Northampton Town Supporters Trust was honoured to stage a meeting of fellow Supporters Trusts in Northampton, the birthplace of the Trust movement in 1992.
The meeting at Franklin's Gardens was attended by Trusts from AFC Wimbledon, Birmingham City, Blackpool, Fulham, Kettering Town, Leicester City, Lincoln City, Manchester United, Northampton Town, Notts County, Swansea City and Tranmere Rovers.
Presentations were made by Andy Roberts (Northampton), Rob Bradley (Lincoln City) and Emma Harrison (Tranmere Rovers), also Dan Crawford, Sean Hamil and Kevin Rye (Think Fan Engagement).
Inputs also came from journalist Henry Winter, football writer Adrian Goldberg (author of Where's The Money Gone), Garry Halliday (Foundation of Hearts), Neil Hampshire, representing Hunslet RLFC, and Italian grassroots fans’ group Supporters In Campo.
Henry Winter told the meeting: ‘The Cobblers Trust are doing a fantastic job and you and the other Trusts have my best wishes and continued support for all the vital campaigning work that you do.”
Adrian Goldberg reflected on the early days of the Trust at Northampton when Michael McRitchie was chairman.
He read the following passage from his book:- “In Northampton's case, the fans said to the owner, ‘No, we're not just going to give you the cash, we're going to buy some shares to protect our investment, because our money is as good as yours.”
The meeting served as a first step towards formalising closer ties between Supporters Trust in football and also other sports where fans may feel disenfranchised.
With football clubs about to enter a regime of independent regulation, the meeting determined that the voice of Supporters Trusts - unique democratic bodies within the wider realm of fan engagement- needs to be as strong and as unified as ever before.
