Bolton Legends match

Being stuck in the past with many aspects of my life, this is a fine opportunity to reminisce in full, wide screen, technicolor.

I've not only bought a ticket for the game (reduced to £5 for old farts), but have also decided to go to the evening event, (slightly more at £45), where some of the players will turn up.

I'm quite looking forward to it, and wondered if anyone else is going?

I'm going to the game but not the after party. Taking my lad to show him what real bolton players are

not booked it yet, who have they got lined up so far? If Campo comes over i may make the effort

If Campo comes over get him in tomorrows team.

She wasn't sure how many would turn up, but they expect a few if not most.

booked it when they came out, "he came from real Madrid, he didn't cost a quid....", been teaching the youngest...

I see Jay Jay Okocha is now playing. Worth the ticket money just to see him. First visit in 10 year apparently.

Think I might be going Glos. I'll give you a ring nearer the time once I have confirmed it.

I don't want to be a wet blanket and I applaud the initiative but what is the point of the match (and the meal afterwards)?

What I mean, is it to raise money for the club, or the charity, or the ST, or all three, or for something else?

Also who is stumping up the money to arrange it all?

Ok I guess the players are playing for free and maybe even paying their own expenses but there will be costs such as stewarding, policing, catering, security, etc, etc.

Apparently it is the ST and the Community Trust who are 'hosting' the event so is the club providing free use of the ground and evening venue or does the ST have to pay?

I could understand the club running the event and taking the profits from it - it needs the money after all!  I can understand if the club charges for supplying the ground, venue, stewarding, etc.

I can understand the Community Trust (which is a charity) running it to raise funds (I assume such a thing is permissible under their constitution).

I can't however understand the ST's involvement - not least because they have yet to be even constituted and the match is slap bang in the middle between the ST calling its first elections and them actually taking place.

In UK elections (parliamentary and local) such a thing is strictly forbidden.  This is called 'purdah' and basically it stops candidates gaining an advantage by doing something in the run up to the election that may be seen to be favourable to them and which would help them get elected.

I would have thought if the match was for the benefit of the ST only, then the game could equally well be played at the end of the summer and before next season starts and more pertinently AFTER their FIRST election has been held!

Why is the ST even running a fund raising venture (if that is what they are doing) as they couldn't even say what the £9 pound of everybody's £10 pound joining fee would be spent on (it being only one pound to enrol as a member of the ST)?

I wonder how many on the (non elected) Steering Group will be standing in their forthcoming elections being held conveniently a few weeks after the 'feel good' Legends match and evening event?

Oh dear.

Sluffy its a game of football to raise money for the Community Trust  and the ST, nothing more. Your paranoia about the ST is getting out of hand 

The ST have been sending out a link to a survey for members to put across what they want the ST to do and what kind of involvement they should have in the club so they are going to have to listen to what members such as myself think and want from them.

Bloody hell Sluffy, you've gone off on one here.

For me, its a kickabout football match, involving players who were committed to the game, and the club. The meal afterwards will give me the opportunity to see and speak to them, along with a meal and entertainment thrown in.
Charities will benefit, and so will I, other than that, I don't really care. To be honest, if the ST is helped to establish itself as well, then I have no problem with it.

Reebok Trotter wrote:Think I might be going Glos. I'll give you a ring nearer the time once I have confirmed it.

OK mate.
tks

It's not paranoia at all, it is about accountability to me and being scrupulously honest.

I've worked in the public sector for many years and have seen first hand some of the 'games' people have played to gain power.  I have also seen people sent to prison for doing so too.

I'm not suggesting gaining power to a ST is quite in the same league as that but at the end of the day some people do try to gain power and influence over others by fair means or foul.

If the reason behind the game is to raise money for the club or the Community trust, then that is a noble and worthy cause.  However if the idea is for some to get a high profile from a very popular event just weeks away from an election they are involved in then the motives may not be quite so honourable.

Norpig wrote:Sluffy its a game of football to raise money for the Community Trust  and the ST, nothing more. Your paranoia about the ST is getting out of hand 

The ST have been sending out a link to a survey for members to put across what they want the ST to do and what kind of involvement they should have in the club so they are going to have to listen to what members such as myself think and want from them.

I forgot to fill my survey in. Got a reminder today.

Sluffy wrote:It's not paranoia at all, it is about accountability to me and being scrupulously honest.

I've worked in the public sector for many years and have seen first hand some of the 'games' people have played to gain power.  I have also seen people sent to prison for doing so too.

I'm not suggesting gaining power to a ST is quite in the same league as that but at the end of the day some people do try to gain power and influence over others by fair means or foul.

If the reason behind the game is to raise money for the club or the Community trust, then that is a noble and worthy cause.  However if the idea is for some to get a high profile from a very popular event just weeks away from an election they are involved in then the motives may not be quite so honourable.

Who specifically from the ST have you seen tagging their name onto the Legends game in order to try and increase their chances of election?

bwfc1874 wrote:

Sluffy wrote:It's not paranoia at all, it is about accountability to me and being scrupulously honest.

I've worked in the public sector for many years and have seen first hand some of the 'games' people have played to gain power.  I have also seen people sent to prison for doing so too.

I'm not suggesting gaining power to a ST is quite in the same league as that but at the end of the day some people do try to gain power and influence over others by fair means or foul.

If the reason behind the game is to raise money for the club or the Community trust, then that is a noble and worthy cause.  However if the idea is for some to get a high profile from a very popular event just weeks away from an election they are involved in then the motives may not be quite so honourable.

Who specifically from the ST have you seen tagging their name onto the Legends game in order to try and increase their chances of election?

Nobody as the nominations haven't been made yet but following the last public meeting it was reported that a number of the ST's Steering Group stated their intention of standing.

Let me make myself clear on my stance of the ST.

I have no objection what so ever to an independent BWFC Supporters Trust, who through democratic elections establish a mandate on the way forward (in line with its constitution), endorsed by its members and accountable to them.

The fact of the matter is that they have not achieved that point, are not yet constituted and the only people yet to be given any mandate at all is an unelected Steering Group tasked with the sole objective of bringing about the initial AGM elections.

It is blatantly clear that the Steering Group has involved itself on a multitude of issues not involved with the task it was set, not least to set itself up as a rival competitor to Holdsworth in an attempt to buy the club at the behest of the then current owners agent Trevor Birch.

Although a Legends football match is highly desirable to everyone, I doubt very much that it is anything at all to do with the establishment of ST elections and therefore I can't understand the Steering Groups involvement, particularly knowing it will be held AFTER their elections have been called but BEFORE they are held - a period of time known as 'purdah' in UK elections (parliamentary and locals).

Yes I know a local town's elections for a ST is not on the same scale of importance as national and/or local public elections but never the less I would have thought it would be in everybody's interest (including any potential candidates from the serving Steering Group) to use best practice and observe purdah during the period between the elections being called and the elections being held.

I don't think that to be unreasonable and hence my comments.

i think you read way too much into things to be honest Sluffy, we are talking about a supporters trust with only a few thousand members and a club now in league 1

Phil Brown is the latest name confirmed for this

Seems he'll do anything to get in through the front door.