Fans Club Open Meeting 01/12/16 - Morecambe Cricket Club

[Keith]

I live 80 miles away so I won't be able to masked it. Best of luck with the meeting

If that's remotely near Manchester I can happily pick you up and drop you off.

If you could come via the Isle of Man...

[Posh]

Can we pin the post to the top until next week Keith?

[mrpotatohead]

What would the opinion of fans be if a director was to attend the meeting?

[Seasider9601]

When I was doing my "inviting" on Facebook there was already a tick next to Rod saying "already invited".

Would be good if he was there. Top bloke.

[Wild Bill]

What would the opinion of fans be if a director was to attend the meeting?

More the merrier I say!

I imagine this meeting is already on their radar, so why not get the said director to organise getting the Globe Bar opened for a couple of hours and we can put some cash in the tills whist things are discussed?

[mrpotatohead]

I can suggest it, a former MD will be there but nobody will see him.

[P/T Indie]

I was saying today it would be good if we could get some of the experienced heads involved. there are lots of people who used to be involved behind the scenes who I don't think are anymore would they be willing to get involved especially if we need specalised help in their areas

[Seasider9601]

Someone like Neil Marsdin would be ideal.

Served us for many years and is what I call a "proper" football man - very, very knowledgeable on all aspects of the admin side of the game.

[SupermarketShrimp]

What would the opinion of fans be if a director was to attend the meeting?

Not a problem.

This is to supplement the club, not to its detriment. Directors are welcome.

the ideal scenario is that Diego et al have a lot of readies to give to jim in January. In that scenario the trust merely engages with the club on a higher level than previously given its greater powers and has a symbiotic relationship where both grow for the good of Morecambe FC.

Equally should the worst happen, we have a much better position than without it and means the club continues.

Morecambe football club wins either way.

[outsider]

The Cricket Club is booked and won't be cancelled. This was done as the last 2 meetings scheduled for the globe were cancelled with 2 hrs to go. This meeting is to get the info of SD, and a vote on if we are to go head with a trust. We don't want it turning into a whinging moaning session. That's what the bars after the games are for. Its great to see so much support for the idea.

[Keith]

Can we pin the post to the top until next week Keith?

It will probably get more attention simply by keeping talking about it. Stickies often get overlooked.

Hope it's a success! Great that people are making positive decisions.

[Lloydie]

Can we pin the post to the top until next week Keith?

It will probably get more attention simply by keeping talking about it. Stickies often get overlooked.


Hope it's a success! Great that people are making positive decisions.

Yes no one looks at the sticky about away travel from 2yrs ago anymore

Would like to come if was on later in the evening but it clashes with the kids bedtime, but I have pt indie taking minutes for me

[Gone_Shrimping]

What sort of numbers do we think will attend ?

[halftimeresults]

On Facebook we have 40+ definitely going and 30+ interested in going

[outsider]

100+ I would hope. Any more and we might be n plastic beer holders.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Someone like Neil Marsdin would be ideal.

Served us for many years and is what I call a "proper" football man - very, very knowledgeable on all aspects of the admin side of the game.

Neil Marsdin has been in touch with me and indicated that he would be happy to be involved with this but due to an existing commitment is unable to attend the meeting on December 1st.

As a former club secretary he would be an ideal man to have on board with his knowledge and expertise of football club rules and regulations etc.

[Seasider9601]

Someone like Neil Marsdin would be ideal.

Served us for many years and is what I call a "proper" football man - very, very knowledgeable on all aspects of the admin side of the game.

Neil Marsdin has been in touch with me and indicated that he would be happy to be involved with this but due to an existing commitment is unable to attend the meeting on December 1st.

As a former club secretary he would be an ideal man to have on board with his knowledge and expertise of football club rules and regulations etc.

Definitely somebody good to have onboard I'd say.

And, a familiar, knowledgeable face to have around and involved again.

Bring some familiarity back again.

[Christies Child]

I'm going to do my utmost to be there at what could be a landmark event in the history of our family club

Personally I'd like to see a former Director there. Graham Hodgson for one and Rod Taylor from the present Board.

[outsider]

IMO all this talk of getting former club officials involved is pointless. We are NOT trying to take over the club. We are just trying to get properly organized communication chanels at the moment. We are not setting this up as Us v Them.

[KenH]

IMO all this talk of getting former club officials involved is pointless. We are NOT trying to take over the club. We are just trying to get properly organized communication chanels at the moment. We are not setting this up as Us v Them.

No, we aren't, but at the same time, to be taken seriously, the new trust needs some experienced and respected people to help run it and augment those currently running the f-com to produce a strong body of people to drive the trust forward. Who better to be the communication liaison people than to include long term supporters who are ex-board members, who know the workings of a football club inside out? Such people can quickly cut to the chase and not waste time/energy on fruitless tasks/queries.

I know a takeover isn't the current purpose of the trust, but it is a possibility if things don't work out with the new owners, the trust needs to be in a position to move fast if necessary to talk to the owners or their receivers/liquidators, or the trustees of the JBC trust (owners of the land etc), to take action to secure the future of the club. If the trust is too lightweight to engage properly, the opportunity may be lost as things happen remarkably quickly and there may not be time to start beefing up the trust if and when the need arises.

Even if Diego and his consortium come up with the readies and improve the team/stadium, I'd suspect it's short term and they'll be on the look out to sell and walk away after a few years - the trust could have a longer term plan to take over the club at some unspecified time in the future, and could be building up resources (money and people) over several years to achieve that when the time comes.

At the end of the day, if such a trust had been set up a few years ago, it may have been in a position to raise funds to either buy out PMG or partner with him to reduce his debt and shareholdings rather than relying on an outside financier.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Ken - that is what we have Supporters Direct for. There are over 140 of them, pretty much from every club in the land and other sports too, encompassing the likes of Wycombe, Exeter and AFC Wimbledon who as you are probably aware own their clubs outright, all the way to ones that act as glorified protest groups. We don't need to beg for the affections of anyone at all, we have all the back up we will ever need with that alone in any scenario and shouldn't be viewed as a vehicle to get "at" the club.

Having said that, any Morecambe fan wishing to join the trust and get involved is more than welcome, from former directors to kids - the more the merrier and their voices and opinions will be heard as a collective and obviously if they've got experience and ideas then great. If anyone wishes to engage with us big or small the door will forever be open.

The current goal is to establish "a trust" and then find out how we can work with the club, it is not a witchhunt.

[Seasider9601]

I suppose it will all be thrashed out and discussed on Thursday evening, but what's the sort of guide price for joining such a Trust when ours is formed?

One off payment? Renewable annually??

Either way, I'm in.

[SupermarketShrimp]

I suppose it will all be thrashed out and discussed on Thursday evening, but what's the sort of guide price for joining such a Trust when ours is formed?

One off payment? Renewable annually??

Either way, I'm in.

Yet to be agreed. What has been agreed is that all existing Fans Club members are automatically transferred across.

[Christies Child]

IMO all this talk of getting former club officials involved is pointless. We are NOT trying to take over the club. We are just trying to get properly organized communication chanels at the moment. We are not setting this up as Us v Them.

No, we aren't, but at the same time, to be taken seriously, the new trust needs some experienced and respected people to help run it and augment those currently running the f-com to produce a strong body of people to drive the trust forward. Who better to be the communication liaison people than to include long term supporters who are ex-board members, who know the workings of a football club inside out? Such people can quickly cut to the chase and not waste time/energy on fruitless tasks/queries.

I know a takeover isn't the current purpose of the trust, but it is a possibility if things don't work out with the new owners, the trust needs to be in a position to move fast if necessary to talk to the owners or their receivers/liquidators, or the trustees of the JBC trust (owners of the land etc), to take action to secure the future of the club. If the trust is too lightweight to engage properly, the opportunity may be lost as things happen remarkably quickly and there may not be time to start beefing up the trust if and when the need arises.

Even if Diego and his consortium come up with the readies and improve the team/stadium, I'd suspect it's short term and they'll be on the look out to sell and walk away after a few years - the trust could have a longer term plan to take over the club at some unspecified time in the future, and could be building up resources (money and people) over several years to achieve that when the time comes.

At the end of the day, if such a trust had been set up a few years ago, it may have been in a position to raise funds to either buy out PMG or partner with him to reduce his debt and shareholdings rather than relying on an outside financier.

Totally agree with all of the above.

The proposed Trust has to have credibility long term and what better than to have the backing if only verbally and in spirit of Rod and Graham. However at this stage we need to be able to walk before anything else.

[mrpotatohead]

Will any FCOM members be attending the hastily convened ''SADARSE'' meeting tomorrow night?