Your new board looking slightly stunned at the gravity of the task ahead.......

Crawley Town Supporters Alliance held their AGM at Redz Bar last Thursday evening. Around 60 members were in attendance. In a short meeting chairman Ian Townsend thanked the board for their work through out the year and summed up the successes. Travel Ken Blackmore added, “we will be looking to take at least one coach to every way match this season, using Coach Company of the Year Clarkes of London. CTSA members will continue to enjoy value for money and comfortable travel”. He went on to warn, “I have been looking at the 2012/3 away schedule and we will be travelling a lot further than last season!”

Words and pictures above courtesy of Colin Bowman

Notes of AGM 19 July 2012 – Redz Bar, CTFC- notes awaiting final approval but posted early in response to member enquiries!

Start time 1930

1. Ian T welcomed all to the meeting and thanked them for attending.

2. Apologies – There were a large number of apologies. Ian T read that sent by Henry Smith MP, who offered his full support

3. Chairman’s address.

“This time last year the Crawley Town Supporters Alliance was less than three weeks old. Since then we’ve hardly stopped for breath. We’ve sold memberships to approximately 800 people. We’ve organised travel to every away match including the Johnsons Paint Trophy. We’ve sold thousands of Golden Gamble tickets. We’ve funded football coaching for schools, we’ve invested in the Academy, collected Easter Eggs for Chestnut Tree House, and we’ve entertained Alan Hudson and a large group of partying Mauritians. We’ve had numerous meetings with the football club to raise your issues. We’ve organised signage, posters, flyers and merchandise, as well as building and maintaining a website, a Facebook page, and learning to tweet!

My apologies if I’ve missed anything- but the point I’m trying to make is that a relatively small number of volunteers have done all of that and more. All of your board members, and many of you here tonight, have taken time from their own lives- for some, lots of time- to do work designed to benefit our football club and our community. It hasn’t always been easy, and we aren’t yet finished.

You’ll hear more about our finances, our travel and our community initiatives shortly. Everything we’ve done this year we will aim to do better over the next twelve months. We’ve already added a collection of new member benefits, and if you look at our website you’ll see that we have support from Jarmans Hair Salon, Metrocars, the Glenwood School of Motoring, Hassocks Golf Club, and a new offer from Tile Depot. We expect to have more offers shortly and would like to thank these organisations for their support.

From a personal perspective, I’d like to thank all of you for your support. The most joyous moments of the season for me have come from my position as a Sergeant in Travel Ken’s Barmy Army! Great fun has been had by all- as many of the photographs displayed in the room and on our website testify rather too well- and even if we hadn’t got promotion we’d have a collection of wonderful memories. The fact we did actually get promotion, of course, makes those memories shine all the brighter! And I would particularly like to deliver a personal message to Andy Tester and Dan Palmer from Colonel Sanders. It says, simply, “Thank you for saving us from the recession”!

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank John Hooper, Colin Lowes and Simon Hall, who have all stepped down from the board. I’d like to thank Jason Bates for all of his help, even though work has yet again got in the way of him becoming a board member. And I’d like to thank my missus, not particularly for her help in stepping in as secretary when we struggled to recruit one, but mainly for putting up with me over the last couple of years. Being Chair has been rather stressful on occasions, and she’s needed to cope with me ignoring some of my family responsibilities and spending half my life on the phone or the Internet. It’s somebody else’s turn to take on the role now- I shall warn their partners what to expect!

We’ve a lot of work to do over the next season. The club is now in League One- and we too need to step up a division and deliver an even better service. See you on the coach to Millwall. And Portsmouth. And Sheffield United.

4. Extraordinary resolution

Extraordinary Resolution to amend Model Rule 85- change of accounting dates to 1st July to 30th June- and adoption of the draft model rules as shown on the CTSA website- vote from the members. Proposed by Simon Smith, seconded by Paul Prendergast.

Resolution carried unanimously.

5. Finance report

Treasurer Simon Smith gave his report. Following the amalgamation of the two former supporters organisations the monies from each was pooled together and a new account opened for the new organisation. The CTSA now bank with Lloyds bank and 2 signatories are required.

• All expenditure receipted

• Accounts available at the meeting.

• Profit on travel of over £1K

• Summary of finances circulated over the past year. Revenue £62K. Expenditure of £52K.Break-even basis if take off £10K donation.

Accounts approved. Finalised accounts will be sent to FSA.

6. Travel report- Ken Blackmore:

Our aim was to get as many people as possible to away games as cheaply as possible. We only went into profit during the last game of the season, but we took so many people our insurance costs will now rise so bang goes the profit! More people travelled than we ever imagined, and we’ve been very proud of our association with Clarkes coaches. Last season we offered fantastic coaches provided by the UK Coach Operator of the year at the lowest prices of any official travel provider in our league. We hope to do the same again this season.

Lots of hard work, and credit particularly to James for his help- and to Paul towards the second half of the season.

Ted Covey travelled to more away matches than anyone else last season and will get a trophy commemorating this. Well done Ted!

7. Community Report –Chris Cheshire on behalf of John Hooper/Colin Lowes

JH & CL have led on this for most of the season and the reins have been taken up by BR & CC.

• Football in the community- Object was to bring football to those children who may not be able to participate in weekly soccer sessions due to lack of finance.

Bewbush – 27 children participated, 10 sessions a term for each of the terms this year.

Broadfield East – 32 children participated, ten sessions per term. Overall cost approximately £2K

June – funded 6 places in CTFC soccer schools – Hilltop & Southgate Primary- and allowed the schools to use these as prizes for merit/effort etc.

• Centre of Excellence = we put in 5k and were promised a range of recognition including shirt sponsorship. These weren’t delivered.

Monies not used and now in hands of Steve Martin. Recommend that monies used to build new changing room with recognition forthcoming. Recommended that board allow monies to be used in this way. Approved.

8. Elections to the board

Ian Townsend was unanimously re-elected.

Matt Putland was unanimously elected.

Gill Courtnell was unanimously elected as Secretary.

Q&A Session

1. Did CTSA have any input into the new strip?

No, but Ian stated that the large white band on the new home shirt was unfortunately unflattering to the larger figure!

2. Did CTSA know about Centre of Excellence cutting down their size?

No. We were as surprised as all when it was announced that costs were being cut from the Centre of Excellence’s budget and operations being downgraded. Whilst we understand that the club must make sensible financial decisions- rather that than spend money they don’t have- we were disappointed. However the EPPP rules may mean we are not the only lower league club forced to make such a decision.

3. Do we need to stick to follow rules set out by football league for CENTRE of Excellence?

We believe that we do need to follow these rules to get accreditation – and that without this accreditation we will struggle to attract top quality players.

4. Could the CTSA look into whether it would be viable to run the teams for under 16’s under it’s umbrella? There is precedence for this- Brighton/Seagulls?

We will discuss with Steve Martin.

5. How many members have signed up so far?

We have 30% more members than this time last year. So far 120 members including 21 new members. Membership will undoubtedly start to grow rapidly once the season starts.

Next season we will be operating from new cabin- though we’re still using the old one temporarily.

6. Why don’t you have a child membership scheme this year?

The club are opening up a scheme for children.All Club Junior Redz will be charged CTSA member prices for travel.

7. We would like to thank the outgoing chair for his efforts throughout the year.

Thanks!

8. Do you have any information about the new Training ground?

No further information known.

Meeting closed at 8.15 PM