determine where it takes you
3) Wait at the bus-stop for something else to arrive but don't be surprised when a £100,000 motor (possibly with a big scratch on the bonnet) speeds into a massive puddle to leave you soaked.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I don't quite know how he's done it but hats off to John Fenty on this one.

Four months ago people were protesting against him before games, undertaking 'covert' filming operations on him and generally feelings against him had never reached such heights.

Today he's managed to split the fan base and make the Trust the subject of the in-fighting.    That's some deflection job there.

Is the Trust perfect? No.  Does it need a refocus? I think so.  Does it need new blood and new ideas? I also think so.   But whatever you think of the Trust, it still remains the fans best vehicle for change.  The options are pretty simple really:

1) Get on the bus and see where it takes you.
2) Get on the bus and grab the steering wheel to determine where it takes you
3) Wait at the bus-stop for something else to arrive but don't be surprised when a £100,000 motor (possibly with a big scratch on the bonnet) speeds into a massive puddle to leave you soaked.

Fenty hasn`t split the fan base.The MT are roughly 25% of the support only and despite what people claim the Fenty Out supporters are probably the same with a fair chunk being Trust Members also.The silent majority are just that.They attend the games and just want to watch 90 mins of football to them nothing else matters.To have some proper clout the MT would ideally have in excess of 50% of the support signed up.

Split the fan base in the sense that there is more talk around attacking/defending the Trust than there is around how badly run the actual club is.

As bad as it was in the dark days of January/February, it felt that the vast majority were behind three common causes.  Firstly get rid of Slade, secondly achieve league survival and finally remove Fenty from the club.  The first was achieved, to help achieve the second aim most put the third issue to the side.  

Despite our survival and the fact we've got a good manager in post who actually looks like he will take us forward on the pitch, the third objective still should be a priority.  The club is badly run and without change we'll never really progress, if anything we'll continue to go backwards.    

By focusing attentions on the pluses and minuses of the Trust, Fenty is managing to dodge that third bullet.

I completely agree regards the Trust needing 50% minimum of the support behind a common objective and mandate.  We're miles from that at the minute.

I agree with most of the post above but do not agree the club is badly run,

We do not owe anybody any money apart from Fenty,

So in those terms the club is well run,

What we do have though is terrible PR and a non chairman who wants his own way all the time because he thinks its his club,

Well its not his club its ours and it will be here well after Fenty has departed,

He has struck lucky with appointing Michael and has improved his PR by not sticking his head up and talking balderdash,

I was one of his main complainers but as far as I am concerned lets just see how long it lasts and enjoy the ride while Michael is here.

I have a feeling he will listen to Michael and take his advice on lots of things including investment in players and facilities,

Lets wait and see what happens.

Quoted from diehardmariner

1) Get on the bus and see where it takes you.
2) Get on the bus and grab the steering wheel to determine where it takes you
3) Wait at the bus-stop for something else to arrive but don't be surprised when a £100,000 motor (possibly with a big scratch on the bonnet) speeds into a massive puddle to leave you soaked.

My vote for Metaphor of the Week.

Quoted from grimsby pete

I agree with most of the post above but do not agree the club is badly run,

We do not owe anybody any money apart from Fenty,

So in those terms the club is well run,

What we do have though is terrible PR and a non chairman who wants his own way all the time because he thinks its his club,

Well its not his club its ours and it will be here well after Fenty has departed,

He has struck lucky with appointing Michael and has improved his PR by not sticking his head up and talking balderdash,

I was one of his main complainers but as far as I am concerned lets just see how long it lasts and enjoy the ride while Michael is here.

I have a feeling he will listen to Michael and take his advice on lots of things including investment in players and facilities,

Lets wait and see what happens.

Just think about the bit in bold Pete - we don't owe anybody but JF means that effectively he can do what he wants and neither The Trust nor anyone else can do anything about it.