fans stand up to council

[stokepogesrebel]

From kentonline.co.uk...

 

Football fans plan to fight council

by Paul Hobson

 

FANS of Welling United are considering standing in next year’s council elections in protest at a perceived lack of support from Bexley Council.

Supporters believe the council has not given their club enough financial backing over the years, and is too focused on its relationship with Premiership club Charlton Athletic.

The continued absence of council funding to support a community officer at the club has proved the final straw for some fans, who are now considering taking direct political action if there is no change.

Writing in a recent match programme, Matthew Mein, a Wings follower of 15 years, said: "Over the past few years, we have consistently heard about the positive relationship between various clubs and their local councils.

"However, our club seems to miss out on many advantages these other clubs have.

"After much thought we decided to ask for a meeting with the club to find out if it would support our members standing to be local councillors."

He said with 4,500 members, the club has enough people to make the elections a success.

The supporters are due to meet with general manager Graham Hobbins in the next 10 days to discuss the situation.

Mr Hobbins said he understands the fans’ frustration, but did not necessarily agree with their plans.

He said: "Since I’ve been here from 1978, the council had not volunteered to spend a single penny on the property. That is disappointing.

"But whether their (the fans’) idea is the right way, I’m not so sure. Sometimes it’s better to talk and sit round a table.

 

 

its a shame we dont have the support to do something like that, or do we ?

[Martin]

No we don't as we don't have anywhere near 4,500 members.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Just out of interest what is the STST membership at? 1,000?

[Martin]

Take off a zero and you are pretty close.

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

Just signed up and am 169

[GarySTFC]

So we've had at least 169 different members but close to 100 current members? That's pretty low...

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

That Bad? Jeeesh that is crap.... Any ideas on how to raise that number, I thought after Walsall we'd gain loads of new ones...

[GarySTFC]

I think there's a lot of people out there who haven't been informed properly about the Trust and it's aims, but also, there are a lot of people wary of the Trust sadly. I do think more could be done to try and entice new members, but again, it would take people volunteering their time and money to get that going.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

What do you think could be done?

[GarySTFC]

Going back to high street stalls, leaflet drops, mailshots to people who haven't renenwed to try and find out why not, bit of promotion/advertising of the trust (moving forwards, perhaps even get a promotional DVD done for the trust??).

[A Rebel and a Saint]

im going to write those letters to the two main shopping centres this week to see if we can have some kind of advertising board put up

[Ian]

Having membership renewed each year is another reason it's low, not that I think that's the wrong thing to do. The problem however is if you get one time members life after the Trust launch or the Walsall game where publicity is high, they are unlikely to sign again 12 months later. The 169 will be the hardcore fans who will always renew their membership.

 

Not wishing to be too critical but I'm not sure I've received any sort of reminder other than that in the programme. It could be that people just forget.

[GarySTFC]

I think the trust were hoping to save some costs but not sending out to all members. Did they not plan a mailshot to those who had not renewed though?

[Martin]

We were given the exact numbers at the last board meeting but I cannot remember precisely. I think it was something like 89 adults, 17 seniors and 25 juniors.

 

A mailshot went our last year to all those who had not renewed and similarly a mailshot will be going out to all those who have not renewed this year.

 

Our membership is actually bloody good in comparison to many other trusts. It equates to over a third of our gate. Aston Villa for example only have two hundred members in their trust. Obviously we would like to see all the fans as members as well as non supporters. The best way to improve membership is by word of mouth. Persuade your friends and relatives to also join as a way of supporting the club without having to stand on the terraces.

[GarySTFC]

Not wishing to have a dig, but given the membership expires in July is it (??), isn't it a bit late to be sending out a renewal mailshot now?

[Martin]

Not really. It is effectively football seasonal - we would expect the majority of people to renew in the early weeks of the season in August and September. Once the "rush" is over we will know who hasn't renewed and can send out the mailshot. It would be wasted in July or August because most people would just leave it to renew at a game and then if they forget we need to send out another reminder. Conveniently this year we are having a general meeting in October and obviously people will not be allowed in unless they are members.

[GarySTFC]

Fair point, well made.