Why Are So Few Other Clubs Trust Owned?

[C j phill]

Unfortunately, Rob, not true. The two Man U games did not "wipe out our historic debt" - it helped substantially, but it was also down to incredible cost cutting, and money saving, which continued into the next season. Indeed Eamon Dolan (RIP) produced a hard hitting document for the Club Board in 2003 which laid out where expenditure would need to be saved into the future,and what he required to even keep a team afloat in the Conference. During 2003-2004 The Board experienced the arrival of bills and charges which had not formed the basis of what the actual debts were. A lot of the substantial savings were achieved through the efforts of the fans to undertake tasks that had either been ignored, or not carried out by previous regimes - hence "work parties" organised and co-ordinated by people who are easily overlooked when looking at the develpment 2003 to 2022

I think we need to fully understand the legacy that Eamon Dolan left us with. Whilst the likes of Ivor Doble and Julian Tagg have been recognised for their efforts, I think Eamon's role in setting the Academy's role in process and maintaining a relatively competitive team in our first seasons in the Conference, which provided the basis of where we are today, should be fully understood by supporters.

 

[David Treharne]

I don’t think anyone has been overlooked in the parts played in our re-emergence down the years and we are all thankful for everyone’s contribution in their time and effort. Surely it’s a collective effort by all of us in our own way to keep the club going in the right direction. No one should be in it for personal glory. It’s all about the cause.

Your point about a collective affort is a good one. I was thinking more of those who played an important role, and who yet, for one reason and another are left out of the general narrative surrounding the forward progress of the Trust and the Club. Since I am going to name names, I'll ponit out that these are a selection from what could become its own thread. It's unfortunate that Ian Huxham has almost become a persona non grata around the Club and yet he nurtured the Trust towards its eventual takeover. Tim Hopkin together with others was responsible for the early shape of the Trust and its adoption of rules and shaping the constitution. Paul Garnham took the decision that we'd base the Trust and its finances somewhere other than SJP - handy since several Directors at the time clearly saw the embryonic Trust as potential cash cow. Lest this needs to be thought of as an all male domain I'd alsoo mention Fiona Neligan & Tara Owen. It's also easy to overlook Hern, Trevor Gilbrey, Barry Sansom who worked really hard around the period the Trust took over, and others like Geoffrey Styles who was an early treasurer. At the same time it would be invidious not to mention the likes of Julian Tagg, simply because it was his determination to 'save' the Youth scheme that made sure it didn't disappear.
However, I think I agree with the observation by Thomas Jefferson that " "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Ideas shape the course of history."

 

[fred binneys head]

I know modesty would prevent it, but I think you played a part too didn’t you David?

 

[Grecian2K]

I know modesty would prevent it, but I think you played a part too didn’t you David?

In fact, I still believe that the royalties from his off-repeated interview on the BBC Today program on R4 just before the MU game is still bringing in more bunce than Grimes and Watkins combined!

Still remember the jaw-dropping moment when the interviewer (was it James Naughtie???) introduced him. Definite makes him the most famous Grecian I've ever met!

 

[ExmouthMart]

Your point about a collective affort is a good one. I was thinking more of those who played an important role, and who yet, for one reason and another are left out of the general narrative surrounding the forward progress of the Trust and the Club. Since I am going to name names, I'll ponit out that these are a selection from what could become its own thread. It's unfortunate that Ian Huxham has almost become a persona non grata around the Club and yet he nurtured the Trust towards its eventual takeover. Tim Hopkin together with others was responsible for the early shape of the Trust and its adoption of rules and shaping the constitution. Paul Garnham took the decision that we'd base the Trust and its finances somewhere other than SJP - handy since several Directors at the time clearly saw the embryonic Trust as potential cash cow. Lest this needs to be thought of as an all male domain I'd alsoo mention Fiona Neligan & Tara Owen. It's also easy to overlook Hern, Trevor Gilbrey, Barry Sansom who worked really hard around the period the Trust took over, and others like Geoffrey Styles who was an early treasurer. At the same time it would be invidious not to mention the likes of Julian Tagg, simply because it was his determination to 'save' the Youth scheme that made sure it didn't disappear.
However, I think I agree with the observation by Thomas Jefferson that " "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Ideas shape the course of history."

Perhaps Ian Huxhams unpopularity has something to do with the fact he took the club to a tribunal for wrongful dismissal over alleged breach of contract?! Your name is well known from the past as well and Im sure everyone is greatful for the role you played in saving our club.
Perhaps one day someone will write a book or something about the definitive history of The Trust Ownership, warts and all because there still seems to be a less than accurate or glossing over of some events depending on your point of view or who you are aligned with. People shouldn’t feel bitter or sidelined about their role in the club especially after the complete mess it was in when The Trust took over.

 

[Egg]

Your point about a collective affort is a good one. I was thinking more of those who played an important role, and who yet, for one reason and another are left out of the general narrative surrounding the forward progress of the Trust and the Club. Since I am going to name names, I'll ponit out that these are a selection from what could become its own thread. It's unfortunate that Ian Huxham has almost become a persona non grata around the Club and yet he nurtured the Trust towards its eventual takeover. Tim Hopkin together with others was responsible for the early shape of the Trust and its adoption of rules and shaping the constitution. Paul Garnham took the decision that we'd base the Trust and its finances somewhere other than SJP - handy since several Directors at the time clearly saw the embryonic Trust as potential cash cow. Lest this needs to be thought of as an all male domain I'd alsoo mention Fiona Neligan & Tara Owen. It's also easy to overlook Hern, Trevor Gilbrey, Barry Sansom who worked really hard around the period the Trust took over, and others like Geoffrey Styles who was an early treasurer. At the same time it would be invidious not to mention the likes of Julian Tagg, simply because it was his determination to 'save' the Youth scheme that made sure it didn't disappear.
However, I think I agree with the observation by Thomas Jefferson that " "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Ideas shape the course of history."

Appreciate the list above isn't intended as definitive, and my take might not be seen as entirely impartial, but I think the media did its bit too.

The Echo was in a difficult position when Russell and Lewis took the helm – some people smelt a rat very quickly but plenty of others thought they deserved the benefit of the doubt – but, when push came to shove, the then editor, Steve Hall, weighed in behind the Trust. IMO the day you, Terry, Ian and Taggy came in to meet him at Echo Towers for the first time was a significant one. Kyunghee [RIP] also deserves plenty of credit for all the digging he did, in his own time, to expose the shenanigans of Russell and Lewis.

And a word too for David Conn, who shone a national spotlight on what was going on at the club, and Adrian Durham, who's TalkSport interview with John Russell was, for me, the beginning of the end.

And last but not least, I don't think ExeWeb's part in all this should be forgotten or overlooked. Others may disagree but I remain firmly of the opinion that without ExeWeb it would have been much more difficult, if not impossible, to mobilise against the gruesome twosome!

 

[fred binneys head]

Didn’t realise Kyunghee had passed away. RIP.

 

[Egg]

Didn’t realise Kyunghee had passed away. RIP.

Sadly, yes. Although he went as I'm sure he would have wanted to... in the boozer with a pint in one hand, and a roll-up in the other, slightly the worse for wear, he fell down a flight of stairs!

 

[fred binneys head]

What was his name? (if you don’t mind posting on here)

 

[Egg]

What was his name? (if you don’t mind posting on here)

South Hams Newspapers editor Stuart Nuttall dies aged 61 - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage

Tributes paid to news chief after fatal accident

www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk