SUFC Supporters Trust

[Kopped]

There will be more transparency when the minutes from the Meeting next week are posted on here.

You will then see for yourselves what BIFF actually does for the fans. It's no good shooting at something you don't know about.

How about a bit of patience and see where we can go forward with BIFF. Maybe the Supporters Trust is actually BIFF, only members can tell you whether they are or not. S24SU is now Affiliated with BIFF and I'm sure both are hoping for a long successful relationship with plenty of input from YOU, The Fans!

This is what you all want isn't it? A say, someone to listen to you and take your thoughts forward to the powers that can make that difference. I believe BIFF is your Voice now, and they have put their heads in the noose.

Of course, if it fails, BIFF will be in the firing line, will they not?

Just use a little patience and you're questions will be answered to the best of their ability.

 

[Vancouver]

Leadership, we need.

It's you len, why can't you see it? Your attendance at the AGM is vital to thhe future of the club.

In addition, I reckon everybody at BIFF would stand aside and let you run it properly and if a Supporters'Trust were to get off the ground, with board representation, well, that would be the end of comical comments, as len takes over the reins!

Let's not get ahead of oursleves though, first things first, will you be at the AGM, taking the clueless, useless self-made millionaire board members to task?

Not sure it makes that much sense having a pig fan representing the Blades.

 

[Linz]

One interesting thing that comes out of this is the need for greater transparency. But having a fan representative on the board will not give you that.

Anything that's said in a board meeting is confidential unless agreed otherwise. The club isn't just going to let someone sit on the board and report to the wider world EVERYTHING that is said because while the fans might be being kept in the loop, it could be detrimental to the football club as a whole.

 

[bartman]

And in the 2000s we did so well with the City running the show. Except this time, there's nobody fighting back....

So we fucked up in the late 70's due to the Unions...Labour in charge

and we fucked up in the 2000's due to the City running the show...Labour in charge.

Just trying to work out the common demoninator ?

 

[beightonblade]

I don't even tell our gert what i'm up too !

 

[super_pig]

>Just trying to work out the common demoninator ?
amen.

 

[de g.]

Is this the first time that any sane person has agreed with Lenners?

BIFF is a different beast - it's basically a customer forum going by the details on the earlier thread. It's a good idea - but it doesn't preclude that Sheffield United *is* its fans, and that it is a good idea that there should be a Supporters Organisation which is more hands on. FWIW, I think that McCabe has generally done OK in the circumstances, but even if we had an Abramovich I would still want to see a SUFC supporters trust.

No chairman or board member of a well-run club should ever fear a strong supporters organisation. If you want to make money, consistently and in the long term, you have to have supporters with you. At best, some of the biggest clubs in the world are shining examples of how successful supporter owned clubs can be - Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich (in fact, German law requires that 51% of a club is owned by club members). Even on a hybrid level, engaged supporters are good for clubs generally - they create goodwill and they are more likely to spend their money and time on making the club and the relationship a success. O

 

[Son_of_Cartman]

I really appreciate the discussion that has been going on here. It's provided some interesting insight into how people perceive a supporters trust and I'd personally like to allay any fears of the trust being set up as a union type organisation to destabalise the club, the board, chairman or tea lady. Any supporters trust would be there to be heard, to listen and to ideally provide a greater level of transparency hitherto unheard of at Bramall Lane. I would love to see Blades fans taking an active role in the community, the club's development, long term planning and strategic decision making. I've no personal agenda here, I'm an ordinary Sheffield lad that has followed the club since boyhood and the only shocking thing about a supporters' trust I can think of is that we haven't already got one.

SOC

 

[SwissBlade]

I really appreciate the discussion that has been going on here. It's provided some interesting insight into how people perceive a supporters trust and I'd personally like to allay any fears of the trust being set up as a union type organisation to destabalise the club, the board, chairman or tea lady. Any supporters trust would be there to be heard, to listen and to ideally provide a greater level of transparency hitherto unheard of at Bramall Lane. I would love to see Blades fans taking an active role in the community, the club's development, long term planning and strategic decision making. I've no personal agenda here, I'm an ordinary Sheffield lad that has followed the club since boyhood and the only shocking thing about a supporters' trust I can think of is that we haven't already got one.

SOC

Thanks for this SOC!

Good to hear a little more from you, although I would like to know a little more about your background though

 

[Micalijo]

I really appreciate the discussion that has been going on here. It's provided some interesting insight into how people perceive a supporters trust and I'd personally like to allay any fears of the trust being set up as a union type organisation to destabalise the club, the board, chairman or tea lady. Any supporters trust would be there to be heard, to listen and to ideally provide a greater level of transparency hitherto unheard of at Bramall Lane. I would love to see Blades fans taking an active role in the community, the club's development, long term planning and strategic decision making. I've no personal agenda here, I'm an ordinary Sheffield lad that has followed the club since boyhood and the only shocking thing about a supporters' trust I can think of is that we haven't already got one.

SOC

Full marks Son but you don't need a trust to destabilize the club. McCabe's made a very good job of that himself.

 

[raul]

I can vouch for him Swiss, not sure who'll vouch that I'm a suitable voucher though.....

 

[SwissBlade]

I can vouch for him Swiss, not sure who'll vouch that I'm a suitable voucher though.....

Cheers Raul, Aye I heard that about you

 

[Son_of_Cartman]

Anyone who is serious about getting directly involved with the supporters' trust idea and forming a small working group to meet with a representative of Supporters Direct, please get in touch via email: [email protected]

If you have any questions with regards to the amount of time you'll be volunteering and the sort of skills you'll need, please don't hesitate to contact me. So far, the idea has been met very positively and tjere's a press release being published in the next issue of Flashing Blade. This is a great opportunity to get involved in something constructive and that will hopefully have a long lasting and positive effect on SUFC.

If you're not sure what a supporters' trust is, please check the Supporters Direct website: http://www.supporters-direct.org

Thanks,

SOC

 

[Linz]

I've read the supporters direct site and there's lot about being able to pay wages and pensions but practically, I think you need to give more information about what areas of Sheffield United you hope to get involved in.

Are you simply wishing to get a group together to improve the commercial side (catering, ticket prices, community events etc) or are you hoping to have a say on more meatier matters (finance, the team, management appointments and dismissals)?

 

[Son_of_Cartman]

Linz,
Once formed the supporters' trust would have a board that was democratically elected elected by the members of the organisation. It would be a not for profit co-operative and so, anyone getting involved directly would be doing so voluntarily. I personally can't say what direction or strategy the trust would adopt until a) the organisation is formed, b) the board has been elected. It's very early days and there's alot of work to do before anything regarding strategy is decided.

SOC

 

[Linz]

Linz,
Once formed the supporters' trust would have a board that was democratically elected elected by the members of the organisation. It would be a not for profit co-operative and so, anyone getting involved directly would be doing so voluntarily. I personally can't say what direction or strategy the trust would adopt until a) the organisation is formed, b) the board has been elected. It's very early days and there's alot of work to do before anything regarding strategy is decided.

SOC

But surely there must be a driving raison d'etre?

As a general matter of interest, does anyone know how many shares are owned by fans? All I can find is this page:

http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/PLC/0,,10418~1091335,00.html

The number of shares outside the ownership of the Board of Directors is 44,481,640 which represents 15.97% of the total issued.

But it doesn't really give a breakdown.

 

[Tuns]

Well you can put me down for over 1,500 of them. The first batch I bought out of sentiment and cos I actually thought they'd also be a good investment! The second lot I bought in a share issue cos seem to remember there was some bobbins about needing cash for loans and academies and building our success around a core of homegrown youngsters in the team - and despite my long years of being a Blade I fell for it.