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#ReclaimTheTrust


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Long Trust statement incoming.

IMHO it's time to reclaim the Trust and get back to it's orignal ideals. It needs to hold the owner firmly to account, the 3% allows a view of the Management accounts, very rare in football. With the FSA it can put more pressure on the owner.

A pincer movment of Push the Boundary & The Trust, one with the legal framework, and one no burdened by it can be powerful.

The fightback starts now.

If it can't be won, then it should fold.

It's Last Chance Saloon.

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1 minute ago, GlossopLatic said:

What will save the trust is it just bodies or is it a particular strategy or what? 

CAn't speak for anyone , or anyone on the Trust Board, but I'd imagine getting out of the coma nd off life support.

I'd say.

1) Respond to the Trust FSA survey, so the steer is clear

2) Vote to elect for those that are a) Going to challenge the OAFC Board b) abide by the FSA survey results

3) Get the house in order so coups, and wayward voting cannot happen again

4) Begin to focus on getting legal access rights to OAFC documentation, and legal lettes if need be

4a) Work on coherest comms strategy

5) Start building up a bit of a slush fund

6) Work on the ACV

7) Start outling the longer term objectives to be put to members.

 

Be interested to see what you think it needs to rebuil it's shatttered reputation.

 

#ReclaimTheTrust

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I totally understand that the lads behind PTB don't want to get involved with the Trust but with the resignations today, I think they should join forces strongly or even apply to be running the Trust as a pressure group now. It's quite obvious that the 3% that allows the Trust a place on the board is hanging by a thread now and the club have (from my observations) just fobbed them off or played for time with them, clearly because they view them as a pretty powerless group of individuals.

 

They have all the skills in communications to make a real success of it. Just being a pressure group on its own just doesn't carry enough influence IMO but with the Trust being officially recognised by both the club AND governing bodies in football then the PTB gents running it would be invaluable to the supporters.

 

I know it'll probably be a 'no' from them but AL and his cronies will escalate the total dismantling of any scrutiny with the Trust out of the way.

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6 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Keep seeing this give it to the PTB lads. Why would they fare any 'better' ?


whether they would or not in terms of results or the club giving them time of day is debatable but they at least ask the searching questions, don’t accept the first (wishy washy) answers and actively engage with and seek the thoughts of the fans they claim to represent.

 

 

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10 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Keep seeing this give it to the PTB lads. Why would they fare any 'better' ?

They have asked the questions that have been raised by supporters and have put them to the club. PTB acts on behalf of all supporters, not just those who are members of the Trust and irrespective of whether they choose to still attend games or not.    

 

The club has responded (not always with any clarity) and the PTB lads have communicated this response in full to supporters and on a timely basis. 

 

PTB are not bound to the club by any non disclosure agreements (as Trust has been at least in part throughout its history), nor does it have a defined constitution that maybe restricts what it can or cannot do. 

 

The club can continue to reject to engage fully with its supporters (that is its prerogative) and in essence supporters may not be fully garnished with the truth but at least PTB are seeking to increase awareness of the way the club is being run, however the club should respect that supporters are the lifeblood of the club and have a right to ask some potentially awkward questions.

          

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3 minutes ago, unsworth blue said:

They have asked the questions that have been raised by supporters and have put them to the club. PTB acts on behalf of all supporters, not just those who are members of the Trust and irrespective of whether they choose to still attend games or not.    

 

The club has responded (not always with any clarity) and the PTB lads have communicated this response in full to supporters and on a timely basis. 

 

PTB are not bound to the club by any non disclosure agreements (as Trust has been at least in part throughout its history), nor does it have a defined constitution that maybe restricts what it can or cannot do. 

 

The club can continue to reject to engage fully with its supporters (that is its prerogative) and in essence supporters may not be fully garnished with the truth but at least PTB are seeking to increase awareness of the way the club is being run, however the club should respect that supporters are the lifeblood of the club and have a right to ask some potentially awkward questions.

          

Is that what we want the Trust to be, a glorified protest group?

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14 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Is that what we want the Trust to be, a glorified protest group?


why does asking searching questions and expecting or at least asking for clear, concise answers have to be any kind of protest group.

 

the protest last year was carried out because the club failed to engage, following it they did to what degree of success is debatable.

 

do I want the trust to be a protest group - no not in so much as that is all it is but I do agree with pushing with more action when traditional ways are in vain.

 

PTB communicate and actively seek opinions of supporters 

They are open to asking for feedback and suggestions for improvements 

they are open and transparent to the supporters

they ask searching answers of the club (no one can force the club to answer)

they then seek to demonstrate by means of protest if necessary (and not taken lightly) but again consult with fans as much as they can before such action - and yes not everyone is on here or Twitter but you do what you can.

 

At the very least they do what the Trust should (was meant to do) just without the 3% to their name.

 

Also if the club had anyone with any marketing sense the season ticket survey PTB conducted would not only have been done by the club but acknowledged and acted upon 

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Like most I have very little faith in the Trust. But I’m not sure how PTB will achieve more than just being better at asking questions and communicating non-answers from the club. I mean, maybe that’s credit enough to give them a shot at leading, but I doubt in the long run it’ll produce any better results. 

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57 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Is that what we want the Trust to be, a glorified protest group?

Not necessarily, i would think most supporters would welcome The Trust being a group that holds the owners to account and, where possible praise any area in which the club appears to be showing improvement or at least committing to improvement.    

 

There would be no need for PTB or any protest group if the owners (whoever they may be) operated the club in an open and accountable manner. 

 

If you look at the correspondence from PTB, they do actually praise the club in despatches and have always acknowledged any attempt by the club to engage (no matter how successful that may have been). 

 

We all saw what happened at Bury - they had a Trust (Forever Bury) who had both a bigger shareholding and bigger membership than Latics, their supporters' Trust never offered any legitimate challenge to any issues arising at Bury (and there were many) and just meekly backed what the owner said - in truth it is still happening now even though BFC has been expelled from the EFL and a Phoenix Club born to try and carry the town's name in football. 

 

    

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3 hours ago, Crusoe said:

Like most I have very little faith in the Trust. But I’m not sure how PTB will achieve more than just being better at asking questions and communicating non-answers from the club. I mean, maybe that’s credit enough to give them a shot at leading, but I doubt in the long run it’ll produce any better results. 

Maybe  not Crusoe but at least they have tried to lead and represent the views of supporters who have become increasingly disenchanted with the way the club is being run. 

 

Unless the owner changes his behaviour in terms of the way he chooses to run the club, then ultimately i suspect we are all hostages to fortune. All us fans can do is to ask the right questions/register their disapproval (where relevant) and choose whatever actions they feel necessary. The ultimate sanction from a supporter's perspective is to withdraw their support from the club - many have already done this over the years, sadly it looks like a good number will do so again this season (judging by responses PTB received from their Fan Survey in February/March.)

 

Those who have chosen not to follow next season may yet be enticed back if the owner shows positive signs of running the club in a manner more conducive to the 6 Fan Expectations that the Trust come up with in March 2019, however i suspect the longer it takes for supporters to be enticed back, the less likely it will be that they will come back. 

 

   

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9 minutes ago, unsworth blue said:

Maybe  not Crusoe but at least they have tried to lead and represent the views of supporters who have become increasingly disenchanted with the way the club is being run. 


You are quite right. But I’m still unsure that just being better at articulating views, as they undoubtedly are, makes any real difference in the long run.

 

Edit: Though I admit that may say more about my cynicism than anything else. 

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4 hours ago, singe said:

If the Trust is to be given a final chance to make full use of the 3%, what should it focus on?

 

Current Trust Oldham Directors and new people joining the team need to be aware that this isn't simply an opportunity for a  'fresh start', the Trust is in effect starting miles behind were it would like to be with regard to its standing with our supporters

 

There will be lots of good work already in place with regard to operating and financial procedures and good governance practise which supporters simply don't get to see.

 

The key principles of the Trust still hold water and will need little if any change.

 

It must not give an inch regarding the foothold achieved regarding viewing the Clubs accounts and its seat on the board

 

There will be a number of supporters with experience and skills that would benefit the Trust that will not volunteer because of the abuse Trust Directors have had to experience so it may well be worth considering an 'operating team' that stays out of the limelight that reports into the Trust Board Directors.

 

The Trust will only start to gradually win back the trust (sorry) of an increasing number of our supporters if it is prepared to open itself up and be totally transparent

 

Some simple and easy suggestions for an 'open book' policy to help get some traction with our supporters would be:

 

  • Minutes from meetings published within 48 hours
  • Announcements / Comments on 'Club issues' within 12 hours of notification (Manager dismissals etc)
  • Membership numbers - monthly. Why the secrecy ?
  • Hospitality benefits received - monthly
  • Expenditure - monthly

If the Trust are prepared to embrace an 'open book' policy it would remove any doubts in supporters minds and should reduce differences of opinion to mainly  football matters

 

Additionally I would suggest that one of the PtB lads should have a guest seat at Trust Board meetings as there is no conflict of interest and would only add to the transparency

 

:chubb:  

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Some intersting and valid points there tGWB, can I  comment?

 

8 minutes ago, tGWB said:

 

Current Trust Oldham Directors and new people joining the team need to be aware that this isn't simply an opportunity for a  'fresh start', the Trust is in effect starting miles behind were it would like to be with regard to its standing with our supporters

Agree

 

There will be lots of good work already in place with regard to operating and financial procedures and good governance practise which supporters simply don't get to see.

 I think the minutes show this is not the case. Agree it is important, so should be a priority, but not a major feature to distract members

 

8 minutes ago, tGWB said:

The key principles of the Trust still hold water and will need little if any change.

I don't know how I  feel about the 6 key points, and so so agree focus on your next pne

It must not give an inch regarding the foothold achieved regarding viewing the Clubs accounts and its seat on the board

 

There will be a number of supporters with experience and skills that would benefit the Trust that will not volunteer because of the abuse Trust Directors have had to experience so it may well be worth considering an 'operating team' that stays out of the limelight that reports into the Trust Board Directors.

See above re governence etc, but it directly contradicts the next sentence, even though I agre with your point.

The Trust will only start to gradually win back the trust (sorry) of an increasing number of our supporters if it is prepared to open itself up and be totally transparent

Agree

Some simple and easy suggestions for an 'open book' policy to help get some traction with our supporters would be:

 

  • Minutes from meetings published within 48 hours
  • Announcements / Comments on 'Club issues' within 12 hours of notification (Manager dismissals etc)
  • Membership numbers - monthly. Why the secrecy ?
  • Hospitality benefits received - monthly
  • Expenditure - monthly

If the Trust are prepared to embrace an 'open book' policy it would remove any doubts in supporters minds and should reduce differences of opinion to mainly  football matters

 

Additionally I would suggest that one of the PtB lads should have a guest seat at Trust Board meetings as there is no conflict of interest and would only add to the transparency

Nice idea, would they agree? Only downside is "bad actors" trying to drive division making something of it, but agree in principle.

 

:chubb:  

 

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9 minutes ago, singe said:

Some interesting and valid points there tGWB, can I  comment?

 

 

You should have said in advance you was going to mark suggestions singe

 

Do I get a 'smiley face' or 'must do better'

 

Only kidding, was a just a few thoughts.

 

A flag waving, trumpet blazing relaunch would be a disaster with supporters as it would get a shrug of the shoulders at best and more likely a "here we go again"

 

The FSA audit / inspection would obviously need digesting but from a distance I would think some tweaks not full rewrites of procedures and policies

 

The Trust should push hard on a small number of priorities like building on the achievement of access to the clubs financials and making better use of the seat on the board

 

Taking up too many workstreams will only sink it

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2 hours ago, tGWB said:

 

You should have said in advance you was going to mark suggestions singe

 

Do I get a 'smiley face' or 'must do better'

 

Only kidding, was a just a few thoughts.

 

A flag waving, trumpet blazing relaunch would be a disaster with supporters as it would get a shrug of the shoulders at best and more likely a "here we go again"

 

The FSA audit / inspection would obviously need digesting but from a distance I would think some tweaks not full rewrites of procedures and policies

 

The Trust should push hard on a small number of priorities like building on the achievement of access to the clubs financials and making better use of the seat on the board

 

Taking up too many workstreams will only sink it

I think we are pretty much on the same page.
 

(You got an A but the government algorithm change it to B+)

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49 minutes ago, singe said:

I think we are pretty much on the same page.
 

(You got an A but the government algorithm change it to B+)


😂👏

 

Trust members survey launched today so hopefully that will help 

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