AGM REPORT
NTFC Supporters Trust held its 2024 Annual General Meeting at the Obelisk Centre in Northampton last Thursday (20 February).
A summary of the meeting is as follows:
Chairman's Report
Andy Roberts told the meeting:-
The Supporters Trust enjoyed a productive year – while the relationship with the owners of the football club remain at an impasse, in spite of an intervention by the Football Supporters Association, good progress was made in a number of other areas last year.
A few headlines, the Supporters Trust has…
* successfully renewed its application for Sixfields Stadium to be classified as an Asset of Community Value
* led a campaign, supported by 14 other Supporters Trusts, to ensure due recognition for Trusts and other democratic supporter bodies in the primary legislation within the developing Football Governance Bill
* canvassed members and Cobblers fans more widely around desirable improvements for Sixfields
* produced a blueprint vision which includes a model for infrastructure improvement at the stadium
The progress on the East Stand development is extremely welcome but we will continue to challenge the owners with questions as they arise and continue to press the case for development behind the stand which will guarantee ongoing and long-term investment benefit to the football club, in the interests of a progressive and sustainable club.
Contrary to what club chairman Kelvin Thomas might say in interviews, there is no conspiracy-led vendetta against the club.
If that is his perception of the Trust reasonably questioning the club’s governance and development plans, then it is an absurd overreaction and the questions will continue until we receive satisfactory answers.
The chairman has also repeatedly said that the Trust are rival bidders to the club. To be clear, two years ago we were rival bidders for land behind the East Stand which we were looking to secure as a club asset, generating investment benefit.
We took this very difficult decision in the absence of any guarantees from the club that the land in question wouldn't be sold off, so depriving the club of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
It was something that, as a community group, we were perfectly entitled to do under the Localism Act and as part of the Asset of Community Value bid process and we did so in accordance with the Supporters Trust’s long-held mission statement to protect professional football in Northampton for the long-term.
We did so believing, naively it would appear, the one thing the club’s owners and the Supporters Trust actually have in common is the safeguarding of the football club.
In 2015, with the club in crisis, we supported the club financially and several board members attended a council meeting three years ago to urge the council to back the club’s plans for the East Stand. This is hardly the behaviour of an organisation that is anti-club.
Thank you for your continuing support and please support our Club 500 lottery and Cobblers Travel if you do not already do so.
We have never walked away from the football club. And we never will. Our town, our club and your Supporters Trust.
Treasurer's Report
Bob Clarke told the meeting:-
Income and expenditure and other general information regarding the Trust was submitted to Clifford Towers our Accountants who are adept at producing our accounts and I am happy to recommend that we continue to use their services for this purpose.
We reported four resignations during the year to August 2024, all of whom had been appointed the previous year.
It was a quieter financial year with income £3,902 down from £6,501. Most of the income, £3,583, came from Club 500.
Expenditure £2,587 was also lower down from £5,907 so our net surplus increased to £1,315 from £594. We spent only £116 on merchandise compared to £2,000 the previous year. Accountancy fees remain at £960.
Meetings of the Trust Board continued to be held on Zoom which is a successful way of ensuring attendance and that meetings are quorate.
We did not sponsor, except a gazebo for DJ Maty (Mat Amos) who plays outside Carr’s bar on match days.
Our balance sheet remains healthy at £154,083, including £71,954 shown as fixed assets investment which is Shares of £1 in NTFC held at cost.
Our cash held at the Co-op Bank and in two NatWest accounts is £83,069, up from £81,808 last year. Our called-up share capital was £687, down for £721.
Up the Cobblers!
Board appointments
John Morgan informed the meeting that the board was carrying four vacancies with two board members required to stand for re-election.
Both did so and nominations were received from the following:-
Keith Buckby
Andy Cooper
Derek Krajewski
Michael Walker
As the number of members putting themselves forward equalled the number of vacancies, all were elected unopposed.
Board meetings
Any Trust member interested in attending a monthly board meeting should email ntfctrust1992@gmail.com
