Confirmed Fans Meeting on Sat 23rd March - are you interested?

[singe]

Can we have daily updates of ticekts sold like the excellent service provided by Billy!

[lookersstandandy]

2 hours ago, underdog said:

Dear all

 

Here is the link for agenda

 

https://trustoldham.co.uk/events/trust-fans-meeting/

 

We have all worked hard to pull this together, Andy B who post on here with regards to Agenda (there is a more detailed one..TBA), Darren on sourcing venue and a back up just in case.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Thanks Tracy.

 

As an exiled supporter [but Trust member] based in the South, I won't be able to attend in person. I would encourage anyone who can attend to do so. We need to be united and the Trust - whilst not perfect - is the best and only way we can possibly influence change.

 

I therefore thought it worthwhile posting on here - for you and @Andy b / everyone else reading - to see what I would raise under the outlined agenda points, if I were able to attend.

 

My concerns - What are they? And what do I want to see/hear from the Owner?

 

1. As much as I deplore our owner interfering in team selection and signing players above the manager/coaches heads, I feel this is for the owner and his chosen management/coaching team to address/agree a way forward that they collectively understand/accept. However, does our owner accept that such behaviour has been to the detriment of the team, his club and his relationship with former employees & its supporters. Will he therefore accept he has no alternative but to address/change his behaviour?

 

2. I am led to believe, despite our owners protestations, that there exists a growing/large number of creditors, which could include; The Landlords; Food/Drink Suppliers; Pitch Maintenance Companies; Energy Suppliers; Coach Companies, with bailiffs turning up at the club to repossess equipment. This follows earlier season stories of wages being paid late and Pension contributions for employees not being made. As a paying customer of his Limited company, I find this wholly unacceptable and an embarrassment. I consider the respectable treatment of employees/suppliers as a hygiene factor. Does he understand his responsibilities and severity of not carrying out his obligations?

 

3. Moreover, does he accept that any of these creditors could seek legal means from which to recover money owed, which could result in a winding up order? I have grave concerns - that if he can't afford the gas bill - HMRC will come knocking very soon, which could have much more serious consequences. Can he provide us with any assurances that he has provided the money to pay his Ltd company's Tax obligations?

 

4. We are obviously now aware - regardless of his proclamations about investing millions / £200k a month - that he is not an especially wealthy man. We are also led to believe that we are operating on a smaller budget than prior to his time. Partially influenced by being in a lower division. We are yet to see any company accounts posted that would tell us more about the finances of the club. We are however aware that OAFC2004 Ltd makes a loss every year. In normal Limited company circumstances, this is not sustainable. Is he covering that loss and writing it off every year until he can make it profitable? i.e Will he not saddle OAFC2004 Ltd with Director loans that it has to pay back if/when hes moves on?

 

5. The recent invitation from the club for supporters to put themselves forward as NEDs is tacit proof he accepts/understands there is discontent amongst the supporter base. In an attempt to address this/build bridges, will he answer - some longstanding - questions;

 

- What was/is his motivation for owning our football club? More specifically, why would a Moroccan football agent living in Dubai buy a struggling League One football club that didn’t own its land/ground, the only stand that has potential to earn non match day revenue and - if you take him at his word - move his family to a very cold & wet part of Northern Europe?

 

- Does he accept that the suspicion would be to farm his football agency [still managed by his other brother Omar] players through the club with his primary motivation being profit for his Agency, not success for Oldham Athletic. We would all be less concerned if both went in hand in hand. Does he accept his forays into the foreign player market have to date been largely unsuccessful? Is this making him question/assess his motives?

 

- Is it true his brother Mohamed has failed the FPP test on more than one occasion? In order to put our minds at rest that this isn't because of nefarious reasons, will he explain why?

 

- Does he accept that no Chief Exec, no effective Board of Directors [that aren't just fans] and therefore no engagement with the Trust, our Trust, our only formal representation with the club, one that owns 3% share, gives off the impression there is no structure and more importantly no Plan*.

 

*A Plan could/should include initiatives such as;

- Commit a budget toward the youth set up by increasing number/quality of coaches, extended the scouting network to find more 'domestic' kids/pick them up when discarded from bigger/wealthier clubs, which was designed to increase the number of 'domestic' players we can blood into the 1st team squad each year.

- Find a way to lease/rent the top floor of the Joe Royle Stand & using it for the benefit of supporters and to make a profit from which to add to club funds.

- Work closely with OACT and do some low cost advertising & hold events locally to encourage the populous of Oldham/Tameside to attend.

- Stability - assuming competence - in management appointments & recruitment (players with promise on 2/3 year contracts).

- The loan market was used sensibly, not a constant procession & revolving door.

- The #FrenchLads were limited in number each season and discernibly made a difference.

- Accepting we are a selling club, demonstrate a strategy to transfer policy. We held strong on assets - selling them for good money - to be able to reinvest some of the income on new players.

- Will you invest in a new pitch and upgrade/improve the training facilities?

 

Next Steps

 

I want him to accept an invitation from the Trust to be questioned/interviewed and there to be no limit on what can be asked, with the resulting answered published in full. I then want dialogue between him and the Trust to be regular and for both parties to work collaboratively, with the Trust allowed to communicate whatever they deem acceptable to the wider fan base.

Edited March 20, 2019 by lookersstandandy

[Diego_Sideburns]

Can't make because spending the weekend in Newport/Cardiff, without Latics being able to spoil it.

[oafcmetty]

Looks like the accounts have been submitted. Anything interesting in them?

[underdog]

3 hours ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

Thanks Tracy.

 

As an exiled supporter [but Trust member] based in the South, I won't be able to attend in person. I would encourage anyone who can attend to do so. We need to be united and the Trust - whilst not perfect - is the best and only way we can possibly influence change.

 

I therefore thought it worthwhile posting on here - for you and @Andy b / everyone else reading - to see what I would raise under the outlined agenda points, if I were able to attend.

 

My concerns - What are they? And what do I want to see/hear from the Owner?

 

1. As much as I deplore our owner interfering in team selection and signing players above the manager/coaches heads, I feel this is for the owner and his chosen management/coaching team to address/agree a way forward that they collectively understand/accept. However, does our owner accept that such behaviour has been to the detriment of the team, his club and his relationship with former employees & its supporters. Will he therefore accept he has no alternative but to address/change his behaviour?

 

2. I am led to believe, despite our owners protestations, that there exists a growing/large number of creditors, which could include; The Landlords; Food/Drink Suppliers; Pitch Maintenance Companies; Energy Suppliers; Coach Companies, with bailiffs turning up at the club to repossess equipment. This follows earlier season stories of wages being paid late and Pension contributions for employees not being made. As a paying customer of his Limited company, I find this wholly unacceptable and an embarrassment. I consider the respectable treatment of employees/suppliers as a hygiene factor. Does he understand his responsibilities and severity of not carrying out his obligations?

 

3. Moreover, does he accept that any of these creditors could seek legal means from which to recover money owed, which could result in a winding up order? I have grave concerns - that if he can't afford the gas bill - HMRC will come knocking very soon, which could have much more serious consequences. Can he provide us with any assurances that he has provided the money to pay his Ltd company's Tax obligations?

 

4. We are obviously now aware - regardless of his proclamations about investing millions / £200k a month - that he is not an especially wealthy man. We are also led to believe that we are operating on a smaller budget than prior to his time. Partially influenced by being in a lower division. We are yet to see any company accounts posted that would tell us more about the finances of the club. We are however aware that OAFC2004 Ltd makes a loss every year. In normal Limited company circumstances, this is not sustainable. Is he covering that loss and writing it off every year until he can make it profitable? i.e Will he not saddle OAFC2004 Ltd with Director loans that it has to pay back if/when hes moves on?

 

5. The recent invitation from the club for supporters to put themselves forward as NEDs is tacit proof he accepts/understands there is discontent amongst the supporter base. In an attempt to address this/build bridges, will he answer - some longstanding - questions;

 

- What was/is his motivation for owning our football club? More specifically, why would a Moroccan football agent living in Dubai buy a struggling League One football club that didn’t own its land/ground, the only stand that has potential to earn non match day revenue and - if you take him at his word - move his family to a very cold & wet part of Northern Europe?

 

- Does he accept that the suspicion would be to farm his football agency [still managed by his other brother Omar] players through the club with his primary motivation being profit for his Agency, not success for Oldham Athletic. We would all be less concerned if both went in hand in hand. Does he accept his forays into the foreign player market have to date been largely unsuccessful? Is this making him question/assess his motives?

 

- Is it true his brother Mohamed has failed the FPP test on more than one occasion? In order to put our minds at rest that this isn't because of nefarious reasons, will he explain why?

 

- Does he accept that no Chief Exec, no effective Board of Directors [that aren't just fans] and therefore no engagement with the Trust, our Trust, our only formal representation with the club, one that owns 3% share, gives off the impression there is no structure and more importantly no Plan*.

 

*A Plan could/should include initiatives such as;

- Commit a budget toward the youth set up by increasing number/quality of coaches, extended the scouting network to find more 'domestic' kids/pick them up when discarded from bigger/wealthier clubs, which was designed to increase the number of 'domestic' players we can blood into the 1st team squad each year.

- Find a way to lease/rent the top floor of the Joe Royle Stand & using it for the benefit of supporters and to make a profit from which to add to club funds.

- Work closely with OACT and do some low cost advertising & hold events locally to encourage the populous of Oldham/Tameside to attend.

- Stability - assuming competence - in management appointments & recruitment (players with promise on 2/3 year contracts).

- The loan market was used sensibly, not a constant procession & revolving door.

- The #FrenchLads were limited in number each season and discernibly made a difference.

- Accepting we are a selling club, demonstrate a strategy to transfer policy. We held strong on assets - selling them for good money - to be able to reinvest some of the income on new players.

- Will you invest in a new pitch and upgrade/improve the training facilities?

 

Next Steps

 

I want him to accept an invitation from the Trust to be questioned/interviewed and there to be no limit on what can be asked, with the resulting answered published in full. I then want dialogue between him and the Trust to be regular and for both parties to work collaboratively, with the Trust allowed to communicate whatever they deem acceptable to the wider fan base.

Bloody hell Andy, I log out and go shopping for a few hours and wham.....

 

I was hoping it was a meeting to establish our next steps, this is a whole new meeting itself. Excellent by the way.

 

 

 

 

[lookersstandandy]

35 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

Looks like the accounts have been submitted. Anything interesting in them?

 

Have they? I can't find it, still says the following;

Accounts

Next accounts made up to 27 June 2018 due by 27 March 2019

Last accounts made up to 30 June 2017

 

....and the following charge(s) are still outstanding;

 

Charges

 

Status Outstanding

Persons entitled Necarcu Limited

 

Status Outstanding

Persons entitled Brass Bank Limited

 

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by lookersstandandy

[oafcmetty]

I was sent them via whatsapp (seriously!). I'll find out where they were downloaded from.

[singe]

21 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

I was sent them via whatsapp (seriously!). I'll find out where they were downloaded from.

Yeah nothing yet, last entry was 21st Feb. 

These next ones should be interesting ones, shouldn't they! 

[oafcmetty]

Yeah it was the ones posted last September - my bad

[underdog]

3 minutes ago, oafcmetty said:

Yeah it was the ones posted last September - my bad

you had us all excited.....

 

[kowenicki'smoustache]

The current situation with the owner has really brought it home to me what Latics have meant to me over the years. I saw my first game in 1972. I was a season ticket holder for some years before departing for London in 1983 (I contrived to miss virtually all of the good times!). I started going with my Dad. He passed away 18 months ago and I'm sure that I can hear him spinning in his urn!

 

My job as a publican has meant that opportunities to watch games have been very few and far between. I probably make 1 or 2 home games and 4 or 5 away games each year.

 

It seems to me that now is the time to choose whether we want a club or not. If we do then this fella has to go. We've had some bad 'uns before, but this bloke's setting new standards.

 

Anyway, for once in my life I'm going get of my ample backside and make an effort to contribute to the cause. I have booked a train ticket and hotel, and I'm going to attend. I look forward to meeting you all and to finding a constructive and positive way forward...

Edited March 22, 2019 by kowenicki'smoustache

[yarddog73]

6 minutes ago, kowenicki'smoustache said:

The current situation with the owner has really brought it home to me what Latics have meant to me over the years. I saw my first game in 1972. I was a season ticket holder for some years before departing for London in 1983 (I contrived to miss virtually all of the good times!). I started going with my Dad. He passed away 18 months ago and I'm sure that I can here him spinning in his urn!

 

My job as a publican has meant that opportunities to watch games have been very few and far between. I probably make 1 or 2 home games and 4 or 5 away games each year.

 

It seems to me that now is the time to choose whether we want a club or not. If we do then this fella has to go. We've had some bad 'uns before, but this bloke's setting new standards.

 

Anyway, for once in my life I'm going get of my ample backside and make an effort to contribute to the cause. I have booked a train ticket and hotel, and I'm going to attend. I look forward to meeting you all and to finding a constructive and positive way forward...

[underdog]

4 hours ago, singe said:

Yeah nothing yet, last entry was 21st Feb. 

These next ones should be interesting ones, shouldn't they! 

due on 27th March...

[underdog]

11 minutes ago, kowenicki'smoustache said:

The current situation with the owner has really brought it home to me what Latics have meant to me over the years. I saw my first game in 1972. I was a season ticket holder for some years before departing for London in 1983 (I contrived to miss virtually all of the good times!). I started going with my Dad. He passed away 18 months ago and I'm sure that I can here him spinning in his urn!

 

My job as a publican has meant that opportunities to watch games have been very few and far between. I probably make 1 or 2 home games and 4 or 5 away games each year.

 

It seems to me that now is the time to choose whether we want a club or not. If we do then this fella has to go. We've had some bad 'uns before, but this bloke's setting new standards.

 

Anyway, for once in my life I'm going get of my ample backside and make an effort to contribute to the cause. I have booked a train ticket and hotel, and I'm going to attend. I look forward to meeting you all and to finding a constructive and positive way forward...

Excellent... we all do what we can, we all support in many, many ways

 

Please make yourself know. I will be there as many other Trust people.

 

 

[Andy b]

14 minutes ago, kowenicki'smoustache said:

The current situation with the owner has really brought it home to me what Latics have meant to me over the years. I saw my first game in 1972. I was a season ticket holder for some years before departing for London in 1983 (I contrived to miss virtually all of the good times!). I started going with my Dad. He passed away 18 months ago and I'm sure that I can here him spinning in his urn!

 

My job as a publican has meant that opportunities to watch games have been very few and far between. I probably make 1 or 2 home games and 4 or 5 away games each year.

 

It seems to me that now is the time to choose whether we want a club or not. If we do then this fella has to go. We've had some bad 'uns before, but this bloke's setting new standards.

 

Anyway, for once in my life I'm going get of my ample backside and make an effort to contribute to the cause. I have booked a train ticket and hotel, and I'm going to attend. I look forward to meeting you all and to finding a constructive and positive way forward...

Well done that man/woman

[singe]

8 hours ago, underdog said:

due on 27th March...

I'll believe it when I see it! 

[yarddog73]

The plot thickens.

 

https://trustoldham.co.uk/news-announcements/trust-oldham-elected-representative-to-the-board-of-oldham-athletic/

[Andy b]

39 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

The plot thickens.

 

https://trustoldham.co.uk/news-announcements/trust-oldham-elected-representative-to-the-board-of-oldham-athletic/

To be clear, this resignation came last week and before Saturday’s meet had been confirmed. 

 

It has no bearing on the trust’s position regarding the current situation at the club as expressed through various channels

over the last 7 days. 

 

See you on Saturday.

 

[OAFC1958 South]

The outcome of any feedback to Lemasgram has to be improved, accurate, relevant and more frequent feedback to the fans. Do not underestimate either the different business culture he is used to compared to UK. He maybe frustrated as we all are as he is not used to or understand this reaction. Communication is critical not just ignoring one channel designed to do just that - the Trust - and setting up a Non Executive Board role. Good communication will reduce the rumours which often have a negative impact on all of us.

[ghostofcecere]

3 hours ago, Andy b said:

To be clear, this resignation came last week and before Saturday’s meet had been confirmed. 

 

It has no bearing on the trust’s position regarding the current situation at the club as expressed through various channels

over the last 7 days. 

 

See you on Saturday.

 

I hope a replacement can be appointed quickly, the Trust has real momentum at the moment and it needs capitalising on. Also I feel a Trust figurehead is required during negotiations over the purchase from Brassbank.

[singe]

12 minutes ago, OAFC1958 South said:

The outcome of any feedback to Lemasgram has to be improved, accurate, relevant and more frequent feedback to the fans. Do not underestimate either the different business culture he is used to compared to UK. He maybe frustrated as we all are as he is not used to or understand this reaction. Communication is critical not just ignoring one channel designed to do just that - the Trust - and setting up a Non Executive Board role. Good communication will reduce the rumours which often have a negative impact on all of us.

https://trustoldham.co.uk/events/trust-fans-meeting/

[OAFC1958 South]

2 minutes ago, singe said:

https://trustoldham.co.uk/events/trust-fans-meeting/

Perfect..I had no access to site as  blocked - Joined Trust last night.  Can't attend as away but will try to support future events

[underdog]

1 hour ago, ghostofcecere said:

I hope a replacement can be appointed quickly, the Trust has real momentum at the moment and it needs capitalising on. Also I feel a Trust figurehead is required during negotiations over the purchase from Brassbank.

Hello Ghost

 

Trust have advised owner of the change and who is the contact in the meantime. Due process will follow with regards to those nominations

 

Trust have varied skill set and with regards to the fan led buyout, we have a nominated person who will be the contact for this venture 

 

Thanks

[latics22]

28 minutes ago, underdog said:

Hello Ghost

 

Trust have advised owner of the change and who is the contact in the meantime. Due process will follow with regards to those nominations

 

Trust have varied skill set and with regards to the fan led buyout, we have a nominated person who will be the contact for this venture 

 

Thanks

When u say advised, is that spoken word? Or email or via billy at the ticket office

[singe]

12 minutes ago, latics22 said:

When u say advised, is that spoken word? Or email or via billy at the ticket office

Carrier pigeon. Why does the method matter? We know communication has been a struggle for some time with him and the previous owner.