Swansea Backed By Supporters Trust

Currently there are calls for a supporters trust to be set up at Hereford United. But to work it needs to be influential.

One of the clubs to have a succesfull supporters trust is Swansea City. And in a report published in today's Guardian concering premiership club finances, Swansea are now one of the most secure clubs with money in the bank. 

Contrast the Swans to Chelsea who have current net debts of £878K.

So if a supporters trust can play a part at Swansea, maybe there's a case for one at Hereford.

Swansea City:

Accounts for the year to 31 May 2012
Ownership: Martin Morgan, 22.5%; Brian Katzen, 20%; Swansea City Supporters Society Limited (supporters trust) 20%; chairman Huw Jenkins 12.5%; Robert Davies 10%
Turnover: 15th in league, £65m (up from £12m in 2011)
All football income: £61m
Commercial: £4m
Wage bill: 20th, £35m (up from £17m in 2011)
Wages as proportion of turnover: 54%
Profit before tax: £17m (after £11m loss in 2011)
Net debt: Nil; £5m cash in the bank
Interest payable: £0.3m
Highest-paid director: Huw Jenkins, £200,000
State they're in:
Identified by the Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, as "probably the ideal ownership model", among the mostly overseas owners and tax exiles. Supporters trust owns 20%, and elects a director, alongside the businessmen shareholders, who are also fans. Won friends with their elegant football, finished 11th with the league's lowest wage bill. Banked £5m from Liverpool hiring Brendan Rodgers, then recruited Michael Laudrup and achieved more success. Just paid a £2m dividend to the shareholders, the first money they have taken out, which risks changing perceptions if it continues, particularly with the club advertising for interns to work unpaid in player performance analysis.

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