A question for all Slough Town FC supporters

[Guest chris-sliski]

all good and varied points...and I trust open and frank...

 

you have the facts and we now need to roll our sleves up and start helping in what ever way we can ...we are all agreed on that ..so lets get going...

 

many changes are neccassary ?

 

cheers chris

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Its a shame we have no possible cup run, as if we'd manage to even win a few games it would have helped no end.

[Guest Ex-Express man]

A quick search of Company register revealed this

 

"Name & Registered Office:

THAMES VALLEY SPORTS & LEISURE LIMITED

21 ST. THOMAS STREET

BRISTOL

BS1 6JS

Company No. 05223594

 

 

 

Status: Active

Date of Incorporation: 07/09/2004

 

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: Private Limited Company

Nature of Business (SIC(03)):

9262 - Other sporting activities

Accounting Reference Date: 30/06

Last Accounts Made Up To: 30/06/2005 (DORMANT)

Next Accounts Due: 30/04/2007 OVERDUE

Last Return Made Up To: 07/09/2006

Next Return Due: 05/10/2007 OVERDUE

Last Members List: 07/09/2006"

 

Is this another Martyn Deaner vehicle?

[3spirit]

I would like to ask one question.I was a Trust member last year and would willingly join this year but before I do,I would like to know this- Does the Supporters Trust have their own accountant running their books and is it totally independent of Bernard Devine/Roy Merryweather[Thames Valley Sports and Leisure Limited].If the Trust does not have it's own accounts where does that leave our members legally?

Not trying to put the cat among the pigeons just ignorant on this topic.

[3spirit]

PS I know we are set up officially as a Trust! but if we, as supporters[whether in Trust or not]are going to have to finance the club in it's current state,I for one would like to know that my money was going to the right places and not being squandered.

[GarySTFC]

The Trust accounts are independantly audited as I think is covered at each AGM. It is very much separate to any accounts of the club.

[3spirit]

Thank you,Gary.

[Guest Anonymous]

Surely we might as well use the Trusts money to keep the team going, because if there is no team, why would we need a supporters Trust Fund ?

[Guest Anonymous]

One of main reasons for the trust - was that the trust could 'take over' the running of the club if necessary. (Albeit for a limited time but at least it would allow the trust some time to finally sort/find a solution - ie in charge of ones destiny.)

 

If the money is given now it would mean that if the (trust's) money were squandered then there would appear to be nobody to 'take the reins' if the club still went on and ran out of money Then that would pretty much be the end.

 

A tough call - give to club (they are in control of monies)they spend - or continue to support in other ways and see what happens?

 

Instead of monies to STFC why not club to Trust as Trust has money? or perhaps I'm missing something?

[Roger Rebel]

Yes, but dont you think that if we fund it we should own the club, why spend the money so that it is kept afloat for Roy and Bernard.

 

I agree that we should put in the money, if we put in £10,000 Roy & Bernard must put in £10,000 each as they are the owners its only fair.

[Guest Anonymous]

What I am saying is - Instead of trust money going to the club - Ownership of the club should go to the trust.

 

The Trust then have the money to run the club (albeit for a limited time) but it will allow some time for the Trust to sort some things out.

 

If the money goes to the club - there is nothing in place if the club spend all the money - and if that were to happen the Trust could not take over the club.IE Perhaps the end.

[Amber Rebel]

yes it does seem weird that the owners of the club say we have no money to put into the club, then surely in the interests of stfc they could transfer ownership to the trust then the trust could invest their money for the clubs survival.

that way at least the trust would have some guarantee that they wont have donated the money for nothing

[Tom]

Surely the transfer would take alot of time not to mention the legal side of things.

[Guest Anonymous]

The legals would not take alot of time.

[Amber Rebel]

its just that i would trust the trust(sorry about the pun) and would feel happier giving money if i knew the trust were running the club as opposed to individuals who maybe look on ownership as a finnancial comodity

[Guest Anonymous]

well said

[Ian]

There's a couple of very important points here that need clarifying.

 

Firstly, I can confirm what has already been said that the Trust is entirely independent of STFC or anything to do with Bernard, Roy or Martyn. It is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and has total separate funds and audited accounts. I know, because I was involved in setting it up!

 

Secondly, the Trustee role that has been referred to is not as a Trustee of Slough Town Football Club, it is potentially a Trustee of the stadium development being proposed for Arbor Vale. There is a very important difference.

 

Think back to Wexham Park and how the football club had absolutely no control over its destiny once Mayfair gained control of the freehold to WP. Irrespective of the status and ownership structure of the football club, what happened to it was totally in the hands of Mayfair. We all know what happened and had the Trust been involved in the running of STFC it wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference.

 

The critical thing going forward is that people or organisations with the best interests of STFC have some say not over the football club but over the stadium infrastructure because STFC could be as wealthy as you like but if the infrastructure where they play is controlled entirely by others with no interest in STFC (for example, a Byron Thorne type charcter) then they are back at square one.

 

The finances of the club and long term future could well be stabilised by the Arbor Vale proposal so the critical thing is that the Trust, or people with a similar interest in the long term future of STFC, have some say over what happens to the stadium infrastructure. That's where the Trustee role comes into play and that's why it's more important than the actual football side of things because it will prevent the WP situation happening again.

 

On a separate note, the Trust can decide whether it wants to contribute funds but I'd strongly suggest that it is better to keep the current STFC going than accept it's going to die and re-form it. As far as I'm aware the Trust doesn't have unlimited funds and it doesn't have access to local funding or businessmen to create a more stable platform for the future. In summary, it would struggle with all the same difficulties that STFC does at present. Seriously, where's the advantage in that and here's the third important point to clarify.

 

The reason the Trust was set up (as opposed to remaining as an independent supporters club) was to create the legal structure that could take over the running of the club in the event of having to, not to raise funds to enable it to do so. If there's an opportunity for the Trust to assist the Club and keep it going then that has to be a better option than watching it fold then reforming a new club and running out of cash again in a year to fold again.

 

Apologies for War & Peace but important to get some relevant messages across.

[Guest Portfan]

If you do decide to give money to the club make it a loan, it's what any businessman would do in that situation. There may not be enough assets for you to get your money back but in that way you become a creditor of the club and gives you bargaining power in the event of a) the owners wanting to pull out the club going into administration.

[Guest Anonymous]

You say the club might fold. I am confused if the trust were to give the money would that just be a 'stay of execution?' Or are you saying that the club needs the money to buy itself more time in the hope of getting approval from the council?

 

Also if the trust did have funding would that change the position?

 

 

 

[Ian]

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Also if the trust did have funding would that change the position?

Well I have to say it would be a bizarre situation if the Trust was able to secure funding that the Club couldn't (bearing in mind there's onlty a finite number of people who would want to financially support STFC) and chose to watch the Club die (when it could have helped) just so they could start up again!