There are four further blogs you can read about the current controversy at Lewes FC to at the end of this blog.
Supporter Trusts are often set up for two reasons.
- When supporters are worried about the financial future of their football club.
- When supporters are unhappy at structure, governance and ownership of their football club.
The aim of a Trust is essentially to help ensure the club is run properly and provide a core of personnel to step in if the current board and model go into meltdown, until fresh ownership is installed.
15 years ago Lewes FC were thrown into financial turmoil when the owner’s finances were badly affected by the world financial meltdown. 80 fans attended the inaugural meeting at the John Harvey Tavern. A steering committee was established, and the Trust was launched at the Royal Oak, which coincidentally is where the club was originally formed.
The Trust was short lived because a set of new directors came in promising a broom of financial prudence. One of those directors was, twelve years later, bankrolling the club in just one season to the tune of £600,000.
We are now told that unless we accede to a bid of funding for our women’s set up, in exchange for 51% ownership of that entity, we face extreme financial difficulty.
I believe the current board have therefore led us into a position where the two core reasons of setting up a Trust have sadly been satisfied.
Please read the blog here where I address the brilliant Crouch Report. The contents of how to run a club very badly are commensurate with how Lewes FC is currently run.
Ironically, a Trust’s main aim is to steer a club into fan ownership. Such has been what I perceive to be the mismanagement of Lewes FC by the board, that we would probably be the first Supporters Trust set up within the auspices of a fan owned club, thereby turning the whole thing on its head.
I don’t actually believe at this point in time there is a critical need for a Trust. We have been asked to be patient and await further details of the Mercury 13 proposal and we must. Bring on the Owner’s Town Hall. However, I believe that if we sell 51% of the women’s team to an investment firm, a red line (yes fans can have these too!) has been crossed and owners and supporters, must set up a Supporters Trust. I stand by this even if the investment goes ahead after a democratic vote, as the nature of our community club will forever be changed.
There is a case that Supporters Direct, or whoever the umbrella governing body of Trusts is, would oppose us setting up a Trust under their jurisdiction, as it undermines a fan owned club and compromises their agenda. If that is the case we should set up an independent Supporters Trust. I was on the steering committee of the last Lewes FC Supporters Trust, my partner the treasurer and there is a hell of lot of red tape. But we are Lewes and we can do our own equivalent, challenge the board for the good of our community club and get things done!
Here are the 4 blogs so far about the Mercury 13 takeover.
How the Crouch Report is blatantly ignored by the Lewes FC board and its recommendation on improving club governance.
How the Lewes FC board have ignored the core values and aims and values and picked a minor aside of the constitution to suit their agenda.
The futile procrastination of the board and it’s dismissive attitude to fans, owners and members when it comes to democracy and accountability.
The sad demise of the excellent Equality FC by a board who sanctioned it.
The Rights of Fans. 