As a fan owned community club democracy is very important. However the annual elections to the board are underwhelmingly promoted by our existing Board meaning there are generally not enough candidates to ensure a vote. The prospective candidates therefore join the Board unelected.
With this in mind it is therefore crucial the Board, with basically no mandate, act as democratically as they possibly can. Throwing around co opted like places to suit and promote the progress of a particular facet of the club to help marketing and branding is really piss poor form.
At Lewes FC we have an elected Board. They make the decisions. Under our constitution we are also allowed to co opt a few other people onto the Board. They have no voting rights.
It is another excellent part of our constitution.
The point of co opting is to bring new people into the club to help develop the community club ethos and draw the club closer to the community and help the club. So someone on the local council, somebody local with a track record of catering, someone involved with local schools and inn the case of Lewes where we have the largest Bonfire celebrations in Lewes all carried out by the 6 volunteering bonfire society somebody from the bonfire council. These appointments would enhance the cohesion between Lewes FC and the town of Lewes.
Point 56b of our original constitution suggests
The following people in particular may be co-opted:
(1) a representative or representatives of the District Council for the Area on behalf of itself and neighbouring local authorities; (2) a representative or representatives of the young; (3) a representative of disabled supporters; (4) a representative of local business; (5) a representative or representatives of any supporters group or groups of the Club; (6) a representative or representatives of employees of the Club; (7) a representative or representatives of the Sports Council and any community scheme run in association with the Club; (8) a representative of the players at the Club, through a professional association or otherwise.
Claire Rafferty has just been co opted onto the Board
https://www.lewesfc.com/article/claire-rafferty-joins-lewes-football-club-board
A clearly very talented lady with a wealth of experience in the women’s game. But she has no history with Lewes FC or the town.
The women’s team have just lost 6 games on the trot and are hurtling to the bottom of the table. It seems to me Claire has been dragged in at a critical time to help turn things around. It strikes me aa a quid pro quo. It’ll look great on Claire’s CV that she has worked on the Board od a Women’s Championship club and Lewes FC get the benefit of somebody very experienced in the women’s game with lots of contacts.
To me it seems a cynical exploitation of the co opt option and a cheap quick fix. Not a thought out place on the Board divvied out to enhance the football club as a whole.
Instead Lewes FC could have maybe set up a steering committee that reports to the Board to help turn around the fortunes of the women’s team with Claire in charge of it. Or of course do what every other club would do and sack the manager. Bringing in talent like Claire is sensible. But if it has to be traded with a place on the Board it just smacks of mismanagement, incompetency and desperation.
The Rights of Fans. 