Tom_NUFC

Honestly, it's heartbreaking. I'm paid up til September, but unless there is a big improvement in the running of the trust and the attitude of the committee, I'm done with it. I was genuinely excited at the prospect of an organisation representing NUFC fans, of NUFC fans of all thoughts and opinions having their say on the running of the trust. Of getting some pretty big numbers in terms of membership. The really galling thing is that simply by listening and engaging and involving members (and potential members) it is possible. But instead we're sidelined, and talked down to if we dare question or criticise. If others were interested in setting up a proper supporters group committed to engaging and involving members, I'd be up for it like a shot. Because, I still believe that it's something NUFC fans need and if we can't get NUST to do it, we have to set up an alternative. And to answer Your query Michael re the Chron ads being free. I was of the same opinion. They were putting the blame on a 'certain individual' no longer connected with the trust, and whilst he may well have been involved I simply don't believe he did it all alone and without anyone elses knowledge. I think he may be a convenient scapegoat.

I went down and some of the 'revelations' weren't very suprising. I'll keep things brief. The plus sides are that a lot of the initiatives are very good. The Junior Trust, Local Achievers, supporting local kids teams like Wsetgate Juniors,montague, forging links with Wallsend Boys - all good stuff, but admitedly a small part of what a trust is about. Encouragingly there will be another members meeting in March, mainly to discuss the results of a recent survey. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction to regular meetings. The point was made that the timing if the AGM was bad. The boards response was that they are volunteers doing this in their own time - fair enough but you still have to meet the needs of the members and they also mentioned expenses of venue hire. They also mentioned the possibility of further meetings taking place on a matchday morning. The question was asked if the Irish club could be used free of charge (which used to be the case). Ex committee member Bill Corcoran (involved in the Irish Club) said yes. So that should go a long way to resolving future probs and expenses. Bill's resignation was mentioned. Why did the NUST forum go down shortly after Bill posted his statement and people gad started asking what was happening, and why was it down for so long? Tony Stephenson replied that it was down for a while because the bloke who does the site was on holiday. Pud pointed out that the site didn't fail, it went to the 'down for maintenance' message. Tony said this was because as soon as the site failed he was on the phone to the company who do the site and the 'other' bloke said he'd just put that up because he didn't know how to fix it. Again Pud responded that the site didn't fail and went straight from working to the essential maintenace message in the space of 10 seconds. I don't think we got an explanation on this from Tony. The accounts to 31st Aug 2010 are interesting. An income of £21,808. Expenditure of £36,660. Meaning a defecit of £14,852. This was then reduced to £11,412 due to funds transferred from the original supporters club to the trust following the members vote to convert to trust status. The main recent for the defecit being funds owed to NCJ Media (Chronicle & Journal) for the Yes We Can campaign, amounting to £9,000 with an agreement to repay this by 31 March 2011. If the trust managed to launch a succesful scheme to raise funds through personal pensions with a view to purchasing a share or all of NUFC, a further £5,000 would be paid to NCJ Media. At this point there was a discussion over what successful entails. Successful means finding a scheme to raise money that works, NOT a succesful outcome to purchasing some or all of NUFC. There is also a legal bill from Watson Burton solicitors currently disputed by the board 'as the services supplied were not complete due to Watson Burton withdrawing their services due to a conflict of interest.' The current state of play us that 'thanks to some extremely succesful fund raising' the debt to NCJ Nedia now stands at £2,000. The trust is on course to clear the debt and also satisy the Watson Burton position, should the board be unsuccessful in their dispute. The board of now 'put in a strict policy with regards to expenditure to ensure that this situation is not repeated'. That's the main points I think. Pud and maybe one or two others from the massive two figure crowd (18) may well have their own points to add. I should also add that this is not the minutes or anything like the full preceedings. The meeting did not occur in the order I have written. I have written this way purely for ease and from memory.

Its all down to definition, and when people talk about big clubs they often have different definitions in their mind, which leads to arguments.

I was originally on Howay The Toon, and then when there was the split, I joined this place but remained on N-O. I'm still on there, but very rarely these days.

Best yet!

I think the Athletics track should stay. There needs to be a stadium in the UK capable of hosting big Athletics events. At the same time, those events aren't really numerous enough to have a stadium solely for that purpose. So really you're looking at having a stadium that will be used regularly for Football/Rugby that can also be used for top end Athletics meetings. I would have thought it would have been sensible to have included retractable seating, like at the Stade de France and that way you have a stadium that suits both a Football/Rugby configuration and an Athletics configuration. Of course it also jacks the cost of the stadium up.

I think as members we need to start asking questions in numbers. Can the committee please state exactly why they disagree with the allegations made by Bill Corcoran and Neil Mitchell which led them to resign? Can the committee also please tell us why Steve Hastie has been suspended?

Nowt in Heaton

Yeah, you're right, there was the issue over the content of SW's magazine. I'm not aware of any proviso's he made regarding the promotion of his fanzine. If that's the case, then perhaps it changes things slightly, because you're right that The Mag and True Faith have not been publicised by NUST. Whilst not a regular reader of the various fanzines' Steve wraith has put out (although I did used to read the Number 9 quite a bit) in terms of the 'adult' content, it's not much and what I've seen is no worse than the ads in The Mag for the City Vaults etc. But as I say I'm not a regular reader, so maybe I've just chanced upon tamer issues.

Lit and Phil at the bottom of Westgate Rd, basically beside the Royal Station Hotel, opposite the Union Rooms. 6pm

At 92 minutes on Sunday, half of them wanted him gone. And at 94 they were proclaiming him a God As he danced down the touchline like he'd just been told he had won first place in a Claire Balding lookalike contest Not forgetting Joe Bugner Balding + Bugner = Bruce. There is a likeness I think. tbh Well there you go

Regarding SW, I agree with Pud. He's actually OK. I don't think that there's a problem with people being involved in the trust and fanzines in itself. The problem lies where you allow your position with one affect the other. NUST have not been communicating with Steve Wraith's fanzine, but has been putting stuff in The Mag. Mark Jensen is editor of The Mag, and that's fine, but with his NUST hat on, he should be sending the same update he puts in The Mag to the other fanzines, and fan sites. NUST is supposed to reach out to all NUFC fans. Is he doing it to preserve The Mag's status? I have no idea, but if he is, I don't know that he'd have much to worry about, because despite my problems with the way NUST is being run, I still think The Mag is really a really good fanzine. Re the board reshuffle, I don't know what to make of it. Mark is still there, and will still have his say on matters, but I know absolutely nothing about Norman Watson or Michael Thewlis. I would suggest that if you are a NUST member and can get along to the AGM on the 31st (which will be tricky for some given the early start), that you do so. There's a lot of questions that need to be answered.

Well that's something, I suppose.

At 92 minutes on Sunday, half of them wanted him gone. And at 94 they were proclaiming him a God As he danced down the touchline like he'd just been told he had won first place in a Claire Balding lookalike contest Not forgetting Joe Bugner Balding + Bugner = Bruce. There is a likeness I think.

Just looking at the Lit and Phil website, there are events which start later than 7pm so we may not be limited to an hour long AGM. Interestingly, the Loftus Room where the AGM will be held holds a maximum of 90 people. What happens if more than 90 members turn up, Membership cards in hand? If you are a full member, you have a legal entitlement to attend the AGM.

Just a few other comments from what's been said. As already mentioned, the prospect of the AGM lasting an hour (or less) seems absolutely crazy and it would seem like an excuse. They've informed us at the last minute, choosing the very last day possible to hold the AGM. The committee seem very reluctant to hold members meetings. It strikes me that booking a room for 6 would offer the perfect excuse. 'Er, sorry, we have to move on because we have to be done by 7.' The beer issue, I can take or leave. It doesn't bother me either way. Fundraisers, I don't have a problem with them in principle. I believe that as well as being a Trust, NUST should also serve the Supporters Club angle, and there should be social events. I'm all for comedy nights, talk-ins/sporting dinners with ex-players. The problem is when you're seen to be doing that, but are not also holding members meetings answering and addressing members' questions and concerns, which is the case here. Here's the thing - hold the members meetings, be open and communicate with your membership and thee events will prove more popular. People will be more happy to pay for fundraisers if they know what the trust is using the funds for.

The start time is ridiculous, and the point about the Lit and Phil closing at 7 is interesting. To me it seems as though they are doing the absolute bare minimum possible.