Supporters Funding

[tomrfcurz]

This was discussed in the other thread about Unknowns and was suggested someone start a new thread, here goes. I agree with a good few of the users who suggested donating a small amount of money towards the signing of a player; no we're not talking lets all get out the thousands and buy Tevez, Rooney etc - we're just saying a small donation that could help the club, not necessarily Mr Madejski. Obviously we're at the thought process but it could really turn into something, this. I'm not sure of the figures, someone could help me out i'm sure but how about keeping a bit of that burger money back on a match day and chucking it in a pot to help the club. I know we all do this through buying season tickets but that's not transfer funds, it's funds to run our club. Madejski either can't or doesn't want to put huge sums of transfer money into the football club anymore, fair enough sir so why can't we give him a hand as fans? Thoughts of course people?

[Big Foot]

Thanks


But no thanks

[Snowball]

A Supporters' Group doesn't need to just "give" without thought or control of "their money."

It can accumulate a war-chest and use it powerfully, in exchange, for example, for
the right for a supporters representative to sit in on the board.

There are many examples out there. Newport County did a good job

[Wimb]

Have to agree with Big Foot. If you pay for a season ticket/matchday ticket you are already paying a contribution towards funding and maintaining the playing squad. If you want to help the club further then buy a replica shirt or other such item from the club store.

Perhaps a better idea is to pay for a friend to come and watch a home game. Not only will you be donating to the club on a one off basis, but you'll also potentially help increase the fanbase and therefore help generate funds needed to buy new players.

[bigmike]

I already do and have been donating cash to the club to purchase players for the last 10 years. Its called a Season ticket.

I certainly wont be donating more cash than I do.

Maybe the club should look at the low attendances and work out something there... Maybe for every televised game they reduce the price of the tickets to £10 or £15 thus geting more bums on seats and cash that they wouldnt normally get as the people who decide sod it I am gonna watch it on the telly realise that they can afford to go.

[Wycombe Royal]

A Supporters' Group doesn't need to just "give" without thought or control of "their money."

It can accumulate a war-chest and use it powerfully, in exchange, for example, for
the right for a supporters representative to sit in on the board.

There are many examples out there. Newport County did a good job

Newport County are tinpot and not a multi million pound business with a hotel and conference centre......

You would need a lot of people giving more than £5 per week in order to raise a "war-chest" that can be used "powerfully" unless you are thinking of raising it over say a 25 year period.

[Royal Lady]

Say a load of supporters club together and buy a player - and the big question is whether JM would allow it anyway - what happens if the club decide to sell the player? Do you want your money back if there's a profit? Where does it end? Are you going to decide you want player x, even if you don't know if McD/JM/RFC want him?
Are you going to fund his salary increases and bonuses?

[No Fixed Abode]

The club really should give away tickets to schools. Looking at the average attandance for this season there are plenty of empty seats. Why not go to all school around the Thames Valley and give them some free tickets.

Not only would it secure future fans for the club, the pupils will maybe buy a programme, a drink, a hotdog or something.....

[roadrunner]

This was discussed in the other thread about Unknowns and was suggested someone start a new thread, here goes. I agree with a good few of the users who suggested donating a small amount of money towards the signing of a player; no we're not talking lets all get out the thousands and buy Tevez, Rooney etc - we're just saying a small donation that could help the club, not necessarily Mr Madejski. Obviously we're at the thought process but it could really turn into something, this. I'm not sure of the figures, someone could help me out i'm sure but how about keeping a bit of that burger money back on a match day and chucking it in a pot to help the club. I know we all do this through buying season tickets but that's not transfer funds, it's funds to run our club. Madejski either can't or doesn't want to put huge sums of transfer money into the football club anymore, fair enough sir so why can't we give him a hand as fans? Thoughts of course people?

You've probably got a hardcore 15,000 Reading supporters. Just how much money do you think you can raise? What ever it is it's a pointless amount.

The club really should give away tickets to schools. Looking at the average attandance for this season there are plenty of empty seats. Why not go to all school around the Thames Valley and give them some free tickets.

We have been doing this for as long as I can remember.

[TFF]

This was discussed in the other thread about Unknowns and was suggested someone start a new thread, here goes. I agree with a good few of the users who suggested donating a small amount of money towards the signing of a player; no we're not talking lets all get out the thousands and buy Tevez, Rooney etc - we're just saying a small donation that could help the club, not necessarily Mr Madejski. Obviously we're at the thought process but it could really turn into something, this. I'm not sure of the figures, someone could help me out i'm sure but how about keeping a bit of that burger money back on a match day and chucking it in a pot to help the club. I know we all do this through buying season tickets but that's not transfer funds, it's funds to run our club. Madejski either can't or doesn't want to put huge sums of transfer money into the football club anymore, fair enough sir so why can't we give him a hand as fans? Thoughts of course people?

LOL

wise up

[coyrls]

I'm not sure of the figures, someone could help me out i'm sure

OK, I'll help you out: the figures are too low.

[Red]

People would soon get bored of it - just look at Ebbsfleet.

[prostak]

Ebbsfleet were a completely different matter. I'd suggest there are somewhere in the region of 6-10.000 Reading fans who'd be in a position to donate to a proper supporters' trust (one that actually does something for those it claims to represent). As I stated in the original discussion, FC Koln managed to buy Lukas Podolski back after a fan campaign - that's a scaled-up example of what fan power can achieve.

As for the other concerns expressed above...

Royal Lady - I know this is going to come as a culture shock, but any donation made with the caveat of being used to fund a transfer would be that - a donation. Not an investment. Something that we, as a fanbase, think would make our Saturday afternoons a bit more enjoyable. I'm fairly sure any such donation would require extensive consultation with the club, to avoid the issues of the player being unwanted/too much/etc. I'm sure you've got a funny animation of a face to come back at me on that, though.

Bigmike/Wimb - I had actually anticipated just that answer in the thread where I originally mooted it. The public accounts show that your season ticket 'donation' doesn't even cover the wage bill, so leave that one. Do you expect the right to dictate the plot of Hollywood films in exchange for your 8.50 down the multiplex? I spent a tenner in Sainsbury's earlier - am I allowed a go in a board meeting now?

I'm increasingly of the opinion that many Reading fans are everything rival supporters accuse them of being - on the whole a bit feckless, very consumer-minded and priced out of Stamford Bridge. God knows what would result if the club ever went back into serious financial trouble - undoubtedly some form of car-park gathering of 20 or so, but what then? It's easy to just dismiss this out of hand, but you do realize that by doing so you have no right to criticise anything the board do with regard to club finances?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Any supporters' organisation which gives money to a club is hopelessly naive.

Any money given should have a tangible return - in terms of supporter participation/representation or (ideally) shareholding.

See the 15 clubs owned by their Supporters' Trusts - AFC Telford United, AFC Wimbledon, Bramley Buffaloes (RL), Brentford, Cambridge City, Clydebank (Scotland), Enfield Town, Exeter City, FC United of Manchester, Gretna (Scotland), Merthyr Tydfil, Newport (IW) FC, Rochdale Hornets (RL), Runcorn Linnets, Scarborough Athletic.

The problem is that this ownership model doesn't "scale up" to the higher leagues, because the sums involved are so much larger and beyond the reach of supporters unless they act with an equity partner - which partly defeats the whole object of the exercise.

If course, once the rules on ownership are tightened so that clubs are not allowed to run up debt then the playing field will be a lot more level and things may be different.

[prostak]

So do you not think it's worth trying to raise an organisation large and powerful enough to warrant a decent share of the club?

[tomrfcurz]

Don't necessarily think this would work btw, read the OP. It's an idea and a very young one at that. No harm in a suggestion and i do agree it would be so difficult to get a load of RFC fans behind it.

[prostak]

If this movement is going to consist entirely of me and Snowball, so be it. I would be honored to have such an ally.

[Svlad Cjelli]

So do you not think it's worth trying to raise an organisation large and powerful enough to warrant a decent share of the club?

Yes - something like a Supporters' Trust would be the perfect type of organisation. In fact, such organisations are setup with the right legal structure to enable them to do exactly that sort of thing.

But at RFC individual shares aren't for sale - in fact, SJM has for years been buying up small numbers of remaindered shares. So it's not a question of raising enough for a share holding - it's all or nothing, and that means about £80M in one hit!

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Even if we scale things down and say the club is only worth £25 million, how much does anyone think we'd need to raise to be entitled to any worthwhile contribution to how the club is run?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Exactly - the only way is via equity investers, as MUST & NUST (Man Utd & Newcastle Trusts) are working on - but Reading isn't as lucrative or high-profile an investment. And I can't see that happening at RFC.