A Suggestion...
 

[I][B]Originally Posted by Rob[/B]
Really sorry to hear that.

It isn't his club, nor mine, it is yours and ours and everyone is a custodian of it.
Thanks Rob.[/I]

[I][B]Originally Posted by Welsh Kiwi[/B]
Those are certainly the ideals and philosophy that I signed up to and supported when I became a member of the WST some 15 years or more ago.

But sadly and in reality it has never felt like that in my own experience. The times I have offered practical help or offered my services to fill designated roles have all been turned down for one legitimate reason or another.

The £5,000 donation was accepted and I was truly grateful the WST and Club were happy to name a youth award after my father (considering what he had done for Wrexham AFC throughout his lifetime) but I sensed the money was also very welcome.

I was very humbled to receive from the WST their Extra Mile award some years back for the efforts I put into help protect the Racecourse from property developers (aka Hamilton types) in the Welsh Government's Local Development Plan. This was mainly achieved through Red Passion and was a true community effort that reached about 13,500 signatures a capacity Racecourse at that time.

I now feel very alienated by the club which I find incredibly sad. And that pains me when I consider what the fans ownership could have achieved if everyone was on board and pulling all together in the same direction.

The one organisation who has welcomed me with open arms was the DSA. I felt very privileged to have been a committee member for a few years, before I simply became too busy with my other projects and had to step down.

Am 50 now, so am no longer the young kid who first fell in love with Wrexham Football Club during the incredible years of 1976/77/78.

I still love the club unconditionally but I don't love the way it’s being run.

And I do fear for its future.[/I]


A powerful post and sadly there are too many examples of Welsh Kiwi’s ilk – people who have supported the club for a long time, often just the latest generation of their family to do so, often people who have actively participated and helped in the past – all with a shared love of the club.

I’m of a similar vintage to WK and others who seemingly now share another, new and unfamiliar, trait. Sharing an increasing disillusionment, yes by the playing standards, but also – and more importantly – by the way the club is being run.

Ironically the period since WAFC has been trumpeted as a `community club’ has coincided with many fans becoming increasingly disengaged and disenfranchised.

In the manner in which managers apparently stick opponents’ pre-match comments up on changing room walls, I feel posts such as WK’s should be stuck on the Boardroom wall at the Racecourse.

Failing that, I would suggest they are sent registered post to the club (as an open letter with a copy to the press). A steady and sustained stream of heartfelt but well-considered, polite and respectful letters (avoiding personal attack and vitriol at all costs) would make a powerful statement.

Re: A Suggestion...
 

I agree with everything you RR and WK say there.

I think the majority of the WST members feel disenfranchised from the club, and we don’t even remotely feel like ‘owners’ in any shape or form. We don’t get bulletins, updates, or any kind of transparency on how the club is being run, on a week by week basis.

It feels like we are all merely funding an ego trip for those who divorce themselves from mainstream fandom, they build walls rather than bridges.

I keep coming to every game, season ticket in hand, having watched Wrexham since 1978.

It feels like visiting a very poorly close-relative, who you know is not going to get better, but you feel you can’t turn your back, out of loyalty, duty, and care for the sick patient (and yes, I’ve had to do that myself, the experience feels so similar!)

There’s no way out of this mess really, I do believe the Board do a good job of ensuring sustainability so we don’t do a Bury, but equally there’s no ambition at all. Our club is being run as a business rather than a sports club which might aspire to improve on the pitch.

Very interesting to read Welsh Kiwi comments, and yours Ruthin Red. Thanks for sharing your posts with us. Cheers.

I hope Pete Jones, Spencer Harris and all the other cronies read these pages because they certainly are killing the club and driving a wedge between themselves and the fans.

Re: A Suggestion...
 

We don't need a board with 'football experience' because (Barry Horne exempt) we've never had a board with football experience. We've had Farmers, car salesmen, travel agents (3) Butchers, grocers, greengrocers, fire safety consultants, wholesale newsagents, glaziers, car repairers, builders, furniture dealers and various other shop owners. What we need is for the the part-time board to resign and return to the WST board with their final act to appoint a General Manager who will oversee the day-to-day running of the club answerable to the WST board. This is a tried and tested model in the German League.

Re: A Suggestion...
 

[QUOTE=Number6;2336764]We don't need a board with 'football experience' because (Barry Horne exempt) we've never had a board with football experience. We've had Farmers, car salesmen, travel agents (3) Butchers, grocers, greengrocers, fire safety consultants, wholesale newsagents, glaziers, car repairers, builders, furniture dealers and various other shop owners. What we need is for the the part-time board to resign and return to the WST board with their final act to appoint a General Manager who will oversee the day-to-day running of the club answerable to the WST board. This is a tried and tested model in the German League.[/QUOTE]

I agree with your thinking. The current structure of two boards is too complicated and everything would work much better with one board. It would allow for a focused strategy and everyone connected to the club, fans, WST members and other stakeholders would understand who is actually leading the football club forward. It is not unusual for owners to be leading and running their own organisations.

We also need a business model encouraging greater investment as we will never be able to take any risk without sufficient finance and you need to take percentage risks in football to succeed.

p.s You did miss out Chartered Accountant on the board jobs list. :)

Re: A Suggestion...
 

[QUOTE=Welsh Kiwi;2336787]I agree with your thinking. The current structure of two boards is too complicated and everything would work much better with one board. It would allow for a focused strategy and everyone connected to the club, fans, WST members and other stakeholders would understand who is actually leading the football club forward. It is not unusual for owners to be leading and running their own organisations.

We also need a business model encouraging greater investment as we will never be able to take any risk without sufficient finance and you need to take percentage risks in football to succeed.

[B]p.s You did miss out Chartered Accountant on the board jobs list.[/B] :)[/QUOTE]

Bob ???????????????? name escapes me!

Re: A Suggestion...
 

[QUOTE=Welsh Kiwi;2336787]I agree with your thinking. The current structure of two boards is too complicated and everything would work much better with one board. It would allow for a focused strategy and everyone connected to the club, fans, WST members and other stakeholders would understand who is actually leading the football club forward. It is not unusual for owners to be leading and running their own organisations.

We also need a business model encouraging greater investment as we will never be able to take any risk without sufficient finance and you need to take percentage risks in football to succeed.

p.s You did miss out Chartered Accountant on the board jobs list. :)[/QUOTE]

He also missed Solicitor (Geoff) in his interesting summary.

Re: A Suggestion...
 

[QUOTE=stmartinsred;2336748]I hope Pete Jones, Spencer Harris and all the other cronies read these pages because they certainly are killing the club and driving a wedge between themselves and the fans.[/QUOTE]

I don’t think the club killers themselves read this forum, it’s out of sight out of mind for them, fingers firmly plugged into their ears while the ship moves closer to the iceberg. The social media silence correlating with this season would suggest that.

Re: A Suggestion...
 

[QUOTE=Inside Left;2336798]He also missed Solicitor (Geoff) in his interesting summary.[/QUOTE]

Geoffrey Morris, ffs I can't remember everyone one of them! :)