clive
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 15
|
Post by clive on Apr 5, 2024 16:20:50 GMT
All potential directors have to pass the FA’s Owners and Directors Test before they can be confirmed as board members - the department that deals with this often experience backlogs of weeks even months. In terms of who can stand, the rules are very clear. As long as a candidate is an owner by the cut off date, is nominated and seconded by another owner, is not barred from being a company director nor having a conflict of interest (such as being a director of another club) then they can stand. The owners then determine who will be elected (assuming there’s more candidates than vacancies). That’s the model the club has operated under for 12 years. Some directors are Lewes fans, regularly attend home and away games and are prepared to do the job to the best of their ability despite the sticks and stones. Others may volunteer their time and skills without the background of being involved or supporting the club - you can’t discriminate on who can or can’t apply aside from the criteria above. You can state certain skills or backgrounds that would be desirable and could, subject to availability, co-opt those skilful people but ultimately it’s the owners who determine the board. Unfortunately passing the FAs “fit and proper” test isn’t as reassuring as it ought to be as many clubs have and are still finding out. Once the club started to have a media profile it has become obvious that some of the people aiming to become directors were people who saw it as CV enhancing rather than wanting to do something for their local club - there’s nothing wrong with that if they are bringing important skills but there was probably a point once the club stabilised where we ought to have looked at eligibility - at the very least say three years ownership/ season ticket or including on the application how long a candidate had been an owner; that’s me being entirely wise after the event. Outsiders bringing essential skills could have been brought in as additional appointments. The conflict of interest point WM made was always valid. It’s blindingly obvious that Mercury would probably have needed local experience in taking on the club and to retain the collective memory and there’s nothing wrong in principle with that. It would be astonishingly naive for the BOD not to take that into account when the negotiations and in being watchful about undue influence. Wouldn’t the Board have been seeking legal advice on this before negotiations commenced?
|
|
clive
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 15
|
Post by clive on Apr 5, 2024 16:24:36 GMT
concerning mercury why EXACTLY was the deal turned down after the vote voted to accept it???
|
|
Jane R
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 187
|
Post by Jane R on Apr 5, 2024 17:35:13 GMT
That depends who you ask Club officials and fans have totally different answers it seems 😄
|
|
wm
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 205
|
Post by wm on Apr 5, 2024 22:38:59 GMT
I'll get jumped on for suggesting it – and maybe even get accused of libelling people again by johnpeel or whoever it was last time! LOL – but it struck me that as negotiations progressed, everything that people on here had been pointing out about what VC-types want need and demand slowly became glaringly obvious even to the financially-desperate board, who gave the impression of being somewhat star-struck by the approach. Just an opinion. They're interesting threads to re-read nowadays, especially the bits about the board thinking that a vote wasn't necessary but then reverse-ferreting in haste
|
|
tressell
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 156
|
Post by tressell on Apr 7, 2024 12:28:31 GMT
Is this all the result of ridiculous over ambition by a club at our level? Fan owned? Not really no actual organised participation or set up. Professional women's football on equal pay. Very laudable but all professional women's teams balied out by prem or top league clubs. And the carrot of investment outside of this attracts the wrong sort. Finally, what is this European adventure about? And how much has it cost us in both money and exhausted players?
|
|
wm
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 205
|
Post by wm on Apr 7, 2024 13:09:16 GMT
Finally, what is this European adventure about? And how much has it cost us in both money and exhausted players? I'm sure you'll get told that it's been totally cost neutral, that it's delivered huge prestige, that it's probably revitalised and refreshed the players, and that it's been absolutely no distraction whatsoever to anyone at all, let alone further stretching the demands on what we're constantly told is a too-small and over-worked group of scarce volunteers....
|
|
|
Post by stuartnoel on Apr 7, 2024 14:40:27 GMT
Finally, what is this European adventure about? And how much has it cost us in both money and exhausted players? I'm sure you'll get told that it's been totally cost neutral, that it's delivered huge prestige, that it's probably revitalised and refreshed the players, and that it's been absolutely no distraction whatsoever to anyone at all, let alone further stretching the demands on what we're constantly told is a too-small and over-worked group of scarce volunteers.... Really, really sorry to disappoint but the group games have been cost neutral. Exhausted players? We’ve won both games are returning from Europe - perhaps ask the players yourself if the trips have tired them out or given them a real boost. Most of the logistics and detail for the away games was organised by myself, on a voluntary basis. Hard work but it didn’t really impact anyone else’s time or workload at the club and as I don’t have a role anymore, it’s something I agreed to take on. I’m also trying to co-ordinate logistics for the trip to Italy as my last involvement with but feel free to create your own narrative around that.
|
|
|
Post by seagullhhater on Apr 7, 2024 14:58:38 GMT
I do wonder what this ‘European’ jolly was arranged for . Was it for the normal local fans to enjoy or was it just another publicity stunt.I think deep down we all know the answer to this.The sooner the club come to realise that we are just a 7th tier non league football team the better. Perhaps we can then concentrate on appealing to the many very loyal ( and especially local) fans who have given up on the club and walked.
|
|
tressell
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 156
|
Post by tressell on Apr 7, 2024 15:01:19 GMT
Fair enough and I take my hat off to all volunteers like you. Personally it just appears incongruous for a non league club. Obviously many enjoyed it so who am I to be critical. I look forward to the victory parade when I shall pretend I was it's greatest supporter.
|
|
robm99
Isthmian South
Posts: 641
|
Post by robm99 on Apr 7, 2024 16:12:50 GMT
Perhaps we can then concentrate on appealing to the many very loyal ( and especially local) fans who have given up on the club and walked. Not what I'd call 'loyalty'.
|
|
|
Post by stuartnoel on Apr 7, 2024 16:20:09 GMT
I do wonder what this ‘European’ jolly was arranged for . Was it for the normal local fans to enjoy or was it just another publicity stunt.I think deep down we all know the answer to this.The sooner the club come to realise that we are just a 7th tier non league football team the better. Perhaps we can then concentrate on appealing to the many very loyal ( and especially local) fans who have given up on the club and walked. It’s a tournament in its third year, with every participant having a social cause or strong community links. Hence why Enfield Town (England’s first community club) and FC United of Manchester involved. There was no publicity stunt involved. The fact we’ve seen higher than average crowds for our two games, with possibly one of the best atmospheres at the Pan in years for the KSK Beveren game, or the 120+ fans who travelled to Antwerp for the away game wouldn’t say it was a publicity stunt. When exactly did these loyal, and especially local fans walk out on the club? Our average home attendances have significantly higher in the last 3 years than they have been for years before. I fully appreciate some fans may not like the idea of the European tournament but for a significant number it’s been a great experience and perhaps one the club may look at repeating in the future.
|
|
agl
Sussex County Division One
Posts: 299
|
Post by agl on Apr 7, 2024 16:52:02 GMT
Although I didn't go to the away games I think it's been positive. Thoroughly enjoyed the two home games and for fans and players, a great experience in Belgium and Oslo. I can think of five or six other reasons for our collapse since Christmas before the European venture crosses my mind. Maybe one to dip into occasionally in future, rather than entering every year and it becoming stale. A weakness of the competition is that there are too many UK teams. We could end up playing Enfield and FC United in Italy. Also the choice of venue for the finals was disappointing.
|
|
|
Post by stuartnoel on Apr 7, 2024 17:22:24 GMT
Although I didn't go to the away games I think it's been positive. Thoroughly enjoyed the two home games and for fans and players, a great experience in Belgium and Oslo. I can think of five or six other reasons for our collapse since Christmas before the European venture crosses my mind. Maybe one to dip into occasionally in future, rather than entering every year and it becoming stale. A weakness of the competition is that there are too many UK teams. We could end up playing Enfield and FC United in Italy. Also the choice of venue for the finals was disappointing. There’s definitely been some lessons learnt by everyone - there needs to be some minimum requirements in terms of facilities (Enfield have to travel to Wales next week to kick off at 5pm as their opponents don’t have floodlights) and I’ve suggested to the organisers that there could be a summer and a winter tournament (British, French, Spanish etc teams play in this where there is no winter break and weather is milder).
|
|
peters
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 19
|
Post by peters on Apr 7, 2024 18:18:05 GMT
the away trip to Antwerp and the home game to Beveren were the two undoubted highlights of a very mixed season for me. Thank you very much Stuart for making those happen.
|
|
keatont
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 15
|
Post by keatont on Apr 8, 2024 8:51:02 GMT
Fair enough and I take my hat off to all volunteers like you. Personally it just appears incongruous for a non league club. Obviously many enjoyed it so who am I to be critical. I look forward to the victory parade when I shall pretend I was it's greatest supporter. Participating in a non League tournament is "incongruous " for a non League club?
|
|