Club Response to AFT letter in Social Media

[TinTin]

Simply because there will be supporters from all over the place, Devon, Cornwall, SW, England, World...who will not be affiliated to any of the many and varied supporters clubs.

It gives those supporters a direct line to someone at the club for grievance or for any other reason.

Sarcasm doesn't become you Paul.

Thanks Andy

I knew your wisdom would prevail !!

So this SLO will filter ALL and ANY issues from affiliated or unaffiliated supporters from ANYWHERE in the world ?

Will he be the sole discretionary voice as to what is "passed on" or "discarded" in the process ?

If so, I believe he is appointed by the Club or Board ?

So kind of self-regulation ?

Interesting.

Keep the Faith :scarf:

 

[jimsing]

I seem to remember Argyledad saying this:

Firstly Jimsing, your comment: “I think it was the other way round, Esmer. The AFT withdrew from the discussions, not the board” is obviously untrue. I have quite clearly stated that James Brent refused permission for his CEO to hold further meetings with me as of 28th April. I have no reason to tell lies. That is a fact.

In view of Martin Starne's comments there must surely be some misunderstanding of the situation.

Each side state that the other is responsible for cutting off formal communication.

The sooner that both sides get around the table the better it will be.

We should ALL be on the same side, and the sooner that the AFT come to terms with the situation and resume their meetings, the better it will be for all concerned.

This would seem the ideal time to get things going again.

 

[Princerock]

The one 'concrete' fact in all this is.... who asked for the lock-up keys to be returned to the Club.....Martyn says it isn't him and at present he doesn't know who.....do the AFT have any light to throw on the subject ?.....is it all a huff over nothing and has it all been a misunderstanding that has escalated into 'facts' etc etc.

 

[ScrumpyBoy]

I find it puzzling that there are some on here that would seemingly welcome the demise of the AFT. Perhaps things relating to matters outlined in the open letter could have been handled better by the Trust. But surely having a Supporters Trust is critical to helping protect the future of the club, not just in the short- term, but in the medium and long -term too. In no way am I anti-Brent, but 5 or 10 years down he line, JB may be long gone form the club. There is simply no way of knowing. If problems were to surface at a later date, and the AFT has become a distant memory, any new trust would then need to start from scratch. I am hoping that bridges can be (re)built and that the AFT continues to play its part in supporter representation, in good times and bad. Its demise can only be a negative, surely?

 

[IJN]

I've just renewed my membership and will continue to do so.

Whilst the NAGs have seriously undermined the AFT, the AFT will be around in some shape or form long after they've gone.

I totally agree with ScrumpyBoy above.

 

[Andy Holland]

I've just renewed my membership and will continue to do so.

Whilst the NAGs have seriously undermined the AFT, the AFT will be around in some shape or form long after they've gone.

I totally agree with ScrumpyBoy above.

It does concern me that - and I'm more than willing to be shouted down - the AFT, which started as an incredible reaction to extreme circumstances and a demonstration of all that was good about our fanbase, seems to be currently led by people not quite as benevolent and selfless as the founders.

Airing dirty laundry in public isn't very becoming - and it looks like the AFT shot first, so to speak.

 

[Ollieargyle9]

I find it puzzling that there are some on here that would seemingly welcome the demise of the AFT. Perhaps things relating to matters outlined in the open letter could have been handled better by the Trust. But surely having a Supporters Trust is critical to helping protect the future of the club, not just in the short- term, but in the medium and long -term too. In no way am I anti-Brent, but 5 or 10 years down he line, JB may be long gone form the club. There is simply no way of knowing. If problems were to surface at a later date, and the AFT has become a distant memory, any new trust would then need to start from scratch. I am hoping that bridges can be (re)built and that the AFT continues to play its part in supporter representation, in good times and bad. Its demise can only be a negative, surely?

I wouldn't say anybody is welcome to the Trust's demise, far from it in fact. There is mounting frustration among those who feel the Trust simply isn't fulfilling its duties to represent the views of its membership which has created a situation where the Trust in its current state is of no use to anybody, for sure. None of these people wish it to fail but continuing on its current trajectory and they feel it may as well.

There seems to be far too many fingers in the Trust pie here, seemingly unelected supporters adgendas being pushed ahead of the wider membership (albeit through sub-committees like NAG which are not linked to the Trust in name alone for deniability). If the Trust board thought they could get away with this without a backlash from the wider fanbase then they were naive in the extreme. To break off communication with the club on the views of the few is a fatal error of judgement from those actually elected. We want a Trust in contact with the club, if the Trust breaks off this communication then it should be on the back of the principals of the wider electorate not those of the ear whispering few.

If the relationship between the current Trust and club is unsalvagable then someone needs to step aside and allow someone else to take up the mantle. We need someone who is able to ignore the outside voices, re-establish communications and focus on the views of the membership. We simply cannot allow outsiders or petty personality clashes to kill off the Trust.

 

[Kentishgreen]

Thank God I'm retired now but in my career I sat on enough committees to know they are extremely boring and tedious and tend to be dominated by people trying to make themselves more important than they really are. Let's celebrate we are top of the league and have a resilient team to support rather than this endless navel gazing, it's getting boring beyond belief!

 

[jimsing]

Kentishgreen, you may be bored with all this, but the AFT were, no ARE, of the most utmost importance to both the PAFC supporter AND the Club.

As an overseer of all things green, the AFT should be doing all they can to engage with the Club, not withdraw from it.

The reasons for doing so have been discussed at length, and it is now so very important that the AFT get back to doing what they were created to do.

It would also be important for the AFT to refrain from making off the cuff decisions before asking their members views on those matters, in order to raise discussion around the issues, and get authority from their membership to act accordingly, rather than independently, which appears to be the case in question.

 

[Kentishgreen]

What happened to the days when there was just a Supporters Club in Plymouth with branches in London Bristol etc for those of us who live elsewhere? Why do I have to join yet another organisation just to get a voice or not as you seem to indicate

 

[IJN]

I think those days died post 'New World' KG.

 

[Argyledad]

It is perhaps a shame that my most recent posting from 7th October was not 'brought to Martyn's attention'. Quote: "Again, on a personal note, I look forward to the resumption of discussions between the club and the elected members of the Argyle Fans’ Trust and was pleased that James Brent left the door open at the recent open fans' forum. There are important issues ranging from the safety of our stadium through to next year’s kit choice that our members could be helping with. We are there, not to tell James Brent what to do, but to act a critical friends should the club so wish". It is time to move on ! The AFT Board will meet again in ten days time and respond more fully then.

 

[The Doctor]

It is perhaps a shame that my most recent posting from 7th October was not 'brought to Martyn's attention'. Quote: "Again, on a personal note, I look forward to the resumption of discussions between the club and the elected members of the Argyle Fans’ Trust and was pleased that James Brent left the door open at the recent open fans' forum. There are important issues ranging from the safety of our stadium through to next year’s kit choice that our members could be helping with. We are there, not to tell James Brent what to do, but to act a critical friends should the club so wish". It is time to move on ! The AFT Board will meet again in ten days time and respond more fully then.

Why would you need a post to be 'brought to Martyn's attention'? Why not just send him a message telling him what you want him to know?

 

[PL2 3DQ]

It is perhaps a shame that my most recent posting from 7th October was not 'brought to Martyn's attention'. Quote: "Again, on a personal note, I look forward to the resumption of discussions between the club and the elected members of the Argyle Fans’ Trust and was pleased that James Brent left the door open at the recent open fans' forum. There are important issues ranging from the safety of our stadium through to next year’s kit choice that our members could be helping with. We are there, not to tell James Brent what to do, but to act a critical friends should the club so wish". It is time to move on ! The AFT Board will meet again in ten days time and respond more fully then.

Rather than wait 10 days why can't the six elected or co-opted AFT board members (or is it three now?) just have a quick phone call or email exchange amongst yourselves today or tomorrow and decide "yes, let's start talking to the club again"?

Nip this in the bud now before it festers over the next 10 days.

 

[Mark Pedlar]

I think the answer is that a few of those 6 or 3 are revelling in the rebellion aspect. Bob knows he won't get backing for a reconciliation from the leadership and needs the safety of the wider electorate

What a sad situation! .