Why is the Supporters Trust Silent?

[Matt Phillips]

For the simple reason that they do not have the skillset to run a football club.

It also doesn't help that the Trust board has an almost Marxist view of the world.

What skills do you think that they're missing?
What makes you think that they have a marxist view?
Are you going to stand again this year?

 

[Spoonz Red E]

I think you need to read Animal Farm again.

Again with the 'Cult' and 'Marxist' stuff now with added 'Sun King' thrown in for good measure.
(does this mean I can no longer groove to Louie Louie by the Kingsmen?)

Animal Farm is fair commentary from Orwell but is used arbitrarily and often as a put down against any spokesperson for community thinking or group work falling far short of authoritarion Communism. And usually that one line as quoted by Olds.

As you're a fan, maybe you could also read some other Orwell to see what he has to say about other economic models which maybe a bit more up your street.

"Orwell thought that “Capitalism, as such, has no room in it for any human relationship; it has no law except that profits must always be made” (“Will Freedom Die with Capitalism?”[1941] 1683). Similarly, in “The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius” (1941), which he wrote during World War II, Orwell defined “economic liberty” as “the right to exploit others for profit” "

Orwell as Public Choice Socialist - Econlib

There really ought to be a paper on George Orwell and Public Choice. Thanks to Loyola University senior Michael Makovi, there finally is. He’s done a great job – “George Orwell as Public Choice Economist,” forthcoming in The American Economist, is history of thought you can really sink your...

www.econlib.org

 

[ex_user1234]

What skills do you think that they're missing?
What makes you think that they have a marxist view?
Are you going to stand again this year?

Good questions.

They're completely lacking in commercial skills. Football clubs are public goods, but should be run as businesses to maximise their potential. I couldn't name a single person on the Trust board - genuinely nice people that they are - who has run a business before.

I think some (not all) have a Marxist view of life because they only seem to care about community projects at Exeter City. I've been to enough Trust meetings to witness it first-hand. Now, nobody in their right mind would argue that community isn't important. Of course it is. But it's not the reason for being a football club. The reason for being a football club is to play football and win matches. Somehow, along the way, the Trust have got their priorities in the wrong order. Or perhaps it's always been that way. Either way I feel strongly it is condemning Exeter City to mediocrity when it's potential is considerably higher than League 2.

No, I'm not going to stand again. The Trust is simply not the right place for me. I cannot affect positive change through the Trust in my opinion. That's not sour grapes - I respect the democratic vote - I just know that it's not a good fit for either side as our thinking is so different.

 

[ex_user1234]

Again with the 'Cult' and 'Marxist' stuff now with added 'Sun King' thrown in for good measure.
(does this mean I can no longer groove to Louie Louie by the Kingsmen?)

Animal Farm is fair commentary from Orwell but is used arbitrarily and often as a put down against any spokesperson for community thinking or group work falling far short of authoritarion Communism. And usually that one line as quoted by Olds.

As you're a fan, maybe you could also read some other Orwell to see what he has to say about other economic models which maybe a bit more up your street.

"Orwell thought that “Capitalism, as such, has no room in it for any human relationship; it has no law except that profits must always be made” (“Will Freedom Die with Capitalism?”[1941] 1683). Similarly, in “The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius” (1941), which he wrote during World War II, Orwell defined “economic liberty” as “the right to exploit others for profit” "

Orwell as Public Choice Socialist - Econlib

There really ought to be a paper on George Orwell and Public Choice. Thanks to Loyola University senior Michael Makovi, there finally is. He’s done a great job – “George Orwell as Public Choice Economist,” forthcoming in The American Economist, is history of thought you can really sink your...

www.econlib.org

I love Orwell. An incredible thinker and communicator. His humanity shines through in all his works. You're clearly a fan, which I respect. I would never argue for capitalism per se. As you rightly point out, it is only concerned with profits. That's why modern liberal societies are a mix of capitalism and socialism. You need both to create a system that drives prosperity but is also fair. And that's my general point about The Trust and Exeter City - it's way too skewed towards socialism, almost to the exclusion of capitalism. Money is a dirty word with some at the Trust, but that same money can buy better players and win us games. It's also what we all use and need to pay our mortgages and feed our kids. As for me being a capitalist, of course I am. As are you. As is everybody who works for a wage. And we all are socialists in that we support things like the NHS. That's normal. What's not normal is to have Marxist tendencies and force that onto the Exeter City fanbase.

 

[Fareham Grecian]

As for me being a capitalist, of course I am. As are you. As is everybody who works for a wage. And we all are socialists in that we support things like the NHS. That's normal. What's not normal is to have Marxist tendencies and force that onto the Exeter City fanbase.

You sound insane.

On the politics, people who work for a wage may or not be capitalists. It’s purely a belief, that people like you use to justify exploitation. We have a capitalist system so most people are forced to work for a wage; they are not often capitalists themselves.

Your demonisation of Marx is just weird and betrays your beliefs. Marx just argued that people who produce wealth (that is, the workers) should benefit from it as much as the capitalists. That scenario has no relevance to our club though - you seem to be denigrating the Trust as Marxists simply because they/we believe in the club having a better purpose than purely making money.

A football club, especially at our level, is more than just a business. And that is how it should be. I hope capitalists like you never get anywhere near our club - I am more and more pleased that I didn’t vote for you in the Trust elections.

 

[ex_user1234]

You sound insane.

On the politics, people who work for a wage may or not be capitalists. It’s purely a belief, that people like you use to justify exploitation. We have a capitalist system so most people are forced to work for a wage; they are not often capitalists themselves.

Your demonisation of Marx is just weird and betrays your beliefs. Marx just argued that people who produce wealth (that is, the workers) should benefit from it as much as the capitalists. That scenario has no relevance to our club though - you seem to be denigrating the Trust as Marxists simply because they/we believe in the club having a better purpose than purely making money.

A football club, especially at our level, is more than just a business. And that is how it should be. I hope capitalists like you never get anywhere near our club - I am more and more pleased that I didn’t vote for you in the Trust elections.

Do you work for free do you?

 

[Legohead]

A football club, especially at our level, is more than just a business. And that is how it should be.

Couldn't have put it better myself Fareham.

 

[ex_user1234]

A football club, especially at our level, is more than just a business. And that is how it should be.

Couldn't have put it better myself Fareham.

Yes, the problem is I said it is a public good that should be run like a business. I didn't say it was a business. I said it was a public good.

 

[ex_user1234]

You sound insane.

On the politics, people who work for a wage may or not be capitalists. It’s purely a belief, that people like you use to justify exploitation. We have a capitalist system so most people are forced to work for a wage; they are not often capitalists themselves.

Your demonisation of Marx is just weird and betrays your beliefs. Marx just argued that people who produce wealth (that is, the workers) should benefit from it as much as the capitalists. That scenario has no relevance to our club though - you seem to be denigrating the Trust as Marxists simply because they/we believe in the club having a better purpose than purely making money.

A football club, especially at our level, is more than just a business. And that is how it should be. I hope capitalists like you never get anywhere near our club - I am more and more pleased that I didn’t vote for you in the Trust elections.

To all the City fans who read Exeweb but aren't members, please read this post by Fareham Grecian and then share it with your mates who are City fans on WhatsApp and Facebook. I could not sum up better how the Marxists have taken over our club. This is the way they think. It is so far removed from the reality of most normal people's lives.

 

[Anonymous]

I could not sum up better how the Marxists have taken over our club.

I think self isolation might be getting to you. I recommend visiting your GP to discuss your paranoid thoughts.