Supporters Trust

[luckyfour]

Has anyone heard anything further regarding the Supporters Trust and what is likely to happen to the funds that they have. Warren mentioned at the last AFC meeting that a Trust meeting would need to be called to sort out the future direction of the Trust. There were a couple of people urging that this meeting needed to be undertaken as a matter of urgency which I think is understandable but I still haven't heard of any developments.

[Dinky Diamond]

Ditto, as a non trust member I have also contributed but still dont know how much was raised and where it is going to, I am not a great fan of the U18 arrangements and cant see what benefits this has to the ressurrection of the club, midweek games dont work for me.

I also have to call into question funding, this should still remain self funding which is how it was apparently run and paid the assistant managers wages - which was not well known, I cant see that any of the funds should go towards funding a manager/coaches expenses.

I really would like some clarification too!

I would prefer to focus on the senior squad a year from now and that is where any monies have to go and even then an expenses based team has to be the way ahead - amateur football should be exactly that - for sporting reasons!

[Formic]

There are certainly a lot of questions that need answering about funding and donations - to include donations to date as well as donations going forwards.

Donations were made at various meetings whilst there was still a chance the original club could be saved - not all of that money was necessarily passed on to the Trust for safe keeping.

Assuming it hasn't been retained by other parties, there needs to be a clear statement on what these funds are to be used for - are they being put towards the building of the Phoenix club - the Senior side at AFC - in time for the 2012-13 season - or will they be used before then. That also needs to apply to other funds raised whilst in "club saving" mode - e.g. the Paypal funds, the funds donated at Nationwide etc.

There then needs to be a clear statement on where any funds collected at various meetings regarding AFC are to be allocated - e.g. what sort of funding might be released to run the interim youth team, versus what is being collected for the Senior Side. I think there then needs to be two separate fund raising schemes going forwards - one to support the Youth team (if needed), and one for the Senior Side.

I don't know how much funding the average youth team side in the Northants Senior Youth League needs - that would be useful information too.

I believe this needs to be done sooner rather than later, as a clear statement will avoid possible later accusations of donations not being used as they were intended.

[tech_head]

A number of statements have been made during the AFC fans meetings in regard to this subject. A third fans meeting is taking place next week and I suggest you try and get to this.

Just to clear up a few points. The ONLY money raised and currently held by the AFC club are the two bucket collections made during each AFC open fans meeting and a 3rd bucket collection that took place at party in the park.

All the rest of the money raised when everyone was in the "trying to save the club" mode is held by the trust.

[Formic]

A number of statements have been made during the AFC fans meetings in regard to this subject. A third fans meeting is taking place next week and I suggest you try and get to this.

Just to clear up a few points. The ONLY money raised and currently held by the AFC club are the two bucket collections made during each AFC open fans meeting and a 3rd bucket collection that took place at party in the park.

All the rest of the money raised when everyone was in the "trying to save the club" mode is held by the trust.

Are you sure on your last paragraph ? I thought the money raised at KC's first meeting went into the safe at Nene Park where the bar takings went (it might then have moved on to the Trust, but I know the collection was made before they had organised transfers to the dedicated account).

Thanks for the update anyway - I suggest that this info is put on the new website, as well as the AFC constitution ASAP. I won't be at the AFC meeting, but would be interested in any further clarification that meeting might provide.

Whether we like it or not, there was a significant split in opinions at the two meetings held just before the club got thrown out - a trust one and a KC one, where a number of Diamonds "fans" expressed an interest in transferring their allegiances to the Poppies at Nene Park. I believe they might have been in the majority in one of these meetings, and in significant numbers at another (I didn't attend either as I feared that might be an outcome) - so would expect a say in where that money goes. Comments on those meeting are here and here

[StaceyH]

Indeed Formic; I know that the money (albeit less than £100) raised by our young supporters at Waitrose went into the safe at NP. In fact, an employee of the Club was adamant that it should be kept in there for safekeeping - If I'm honest I doubt we'll see it again but I live in hope that the Club will be seen to do the right thing.

The Trust really does need to step up now, consult it's members and start to make some decisions. They've been far too quiet for far too long IMO.

[rushdenrushden2]

Who was the member of staff who said it should be kept there ??? sould we not ask for trust meeting to get answers ???

[StaceyH]

It's irrelevant who it was but at the time it seemed the most sensible thing to do to keep the money safe. Who knows it may have been passed on the Trust already.

[rushdenrushden2]

i think bests thing for all is trust meeting to see what going on