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Let's start with the board

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KingstonMariner
September 18, 2018, 1:01am
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Excellent post Barra. I have criticised some of the decisions and actions of the Trust board (and the Trust membership to be fair, when it came to the shares issue), and I've disagreed with you personally on issues and probably even been a bit more barbed than I should have been at times. But though things are not ideal, I think most members would agree that it's infinitely better to have the Trust as it is than not to have it.

So thank you for your time and efforts, and thank you for being bothered enough to come on here and engage with people in a civilised and non-patronising fashion. You always come across as calm and level-headed*.

* but it's nice to see a bit of passion come across in your post tonight  


Through the door there came familiar laughter,
I saw your face and heard you call my name.
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser,
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same.
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MuddyWaters
September 18, 2018, 6:45am
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Quoted from barralad


I'll readily accept that you made a genuine mistake when you stated that I promised to spill the beans. What I find harder to accept and this is where perhaps my definition of reasoned criticism and yours diverge is your view that the current members of the Trust Board somehow think that we know better than the members. If that was the case we would've ignored the survey findings. Instead we were put in a position well outside of the comfort zone of a lot of us because despite what some people would want others to think there were very few of the questions asked that had overwhelming support for a particular course of action. That is why we involved S.D. in the first place. We had just short of 700 responses a percentage of which were sent in by non-members so in reality probably less than 500 members actually replied. Some people have very strong views on some of the subjects raised in the survey. As the representatives of the fans we cannot treat any of the views
as being less important than others so our response to anything will often be in the nature of compromise in order to try to satisfy as many as possible. As I've said before I'm not prepared to pre-empt the issue of the MOU as referred to in the newsletter issued tonight and put on this site by Skaface. I'm sure that whatever the outcome is it will not please everyone. Those that aren't pleased will then have a decision to make-Enter into the spirit of compromise or either, if they are actually a member withdraw from the Trust or carry on being unhappy. It really is that simple. You hit the nail on the head with your initial sentence. The current set up of the Trust Board relies entirely on volunteers who want to make a difference. Trust me when I say there are no perks and there is no kudos from being involved with the Supporters Trust of a team towards the bottom end of the league pyramid. We are an easy target for people who perhaps want to cause mischief but the bottom line is that without a large influx of resources we are going to continue to try to represent members and the fans at large but only as far as those resources allow. In short anyone who thinks that the Trust board are going to resort to costly and time consuming all-member votes on issues is living in cloud cuckoo land. In a democracy you elect people to act on your behalf. If you aren't happy with those you elect then you have the option once a year to register your disapproval by voting some of them out and, who knows stepping up to the plate themselves. We haven't had our full complement of Board members for most of the last two years. If anyone is still awake after reading that then my final point (and I do realise that you asked a question) is that being on the Board of a PLC football club is a job I wouldn't have if you paid me a six figure salary. Jon Wood has to balance a very demanding day job with the boardroom. It doesn't take much to imagine how hard that role has been given the turmoil on and off the pitch over the past year or so and the angle that Jon as fans rep. has had to approach the role from.


Barra - it's a very good & thorough explanation but does bring up one simple question - does Jon Wood actually believe that he can make a difference? In other words, is the seat on the board worth the hassle?
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dapperz fun pub
September 18, 2018, 7:31am
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I don’t think it matters who represents the trust in the boardroom, having seen the board operate at a fans forum publicly I can only assume their only job is to make the tea and nod in the right places.  Shutttt upppp
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lew chaterleys lover
September 18, 2018, 10:17am
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A fans Trust working with a clubs board is a great idea -  if that board consists of a set of directors who have a philosophy for the club, and have the energy and investment to make it happen and are actively looking to broaden their involvement with the local community  . A board like that would genuinely believe it is better if they have the fans onside, through a Trust representative, and are willing to work actively with them for the betterment of all.

That is not we have got here though is it? A stale board, with next to no inward investment see the Trust as a necessarily evil, to be endured so it looks like they care one jot about the fans.

In our situation the Trust should be working from the outside, to demand answers from the board as to what they are planning to do to get the extra investment we need; what they are going to do about the work that needs doing to BP and an update on any relocation plans. I read a Trust statement last night which seemed to suggest they are getting impatient for news on anything to do with the club which is understandable,  so my advice would be to re form and become a force for good and get the fans onside to start demanding some answers to questions that have been unanswered for far too long.

We have been patient; we are still loyal to the club despite everything, but trying to work with the current board will not work in my opinion.
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golfer
September 18, 2018, 11:16am
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Quoted from realist

My apologies another poster has corrected me it was Bax and not you.
My name is John Taylor. There you go, can I post reasoned critism now without you calling it sniping?



" Are you fking famous or somatt "  quote  
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barralad
September 18, 2018, 12:03pm
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Quoted from MuddyWaters


Barra - it's a very good & thorough explanation but does bring up one simple question - does Jon Wood actually believe that he can make a difference? In other words, is the seat on the board worth the hassle?


This was what I alluded to in my post. The margins between  those who believe we should step away from the Board and those who believe that a presence can only be beneficial are quite tight. It's not a secret that Supporters Direct have told us that a lot of Trusts out there are envious of the access we have. I suppose when you look at clubs like Blackpool and Charlton where the fans REALLY are seen as "the enemy" it's not hard to see why that envy exists.
If the Trust didn't believe we were in a position to make a difference then we'd have pulled the plug ages ago. It's not up to me to speak for Jon but the fact that he chooses to continue with his GTFC work despite his heavy real job commitments should speak volumes.


The aim of argument or discussion should not be victory but progress.

Joseph Joubert.
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barralad
September 18, 2018, 12:12pm
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A fans Trust working with a clubs board is a great idea -  if that board consists of a set of directors who have a philosophy for the club, and have the energy and investment to make it happen and are actively looking to broaden their involvement with the local community  . A board like that would genuinely believe it is better if they have the fans onside, through a Trust representative, and are willing to work actively with them for the betterment of all.

That is not we have got here though is it? A stale board, with next to no inward investment see the Trust as a necessarily evil, to be endured so it looks like they care one jot about the fans.

In our situation the Trust should be working from the outside, to demand answers from the board as to what they are planning to do to get the extra investment we need; what they are going to do about the work that needs doing to BP and an update on any relocation plans. I read a Trust statement last night which seemed to suggest they are getting impatient for news on anything to do with the club which is understandable,  so my advice would be to re form and become a force for good and get the fans onside to start demanding some answers to questions that have been unanswered for far too long.

We have been patient; we are still loyal to the club despite everything, but trying to work with the current board will not work in my opinion.


I think this is an excellent post which articulates very well the stand point of those who believe the Trust are better off outside of the Board. As someone who is committed to the opposite view I would simply ask-If the situation is really that bad then what "clout" would a Trust completely alienated have to get answers to those questions? There is a decent proportion of the fanbase that would agree with you but I speak to lots of fans who think maintaining (after having obtained) a place on the Board of GTFC is after Operation Promotion the Trust's biggest achievement.


The aim of argument or discussion should not be victory but progress.

Joseph Joubert.
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Bigdog
September 18, 2018, 12:31pm
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Quoted from barralad


This was what I alluded to in my post. The margins between  those who believe we should step away from the Board and those who believe that a presence can only be beneficial are quite tight. It's not a secret that Supporters Direct have told us that a lot of Trusts out there are envious of the access we have. I suppose when you look at clubs like Blackpool and Charlton where the fans REALLY are seen as "the enemy" it's not hard to see why that envy exists.
If the Trust didn't believe we were in a position to make a difference then we'd have pulled the plug ages ago. It's not up to me to speak for Jon but the fact that he chooses to continue with his GTFC work despite his heavy real job commitments should speak volumes.


The big question is.. what difference is the Trust board trying to make? What is the end goal? I'm none the wiser and I'm sure all Trust members are the same because we've never been told what the key objectives of the Trust are.. A mission statement would be a start..

Until then, no one can have a clue whether having a Trust member on the board of GTFC is a going to have any positive influence on the Trust achieving its key objectives..
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Cod Cheeks
September 18, 2018, 12:39pm
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As a non member of the Trust may I ask someone who is what are the 5 best/major achievement's they have gained for the supporters since being on the board please?

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Bigdog
September 18, 2018, 12:40pm
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Quoted from Cod Cheeks
As a non member of the Trust may I ask someone who is what are the 5 best/major achievement's they have gained for the supporters since being on the board please?



OP
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