The deadline for nominations has now passed (the closing date was 28th October 2017) and the following 4 candidates will be standing for election, for the position of the Crawley Town Supporters’ Alliance Fan Representative on the CTFC Board.  The position, as previously advised, is also a CTSA Board position.

Each candidate has provided a Statement, which you can read/download below and voting will take place at the AGM on 22nd November 2017, in the Redz Bar, at 8pm.

All AGM documents are available to download from the previous post and if you’re not a CTSA Member, you have until 7.45pm on the 22nd November 2017 to apply.

Voting details are as follows:

Votes will be cast by individual CTSA Members (1 vote per Member) at the AGM.  Any individual unable to attend the AGM will be entitled to appoint a Proxy to vote on their behalf.  Anyone appointed a Proxy must be a Member themselves to be entitled to vote.  The deadline for submitting proxy votes is 15th November 2017 (1 week before the AGM). Proxy Voting Forms are available to download here:  Form of Proxy AGM 22.11.17

If anyone has any queries, please do not hesitate to contact chair@ctfcsa.co.uk.

The Candidates are listed below, in no particular order:

Steve Leake:  Steve Leake – Statement

I certainly am a long term fan, having supported the Reds for 61 years, but recognise all fans of Crawley Town as valuable members of the same family no matter how long they have been supporters. In my time following the club I have experienced many highs and lows but have never lost sight of the need to get CTFC out into our community as that, in my opinion, is the only way we will build our fan base.

Being a teacher for over twenty three years I am well versed in the need to respect confidentiality and in my years in education I have served on two governing bodies so am able to respect what can and cannot be communicated. As far as other experience is concerned, before I was a teacher I was a Project Manager for Rediffusion Simulation which involved meetings with customers and the management of multi million pound flight simulator projects. This enabled me to gain valuable experience in presenting to high value customers in a concise and articulate manner.

This experience I have also used in my teaching career in order to explain complicated techniques and concepts to young minds. I have also presented to parents and feel confident about communicating to anyone whatever their gender, race or creed.

In my time supporting Crawley Town I have served as Chairman of the Supporters Club on several occasions and also served on the original committee of the CTSA (post Devils Trust). I have also served as the man on the microphone at home matches and back in the day contributed to Club Call inputs for those fans that couldn’t get to the games. I have also taken part in  numerous radio and TV broadcasts on behalf of both the Club and Supporters Club.

On retiring from teaching (which I have now gone back into) I served as Administrator for the Academy at Crawley Town under Simon Rusk and Steve Martin and then spent half a year teaching the scholars in their off the pitch studies.

I hope you can see from the above that I have Crawley Town in my heart and that I would seek to serve the Club and its supporters to the best of my ability.

Steve Leake.

Sam Jordan:   Sam Jordan – Statement

I have been a supporter of my local team for more than 20 years since my Dad first took me to see us play when I was 9 years old. Since then I have been a ball boy, match reporter for a local paper and was a founder member of the Devils Trust.

As a professional, I have 10 years’ experience of communicating with and engaging a large diverse group of people in a fast paced, customer facing environment. My experiences extend to leading on presenting problem-solving resolutions to senior managers in order to influence positive change.

As a young boy who became hooked on the club, I am passionate about attracting the next generation of fans and I want to help increase the supporter base so we can work towards being a self-sustainable club. It is great to see a Board of Directors welcoming a supporter into their environment. after some of our recent leadership. I aim to support them with conveying how you, the supporters, feel at heart and bringing your ideas to the boardroom.

Sam Jordan.

Alain Harper:  Alain Harper – Statement

I am Alain Harper and have been nominated to be the inaugural Supporter’s Representative on the board of the Crawley Town Football Club. I have followed the Red Devils since 1962, my first game being at the Old Town Mead ground. I have followed the team both at home and away since then – been through the bad times, the good and great times with the club – all the promotions from the Southern League, to the Conference and now into the Football League – the move to the Stadium in 1997, and the cup run to Old Trafford, it’s been a long journey over many years with some great memories.

Since the Mid 70’s I have been organising supporter’s coaches, which I am still doing today – having done this for so long it now runs itself with minimal effort these days on my part.

To be the supporter’s representative will be a great honour, something that the club owner, director’s and the CTSA must be congratulated for. It’s the next step forward for the club. I will also have time to commit to the position should I be elected.

The Supporters Representative roll as I see it, is to be accessible to all our fan base – whether you watch home games only or travel around the country following the team. We do have one of the smallest fan bases in the EFL and we need to see that expand and with a “Fan” on the board it will only help. Although it is a non-voting position being able to put forward suggestions and comment on their vision for the club from our point of view will be helpful and valuable. Being able to speak to the board about supporter’s concerns will be a positive step forward. We all want to see the club grow, improve and move up the leagues.

Good Luck to all the other candidates, all of whom will do equally as good a job in the position.

Alain Harper.

Duncan Fennemore:   Duncan Fennemore – Statement

Role of Fan Representative on the Board of Directors.

• To represent the voice of CTFC fans at board level.
• To be achieved through regular “fan forums”/access via email and social media.
• To be respectful, calm but insistent that our collective voice is heard, and that this is not simply an “honorary” position.
• To help ensure that the club owners have the best interests of the club at heart (investment in players. facilities, vision, strategic planning to accomplish this vision etc).
• To feed-back to (and discuss with) fans, the outcomes of Board meetings.
• To provide liaison between fans and management and/or Director of Football regarding on-field performance and selection, in order to create a more positive environment between coaches and fans.
• To give the “fans’ perspective” and to ensure that management/coaches are made known of and respectful of this (even if they do not agree). Given the temporary nature of many managers/coaches and players, they may not have the same emotional investment as the fans.
• To add my ideas/experiences across a range of sports in many countries to help improve fan recruitment and fans’ experience.

My Personal Circumstances.

• Married with two kids. Live 15 minutes from the Checkatrade.
• Have been in private practice as a Psychologist/Behaviour Analyst for 25 years.

Duties include;

Training and supervision of therapists working with autistic children, in UK, Europe, Middle East and Vietnam.

Charity trustee (UK and Australia).

Representing parents as Expert Witness at Special Educational Needs Tribunals and in mediation with government agencies.

Conference speaker in Autistic Spectrum Disorder worldwide.

• Sporting Background;

Former P.E. Teacher (qualified in Swim, Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Basketball and Rugby coaching).

Ex Chairman/Swim Coach (Dorking Swimming Club). Daughter was Regional-level swimmer.

• My eleven-year old son and I are passionate season ticket holders at Crawley Town, seated just behind the away dugout. We attend every home game, and as many away games as his Saturday morning U 12 football allows, ie within 2 hours of home. I am hoping that he can be in the Crawley Town first team by Christmas so that I can attend EVERY game, if Glenn Morris loses form and the goals are made smaller.
• I try to help with volunteer activities when possible at the club (ie last year’s abortive pitch clearance before the Portsmouth game).

I hope you will consider me for the position of Fan Representative to the Board. I will be very proud to represent you all, will listen carefully, and will speak on your behalf at board meetings to achieve the best outcomes for us as supporters.

Thanks for listening!

Duncan Fennemore