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Post by davidm on Jan 26, 2016 13:36:52 GMT
I see Richard Hurst has been appointed interim Chairman of the Trust. He has connections with the Club / Eddie as agovernor of the school. Don't know the first thing about the guy but as a point of principle would have preferred an independent chairman. I guess on the one hand it's good that he already knows some of the club big wigs but on the other it hardly helps to promote the independence of the Trust. Some may believe that deals will be done behind closed doors thus undermining the democratic nature of the Trust. Although only interim Chairman, it puts him in a good position to become substantive chair should he wish. This really really worries me.
I know that we have to have some sort of management of the Trust on a temporary basis but to appoint someone who is a "mate" of Phil Gartside!!!
As I understand it, Bolton Free School consists of:-
Board Members: William Morris Phil Gartside Richard Hurst
Governors:
Phil Gartside – Chair Sir Phillip Craven George Holmes Brett Warburton Karen Bramwell Toni Carr – Principal
So Richard Hurst is a board member of the school and Phil Gartside and Brett Warburton are governers.
Should not happen
This follows on from the Trust issuing a statement saying that communications with the club are good when the club have told us nothing for years and are still telling us nothing.
I am signed up with the Trust – probably like the majority on here – but I am seriously worried about already.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Jan 26, 2016 13:36:56 GMT
I see Richard Hurst has been appointed interim Chairman of the Trust. He has connections with the Club / Eddie as agovernor of the school. Don't know the first thing about the guy but as a point of principle would have preferred an independent chairman. I guess on the one hand it's good that he already knows some of the club big wigs but on the other it hardly helps to promote the independence of the Trust. Some may believe that deals will be done behind closed doors thus undermining the democratic nature of the Trust. Although only interim Chairman, it puts him in a good position to become substantive chair should he wish. Its a real worry for me this. I'm not sure who is best qualified to run such an operation to be honest but rather it was a consortium of supporters with business acumen but realistically would they do it for free over a long period. Yes Ooohmacron, I was thinking about it this morning, there are now 5000-ish members, most of who don't know any of the others from Adam, how on earth do we decide who we want to be on the board, I know that whoever puts themselves forward will have to put some kind of profile together so that we can judge, but I'm sure that Gartside would come out smelling of roses if he had done that.
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Post by OohMac on Jan 26, 2016 14:55:04 GMT
Perhaps the club could host a sort of pre-Leeds match exhibition in the fan zone where if any serious parties want to stake a claim they get to set up a little stall and canvas for votes. Put it to the vote for the 5,000.
If nothing else, it might get people spending extra money in the fanzone instead of a Harvester and bring in a bit of revenue.
That being said, after what i've heard today the trust might want to cut its ties with the current regime. The venue included.
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Post by kazooki on Jan 26, 2016 16:42:09 GMT
I know what you mean, I used one from Wix for a website, but the guy whose pic it is is the web guy so why hasn't he changed it? Maybe he's really ugly or maybe he currently works at BWFC and doesn't want to reveal his true identity
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Post by Pedro on Jan 26, 2016 17:43:09 GMT
Wow the conspiracy theorists are out in force - can't blame them in a way but I think we should just observe and wait for FACTS. Latest update from BWFCST in an attempt to explain as much as they can: "Over the last few days we’ve received and increasing number of questions, particularly across social media. We understand it’s important to keep communication levels high, but the sheer volume of questions has made is physically impossible to reply to every single person. This is the best solution we have: to answer as many questions as possible in one place. Here goes." ................. www.bwfcst.co.uk/your-bwfcst-questions-answered/
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Post by davidm on Jan 26, 2016 20:51:23 GMT
Wow the conspiracy theorists are out in force - can't blame them in a way but I think we should just observe and wait for FACTS. Latest update from BWFCST in an attempt to explain as much as they can: "Over the last few days we’ve received and increasing number of questions, particularly across social media. We understand it’s important to keep communication levels high, but the sheer volume of questions has made is physically impossible to reply to every single person. This is the best solution we have: to answer as many questions as possible in one place. Here goes." ................. www.bwfcst.co.uk/your-bwfcst-questions-answered/
I've read the BWFCST questions page and the Bolton News article but I still cannot see where the involvement of Mr Hurst came from.
We had a steering group who were the original ones who started the ball running so when did Mr Hurst emerge and get chosen (elected?).
Without being too flippant, I would have been acting chairman (and have the experience to do it) if someone had asked me but no one did.
So I remain confused and suspicious.
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Post by andyl on Jan 27, 2016 9:17:51 GMT
Is there any remote possibility that elements of the existing board are arranging pieces to stage some sort of bid to stay in power and see the Supporters Trust as a vehicle to achieve or as a potential partner in the plan?
Is it me or does this all seem a bit too spontaneous to be true?
I remain happy to fork out £10 when asked and as ever confused over what the ST may become or do. I suspect others are less confused and may have a specific agenda?
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Post by natfan on Jan 27, 2016 11:56:03 GMT
Is there any remote possibility that elements of the existing board are arranging pieces to stage some sort of bid to stay in power and see the Supporters Trust as a vehicle to achieve or as a potential partner in the plan? Is it me or does this all seem a bit too spontaneous to be true? I remain happy to fork out £10 when asked and as ever confused over what the ST may become or do. I suspect others are less confused and may have a specific agenda? With your proclivity for classical references, Andy, I'm surprised that you have not mentioned Caesar's Wife. It is no use this fellow being perfectly genuine if there is any hint of a link to the old regime. I for one will not pay my ten pounds until the trust is manifestly independent. It is instructive that Brett Warburton has spoken about the trust and the club's attitude towards it - when he has not spoken about anything else. I am afraid that my season ticket money will also be dependent on a new board that that has no members of the present incompetent (to be charitable) board that could not run the club effectively and now cannot manage to sell it to someone who might.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Jan 27, 2016 12:00:52 GMT
I too have read the questions and answers put out by the BWST and it all sounds very plausible but I feel they have shot themselves in the foot slightly by installing Richard Hurst, seeing as he is on the board of the free school, (as is Brett Warburton) which may be a separate company in it's own right, but is under the name of the BWFC Free School/E Davies Educational Trust. The worry warts are, as you might expect, out in force (me amongst them) and bringing someone in who has obviously had close dealings with PG I think was the wrong decision. He must have been suggested by someone....WHO? Brett Warburton maybe??? WHY? He may or may not be best buddies with P Gartside, but it could be said he is tainted by association (not that I am implying any wrong doing by him at all) I feel there could be many other business men, who have not been associated directly with PG or BW who could have done the job
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Post by andyl on Jan 27, 2016 13:32:04 GMT
What's odd it seems to me is not so much the temporary appointment of Richard Hurst but it's juxtaposition with the seemingly never ending brinkmanship of the takeover negotiations. Are goalposts shifting. Are legitimate takeovers being stalled or blocked.
I do understand the need for buyers to have upfront cash but just how is taking loans against assets different than selling the car park? Deano could have done that.
So putting the two matters together is it that far off beam to imagine a degree of collaboration somewhere ( which may be a good thing?)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2016 15:58:52 GMT
I think that there is confusion about one or two things on this board ,first lets deal with so called planted directors , in any company that forms a smaller company it is normal practice to put at least one director from the parent company on the smaller company board that keeps the parent company well informed ,so the school and other company are no different than normal , now BWST this is not yet a trust in its own right so there for any appointees are normaly of the volunteer type ,bad lads by friendship , two of my partners are "friends" of PG and BW but both hate their guts but business is business and some times you have to deal with people you would not normaly give the time of day to or as one lad put it " I wouldn't pi55 on him if he was on fire " ,so folks keep a cool head don't loose any sleep all will be right in the end (I hope )
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Post by davidm on Jan 27, 2016 16:26:16 GMT
I think that there is confusion about one or two things on this board ,first lets deal with so called planted directors , in any company that forms a smaller company it is normal practice to put at least one director from the parent company on the smaller company board that keeps the parent company well informed ,so the school and other company are no different than normal , now BWST this is not yet a trust in its own right so there for any appointees are normaly of the volunteer type ,bad lads by friendship , two of my partners are "friends" of PG and BW but both hate their guts but business is business and some times you have to deal with people you would not normaly give the time of day to or as one lad put it " I wouldn't pi55 on him if he was on fire " ,so folks keep a cool head don't loose any sleep all will be right in the end (I hope ) Still no-one seems to be able to come up with an answer to the question " How was Mr Hurst appointed". Did anyone on here know about the Saturday meeting? Did anyone on here know that an interim chairman was to be appointed? The word appointed is surely wrong - shouldn't the chairman be elected. How did Mr Hurst put himself forward? There are probably loads of people signed up to the Trust who are capable and have the experience necessary to be chairman so how come the steering group did not ask around or did they? We have all signed up to the Trust. We have all given our email addresses so why was no information given in advance. To appoint someone who has strong connections with the existing board is 100% wrong.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2016 19:15:43 GMT
I think that there is confusion about one or two things on this board ,first lets deal with so called planted directors , in any company that forms a smaller company it is normal practice to put at least one director from the parent company on the smaller company board that keeps the parent company well informed ,so the school and other company are no different than normal , now BWST this is not yet a trust in its own right so there for any appointees are normaly of the volunteer type ,bad lads by friendship , two of my partners are "friends" of PG and BW but both hate their guts but business is business and some times you have to deal with people you would not normaly give the time of day to or as one lad put it " I wouldn't pi55 on him if he was on fire " ,so folks keep a cool head don't loose any sleep all will be right in the end (I hope ) Still no-one seems to be able to come up with an answer to the question " How was Mr Hurst appointed". Did anyone on here know about the Saturday meeting? Did anyone on here know that an interim chairman was to be appointed? The word appointed is surely wrong - shouldn't the chairman be elected. How did Mr Hurst put himself forward? There are probably loads of people signed up to the Trust who are capable and have the experience necessary to be chairman so how come the steering group did not ask around or did they? We have all signed up to the Trust. We have all given our email addresses so why was no information given in advance. To appoint someone who has strong connections with the existing board is 100% wrong. its was most likely "who can spare the time " in starting things up there are often a lot of "do it now moments " and no matter how willing some folks are they need to organise their lifes , when the committee is duly elected and they elect a chairperson (PC) then things will begin to run on a regular basis .
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Post by thekraken on Jan 27, 2016 21:21:34 GMT
I think that to understand this Richard Hurst thing you need to understand how Bolton works as a place.
As you’d expect with a family with such deep roots in the town they are connected to the movers and shakers, are do-ers of good works, paternalistic and one nation Tories i.e. the obligation of the upper classes to those beneath them. Richard’s mum was a Tory Mayor back in the 80s and his sister was her Mayoress. The family is as close to Bolton royalty as you can get. These families sow their wild oats, then marry each other and stick around in the place where they are born. They run the town, not necessarily in a bad way, but as influencers of opinions, policy and what gets done and what doesn’t. I agree 100% that RH is linked to the current regime. And might have been approached by the regime as a safe pair of hands to get things moving. I’m not too bothered about that. If he can get the Trust up and running and stand down then I think that would be a good thing. However, I think it essential that whoever is elected to run the Trust is squeaky clean in terms of independence from the current regime and the Bolton ‘white mafia’. Don’t forget that Eddie Davies was never part of these circles and this Trust could be used as a way to get some influence and control back to the ‘people who know best’. I haven’t joined yet and will decide whether or not to support it depending on the CVs of those who put themselves forward for office. It has to be democratic and its governance exemplary.
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Post by OohMac on Jan 27, 2016 22:04:52 GMT
Exactly who are "they" in the first place. It all seems very North Korea at the moment. Its like finding out the teachers strikes are led by Michael Gove or the Leveson inquiry was done by Rupert Murdoch's sons.
I just don't like that the fans are trying to achieve something, something pure and maybe its a naive ambition to have but it at least feels like we're trying to bring some changes and some pride back to this club and I feel like we've been ambushed completely.
Last analogy it feels like Malcolm Glazer has gone out and bought FC United of Manchester too and borrowed money of the club to do it. The Trust is almost a protest against these fat cats who don't even have the decency to pay the wages of the hard working employers. For them to try and take this off us would be a massive slap in the face and may force the real fans out. It could be the final straw for many. I fear it will be.
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