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BCST latest statement

Discussion in 'City Talk' started by Ricc, Oct 29, 2018.

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  1. Ricc

    Ricc Impact Sub

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    can someone please explain to me how the heck they have managed to type so much, but say so little?

    I don't have a clue what they're doing. I'm not sure they do, actually.
    all they ever seem to do is cosy up with Edin, pat each other on the back and put out statements that don't actually say anything.

    I'm confused as to what the Trust is, what they're trying to achieve and what they plan to do about the current situation the club finds its self in.
     
    #1 Ricc, Oct 29, 2018
    SydneyBantam, Foghornleghorn, Klepton and 10 others like this.
  2. Bantamsmike

    Bantamsmike Impact Sub
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    Is it run by Edin himself.
     
    #2 Bantamsmike, Oct 29, 2018
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  3. Rogered Tart

    Rogered Tart Regular Starter
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    Mate, that statement is reminiscent of his question he asked at the fans forum, the one where we nearly lost the will to live. The question went on that long he forgot what he was actually questioning.
     
    #3 Rogered Tart, Oct 29, 2018
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  4. Edin Nowhere

    Edin Nowhere Impact Sub
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    He's got a lot of stick on twitter by the look of it regarding how they thought they had made progress when really Edin sent them on their way making them think they had made progress.

    In their previous statement they might aswell have been Neville Chamberlain announcing peace in our time.
     
    #4 Edin Nowhere, Oct 29, 2018
  5. Dennis

    Dennis Captain
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    Where is the latest statement from the Trust? Can somebody who has a copy post it on here or provide a link?
     
    #5 Dennis, Oct 29, 2018
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  6. Ricc

    Ricc Impact Sub

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    its a bit wordy....


    Dear Members,

    The Supporters Trust Board are feeling just as hurt, angry and fed up with Bradford City’s terminable decline as all fellow City supporters are.

    The Trust Board is made up of ordinary fans like you. We recognise the reason for the team’s decline is the result a catalogue of errors going as far back as 9 months or more. To see our team reach the Play-Off Finals at Wembley under Stuart McCall and then compare that team to a shadow of a team we have today is heart breaking to say the least.

    Our meeting with the Club
    When we had our meeting with Edin Rahic and a number of senior staff at the Club almost 2 weeks ago, we had the view it would be the start of many. That is not that we wanted a ‘cosy’ relationship. Our view has always been that in order to bring about positive decisions that benefit both the fans and the Football Club.

    Before our meeting we consulted with you, our members, we asked you for your questions to ask Edin and the Club. Our response was good and covered a broad area of topics that fans were rightly concerned with. However we only took questions from our members. Non-members’ whether they are in our Facebook group or those who ‘Like’ the ‘Likes’ page did not get a look in. If we were to take everyone’s questions from all supporters, members or not, we would still be there now.

    We understood there would be a certain amount of criticism. Whether supporters find that the information we got out in our report was not worthy is a view that you have a right to have. It is understandable that supporters will be impatient.

    Also, when we went into that meeting we wanted to conduct ourselves appropriately. We didn’t want it to be a blaming game, angrily demanding Club representatives to ‘owning up their responsibility’. It is very easy to sit on the sidelines and ask all kinds of things after the event and rage about how pathetic we were. What would it look like to the Club, if they saw that we wanted to interrogate them?

    We wanted to develop a trusting, cordial working relationship. The Trust’s ability of a working relationship with the a football club is an extremely vital part of owners running their football clubs and them listening and taking on board what fans have to say.

    For many years we have been marginalised by our owners and the Trust had tried in vein to bend over backwards to be a safe pair of hands for the Club to work with, and I have to say that policy was a sign of weakness on our part, but at that time, the Club was doing so well that no fan really cared about how our Club was being run. Today, now the team are doing so badly the owners and the Club are under the fans’ microscope.

    Fans can call us all kind of insults, but the Trust Board has the best intentions of our members, and wider supporters and our Club at heart. To hear that fans accuse us of being sell-outs, chocolate soldiers and toothless is offensive. I have been active in the labour and trade union movement for over twenty-four years and I would never sell my members out down the river. Never!

    A campaign for what football ownership should look like
    Edin Rahic is accused of many things including:
    Refusing to accept advise from senior staff.
    Removing staff including players and Managers who don’t accept his way of running the Club.
    Being involved in selecting the team and bringing in new players
    Paying himself up to £10k per month
    Asset stripping the Club and much more…

    Whilst all of this may be true, a campaign of vindictiveness is negative and is very damaging. Everybody has a right to be angry but the Supporters Trust needs to have an approach that wins hearts and minds to achieve a spirit of unity going forward. Singling fans out and abusing them for having a perceived uncritical view the club and calling them ‘happy clappers’, is in my view unacceptable, whether you think it is right or wrong. Everyone is entitled to express they’re own views. However if that view is a threat to democracy and the ability to organise then a line should be drawn.

    Bullying, whether it exists at the top of football or whether it is amongst fans is simply unacceptable, this is why we do not wish to personalise any campaign.

    Instead we should discuss what a model club should look like as an example of how a well-run club should be.

    Internal affairs of the Club
    The Club should have
    A staff conduct policy that owners should not be
    above which includes anti-bullying in all its forms.
    A grievance policy – for all staff
    If the grievance is against owners there should be an
    independent officer /adjudicator to look at the case.
    There should be a disciplinary procedure.
    If the disciplinary involves the owner(s) there should be
    an independent officer /adjudicator to look at the case.
    That all staff including the owners have a right to be
    represented by a trade union without intimidation or
    harassment within the Club – They are forms of
    bullying, when taking out a grievance or faces
    a disciplinary.

    A relationship with the fans
    Every season ticket holder a member of the Club
    That every member gets one vote
    The Club has quarterly Fans Forums and one AGM
    each season
    The Club can put forward its ideas to the fans and fans
    can present ideas to the club through the `Supporters
    Board’ and ‘Supporters Trust’ at meetings held once
    a month.
    Votes on policy will take place at the AGM. Policies
    can be on budget spending on the transfer market,
    stadium investment and facilities etc.
    The Supporters Board and Trust can put forward their
    ideas based on canvassing supporters and members’
    their views.
    The Trust can put its ideas forward on a cohesive
    partnership, ground ownership / investment, fan’s
    shares etc., etc.
    That the Club should respect the joint working
    relationship of a ‘collective agreement’ at all times –
    including when the going gets tough.

    Wider issues of wealth distribution
    The Club and fans should work together to work
    with national fans’ campaigns to increase the income
    distribution of TV monies from the Premier League to
    Leagues One & Two, and the grass roots, and
    encourage other clubs to do the same.

    This would be a ‘model club’ that we as fans should work towards. This model of Club / Fan relationship works in Germany.

    We do not want to go back to the times when our Club was in danger of going out of business. We want fans to be united in bringing our Club back to life. We want a Club with a vision. The fans are the life-blood of our Club. Boycotting the Club to spite the owners is self-defeating and will bring us closer to the Club going bust.

    The Trust’s aspiration is fan ownership – a campaign for what football ownership should look like moves us closer to that aim.

    We will provide you with a date for our AGM and Fans Open Meeting very shortly

    Unity is Strength!

    Be part of the movement and Join us TODAY!
    http://www.bcst.co.uk/membership/4589006395

    Manny Dominguez
    BCST Chair
     
    #6 Ricc, Oct 29, 2018
  7. Rogered Tart

    Rogered Tart Regular Starter
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    If anyone gets to the end of reading war and peace give yourself a pat on the back. Thats if still have the will to live.
     
    #7 Rogered Tart, Oct 29, 2018
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  8. RowZ

    RowZ Emergency Backup

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    Basically, a group like this cannot be aggressive in its approach or they risk being completely frozen out by the owners, thus damaging any possibility of dialogue with the club. If you want a say in how they do things, become a member. That's all he had to say.

    I think some good points are lost in there with all the unnecessary waffle. Promoting good practice within the club isn't a bad thing in itself, but all pretty useless if the club don't listen. I'm not sure how a group like them could get round that.
     
    #8 RowZ, Oct 29, 2018
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  9. Stafford Bantam

    Stafford Bantam Captain
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    I am a BCST member and I think I've been clear that I don't agree with them continuing to engage with Edin. They should have put a stop to it immediately after that first meeting, when it became clear that Edin was just repeating the same old, tired rhetoric.

    However, if Edin goes, meeting with Stefan is an entirely different matter.
     
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    #9 Stafford Bantam, Oct 29, 2018
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  10. Onside

    Onside Squad Player
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    It comes across as defensive and clearly feeling unloved. There are some very good points they address, however how they intend to reach their objectives is completely flawed. Rahic is not a man who is prepared to listen hence why we are in the mess we are in. Trying to pushy foot round him leaves way for the penetrating questioning that is required to be left until another day then another day. This is no way to conduct a challenging interview when the fans require answer to our demise as a club. Plus they also need to think about presentation, less of the whoa is me, and being succinct is the order of the day.
     
    #10 Onside, Oct 29, 2018
  11. Johnny Yen

    Johnny Yen Squad Player
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    Second sentence, first mistake. The problems go back far more than 9months.
     
    #11 Johnny Yen, Oct 29, 2018
    SydneyBantam, Bronco, Bantamsmike and 1 other person like this.
  12. wetherbywhaler

    wetherbywhaler Impact Sub

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    Two weeks after I joined the Board in July 2009 I had my first meeting with BCST in the form of Alan Carling together with Mark Lawn, it was not a pleasant experience.
    Over a period of time and at BCST request the Board set aside time to meet with the Trust at the end of regular Board Meetings. My colleague and Co. Sec. Alan Biggin, a mild mannered guy even managed to loose his temper with the meaningless drivel which was spouted and got us precisely no where.
    As I recall the biggest idea was to buy in the Freehold of VP from Gordon Gibb (the Pension Fund), we said "ok bring a proposal", when I left the Board in 2016 after the takeover we were still waiting!!
    Then there was the Manny Dominguez Safe Standing campaign, "where is the money coming from?", still waiting.
    During all this period we, the Board, got fed up of meaningless discussion, hence David Baldwin's initiative to form the Supporters Board and David and myself kicking off Friends of Bradford City, both of which contributed more both individually and combined.
    I don't condemn the people as individuals but as a group - toothless. Ok for a cup of tea and biscuit and telling the world they have met Edin but action, No chance.
     
    #12 wetherbywhaler, Oct 29, 2018
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  13. BingleyBantam

    BingleyBantam Impact Sub

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    I also had the joys of The Trust during my time on the Supporters Board and echo WW’s view. Alan Carling in his defence lead most of the good work that went into the 30th anniversary fund raising for the Burns Unit. Comrade Dominguez though...is an embarrassment. If the Trust wants to be taken seriously it needs a new chair.

    It would be interesting to know how many active members they actually have.

    The statement seems to be that if you are not a member then you don’t get to ask Edin questions. I would bet that there are more members on here than in the Trust.
     
    #13 BingleyBantam, Oct 29, 2018
  14. EdwinB

    EdwinB Fringe Player

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    Ii fell asleep halfway through it !!!!
     
    #14 EdwinB, Oct 29, 2018
  15. CT Bantam

    CT Bantam Impact Sub
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    Maybe we should all join and let democracy take its course. Perhaps we can elect representative's that better reflect the fan base.

    Appeasement will not work. A firmer line must be taken even if it ruffles Rahic’s feathers.

    Or maybe Rahic really does go and his replacement is prepared to take part in meaningful dialogue in which case perhaps the current powder puff approach might have more success.
     
    #15 CT Bantam, Oct 29, 2018
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  16. Mike Hunt

    Mike Hunt Impact Sub

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    Comrade Dominguez:joy::joy:
     
    #16 Mike Hunt, Oct 29, 2018
  17. TRB101

    TRB101 Emergency Backup

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    There was a plan to buy the ground and for it to be owned by a community interest company. It would have been funded partly by supporters who would have owned shares in the company, and partly by a loan to the trust. Lawn threatening to move the club to Odsal blew that one out of the water. Who would have put in money after that.

    They also managed to arrange a meeting between Chris Hopkin (then leader of Bradford Council), Kersten England, Julian Rhodes, Mark Lawn and Trust reps with a view to getting council investment in VP. Perhaps they never told you about it and you certainly weren't invited. It came to nothing, but they put a lot of effort into getting that set up.

    They had believed that as the first English club to apply for safe standing a grant might be available to cover the cost, but first they needed the club's agreement in principle. I believe Lawns response was along the lines of "You've more chance of me becoming the f*cking pope". Without the club's co-operation that was a non-starter.

    They found you obnoxious but had a lot of time for Dave Baldwin. It's nice to see he's just won an award as the Premier League's best CEO and I expect he has a good relationship with their supporters trust. I was lead to believe BCST suggested setting up the Supporters Board (though the original idea came from Supporters Direct) and Dave agreed to it. It seems to have fallen by the wayside after James Mason's arrival.

    I believe a couple of BCST members formed Friends of Bradford City after becoming convinced the club was on its last legs and desperately needed help.
     
    #17 TRB101, Oct 29, 2018
  18. The Molenaar Turn

    The Molenaar Turn Breakthrough Prospect

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    In fairness, and as much as that statement is pretty daft, what difference is a supporters group supposed to make? I’d say the view of the fans is pretty clear and a few more blunt questions from a few fellas on a committee is hardly going to change anything. They’re not the CIA
     
    #18 The Molenaar Turn, Oct 29, 2018
  19. Jay

    Jay Impact Sub

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    There not gonna say a bad word a about the owners or they’ll get kicked out of the stadium and banned
     
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    #19 Jay, Oct 29, 2018
  20. BingleyBantam

    BingleyBantam Impact Sub

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    During David Baldwin’s time, around 2013, the Trust went to the council to put a clause on VP that it could only be used a sporting/community venue and if the ground was put up for sale they would have first chance to buy it. The club asked them to hold off, as unbeknown to the Trust, they were in advanced talks with a US based investor. The Trust went ahead, got their picture in the T&A. The investor backed out as they stated VP would be worthless asset as it would hand tie the club to a hard to develop site for the future
    You missed out the bit in 2013 when through the actions of the Trust an investor the club had lined up walked.
     
    #20 BingleyBantam, Oct 29, 2018
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