I'm ok with the financial side of it. I just can't see what the fan's rep will offer.
Will they represent me personally any more than MC does now?

If the fans want a representative on the board why not join the ST?
1000 extra club 1873 is far from simple, after all we have only encouraged 200 to join the ST (i think thats right?)

Because being a member of the BoD is a privilege most earn through direct investment. We don't have that cash - would you give us it to buy shares? - but we can work as field troops for the club in generating more support for club 1873 - which is producing dividends already in the young players coming through at our club.

Win win win all the way!

Without someone on the BoD, are we happy to let the club continue in its own direction and then live with the consequences if it all goes pear-shaped once again (not that there are signs of that currently). If you support the idea of the Trust and its prupose, then please support this campaign - you'll be helping the club at the same time and, in particular, the junior development side we all wish to see flourish!

Isn't it simply that most clubs see the lottery side of running a club as a very good, reliable income stream, apart from special circumstances people tend not to throw out, I'd see it as a means to an end, more regular money to the club, one person sitting on the board (who inevitably will end up as secretive as any other board member) so really nothing changes apart from more income.

But we have not pushed the ST as much as we could / should to date as we seemed to be going nowhere under AG/JE. Now we have a real chance to become involved and we will work to push those numbers higher from hereon in.

We are not limited to ST members either, we will be working with the club to push this out to all last years season ticket holders.

The numbers being targeted are approximately at the level they peaked at previously - therefore this is far from an impossible task - tough maybe, but not impossible.

You will see changes in the Trust and the way we operate over the coming months - trying to give some value back for membership.

So you don't think that we would have been able to see the position the club was heading for under AG if we had someone on the BoD?

Yes, the person sitting on the BoD will have certain 'responsibilities' but that includes ensuring the protection of the interests of supporters. As long as I can remember supporters have considered themselves to be the 'poor relation' at the club. We can't guarantee that we can change everything, but we would be in there trying - on our behalf!

Must admit jinjer that also worries me. If we ever get to that position it will be an interesting dilemma.
Personally I would like the person to spend no more than one season and preferably less on the board
followed by quite a long period before they could go back on.

What if that person was doing a fantastic job for both supporters and the progression of the club?
Would you end all that because their year of tenure was up?

The Trust generally works in 2 year cycles, but yes, it should be rotated and there should be a 'fallow' period.

The representative will report back to the ST committee on a regular basis.

The club will have the option of 'veto' in the case that there is someone put forward that they feel they can't work with.

I completely agree with the additional revenue jinj, i just don't see it as 1) being possible 2) being value for money or 3) unachievable by any other means.
As i said initially I'm all for the extra income (that is a no brainer for a club like ours) but 1000 extra club 1873 members is huge more than double what we already have, and we already have the ones that wanted in - so doubly difficult IMO.
1000 x £2 x 52 weeks is £104,000.00 according to my calculator, if an invester came in with a fraction of this amount of long term investment, I'm sure they would be on the board, i dont think this has been though about, if anything this is being massively undersold.
A 1000 extra ST member i would say deserves a voice, why not this?

Jesus Christ - some people on here have the permanent demeanour of a bloke who's dropped a quid and found tuppence!

How on earth can a scheme that a) massively increases the money available for youth development and b) finally gets a supporters rep on the BoD, be seen as anything other than a positive thing?!

If the ST had half a million quid in the bank, I'm sure they would buy shares and achieve a seat in the normal way, but since very few people could be d to join, they haven't; ergo, they can't.

Workaround it may be, but I'm quite content that it achieves a win-win; properly administered, packaging 1873 and ST membership is a positive thing. Fair do's.

I dont think that members have not received value, i think you all do a fine job, i just don't see it as anything more than a supporters club - and a good one at that.
I joined up on day one, certificate number eight but i joined up as a supporter, i fail to see what (for example) the ST could have done had they had a place on the board prior to our last collapse.
I know you may see it differently, and i mean no disrespect at all, i just can't see why?

We have lived and breathed these proposals for months, and yes, we understand the values involved.

1873 NEEDS to be 2,000 members to be viable in the long term (after administration costs etc). This way the club get something - without the need for capital - and it will hopefully be ongoing and to all our benefit.

1,000 ST members = £10k max (after concessions and legal expenses etc). It's a tidy sum, but small compared to what other directors put in. Our intention long term would still be to convert that to shares where we can, but in the meantime we think it best to run with this.

We are not in control here, we can suggest and discuss, but Michael has the last say as he owns the vast majority of shares.

I am genuinely struggling with the negativity on here after all the hard work put in. If we'd had this offer 2.5 years ago we may not be in the mess we are!

I'll grasp the nettle as a tuppence finder.
increased revenue - no brainer, why should it be linked to a place on the board? I see no common denominator between club 1873 and the ST.
If the ST had half a million in the bank it would have earned its right to be on the board because it had status, something due to low numbers it lacks now, sadly.
At risk of soundink like a recently departed poster, apologies for having an opinion! (just not meant so sanctimoniously)
Certainly dont want to derail anyones efforts, I'll leave it there as being unnecessarily negative or perceived to be at least serves no puropse, but I'm out.