Trust celebrates a decade of majority ownership
Today (Friday 13th September 2013) marks the 10th anniversary, to the day, of the Supporters’ Trust purchasing the majority shareholding of Exeter City Football Club.
Ten years ago today, Dr David Treharne and Martin Ellicott, on behalf of the relatively newly-formed Supporters’ Trust, stepped out of Ivor Doble’s jewellery shop pinching themselves that they had just bought their football club!
The club had been in turmoil for months since the arrest of fraudulent John Russell and Mike Lewis. Members of the Supporters’ Trust had been trying to keep the club in existence, and all summer armies of Trust volunteers had been working at SJP.
Ivor Doble must have seen enough to think the fans could make it all work because, after protracted discussions, he finally agreed to sell his majority shareholding to the Trust. Then the hard work REALLY began!
Get your hands on a copy of the souvenir insert in the matchday programme on 12th October (v Hartlepool) to hear Martin’s own recollection of this momentous event, and lots of other first-hand accounts and memories over the last decade.
Current Trust Chairman, Laurence Overend, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary said:
“No one should underestimate the accomplishment of the Supporters’ Trust in owning Exeter City Football Club for ten years. The Trust has succeeded when many said it would fail and we have proved ourselves a sustainable model for ownership.
“We also are held up as an example to other Supporter Trusts of what can be achieved and remain at the forefront of the Trust movement. Whilst we should rightly celebrate all that we have done, we are equally prepared to face the challenges of the next 10 years.”
Celebration Weekend
The club and Trust are holding a celebration weekend over Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October to coincide with our game against Hartlepool.
It all begins on the Friday night at 6pm with what promises to be a fantastic celebration at the Park. A two-course buffet meal will be served, and then there will be short presentations from David Conn (sports journalist for the Guardian), Dave Boyle (past CEO of Supporters Direct), Denise Watts (previous club and Trust Chair) and Laurence Overend who hopefully needs no introductions. All are entertaining speakers.
There will be opportunity for some of those present to contribute memories and questions. There will also be a great prize draw.
Tickets at just £10 each will be on sale from the Trust stall in Red Square before and after the Newport game as long as stocks last. You can reserve yours by emailing andy.bratt@virgin.net.
Commemorative t-shirts and badges
On the matchday stall the Trust will also have specially commissioned t-shirts and badges, which can also be bought online by clicking here. Pick yours up then and let’s see how many of you can sport the distinctive t-shirts at the Hartlepool match, which we hope will be the subject of significant media attention. The team will be playing in special Trust-badged shirts on the day, and these will be signed by the player wearing them and available to bid for on eBay subsequently.
The Supporters’ Trust continues to grow
Every month new members are signing up to the Trust. Your trust is still growing, it’s still going strong and it needs YOU!
There are two opportunities to win the prize of attending a first-team training session with a guest – you have to do to be entered into that draw is either join up to the Trust (or rejoin if you have had a membership gap), or increase the subscription you pay by at least £2 a month.
You can join the Trust by filling out an application form and handing it in at Reception at St James Park or visit www.ecfcst.org.uk/join.