NUST meltdown

[Christmas Tree 4825]

Might be a stupid question tbh, but can their not be a 'supporters club', who will actually act on things like the situation we're in now, aswell as supporters issues etc, alongside the Trust?

 

I know their still meant to be doing that, but basically, they aren't are they?

 

That's actually a pretty good question as it gets to the core of what is currently wrong with NUST in a lot of people's view.

 

There can be a 'supporter's club' running succesfully alongside an equivilent 'supporters trust'; Arsenal provide a very good example of this working extremely well.

 

http://www.arsenaltrust.org/

 

http://www.arsenalsupportersclub.co.uk/

 

Having two seperate organisations meant that their trust was able to (succesfully) focus solely on pursuing options to acquire a stake in the club while their supporters club got on with ground level fan issues.

 

Of course that doesn't mean that a supporters trust can't decide to do both with a good measure of success, either, as can be seen by the Manchester United Supporters Trust who have managed to acquire significant capital funding to purchase a stake with fantastic campaign of opposition to their present owners.

 

http://action.joinmust.org/index.php/blog

 

They're not any closer to actually getting a stake though, despite funds of over £1M banked and perhaps that's telling.

 

NUST is a lot younger than both of these groups and is sometimes apparently trying to cover miles in minutes leading to multiple crossroads with its identity. I personally believe that there is absolutely a need for a supporters trust pursuing a stake in the club but that there is also a need for legitimate fan representation that isn't just a fanzine talking head.

 

It may well be that Arsenal's model might be a good one for us to pursue. It would allow us to seperate the protest and the ground level fan issues from the long term aims of obtaining a stake in the club. At the same time the inevitable image of 'rabble rousers' needn't then be a concern to the Trust in pursuing the cooperation of key figures within the city.

 

There will of course be jokes about the Judean peoples front, etc, but that's why its important to have a clear and well set-out vision; something that has been lacking at NUST post elections. There is precedent to show that such a model can be succesful and satisfy all concerned. Maybe its worth NUST looking into...if indeed they arn't already doing so.

 

Worth raising at the AGM maybe...among numerous other things...

 

 

I mentioned this two years ago........and they have a pub

[MichaelNUFC 0]

Might be a stupid question tbh, but can their not be a 'supporters club', who will actually act on things like the situation we're in now, aswell as supporters issues etc, alongside the Trust?

 

I know their still meant to be doing that, but basically, they aren't are they?

 

That's actually a pretty good question as it gets to the core of what is currently wrong with NUST in a lot of people's view.

 

There can be a 'supporter's club' running succesfully alongside an equivilent 'supporters trust'; Arsenal provide a very good example of this working extremely well.

 

http://www.arsenaltrust.org/

 

http://www.arsenalsupportersclub.co.uk/

 

Having two seperate organisations meant that their trust was able to (succesfully) focus solely on pursuing options to acquire a stake in the club while their supporters club got on with ground level fan issues.

 

Of course that doesn't mean that a supporters trust can't decide to do both with a good measure of success, either, as can be seen by the Manchester United Supporters Trust who have managed to acquire significant capital funding to purchase a stake with fantastic campaign of opposition to their present owners.

 

http://action.joinmust.org/index.php/blog

 

They're not any closer to actually getting a stake though, despite funds of over £1M banked and perhaps that's telling.

 

NUST is a lot younger than both of these groups and is sometimes apparently trying to cover miles in minutes leading to multiple crossroads with its identity. I personally believe that there is absolutely a need for a supporters trust pursuing a stake in the club but that there is also a need for legitimate fan representation that isn't just a fanzine talking head.

 

It may well be that Arsenal's model might be a good one for us to pursue. It would allow us to seperate the protest and the ground level fan issues from the long term aims of obtaining a stake in the club. At the same time the inevitable image of 'rabble rousers' needn't then be a concern to the Trust in pursuing the cooperation of key figures within the city.

 

There will of course be jokes about the Judean peoples front, etc, but that's why its important to have a clear and well set-out vision; something that has been lacking at NUST post elections. There is precedent to show that such a model can be succesful and satisfy all concerned. Maybe its worth NUST looking into...if indeed they arn't already doing so.

 

Worth raising at the AGM maybe...among numerous other things...

 

 

I mentioned this two years ago........and they have a pub

 

The supporter's club have the pub...the supporter's trust don't...they have a stake in their football club.

[Gemmill 46027]

The sacking of Chris Hughton has rightly brought universal condemnation from throughout the football world for its arbitrary treatment of someone who had at last brought some stability and organisation to the Team and obviously had taken the Region as a whole to his heart.

 

The vast majority of the fans are understandably upset and angry at the treatment meted out to the manager and the fact that once again the reputation of the Club is being dragged through the mud and its whole future as a Premiership club is now under threat by the actions of one man from his base in London.

 

We have had a massive response from both members and non-members since Chris Hughton’s dismissal, a large majority seeing the only substantive way forward being for the fans to have influence via owning a stake in the club. Others look to protest as a means of showing their anger and frustration. The Trust board believes in supporting the team and for the fans to decide for themselves what message they want to send out to both the club hierarchy and the global audience watching on TV. We believe in treating supporters with respect and the ability to make their own mind up, we share the frustration of supporters at recent events but believe that nothing has changed. For fans to have real influence it has to be through a financial stake in their club, that is our aim and what we will pursue no matter who owns or manages this great club.

 

As far as we are concerned at NUST it confirms our position that the only way to secure the future of this club is to replace the current ownership with a new form of ownership which is based in the Region and which will be committed to the long-term future of the club, and not looking to sell it on one day for a profit to another individual from goodness knows where. Our vision is for NUFC to be owned, either wholly or partially, by the people who care for it most; the worldwide fans.

 

How can we do this?

 

The first thing to say is that the current NUST Board are realists and understand that a considerable sum of money will need to be raised in order to do any deal with Ashley or any other future owner, but we maintain that this is not an impossible task and a combination of investment from the fans together with locally based private investment from a number of individuals and companies could raise the necessary funds. Our view remains that we must work to make this model of ownership happen because there is no future for an ownership model which leaves the Club entirely at the whim of any one individual - as a model of ownership and governance of a football club it is broken.

 

Of course it will not be easy to achieve to this - but surely we owe it to ourselves as supporters of this great club to at least try?

 

Like most football clubs the NUFC was formed from the community and has always been supported by it throughout its long history. Even in the relegation season of 2008/9 the average crowd was 49,000, putting the club in the top 20 of European clubs by income with total revenue of £86m. The problem the club has always had is to translate this support into success on the field. It has always been held back by a series of poor and short sighted decisions taken at Board level - as fans we must surely try now to ensure that in future our support is reflected at Board level and such influence is translated into actions that support the long term future and sustainability of the club and its community.

 

Financial Issues

 

NUST has a legal form, which allows it to operate on a membership basis, which was developed in conjunction with Supporters Direct. We have taken legal advice and our current legal constitution also allows us to raise funds from our supporters on a one-person one-vote basis irrespective of investment. Much the same as the Barcelona model where the supporters are also “socios” or voting members.

 

We are currently working on a financial model, which will demonstrate how the club can be self-sufficient in the future after a successful buyout. We are being helped in this task by people with long practical experience of how a Premiership club works as well as having good contacts with potential investors.

 

We will try to raise investment from the fans by issuing a Share Prospectus and Business Plan, which will be signed off by lawyers, accountants, and the FSA. The more money we raise this way will obviously strengthen our position with any corporate investors. If the money raised is not used within a specified time to buy the club, then it will be returned to the fans.

 

This will have to be a long-term process involving regular contact and meetings with the fans to explain the financial model, but we know this is worth the effort. The model we are working on would have a minimum investment of £500 by fans, enabling as many supporters to take part as possible. This route would not necessarily raise all of the money to buy the club but the more money raised by fans the more bargaining power there would be with other friendly investors. In any case we would like to give the fans a chance to invest more that £500 if they could afford it and wanted to.

 

Most fans will know that from the Season 2012/13, UEFA has decided that any club that wishes to play in European competitions must be self-sustaining and not spend beyond its means; this further undermines the position of any club currently relying on anybody with deep pockets. We have partly based our plans on the German Bundesliga model where the fans own 51% of clubs with private investors and companies holding 49%. We might not achieve these exact percentages, but the strength of the model is that the fans are represented at the highest level and the investors are happy in the knowledge that the fans will support the club in the future –both as owners and as fans.

 

We believe that as supporters we must try to put ourselves in a position where we can influence the future ownership and direction of this famous club. We must not stand aside any longer and watch the club being ripped apart. Let’s make a stand and put the club back to where it really belongs - in the Community that has created it and sustained it over the years.

[Kitman 2207]

imo that is completely and utterly deluded. It's pie in the sky stuff, imo they will never raise enough money to buy it outright and no owner will ever sell a partial stake. So it's a grand waste of time and the equivalent of self absorbed navel gazing. The fans need a real supporters' club, once that isn't obsessed with chasing impossible dreams.

[Christmas Tree 4825]

imo that is completely and utterly deluded. It's pie in the sky stuff, imo they will never raise enough money to buy it outright and no owner will ever sell a partial stake. So it's a grand waste of time and the equivalent of self absorbed navel gazing. The fans need a real supporters' club, once that isn't obsessed with chasing impossible dreams.

 

 

Plus 1

[JawD 99]

Ho-ly-fucking-shit

 

How deluded are the current elected board (those that haven't resigned of course) if they think that

 

a) this scheme is possible

b ) Anyone in their right mind will "trust" them to do anything

 

If they can't get the simple things right how the fuck can anyone expect them to get something like this right?

Edited December 9, 2010 by JawD

[Mac-Toon 1]

Plus, if they did obtain a stake is the voice we really want in the boardroom that of Mark Jensen? I should fucking hope not.

[Kitman 2207]

imo that is completely and utterly deluded. It's pie in the sky stuff, imo they will never raise enough money to buy it outright and no owner will ever sell a partial stake. So it's a grand waste of time and the equivalent of self absorbed navel gazing. The fans need a real supporters' club, once that isn't obsessed with chasing impossible dreams.

 

 

Plus 1

 

If only they'd bought a bar instead

[Christmas Tree 4825]

imo that is completely and utterly deluded. It's pie in the sky stuff, imo they will never raise enough money to buy it outright and no owner will ever sell a partial stake. So it's a grand waste of time and the equivalent of self absorbed navel gazing. The fans need a real supporters' club, once that isn't obsessed with chasing impossible dreams.

 

 

Plus 1

 

If only they'd bought a bar instead

 

 

Exactafuckingmondo..... How many times do we have to tell them

 

(and Im watching your bedtime very closely )

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

Its just a rehash of their ridiculous failed attempt at a takeover 2 years ago

[Kitman 2207]

(and Im watching your bedtime very closely )

 

I'd be nervous if I was in toon

[shackbleep 0]

They really haven't a fucking clue, have they??

[peasepud 59]

Its just a rehash of their ridiculous failed attempt at a takeover 2 years ago

 

Its not even that (although that was only a year ago), its the same thing just brought back to the fore whenever they feel they should be speaking to the members. Make no mistake, this is the communication they think we've all been calling for. Now Jensen will sidle back with a smug grin thinking hes spoken to the plebs and everything is ok.

 

I dont want to hear about grand schemes that you're making up, I dont want to know that for the next 20 years you'll sit there saying "we're almost there". We were talking to these same people over a year ago, it was the reason given why not when I attended meetings and demanded we tell the members more info. It was always "we're in delicate talks with solicitors and accountants and to give more info now would jeopardise that".

• I want to know what the f**k is going on with the Supporters Trust I helped to build,
  
• With the organisation that was brought together with a view to giving the fans a voice.
  
• The organisation that should be listening to its members, talking to the press and giving over the general view of NUFC fans.
  
• The organisation that should, when necessary give criticism or praise whichever is worthy of the actions.
  
• The organisation that was first thought of to bring together all the distinct and unique groups of fans, the fanzine readers, blog writers and viewers, websites such as nufc.com and forums such as this. Regardless of who owns it/ writes for it or promotes it.
  

An organisation that should be seen to be so visible, so transparent and so clean cut in its actions that no Newcastle fan would be unhappy to have them represent them instead of randoms being interviewed outside the ground.

 

Thats what I want to hear not this shite.

[Scottish Mag 3]

NEWCASTLE UNITED SUPPORTERS' TRUST STATEMENT

The sacking of Chris Hughton has rightly brought universal condemnation from throughout the football world for its arbitrary treatment of someone who had at last brought some stability and organisation to the Team and obviously had taken the Region as a whole to his heart.

 

The vast majority of the fans are understandably upset and angry at the treatment meted out to the manager and the fact that once again the reputation of the Club is being dragged through the mud and its whole future as a Premiership club is now under threat by the actions of one man from his base in London.

 

We have had a massive response from both members and non-members since Chris Hughton’s dismissal, a large majority seeing the only substantive way forward being for the fans to have influence via owning a stake in the club. Others look to protest as a means of showing their anger and frustration. The Trust board believes in supporting the team and for the fans to decide for themselves what message they want to send out to both the club hierarchy and the global audience watching on TV. We believe in treating supporters with respect and the ability to make their own mind up, we share the frustration of supporters at recent events but believe that nothing has changed. For fans to have real influence it has to be through a financial stake in their club, that is our aim and what we will pursue no matter who owns or manages this great club.

 

As far as we are concerned at NUST it confirms our position that the only way to secure the future of this club is to replace the current ownership with a new form of ownership which is based in the Region and which will be committed to the long-term future of the club, and not looking to sell it on one day for a profit to another individual from goodness knows where. Our vision is for NUFC to be owned, either wholly or partially, by the people who care for it most; the worldwide fans.

 

How can we do this?

 

The first thing to say is that the current NUST Board are realists and understand that a considerable sum of money will need to be raised in order to do any deal with Ashley or any other future owner, but we maintain that this is not an impossible task and a combination of investment from the fans together with locally based private investment from a number of individuals and companies could raise the necessary funds. Our view remains that we must work to make this model of ownership happen because there is no future for an ownership model which leaves the Club entirely at the whim of any one individual - as a model of ownership and governance of a football club it is broken.

 

Of course it will not be easy to achieve to this - but surely we owe it to ourselves as supporters of this great club to at least try?

 

Like most football clubs the NUFC was formed from the community and has always been supported by it throughout its long history. Even in the relegation season of 2008/9 the average crowd was 49,000, putting the club in the top 20 of European clubs by income with total revenue of £86m. The problem the club has always had is to translate this support into success on the field. It has always been held back by a series of poor and short sighted decisions taken at Board level - as fans we must surely try now to ensure that in future our support is reflected at Board level and such influence is translated into actions that support the long term future and sustainability of the club and its community.

 

Financial Issues

 

NUST has a legal form, which allows it to operate on a membership basis, which was developed in conjunction with Supporters Direct. We have taken legal advice and our current legal constitution also allows us to raise funds from our supporters on a one-person one-vote basis irrespective of investment. Much the same as the Barcelona model where the supporters are also “socios” or voting members.

 

We are currently working on a financial model, which will demonstrate how the club can be self-sufficient in the future after a successful buyout. We are being helped in this task by people with long practical experience of how a Premiership club works as well as having good contacts with potential investors.

 

We will try to raise investment from the fans by issuing a Share Prospectus and Business Plan, which will be signed off by lawyers, accountants, and the FSA. The more money we raise this way will obviously strengthen our position with any corporate investors. If the money raised is not used within a specified time to buy the club, then it will be returned to the fans.

 

This will have to be a long-term process involving regular contact and meetings with the fans to explain the financial model, but we know this is worth the effort. The model we are working on would have a minimum investment of £500 by fans, enabling as many supporters to take part as possible. This route would not necessarily raise all of the money to buy the club but the more money raised by fans the more bargaining power there would be with other friendly investors. In any case we would like to give the fans a chance to invest more that £500 if they could afford it and wanted to.

 

Most fans will know that from the Season 2012/13, UEFA has decided that any club that wishes to play in European competitions must be self-sustaining and not spend beyond its means; this further undermines the position of any club currently relying on anybody with deep pockets. We have partly based our plans on the German Bundesliga model where the fans own 51% of clubs with private investors and companies holding 49%. We might not achieve these exact percentages, but the strength of the model is that the fans are represented at the highest level and the investors are happy in the knowledge that the fans will support the club in the future –both as owners and as fans.

 

We believe that as supporters we must try to put ourselves in a position where we can influence the future ownership and direction of this famous club. We must not stand aside any longer and watch the club being ripped apart. Let’s make a stand and put the club back to where it really belongs - in the Community that has created it and sustained it over the years.

[peasepud 59]

Did you actually read the thread before posting that you mong?

 

[1892 0]

imo that is completely and utterly deluded. It's pie in the sky stuff, imo they will never raise enough money to buy it outright and no owner will ever sell a partial stake. So it's a grand waste of time and the equivalent of self absorbed navel gazing. The fans need a real supporters' club, once that isn't obsessed with chasing impossible dreams.

 

 

Plus 1

 

+1.

[Monkeys Fist 43067]

I'd like to offer NUST a new logo to reflect their new approach.

No charge.

NUST LOGO

[Problem Child 0]

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

So far removed from reality its not even funny.

[Matt 0]

Heard it all before from the NUST shysters, with their 'financial models' (I'd love to see that, by the way). Same story as we got last time, no real answers, just lots of empty promises.

 

All I had for my £10 was a load of 'offers' and adverts into my inbox. I get enough spam for free, without paying for the privilege as well.

 

They really have proven 'no you can't' and are as deserving of my money as Ashley is. Get to fuck.

[Tom 14013]

I registered and I got a sticker and a badge.

 

Window sticker out of date as it says NUSC and I lost the badge at Spurs away.

 

£10 well spent.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

I registered and I got a sticker and a badge.

 

Window sticker out of date as it says NUSC and I lost the badge at Spurs away.

 

£10 well spent.

They have a new badge now Tom:

 

http://www.ereads.com/uploaded_images/gullible-791502.jpg

[peasepud 59]

Did anyone go to the Comedy night then?

[1892 0]

[TheGreatNUFCSwindle 0]

NUST is one big comedy night ...but the jokes on the poor buggers who shelled out £ 10