20 Years of Trust

[Grecian Max]

The club owns nothing of real value. On the face it, difficult to imagine any attraction for the 'investor' other than a wealthy City-supporting benefactor, and they don't grow on trees.

I think that in itself is actually a worrying factor and surely makes it more likely for us to look for investment long term? We cannot buy our ground or a new one without investment and after 20 years still have nothing to our name asset wise? Not even the training ground. Is that an empire built on sand (that sand being the presumption of academy products continuing to make us cash to essentially prop us up…)

 

[Grecian Max]

It really does Max.

Not for everybody it doesn’t.

I’m not anti Trust at all, I’ve been a member and will continue to be. I like the added connection it brings. However I don’t want it halting progress we could continue make here as ultimately my main passion is what happens on the pitch, not in the part B discussions.

This club wasn’t formed by socialist party members as a counter culture movement, there was 80+ years without this so I’m not going to accept that it defines Exeter City. It’s a nice side bit to sell as a USP.

And yes I understand where it came from; I was caught up in the excitement as much as anyone else in that summer of 2003 where real change was afoot out of the misery of the prior season. I loved how everyone came together as a United front and saved the club from oblivion. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t evolve.

I suspect Argyle’s academy might well force our hand at some point t anyway as they will likely blow us out of the water.

 

[lamrobhero]

right

The Trust has been great but was brought in as an emergency measure, it doesn’t define our club

You must have supported the club prior to this change right?

I supported the Club from 1968 to 1981. And from 2017 until now. I went to White Hart Lane in 1981 to be herded like cattle and spat on and I asked myself what am I doing here? And nobody was interested and nobody cared. I would not have come back to the fold if the club was not Trust owned.

I prefer to live in the real world. Others may wish to live in a world mediated by Sugar Daddys (or Mummys). When I saw Newcastle fans react to the Saudi takeover I thought have you no self respect? When I see Tom Brady at Birmingham I think of his adverts for FTX.

 

[Grecian Max]

I supported the Club from 1968 to 1981. And from 2017 until now. I went to White Hart Lane in 1981 to be herded like cattle and spat on and I asked myself what am I doing here? And nobody was interested and nobody cared. I would not have come back to the fold if the club was not Trust owned.

I prefer to live in the real world. Others may wish to live in a world mediated by Sugar Daddys (or Mummys). When I saw Newcastle fans react to the Saudi takeover I thought have you no self respect? When I see Tom Brady at Birmingham I think of his adverts for FTX.

Interesting stuff. I’m not looking for the club to a have a sugar daddy, but to explore hybrid options. I’ve been with the Trust since the beginning in 2003 during your leave of absence. That would be the real world.

Your journey with the fan-owned side of things is pretty new and only covers a period of success - prior to that we almost got relegated out of the league and had to get a PFA loan to pay our players.

What I’m talking about is very different to being taken over by the Saudi state and that sort of comment is fairly typical of those who want to keep it all in house and cosy.

 

[lamrobhero]

What I’m talking about is very different to being taken over by the Saudi state and that sort of comment is fairly typical of those who want to keep it all in house and cosy.

It is not different. You want to pass responsibility for the Club onto someone else. Can't you take the responsibility?

That would be the real world.

My reference to the real world is probably more at home on the Politics Thread.

 

[Grecian in Guzz]

Not for everybody it doesn’t.

I’m not anti Trust at all, I’ve been a member and will continue to be. I like the added connection it brings. However I don’t want it halting progress we could continue make here as ultimately my main passion is what happens on the pitch, not in the part B discussions.

This club wasn’t formed by socialist party members as a counter culture movement, there was 80+ years without this so I’m not going to accept that it defines Exeter City. It’s a nice side bit to sell as a USP.

And yes I understand where it came from; I was caught up in the excitement as much as anyone else in that summer of 2003 where real change was afoot out of the misery of the prior season. I loved how everyone came together as a United front and saved the club from oblivion. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t evolve.

I suspect Argyle’s academy might well force our hand at some point t anyway as they will likely blow us out of the water.

As you know Max I've raised concerns about the very real threat from those 40 miles W to the income stream that has not only kept the club afloat but allowed us to develop over the last 10 years or so but sadly personal discussions with various Trustees / public announcements by our Chair indicate they don't really recognise the threat.
I have also recently raised concern with the Trust that those that organised the CH redevelopment opening chose to use the money designated for the CHTG Brick wall in the dining room to "subsidise dinners" (see extract from Trust Owners & Members Zoom Meeting held on 28 June 23 and noted item 7 below) when the money was given to support the wall NOT pay for a chuck up (at least without the donors agreement) - sadly only a holding response to date but I notice today that CHTG Brick sponsors get first dibs at visiting the new facility !
I believe that OUR club has, after 20 years, reached another critical moment where the OWNERS need to make a decision based upon either seeking outward investment (hoping supporters maintain control) OR stay as we are and rely on the hope that our Academy continues to produce the income streams in the face of threats which it appears to be ambivalent too with all the risks that entails.
I am also concerned that our "controlling mind" decided to divert donated funds without telling sponsors - I know it is on a much smaller scale but doesn't it sound like the bad old days when money was diverted for other purposes ?
Perhaps we need to word a motion for the next AGM and let us OWNERS ask for a review of where we need to go next ?
Yours in the hope that we have a club in another 20 years
UTC

Trust Owners & Members Zoom Meeting held on 28 June 23 and noted item 7
"Grecian Goal, 20 Years Celebration, Brick in the Wall & Foundation, - Elaine reported GG raised £5k for last season. Corporate Tournament a great success. Lots of supporters attended and £1200 raised. Invitation to Official 20 year Celebration Dinner sent. Second dinner for supporters and 2 from each Grecian Group. CHTG Brick money can go to subsidise dinners as sign had been donated by Signs Express"

 

[Grecian Max]

It is not different. You want to pass responsibility for the Club onto someone else. Can't you take the responsibility?

I don't because I've already said I want a hybrid model, a shared responsibility is a grown up way of doing things

 

[Grecian Max]

My reference to the real world is probably more at home on the Politics Thread.

How highbrow of you to step into WOWS

 

[Cowshed Grecian]

If the Trust lost control then I would no longer support the Club because it would no longer be mine.

Bit of a selfish comment that. If it was in the best interest of the club to seek outside investment to keep the club moving forward then we 100 per cent should do that IMO. I respect the Trust and Tagg for what they’ve done especially the youth development, however being a Fan Owned club means they don’t put their own money in so there’s one massive handicap right there. People forget it was an emergency plan 20 years ago, so now we are Fan owned does that mean we will always have to be fan owned?

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

I found an old article the other day actually from one of the AGMs - I think it was 2019. In it Taggy is very clear that we can’t stand still and at some point we’d have to likely look to tweak the model. As has already been said £2 a month and playing the transfer lottery isn’t going to build us into what we could potentially be. It’ll always inhibit growth.

Start to evolve it whilst we’re strong and retain a decent percentage, it’s definitely possible.

On Radio Devon yesterday in the build up to the game there was an interview with Tagg where he said he had changed some of his opinions on Trust ownership and that actually he'd started to think we might not have taken it as far as we can yet, it just takes longer to get there.