Open Meeting FF/ASSF

[VALAIRIAN]

Sorry to double this one, but did not want to miss anybody


Just an update on the F.F. / A.S.S.F. There is an "Open Meeting" at Stanley in the club house, Friday night 14th August 7.00 P.M. Please be there if you can.

[Tin Monkey]

Can you let us know what's on the agenda please?

[maccawozzagod]

the basis of the meeting will be to explain who we are and what we stand for. We will also explain the current directions that we want to take and show how we can help the club different to how fans groups have done previously. We will take ideas onboard and ask for help in whatever ways you can. The club will have representatives there, as will the Supporters Club.

We want to move forward in unison with everybody and this can only be done if everybody is involved.

The current format for operations will be that the Committee will remove anybody from its ranks who it sees fit (non attendance, disrepute etc) and will vote people on to the committee as it sees fit (people who are offering assistance and need to be more involved). Public meetings wouldn't work every month, however if the public demand it, and there is enough involvement then that would have to change. But it's up to you all to request that.

[Tin Monkey]

Thanks Rob.

[harwood red]

sorry can't make this one with me working Friday night, please will someone post a report, ta

[K.S.H]

Can't make it either, not back till Sat

[K.S.H]

Well what happened? or is it all top secret

[sparkie]

no its not top secret, if you'd have been there you'd know that!!!

Sorry mate I know you couldn't make for work reasons, just joking.

[VALAIRIAN]

Not a great deal to report really, explained what ASSF/FF is about - raising funds for Stanley, with our own idea's, plus working for/with the club/fan's/O.S.C./supporter's. We also offer our varied service's, contact's, abilities Etc. We presented Rob Heys with a cheque for £25'000 (Interest free over 12mths) We also (Inc Rob Heys) explained that Stanley are not by any mean's out of difficulties cash wise and reminded everybody that we all need to do our bit for Stanley and all pull together to ensure that the club firstly get's through the next 12 mths, but secondly continue's and goes from strength to strength That is all I can remember for the moment, but I am sure that if I've missed anything then one or two other's will post it on here..

[maccawozzagod]

so, not that anybody has asked but here goes anyway

the meeting was Chaired, informally by Stephen Lowe, who was joined at the table by our official Chair, Peter Shaw, and ASFC Chief Executive Rob Heys.

Peter opened the meeting with an introduction to Accrington Stanley Supporters Fund, who was in it, and why ASFC is important not only to us but also to the welfare of the town. He explained that the changes at the top of ASFC had slowed down our progress and changed our ideals, although it was all for the better and progress was now easier. He then explained that the two ways in which we, the fans, could help ASFC was in fundraising and in a new share issue. The share issue was now a side item on the Agenda and would no longer be a focal point of our meetings or existence due to the current shareholding majority not supporting the idea. However, all at ASFC are aware of the offer and the offer will stay on the table until such time as the club feel that they really need the money. The offer will not be withdrawn. The club are also fully aware of our aims and are 100% behind our continued existence. At this point a cheque was presented to the club for £25,000 which as was previously explained would be an interest free loan to help tide them over. It was also accepted that repayment was expected but would not be pursued if they were not in a position to pay it. Rob Heys then interjected to explain why the cash was so gratefully accepted.

A question from the floor was then raised asking where the money (£25k) had come from and was the Supporters Club still in existence. The answers given were that the money had come out of company funds (ASSF) and the Supporters Club was very much still in existence. The question asker pursued whether the money had indeed come from Ilyas Khan to which the answer was still that the money had come from ASSF funds.

Stephen Lowe then spoke. He spoke more about who we are individually and the fact that we have amongst us people from various Boards and Committee's, people who own or run their own companies, Supporters Club Chairman and members, as well as people from all walks of life with all manner of skills. He also explained a little more about the differences between the OSC and ASSF which basically centred on the ability of the Supporters Fund to purchase and own shares. It was emphasised that the two groups, together with the Ultras, ASFC and any other interested group would be working side by side, shoulder to shoulder with each other. Loweiy then took the mood downbeat slightly in order to stress that Accrington Stanley Football Club is absolutely still in the **** and that it would be foolhardy to think otherwise. It is imperative that everybody who holds the club dear should act now in order to maximise and safeguard our future. It was also added that The Don was totally receptive to our ideas and that he had invited us to send one of our members to Board meetings to ensure transparency between fan and club. Loweiy also insisted that as a group we would work to ensure that any ideas raised by us, the club or the OSC should be ratified between each other to ensure that nobody was trying to duplicate ideas. By doing this we could also ensure that relevant skillsets could be put to work to maximise the effects.

The next stage of the evening centred on how we as a group intend to move forwards. We will obviously look to fundraise as soon as possible. Loweiy mentioned the many heated debates that had taken place at ASSF meetings as the group fought to establish what future we had and which direction it should take. Eventually as a group we had decided that we should concentrate on two one-off events and two immediate to work on events.
The longer term one-off events were;

1. Sportsmans Dinner - we already a promisory note from David Lloyd that he would head a Sportsmans Dinner for the cause. We also have a kind of promise of assistance from a well known former Welsh international, Liverpool strike legend, but it would be unfair to name him at this moment (but its the one who did a bit at Juventus as well ). This event (wasn't discussed at the meeting but I'll fill you in anyway) may or may not take place at the club depending on numbers. But if we can fill a bigger room with an extra 200 people then that would more than offset any loss of earnings on the bar. This event is dependant on when we can tie the two names to a date.
   
2. End of season Open Day. This was an event that I had planned to take on anyway on behalf of the OSC, but ASSF had it on the agenda so it was agreed that we would work together. A slight delay was on this as I had wanted the OSC to agree to fund the necessary Safety License - which has now happened. So both parties will work together to ensure that this event is far, far more of a success than it ever would have been the first time around. Just to re-iterate this is where the variety of people on our board comes in as our Comapny Secretary is on the Board of Hyndburn Leisure Trust which should ensure that the organisation side of things stays squeaky clean as far as the Councils are concerned.

The more immediate goals are;

1. To re-enact the successful Ultras sponsored walk to Rochdale. This event had previously raised a magnificent £5k with which The Ultras built a school in Nepal. However this year we wanted to at least match that figure towards ASFC funds. This walk is scheduled for the 24th October when we play the League 2 Lifers.
   
2. To become agents for the Gold Bond Draw. Loweiy explained in full that the club had lost significant revenue through this in recent months and this had resulted not only in a loss of immediate income but that the percentage they receive had also dropped from 65% to 62.5%. It was suggested that our first goal should be to lift the current income level from around £1600 per week to £2k per week which would lift us back to 65%, but that we should then look to build from there. We (ASSF) would also act as the agent which receives a 15% agents fee, thereby lifting our overall commission to a healthy 80%. The club wouldn't immediately receive this extra 15% as it would go into an ASSF 'slush fund' which would be used as collateral on paying for things such as caterers for the Sportsmans Dinners. The sam ewould go for any 'prizes' that are offered to agents for numbers secured - they would all go towards raffle prizes etc. It was urged by the top table that this should be our biggest focus this year and we would accept any help whatsoever that you the fan can offer with this, if it is only taking home 50 leaflets and leaflet dropping every house on your street. Rob Heys then chipped in to agree how important it was as this provides the club with an all year round income regardless of the football

Loweiy and Peter then talked a little more about various things. Firstly it was re-emphasised that we are not a stand alone group and that all current facets of the club are behind it. Secondly it was stressed that neither the club nor ASSF would allow the club to just go out with its begging bowl, we must be seen to be offering something in return. ASFC has never previously given to the town without first having had something given to it. This changes as of now.

Rob Heys then spoke a little while to explain how positive the overall outlook was for Accrington Stanley. He again said that we aren't out of the woods and that the next 12 months could be a little sticky at times. But, (and he got a little animated at his point) as a club there are many things happening behind the scenes which should all start to bear fruit over the next 12 months. This next bit is only me filling in gaps but basically the club has various schemes in the melting pot. We also have numerous new members of staff who are all still dotting I's and crossing T's, once these things were set-up in their entirety and systems were up and running we should see a new and unrecognisable Accrington Stanley. We have to bear in behind though, that whilst we are trying to implement all these things we do still have to pay the taxman £25k a month and we still have to rectify a reported £30k a month deficit from last season. So, we are trying to make an extra £50k a month to get things back on an even keel to still be the poorest team in the League. But by next season it is hoped that this is all money that will actually be a surplus to us and can then start to make a difference and we can start trying to plan how best to spend this surplus.

At this point the meeting itself was finished but there were several questions asked.

1. how did we end up owing the taxman £300k? I think this answer has been well publicised previously as it was put down to various things including the credit crunch affecting sponsorship revenue and ultimately costing the club their main sponsor, crowds being down year on year on year, the numerous scandals also affected Income as potential sponsors were harder to come by.
   
2. The club has declined over the last two years and The Don has been involved for two years, so how will things change now? Probably an unfair question but it was answered anyway. The previous two years The Don has had to run things by EW and the buck stopped with the man at the top ultimately. EW wanted total control over everything whereas The Don wants to let managers manage. Also it may be possible that The Don had his own ideas on how things could move forwards but would have been reluctant to implement anything that would up the value of a club he wanted to buy.
   
3. Have any contractual changes been made with players? Yes and no (I can't answer this in full as there was other conversations going on so I missed some of it). Rob mentioned that they put in more penalties to players who are absent through injury. He then spoke a little about off the field activities and that when the betting scandal broke they were contacted not only by the PFA, but by a lawyer representing one of the players, and that he insisted that his client play the following match or it would send out the wrong messages. Rob emphasised that ASFC would not be dictated to by any extraneous bodies.
   
4. Not a qustion but this forums' very own Sparkie then concluded the meeting by announcing her intention to a) cycle to the Torquay away match (but this would be done on a weekly basis via cycle. Her fundraising efforts would be split between AS Ladies FC and the ASSF. b) it would be her intention to formulate a sponsored event in conjunction with various organisations where Stanley Supporters walk to every ground in the league (all 2000+ miles) but this would be done overnight, without leaving Accrington!!!

In summary

This meeting was a landmark in the current history of ASFC. It underlined the energies, passions, and commitment that we have towards ensuring that Our Club goes from strength to strength. It proved to the club that we are committed to working with them and that if we think they are failing we will try to give them a nudge in the right direction. It proved that if the club was to fall on its arse there are some people that are willing to pick it back up and fight for its existence. Its just a pity that only 21 people were there to witness it.

[K.S.H]

Originally Posted by sparkie

no its not top secret, if you'd have been there you'd know that!!!

Sorry mate I know you couldn't make for work reasons, just joking.

Really, I was away

Originally Posted by VALAIRIAN

Not a great deal to report really, explained what ASSF/FF is about - raising funds for Stanley, with our own idea's, plus working for/with the club/fan's/O.S.C./supporter's. We also offer our varied service's, contact's, abilities Etc. We presented Rob Heys with a cheque for £25'000 (interest free over 12mths) We also (Inc Rob Heys) explained that Stanley are not by any mean's out of difficulties cash wise and reminded everybody that we all need to do our bit for Stanley and all pull together to ensure that the club firstly get's through the next 12 mths, but secondly continue's and goes from strength to strength That is all I can remember for the moment, but I am sure that if I've missed anything then one or two other's will post it on here..

Cheers V

[VALAIRIAN]

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

This meeting was a landmark in the current history of ASFC. It underlined the energies, passions, and commitment that we have towards ensuring that Our Club goes from strength to strength. It proved to the club that we are committed to working with them and that if we think they are failing we will try to give them a nudge in the right direction. It proved that if the club was to fall on its arse there are some people that are willing to pick it back up and fight for its existence. Its just a pity that only 21 people were there to witness it.

If I'd have known you were doing "War and Peace" I would not have bothered Far better post than mine

[sparkie]

forget this post maccas is far more informative!!!!

[K.S.H]

Thanks Rob

[loweiy]

cheers rob