Positive
• Additional investment in playing budget.
• John Staff’s legacy recognised with planned display of large club shirt collection, albeit not accessible to all fans.
• Stability and apparent closeness of playing, management, board and backroom staff.
Negative
• A complete failure to see or value the role of fans and fans’ groups as an important channel for consultation and engagement on important matters.
• By extension, lack of preparedness for compliance with the IFR requirements on fan engagement.
• Additional revenue streams needed to fund additional investment and residual historic debt. Surely, we will enter the realms of diminishing returns associated with current initiatives to bring in more income.
• A reluctance to bring in additional major shareholders/investors.
Sadly, it looks like the approach of give us your money, but don’t expect any say in the running of the club will continue. That is really disappointing from a self-styled community club owned by four fans. Sadly, the inability to understand, recognise and respond to fan sentiment and views is likely lead to more and greater missteps. I hope I am wrong and we can look forward to a prosperous season off the field and a successful one on it.
