Silkmen Supporters Trust: Strategic Plan 2007 - 2012

The Silkmen Supporters Trust is committed to the improvement and development of Macclesfield Town FC by working in partnership with the Club, the fans and the community to the mutual benefit of all.

1. Background.

The Silkmen Supporters Society Ltd (referred to hereafter as the Trust), was formed as a direct result of the imposition of a large fine on the Club by the FA. Initially, it concentrated on raising funds as a contribution to the fine and it is to the credit of the founding Board that, not only did the Trust raise a substantial amount of money in a short time period, but it also set in place the process to establish itself as a legal entity with a formally adopted constitution and with general objectives that went beyond fund raising.

2. Current position.

• In the first year, Membership approached 300 but on the first subscription renewal this fell to around 100 members. If the average home supporter base is taken as around 2000, then this represents about 5% of the fan base. Statistically, it can be argued that this is a significant and representative portion of the whole supporter base.
• The member database provides information on current members, hard and electronic addresses, and shareholding in MTFC Ltd; this is replicated for previous members in a separate database. Thus the Trust is able to consult some 300 individual fans (around 15% of the fan base) on matters of Trust policy and activities.
• Financially, the Trust raised sufficient funds to purchase 25110 shares in MTFC Ltd; it has also been able to formally offer to fund the development of a bar in the vicinity of the Star Lane (A-Line Stand) to a maximum of £5000. It is intended (and has been made clear to the Club) that this funding will be in the form of a further share purchase. The Trust also has a working reserve of around £2000.
• The Trust has an objective to research the shareholder list for MTFC Ltd to establish whether any shareholders would be prepared to either transfer shares to the Trust or transfer a proxy vote to the Trust. The latter would normally be for a fixed period of one year and would normally be for Trust Members only.
• The Trust has provided significant funding for the Club (see above); it has also been able to support the Club by providing volunteers for a variety of tasks. Generally, relations between the Trust and the Club, its owners, Chairman and CEO are cordial. With the dissolution of the former Fan Club and Silk Alliance, with the exception of the specialist Silkmen Museum, the Trust is the only formally constituted supporters organisation linked to MTFC Ltd.
• On the negative side, the Trust Board recognises that the Trust is seen by some supporters as elitist; there is a relatively small fan base and some of that is of a negative nature; the Trust communications are not of the highest quality, quantity or frequency. These matters need to be seen in the context of a relatively young organisation (only 20 months since initial discussions) which spent much of its early period concentrating solely on raising emergency funds to the exclusion of many other issues.

3. Strategic aims to 2012.

• To increase membership to a steady state 500. At current levels, this represents around 25% of the fan base; even if the Club is successful in attracting new regular supporters, this would still represent a substantial proportion of fans.
• To increase the Trust shareholding by purchase, transfer or obtaining proxy votes, to an extent that the Trust would be in the top 3 shareholders in the Club, whilst recognising that even such a holding would still be relatively small in relation to the holdings by the Club owners.
• To have formal recognition (eg by a Club AGM resolution recognising and valuing the Trust).
• By increasing the shareholding and by supporting the Club in other ways, to be in a position where the Club sees benefit in recognising the Trust to such an extent that it agrees to appoint a Club Director nominated by and from the Trust.
• To be recognised independently from the Club as the fan group, used by the Club and the fans on all non-football issues.
• To be recognised in the local area, with the Club, as a significant community organisation.
• To be responsible for Club merchandising in all areas except team replica strips.

4. Objectives.

• Membership. Membership recovery and growth plan to be developed.
• Shareholding. As well as continued fund raising to purchase shares directly from the Club, a plan for reviewing the share register and the Trust membership to be developed with a target to obtain share transfers or proxies.
• Club Board Director. Initially, the Trust to take up the offer of a meeting with the owners; to request that this is extended to include the Chairman and CEO; to request that this is developed into a quarterly meeting with a clear agenda; by building trust in this way, it is hoped to influence the Club board of the value of a supporter director.
• The Trust as the fan grouping. Importantly, this is seen as a major issue. The profile of the trust board needs to be increased; the level and quality of communications with Trust Members and indeed all fans needs improving; the Trust successes need constant publicity.
• Community organisation. The Junior Silkmen organisation is well recognised and successful. The leaders should be invited to meet the Trust Board to try to establish how the Trust might support their efforts to the mutual benefit of all. An offer had already been made to organise the A-Line 6s in 2008; this might be extended to an area school competition. Contact to be made with local Charity organisations to establish whether any assistance could be provided outside monetary issues Friends for Leisure; Young Carers Association.
• Merchandising. The Trust should act with the Club as a product specifier. It is understood that this would exclude items such as replica strips but might extend to scarves, hats, car flags, limited edition 10 year mugs, car hangers, lapel badges etc. Should the expected meeting with Club officials take place, this should be an item for discussion to establish the Club position. Over the longer term, the Trust could become the supplier and seller for all merchandise.