Argyle Fans' Trust Open Meeting for all fans

[Quizmike]

Firstly thank you to all those Argyle fans who have helped make this a constructive rather than destructive thread. I would like to try and answer Quizmike and Jimsing’s questions.
Firstly Jimsing, your comment: “I think it was the other way round, Esmer. The AFT withdrew from the discussions, not the board” is obviously untrue. I have quite clearly stated that James Brent refused permission for his CEO to hold further meetings with me as of 28th April. I have no reason to tell lies. That is a fact.
In response to Quizmike’s questions:
1. I agree with Ian that: “All online polls should be taken with a pinch of salt. Whichever way the votes come out”. The AFT board felt it had a clear mandate from its members to apply for ACV status.
2. The club were given 12 months notice that we would be applying for ACV status. I was told by the CEO that it would be a waste of time and that it would make no difference.
3. While not aware that this was the only case ever of a council having to place an ACV against itself, we were very aware that over 20 other professional clubs from Liverpool and Newcastle through to our neighbours Torquay had successfully applied for this status.
4. It was not the view of the AFT board that ‘the ACV was useless’.
5. Graham Clarke is not a member of the AFT Board. We never anticipated stopping the Club from exercising the option to buy the freehold. Our concern has always been who it might then be sold on to. The ACV gives a degree of protection and advance notice when this happens.
6. Because of what happened the last time the club obtained the freehold.
7. However the Never Again statement, on top of the ACV, would look to the general public, there was never, ever any correlation between the two. The AFTs decision to suspend further dialogue with the club was made before any discussion by ex-chairs and others with the authors of the Never Again statement. I added my name when asked to because, on a personal level, I believe that our club should remain under public ownership.
Again, on a personal note, I look forward to the resumption of discussions between the club and the elected members of the Argyle Fans’ Trust and was pleased that James Brent left the door open at the recent open fans' forum. There are important issues ranging from the safety of our stadium through to next year’s kit choice that our members could be helping with. We are there, not to tell James Brent what to do, but to act a critical friends should the club so wish.

Thank you for those answers.

So would it be right to say that the AFT would be happy to discuss reopening dialogue with the Argyle board?

 

[jimsing]

Jimsing

I love your model of a democratic representative fans group BUT...................................

............as an example, 10 fans wish to promote their opinion on whatever issue as they are die-hard Argyle supporters...............they are diverse in age, location, longevity, gender and status of membership....................

..................they ALL join the AFT [or whatever the name of the fans group] as they want to voice their opinion and the AFT is their sole voice.

They have NO other choice................they must TWIST or TWIST [sorry !!!]

BUT wait.........................they ALL hold different views on the purchase of buying the freehold of the stadium, the development of the stadium, the new Far Post Club, the Argyle Angels, the goal celebration music, the cost of a half-time oggie and EVERYTHING ELSE.

I could give you some possible options that COULD be provided BUT what would YOUR model provide to these 10 die-hards ?

For simply the football and from afar........

Keep the Faith :scarf:

Perhaps it could be called the GAS Board ...... oh wait a minute!

Thanks for the input, Tin Tin.

Let us say that the Supporters Group meet once a month regularly. Members could pass their comments, questions, suggestions to the group for them to mull over, and maybe follow up with the PAFC board at their quarterly meetings, if they so decided. If the Committee think it important enough the Chairman may wish to sound out their members regarding an issue. This could be done via individual e-mail, fax, mss or whatever, in order to get feedback from the membership prior to those quarterly meetings. Even a vote on certain matters could be arranged. The technology is there if we can get someone to create it.

The membership would know that their input will have been discussed. The Committee would be able to bring to the attention of the Club any matters that it was felt needed actioning, and the Club would know that any grievances or suggestions that the fans had would be brought to their attention in order that they can deal with the matters in a professional way.

Meetings would be held via the internet, no need for booking anywhere.

Minutes would be taken of meetings in the normal manner for all members to peruse.

Elections for Committee may be held as and when decided by the membership, probably yearly or every two years. Committee could vote for a Chairman after elections, or may be part of the election process itself.

Now I'm not saying that all will be nice in the garden, and that there would be no teething problems, or that all would go swimmingly well, but there would be a format to follow for each and every member to turn to, for the Committee to follow, and each member would know that at least their input will have been looked at, even if it was discarded by Committee as being insufficient to take further.

It would be nice if there were no yearly fees to be paid by members, and then we could all be included in the membership, but there WILL be expenses that will have to be paid, and there must surely be some control over membership, or we would get an influx of undesirables, even those from other football clubs, looking to cause mayhem.

I'm not saying that I have ALL the answers, or that decisions on format may have to be changed over time for practical reasons, but it would seem illogical that a Club Supporters Group could not be the vehicle for the supporters to air their opinions/grievances/questions towards the owners of their Football Club.

 

[Ghost]

Good idea but.........................Can you imagine the number of new fan groups that would form in order to get a seat at the table?

Look at how the AFT (under Symons) stitched up the PASB 'leaders'.

I'm sorry but it's a bit like Communism, great in theory but...............

Ahhhh, Andy 'keep left' Symons. I wonder whatever happened to that total plank?

 

[Argyledad]

Yes Quizmike, it would be right to say that the AFT would be happy to discuss reopening dialogue with the Argyle board, if said board are prepared to seriously take the views of our one thousand members into consideration. That is not meant as a threat or through some overblown sense of our own importance, but rather a plea to uphold a serious, open and honest dialogue with the elected members of our board.

 

[Knarf Reprah]

Good idea but.........................Can you imagine the number of new fan groups that would form in order to get a seat at the table?

Look at how the AFT (under Symons) stitched up the PASB 'leaders'.

I'm sorry but it's a bit like Communism, great in theory but...............

Ahhhh, Andy 'keep left' Symons. I wonder whatever happened to that total plank?

I went for a leak at half time against Yeovil and to my horror Slyman was stood next to me I was so tempted to turn towards him and keep peeing. The things that man said about me, but never to my face of course!

 

[IJN]

You've now given me an image I could have lived without.

 

[Knarf Reprah]

You've now given me an image I could have lived without.

Not me I trust, surely u mean Slyman

 

[Quizmike]

Yes Quizmike, it would be right to say that the AFT would be happy to discuss reopening dialogue with the Argyle board, if said board are prepared to seriously take the views of our one thousand members into consideration. That is not meant as a threat or through some overblown sense of our own importance, but rather a plea to uphold a serious, open and honest dialogue with the elected members of our board.

That is very encouraging news indeed.

May I ask the last time you approached the members directly for their views? My understanding is that you use John Lloyd's end of season survey? I may be completely wrong there.

And can you do something to speed up service at half time?