| Trust Chairman's statement 16:43 - Dec 20 with 7046 views | Joe_bradshaw |
Following the announcement on Thursday of my appointment as Chairman of the Supporters’ Trust I was able to speak with a number of Trust Members after the Members’ Forum in the evening. I am probably known to some others but felt it appropriate to send out this more general message to all members by way of introduction.
As I said in my opening remarks on Thursday I did not envisage being in this position even a couple of short months ago. Having stepped up into the Vice Chairman’s role to support Will Morris following his appointment as Chairman, the completely unwarranted treatment of Will on the Internet led to the Chairman’s seat again becoming vacant and the need to again step up; this time to lead what I am sure we all recognise as a unique organisation. Unique not only in that it is the only Supporters’ Trust owning shares in and being represented at Board level at a club in the Premier League, but also an organisation which played a significant role in the journey that the Club took from near extinction to the richest league in the world.
Although joining the Trust as a member from the start I take no credit for the huge amount of work undertaken by a relatively small group of fans during those early days. I was the one putting money in the bucket rather than carrying it and together with many Swans Fans young and old I will always be grateful for their endeavours.
It was by way of giving something back to the organisation that I was persuaded to seek a position on the Trust Board. Retirement from my job at the DVLA had provided me with a resource which I knew would be welcome by the Board — time. Little did I realise then the accuracy of the old adage that when you are retired you can never understand how you had time to go to work! That became evident quickly however and even more so when I later took on responsibilities for media relations and membership administration within the Trust Board.
The years since we gained promotion to the Premier League have probably provided the most challenging times for the Trust since those early days; and none more so than at present. The proposal to sell some of the Trust’s shares was I know not universally welcome, but most if not all of you will have been involved in the comprehensive consultation exercise that was carried out last summer. The result was an overwhelming majority, amongst those members who voted, to accept the deal on the terms offered in the consultation documents. Since then of course the resignation of Phil Sumbler, our long standing Trust Chairman, has raised concerns about the deal.
Your Trust Board has issued a number of statements clarifying the situation but there remains a prevailing thought amongst some fans that the payment terms of the deal have changed from that quoted in the consultation documents. This is not the case. There was certainly some clarification needed when we had details of a payment structure which we had not been made aware of. Phil, who had worked closely with the majority shareholders in putting the deal together, took the view at the time that the failure by the majority shareholders to highlight potential inaccuracies in the payment terms in our consultation documents amounted to a breakdown in relations with them. As mentioned in our previous statements the majority view of the Board, including other long standing Board Members who had been closely involved in the discussions with the majority shareholders, was to continue discussions in an effort to clarify things. Phil felt he could not lead the Trust Board in that direction and resigned from the Board. The ongoing discussions between the two legal teams have however now got us to a point where the payment terms of the deal are fully in line with the consultation papers.
As is also mentioned in those consultation documents, proceeding with any decision by the members to sell shares was always subject to the Trust Board being satisfied with the resulting legal contract that would need to be drawn up. Examining the detailed clauses associated with that contract is the current process that the Trust’s legal team is now working on, and our statement issued to members on 14 December highlighted some of the specific areas being looked at. We have a sub-group of the Trust Board monitoring that process and this has been recently supplemented by specialist expertise brought in as part of the recent co-option exercise. The Sub-Group will be bringing any proposals back to the Trust Board before any final decisions are made.
The debate around the current share deal together with the poor performance of the team on the pitch has certainly put a dark cloud over the Club and indeed the Supporters’ Trust. As I see things the fundamental reasons for progressing with the sale of some of the Trust’s shares remains as outlined in our consultation documents issued in the summer. However, and at the risk of repeating previous statements if, when discussions have been completed, there is anything in the terms of the proposed agreement which is contrary to the terms provided to members’ in the Summer exercise we will bring it back for further consultation. Given the very clear mandate we received and the care that has been taken and continues to be taken, to ensure that terms are in line with the original consultation exercise, I hope that all members will recognise that the Trust Board is complying fully with that mandate you provided in the Summer.
I know that there are some of you who remain concerned that the events surrounding this deal, in particular Phil Sumbler’s resignation, has cast doubt over the ongoing relationship between the Club and the Trust. Several of you have been in touch recording such concerns. Please accept this acknowledgement that the Trust Board will take full account of such concerns as we move forward.
When the Club was sold to American Owners in 2016 any relationship was inevitably going to change. The reality is that with 75%+ voting rights the majority owners have more or less complete control of what happens at the Club. The relationship with remote owners is inevitably different in any event and from the time they came on board it is probably fair to say that our direct relationship has been mixed. It is well documented that it took a while in the early days for the new owners to properly engage with the Trust. This changed following the departure of Bob Bradley and the subsequent appointment of Paul Clement. Perhaps the most significant element of the relationship has been the regular dialogue, agreed with the majority owners, that now exists at local level, with our Supporter Director Stuart McDonald holding regular weekly meetings with key personnel at the Club. There remains inevitably a more distant relationship with the American based majority owners and questions that arose around the detail of the share deal might have been clarified earlier in different circumstances. The fact that the dialogue continues however remains a positive with the Trust able to bring the concerns of our members directly to the decision makers at the Club. Needless to say the final outcome of the current deal will also go a long way to establishing how that relationship moves forward.
Whatever the eventual outcome however it is important that we as a Supporters Trust move forward in a positive way. You have my assurance that I will be doing my best to ensure that we will always have the long term interest of the Club and its fans as the focal point of our plans and I look to my Trust Board colleagues and you the wider membership for support in doing so. Words are all well and good however and I recognise that we as a Trust Board need to show tangible evidence of progress. Currently as well as the sub-group monitoring the share sale negotiations, we also have one examining membership and communications and I am sure you will see some positive outcomes from that shortly. In the meantime if you have ideas to assist us please get in touch via info@swanstrust.co.uk.
On a personal level I am normally around on match days - home and away - so if you get the opportunity please stop and have a word. At the Liberty I am regularly at the Trust Pod pre-match whilst I normally travel to away games on the supporters’ coaches provided by the excellent Swans Travel Club.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this message which turned out to be a little longer than I originally intended. As we move deep into the festive season may I also take this opportunity on behalf of all connected with the Supporters’ Trust to wish you and those near and dear to you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - a few points wouldn't go amiss either !!
Best wishes
Alan Lewis |  |
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:03 - Dec 20 with 1235 views | exiledclaseboy |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:01 - Dec 20 by Shaky |
Not if they had been specifically told not to go ahead by the members, by a resolution at an AGM.
Not a chance.
Only another resolution at a general meeting to reverse that would suffice. |
Potentially 13 members at an AGM against the hundreds who voted. I’m not saying you’re wrong but you can see how the argument will be made. |  |
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:07 - Dec 20 with 1222 views | Shaky |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:03 - Dec 20 by exiledclaseboy |
Potentially 13 members at an AGM against the hundreds who voted. I’m not saying you’re wrong but you can see how the argument will be made. |
Of course, but as I have said before there is democratic legitimacy in such a decision.
Anyway, I am just telling you lot how a decisive victory consistent with the clear wishes of the majority on this board can be obtained.
Whether you lot have the will and the determination to go through with it remains unclear.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, as my rather brilliant granny always used to say. [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 20:13]
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:08 - Dec 20 with 1218 views | londonlisa2001 |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 19:47 - Dec 20 by Shaky |
With respect I think it is a hueeege mistake to put all the eggs into your basket at this moment.
Rule 23 of the Trust Rules gives the members the power to give directions to the board in a vote carried by 2/3rds of the votes cast at an AGM.
That means you can potentially kill the deal dead with 14 Trust members turning up to vote on a resolution directing the Trust board to abandon all negotiations with Kaplan, and to go ahead with litigation.
Also worth mentioning is that means the board will then no longer have recourse to deciding to go ahead without consultation as was the case according to the 'current' legal opinion, because the members will effectively have changed the by-laws to block that. Decisively.
14 people potentially required.
Get 50 or 100 or more on side and the issue is burried. Forever.
Fail to put the little bit of effort in to do this now, and the Swansea fans collectively are pathetic, and all the wailing and gnashing of teeth is a complete joke. [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 19:56]
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I quite genuinely wasn't suggesting for one second that they should be Shaky. |  | | |
| Trust Chairman's statement (n/t) on 20:09 - Dec 20 with 1213 views | Shaky |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 20:08 - Dec 20 by londonlisa2001 |
I quite genuinely wasn't suggesting for one second that they should be Shaky. |
And i see that, Lisa, but clearly there are a lot of armchair revolutionaries who would much rather somebody else actually got up and did something. [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 20:10]
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:09 - Dec 20 with 1110 views | chad |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 19:47 - Dec 20 by Shaky |
With respect I think it is a hueeege mistake to put all the eggs into your basket at this moment.
Rule 23 of the Trust Rules gives the members the power to give directions to the board in a vote carried by 2/3rds of the votes cast at an AGM.
That means you can potentially kill the deal dead with 14 Trust members turning up to vote on a resolution directing the Trust board to abandon all negotiations with Kaplan, and to go ahead with litigation.
Also worth mentioning is that means the board will then no longer have recourse to deciding to go ahead without consultation as was the case according to the 'current' legal opinion, because the members will effectively have changed the by-laws to block that. Decisively.
14 people potentially required.
Get 50 or 100 or more on side and the issue is burried. Forever.
Fail to put the little bit of effort in to do this now, and the Swansea fans collectively are pathetic, and all the wailing and gnashing of teeth is a complete joke. [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 19:56]
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Thanks Shaky thought it had been said that the vote margin was less at the AGM
But quick scan of the rules and could only see the 2/3rds figure
Is it actually 2/3rds to get a vote through at either meeting (AGM/EGM) do you know please [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 22:10]
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:12 - Dec 20 with 1091 views | Shaky |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:09 - Dec 20 by chad |
Thanks Shaky thought it had been said that the vote margin was less at the AGM
But quick scan of the rules and could only see the 2/3rds figure
Is it actually 2/3rds to get a vote through at either meeting (AGM/EGM) do you know please [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 22:10]
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Correct, but you need 10% of the membership for a quorum at an EGM = 110 present, and only 20 at an AGM.
A much lower bar. | |
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:16 - Dec 20 with 1058 views | Shaky |
. . .However, seems to me you can vote down the 4 board members standing for relection with 50% + 1 vote.
But to remove any of the others you would require 2/3rds +1 vote.
Edit: Original was wrong [Post edited 20 Dec 2017 22:21]
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:20 - Dec 20 with 1034 views | BillyChong |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 17:16 - Dec 20 by swancity |
Weird ...a few thousand words...and yet not a single referral to the devious sale of the Club carried out largely behind the backs of the Trust. Something is still not right. Far from it. |
Not a peep. A disgrace. | | | |
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 22:23 - Dec 20 with 1030 views | skacrazy |
I'm not reading through that but I will say that anyone who has been part of the Trust has let us down completely so I am glad there are changes. Whoever is in position now is there because we are fed up with the past.
Just get on with it and make sure that in future the fans are put first.
Get rid of the f4cking w4nkers that are screwing us over and stop blaming the fans for upsetting the apple cart.
We need representing! | | | |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 08:38 - Dec 21 with 896 views | Outsider |
An incredibly poor communication that illustrates how far the Trust chairman is out of touch with reality. The determination to push through the share sale is clear. | | | |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 09:47 - Dec 21 with 846 views | whiterock |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 17:00 - Dec 20 by MoscowJack |
More worrying than pen pics is the consistent message from so many (including in this statement) that the "new deal" will be exactly the same one that the previous vote instructed them to follow (ie SELL to the Americans).
It's almost as if they're saying "you're forcing us to take this deal because that's what you voted for".
I suppose they don't see any actual or perceived lack of trust in the Americans now as material enough to warrant either another vote or the cancellation of the present discussions. |
Didn't you say a rich trust with little voice is better than a poor trust with little voice? | | | |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 10:05 - Dec 21 with 810 views | Loyal |
This bollox by Lewis coupled with that idiots fcjng shit yesterday means action is inevitable.
Looks like the long term plans come closer. |  |
| Nolan sympathiser, clout expert, personal friend of Leigh Dineen, advocate and enforcer of porridge swallows.
The official inventor of the tit w@nk. | | Poll: | Who should be Swansea number 1 |
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| Trust Chairman's statement on 10:11 - Dec 21 with 791 views | Outsider |
| Trust Chairman's statement on 17:36 - Dec 20 by monmouth |
?
It's Lisa, Andrew and Dai isn't it? |
I'm not sure. Of these only Andrew is on the Trust board, with Lisa and Dai being affiliates.
[Question was: Does anyone know who is on the Trust board sub-group looking at the share sale proposal? It is they who will make a recommendation for approval or non-approval to the full Trust board.] | | | |
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