[Archived] Rovers Trust

[Ozz]

We enjoyed a busy day on Saturday, with lots of people interested in the Trust and what we are doing. I have to mention the group who came over from Ireland for the game, who we spent a while discussing all matters Trust and Rovers with. All that way to watch that match!

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

Podcast #68 is now published and features Ozz talking about the Trust's recent community-oriented activities.

A big thanks to both Ozz and Paul (Podcast #66) for taking time out to speak to us on the podcasts about the Trust.

[Paul]

It CAN be done...................................

http://www.chichester.co.uk/sport/football/pompey-latest/pompey-delight-at-finance-figures-under-new-ownership-1-5522516

The city has rallied around Pompey to ensure financialexpectations at the club have been exceeded under the new community ownership.

That’s the verdict of Blues chief executive Mark Catlin after revealing the club’s latest accounts to fans at the Pompey Supporters’ Trust AGM. Monday night’s event saw more than 200 supporters pack Fratton Park’s Victory Bar for the first such meeting since the Trust took control at the end of April.

Figures presented by finance director Tony Brown showed a commercial income of £1,296,000 is forecast by June next year. That is 58-per-cent more – £752,366 – on the budgeted £543,634 drawn up by the club. In addition, the budgeted turnover of £4,054,479 is now forecast as £5,270,000, such have been the massive strides over the first five months of community ownership. That has helped influence forecast first-year losses to presently be put at £713,955 – a difference of £251,279 to budgeted losses of £965,234.And Catlin believes the accounts reflect not only the work of commercial team Micah Hall and Tracey Mitchell but also the manner in which the city has embraced the new regime.

He said: ‘The figures are great. It’s due to a lot of hard work from a lot of people at the club, mainly sponsorships and cutting costs.

‘Through Micah Hall, especially, we have gone out there and re-engaged with a lot of local businesses and it has made a hell of a lot of difference.

‘There are businesses I thought were going to cancel that didn’t and, instead, renewed – at figures they were paying in the Championship.

‘We have always budgeted to make a loss in the first few years.

‘But if you look at the figures, the first year is now looking that, if we have a little cup run or if a player is sold, then the losses are wiped out. That would be a massive achievement.

‘The budgeted figures are what was planned and we are excelling in almost every area.

‘I knew we had a lot of momentum when we took over but what has surprised me is just how much the fans have got behind everything we are trying to do.

‘There is still a lot of momentum and goodwill. We have got to try to keep that going as long as we possibly can.’

According to latest figures, the Trust owns 59.3 per cent of the club, worth £2,412,000 in shares.

The presidents account for the other 40.7 per cent (worth £1,655,000).

In total, that is £4,067,000 of total share capital in the club.

Meanwhile, the players’ payroll is 27 per cent of total income. The League Two salary cap is 55 per cent.

Catlin added: ‘The Trust are shareholders. Shareholders get reports and figures at every other business, so why not a football club?

‘As the majority shareholders, if they should ever want us to do quarterly reports then that is what we will have to do.

‘Every year we have to be correct and proper and be as transparent as possible.

‘The club and executive team must report to our shareholders, as you would in any other business.

[Ozz]

Good read, well spotted Paul. Pompey Trust made a really good video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OglVntfMqQg&feature=youtu.be

[Ozz]

Rovers Trust are proud to sponsor Blackburn Eagles. Read the story here.

[Paul]

Ewood Park Has Been Successfully Registered as an Asset of Community Value

Copy of Press Release

The Rovers Trust, the official supporters trust for Blackburn Rovers, has succeeded in legally protecting Ewood Park as an ‘Asset of Community Value.’

The Trust is one of the first in the country to take advantage of a relatively new Act of Parliament allowing football stadia to be recognised as significant to the town and community and adds safeguards for supporters should any attempt be made to sell the ground. The listing of Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers since 1890, has been formalised by Blackburn with Darwen Council under the Localism Act 2011. One of its provisions requires the owners of Blackburn Rovers to inform the council and the Rovers Trust if the ground is to be offered for sale.

This is one of the many important initiatives the Rovers Trust is successfully working on for members and the supporter base as a whole. Membership is just £10 per year and the funds are vital to the volunteers running the Trust to continue work such as this.

Paul Brooking, executive officer at the Rovers Trust, compiled the nomination and said: “We are delighted the council agrees with us that Ewood Park holds a special place in the local community and with the people of East Lancashire.

“Dating back more than 120 years the famous old ground has been built, rebuilt and built again under the stewardship of several philanthropic and far-sighted owners, most recently by Jack Walker.

“Blackburn Rovers fans will welcome this protection of the ground Jack Walker built for the team and for the supporters.

“Ewood Park should continue to be the home of Blackburn Rovers for many generations to come.”

Ewood Park was officially opened in September 1890 with a match against Accrington with 10,000 spectators attending. The ground staged an international match between England and Scotland as early as April 1891.

Paul added: “We would like to thank Blackburn with Darwen Council for the support they have shown to our nomination. “Under the Asset of Community Value status there is now a legal obligation to allow the Rovers Trust a six month period in which to prepare and submit a bid to purchase Ewood Park.

“There is no obligation for the owners to accept such a bid but this listing does provide the Trust with time to enter the process.

“The successful listing with the council provides a significant opportunity for the local community to purchase and take control of Ewood Park should it ever be offered for sale by the owners.”

Rovers Trust has the full approval of Supporters Direct, the official independent Government body set up to advise football fans on taking a stake in their club.

The Trust is being run as a Community Benefit Society. Fans have been encouraged to become members of Rovers Trust at just £10 per year (£5 for juniors) to have a say in the direction Rovers Trust takes in its bid to take control of Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn Rovers’ legends Simon Garner and Glenn Keeley are official supporters among former players. High profile supporters and local businesses have also announced they are backing the Rovers Trust. They include local MPs Jack Straw, Jake Berry and Graham Jones as well as regional MEP Brian Simpson; Kate Hollern, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council; Sir Bill Taylor and Lord Taylor of Blackburn.

For more information, to become a member and to make a pledge of financial support please visit www.roverstrust.co.uk. The website also has full details of the Trust’s forthcoming AGM on Monday October 21.

[Majiball]

Well done to all involved.

[pk1875]

Yeah well done to all, quite a few clubs have done this now I think.

[Paul]

Yeah well done to all, quite a few clubs have done this now I think.

Fourteen to date, I think the Trust are the fifth to register a Football or Premier League ground.

Just to be clear this is not something "the club" has undertaken. The registration was achieved by Rovers Trust for the town, the fans and the membership.

[47er]

Congrats to all. Well done. All we have to do now is get those idiots to sell.

[Paul]

Coffee on keyboard moment

[Blue n White Rover]

Brilliant news. Well done to all.

May I ask, was this something BRAG were actively seeking and were they also involved in the process?

If not, then why not?

[Paul]

Brilliant news. Well done to all.

May I ask, was this something BRAG were actively seeking and were they also involved in the process?

If not, then why not?

Two questions then.

I don't know if this was something BRAG were actively seeking, the possibility would have been open to them, and you would have to ask the BRAG committee for a response.

As Rovers Trust we did not seek to include any other groups or individuals. This is a legal process and was only the second application to Blackburn with Darwen for a listing. We felt it was in our interest to view this as a confidential matter and avoid creating speculation among the fans and in the media. We didn't want to exert any external pressure on BwD other than to provide what we believed to be an open and shut case for Ewood. To have gone public might have created difficulties which could result in failure.

As council business is always open to scrutiny the information has been on BwD's website for some months but it was only picked up briefly by an LT journo who ran a one day article on it.

The actual submission was a very lengthy document and it will be available to download from our website later tonight - I hope!

[K-Hod]

Well done to all.

[Amo]

Good move from the Trust. It's encouraging to know there are people with this club's best interests at heart. A pity we can't say the same about the owners.

[Mike E]

Excellent news.

[Sparky Marky]

Brilliant news. Well done to all.

May I ask, was this something BRAG were actively seeking and were they also involved in the process?

If not, then why not?

I think your question highlights the difference in the two groups. One being sharp, obviously intelligent and with a direction, the other group seems to be just splashing about with no real sense of purpose, dabbling in things that they have no experience in, like the away travel fiasco, just to try and make itself relevant. Maybe the end is nigh for BRAG.

[philipl]

BRFC Action Group have a very different purpose and remit to the Trust.

[Majiball]

what is the action groups remit these days?

[ABBEY]

Brilliant news. Well done to all.

May I ask, was this something BRAG were actively seeking and were they also involved in the process?

If not, then why not?

You can't help yourself can you .

[tomphil]

what is the action groups remit these days?

Lack of action it would seem .

[tomphil]

Have to say a big well done to all involved in this, could be very important in the future.

[Blue n White Rover]

You can't help yourself can you .

Legitimate question.

If BRAG hadn't applied for this, then why didn't they?

If you don't have anything constructive to add, then please be quiet.

I think your question highlights the difference in the two groups. One being sharp, obviously intelligent and with a direction, the other group seems to be just splashing about with no real sense of purpose, dabbling in things that they have no experience in, like the away travel fiasco, just to try and make itself relevant. Maybe the end is nigh for BRAG.

Precisely. From an outside point of view, the Rovers Trust seem a professional outfit with a structure in place. In my opinion, the same can't be said about BRAG. You just have to see some of the interviews they've given previously on SSN. In my opinion it seems as though BRAG are a bunch of 'chavs' that want to takeover the club.

In my opinion, BRAG would be more disastrous than Venky's.

[pk1875]

Legitimate question.

If BRAG hadn't applied for this, then why didn't they?

If you don't have anything constructive to add, then please be quiet.

Precisely. From an outside point of view, the Rovers Trust seem a professional outfit with a structure in place. In my opinion, the same can't be said about BRAG. You just have to see some of the interviews they've given previously on SSN. In my opinion it seems as though BRAG are a bunch of 'chavs' that want to takeover the club.

In my opinion, BRAG would be more disastrous than Venky's.

You are more than welcome to your opinion, but you are terribly misinformed, The BRFCAG have never had any interest in owning, taking over or running the club. We are a free membership community supporters group.

[Blue n White Rover]

You are more than welcome to your opinion, but you are terribly misinformed, The BRFCAG have never had any interest in owning, taking over or running the club. We are a free membership community supporters group.

What's wrong with the Official Community Club?