Just through on Twitter......
Mariners Trust would like to wish all GTFC supporters a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

It is a very frustrating time for everyone at the moment but we would ask that everyone get behind the players and helps them through this difficult patch. Recent performances have certainly deserved more reward than we have achieved. With regard to takeover speculation we would very much welcome investors who are going to take the club forward. We are as frustrated as anyone that despite positive vibes there has been little or no progress. We very much support the view of now establishing a deadline so that we can all be clear as to where we are . We also support, and have been party to, the concept of any interested parties making an initial investment rather than a complete takeover. As things stand there are too many unanswered questions from our point of view  to be comfortable with a takeover. The key motivation for anyone interested is clearly the wider development opportunities and we need to be sure that the football club would benefit as part of that and not be saddled with extra costs.   With regard to the manager situation along with everyone else we can see the improvements under Anthony and Ben and really hope that they can start producing the results they deserve. If the decision is made to go a different route then we will be involved through Jon and Dave and they will do their very best to help make the right appointment. As we know there are no guarantees or an exact formula for choosing a manager but one thing we will be really keen to assure is that the policy of developing from within is maintained.  

Keep the faith and Up the Mariners.
Mariners Trust Board

So, in summary, the Trust agrees with everything John says, all you fans that are moaning can fuckoff, cos appointing Anthony and Ben would be cheap and that's OK for now.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

So, in summary, the Trust agrees with everything John says, all you fans that are moaning can fuckoff, cos appointing Anthony and Ben would be cheap and that's OK for now.

Pretty much my take on it.

What else can the Trust say?

All we need are three wins, new owner, new ground and all will be well.
At Xmas the three kings bring gifts don't they?

Yeah great, so as others have said basically toeing the party line. And "if" we do go for a new manager we have "Jon and Dave" assisting JF to make the choice, we cannot fail!  ;D

Sadly the MT offer nil or very little to what we get from Fenty et al they seem happy enough to go along with this malaise.I think 2020 needs to see the fan`s come together with or without the MT backing and force Fenty out once and for all. Very clear to see we need change and his insistence on clawing back every penny is a huge problem firstly to the day to day running of the Club and secondly to any progress ever being made. Unless we see massive change before the end of May I would urge ALL fans to consider boycotting Season Tickets for next Season it`s the only time he will take any notice .I understand moves are afoot to re start protests and I whole heartedly support this Fenty is killing the Club and it`s the toxic fan`s time to stand up and be counted.Fenty Out

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

What else can the Trust say?

All we need are three wins, new owner, new ground and all will be well.
At Xmas the three kings bring gifts don't they?

It's actually after the 12th day of Christmas.... 6th January

The same date that Town stuffed Luton 7-1 in the cup way back when

Anyone think we'll ever see such days again?  

I'm pretty sure there's no epiphany heading our way soon....  :-/

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

It's actually after the 12th day of Christmas.... 6th January

The same date that Town stuffed Luton 7-1 in the cup way back when

Anyone think we'll ever see such days again?  

I'm pretty sure there's no epiphany heading our way soon....  :-/

We might be able to put 7 past Alfreton again in the not too distant future.

Quoted from moss_side_mariner

We might be able to put 7 past Alfreton again in the not too distant future.

I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck starting to get all twitchy in anticipation.....  ;)

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck starting to get all twitchy in anticipation.....  ;)

Be rescheduled for an FA Trophy tie vs the dog and duck

Sick of hearing we have improved and results don't reflect performance..

What a load tosh.. Sooner the whole club stops trying to convince themselves and appoint someone to sort it out the better.

No goals in god knows how many games.. Do me a favour

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

What else can the Trust say?

All we need are three wins, new owner, new ground and all will be well.
At Xmas the three kings bring gifts don't they?

The Trust should come out and say they have no confidence in the owner, resign any involvement with the club and campaign to force him out. Even if we could come to an arrangement to pay him back over time if he has no day to day involvement it would be a start to help the club move on.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

The Trust should come out and say they have no confidence in the owner, resign any involvement with the club and campaign to force him out. Even if we could come to an arrangement to pay him back over time if he has no day to day involvement it would be a start to help the club move on.

Easier said than done I'd point out that the trust are on the board and know as much about the situation as fenty does. Maybe the fact that theyve basically echoed what fenty said indicates that fentys summing up is accurate, if deeply depressing
One thing I'd ask the trust. Is that it? Is that all we  an expect or hope for? A desperate appeal to keep behind the team in the hope that something., sometime, but god knows when,might turn up.

Quoted from forza ivano

Easier said than done I'd point out that the trust are on the board and know as much about the situation as fenty does. Maybe the fact that theyve basically echoed what fenty said indicates that fentys summing up is accurate, if deeply depressing
One thing I'd ask the trust. Is that it? Is that all we  an expect or hope for? A desperate appeal to keep behind the team in the hope that something., sometime, but god knows when,might turn up.

I thought, no hoped, that the Trust would be a force for good, that it would hold the board (Mr Fenty, because the other 3 don't count) to account and that the fans' hopes and fears would be represented.

Now it appears that they have realised that they can't make a difference and they might as well agree with him because, in reality, he can do whatever he likes.

Quoted from forza ivano

Easier said than done I'd point out that the trust are on the board and know as much about the situation as fenty does. Maybe the fact that theyve basically echoed what fenty said indicates that fentys summing up is accurate, if deeply depressing
One thing I'd ask the trust. Is that it? Is that all we  an expect or hope for? A desperate appeal to keep behind the team in the hope that something., sometime, but god knows when,might turn up.

If they have the good of the club at heart I would suggest its very easy. Just tell him goodbye and thanks for nowt.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I thought, no hoped, that the Trust would be a force for good, that it would hold the board (Mr Fenty, because the other 3 don't count) to account and that the fans' hopes and fears would be represented.

Now it appears that they have realised that they can't make a difference and they might as well agree with him because, in reality, he can do whatever he likes.

I wonder why they bother? Would you like to work for an organisation that hasn't a snowball's chance in Hell of making a difference with the current owner? Seems bizarre to me.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Just through on Twitter......
Mariners Trust would like to wish all GTFC supporters a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

It is a very frustrating time for everyone at the moment but we would ask that everyone get behind the players and helps them through this difficult patch. Recent performances have certainly deserved more reward than we have achieved. With regard to takeover speculation we would very much welcome investors who are going to take the club forward. We are as frustrated as anyone that despite positive vibes there has been little or no progress. We very much support the view of now establishing a deadline so that we can all be clear as to where we are . We also support, and have been party to, the concept of any interested parties making an initial investment rather than a complete takeover. As things stand there are too many unanswered questions from our point of view  to be comfortable with a takeover. The key motivation for anyone interested is clearly the wider development opportunities and we need to be sure that the football club would benefit as part of that and not be saddled with extra costs.   With regard to the manager situation along with everyone else we can see the improvements under Anthony and Ben and really hope that they can start producing the results they deserve. If the decision is made to go a different route then we will be involved through Jon and Dave and they will do their very best to help make the right appointment. As we know there are no guarantees or an exact formula for choosing a manager but one thing we will be really keen to assure is that the policy of developing from within is maintained.  

Keep the faith and Up the Mariners.
Mariners Trust Board

The Trust totally in John’s pocket then!!

The trust imo is a waste of time at no point can I recall them ever standing up to the board  

Fenty and The Yes Men.

FFS.

Both the trust and JF have asked us for patience with the team. We've been more than patient for years. It's time for some action, on and off the pitch.

Do that and the fans will get behind the team 100%.

Personally, I'm patient with the team, just impatient with the heirachy.

As Forza says, what else are the Trust to do? Being party to the takeover discussions they'll be alert to shortcomings in the financial case put by Shutes. If they just let any old chancer in they'd be called to kingdom come (and rightly so).

As for being Fenty's yes men. Well, we get the trust we deserve. And if anyone wants it to change direction, instead of sniping from the sidelines, get involved. I'd love it to take a more radical stance. I said this back in 2011 when they set up the referendum to give Fenty 250,000 shares. But it really needs home-based supporters to take it on. If you don't fancy it, then what do you expect?

I think we have the most loyal and patient fans you could find but nothing lasts forever.

Most fans would have been in revolution now i don’t know have they have the audacity to tell us to be patient.
Clee town for me new year’s day

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

If they have the good of the club at heart I would suggest its very easy. Just tell him goodbye and thanks for nowt.

OK, so JF says he'll write off the loans, sell his shares to whoever wants them, has no involvement with the club, walks totally away and then what? Where is this dynamic new owner with deep pockets willing to take over the club and run it for the benefit of the fans? Who will act as guarantor in the meantime if an owner isn't forthcoming immediately? There are so many concrete proposals on this site on what a lot of posters don't want but not one concrete, practical, legitimate and existing proposal that they do want.

Quoted from rancido

OK, so JF says he'll write off the loans, sell his shares to whoever wants them, has no involvement with the club, walks totally away and then what? Where is this dynamic new owner with deep pockets willing to take over the club and run it for the benefit of the fans? Who will act as guarantor in the meantime if an owner isn't forthcoming immediately? There are so many concrete proposals on this site on what a lot of posters don't want but not one concrete, practical, legitimate and existing proposal that they do want.

We don't have a dynamic owner with deep pockets now.

Quoted from arryarryarry

We don't have a dynamic owner with deep pockets now.

But you still haven't named a successor or anybody remotely likely as a new owner. The benign loans suggests his pockets are certainly deeper than mine and more than likely yours.

The trust have a member on the board, therefore they are constitutionally required to publicly back any board decision irrespective of their own views. That's my understanding, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

We don't know what terms JF considers acceptable to let go of the reins. He says he won't put the club in jeopardy, but he may be looking for more than outside investors are willing to put In. Does he want all his invested money back for instance? Does he want to remain on the board afterwards? We are told that no one has put their money where their mouth is, but we don't know what he is asking for. Other less attractive clubs get new owners from time to time, but we never seem to get anyone. I get that recent movement is probably down to outside investors looking at the bigger development opportunities that are being bandied about as a wider scheme of development is attracting people over and above just taking over the team. This is not a dig at JF at all because none of us know what acceptable looks like to himself and the rest of the board.

Quoted from rancido

But you still haven't named a successor or anybody remotely likely as a new owner. The benign loans suggests his pockets are certainly deeper than mine and more than likely yours.

Surely the point is that if you take fentys loans away,we dont actually need someone with deep pockets, as the club operates within its means, so could survive without him. We might even find people with money and/or ability coming forward if fenty departed the scene.fenty and his loans are a millstone round our neck as it stands

Quoted from fishboyUTM

The trust have a member on the board, therefore they are constitutionally required to publicly back any board decision irrespective of their own views. That's my understanding, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

They have 2 members on the board I believe and I assume they are free to vote any way they wish without pressure. Whether they do or not I don't know. Maybe the board are all genuinely in accord with each other. They do need to give the fans something to believe in pronto though, before they all give up and drift away.

Quoted from Rik e B

Fenty and The Yes Men.

Wasn't it Shane Fenty & The Fentones?

Big hit Moody Guy?

Quoted from rancido

OK, so JF says he'll write off the loans, sell his shares to whoever wants them, has no involvement with the club, walks totally away and then what? Where is this dynamic new owner with deep pockets willing to take over the club and run it for the benefit of the fans? Who will act as guarantor in the meantime if an owner isn't forthcoming immediately? There are so many concrete proposals on this site on what a lot of posters don't want but not one concrete, practical, legitimate and existing proposal that they do want.

If the scenario above happened, then ANYONE with business acumen, a vision and a willingness to engage with the fans could take on the club.  To start off with there would be no initial financial outlay, apart from £500 in shares to get onto the board. Obviously you would still have to be voted onto the board and voted as the chairman at an AGM.

You wouldn't need deep pockets to throw money into the club, at present it is run at break-even, so if the right person could grow the club then the money would be reinvested back into the club creating more growth and straight away we would be £200-250k a year better off as JFs loans wouldn't be hanging over the club.  At present, JF has a £325k debenture over the club as a guarantee, should there be a downturn in fortunes or unexpected outlay. If the club could achieve growth then they should eventually have retained earning which could be used as a safety net instead of a debenture. This is a long term plan to provide security for the club, so the alternative for a short term safety net would be to get a debenture off financial institutions, interest will have to be paid but this could be easily swept up by the extra £200-250, we are not paying JF each year.

All hypothetical, as JF, will not write off his loans. We should be a really attractive prospect, we have an extremely loyal fan base considering the last 20 years, we are underachieving, and could be playing higher up the pyramid.