Redevelopment Closer Than Ever?

[ChrisS]

Even I'm resigned to it now...

TFFT

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

For the final time, and so that I am not deliberately misquoted in the future.

IT WAS A JOKE!

The Pavolvian response to anything about the current Trust directors and advisor from most people on here is (fill in your response..)

So sometimes I am going to gently tease you back. After all, this is meant to be a light hearted discussion forum not the Russia Ukraine peace talks..

I have posted, what any reasonable reader might consider, reasonable questions about how the Trust might move on in the future and how to do this? And what should it do?

That several people have sent me texts/messages saying that they'd like to answer but that they are afraid of attracting the ire of some people on here, might say something about the quality of the discourse on here at times.

It might also suggest, at least to me, that THE might not be the best place to have these discussions, which is a shame because the long-form nature of this 'bulletin board' and it's rolling message format makes it a much better place than say Facebook.

I'm serious about wanting to have open discussions about the Trust, it's future and how to get it on a proper footing with current members, attract new members and a better relationship with the club.

Now since I first started posting on here, one cheeky sod called me the Trusts typing monkey; some posters use the 3rd party tense to describe me and to some people on here the idea that the current Trust board can move on is impossible.

But the entire Trust board are not suddenly going to resign - are they? So it's reform from within or no reform at all..so which do you prefer?

The Trust et al is really not that important in the whole scheme of things, but the Trust is important in terms of it should be the bone marrow of the club - always present irrespective of who owns the club, keeping a watchful eye out and respectfully pointing out potential perils ahead.

I would like to try and play a small role, along with Andy Cooper and others, to get the Trust back to this role.

You wasn’t deliberately misquoted at all. So don’t try that. What I quoted was verbatim.


I think you thought you could take the pìss a bit, but not get it back. It doesn't work like that. For me the jury is out on whether anyone told you they were afraid. We have always welcomed all views. Yes they get challenged. But we don’t threaten to sue decent folk. In addition to this, we have always championed Trust based activities. For the sake of upsetting you further. I will dip out of the debate for now. I believe you are starting to realise the futility of your mission. I don’t want to be a target for your frustration in that respect. Up until now, neither you or any other poster has raised any concerns through the appropriate channels. Should someone wish to do so. It will be dealt with fairly and promptly. I wish you all the best.

[Melbourne Cobbler]

But the entire Trust board are not suddenly going to resign - are they? So it's reform from within or no reform at all..so which do you prefer?

Again with respect Michael you don’t seem to get it. What people or supporters of NTFC or anyone else prefers or doesn’t prefer is irrelevant, and frankly neither is reform. What is the purpose of the Trust? I would suggest it is the bridge between the support base and the club. Where they can negotiate and attempt to influence the club in the best interests of the supporters and/or members. The current Board in the eyes of the club have crossed the line between representative body and commercial competitor and as such they have been completely ostracised and there is no way back unless the current Board step aside. I feel the club have been most clear on this point, and frankly I don’t blame them. To reiterate, what my preference or anyone else’s preference may be is irrelevant.

The truth is it’s a question of what the current Board prefer, not anyone else. Stay in their roles and leave the organisation they claim to care about, and more importantly the members they claim to represent in the abyss as an irrelevance. Or step aside and let others try and resurrect it from the hopeless position they have guided it to, under the most appalling advice and influence. They can bang the drum about moving forward and leaving the past behind as much as they like. Until they take responsibility for the position the Trust is in and face the inevitable then the Trust will remain pointless. It’s up to them, but it may already be too late. Legislation and fans advisory bodies may already be the way of the future, at least as far as NTFC are concerned, and they only have themselves to blame.

[Michael Walker]

You wasn’t deliberately misquoted at all. So don’t try that. What I quoted was verbatim.


I think you thought you could take the pìss a bit, but not get it back. It doesn't work like that. For me the jury is out on whether anyone told you they were afraid. We have always welcomed all views. Yes they get challenged. But we don’t threaten to sue decent folk. In addition to this, we have always championed Trust based activities. For the sake of upsetting you further. I will dip out of the debate for now. I believe you are starting to realise the futility of your mission. I don’t want to be a target for your frustration in that respect. Up until now, neither you or any other poster has raised any concerns through the appropriate channels. Should someone wish to do so. It will be dealt with fairly and promptly. I wish you all the best.

Thanks for the reply - I was only reiterating my explanation as the Internet has long memories.

As I said, I think the format of THE is by far the best way of supporters talking to each other and it's long-form style lends itself to proper debate.

You really haven't upset me at all..I was just letting the board know that some people do find the rhetoric challenging. As you may, or may not know, I used to be involved in local politics for a long-time, so the minor slings n arrows on here are quite kindly..

And as I've also said, I'm sorry if there have been threats of legal action etc. Debate can be robust without being aggressive or threatening.

Let's have a pint soon.

[F30]

There were threats made to one of THE members, encouraged by a then board member. Utterly disgraceful behaviour!

[Michael Walker]

Again with respect Michael you don’t seem to get it. What people or supporters of NTFC or anyone else prefers or doesn’t prefer is irrelevant, and frankly neither is reform. What is the purpose of the Trust? I would suggest it is the bridge between the support base and the club. Where they can negotiate and attempt to influence the club in the best interests of the supporters and/or members. The current Board in the eyes of the club have crossed the line between representative body and commercial competitor and as such they have been completely ostracised and there is no way back unless the current Board step aside. I feel the club have been most clear on this point, and frankly I don’t blame them. To reiterate, what my preference or anyone else’s preference may be is irrelevant.

The truth is it’s a question of what the current Board prefer, not anyone else. Stay in their roles and leave the organisation they claim to care about, and more importantly the members they claim to represent in the abyss as an irrelevance. Or step aside and let others try and resurrect it from the hopeless position they have guided it to, under the most appalling advice and influence. They can bang the drum about moving forward and leaving the past behind as much as they like. Until they take responsibility for the position the Trust is in and face the inevitable then the Trust will remain pointless. It’s up to them, but it may already be too late. Legislation and fans advisory bodies may already be the way of the future, at least as far as NTFC are concerned, and they only have themselves to blame.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on some of this - I'm sure you'd agree that it takes two to tango and the club are not faultless in their relationship with the Trust if you look back over the last ten years.

It was widely thought that the Trust had a place on the board of NTFC as part of the historical compact between NBC, the club, the Trust and the owners. When it was discovered that this wasn't the case in 2015 in terms of the articles the new owners could have addressed this.

Now a directorship per se only means a certain amount of influence,  but I'd say as a concept and as a nod to the historical importance of the Trust to both the club and the Supporters Trust movement generally it would have been a generous thing to do - wouldn't it?

Fast forward 10 years and the list of things that the Trust have said & done wrong is extensive according to most on this board. I'm not going to provide a ticklist of agree/disagree on things that have happened.

We can't revisit history, but I can't see how in a million years that the Cildara thing would have happened if the Trust had a place on the board - can you?

The Trust, in my opinion, should be the guardian of the club's DNA. Watchful, careful and respectful.  I know that you and others will say that it is a million miles away from this role at the moment, but it is too important (in a not very important in the whole scheme of things way) to just leave.

What do you think Brian Lomax would say?

I'm convinced that with goodwill things can change - now several people have said 'look at the club's letter', they will never have anything to do with the Trust.

I don't agree.

Let's see what happens over the next 12 months and then you can 'mark our homework'.

[BackOfTheNet]

I think it's true that hackles go up on here when the finger is pointed at this board as being some "anti Trust" hotbed.

I genuinely can't think of a single poster on here who isn't in favour of having a Supporters Trust; we've all been around long enough to know why they can be a good thing.

The Trust itself is very fond of saying it isn't their purpose to just blindly be friends with the club, it's more to challenge the owners and hold them to account when they see things they don't like.

It's the same on here. While we want there to be a functional, effective Trust (and I hope no one minds me speaking for everyone there), we shouldn't just sit idly by and nod everything the Trust says and does through, simply because we like the idea of a Trust.

Unfortunately there's been a lot not to like in their actions over the last 8 or 9 years and it's absolutely right to call that out. And we have.

I've said before and I'll reiterate - actions have consequences and the actions of the current Trust Board (present company excepted) have left themselves with no way back. If they really do care as much as they say they do, then there should be mass resignations because until certain individuals have gone then the Trust has absolutely no way to fulfil its mandate.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Let's have a pint soon.

Absolutely