Can't help thinking how different the last few days/months could have been if we'd had a fully integrated, fully functioning Supporters' Trust.

It was set up in the aftermath of exactly the same things we're experiencing now, but lack of involvement in the club has meant lack of interest on the part of the fans, and the whole thing, in spite of the efforts of a dedicated few, has been pretty much a lame duck.

Surely Mr Glover, in the position he's in now, can see the advantage not only of having the fans on his side, but having the fans involved in some capacity in the running of the club? Like the original season ticket offer, where we needed to hit a certain number to guarantee the price, why doesn't he offer the same to the ST for a seat on the board?

For example: "Get 2,000 fully paid up members, then the fans get a representative on the board". A significant proportion of the money raised goes directly into the club, every year, with the condition that the number of members would always have to be above a certain figure for them to be represented. What's to lose? How much investment has he received from other board members in terms of "one-offs, in forevers"?
I'm sure most fans, in return for this, would support the efforts of the club to keep us in a good place until we move to Newmarket, and beyond.

I really think the club have missed a trick here, in a "together we are stronger" type way.

Interesting that you posed this.

I was involved in setting up the Trust with other committed individuals. It was indeed set up in the aftermath of the problems that led to administration but the process of establishing a Trust started long before that. The aim was to control sufficient number of shares (by proxy) to demand a seat on the Board and a say in how the Club was run.

That ended with administration but we felt that in Andrew Glover we had an owner that would take the Club forward. Nothing has changed our view but Andrew decided that he was not going to make a share offer so our aim of the Trust owning a share of the club and being represented on the Board remains unfulfilled but the aim remains.

What is disappointing is that the Trust only has around 200 members but having said that what does the Trust have to offer ? It's a bit of a Catch 22 situation. With only 200 members and no shares in the Club why should the Club listen to us and whilst the Club is not offering us a share and a seat on the Board why should Supporters join the Trust.

That may be about to change. The Club has indicated that it may be prepared to offer the Trust the opportunity to acquire a share/s in the Club. That share will have to be bought with hard cash just like any other stakeholder in the Club. I have no issue with that, if we want to own a piece of the Club we should be prepared to pay for it.

We have a Board Meeting tomorrow evening and I will be seeking a mandate to negotiate with the Club terms to acquire a stake. If I receive approval and agree terms we will be seeking the financial support of our fans by way of them joining the Trust (or renewing membership) and thus becoming a shareholder in the Trust and supporting any fund raising ventures we embark on.

We have an opportunity to achieve our main aim, that is the Trust owning a share of the Club and therefore having a say in its running. The Supporters of Wakefield Trinity will own a part of the Club but in order to achieve this we need your support.

The Trust is possibly at a crossroads. If we are unable to achieve our aim of the supporters of Wakefield Trinity owning a part of the Club I cannot see a role for the Trust or certainly my part in the Trust.

We will need your support in numbers and financially because without your support we cannot achieve our aim and there is in my opinion very little, if any need for the Trust.

So I join the trust. How is MY voice heard?

The idea of the "supporter" sharing 1 voice is absurd. For example, I want an all seater stadium...some will want some standing. Who does the ST represent?

Until people e.g. Me, understand what the ST actually is, increasing the membership meaningfully, is a pipe dream.

Like any democracy. The members of the Trust elect a Board, any Trust member can stand for the Board and the Board represents its members. The Board holds meetings with the Club at present but has no representation on the Club's Board. If that changes then the Members of the Trust will elect someone to represent the Trust on the Club Board.

By holding meetings with Trust members to discuss important subjects such as the Stadium the Trust Board and the representitive on the Club Board can voice the opinion of the Trust Members on the basis of a majority vote.

The situation is simple. If supporters don't want a Trust then it will fold.

The ST stands at about 3% of the popular support of the club.

How is the ST publicised? I come on here so hear about it...

Quote ="dboy"The ST stands at about 3% of the popular support of the club. How is the ST publicised? I come on here so hear about it...'" The Trust has a [url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wakefield-Trinity-Supporters-Trust/102940519783659?fref=tsFacebook Presence[/url, a Twitter account (@WTrinitySTrust) but other than that it is mainly "word of mouth". There is also an email address for the Trust (wtsupporterstrust@aol.com) where you can ask any questions or make suggestions. We do have regular dialogue with the club and have raised queries and concerns with the club during our existence which have led to the club acting on them and making improvements/changes. However, as Sandal Cat has posted and you have alluded to, with only approx 3% of the active support base as members it is not always easy to be as influential as we would like.

Quote ="dboy"The ST stands at about 3% of the popular support of the club. How is the ST publicised? I come on here so hear about it...'" The Trust has a [url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wakefield-Trinity-Supporters-Trust/102940519783659?fref=tsFacebook Presence[/url, a Twitter account (@WTrinitySTrust) but other than that it is mainly "word of mouth". There is also an email address for the Trust (wtsupporterstrust@aol.com) where you can ask any questions or make suggestions. We do have regular dialogue with the club and have raised queries and concerns with the club during our existence which have led to the club acting on them and making improvements/changes. However, as Sandal Cat has posted and you have alluded to, with only approx 3% of the active support base as members it is not always easy to be as influential as we would like.

Id say it is currently very easy for anyone to get involved behind the scenes. Simple. Give AG a ring and stump up some hard cash. I doubt a serious amount of money would be turned down.

This!
Serious investment would always be welcome in return for a seat on the board.
Not sure how a ST would work on the board. There are some issues that Gould and have to remain confidential within a board room. So how do you then report back to 200 members?

Anything confidential would remain confidential. It's not just about reporting back to members but rather the views of supporters being aired in the Board Room and the Board taking account of those views.

How much would the ST need?

Would, say, 500 members paying 50 quid a year be enough? Would it be tax efficient to encourage membership in return for a discounted season ticket?

Also, would there be any financial liabilities on Trust members?

I'm supportive of a Trust, and a possible board presence, but there are lots of questions to answer before I'd give my money, and before I'd support the presence on the board.
It can be as disruptive as it can helpful to have this.

You only have to read the views on here to know that having the best interests of the club at heart do not mean we all share the same view of what that is.
I am all for democracy but the board isn't a democracy across the fans.

If there was a presence on the board I would want to know, who is representing me, what their own views are and how they are going to find out what mine are.

While it is Andrew Glover running his own club, I am happy to pay my money to watch, and support the Club 1873. I then leave it to him to do his best. I will moan about things on here and I will take my money away if I am really distraught about something but probably not.

There are also other fans that get much more involved than I do, like those already on the Trust and those on the stadium group. I tend to leave them to it as they give their time and that is more difficult for me to give. But I'm happy with that too.

But for the Trust to have a stake in the board is something I would be interested in. It allows me to have a view and also invest on a small scale which would benefit the club.
It would need to be something tangible and something supported by the club for me to do that though. And I'd need to know the crazies on the forum are not running the show.....with the greatest respect to the "non crazies" already involved in the Trust.

Now this is a debate worth having.

I must admit I'm baffled and disappointed that no share issue was ever offered to the public especially in the first year.

For a club and a Chairman claiming poverty in these tricky times I can't see a better way to swell the coffers especially a year ago when we were on a high.

Sadly to do it now looks like begging and smacks of Ted (end of era) desperation.

I get the feeling AG is a one man band which is fine so long as he can back it up. However fan based shareholdings rarely if ever interrupt the day to day running of a club like a major individual shareholder possibly could.

I really don't know why he didn't take that golden egg for the sake of a shareholders meeting once a year - now I fear the door has shut until we move to NM which of course may be the intention.

As for the ST as Sandal says it's a bit of a catch 22 at the moment but if they do get the green light to buy shares I will join and I will contribute.

To try and answer a few of the points raised so far.

How much will the Trust need - I will answer that after tonights meeting but it will be a substantial sum and I would like to think we could achieve more than 500 members who would have to pay less than £50.00.

How do avoid the "crazies" as its been put by Pop Tart. Any member can seek election to the Board and its members who elect the Board and thus the Rep on the Club's Board if we were successful would be elected by Members so a "crazy" should not be elected.

I agree with Vastman. If the Club wants to raise capital than a better way in my opinion would be to offer shares to the fans. AG could put a percentage of the Club to the fans and we would all have an opportunity to by shares with say a minimum investment of say £50.00. This would not get Board Representation but if shareholders wished to pass their proxy to the Trust, whilst still retaining ownership, then the Trust could represent those shareholders if a proxy over a sufficient number of shares could be secured. Those shareholders giving the proxy could elect whom they wished to represent them.

Its ok i'm not involved.

Without any disrespect to the board and members of the Trust, I'm sure many think as I do, that, without that direct(ish) influence on the club, it's just the Supporters Club/WISA/WISCA under another name. I'm sure a place on the board would change that, and the 'trust' of the supporters that those involved wouldn't end up as close to this regime as some involved in groups in the past where to old regimes.

I'm willing to put money into this to help the club, but just to be clear I don't want supporters involved in an executive capacity, I'll leave that to the board - what I want is a voice that is heard and respected.

I would be willing to buy some shares to help the club out and proxy my vote to the ST

As would I, given certain assurances; I will wait for the detail to emerge from tonight's meeting, to see if those assurances are contained within the club's proposal.

I think you underestimate what a supporters trust is - I'm not involved myself but I know it took a lot of setting up legally speaking. It certainly is way more than Wisca etc - however the truth is it can't work it's magic as it has at other clubs until the BOD free up a seat on the Board sadly.

I guess I didn't explain my thoughts clearer. I remember from the initial meetings that the Trust was far more structured than the old bodies, but, because of the situation with Glover (and the club is free for him to do whatever he likes with, I understand that) and no place on the board, it just appears toothless. I'm sure this probably isn't 100% the case, but I'm sure others think that way and what we could have had, unfortunately, is not what we have today.

25 or 50 grand would buy you some shares. It's no guarantee it would get you a seat on the board of directors

Couldn't be far off though surely?

Bit rich for me is that!

You are 100% correct, the Trust is indeed toothless at the moment and that is what we are looking to remedy. The aim of the Trust and indeed any Supporters Trust (its engrained in its rules) is to obtain shares in the Club, a seat on the Board and involvement in the running of the Club.

The Trust is in no way wanting to run the Club, there are far more experienced individuals on the Board already doing this. All we want is the Supporters wishes to be heard in the running of the Club.

We have agreed to pursue the acquisition of a share/s in the Club but have no financial details agreed as yet but will provide details when/if we have a concrete proposal.

If we are unable to obtain shares or come to some agreement as to how the wishes of Supporters can be considered by the Club then the Trust will probably be liquidated.

It may do. I'm just saying that buying a minority amount of shares doesn't guarantee a seat on the board. I've got shares in HSBC but I doubt I'll be getting an invite to sit on the board?