We are searching for Volunteers (Unpaid):

A number of Trust Directors and non-elected support roles are required to be filled. If you have spare time and/or need to add a new dimension to your CV to make yourself more marketable (e.g. students finding it difficult to land their first role in the job market), then join us to gain job-related experiences.

There are 4 elected and 4 unelected role available (updated 1/9 10.00pm). To learn more, click here.

NOTES ON MEETING 8 JUNE 2010
Paul Faulkner
Robin Russell
David Woodhall
Peter Warrilow

What are the plans for the North Stand?
Currently there are not any plans for rebuild. The construction of the stand prohibits any piece meal alterations and the future of the stand will be looked at on an ongoing basis in line with the rest of the stadium.

Are there any plans to unwind any remaining non core property assets?
This is under constant review in conjunction with planners and potential demand.

Will we have a new shirt sponsor for season 2010/2011?
This is expected to be formalised shortly

UEFA Rules on financial stability- will we be able to comply?
It is believed that we will and all clubs will be expected to do so on a transparent basis

Supporters Consultation Group
DW and PW expressed the view that it is too single issue focussed and that there is a bias towards Supporters Clubs and internet sites. It is acknowledged that the constituents are however those who make themselves available.
The timing of meetings is often inconvenient eg 1700 hours on a working day for midweek games and staging them on matchdays means time is limited.
There is a need to focus on wider issues and to have some continuity in attendees such that previous issues can be expanded upon and that the same issues are not constantly being reintroduced.
PF and RR said this would be looked at.

Heritage
DW and PW advised that Trevor Fisher is investigating the possibility with Birmingham Civic Society of a ‘Blue Plaque’ in respect of William McGregor.
A group of supporters is looking to tidy up graves at Handsworth Parish Church where Ramsay and McGregor are buried. We would need consent of the Church.
Following John Lerwills departure there are not any plans for volumes 3 and 4 of The Aston Villa Chronicles to be completed.
The Trust is investigating the possibility of completing an Oral History Archive of the memories of Aston Villa Supporters. Grant funding would be needed and we have already spoken to The Heritage Lottery Fund and have a meeting arranged with The Central Library staff. We would hope that the Club could host the archive with others being retained by The Trust, The Library and perhaps the Football League. No cost to the Club.

What are the possibilities of an abbreviated set of accounts being made available more widely?
This is entirely up to Randy Lerner.

Are our debts serviceable?
Yes. There is very little by way of external debt

There is a demand for a ‘Fans Forum’ to be reintroduced
This is being looked at but with a restricted attendance (numbers)

DW and PW expressed a regret that ‘tapping up’ seems to be an issue {Gareth Barry and James Milner} but accepted that it has always gone on and is likely to continue

Time ran out and other issues could not be raised. A future meeting on a similar basis to be arranged, and PF and RR were thanked for their hospitality and for answering questions so openly.

We would like to wish Martin all the very best for his future career, whilst at the same time giving our full backing to the players and Management at the Club.

The BBC have now highlighted this issue across all PL clubs when the PL’s original charter had 2 year cycles and was recommended by the Football Task Force. Click here to read article.

The introduction of a new UEFA licensing requirement from season 2012/13 for all clubs to have an operating Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) marks an important new chapter in club to supporter relations and emphasizes how important this relationship is considered.

For further information, please click here to access SD website or FSF website.

Dave Boyle will also be on Panorama on Tuesday 8th June (“Man Utd – Into the Red” 10.35pm BBC1) talking about football finances and the problems within football.

As Villa supporters, we wish you all the best on the pitch – now bring that World Cup, lads!

A national conference is to be held (12-13 June 2010) to allow football fans from across the country to offer their views on the Government’s commitment to giving supporters a greater say in the running of their clubs.

The conference is being organised on the back of a growing political consensus about the potential for football fans to buy out their clubs by setting up co-operatives, similar to those that already own and run clubs like FC Barcelona and Hamburg SV. The new Coalition Government has pledged to support the creation of mutually-owned clubs in its “Programme for government”.

Hosted by Supporters Direct, which represents more than 160 supporters’ trusts in the UK, Saturday is themed A Better Vision for Football and will give football fans the chance find out more about the proposals under consideration. It will also allow fans to speak directly with politicians, club chairmen, bloggers and writers, as well as representatives of football clubs already owned by supporters’ trusts.

In addition, the keynote speaker on Saturday will be made by the award winning film director Ken Loach, responsible for the modern cult classic Looking for Eric, also responsible for a recent documentary about the response of football fans to their sense of alienation from the game. Co-operatives UK chief executive Ed Mayo will be addressing delegates on Sunday.

Dave Boyle, chief executive of Supporters Direct, said: “We know all about the problems faced by fans and clubs, but now its time for a big push to bring some solutions. This conference is a rally for change in football – change in the way fans influence their clubs and change in the way the game is regulated. ”

He added: “In the last season, the efforts of a fans at Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle built on the work done up and down the country by supporters trusts, and as a result politicians of all parties said they were concerned about the issues of fan involvement. The process of turning that concern into action starts now, and this conference is the first step.”

Oliver Houston, deputy chief executive of MUST, who will be speaking at the conference, said: “Regardless of the level of football, clubs are in financial turmoil and fans are being bypassed in decisions that have a life-or-death effect on their clubs. The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, like all supporters trusts, offers us all a way of making sure that we can be heard, and ultimately determine the future of our clubs.”

Starting on the day of England’s opening World Cup match against the USA (12 June 2010, K.O. 8.30pm), the match will be shown live on a big screen.

As David Conn adds in his article, good news but a little too late after all the good work in the early years of the Football Task Force and setting up Supporters Direct.

Guardian article re Platini – Manifesto pledge: “a great idea”

SD reacts to political football

The following News Release has been received today from Supporters Direct, following Labour’s manifesto pledge on fan ownership in football clubs.

Reports in The Guardian today (more detail from Owen Gibson and commentary from David Conn) suggests that the Government are looking at radical proposals to give fans a right-to-buy their clubs and enabling them to take a 25% stake in the club. They also say that the government wants to see the powers of the football authorities beefed up to give them more power to veto takeovers of clubs which are not in the club’s interests nor that of the supporters nor the wider game.

Meanwhile The Guardian and Daily Mail both quote Conservative Shadow Sports Minister Hugh Robertson saying that there are other ways in which supporters can be guaranteed representation without needing ownership stakes, whilst Don Foster for the Liberal Democrats dismisses the idea of supporter-ownership as a ‘pipedream’ (I wonder if he’s bothered to note the Co-operatives UK/You Gov opinion poll saying exactly the opposite) – but does agree with us that ownership is not a panacea, making the point that football “urgently need(s) a radical overhaul of the FA to better represent supporters and act in the interests of the game.”

Supporters Direct Chief Executive Dave Boyle said:

“The two parties – one of which will form the basis of the next government – both agree fans should have a stake in the clubs they support and are pledged to work to make it happen. That’s great news for the trust movement and long-overdue recognition that clubs aren’t businesses like any other.

“We look forward to the next government – whoever it is – putting fans at the heart of the game and we will work with them to make it happen”

Now football’s genuinely on the political agenda, maybe you would consider writing or emailing your Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPC’s) standing in your constituency, to see if they agree with either Labour, the Conservative or the Liberal Democrats – or if you’re in Wales, Plaid Cymru – and their policies on football.

We’ve included the links to their candidates below:

Conservative Party
Labour Party
Liberal Democrats

And Michel Platini, UEFA’s President, has now weighed in supporting the proposals, ‘saying that supporters were the only people who had a genuine “identity” with clubs.’ (Link above)

North of the Border, the Rangers Supporters Trust are reportedly discussing the possibility of a buyout of the debt ridden Scottish club in partnership with other, wealthy fans. Interesting days indeed.

We also have on BBC an excellent piece by Sitala Peek here.

 More updates here as we identify coverage.