[cite]Posted By: Chomski[/cite]A big thank you to all those behind tonights meeting. It was interesting and a welcome antidote to the money malaise in British football. And Charlton fans getting mobolised again. Watch out world!
Great turn out, lots of good debate, ideas and questions.
Thanks to everyone who turned up but especially to James Mathie from Supporters' Direct for answering all our questions, Suzi for taking the minutes for 2 1/2 hours!, Brenda for agreeing to type up the very long contact list and Craig for getting it out on facebook so quickly and getting some really useful info from other Trusts.
Also to Ian for the use of the room. I think we doubled his takings for the week. No wonder he was so keen on the Trust idea : - )
There will be another meeting and plenty of other chances for everyone to get involved in some way so no one has missed out.
The amount of on-going legal and other help available from supporters' direct is impressive so we don't have to start from scratch. There are another 160 trusts to learn from.
Had chance to have a good think about last night, and imo the trust is the way to go.
50+ people in that room last night all with some great ideas and that looks great to hopefully put the wheels in motion on the 15th or 17th of next month.
If the trust does go ahead, then my 400 shares (minus 1) can be had.
I think the most important thing for everyone to realise is for us to become vocal again we need numbers, it is a couple of hours and a couple of beers please folks unless you are away try to get to the next meeting we all need to pull together and get back to being an important part of our club not one that has no say
if we can double the 50 or so that was there last night then we are moving in the right direction,
couldn't make last night die to unforessen circumstances and am in Cornwall for the next meeting. Will happily donate my Shares to the ST and I don't mean so they can just use the proxy vote. Look fwd to reading the minutes later.
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]I think the most important thing for everyone to realise is for us to become vocal again we need numbers, it is a couple of hours and a couple of beers please folks unless you are away try to get to the next meeting we all need to pull together and get back to being an important part of our club not one that has no say
if we can double the 50 or so that was there last night then we are moving in the right direction,
Anyway i think some of you whispered to TCE your email addys already but can you whisper them to me if you werent there last night and want to be included going forwards so i can join you to the main group.
Good work all - thought it was a terrific turnout and it was telling that so many people wanted to skip the formal open meeting stage and just go straight ahead with the idea.
Like I said, the beauty of this is that it's all about supporters taking the initiative - something that hasn't really happened in the past decade as a result of the close relations with the board.
I'm away a lot between now and the next meeting, but am happy to pitch in and help.
Great turnout last night. I was so pleased going away. Have posted a description to everyone of the 500+ members on the Facebook group and also on 606. Looking forwards to the 15th of September and a lot more hard work in between now and then getting more and more people involved !!
This all sounds like positive stuff to me well done to all involved. I shall try and attend the next meeting not sure what I can offer but it sounds like something we should support and get involved in. :-)
Great turnout and definitley something I would like to get involved with. Cheers Ben for arranging it and others for their minutetaking and of course to James. Biggest challenge I see at the moment is raising awareness to all of our fan base particularly those who dont use forums or facebook. Perhaps as suggested advertise on the OS, at the home games and in the pubs and maybe even our friend at the Newshopper could give us a mate's rate space in his paper.
I also think that maybe setting up a weblink to provide details of the next meeting may be an idea. Not a forum or a messageboard but perhaps a noticeboard which just shows details of next meeting and minutes all in one neutral place . The web address could be attached on any leaflets, facebook etc so that people can easily just click and find details of where to go without having to navigate through various forums for the less internet -minded among our fan base.
Fair point NLA was just thinking that it may capture a large % of our supporters who may not use any other Charlton website. If it was written by someone with no official ties to the club and impartial it could still be independent?
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]The OS should be a no go we need to remain independent
Yeah, I'm in two minds over this (I think I sat near you NLA!). On the one hand I think the trust should be independent from the club in every way but on the other getting the next meeting advertised on the O/S would be the best way to reach as many people as possible - which is surely our aim at the moment ?
Indeed Henry, it certainly was a good take and thanks to everyone who spent a few quid! In all seriousness, I thought it was a terrifically constructive meeting and as I rambled in my impassioned fashion last night, for a very long time I have wanted a bit of an almost utopian coming together of fans to form a body with a modicum of credibility as opposed to the various ego-massaging elements in some cases that we currently have - having been on both sides of this I feel quite qualified to talk about this! If this can be a model that we can use as a starting point then I'm all for it and hopefully many others are - if everyone at last night's meeting can just bring a mate to the next one (Target 100:)) then we are getting there. Right, I'm off to the bank...
I think, and it was a point that was raised by AFKA last night, the most important thing we need to establish between now and the next meeting it exactly what our objectives are. I think these need to be clear and succinct. Just a plan of action to bring the fans together whilst being important is not an objective in itself as it wouldnt have any structure.
Having listened last night, for me personally, I think we need to be aiming towards a couple of things. They will seem a long way off but I think they should be the long term objectives.
1) Take ownership through share holding of over 10% of shares meaning that the trust could not be forced to sell their shares at any point. **edit** and therefore seats on the board.
2) Secure the future of The Valley should that be through purchasing the pitch area or another means
Other shorter term aims and objectives will be to unite the fans and to attempt to bring the trust up to a level that is truely representative of the fanbase and I think to achieve that we will need 2000+ members.
This is just my opinion of course but over the next 6 weeks or so until the next meeting I think defining the objectives should be the main subject of discussion so we at least have a clear view of that going into the next meeting.
Agree with that Blackheath only problem being is if we set concrete objectives before next meeting it may leave the ST open to criticism for not including the ideas of those who werent in attendance last night and many of them may think they have missed the boat in getting involved?
I understand that. I just think that we need to have a set of potential objectives that can be decided upon and some clear structure otherwise once the next meeting ends it'll be a case of what next? I think these are things that people should try and at least visualise in advance. The above was just my own opinions but I think everyone needs to get their head working on what they believe the objective should be.
edited to add a second point
There is no reason why this process shouldnt involve anyone who wasnt at the first meeting. That's why it'd be good for all people who plan to attend the second meeting to think about this in advance.
Well I think we can say that the objective is a long term plan for securing unconditional fan representation within the club which will allow us a greater say in those decisions which affect Charlton Athletic Football Club. How we specifically set to achieve those aims will be discussed at the next meeting and I’m sure there will be lots of ideas floated.
Apologies again for being unable to attend last night ( and thanks for your kind thoughts , Henry)
Sounds as though an excellent start was made - now some strong foundations need to be laid IMO. I second BA's comments re the long term objectives and I believe expanding on those & cascading to ALL fans is possibly the next task before Sept 15th.
Unfortunately, I shall be on a week's holiday in Tenerife (yes, again ! ) from that date so once more will have to offer my apologies. However, I'd like to suggest the drawing up of a statement of intent/outline of objectives etc to be handed out at either the Walsall or Brentford matches to ALL those home supporters attending - this should then cover most of those without access to a pc etc.
If this is the agreed course of action, I should be happy to be one of the distributors outside the ground.
Can the matchday programmes advertise the meeting on 15SEP? And/or see if the club mind the porgramme sellers handing the leaflet (which someone is knocking up) with every programme maybe?
I'd gladly hand out leaflets on Saturday if anyone can print some for me when they are ready.
Also, just did a google-search and found this site - www.caist.org.uk/ - does anyone know what happened with this attempt four years ago?
Comments
why ??
Happy hour in all pubs on a tuesday.
Next meeting I'd imagine!
Thanks to everyone who turned up but especially to James Mathie from Supporters' Direct for answering all our questions, Suzi for taking the minutes for 2 1/2 hours!, Brenda for agreeing to type up the very long contact list and Craig for getting it out on facebook so quickly and getting some really useful info from other Trusts.
Also to Ian for the use of the room. I think we doubled his takings for the week. No wonder he was so keen on the Trust idea : - )
There will be another meeting and plenty of other chances for everyone to get involved in some way so no one has missed out.
The amount of on-going legal and other help available from supporters' direct is impressive so we don't have to start from scratch. There are another 160 trusts to learn from.
50+ people in that room last night all with some great ideas and that looks great to hopefully put the wheels in motion on the 15th or 17th of next month.
If the trust does go ahead, then my 400 shares (minus 1) can be had.
LMFAO
with the help of me lifting her arm sorry B
if we can double the 50 or so that was there last night then we are moving in the right direction,
Hear Hear.
Anyway i think some of you whispered to TCE your email addys already but can you whisper them to me if you werent there last night and want to be included going forwards so i can join you to the main group.
thanks.
Like I said, the beauty of this is that it's all about supporters taking the initiative - something that hasn't really happened in the past decade as a result of the close relations with the board.
I'm away a lot between now and the next meeting, but am happy to pitch in and help.
but other two are men called Nick P and an Andy C. if thats you can you whisper me your addys ta.
I also think that maybe setting up a weblink to provide details of the next meeting may be an idea. Not a forum or a messageboard but perhaps a noticeboard which just shows details of next meeting and minutes all in one neutral place . The web address could be attached on any leaflets, facebook etc so that people can easily just click and find details of where to go without having to navigate through various forums for the less internet -minded among our fan base.
Yeah, I'm in two minds over this (I think I sat near you NLA!). On the one hand I think the trust should be independent from the club in every way but on the other getting the next meeting advertised on the O/S would be the best way to reach as many people as possible - which is surely our aim at the moment ?
Right, I'm off to the bank...
Having listened last night, for me personally, I think we need to be aiming towards a couple of things. They will seem a long way off but I think they should be the long term objectives.
1) Take ownership through share holding of over 10% of shares meaning that the trust could not be forced to sell their shares at any point. **edit** and therefore seats on the board.
2) Secure the future of The Valley should that be through purchasing the pitch area or another means
Other shorter term aims and objectives will be to unite the fans and to attempt to bring the trust up to a level that is truely representative of the fanbase and I think to achieve that we will need 2000+ members.
This is just my opinion of course but over the next 6 weeks or so until the next meeting I think defining the objectives should be the main subject of discussion so we at least have a clear view of that going into the next meeting.
edited to add a second point
There is no reason why this process shouldnt involve anyone who wasnt at the first meeting. That's why it'd be good for all people who plan to attend the second meeting to think about this in advance.
Sounds as though an excellent start was made - now some strong foundations need to be laid IMO. I second BA's comments re the long term objectives and I believe expanding on those & cascading to ALL fans is possibly the next task before Sept 15th.
Unfortunately, I shall be on a week's holiday in Tenerife (yes, again ! ) from that date so once more will have to offer my apologies. However, I'd like to suggest the drawing up of a statement of intent/outline of objectives etc to be handed out at either the Walsall or Brentford matches to ALL those home supporters attending - this should then cover most of those without access to a pc etc.
If this is the agreed course of action, I should be happy to be one of the distributors outside the ground.
I'd gladly hand out leaflets on Saturday if anyone can print some for me when they are ready.
Also, just did a google-search and found this site - www.caist.org.uk/ - does anyone know what happened with this attempt four years ago?