Welcome to the Darlington Supporters Trust

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TRUST STATEMENT 18th JANUARY 2012

After a last minute plea (literally a last minute plea) from a member of the Darlington Football Club Rescue Group, the Trust have agreed to help make up the required amount to see if a deal can be reached with the Administrator to save Darlington Football Club. 

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TRUST STATEMENT 15th JANUARY 2012

The Board of the Darlington Supporters Trust wish to clarify certain developments that have taken place in recent weeks, as we believe the present situation is about Darlington’s football club, not Darlington Football Club per se.

The Trust, through direct contact to Tony Taylor (our elected Chair at the time), was asked to participate in the Darlington Football Club Rescue Group (DFCRG) and this was initially agreed to. However, we started to experience some difficulties when the Trust received an email, with a copy of a press statement, that we understood was to be discussed and then agreed.  The Trust immediately contacted Mark Meynell and advised him that, since the Trust name was associated with it, that this would need to be approved by the Trust Board, but that this could be done quickly. 

In the event, the press release had already been sent out and was in the public domain before any one from the Trust board (including Tony) could comment on it.  We have an email confirming that as the DFCRG had “a majority decision” they went ahead without our agreement.  

Whilst this may appear to be a minor issue, it did set a precedent that we could not find acceptable.  We had expected that the views of the Trust would be respected and that the Trust would be able to contribute to the discussions and decisions being made. It is not correct to state that we did not agree with the content of the press release – the Trust had not even seen it until it had been made public. 

Tony Taylor made this point clear to the DFCRG by telephone, but we received a reply that decisions such as this must be made quickly and, furthermore, that the Trust had no right to veto decisions of the DFCRG.  We found that last comment to be inconsistent with our aims and at this point decided to take a step back from the group.  Our decision was not as has been reported, due to a certain individual being appointed as press spokesman for the DFCRG. 

The Trust board took the view that whilst the DFCRG is a self appointed group, we are a democratically run Industrial & Provident Society, therefore the Trust could not be excluded from decision making of the DFCRG.  The manner – not the content – of the press release left the Trust in no doubt about that in fact we were.     

At the time of our withdrawal from the DFCRG we made it clear – at our suggestion - that we would not publicise our withdrawal so as not to prejudice any plans that the DFCRG may have had in hand.  We had hoped that that would have been respected as a two way process as the Trust endeavoured to find some viable option of saving the football club.   

Following on from this, some time later the offer was made by the owners Darlington Football Club’s ground (through the press) to invest £50,000 in the Club provided that the Supporters Trust matched that figure.  The Trust has received no contact from the owners (Messrs Scott and Sizer), although we understand that they had attempted to make contact with the DFCRG. The Trust made it clear that it was not going to negotiate through the media and, in any event, the local council confirmed shortly afterwards that it was highly unlikely that the restrictive convenants that existed over the Football Club’s land would be removed. The offer was therefore not viable in any event. 

Following on from that announcement, considerable personal pressure and abuse was directed towards Trust Board members on message boards and, we regret, through direct emails.  Trust Chairman Tony Taylor resigned after the receipt of disability hate mail and David Taylor resigned after abuse that was directed towards the Taylor family.  David Taylor, we should point out, is Tony’s son in law and David’s wife is in the late stages of a difficult pregnancy.  This abuse is currently under police investigation and neither Tony or David are prepared to make any further comment.  These resignations, along with the reasons, were announced on the Trust website, Twitter and Facebook pages and were covered by the local media. 

We did offer to hold a meeting with the DFCRG to discuss our position but it was made clear to us that only one member of the Trust Board could attend “suitably empowered to make most decisions”.  Our offer was made on the basis that we would be attending a meeting to iron out our concerns about the way in which the decision making process was made, not to participate with immediate effect without resolving what is, to us, a significant and important matter. 

Last week (Friday), the DFCRG released a public statement that they had secured funding to keep the present Darlington Football Club going (still in Administration) until the end of January 2012.  However this stated that it required the Trust’s £50,000 to be given to the Administrator by 10.30am the following Monday (16^th January 2012).  The DFCRG statement said that they had secured some funding, but that for “reasons which cannot be disclosed, these funds are inappropriate for this purpose”.  No detail of any business plan was offered that would see Darlington Football Club operate as a sustainable business in the long term.  The Trust board, of course, has a duty to operate responsibly and an offer made on these terms is frankly not one that could even be put to the membership of the Darlington Supporters Trust. 

We would wish to add a further observation about this issue.  During the day leading up to the statement by the DFCRG on Friday 13th January, Trust Secretary Claire Stone received repeated requests for any Trust board members to attend a meeting with two members of the DFCRG.  Claire was unable to reply immediately due to work commitments. The Trust, via Claire, had asked for an itemised agenda so that the Trust board would be aware, not unreasonably, of what was to be discussed.   

An email was received by Claire Stone with a copy of the Press Release which we understood to constitute the Agenda! By the time it had been received by the Trust, the press release was already appearing on the message boards.  Hardly an ideal situation, (and somewhat similar to the original press release which led to the Trust withdrawing from the DFCRG in the first place); accordingly, the Trust did not see any merit in a meeting. 

Given the abuse that resulted from the initial demand for the Trust’s £50,000 that is mentioned above and which was in the public domain, we considered that the manner in which this was dealt with was insensitive and potentially stirs up even more unpleasant comments (which, indeed, has happened).   

If the DFCRG has a plan that it can sustain, then it will surely be able to provide funding for it; to use the Trust money as part of those negotiations is a presumption that is entirely unacceptable, as well as being totally non practical.  Any decision regarding the Trust funds would be made by the membership of the Darlington Supporters Trust at a General Meeting and there are, of course, defined timescales to which we are required to adhere to. 

In the meantime, we have been receiving many new membership applications and we are grateful for these and can only apologise that we have not been able to reply to you individually, but this is in hand.  We have a closed meeting this week with a small group of invited people (not a public meeting) who have agreed to participate in our work, one of these taking over membership applications.  

In the meantime, the Darlington Supporters Trust is delighted to have received offers of help and donations from members and from Trusts throughout England and Scotland. Old ‘enemies’ have joined with us to help preserve football in Darlington – Plymouth Argyle’s Trust has offered help to us and many will remember that miserable day at Wembley when Plymouth beat Darlington in the play off final.  Fans from Hartlepool have offered help and support saying that they do not want their old rivals to disappear.  There is a clear sense, among many fans, that it could quite easily be their club that finds itself in terminal decline next. 

The Trust has the full back-up of Supporters Direct with its considerable experience in helping clubs in crisis, notably setting up AFC Wimbledon, Chester, Telford, Scarborough and with Trust run clubs such as Exeter and more recently Wrexham. 

The Trust is committed to putting any reasonable proposition to our members (to whom the money belongs).  But we can only do that where we are presented with the detail that shows how the club will be saved and how it will be sustainably run in the longer term.  It is essential that any plan that comes forward ensures that the town has a football club that is run in the interests of the supporters and the community.  It must be open to due diligence to ensure that this constant cycle of crisis does not happen again.

TRUST STATEMENT 8th JANUARY 2012

We are aware of reports circulating in the media about a suggested offer from Messrs Scott & Sizer regarding Darlington Football Club.

We wish to make it clear that the Trust has had no contact - directly or indirectly - with Messrs Scott and Sizer, so it came as something of a surprise to read the media speculation this evening.  We would not consider it appropriate, in any event, that negotiations of that nature should be conducted through the media  and we are concerned that the hopes of fans may have been raised without any real substance.

The Trust will consider any option that ensures the survival of the football club in Darlington in the long term and would engage in due diligence of any plan or offer to ensure that it is credible.  The idea of a community club is very much in tune with the thinking of the Trust, but it must be sustainable.  Such an offer would then be presented to the membership of the Trust for their decision.

Tomorrow's (31 Dec 2011) page 1 from the Northern Echo - "What's going on, Raj?":

Trust statement regarding meeting with the Club 30 Dec 2011

The Trust is aware that a number of fans are under the impression that the Trust turned down a meeting with the Chairman of Darlington Football Club yesterday.  This is entirely untrue.  The Trust had approached the football club with a view to arranging a meeting on either  Thursday 29th December or Friday 30th December, but no such meeting was agreed to by the football club or arranged.  We hope that this clarifies this matter. A spokesman for the Trust said that it "was inconceivable that we would turn down the opportunity of meeting with the football club at this desperately sensitive time"

29 Dec 2011 - The Club has made a statement on the Club's website stating: 

"The Chairman has returned from abroad and is currently assessing the the club's position with his advisors.  

A further announcement will be made next week.

In the meantime, the match against Gateshead on Sunday (New Years Day) will go ahead as planned"

The Trust is desperately saddened by the news that Darlington looks set to be placed into Administration for the third time in nine years. Reports from Sky Sports News, the Northern Echo and the Evening Gazette all suggest that the players have been told that the club is to enter into Administration.  The Trust had hoped to have a meeting with Chairman Raj Singh, but this appears to have been in vain. 

It seems likely that several more first teamers will exercise their right to leave. If that happens, it’s anyone’s guess where the club goes from there.

If the reports of Administration are correct, there would be at least 10 points deducted by the Conference and,  rather than fighting for a play off place, the club would be deeply involved in a relegation battle, one which is likely to be terminal for the club as we know it.

It is now more important than ever that supporters of football in Darlington come together as one - if the club survives in its present format, then great.  If a new club has to emerge from the ashes of the Arena, then it will need a joint effort, not numerous splinter groups. Personalities are irrelevant - the survival or rebirth of the club is what really matters.

Partial Fan Ownership of Clubs - the Way Forward

We have been contacted by our friends at the Manchester United Supporters Trust/Independent Manchester United Supporters Association Movement. They are currently trying to promote a petition for 'Partial Fan Ownership of English football clubs' on the government website. Please sign the petition below and let as many people know about this as possible. 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/12412

Fans from Manchester United, Norwich, QPR, Dorchester, Fulham, Exeter City and the Arsenal supporters trusts already given their support.

Darlo Trust likes Level Playing Field

Its Back - 2011/2012 Prediction League - raising funds for Craig Liddle's Youth Development Team!!!!

Please go to the Prediction League page  for the latest Prediction League Tables - and remember, the proceeds from this go to Craig Liddle's Youth Development set up, which we have consistently supported as a Trust over the years and will continue to do so.

Don't forget, you can renew your membership through this website - just go to the membership page to renew and we will do the rest.

Last Season's Prediction League - All Tied up in Notts!!!!

The Prediction League attracted bags of attention last season, with loads of 'mini competitions' taking place amongst friends, including this one -the Hayssen Sandiacre mini league, near Nottingham. 

The above picture shows winner Graham Wakeling presenting their wooden spoon trophy to Gary Robertson, whilst below Graham and Gary are seen with Lee Dyas who was second in their mini league.  Do keep a look out for next seasons Come On Darlo Prediction League, which helps us raise cash for Youth Development.

Former Trust Vice Chair Paul Hodgson, is currently producing a film based on his life story.  You can read more about this exciting venture by clicking on to the following:

www.pimm-productions.co.uk

The Darlington Supporters' Trust was established in 2002,and is one of many now operating under the much praised Supporters' Direct initiative.   which has the support of all the major political parties.  The Trust is constituted as an Industrial and Provident Society, with annual accounts professionally audited by an independent firm of Accountants.

The Darlington Under 18s, sponsored by the Trust for the 2010-2011 season, take on an impressive Arsenal side (picture courtesy of Ted Blair)

Among its activities, the Trust is currently involved in the following areas:

Please enjoy your visit and if you have any queries or questions regarding the Darlington Supporters Trust, do get in touch with us.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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