Supporters Trust Fund Raising

[Brooksiders Return!!]

In a recent article in a local (un-named for fear of censorship) newspaper, Anthony Hampson said that the Supporters Trust should be raising funds for the club "like other Supporters Trusts do" 

Well its interesting to read this article about fund raising by Hartlepool Supporters Trust.

supportersdirect.sharein.com/invest/901

Their team is in danger of folding, but read carefully what the plans of the Supporters Trust are, in particular the section which reads

In December 2017 the Hartlepool United Supporters Trust members voted to commence fundraising activities to build a fund to safeguard the long-term survival of the football. The potential uses of the fund need to be fluid with so many uncertainties and scenarios. It could help sustain the club until the end of the season, buying us time to pave the way for a community share offer and/or to find partners who are willing to invest with us. It could provide us with the money we need to take the club out of administration, or even worse reform the club.

We won’t commit this money until we have confidence that its use will result in a sustainable future for our club with direct fan involvement. All donations will be held in a ring fenced bank account and only used for this purpose.

 A Supporters Trust is NOT a cash cow to throw good money, raised by supporters, into a bottomless pit with no plans for the future. A Supporters Trust raises funds to safeguard a clubs future, for the benefit of its supporters, and if that means funds to buy out of administration, or to reform, then at least its a plan. 

If the Board of WCFC were open to sharing their plans for the future, in the form of a business plan, complete with a detailed financial overview, in readiness for proper due diligence, then the Supporters Trust could raise funds in line with the plan. One day, football directors will wake up to the fact that Supporters Trusts aren't the same as Supporters Clubs, and they're not the enemy. They don't have plans to "takeover" clubs, merely to provide a constitutional platform, involving community ownership, that can generate revenues, and secure a longer term future for the club  and its supporters. 

[Fred]

Jan 25, 2018 10:54:29 GMT Brooksiders Return!! said:

In a recent article in a local (un-named for fear of censorship) newspaper, Anthony Hampson said that the Supporters Trust should be raising funds for the club "like other Supporters Trusts do" 

Well its interesting to read this article about fund raising by Hartlepool Supporters Trust.

supportersdirect.sharein.com/invest/901

Their team is in danger of folding, but read carefully what the plans of the Supporters Trust are, in particular the section which reads

In December 2017 the Hartlepool United Supporters Trust members voted to commence fundraising activities to build a fund to safeguard the long-term survival of the football. The potential uses of the fund need to be fluid with so many uncertainties and scenarios. It could help sustain the club until the end of the season, buying us time to pave the way for a community share offer and/or to find partners who are willing to invest with us. It could provide us with the money we need to take the club out of administration, or even worse reform the club.

We won’t commit this money until we have confidence that its use will result in a sustainable future for our club with direct fan involvement. All donations will be held in a ring fenced bank account and only used for this purpose.

 A Supporters Trust is NOT a cash cow to throw good money, raised by supporters, into a bottomless pit with no plans for the future. A Supporters Trust raises funds to safeguard a clubs future, for the benefit of its supporters, and if that means funds to buy out of administration, or to reform, then at least its a plan. 

If the Board of WCFC were open to sharing their plans for the future, in the form of a business plan, complete with a detailed financial overview, in readiness for proper due diligence, then the Supporters Trust could raise funds in line with the plan. One day, football directors will wake up to the fact that Supporters Trusts aren't the same as Supporters Clubs, and they're not the enemy. They don't have plans to "takeover" clubs, merely to provide a constitutional platform, involving community ownership, that can generate revenues, and secure a longer term future for the club  and its supporters. 

So Jem, what is the answer ?

[Brooksiders Return!!]

Well, the Supporters Trust have asked the question on many occasions, but have not been given any answers. The reality is that, unless anyone is fully aware of the full financial and operational situation at the club (and the only people who know this are the Board), then there can be no answer.
Chris Musgrave finally got access to the finances at Hartlepool, and after due diligence, he pulled out. The ST, via Supporters Direct as an independent advisor, did request visibility as part of a due diligence process after an email from Hampson to the ST saying "you'd better be ready to takeover" (sic) , but we were refused access!
So, having done what we can do to prepare for a future i.e. prepare a home for a premium football club in Worcester, and put a framework in place for a ready made constitution, there's little else that can be done. If the Board don't see our vision as the way forward, we can't force anyone to do anything.

The point is , Hampson is wrong, a Supporters Trust role is not to continually prop up a failing business, particularly if the business is going to remain as it is, and continue failing. Hartlepool Supporters Trust are doing the right thing, and hopefully their fund raising can be used to build a future, and if thats a new club, then c'est la vie. Wouldn't it be great if the money from the sale of SGL had been ring fenced in some way? Maybe dispersed to a subsidiary or holding company (a bit like Hallmarks plans when he helped set up Worcester City Stadium Ltd.), instead it has been used simply to fund operational losses.

[alwaysnextyear]

Well said and spot on Henry.

[Brooksiders Return!!]

No-one is listening though, no-one ever does. All the Board are doing now is doing exactly the same as they've done for the last God knows how many years, but just in a lower division. Lower outgoings, but also lower incomes, but hopefully a lower level of loss per year. That plan might just keep the club afloat until the saviour of Parsonage Way happens. It's Nunnery Way all over again. I wonder what Worcester City Council will think of the clubs business plan!

[cogg]

There is a plan ?

[Brooksiders Return!!]

That IS the plan, there's nothing more......

I estimate that the club will lose £50k in FY18, which will be hailed as a success

[Noboddy aka Lord Ealing]

Why wait for a plan from Hampson? It isn't going to happen. Surely it's time to side step this nonsense and start AFC Worcester St George, and create a side that will play in the Faithful City?