Greg

There is so much to bring up, and so much to do - going to take time to untangle a lot of the mess inherited from the previous regime.

Trust met with Sarah Medcalf yesterday (she attended a Trust Board meeting) who has moved over from the foundation in to a new role as Head of Supporter Services. She's tasked with setting up a new Supporter Services department and building a new team, really positive introductory meeting - and great that the club is finally taking this area seriously.

I know their fan base is small but…..

No ?

Take from a mate of mine, a Watford ST holder.

Oh and @Heron - I absolutely will you meet you for a pint or three next time I’m up.

It was. That was crap by me. Like I said I will try and answer reasonable questions and I said I would in that case and then didn't because I wasn't coming on this forum for a number of reasons (personal and work etc.). I have nothing to hide in that regard - I said I'd do something, I didn't. That was crap, my fault. Sometimes these things happen. In all seriousness though if you want to contact the Trust about something to do with the Trust, then contact the Trust or a Board member directly (PM, DM e-mail etc.). If I'm on here I'll try and read this thread but I won't always be on here or around to respond. I have now explained the position re co-opting but have said I have no intention of getting drawn into a debate on the pro's and con's of Alex with an anonymous person on an internet message board.

You're posting anonymously on an internet message board, what do you expect? If anyone reaches out to me via DM or similarly via social media will always try and help and engage but if it's anything of substance that also needs other members of Board to be aware or involved then we will always suggest an email or a call. I post here as myself not as NUST - as I have done for about 24 years. Obviously there is an association here and I'll try and respond on here if I happen to be online and the conversation is relatively straightforward and reasonable If you bought something online at Argos and weren't happy with it would you contact Argos via the correct channels or just rant in the materialism thread in the Chat section if you knew an Arogs employee also posted on NO? That's the end of my interaction with you on here on this. Feel free to contact me or any of the Board via email if you wish to discuss anything to do with the Trust.

Yes. More than happy for you or anyone to contact me or the Board through the proper channels (which isn’t on an unrelated internet message board where a lot of people are anonymous).

You might have had a valid point here if this was the NUST forum - which it isn't. Board members don't spend their limited amount of time in their volunteer role scanning and reading message boards and social media. Get in contact with the Board via the proper channels like most reasonable people do.

Absolutely none. They are quite frankly outrageous accusations. The Pledge money is controlled by Warren Barton, Ian Mearns MP, George Caulkin and Lee Humble and not the Trust Board. Latest audited Trust accounts be viewed here: https://nufctrust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NUSS-Final-accs-31.08.2021-SCAL-signed.pdf

I've no doubt that Trust can and should do better at communication, but contacting members with updates via email is a very normal thing for a member oganisation. It kind of defies the point if you use social media as a primary means of communication given it is open to to non members. The website definitely needs improvement (and isn't used well at all) and I am sure social media could be use in a better way to amplify certain messages. A quick check and it looks like 19 member update emails sent (to 14,000+ people each time) so far this calendar year. I have no intention in getting into a debate about the pros and cons of Alex Hurst and his co-opting with an anonymous person on an internet message board. If you want that debate (and are a member of the Trust) feel free to email me at [email protected]. What I will say is that it is entirely within the gift of the Board to co-opt additional board members provided it is within the confines of the organisation's rules. I was co-opted when I first join the Board (as were others at the time). If Alex wants to stay on the Board going forward he will most likely need to stand for election and let the members decide if he is to carry on.

Unfortunately I am a very busy person these days and can no longer spend all day parked on here - despite spending many years doing so previously! I will log on again at some point tonight.

Simply not true. Members were emailed about this on 21st May.

Will be put to members soon. Unfortunately taken a lot longer than anticipated but a lot of meetings and discussions with some great charities in the NE - you can’t just hand over this sort of cash without all the work to ensure it’s needed, will be put to good use, due diligence etc. Equally for charities with existing ongoing funding streams and with planning, accounting and budgeting plans you can’t just handover a huge donation without warning - for a lot of charities without the planning around this type of donation it can actually do more harm than good and lead to the loss of the funding streams - so it’s taken a lot longer than any of us envisaged. Shouldn’t be too much longer before it’s all put to members.

That’s better.

I pulled them up on it and it’s been amended now.

Been lurking a bit last few days - I’ve just been far too busy in life at home and professional life.

There’s a few - the bit about never having a director of football - I literally said having a ‘competent’ Director of Football and CEO - who can forget Wise and Kinnear as DoFs FFS.

It’s a mis quote - I never mentioned Pardew once !! I did mention being at Benfica away last time (as well as last week) and he’s added it in from there.

Definitely some mis quotes in there.

I'll post a more detailed response later - busy at work. Alex is highly effective and having him back involved will make the Trust stronger and more effective. He's only rejoined until the next election which was his original term from when he was elected in 2019 - if he wants to carry on beyond that he will have to stand for election.

Most likely - which is why the pledge was always win win.

Thanks - have put a temp fix on.