Open Meeting

[twinny]

Trying to see if this is working... could someone confirm that they can hear something from the stream?

 

It works!

 

Is the ustream broadcast being recorded?

[Woodstock Jag]

It works!

 

Is the ustream broadcast being recorded?

 

Yes.

[H Wragg]

Should we be seeing pictures? (If so, I ain't).

[Woodstock Jag]

Can you hear the radio mic?

[Woodstock Jag]

Should we be seeing pictures? (If so, I ain't).

 

No.

[H Wragg]

Yes, I can hear it loud and clear, but no pics.

[Woodstock Jag]

The radio mic was used by Tom briefly in between David and Morag. If you didn't hear him, I'll let him know and ask people to shout or use the lectern.

[McKennan]

Sadly, I'm getting no sound and no vision from the meeting. I'm sure there'll be a report in due course.

[The Big Man]

Sadly, I'm getting no sound and no vision from the meeting. I'm sure there'll be a report in due course.

 

Your not missing much to be honest

[yoda-jag]

Sadly, I'm getting no sound and no vision from the meeting. I'm sure there'll be a report in due course.

 

Just managed to get online 15 minutes ago after my own meetings finished, and didn't have no sound.

After over 5 minutes of wondering WTF, I found the volume on the ustream was at zero , hence the deathly silence.

Now got everything up at max, and can hear the dulcit tones of various people, albeit not very loud, but works.

Maybe check your ustream volume McKennan in case you are in same position?

 

Thanks to the Trust for organising this stream, hope the recorded meeting can be relistened to later?

Edited October 6, 2010 by yoda-jag

[Woodstock Jag]

Just managed to get online 15 minutes ago after my own meetings finished, and didn't have no sound.

After over 5 minutes of wondering WTF, I found the volume on the ustream was at zero , hence the deathly silence.

Now got everything up at max, and can hear the dulcit tones of various people, albeit not very loud, but works.

Maybe check your ustream volume McKennan in case you are in same position?

 

Thanks to the Trust for organising this stream, hope the recorded meeting can be relistened to later?

 

It should be available soon. I'm just checking the sound quality of the recording just now.

[stolenscone]

OK folks - thanks to those who came, and to those who listened in. The general consensus at the end was that it was a useful exercise. I hope that people at least left the room a little better informed. Perhaps not.

 

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear people's views about what they thought went well; what didn't; whether they feel that any issues weren't adequately covered; and, of course, what you actually think about the issues discussed.

 

I very much hope that we can bring you more detail at the next open meeting (and I very much hope that there is an appetite for such meetings to take place), but for now, you know what I know.

 

Thanks again

 

David Stewart

[Woodstock Jag]

Thanks to all who turned up. Probably about 50-60 people turned up in the end.

 

Clicky

 

Skip to 8:30 for the start of the actual meeting.

 

The sound is, at times more than a little temperamental, especially from the floor where we were using a microphone some distance from the feed mic (which was near the lectern mic). Medium-tech solution if you like, but hopefully you should be able to hear most of it.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Woodstock Jag

[Willjag]

OK folks - thanks to those who came, and to those who listened in. The general consensus at the end was that it was a useful exercise. I hope that people at least left the room a little better informed. Perhaps not.

 

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear people's views about what they thought went well; what didn't; whether they feel that any issues weren't adequately covered; and, of course, what you actually think about the issues discussed.

 

I very much hope that we can bring you more detail at the next open meeting (and I very much hope that there is an appetite for such meetings to take place), but for now, you know what I know.

 

Thanks again

 

David Stewart

A lot of interesting stuff David. From my point of view I was disappointed there wasn't more communicated from the Club about the problems we are facing and I felt too much time was spent on the Trust Board Rep issue (I reckon about 60 of the 90 minutes?).

 

If the Club are facing a cash gap, I'd like to see the Trust begin to mobilise the fans in preparation for such an event. Perhaps now would be a good time to ask the Trust Members if they would like the Trust to become a fund raising vehicle for the Club rather than using the cash to buy what are likely to be worthless shares?

[Hot Shot]

didn't have no sound.

 

 

You didn't have no sound? so you had sound? , sorry couldn't resist.

 

Thought the meeting went not too bad, seemed to get bogged down on one subject(i.e the trust board non-exec rep position on the club board)for more than half the meeting but I thought what did come out of it was encouraging.

 

Totally agree with the club saying this rep position could be far more usefull if the person themselves were able to add some professional clout to the boardroom, but also agree with the guy who was saying they shouldn't need to submit their C.V in order to represent the fans as it's on that level he/she should be representing them at, something that needs to be ironed out but i'm sure there are many jags fans could fit the profile of both representing the fans and adding professional input at boardroom level.

 

I also agree with the sentiments that the trust is not living up to what it potentialy could be, it's difficult to stick the knife in the trust without offending those who are actually getting off their ass and getting involved, so for those of you who do please don't take this personally, I doubt I could do better myself but the trust simply isn't functioning as a strong fans body , 550 members from a core support of between 2000-2500 at present is only barely touching on being the voice of a quarter of fans when it should be the voice of the majority of fans.

 

It's the age old question of 'so how do we do that?' of which I don't have the answer but what I do know is that it's not working just now, the supporters trust should be something that concentrates on it's own existance first and foremost, something that thrives and grabs the interest of every fan, something that doesn't just have over 500 members, but something that has 500 members eager to chip in and make it thrive and something that every fan wants to join, it should be something that every fan looks to when they think of being involved with Partick Thistle Football Club.

 

Wether you liked them or not, when guys like FT and Red Monkey were involved in the trust it was heading in the right direction, you might not have liked their ideas either but that's irrelevant , the relevance is the direction the trust was moving in, to become a strong body looking after itself, generating it's own cash independently of the club and being something the fans could look to for representaion and identity.

 

I would hope the trust wouldn't get bogged down with the importance of the level they represent the fans on the club board, it seems to me the door is open for involvement i'm sure there can be some come and go as to whatever person is elected and what they can and cannot contribute to the club board.

 

It was also good to hear the opinions regarding the shares held by Tom Hughes and the McMaster family , It seemed pretty clear that the club board believe these shares should be returned and that it should be publicly persued, I personally believe this is in the best interest of the club and something that should be persued as publicly as possible.

 

It was also made perfectly clear that the current directors had problems dealing with recently departed directors, to the point where ,(and I think this quoute is correct) "it was difficult to hold an adult conversation" , that's quite shocking in my opinion, if this is the truth and coupled with other things said at the meeting I honestly do think we as fans need to show a little faith in those that remain on the board, a hard thing to do around Firhill is 'take a leap of faith', we've heard it all before, but they seem genuine that this is a chance for things to change for the better so perhaps it's now or never?

[Willjag]

For clarity, I think you're getting a few things wrong there Hotshot, it wasn't the Club Board that was indicating that the two directors should be returning their shares, it was the Trust's Chairman that was putting forward this idea. Also it wasn't the Club Board that said they couldn't hold a conversation with C & H it was a member of the Trust Board.

 

And a last minor point, Trust Membership was said at the end to be 325.

[stolenscone]

It seemed pretty clear that the club board believe these shares should be returned

 

It was also made perfectly clear that the current directors had problems dealing with recently departed directors

 

Just to quickly pick up on these two points: slight mistunderstanding here. In both instances, these are my personal views and experiences, and not the views / experiences of the club directors. That said, I think that the trust board is fairly united in its views of the McMaster + Hughes share issue. I can't comment on what the club board think.

[stolenscone]

And a last minor point, Trust Membership was said at the end to be 325.

 

Splitting hairs, Will, but I think it's more useful/accurate to speak in terms of year end numbers - c550 - rather than concentrate on numbers as at today's date, when that remains a constantly moving feast. Not a big point tho, as the principle remains the same, however you choose to add it up.

[Hot Shot]

Cheers for the clear up folks,it was difficult at times concentrating trying to hear the stream, my apologies

[Steven H]

 

And a last minor point, Trust Membership was said at the end to be 325.

 

I think a lot of the issues facing the Jags Trust right now, in regards to how the Club have treated them (and us) and the failure to invite the Board Rep to meetings, stems from this Will. I agree with Hotshot that we must look to organise ourselves as a group of fans before we can effectively help the Club and have major influence in how it's ran. There are too few memebers in the Trust and those I've spoken too who are 'anti-Jags Trust' (for want of a better phrase) don't seem to know exactly why they refuse to join (I know there are folk who have been involved in the JT and served on it's board who may have tho).

 

Getting more fans signed up is vital because imo it's lack of members that's allowed the Club Board to treat the Jags Trust and the fans in general the way they have, no amount of shares will hold more clout than a membership that's 4 times as big as it is now particularly not when you consider the percentage of shares now held by those who are not on the Club Board (I thought Allan made a very good point there too). What can be done to encourage more fans to join?

 

I know there may have been a wee surge of new members after the three amigos vamooshed (although didn't Fiona(?) say the 325 current members were renewals?), but I think it's the Jags Trust name that puts people off right away. This leads to bias in any discussion that's JT related (or maybe that's just my experience of it) and I believe that's down to the image portrayed of the Jags Trust throughout it's life span and nothing really to do with the Jags Trust we have today. So is there anything to be gained changing the name and possibly tweaking the constitution...or would this merely be cosmetic change's that would have no real impact?

 

By the way, thought the meeting went well but discussed the Board Rep position a bit much. On that subject, I think I'd rather keep the non-executive role the Club are talking about having until January but I think it should be whoever is elected by the Jags Trust without having to clear it with the Club Board first.

[Hot Shot]

don't seem to know exactly why they refuse to join

 

 

 

I think it's the Jags Trust name that puts people off right away. This leads to bias in any discussion that's JT related (or maybe that's just my experience of it) and I believe that's down to the image portrayed of the Jags Trust throughout it's life span and nothing really to do with the Jags Trust we have today. So is there anything to be gained changing the name and possibly tweaking the constitution...or would this merely be cosmetic change's that would have no real impact?

 

 

 

 

You made a couple of points there that strike a chord with me, my better half listened to the ustream wit me, though with more interest from a business/customer point of view rather than any real interest.

 

In our discussions she asked me why i'd never joined the trust even though I show an interest in it's existance and what it's doing, I couldn't really answer.

 

I tried to explain how the trust seems to have an image attached with it, and that is image is 'it's a waste of time' , when asked about how I think it could be different a change of image was mentioned, I don't think such a cosmetic change would be that effective though, I hinted at scrapping it altogether and starting something new but i'm not even sure what the implications of that or how something new would emerge or could emerge from it, perhaps what is needed is something of a revolution or rebellion, for some random group of fans to take it upon themselves to start a new supporters trust, perhaps those who have been willing to get involved in the past seeking out like minded people who have previously been deterred with the image and direction of the trust but willing to commit time and effort to something completely different and independant of the current trust and indeed the club.

[Willjag]

Splitting hairs, Will, but I think it's more useful/accurate to speak in terms of year end numbers - c550 - rather than concentrate on numbers as at today's date, when that remains a constantly moving feast. Not a big point tho, as the principle remains the same, however you choose to add it up.

Yep, as I said it was just a minor point and I wasn't aware the Hot Shot wasn't at the meeting and just hadn't heard the numbers properly.

[beep0608]

No one's at the microphone just now. We're just doing an audio-cast. Just tested on-site and appears to be working.

 

I could hardly hear until I plugged headphones in. It's fine that way for me. Try that if need be.

[Steven H]

You made a couple of points there that strike a chord with me, my better half listened to the ustream wit me, though with more interest from a business/customer point of view rather than any real interest.

 

In our discussions she asked me why i'd never joined the trust even though I show an interest in it's existance and what it's doing, I couldn't really answer.

 

I tried to explain how the trust seems to have an image attached with it, and that is image is 'it's a waste of time' , when asked about how I think it could be different a change of image was mentioned, I don't think such a cosmetic change would be that effective though, I hinted at scrapping it altogether and starting something new but i'm not even sure what the implications of that or how something new would emerge or could emerge from it, perhaps what is needed is something of a revolution or rebellion, for some random group of fans to take it upon themselves to start a new supporters trust, perhaps those who have been willing to get involved in the past seeking out like minded people who have previously been deterred with the image and direction of the trust but willing to commit time and effort to something completely different and independant of the current trust and indeed the club.

 

I used to think the same way, but I now think the Jags Trust has a good solid foundation and building upon that is the way ahead. The hard part is how to do it, how do you change people minds when they are set on a particular stance? I'd love the guys (and gals) with different ideas, ideas they are passionate about, to get in there and make the changes they want (or try to at least). It's taken a lot of hard work but I think the current JTB are moving in the right direction, the next turn is an important one tho.

[Willjag]

You made a couple of points there that strike a chord with me, my better half listened to the ustream wit me, though with more interest from a business/customer point of view rather than any real interest.

 

In our discussions she asked me why i'd never joined the trust even though I show an interest in it's existance and what it's doing, I couldn't really answer.

snip!

So the question to you and every other fan that's interested in the future of the Club is, why are you not a member of the Jags Trust? The Trust have to find out from you and others like you, why you're not joining and try and convince you they are doing what you want them to do.

 

There was a statement made at the end of the meeting from Morag when she said that anyone was free to go and speak to the JTB members about anything concerning the Club or the Trust. This is part of the problem for me with the Trust. The JTB members should be going out and engaging the fans on their way into the ground and trying to get them to join the Trust and also let them know what's happening with the Trust. The Trust need the guys manning the Trust stall in the ground but others should be doing some leg work and raising the Trust's profile and maybe then peoples views of the Trust will change?