Many supporters will be aware that a Fans Council was set up last season. As a Fan owned Football Club this was seen as a vital link between you, the supporters, the Football Club & Trust. The 500 Club was an initiative which was heavily promoted by the Fans Council, and, we are delighted to say that those that have invested have helped raise over £65,000, a quite staggering achievement.
Aside from the fund raising element this proves the power of the supporters, and the importance of a need for official representation from the fans.
Mark Bowring (Head of the Fans Council), met with Club Chairman Andrew Howard & Trust Director Trevor Stroud recently to formulate a solid structure moving forward. It was agreed that it would be beneficial to make the Council more open and easily accessible to everyone, and that an official panel should be constructed to represent the Council.
It was concluded that the panel should consist of five members, a head, and one fan from each of the following; Family Stand, Terrace, Frank Adams, & Beechdean Stand.
The panel of five will host open monthly meetings in which all supporters are encouraged to attend. What we would like to achieve from this is a platform where supporters can meet on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the club from a fans perspective, what people would like to see, share ideas, and so on. Following the meeting the five Council members will meet with the Club/Board/Trust to put all of the views, questions and idea across. Minutes will be taken, and the Council will then report back to the fans. Similar to the Trust, the five panel members will be voted on/off on in an annual AGM to ensure that the supporters get to choose who represents them.
The Fans Council are now seeking four new members to join Mark Bowring on the panel. Applicants will need to be in a position to give up some time, particularly on match days. This will involve spending time in the control tower, bars, kiosks etc. to get a good understanding of the club behind the scenes so that they are better placed to answer questions during the meetings.
As per the above, in order to represent every section of the ground we are seeking one person from each of the Family Stand, Terrace, Frank Adams, & Beechdean Stands. If you are interested in joining this exciting supporter led initiative please email us via [email protected].Please include your full name, contact number, where you usually sit/stand, and how you feel you can bring a positive contribution to the meetings. In addition, we are also seeking a volunteer(s) to take notes and produce the minutes from each meeting. The meetings will take place on the last Thursday of every month and will be held in Monty’s from 7.30pm, the first one being Thursday 23rd February.
