[Archived] Blackburn Rovers Supporters Trust

[mark1875]

Most of those questions you will have to ask from the individuals concerned - especially why they did or did not attend various meetings of other groups. Or why certian people cannot join the trust. I also think an individual should only be a member of ONE group (putting this site aside, as this is more of a community group). Attendence of other groups meetings should be 'optional', down to individuals choice. But it is also a time issue. Folk have jobs, family life/ commitments / hobbies etc, social life, travel costs etc (plus many other reasons) and then to add all sorts of meetings on their 'things to do lists' maybe to much for some.

To even contemplate to "show solidarity" i have many questions i need answering and concerns i need addressing. I understand how hard work this is, believe me! however for the important issues up for discussion on Sunday i would have thought being in attendance was high priority for someone trying to bring the fans together? certain issues you need to be "in the loop" with. However i will make no formal judgement until my questions are answered and my concerns are addressed. I constantly have members coming to me asking me about the supporters trust and the time its taken and i hate to keep answering the questions with "i don't know" but the truth is the concept has been that private, i genuinely don't.

[only2garners]

Dear me gents why all the aggression? The Supporters Trust is still very much in embryonic mode i.e being set up. The people who have been working to get it off the ground have had to jump through a lot of hoops to get this far, in order to gain the accreditation through Supporters Direct. I have only been involved for the last two meetings, having been asked to help but I know others such as Duncan have done a lot outside the public eye.

No one will be forcing other groups to affiliate to the Trust. We hope that all Rovers fans will see the benefits but I think I can accept that groups might want to see us properly set up before committing.

As it is just being set up and the current committee are just there to get the thing off the ground we have of course not spoken directly to the club. That is for a time after formation, when we have a properly elected committee. You might say why is this taking so long and don't we need to move much faster in this time of crisis for the club. Well that's what the Action Group are doing aren't they? The Supporters Trust idea started before Venkys took over and is not being proposed because of the current situation. It is rather there for the long time as a focus for fans who want to engage more directly with their football club.

What about the potential cross-over with BRSIT? We have already spoken to representatives from BRSIT and have agreed a course of action over the next 12 months where we will work together.

Finally who from the Trust has signed up to BRSIT and been to Action Group meetings? I can't speak for the others but I have pledged to the Trust. I didn't go to the Action Group Open Meeting because I was not available on the day. I will be at Sir Bill Taylor's meeting tonight though.

[PAFELL]

Dear me gents why all the aggression? The Supporters Trust is still very much in embryonic mode i.e being set up. The people who have been working to get it off the ground have had to jump through a lot of hoops to get this far, in order to gain the accreditation through Supporters Direct. I have only been involved for the last two meetings, having been asked to help but I know others such as Duncan have done a lot outside the public eye.

No one will be forcing other groups to affiliate to the Trust. We hope that all Rovers fans will see the benefits but I think I can accept that groups might want to see us properly set up before committing.

As it is just being set up and the current committee are just there to get the thing off the ground we have of course not spoken directly to the club. That is for a time after formation, when we have a properly elected committee. You might say why is this taking so long and don't we need to move much faster in this time of crisis for the club. Well that's what the Action Group are doing aren't they? The Supporters Trust idea started before Venkys took over and is not being proposed because of the current situation. It is rather there for the long time as a focus for fans who want to engage more directly with their football club.

What about the potential cross-over with BRSIT? We have already spoken to representatives from BRSIT and have agreed a course of action over the next 12 months where we will work together.

Finally who from the Trust has signed up to BRSIT and been to Action Group meetings? I can't speak for the others but I have pledged to the Trust. I didn't go to the Action Group Open Meeting because I was not available on the day. I will be at Sir Bill Taylor's meeting tonight though.

Aggression? Sorry if it has come over that way. But speaking from my own point of view I was only having a debate on the subject. Which from reading mark1875 posts is doing the same. Sharing views from maybe different angles, agreeing or not on some things. Re-reading both mine and Mark1875 posts I do not think either of us were being aggressive to each other. But again, sorry if it has come over that way.

[Tom]

I think anythig that potentially gives the fans another platform to have a voice is a good thing and can't see why anyone wouldn't see it that way.

No reason why this and the action group can't coincide in my opinion. No guarantee of success but everything seems worth a shot.

Let's hope for no smarky tweets off Mr Wild about this group!

[PAFELL]

I agree, however if they are asking other groups to pay £30 in order to "show solidarity to the trust", then surely they should have made some sort of attempt to reach out to these groups and it's members, over the lengthy time they have been waiting? researching supporters opinions is key. If they are looking to get large supporter groups under their umbrella, failing to engage with them is helping each individuals choice much easier.

As a side note, as someone who rejected the other two groups you mentioned, what are your thoughts on this one?

Just noticed your side note.

To say I have rejected the other two groups is not completely correct - I have had my issues with both.

BRAG / Protest group / action or whatever name I have not always agreed with the way they went about things - in match protests for a start. Plus things which I mentioned via PM to you.

BRSIT, my view not enough money will be raised to own 100% - there are other issues which I will keep to myself for now. Though Wayne Wild is one of them.

BRST - I do not know enough about them at the moment. So will wait to see how they pan out.

I listen to each group - I will not be attending any of the group meetings due to the costs involved in travel etc etc. But as a rovers supporter I keep an interest in what each group is doing, planning etc etc.

[Ozz]

Mark-The Trust has not yet officially been launched. Lots of work over a period of some time has already been done, but this is a long term project. It is in no way intended to rival any of the fantastic, unbeleivable work done already by The Action Group, BRSIT, the protesters etc.

I posted the minutes on here to begin with both to drum up some interest in it before the launch, and also by way of being as open as possible with what we are doing. As Only2garners said, we have been in conversation with BRSIT regarding a clarification of the roles and objectives of the two groups, and in line with that have emailed a copy of those minutes to BRSIT as per the MOU we agreed on.

Quote Mark "What will paying £10 per season guarantee me, that i do not already have? "

The right to have a say in what the Trust does. This of course assumes that you want the Trust to act on your behalf, which further implies you are happy with the the overall objectives and ideas that the Trust offers. At the moment you don`t have enough information to make an informed decision on this, but I hope by the start of the season you will! (If we acheive what we hope to by then!)

Maybe see you tonight?

[ABBEY]

More groups than games attended by the venkyscum

[PAFELL]

Mark-The Trust has not yet officially been launched. Lots of work over a period of some time has already been done, but this is a long term project. It is in no way intended to rival any of the fantastic, unbeleivable work done already by The Action Group, BRSIT, the protesters etc.

I posted the minutes on here to begin with both to drum up some interest in it before the launch, and also by way of being as open as possible with what we are doing. As Only2garners said, we have been in conversation with BRSIT regarding a clarification of the roles and objectives of the two groups, and in line with that have emailed a copy of those minutes to BRSIT as per the MOU we agreed on.

Quote Mark "What will paying £10 per season guarantee me, that i do not already have? "

The right to have a say in what the Trust does. This of course assumes that you want the Trust to act on your behalf, which further implies you are happy with the the overall objectives and ideas that the Trust offers. At the moment you don`t have enough information to make an informed decision on this, but I hope by the start of the season you will! (If we acheive what we hope to by then!)

Maybe see you tonight?

Fair points. If venkys ever sell the club to a decent investor which is not local. Groups such as wayne wilds BRSIT die, as there would be no need for it to continue. If we have decent owners and a decent manager, no need for the action group either. So it is worth exploring what BRST have in mind, see how it all pans out. Like all groups there will be teething problems - over to them to sort those things out.

[Stuart]

Just had an email from BRSIT. I'm curious to know how they got my email address.

[Tom]

Same actually I did wonder that

[Paul]

Just had an email from BRSIT. I'm curious to know how they got my email address.

Got one as well. I've replied requesting full disclosure of how they got my email address. As far as I can recall I have not given my email address to BRSIT and if I find this is correct there is going to be some discussion!!

[Ste B]

Its almost certainly a copy of the season ticket holders database - The unsubscribe redirects you to Wec Groups site and appears to be a list of season ticket holders..

I know of others who've had these emails, mines come to the email i've registered with on the onerovers site.

Onerovers Box Office is committed to maintaining your privacy in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998

I belive, onerovers are able to provide details to sponsors (WEC), but only if you specifically agree on the website.

[Paul]

Its almost certainly a copy of the season ticket holders database - The unsubscribe redirects you to Wec Groups site and appears to be a list of season ticket holders..

I know of others who've had these emails, mines come to the email i've registered with on the onerovers site.

Onerovers Box Office is committed to maintaining your privacy in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998

I belive, onerovers are able to provide details to sponsors (WEC), but only if you specifically agree on the website.

If this is correct the club will be hearing from me in regard to a breach of the Data Protection Act and there will be a very, very serious discussion.

[Rover_Shaun]

BRFCS?

3.5 We may use your data or allow third parties to use the data, in order to give you information about unrelated goods or services you may find of interest. We may contact you about these services or goods if you consented to the contact

[Tom]

I think Ste would have known about that though

[Baz]

It looks like information supplied to WEC via BRFC then has found its way to BRSIT.

Big compliance issues here.

[Tom]

There must be a relatively simple explanation so suppose we should wait for that although on the surface it appears a little odd

I remember someone mentioning at the open meeting at the Manxman about getting hold of the club mailing list and that was a total no go so I imagine it's from elsewhere, maybe through Facebook or twitter somehow

[AllRoverAsia]

Data Protection and CCTV every 10 yards - what a life

[Rover_Shaun]

I have been straight onto onerovers and changed all my details to bogus ones. The horse has bolted I know but I won't be buying any tickets anyway

[Rover_Shaun]

Anyone involved with BRSIT care to disclose how they came about every Onerovers email address in order to spam everyones email account?

[den]

I got an email as well. I too wondered where they got my adress from.

[Rover_Shaun]

I don't know for sure but it seems like the Rovers mail list seeing as every ST holder I know got the spam

[Roost]

Couple more questions i have got, after sleeping on this... since the supporters trust are asking groups to join this venture and pay £30 annually to unite under this one big umbrella...

I know that for some unknown reason, the faces involved in the supporters trust keep changing, however regarding other groups who, they are asking to "show solidarity with the trust" how many current committee members of the trust have shown an interest in engaging with these groups? more specifically

1) How many current committee members have pledged to the BRSIT initiative?

2) How many current committee members attended last weeks BRFC Action Group open floor meeting?

As these two entities, over the recent troubled months have been the most pro-active voice for (a certain number, but by no means all) supporters and have both liaised regularly with supporters it would be interesting to see what volume of interest, the supporters trust have shown in these, if the answer to either question is little/none, i must ask the question, why?

Corrected for you - you are not and will never be my voice as a supporter.

[he6rt6gr6m]

so i will ask again who from the Supporters Trust came along, if hardly or none, then why is this? anything concerning Blackburn Rovers, particularly on the scale of the meetings should surely interest them?

Just to clarify, I had every intention of coming to the BRAG open floor meeting regardless of how many Rovers Trust representatives were going to come, however I fell ill Sunday. I understand how convenient that sounds, but I do have the emails to prove my intention to go addressed to the other members of Rovers Trust. It was only on the day, as I awoke after the meeting had started and checked twitter to see Mr. Pegden live-tweeting. I live in the area, so the location wasn't an issue.

Also, to answer the question on BRSIT, I haven't pledged. Simply put, I can't even pledge money to a holiday at the moment. £1,000 to this, while I'd love to whole-heartedly, is simply not feasible for me financially. £10 to the Supporter's Trust, however, is.

Finally, to those of you that might be wondering what the excess money from 2,000 memberships would be spent on (barring obvious operating costs), that would be decided by the paid members. You buy a share in the Rovers Trust, and with that, you have a say in the way the Rovers Trust operates. I get the feeling Mark thinks the Rovers Trust just wants your money, but every penny of that has to be accounted for. The FSA approval is there for a reason.

I truly do believe in what we are doing, but right now, our priority is to talk with BRSIT and Supporters Direct because there is some confusion between the three. Rovers Trust believe we can continue, however BRSIT have been advised that Rovers Trust will freeze operations while BRSIT tries to buy the club. Hopefully that situation will be resolved very soon.

Away from the Rovers Trust, I understand how confusing all of this can me. People I have taked to have stigmatised each - BRAG are the protest lot (not my words, I understand they want to come away from that stigma), BRSIT want to take it over, so the umbrella was needed and I'm glad Sir Bill went ahead and put us all in a room together. We all have one goal, and I'm confident NONE of us have a hidden agenda.

[he6rt6gr6m]

I remember someone mentioning at the open meeting at the Manxman about getting hold of the club mailing list and that was a total no go so I imagine it's from elsewhere, maybe through Facebook or twitter somehow

I recall that also Tom. It is protected in the Data Protection Act, thus none of the groups could have access to it. As someone says, WEC is a sponsor, so maybe they could get access to it?