Torquay United Official Supporters Club (TUOSC)

freddisley · Post by **freddisley** » 26 Sep 2016, 13:13

Totally against this new venture, If you check the similar model that this bloke bernard is, or was involved in Hull City, the majority of fans up there do not recognise it, do not wont it, but more importantly it was an agreement between the Hull owners and this new fan club to block out the existing fans club who were being very critical of the existing owners, does anyone see similarities here with our owners and the fans.
The board at Torquay are concerned about the continuing rise of the TUST, who are undoubtedly becoming more professional, more vocal and actually communicate with the supporters ,the board cannot control the TUST , they can and will control this new supporters club.
It is a deliberate attempt by the club to divide and rule and undermine the work of the TUST,

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 26 Sep 2016, 14:09

Balderdash. The club has already declared itself willing to work with TUST, but the Trust is not yet in a fit state to even part-own the club, though some representation on the board would be useful. What makes you think the TUST, at this stage in its development, would be any more successful at running the club than the current owners or, for that matter, any new owner?

fred disley · Post by **fred disley** » 26 Sep 2016, 14:29

Never said that TUST was anywhere near ready to run or even part run the football club, perhaps they never will be , certainly I am not even sure I would wish the TUST to run the club, but these are asides.
My argument is that this new supporters club will detract from our existing efforts to keep the club afloat, it will hive off money that would have gone to the TUST or the players fund, and more dangerous of all the directors/owners are involved and supporting it, why would they do it if not to divide the the fans and thus negate any organised criticism of them. Why can they not give there whole support to the TUST.
If you research the model that was foisted on the Hull fans it was never disputed by those running the new fans club that by joining your data can be sold commercially for profit and that by joining you agreed to the club doing a credit rating on you that they could store for any future use that suited them.

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 26 Sep 2016, 15:17

Gullscorer wrote:Balderdash. The club has already declared itself willing to work with TUST, but the Trust is not yet in a fit state to even part-own the club, though some representation on the board would be useful. What makes you think the TUST, at this stage in its development, would be any more successful at running the club than the current owners or, for that matter, any new owner?

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 26 Sep 2016, 15:19

So we are now asked to fork out for TUST membership and maybe the TUST monthly draw, and the Players Fund and now the Supporters Club. Not for me, I'm afraid. At least not until we see what direction it's going ..... On the pitch at half time, besides the BBC bloke, there was one or possibly two others (I couldn't work out who was - I thought the poor lad who was kept hanging around for ages before he took the crossbar challenge was one of the invisible committee members) Where were all the other supposed to be committee members? Who voted for them in the first place? I am not aware that a public meeting has taken place to set up this Supporters Club. As someone else has posted - total shambles. My one regret was that rain was forecast during the afternoon, but it didn't happen. I just wish it had p*ssed down during half time .........

Absolutelythirdrate · Post by **Absolutelythirdrate** » 26 Sep 2016, 17:50

I tend to agree with Fred Disley. This new initiative will only divert much needed funds away from other more important issues such as the players fund. I was there on Saturday and the half time " launch" was farcical. Let's face facts: TUFC is too small a club to have more than one supporters organisation. With or without a new supporters club, it would help matters enormously if the board had the sense and courage to arrange a public meeting for the supporters, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 26 Sep 2016, 18:06

I mentioned earlier about TUST militancy and a lot of the posts in this thread illustrate this. The TUST supporters appear to be saying only TUST and no else should represent the supporters. Gullscorer was right when he said every club should have a supporters club and the lack of one is one of the reasons why the club has become distanced from the supporters. There is nothing preventing someone belonging to both organisations. TUST and TUOSC exist to fulfill two completely seperate roles. If TUST succeed in taking over TUFC they are going to need the goodwill of every TUFC supporter, now is not the time to imitate Momentum because that is just going to alienate more people.

hector · Post by **hector** » 26 Sep 2016, 22:49

Gullscorer wrote:Balderdash. The club has already declared itself willing to work with TUST, but the Trust is not yet in a fit state to even part-own the club, though some representation on the board would be useful. What makes you think the TUST, at this stage in its development, would be any more successful at running the club than the current owners or, for that matter, any new owner?

They couldn't be less successful, let's face it.

The club pays lip-service to TUST and supporters in general.

They have messed TUST about, lulled them in and spat them out, then when GI disappear, start acting like they are communicating. A Fans Forum was promised but they have reneged on that pledge, whilst still asking fans to pay out extra money for a Players Fund and now this probably Masters-inspired, controlled Supporters Club. As pointed out elsewhere, this is a fop, a divide and rule strategy to confuse and sideline the TUST because a noisy TUST ask questions and demand answers and the club clearly do not like to have to answer them.

hector · Post by **hector** » 26 Sep 2016, 22:56

Plainmoor78 wrote:I mentioned earlier about TUST militancy and a lot of the posts in this thread illustrate this. The TUST supporters appear to be saying only TUST and no else should represent the supporters. Gullscorer was right when he said every club should have a supporters club and the lack of one is one of the reasons why the club has become distanced from the supporters. There is nothing preventing someone belonging to both organisations. TUST and TUOSC exist to fulfill two completely seperate roles. If TUST succeed in taking over TUFC they are going to need the goodwill of every TUFC supporter, now is not the time to imitate Momentum because that is just going to alienate more people.

Please explain how a democratic organisation like TUST is militant?

How does an 'Official' Supporters Club, where the committee has been handpicked and selected before the club has even been launched represent supporters more than TUST, where the equivalent of the committee are democratically voted for by supporters?

Which one of those organisations really represents supporters and acts accordingly to the wishes of supporters?

If you think TUST is militant, then join it and vote for someone who is more moderate. Sadly, you cannot do the same for the 'Official' supporters club because the committee is unelected and has been chosen for you. You still think that represents supporters? Do you really want the likes of Peter Masters telling supporters what to do?

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 27 Sep 2016, 00:04

hector wrote: How does an 'Official' Supporters Club, where the committee has been handpicked and selected before the club has even been launched represent supporters more than TUST, where the equivalent of the committee are democratically voted for by supporters?

Hector is absolutely right. Although I'm not a legal eagle, I question the legality of this 'official' supporters club. My belief is that to set up a club, a public meeting has to be called and officers - chairman, secretary, treasurer etc - have to be proposed, seconded and elected at the meeting. That is, in exactly the way TUST was formed and has operated. To my knowledge, a public meeting has not been called. It would be interesting to know what someone with a legal background thinks of this quango, because in effect that is what it is.

gullpower · Post by **gullpower** » 27 Sep 2016, 06:46

Plainmoor78 wrote:I mentioned earlier about TUST militancy and a lot of the posts in this thread illustrate this. The TUST supporters appear to be saying only TUST and no else should represent the supporters. Gullscorer was right when he said every club should have a supporters club and the lack of one is one of the reasons why the club has become distanced from the supporters. There is nothing preventing someone belonging to both organisations. TUST and TUOSC exist to fulfill two completely seperate roles. If TUST succeed in taking over TUFC they are going to need the goodwill of every TUFC supporter, now is not the time to imitate Momentum because that is just going to alienate more people.

If the TUOSC is not to be a rival to TUST in trying to secure the long term future of the club it would have been nice to see that stated in some way in the aims and objectives set out in the leaflet given out on Saturday.

However, it's not too late for the board to come out and say so if that was an oversight.

hector · Post by **hector** » 27 Sep 2016, 06:50

And surprise, surprise, it seems Bernard Noble, who is behind this, has links to Peter Masters (see TFF & BPIR). The Official Supporters Club is a ruse. It is there to confuse and undermine TUST. It should be avoided at all costs and supporters (if they really want THEIR voice heard) should join TUST.

If you want Peter Masters out of our club then do not join TUOSC.

gullpower · Post by **gullpower** » 27 Sep 2016, 06:50

hector wrote: Please explain how a democratic organisation like TUST is militant?

How does an 'Official' Supporters Club, where the committee has been handpicked and selected before the club has even been launched represent supporters more than TUST, where the equivalent of the committee are democratically voted for by supporters?

Which one of those organisations really represents supporters and acts accordingly to the wishes of supporters?

If you think TUST is militant, then join it and vote for someone who is more moderate. Sadly, you cannot do the same for the 'Official' supporters club because the committee is unelected and has been chosen for you. You still think that represents supporters? Do you really want the likes of Peter Masters telling supporters what to do?

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 27 Sep 2016, 18:29

hector wrote:A Fans Forum was promised but they have reneged on that pledge, .

Hector I assume from your posts you are a member of TUST, and as such receive email updates from the TUST. Let me remind of the one sent on 26th August 2016. It reports on a meeting between TUST and the club board. Under the heading Supporter Engagement it reported as follows:
'David Philips did however recognise the need to facilitate a fans forum in the near future as promised. However, in the short term it was felt this may not be as fruitful an exercise as anticipated. TUST would support this view.'
And don't expect TUST to tell you anything worth knowing from the independent financial review, as TUST has signed a nondisclosure agreement with the board.
If you go on the forums of clubs that are run by trusts you will find a common complaint is that they have come to resemble the pigs in Animal Farm.

hector · Post by **hector** » 27 Sep 2016, 23:07

Plainmoor78 wrote: Hector I assume from your posts you are a member of TUST, and as such receive email updates from the TUST. Let me remind of the one sent on 26th August 2016. It reports on a meeting between TUST and the club board. Under the heading Supporter Engagement it reported as follows:
'David Philips did however recognise the need to facilitate a fans forum in the near future as promised. However, in the short term it was felt this may not be as fruitful an exercise as anticipated. TUST would support this view.'
And don't expect TUST to tell you anything worth knowing from the independent financial review, as TUST has signed a nondisclosure agreement with the board.
If you go on the forums of clubs that are run by trusts you will find a common complaint is that they have come to resemble the pigs in Animal Farm.

But at least you can vote old Napoleon out in a TUST run club. The pigs standing on two legs now, supposed supporters but seemingly seeing fans as unwitting serfs, who'll happily pay money at the gate, into a Players Fund and now The Peter Masters' Official Supporters Club, cannot be voted out. They can be bought out, unless of course those buyers are fellow supporters.

All supporters are equal, just some are more equal than others.

Torquay United Fans Forum