| Trust AGM Chairman's Address 21:25 - Jan 27 with 1660 views | Darran |
Firstly, let me echo the words of Mike that you have already heard in welcoming you all here this evening to the AGM of the Swans Trust. It is always pleasing to see the numbers that turn up for this evening which I appreciate can feel a little bit mundane at times and slightly process driven but is also an essential part of our calendar and a chance for you — as members to ask questions of us as the board that you have elected to serve on your behalf.
It is hard to believe that next year we will celebrate our 20th anniversary as an organisation making us one of the longest established Trust organisations in the UK and, as I look around the room this evening, I can see many familiar faces who have been part of our membership right back to those early roots of 2001.
For large parts of the period since our formation we have grown in line with the football club but largely the last four years have been the most challenging of all particularly as we are now involved in what will remain a long legal process to try and resolve the situation that we were left with in the summer of 2016 having been totally excluded by our fellow shareholders from being part of the sale of the club.
I will return to updates on that in more detail but first let me cover off some of the other areas that I think are essential at this time of year and that is to recognise the work of the organisation as a whole.
Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you as members. It is a continued frustration of the Trust board that our membership level hovers somewhere between the 1500 and 2000 level on an annual basis and we always appreciate that there is more that could be done to try and drive this number up. Some of the goals we set ourselves this season were to become more visible which we have achieved — with more levels still to be achieved — and this is through the work of some key people on (and off) the board who have worked hard to increase our social media presence as well as our communications which have become more frequent to the member base. I am not sure that we will ever perfect the nature of communication but I hope that — as members — you see more in the coming months and years ahead.
Secondly it is a huge thank you to the Trust board that I work alongside on a daily basis. We are lucky as a Trust to have a strong mix of people with a vast array of skills who can enhance us as an organisation. Having stood here for so many years delivering this address I feel sometimes like a stuck record but all of these people do give their time freely to the Trust and do so alongside their working and family commitments at the same time. I speak from experience when I say that this is no mean feat and one that should be applauded. It is one of the reasons I get so frustrated when people accuse us of being static or not moving things on but simply for each of these people there has to be downtime and the work that is done on a voluntary basis simply needs to be done in line with other commitments. We have people on the board based well outside of Swansea and should never under estimate the commitment this adds to the role that they do on our behalf as members.
Thirdly I would like to single out the work of Stuart McDonald as our Supporter Director. I say with huge confidence that nobody could do more for you as members than Stuart does. I get that there is much criticism of him not being as vocal as you would all like but that is the fault of us as a collective board rather than Stuart as an individual. He puts in many hours of work at the club each week representing the needs of both our members and the wider fanbase and has worked hard over the past two years in particular to drive forward the relationship at local level. We may have an unresolved dispute with the ownership of the club but at a local level I would say that we are possibly in a stronger place now than we have ever been. We have always accepted that maybe mistakes were made in the relationships of the past but Stuart works on our behalf with what I believe to be a healthy dose of cynicism behind him and that has already seen some benefits with some good season ticket pricing (particularly at junior level), increased fan communication from the club and the return of regular fans forums and player social evenings which is appreciated by the fanbase. What we — as a board — need to do to support Stuart is talk more publicly about the work that he does on our behalf even if he is never afraid to answer a question as I am sure you will find out before the evening is complete.
So I guess the summary of that so far is that it has been another year where we have made progress but accept that there is more to come. I think it is fair to say that the legal process has taken up much of the focus for a decent percentage of the Trust board this year and that has meant that focus could not be elsewhere to help with the driving on of the organisation and our growth that I believe is so firmly needed.
When I returned to the Trust board more than 18 months ago I did so with a clear mission that we needed to move on the legal case whether that was to a resolution via the mediation already started or — as it turned out — through a clear mandate from you members last summer to proceed with the legal action. I believe that the mission set out in that election statement has now been completed and the legal process will follow the route that it needs to follow until the dispute is completed. It is also fair to say that this legal process has taken pretty much all my (and that of several other board members) focus in those 18 months as we have started to build witness statements, completed document trawls and spent many hours preparing letters, cases and answering the questions of the legal team that we have working the case on our behalf. The one thing I would add is that whilst this process has not worked as quick as we woul d like it to the wheels of any legal action do not turn quickly and it is essential that we work with the lawyers to prepare the most comprehensive case that we can to ensure that our case is represented to the best possible way that it can be.
Where we stand at the moment is that we have had some unforeseen delays in the process at both the lawyers end but also at our end as a board but we have now completed the document trawl and provided the lawyers with many reams of correspondence both relating to the sale itself and also events leading up to the sale that will include minutes of previous shareholder meetings and correspondence between us and other shareholders largely around the time of the sale of the club and previous interest.
Next week some key “witnesses” on our behalf will start compiling their witness statements with the lawyers — these will include myself, Jim White who was vice chair at the time, Huw Cooze as Supporter Director and also some of the people who worked on the initial sub group that dealt with the interest from Moores and Noell and were also involved when the deal that eventually completed was first bought to our attention.
We simply do not know where this legal case will conclude. It may be in a courtroom somewhere or it may lead to an out of court resolution although it is fair to say that whilst we have had further discussions with shareholders — both current and past — there is simply no out of court settlement that has been offered nor are we led to believe is there any desire at moment for one to be compiled. I should add at this point in time that the Trust remain completely open to resolving the dispute without the necessity for expansive legal fees. As the old saying goes our door remains very much open.
What I do want to assure everyone of as well though is that we remain committed to getting a resolution that gives the Trust what we could have obtained back in 2016 had we been given the chance. Whilst I am sure that many of you in the room may have different ideas of what that resolution is I would also say that when we have any potential palatable discussions to have which could lead to resolution then we cannot accept offers on your behalf without returning to you as a membership.
So I hope that this gives you some assurance that we are still pushing ahead with the mandate that you gave us last summer and whilst there may have been some delays in reaching where we are now these delays have been unavoidable and ones that — as a board — we are looking to ensure don’t occur again in the future.
Going back though to my mission when I returned to the Trust board in the summer of 2018 I now feel that as the legal case has been put in motion and will follow that route it is now time to place additional emphasis on our growth as an organisation which has probably been neglected over the past few years. And to achieve that growth I am of the firm belief that the Trust board needs fresh vision, ideas and impetus at the top. It is because of this belief that I will not be seeking re-election to the Trust board this summer. It has been a huge honour to have served on the Trust board for so long not just as a board member but also as your Chairman but now is definitely the time for that new vision within the organisation to drive us forward.
So why am I telling you this part today? Quite simply it is now an appeal to you all as members. We have a passionate memberbase out there and one that has many people with the skillsets and ideas to drive us forward. To build on what we have, to increase the membership, to communicate more and to work with the club at local level to ensure the very best future possible for both the football club and us as fans. I felt that saying the change was coming gives people chance to think on whether they have the time or energy — even if just for a two year term — to enhance the name of Swans Trust within our fanbase and ensure that we enter our 20th year on a period of growth whereas the last few have largely been around protection because of the ownership dispute.
During my tenure on the Trust board I have met a huge number of our members and always been impressed by that passion so I urge you all to consider giving up some time to help us grow as an organisation and focus on things outside of our ownership dispute.
Thank you again for your time this evening and for listening and on that note I am going to take a short break now whilst we complete the other formalities of the night but I look forward to taking your questions in the session at the end.
Thank you.
Phil Sumbler |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 21:27 - Jan 27 with 1650 views | Flashberryjack |
Watched live, anyone else ? |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 21:35 - Jan 27 with 1604 views | marchamjack |
Well done the Trust on getting it streamed live, specially for us exiles who’ve asked for this before. |  |
| Oh,..Dave, what's occuring? |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 21:39 - Jan 27 with 1582 views | Jinxy |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 21:27 - Jan 27 by Flashberryjack |
Watched live, anyone else ? |
Yep! |  | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 22:04 - Jan 27 with 1493 views | exiledclaseboy |
He doesn’t half half bang on mind.  |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 02:57 - Jan 28 with 1328 views | SwanDownUnder |
Yea well done for getting it live. |  | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 02:58 - Jan 28 with 1327 views | SwanDownUnder |
Can you post the questions? | | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 05:31 - Jan 28 with 1284 views | Phil_S |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 22:04 - Jan 27 by exiledclaseboy |
He doesn’t half half bang on mind. |
Only until someone tells me to take it to DRS |  | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 06:58 - Jan 28 with 1238 views | SwanDownUnder |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 05:31 - Jan 28 by Phil_S |
Only until someone tells me to take it to DRS |
100% we are going to court tho yea? | | | |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 09:55 - Jan 28 with 1117 views | felixstowe_jack |
Time for every supporter to join. Give the trust backing in their fight to get justice. | |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 10:03 - Jan 28 with 1105 views | SoberBaker |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 09:55 - Jan 28 by felixstowe_jack |
Time for every supporter to join. Give the trust backing in their fight to get justice. |
The ship has long sailed - momentum has gone and apathy rules within the majority of the fanbase.
I would go as far to say over 75% aren't arsed with it all. |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 12:09 - Jan 28 with 982 views | SwanDownUnder |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 09:55 - Jan 28 by felixstowe_jack |
Time for every supporter to join. Give the trust backing in their fight to get justice. |
Thats what should of happened the first time, but they pushed for no action. Job is done. | | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 12:22 - Jan 28 with 963 views | SwanDownUnder |
"Having stood here for so many years delivering this address I feel sometimes like a stuck record"
That plays once a year, kudos do Stu though he is sticking close to Birch, look like best buddies. | | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 13:14 - Jan 28 with 888 views | NotLoyal |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 12:09 - Jan 28 by SwanDownUnder |
Thats what should of happened the first time, but they pushed for no action. Job is done. |
Have* |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 13:17 - Jan 28 with 878 views | KGriz16 |
is that for the SCSA or the The Trust? |  | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 13:25 - Jan 28 with 867 views | pikeypaul |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 12:09 - Jan 28 by SwanDownUnder |
Thats what should of happened the first time, but they pushed for no action. Job is done. |
100% |  |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 15:43 - Jan 28 with 769 views | hobo |
Sounds like they are dragging their feet and praying for the club to make an out of court settlement. Very disappointing and that's not what we voted for |  | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 16:03 - Jan 28 with 747 views | felixstowe_jack |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 15:43 - Jan 28 by hobo |
Sounds like they are dragging their feet and praying for the club to make an out of court settlement. Very disappointing and that's not what we voted for |
Just seem to be doing due diligence before going to court as the existing share holder have done everything to drag it out by refusing arbitration. | |
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| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 16:04 - Jan 28 with 747 views | SwanDownUnder |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 13:17 - Jan 28 by KGriz16 |
is that for the SCSA or the The Trust? |
SCSA? They did one March | | | |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 17:44 - Jan 28 with 669 views | KGriz16 |
| Trust AGM Chairman's Address on 16:04 - Jan 28 by SwanDownUnder |
SCSA? They did one March |
Also see took donations, media attention, march and meetings. | | | |
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