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Wouldn’t be in this position is 4 people hadn’t thought they could change the world on their own.

barnetpete wrote:Wouldn’t be in this position is 4 people hadn’t thought they could change the world on their own.

Fancy anyone thinking a democratically elected supporters organisation could work. FFS move on Pete.

Good luck to anyone who wants to start up a proper Supporter’s organisation. If a meeting venue in Barnet is an issue there are some contacts that can be provided who will probably help.

The freemium membership model with funding via a hundred club that the Broncos adopted when they were at the Hive worked very well in getting them up and running. They are still going strong.

Hiveoccupier wrote:

barnetpete wrote:Wouldn’t be in this position is 4 people hadn’t thought they could change the world on their own.

Fancy anyone thinking a democratically elected supporters organisation could work. FFS move on Pete.

Good luck to anyone who wants to start up a proper Supporter’s organisation. If a meeting venue in Barnet is an issue there are some contacts that can be provided who will probably help.

The freemium membership model with funding via a hundred club that the Broncos adopted when they were at the Hive worked very well in getting them up and running. They are still going strong.

Ha ha. Brilliant.

I use Tapatalk like the cool kids

Been taking spin lessons from TK.

Judging by the replies so far, unfortunately I don't think this will get off the ground. Too many people keep digging up the past without letting it go. What happened happened and can't be changed, it is time to move on but I think there is too much baggage. Being a former long standing Committee member myself, the SA should never have been taken over and changed to a Trust, but that's how the vote went and completely alienated the Supporters membership. It will be very difficult to regain Fans trust again whoever is voted for.

bee007 wrote:Judging by the replies so far, unfortunately I don't think this will get off the ground. Too many people keep digging up the past without letting it go. What happened happened and can't be changed, it is time to move on but I think there is too much baggage. Being a former long standing Committee member myself, the SA should never have been taken over and changed to a Trust, but that's how the vote went and completely alienated the Supporters membership. It will be very difficult to regain Fans trust again whoever is voted for.

This is dated stuff.

I can’t think of any Barnet supporter who wouldnt now be pleased to see the views of Barnet supporters represented to their Club by people they voted for to represent them.

If anyone is interested in setting up a democratic supporters organisation for Barnet FC supporters please don’t be put off.

We all know why The Trust failed. The Supporters Liaison Group seemed like a good idea at the time but somehow it never worked as it didn't do any liaison. I suspect many of us have little confidence that a 2018 version would be any more successful because I doubt enough new fans would volunteer.

becbee wrote:We all know why The Trust failed. The Supporters Liaison Group seemed like a good idea at the time but somehow it never worked as it didn't do any liaison. I suspect many of us have little confidence that a 2018 version would be any more successful because I doubt enough new fans would volunteer.

I've got utmost confidence in humanity that they can move on, and almost as much confidence in Barnet fans.

The keyis looking forwards not back. The immediate priorities are representing the fanbase which hold a multitude of paradoxical views, and not allowing the divisive issues to run the agenda initially (i.e. Back to Barnet, TK, Underhill) otherwise it is doomed to failure.

If a Supporters Club is prepared to find an agenda that all can follow, they we might have a chance of success... i.e. "BFC Supporters Club had been created to liase with the club, improve the fan experience and increase representation with the club owners, whoever they maybe. We recognise our spiritual home is in Barnet, and work towards any realistic opportunity to return."

And then put the last bit on the backburner for a year to allow membership to grow without destroying the membership by internal fueds over what the real meaning of Barnet is.

Hiveoccupier wrote: The freemium membership model with funding via a hundred club that the Broncos adopted when they were at the Hive worked very well in getting them up and running. They are still going strong.

I like that. A premium membership - max 250 people, £2 a month. Could subsidise some coach travel amongst other things...

[Moving to General Chat on request of the SLG sub forum mods]

Yes for a new organisation to launch,there needs to be a break.currently in Wales for the foreseeable,but my page could publicise if required

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Those of you who have expressed an interest in re-launching the Trust and want to ensure it is a success the second time around might wish to consider the Fans Fund Small Grants Scheme which might be considered a help in laying the proper foundations.

The Premier League Fans Fund is a three-year commitment from the Premier League to fund projects and organisations which improve the relationship between fans and their clubs, the way football supporters engage with each other and fans’ experience of the game.
The Fans Fund Small Grants Scheme offers grants of up to £20,000 for projects that look to address the aims of the scheme.

For further information please see https://www.fsif.co.uk/funding/fans-fun ... ts-scheme/

Oor Wullie wrote:Those of you who have expressed an interest in re-launching the Trust and want to ensure it is a success the second time around might wish to consider the Fans Fund Small Grants Scheme which might be considered a help in laying the proper foundations.

The Premier League Fans Fund is a three-year commitment from the Premier League to fund projects and organisations which improve the relationship between fans and their clubs, the way football supporters engage with each other and fans’ experience of the game.
The Fans Fund Small Grants Scheme offers grants of up to £20,000 for projects that look to address the aims of the scheme.

For further information please see https://www.fsif.co.uk/funding/fans-fun ... ts-scheme/

This is a good initiative. But I don't think anyone has expressed an interest in re-launching the trust. Just talking about it. At the moment it feels like you are howling in to the void.

Is anyone actually interested in setting up (or reactivating) a Supporters Trust for Barnet supporters?

Cards on the table, it would take quite a lot for me to take the plunge again having invested considerable time and effort in to the previous organisation, but I would be happy to be an active member of a new supporter organisation if others were to set one up.

Getting the trust up and running again - or the BFCSA - would be a really good idea.

Currently we are one of the few (perhaps the only) club that doesn't have an independent supporters group of some form. A trust is a better way of doing this than a supporters association, because the legal basis of a trust is a bit different- they can hold shares for example, which means the supporters current stake in Barnet FC could be held collectively, rather than by one person "on behalf" of a supporters association.

It'd be a way of supporters being able to organise, talk about stuff, and do things collectively. The supporters liaison group is good as a channel of communication, but it's set up by Tony so it's remit is defined by Tony rather than fans.

I totally understand why many fans are wary about the idea of a trust because when the BFCSA converted to a trust, many of those in favour of the conversion were also opposed to the move to the Hive and didn't follow the club after the move, so in some people's eyes the two things are linked. But it's worth separating the form in which fans organise from any particular position held by individuals who supported forming a trust. I go home and away almost every week and I think having a trust would be a great idea.

Does anyone from the old Supporters Association know the kind of losses incurred by the association / club in running a full season of away coaches?

Also wondering what it would take to have a Supporters Club that had everyone's support - none of the hostility of the old trust / club, as there is universal support for the fact that we need one, and the Supporters’ Liaison Group is a poor alternative.

i.e.... what would be broadly supportive and allow us to move forward and have bite? Things that spring to mind:

- A constitution that believes in a spiritual desire to return to the Borough of Barnet (without placing any emphasis on making it happen in the short term)
- Independence to the club but a commitment to support it
- Improved supporters representation at the club (i.e. an aim to have a supporter on the board)
- Priority on improving the supporters experience (including running coach services), and a focus on growing support (especially for children)
- Ensuring the club survives for another 130 years through financial security (and long term aim of ownership - the old Supporters Club already has a small % of shares in Barnet FC which I guess are in limbo)
- Regular meetings with the chairman / club (i.e. bi-monthly) to put forward members opinions
- Run events like player of the year?

This for example is the Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association rather bland but appropriate constitution: http://www.fsf.org.uk/assets/Downloads/ ... nrules.pdf

Is it possible to move forward without re-opening the wounds of the past? To accept that we the fans and club would be stronger with a club? Would there be sufficient people prepared to throw their hats into the ring?

Something that someone else mentioned prior would be something like a £2 a month level of membership (a 500 club or so) that would fund it, and cover the losses of coaches, or a one off annual payment (£15 adults £5 juniors).

I'm not a coach user for away journeys, but I think it's important for the club & the players (if we can get over the pick up issues). Do users of the Percy Bus know if the aim is for it always to run independently, or if a Supporters Club ran a coach those users would use it?

Anyway, the above are just thoughts, not opinions. Just wondering how things can move forward.