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Thread | Trust Board election — Rupert Thomas
at 20:29 13 Jul 2018
Hello: Please find below the statement I submitted for the Trust board election. There was a sentence removed in the papers sent to members for voting (the sentence that describes my experience from being Chairman of the Board of IPIECA, an industry association). Please let me know if you have any questions for me, either publicly here or privately to rupert.thomas@shell.com and I will respond. Thanks for your consideration. Rupert Thomas.
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I am 52 years old and grew up in Swansea. I have supported the Swans all my life through the good years as well as the difficult times.
We are now entering a challenging and uncertain period for both the football club and the Trust, and there are a number of complex issues ahead. I would like to put my energy and experience into ensuring that the Trust plays a strong and positive role in representing Swansea supporters to secure the best possible future for the football club. I believe the Trust membership needs to be expanded significantly and transparency improved in order for the Trust to more effectively represent Swansea supporters and to become more credible.
In my professional life I work for Royal Dutch Shell plc in a Vice President role. I have worked for the company for 29 years in operational, commercial, finance, communications and strategy roles. I have mainly worked in the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA. I have negotiated multi-decade commercial agreements and am experienced in legal and governance matters. I have worked closely with members of the Board of Directors of Shell. I am myself currently chairman of the Board of Directors of IPIECA (an industry association).
I live near London and visit Swansea twice a month to watch the Swans and visit family and friends. If elected I can readily attend the monthly Trust Board meetings and related activities.
Following the Swans has been an important part of my life and I would like to ensure our supporters have a club that we are proud of going forward.
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For the record, based on what I know, my view is that the Trust should take all legal remedies that are still available, including direct legal action against the current majority shareholders and former owners.
I previously answered some questions in the thread at the link below:
Trust Board — will you nominate me? Please respond today. by swanseajack4eva 1 Jul 2018 9:04Good morning,
I need 6 people who are paid-up Trust members as of 16 June to support me standing for election to the Trust Board. Below is my draft 250 words. If you are willing to support my nomination, please send an email note to me at rupert.thomas@shell.com stating the following (this is the required text from the nomination form):
Quote: “I, [insert your name], of [insert your address], support the nomination of the candidate Rupert Thomas to stand in the forthcoming election to the Swansea City Trust Board for a period of one or two years if successful.”
Thanks in advance. Due to the prehistoric request for physical signatures it is not certain that email confirmation of nomination will be accepted, but let us see.
For the record, based on what I know, my view is that the Trust should take all legal remedies that are still available at this late stage. I may include that in my statement … although I suspect it will lessen the chances of being elected. I have been on Planet Swans for many years although do not post often. I think the only person on here I have met is Garyjack (I’m the bloke you gave the old programmes to — thanks again).
Thanks for your consideration. Below is the draft 250 words.
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I am 52 years old and grew up in Swansea. I have supported the Swans all my life through the good years as well as the difficult times.
We are now entering a challenging and uncertain period for both the football club and the Trust, and there are a number of complex issues ahead. I would like to put my energy and experience into ensuring that the Trust plays a strong and positive role in representing Swansea supporters to secure the best possible future for the football club. I believe the Trust membership needs to be expanded significantly and transparency improved in order for the Trust to more effectively represent Swansea supporters and for the Trust to become a more credible representative of supporters.
In my professional life I work for Royal Dutch Shell plc in a Vice President role. I have worked for the company for almost 30 years in operational, commercial, finance, communications and strategy roles. I have mainly worked in the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA. I have negotiated multi-decade commercial agreements and am experienced in legal and governance matters. I have worked closely with members of the Board of Directors of Shell. I am myself currently chairman of the Board of Directors of IPIECA (an industry association).
I live near London and visit Swansea regularly to watch the Swans and visit family and friends. I co-own a season ticket with my brother. If elected I can readily attend monthly Swans Trust Board meetings.
Following the Swans has been an important part of my life and I would like to ensure our supporters have a club that we are proud of going forward.
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Thread | Trust Board — will you nominate me? Please respond today.
at 09:04 1 Jul 2018
Good morning,
I need 6 people who are paid-up Trust members as of 16 June to support me standing for election to the Trust Board. Below is my draft 250 words. If you are willing to support my nomination, please send an email note to me at rupert.thomas@shell.com stating the following (this is the required text from the nomination form):
Quote: “I, [insert your name], of [insert your address], support the nomination of the candidate Rupert Thomas to stand in the forthcoming election to the Swansea City Trust Board for a period of one or two years if successful.”
Thanks in advance. Due to the prehistoric request for physical signatures it is not certain that email confirmation of nomination will be accepted, but let us see.
For the record, based on what I know, my view is that the Trust should take all legal remedies that are still available at this late stage. I may include that in my statement … although I suspect it will lessen the chances of being elected. I have been on Planet Swans for many years although do not post often. I think the only person on here I have met is Garyjack (I’m the bloke you gave the old programmes to — thanks again).
Thanks for your consideration. Below is the draft 250 words.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I am 52 years old and grew up in Swansea. I have supported the Swans all my life through the good years as well as the difficult times.
We are now entering a challenging and uncertain period for both the football club and the Trust, and there are a number of complex issues ahead. I would like to put my energy and experience into ensuring that the Trust plays a strong and positive role in representing Swansea supporters to secure the best possible future for the football club. I believe the Trust membership needs to be expanded significantly and transparency improved in order for the Trust to more effectively represent Swansea supporters and for the Trust to become a more credible representative of supporters.
In my professional life I work for Royal Dutch Shell plc in a Vice President role. I have worked for the company for almost 30 years in operational, commercial, finance, communications and strategy roles. I have mainly worked in the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA. I have negotiated multi-decade commercial agreements and am experienced in legal and governance matters. I have worked closely with members of the Board of Directors of Shell. I am myself currently chairman of the Board of Directors of IPIECA (an industry association).
I live near London and visit Swansea regularly to watch the Swans and visit family and friends. I co-own a season ticket with my brother. If elected I can readily attend monthly Swans Trust Board meetings.
Following the Swans has been an important part of my life and I would like to ensure our supporters have a club that we are proud of going forward.
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Thread | Former Swansea City Supporters Trust Chairman Hits Back At Selling Shareholders
at 23:01 2 Jan 2018
Well done Phil - a good response to the Rob Davies outburst on Dai Sport. Lets see if the BBC will carry this story like they reported the PR spin from Rob Davies.
http://www.dai-sport.com/former-swansea-city-supporters-trust-chairman-hits-back
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Former Swansea City Supporters Trust Chairman Hits Back At Selling Shareholders
Posted on 2nd January 2018 by Graham Thomas
Former Swansea City Supporters Trust chairman Phil Sumbler has accused Rob Davies of trying to de-stabilise the club following his attack on the fans organisation.
In an interview with Dai Sport on New Year’s Day, ex-shareholder Davies criticised the Trust for “trying to break the club” and suggested the Swans could soon go the way of Blackburn Rovers under controversial owners, Venky’s unless fans backed current chairman Huw Jenkins.
But Sumbler — who stood down from the Supporters Trust six weeks ago and has since formed the Swansea City Supporters Alliance — has rejected Davies’s claims.
Not only does Sumbler point the finger at Davies for trying to deflect attention away from Jenkins, but he insists the actions of the Trust during the period of the takeover by Americans Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien have been misrepresented by the former shareholder.
Davies — who contributed £100,000 to help save the club in 2002 — sold his stake for around £9m in July 2016 when the sale went through. He backed Jenkins’ recent claim that the Supporters Trust knew all about the American offer and instead rejected the chance to sell their stake for £20m.
But Sumbler has dismissed those suggestions and said: “I am bemused by Rob Davies’s comments and his claims are just not true.
“It seems he is trying to de-stabilise the club following the reaction of fans to recent comments by the chairman. He is not someone who normally puts his head above the parapet.
“People will make their own judgements over what has happened at Swansea City over the past couple of years. But the suggestion that the supporters — the only shareholder who gained nothing from the sale of the club — have not acted in the best interests of the club just doesn’t wash.”
With the club bottom of the table going into Tuesday night’s home match against Tottenham, and anger towards the board and new owners having simmered throughout 2017, when the club went through their fifth manager in three years, Sumbler believes former shareholders have decided to try and shift the blame onto the Supporters Trust.
He added: “Some of the shareholders seem quite happy to take all the plaudits for what happened after they came in, but less happy to take responsibility for recent events.
“Feelings have been stirred by recent events and so some people have decided to lash out.”
Sumbler has also disputed the claims of Davies that the Trust knew of the intended sale to the Americans as early as March 2016 and were not kept in the dark by the selling shareholders.
He added: “It is simply not true to state that there was a meeting in March 2016, outside of those already outlined by the Trust, and it is laughable that there has been a claim that there was a £20m offer made for the Trust’s shares.
“It is frustrating that whilst the supporters’ organisations are dealing with facts and evidence, the media is allowing other shareholders to make untrue allegations unchallenged and with no substance or proof.
“I have no doubt that this is part of a coordinated and concerted campaign by the former shareholders to discredit the Trust and others who were involved at the time but are no longer part of the Trust board. But the facts are there, and I am sure that the fans will judge these based on what they see and hear which is all that can be asked for.
“The simple fact is that there was clear collusion between the sellers to keep the particulars of the sale away from the Trust until matters were virtually complete and no amount of revisionism will ever change that.”
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Thread | Meet the Swans Trust board — Ron Knuszka
at 16:35 19 Dec 2017
While we wait for the Trust board to introduce themselves with biographies on the Trust website, can anyone help us get to know our board members better in advance of the upcoming AGM?
- Role on board? Community / Fundraising
- Occupation?
- Background/experience?
- Length of service on the Trust board?
Another Trust stalwart with long and committed service — involved in getting Petty out — led the Ivor Allchurch statue project.
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Thread | Meet the Swans Trust board - Viv Brookes
at 15:53 19 Dec 2017
While we wait for the Trust board to introduce themselves with biographies on the Trust website, can anyone help us get to know our board members better in advance of the upcoming AGM?
- Role on board? Membership/Communication
- Occupation?
- Background/experience?
- Length of service on the Trust board? Appointed to the board in 2004. Not sure if he has had a break and been reappointed, or if he has been on the board continually since 2004.
Viv has given tremendous service to the Trust over the years, including a significant amount of fundraising and community work.
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Thread | Meet the Swans Trust board — Roger Goodwin
at 00:26 18 Dec 2017
While we continue to wait for the Trust board to introduce themselves with biographies on the Trust website, in the meanwhile, can anyone help us get to know our Trust board members better in advance of the upcoming AGM? I'll post two per day.
- Role on board? Membership / Communication
- Occupation?
- Background/experience?
- Length of service on the Trust board?
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Thread | Meet the Swans Trust board - Alan Lewis
at 00:22 18 Dec 2017
While we continue to wait for the Trust board to introduce themselves with biographies on the Trust website, in the meanwhile, can anyone help us get to know our Trust board members better in advance of the upcoming AGM? I'll post two per day.
- Role on board? Chairman / Membership
- Occupation?
- Background/experience?
- Length of service on the Trust board?
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Thread | Philipp Lahm
at 18:21 6 Jan 2017
It's the next phantom thread of silly season ... Lahm is coming on a short term deal until the end of the season ... Lahm and Ancelotti want to help Clement out after all the good work Clement did at Bayern ... Lahm is already in talks with Bayern about his next role ... he would stiffen up our shaky defense ... so ... it's nailed on! |
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Thread | Some balance and calm ... ?
at 11:48 11 Dec 2016
The margins between winning and losing at this level are small - there is little to choose between most teams in the bottom half of the premier league. Success comes from factors including leadership, confidence, belief, momentum, getting the basics right, and having something extra at key moments in games.
We know we have challenges ... Bradley has made naïve team selections and substitutions before yesterday ... but most or our starting squad is competitive in this league. Hopefully Bradley can learn fast and listen to Curtis and others around him. There were signs of that yesterday. He deals with the media pretty well.
We have turned in some dire team performances this season - and some individual players have had shockers - but players like Llorente and Montero and others are not "shit" as some people think ... their combination for the third goal yesterday was top class.
We could clearly use a few new players to improve quality and competition for places, and relieve the burden on Sigurdsson. At the same time Fulton and Barrow and Kingsley are coming through and I think we would all agree have come on significantly from a year ago.
For sure forums like this are the epicentre of negativity and doom, but lets keep some balance and calm ... beating Sunderland was a very good result ... achieved through the right team selection and very good team performance ... it is idiotic to dismiss this result as "nothing because it was Sunderland" given they just won three of their last four games. Other teams can only play as well as you let them.
We have many tough games ahead and we will remain at the bottom if we do not build on yesterday and the passing football we saw again (thanks Leon). I've been at about half the games this season, many away, and from this know it will be a long hard season ... but lets show some balance and calm ... there are many shades of grey between the polar extremes of 100% great and 100% crap ... we need to be above the 50% mark towards great.
Onwards and forwards to West Brom ... the trip to Burnley back in August seems like a long time ago ... time for another away win.
In the background we of course have the challenge of the club ownership and the damage done by the sellouts. Most of us cannot yet influence that much. A revamped Supporters Trust is probably the best way forward with legal action once the objectives are well defined. But we can get fully behind the team in each game, as yesterday. Lets do it.
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Thread | Jack to a King
at 12:42 29 Aug 2014
Does anyone know if or when tickets for London Leicester Square will be on sale for 12 September? Cheers. |
| | swanseajack4eva
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