Nell
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 11
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Post by Nell on Oct 16, 2023 16:15:00 GMT
A couple of points. Naughty says the directors will be “long gone”. Perhaps they may but that could be because they reach their term limits. Or in the other hand, they may continue to work incredibly hard to improve the club for the future by using the additional funds available for ground developments, the community programmes and facilities. By looking within do you mean determining whether local investors may want to be involved? Part of the criticism I’ve seen levelled at the club, and the board has been that it has been supported by donations (not loans or repayable capital) by a small number of individuals in the past. One aspect that has always made the task of running the club difficult is finding the individuals with the time, motivation and thick skin to take on a voluntary role with the club including running for the board. There’s been a fair amount of stick given to those who have stood for election and aren’t considered local enough yet are willing to put that dedication into the club. I’d be interested to know if those who are vigorously against the investment would seriously consider standing for the board in the coming election, irrespective of the vote result.
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Post by therightsoffans on Oct 16, 2023 16:15:30 GMT
Spoken like a true local. What's wrong with playing at the highest SUSTAINABLE level, as we were all promised ten or so years ago? I don’t see why all of a sudden where someone lives is a major factor in the validity of their view. We are a community club, our community is local and global. No we are not. We are Lewes Community FC and therefore relevant to the community of Lewes. The fact that the club have reinvented the term community to suit their own ends and agenda does not get away from the fact that we are based in Lewes and supposedly represent the Lewes Community. Were we based in Lewes but called Equality FC Community Club, yes of course you can argue it can be an international community based around the aims of equality. It is a major factor because to truly understand Lewes and Lewes FC you really need to know more about it than through such a limited scope to take a thoroughly informed view.
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Nell
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 11
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Post by Nell on Oct 16, 2023 16:17:13 GMT
I may not stand as a board member but I'd like to offer my voluntary services (comms and fundraising) in other areas if needed.
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wm
Sussex County Division Two
Posts: 207
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Post by wm on Oct 16, 2023 16:49:22 GMT
Spoken like a true local. What's wrong with playing at the highest SUSTAINABLE level, as we were all promised ten or so years ago? I don’t see why all of a sudden where someone lives is a major factor in the validity of their view. We are a community club, our community is local and global. We obviously have different ideas about what constitutes a community. I use the word for tangible proper ones, like what we have here in this town. Where said community can rally around sources of common interest in person. But when people start banging on about brands in local football, I feel they're losing the plot. It'd be like using that term in, say, bonfire – a nonsense. Maybe it's old-fashioned, but I think Lewes should be about paying a few quid every other week to stand with your mates watching a bit of football, with a few volunteers drawn from the same local community to man the gate and the bar. It's absolutely about why locally-raised players are popular. It almost feels as if the club has become a self-perpetuating cult of like-minded world-changers, who have to try and play keep-up with larger clubs with extra resources. Does anyone seriously expect this to be the last time when extra resources are needed to keep up with the others? What will happen then? Not that it matters one jot, because there won't need to be a vote at that point. The more I think about this sell-out of part of the club, the more uncomfortable it makes me feel. Luckily I'm free to sod off elsewhere, for which I'm thankful.
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stevet
Sussex County Division One
Posts: 377
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Post by stevet on Oct 16, 2023 17:00:42 GMT
I respect the strongly held views of those against but I'll be voting yes.
The club cannot survive by relying indefinitely on large donations from benefactors. I would like the sustainable level for the club to be at least where both teams are now and it seems investment is necessary for that to be the case. I've watched the men in the league below and the quality of players, opposition and entertainment is all much lower. The last few years at this level have been great, the best in the 15 years I've been coming to the Pan. I want the quality of football and entertainment to be at least sustained at this level.
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dicksmith
Sussex County Division One
COYR
Posts: 298
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Post by dicksmith on Oct 16, 2023 18:25:10 GMT
I may not stand as a board member but I'd like to offer my voluntary services (comms and fundraising) in other areas if needed. Excellent! Willing fans like you will always be needed. That is part of what a Community club (be it local or global) is all about.
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Post by downthepan on Oct 16, 2023 18:32:17 GMT
Is it impertinent to ask how our benefactor will be voting?
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Nell
East Sussex Football League
Posts: 11
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Post by Nell on Oct 16, 2023 19:11:06 GMT
Is it impertinent to ask how our benefactor will be voting?
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Post by stuartnoel on Oct 17, 2023 7:52:57 GMT
Is it impertinent to ask how our benefactor will be voting? Who is our benefactor?
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Post by stuartnoel on Oct 17, 2023 8:17:21 GMT
I don’t see why all of a sudden where someone lives is a major factor in the validity of their view. We are a community club, our community is local and global. No we are not. We are Lewes Community FC and therefore relevant to the community of Lewes. The fact that the club have reinvented the term community to suit their own ends and agenda does not get away from the fact that we are based in Lewes and supposedly represent the Lewes Community. Were we based in Lewes but called Equality FC Community Club, yes of course you can argue it can be an international community based around the aims of equality. It is a major factor because to truly understand Lewes and Lewes FC you really need to know more about it than through such a limited scope to take a thoroughly informed view. We are a community benefit society which means there is an opportunity for anyone to become a member (owner) of that community. Where do you draw the line at the community of Lewes? Is someone who lives in Brighton part of that community? West Sussex (say Burgess Hill)? What if someone moves away from Lewes? London, Edinburgh and so on. The community is a group of likeminded individuals with a common cause or purpose. I’m a member of a community benefit society, relating to a pub, in Suffolk. I’m also a member of a society in Denmark where I used to live. My location doesn’t impact my willingness, motivation or desire to help where I can. Nobody has reinvented the term - from day one of community ownership there has been involvement from outside the town. Without that willing contribution of time, effort, interest and resource the club would have struggled.
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Post by stuartnoel on Oct 17, 2023 8:26:24 GMT
Glad you agree Stuart that there are other ways to survive without the Sell=off money. I certainly dont think i have critised any member of the board local or not. More than happy to stand for the board if you think i have something to offer ? I presume i can rely on your vote Its down to individuals if they have something to offer - but it comes with a caveat of a dedication of time and a willingness to roll your sleeves up. I’m not suggesting you’ve criticised anyone although a fair few have in the past (and present). That’s fine, everyone has an opinion, but very very few would willingly swap places. My vote(s) would go to those individuals who recognise the importance of the role, have a commitment to building the long term future of the club and be prepared to be present, accountable and represent the club in a positive way.
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Post by winscomberook on Oct 17, 2023 8:33:11 GMT
I have followed the Rooks since 1964, my mother ran the tea bar, my father was the “coach” of the team and I, very fortunately played for Rooks. Due to work commitments and family reasons, we all ended up in Bristol of even further south west. I have been an owner if this fantastic club since it started, gave money to the club when the club looked like it could fold due to an unpaid tax bill. Does this make me less likely to want to support the team, whoever is in charge? I would suspect that I, and many other far flung Rook supporters have more interest in the club that the majority of Lewes residents. So don’t suggest that this issue only concerns locals because it doesn’t!!
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Post by therightsoffans on Oct 17, 2023 9:38:29 GMT
It is not a black and white issue. Anybody could and should be a member. The criticism is based on the declaration of the club about us being an international community and wanting to build a club around that. Incidentally a year after the last attempt to do so was deemed a flop by the club itself. Lewes is a proud town and one of the reasons we are in our predicament is the club focus on getting international members and as usual not focussing on the bread and butter of the town and tapping into the wealth of human and financial resources available in Lewes, past and present. The successful community clubs are the ones that have done that. The failures, like Lewes, are the ones that eschew their local community and think they know better. Hence the financial mess we are in.
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Post by anotherandy on Oct 17, 2023 11:28:42 GMT
1 We will lose 100% ownership of Lewes FC 2 We will lose Equality FC ( now being rebranded as "Equality2" I would laugh if it wasnt so serious ! 3 We would lose control of the Womens team the majority of the new board set up to deal directly with the womens team would have a majority of Mercury 13 members. 4 We could lose some if not most of our brave current playing women in the transfer window in January, as Mercury 13 money attracts "better" players in their crazed ambition that Lewes FC can compete in the WSL. 5 We could lose owners as it must be harder to sell 74.5 % ownership rather than 100% dont you agree. I personally know people who wont renew their owners status if this takeover goes through. Got to walk the dog now, will come back with more later.......... This is why there were pros and cons lists created... to avoid subjectively crafted ones such as these Thanks to 'wm' for sharing the issued cons list... the full pros and cons lists are below for everyone to consider when deciding: Reject the investment proposal from Mercury 13
Pros ● The club remains 100% fan-owned ● No risk of hostile owners at some point in the future ● Owners continue to enjoy the full control of the club that they bought into ● Elected representatives make all the decisions, not just some of them ● Equality FC and paying both teams equally remains a decision in the hands of club owners ● We will have the freedom to renew and redouble efforts to further embed the club into the local community Cons ● Playing budgets highly likely to be reduced ● Relegations are more likely, if not inevitable ● Job losses are highly likely ● Investments in infrastructure are less likely in the short-term Accept the investment proposal from Mercury 13
Pros: ● The club will be able to apply infrastructure enhancement investment into the Dripping Pan and 3G ● The club will be able to apply digital and technology infrastructure enhancement investment (e.g. Website, Owners App) ● The club will be able to enhance its footballing data analysis and performance development capabilities ● There will be no job losses and the club will be able to increase its resources and hire new and back-fill vacant roles (e.g. Head of Performance / Technical Director) ● The club will be able to increase its nutrition provision to both the senior women’s and men’s squads ● The club will be able to increase Lewes Women’s playing budget ● The club will be able to increase currently allocated central club and Men’s operational budgets ● The club will be able to invest into new Fan Owner growth initiatives ● The club will be able to apply enhancements to its current girls & boys pathway programmes ● The club will be able to apply enhancements to its existing community ecosystem commitments ● Mercury 13 will bring incremental resources, experience and expertise to support the core club operations ● Mercury 13 will bring incremental support and networks that enable greater opportunity for more sponsorships and partnerships for the club ● The club will be able to generate increased revenues ● The club will be in a position to take advantage of any potential changes in structure in the Women’s game (e.g.increased size of WSL) Cons: ● The club would move from a full ownership model into a co-ownership model, as Lewes Football Club Women’s Limited would be co-owned ● ‘Control’ of Lewes Football Club Women Ltd would sit with Mercury 13 if their equity owned exceeds 50% ● Equality FC will need to change as Lewes FC Women will adopt an equitable playing budget / pay model ● Some of the non-tangible elements that make Lewes FC different from other clubs may be lost.
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Post by anotherandy on Oct 17, 2023 11:32:22 GMT
I dont recognise the portrait of doom and gloom you paint Dick. We survived well last season without the overseas investment money and we will probably do so this season though to be honest as Andy has mentioned we might have to sign a women player or two in the transfer window which can be funded or partly funded with the revenues from the mens cup runs this season and hopefully more to come in the Trophy. Yes your right the world changes and we are living in harsh economic times but when it gets tough you look at what wealth you have within not to Greeks bearing gifts. COYR Just to add on this, attracting players isnt easy when there are concerns that a team isnt being given the opportunity to keep advancing and progressing... this was a big challenge we faced during pre-season... rejecting the investment will add to this difficulty in attracting players, as we will not be able to enhance the setup across both of our senior squads and the club centrally
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