Hereford United Supporters Trust held their launch event at the Starlite Rooms this evening. Several directors, two players and around 100 supporters were in attendance.
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| Trevor Owens |
Trevor Owens, sports editor of BBC Hereford and Worcester, was MC and he started the proceedings by saying he had been a Hereford United fan for 42 years 'or whatever it is'.
Then the serious part of the evening.
"We want to get across the message about what the Supporters Trust involves," said Owens.
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| Jon Hale |
Jon Hale of the Supporters Trust was the first speaker and started his speech with a plea.
"I've just had a text from Martin Foyle. If anyone in the room has got a pair of boots you're in on on Saturday!
"I would like to welcome you all to the Hereford United Supporters Trust launch night. It seems to have been an awful long time coming around but we're delighted to see such a good turnout.
"On Tuesday night the board of directors sat and listened to us for two hours whilst we explained what the trust can do to help Hereford United and the supporters of Hereford United.
"I'm delighted to say that meeting was extremely helpful on both sides. I'm delighted they gave us the chance to justify why we feel we need a trust at Hereford.
"They now know that we are all behind what they are doing. We are here to help them.
"Finally I would like to thank the 25 plus members of the working group who in the last three months have sweated blood, given their time, effort and much much more to make sure that we as a trust get our constitution in place and get tonight on the agenda.
"We want Hereford United to continue as a professional football club."
So what is a Supporters Trust?
"A Supporters Trust is a formal, democratic and not for profit organisation of supporters who attempt to strengthen the influence of supporters over the running of the club they support.
"Members of the Supporters Trust will have a voice. When you sign up to the trust you have a vote, one member one vote.
"There will be times when we ask our members to vote on certain issues and certain agendas.
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| Supporters Listening To The Proceedings |
"I'm delighted to say on Tuesday night when we met the board of directors they agreed to get the liason meetings going again. And that will be a massive part of what we can do with the trust.
"We really want that liason with the board of directors and the reaction we got from them on Tuesday night was 100% positive and for that I thank them.
"We want to raise the profile of the football club. This is a point we laboured on Tuesday night and they were in total agreement. Raise the profile, embrace the supporter, get people interested again in Hereford United. And that goes back to having a voice and making them feel they are part of how this football club progresses, a hugh part.
"We are not critical of anything they have done in the past. We want to run alongside the board and run alongside HUISA and make this club great again.
"There are supporters worldwide who are chomping at the bit to help this football club and that is why every single one of you tonight is in this room. We have a common cause.
"Ulitimately over a period of time the Trust will raise money and will have money in their coffers. We would like to think we will be in a position, at some stage in the future, that the Supporters Trust of Hereford United could buy shares in the football club.
"We want to have an influence in the way this football club moves on.
"We also accept that there are supporters around the world who can't get to games on a Saturday afternoon. We saw it when donations came in recently. We are trying to embrace that.
"We had 10,000 fans at Leicester on that brilliant game, we can get them back in even if they are not at the game on a Saturday afternoon.
"That's what the Trust is about. Give them a voice, get them back involved. We want that interest back at this football club ultimately for the benefit of Hereford United."
"Ulitimately over a period of time the Trust will raise money and will have money in their coffers. We would like to think we will be in a position, at some stage in the future, that the Supporters Trust of Hereford United could buy shares in the football club.
"We want to have an influence in the way this football club moves on.
"We also accept that there are supporters around the world who can't get to games on a Saturday afternoon. We saw it when donations came in recently. We are trying to embrace that.
"We had 10,000 fans at Leicester on that brilliant game, we can get them back in even if they are not at the game on a Saturday afternoon.
"That's what the Trust is about. Give them a voice, get them back involved. We want that interest back at this football club ultimately for the benefit of Hereford United."
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| Kevin Rye |
"I would encourage you all to become involved as much as you are able or as little as you are able and make it as successful as you possibly can make it," said Rye.
"And in the end achieve what every supporters trust tries to do as a minimum and become a partner in the ownership and the running of the football club on a regular basis.
"In the end that's the way to get Hereford on a more even keel in the future."
Next to speak was Gareth Davies but not before Trevor Owens had a few words to say.
"We have a few things in common. We both come from Mid-Wales. We both played in defence. He was quite good and got paid for it and I didn't!
"We've been good mates for a number of years. He's Hereford United through and through. Please welcome Gareth Davies."
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| Gareth Davies |
"No, because I'm a Hereford United fan.
"I came here as a young kid and fell in love with the club.
"And you are all here for that reason too.
"With football it's what you do off the pitch and I'm trying to give little bits back to Hereford United in the spare time I've got.
"No different to you, we've all got jobs.
"We've all got skills to give Hereford United.
"It's important what we all do together, we become a team.
"It's not just those eleven players ot the squad of sixteen. It's not about them always, it's about what we do off the pitch.
"I don't buy food in town, I come here and buy a nice hearty breakfast!
"Everybody has got a part to play.
"We've got the different supporters groups, we got the local junior league, Roger from the HFA, Bulls News and we all need to work together.
"If the right arm doesn't know what the left arm is doing then we're not going to make this club stronger.
"Hopefully we can all work together to build a better club and better partnership in the future."
Trevor Owens thanked Gareth and then made an interesting point about how much easier it is to work with the club these days.
"When you are dealing with football clubs day in day out, this club at one stage had the PR skills, well frankly they were bloody awful.
"Today to their enormous credit, the current board and those working in the club like Lee and Jamie, they have improved 500% if not more.
"It's much, much better."
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| Trevor Owens With Colin Addison |
More to follow later.