Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST)

[LFEE]

1 hour ago, TheGuv said:

I’m definitely attending. Anyone wanting anything else bringing up?

 

@LFEEyou still going?

Yes leaving mine shortly. See you there ??

[Heron]

On 11/01/2023 at 10:26, Chicken Dancer said:

Nail on the head. I still to this day feel completely hoodwinked by their scheme and maintain I wouldn’t have packed in my Season Ticket if I didn’t think they’d at least lobby for me and let the club decide. 
 

Gutted to this day and pardon the pun, wouldn’t trust the Trust with anything. Jobs for the boys. No doubt that Charlotte will be next on the board.

She already is, I believe.

[Heron]

On 11/01/2023 at 10:42, Hovagod said:

This still confuses me. Did the Trust head chiefs not give up their tickets too?  They just told others to? Is that right? 

Don't think so tbh. Don't think the Trust ever advocated any form of protest.

[Numbers]

This shower lost all credibility to me when Alex Hurst just marched back onto the scene with no objections, its now almost all his pals.

[TheGuv]

Good meeting. Lots of debate, which is good. @LFEEasked some very good questions which certainly opened the floor up to more debate.

[LFEE]

39 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

Good meeting. Lots of debate, which is good. @LFEEasked some very good questions which certainly opened the floor up to more debate.

Thanks ?? Though you were far more eloquent with yours ?
 

Would encourage everyone to attend future meetings even if it only to try and challenge it if you feel the need and propose change to it going forward more directly than an email which might be more persuasive.

[Heron]

Well done lads! Heard good reports back from certain questions.

[Heron]

Trust is fucked without Thomas and Greg

[TheGuv]

38 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Thanks ?? Though you were far more eloquent with yours ?
 

Would encourage everyone to attend future meetings even if it only to try and challenge it if you feel the need and propose change to it going forward more directly than an email which might be more persuasive.

Cheers bud. Your line of (fair) questioning certainly didn’t sit well with plenty mind you!

 

I made a few notes throughout the meeting to update people on tomorrow. 
 

As @LFEEsays, the Trust needs more people to get involved and put forward ideas and questions ??

[NUFC91]

13 hours ago, TheGuv said:

Good meeting. Lots of debate, which is good. @LFEEasked some very good questions which certainly opened the floor up to more debate.

 

Was anything brought up at safe standing/singing section mate?

[TheGuv]

Quick update from last night. There was a decent turn out, perhaps 50 or 60, so no doubt higher than previous years. However, for a Trust of 12,000+ people, this needs to change. An over-riding sentiment from people there and the Board, was how this can be improved. I spoke with @Greg afterwards and I have to agree that communication needs to be improved. Social Media is king, as Wor Flags have shown, with tens of thousands getting the message to bring a scarf against Leicester, so it can be done, and the message can get out there. 

 

To answer your question @NUFC91 no it wasn't. As I asked a question in AOB about ticketing issues, and how it seems to be the number 1 issue amongst fans at this moment in time. I also directed a question in regards to issues surrounding corporate away tickets, using the examples from this week of both Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. The response was effectively, the Trust are now working closely with the club and will be raising these matters. But they'll only have more clout if more people get involved, answer the surveys etc. Which is a fair comment. If people want to have a say in how future season tickets, Cup Final tickets etc are distributed, moaning about it on tiwtter and fighting on forums won't change anything. Like it or not, the Trust, clearly has the largest body to represent the fans on such matters. The reason why I didn't bring up the singing section, is it effectively was answered by the above question. Sarah Medcalf, newly inaugurated Supports Liaison officer was there, and I purposefully directed the question towards her as well, in regards to the ticketing issues. 

 

Thomas, spoke about how each PL club and the supporters trusts, alongside the FSA, will need to create a Fan Engagement Plan. Sarah Medcalf and the Trust will be working on this and it will come out in February. Independent Regulation may come in, in future and a big thing is supporter involvement will increase at club level. For the engagement plan, no doubt ticketing, singing sections, safe standing, Castore issues is something that will be discussed and hopefully implemented by the club. Again, tell the trust your thoughts (as others won't!), and your desire has more chance of fruition if the Trust can take it forward. 

 

@LFEE posed questions on a few matters. He spoke about how people volunteer and give up their time, however did ask a few questions surrounding lack of engagement with fans (there were only 4 nominations for 3 board spaces, and the 4th nominee didn't have a proposer/seconder  - so no vote was required) and if the Board members are aware of the look of it becoming a True Faith club. This certainly did not sit well with Alex Hurst and Charlotte Robson. I'm not sure who piped up at the back as well? Was it Michael Martin? i don't know what he looks like. Alex's retort was sitting on the board had nothing to do wirh profile as TF has a wider audience. Make of that what you will. 

 

I'm glad I went, and I'll certainly look at going to more Trust initiatives, but they MUST MUST MUST increase fan engagement and empower the supporters to get invovled. For me that means reaching out and empowering fans through matters such as ticketing, safe standing, supporter experience and anything else you can think of. If they don't, and don't do it quickly, there will be very little point in them moving forward. Yes, people are volunteers, but you need to have to drive to change things. I hope they heed the advice! 

 

Good luck to them and I'll reserve judgement until the next AGM.

 

[OCOCOL]

4 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

Quick update from last night. There was a decent turn out, perhaps 50 or 60, so no doubt higher than previous years. However, for a Trust of 12,000+ people, this needs to change. An over-riding sentiment from people there and the Board, was how this can be improved. I spoke with @Greg afterwards and I have to agree that communication needs to be improved. Social Media is king, as Wor Flags have shown, with tens of thousands getting the message to bring a scarf against Leicester, so it can be done, and the message can get out there. 

 

To answer your question @NUFC91 no it wasn't. As I asked a question in AOB about ticketing issues, and how it seems to be the number 1 issue amongst fans at this moment in time. I also directed a question in regards to issues surrounding corporate away tickets, using the examples from this week of both Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. The response was effectively, the Trust are now working closely with the club and will be raising these matters. But they'll only have more clout if more people get involved, answer the surveys etc. Which is a fair comment. If people want to have a say in how future season tickets, Cup Final tickets etc are distributed, moaning about it on tiwtter and fighting on forums won't change anything. Like it or not, the Trust, clearly has the largest body to represent the fans on such matters. The reason why I didn't bring up the singing section, is it effectively was answered by the above question. Sarah Medcalf, newly inaugurated Supports Liaison officer was there, and I purposefully directed the question towards her as well, in regards to the ticketing issues. 

 

Thomas, spoke about how each PL club and the supporters trusts, alongside the FSA, will need to create a Fan Engagement Plan. Sarah Medcalf and the Trust will be working on this and it will come out in February. Independent Regulation may come in, in future and a big thing is supporter involvement will increase at club level. For the engagement plan, no doubt ticketing, singing sections, safe standing, Castore issues is something that will be discussed and hopefully implemented by the club. Again, tell the trust your thoughts (as others won't!), and your desire has more chance of fruition if the Trust can take it forward. 

 

@LFEE posed questions on a few matters. He spoke about how people volunteer and give up their time, however did ask a few questions surrounding lack of engagement with fans (there were only 4 nominations for 3 board spaces, and the 4th nominee didn't have a proposer/seconder  - so no vote was required) and if the Board members are aware of the look of it becoming a True Faith club. This certainly did not sit well with Alex Hurst and Charlotte Robson. I'm not sure who piped up at the back as well? Was it Michael Martin? i don't know what he looks like. Alex's retort was sitting on the board had nothing to do wirh profile as TF has a wider audience. Make of that what you will. 

 

I'm glad I went, and I'll certainly look at going to more Trust initiatives, but they MUST MUST MUST increase fan engagement and empower the supporters to get invovled. For me that means reaching out and empowering fans through matters such as ticketing, safe standing, supporter experience and anything else you can think of. If they don't, and don't do it quickly, there will be very little point in them moving forward. Yes, people are volunteers, but you need to have to drive to change things. I hope they heed the advice! 

 

Good luck to them and I'll reserve judgement until the next AGM.

 

Thanks for that. I didn’t think Alex and Charlotte would respond well to any constructive criticism. 
 

FYI Michael Martin looks a bit like Jim Branning from Eastenders 

[TheGuv]

2 minutes ago, OCOCOL said:

Thanks for that. I didn’t think Alex and Charlotte would respond well to any constructive criticism. 
 

FYI Michael Martin looks a bit like Jim Branning from Eastenders 

 

Could well have been him then . He certainly piped up against @LFEE and how people he knew didn't think it was a TF closed shop...so that would make sense. He wasn't sitting on the top Board table - I assume because it was the outgoing board? So it could have bee him. 

[Likelylad]

5 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

 

Could well have been him then . He certainly piped up against @LFEE and how people he knew didn't think it was a TF closed shop...so that would make sense. He wasn't sitting on the top Board table - I assume because it was the outgoing board? So it could have bee him. 

Love the view that because he and people he associates with don’t think that, then it can’t possibly be true. Christ.
 

No surprise the TF lot didn’t like it. I imagine the last thing they want is it to be highlighted and become part of the narrative. 

[Dr.Spaceman]

See, this is the exact sort of thing that stops people from wanting to engage with them. People like me will never bother if they know they're going to be immediately scoffed at. Every question no matter how constructive should be listened to and responded to as professionally as possible.

[TheGuv]

2 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

See, this is the exact sort of thing that stops people from wanting to engage with them. People like me will never bother if they know they're going to be immediately scoffed at. Every question no matter how constructive should be listened to and responded to as professionally as possible.

 

In fairness, it was listened to and noted. Charlotte, even said thank you for raising it. Alex, perhaps not so much.

[Dr.Spaceman]

Fair enough, point still stands though - Nobody should be laughed out the building for asking a question or making any sort of suggestion. It's counter-productive to their longer term goal of increased engagement.

 

Good on you lads for going and for speaking up

[Chicken Dancer]

51 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

This certainly did not sit well with Alex Hurst and Charlotte Robson

 

I'm so, so shocked at this....

 

They're probably gutted that people have actually realised what it is now, and most likely the reason why there isn't more engagement from more members.

[Geordie2302]

1 hour ago, TheGuv said:

There was a decent turn out, perhaps 50 or 60, so no doubt higher than previous years.

 

There was about 25 including the 7 board members last year and if the description above about MM is true am pretty sure he was one of them who didn't like the commentary I made.

 

the numbers they report are dubious at best (and was supposed to be better when moved to their "new system" which probably never got updated or discussed).

 

Totally agree on fan engagement but after my dealings with them I feel only apathetic toward them and reckon I could sort any issue I had quicker and more efficiently myself (even in the auspices of supporter engagement)!

 

Sounds like a big well done to those who attended from here is warranted!

[LFEE]

34 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

Fair enough, point still stands though - Nobody should be laughed out the building for asking a question or making any sort of suggestion. It's counter-productive to their longer term goal of increased engagement.

 

Good on you lads for going and for speaking up

Just to back up what @TheGuvsaid no one was laughed at and all my questions were given space when aired. I’d like to think the way I introduced my line of questioning after the initial defensive answer (which is understandable) as the conversation developed I was then able to almost get them to let it sink in the potential perception issues of the NUST.

 

So to reiterate what I said last night I’d encourage all to attend and have there say no matter how disgruntled rather than an email. Think it would be more effective and also stir debate within those in attendance otherwise it would be a very dry night. Only 4-5 of us in attendance actually posed questions.

[KDT]

Has that Charlotte been on Dinner Date on ITV2 or does she have a doppelganger?

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, TheGuv said:

To answer your Alex's retort was sitting on the board had nothing to do wirh profile as TF has a wider audience. Make of that what you will. 

 

This is the problem generally, and why Tory boy bought the fanzine in the first place.  He’s not from the punk-infused fanzine culture, he’s a middle class Tory from a self-promotion culture.  What has always been enjoyable is reading the views of other supporters (even if I don’t agree with them); that’s all the football parts of a fanzine are about.  Whoppers like Tory boy think that this means their views are more important or somehow more accurate than others - they act like experts (which they’re not) and not vox populi gobshites(which they are).   The fanzine no longer exists, and I’d be astonished if the shite podcasts have anything like the audience the NUST emails do - even if no bugger reads them.

 

Good on you and LFEE for asking the questions and posting the responses, but they all just seem to have zero self-awareness.  

[Danh1]

23 minutes ago, KDT said:

Has that Charlotte been on Dinner Date on ITV2 or does she have a doppelganger?

She’s been on Location Location Location. Bought a Ken near my mates house in Gossy. 

[KDT]

1 minute ago, Danh1 said:

She’s been on Location Location Location. Bought a Ken near my mates house in Gossy. 

Aye that might be it, not much difference between Dinner Date & Location Location Location.

[TheBrownBottle]

I’ll bore on about this a little longer - feel free to scroll past!

 

The crux of the issue to me is a representative vs delegate one - an old internal Labour party debate.

 

To me, a supporters trust’s board should view itself as a group of delegates, not representatives.  They should simply be there as tribunes to deliver the majority views of the membership, not to give their personal views without the express support of the majority - i.e. act as a representative.  I cannot picture Martin, Hurst or Robson keeping their personal views to themselves, nor in viewing themselves as simply delegates to take the trust’s views to the NUFC board - they want to be heard, want to feel special, want to schmooze.  The fact that they’d clearly never thought that their position on the board might raise eyebrows is testament to their egos - I mean, we really shouldn’t give too much of a shite who is on the board, as I’d expect it to be filled with otherwise anonymous supporters. 
 

That’s my two penneth worth