ytisa - correspondence with the club

letter 3 - ytfc (jean cotton, official supporters association) to ytisa

Miss S. Brimble,
The Secretary,
Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association

Our Ref: JRF/YTFC/2000

7th September, 2000

Dear Miss Brimble,

Re: Official Supporters Association Matters

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 24th August, 2000. Further to this I write to advise that all matters relating to our official supporter groups, also sponsors and customers of the Club, are now dealt with through the Yeovil Town Supporters Association, to whom I have forwarded your letter.

At the last supporters Association meeting, held at the Huish Park Stadium on Thursday, 31st August, 2000, the contents of your letter dated the 24th August were addressed and the following conclusions made:-

(a) There is no ill feeling from within the Official Club towards the Independent Supporters Association. The implementation of official club policy is essential for security reasons and to safeguard the future trading position of the Yeovil Town FC Company. The directors by law, cannot delegate their powers to unofficial independent persons or groups within the organisation. Yeovil Town FC is a limited liability company, which is being run by directors, legally appointed through the shareholding owners of the Club. The current directors are satisfied with the working relationship between the Vice Presidents, the Green & White Supporters Club and the main Club, which represents the official policies of the Board of Directors. The new Supporters Association is the direct link with the Directors, therefore at the time of writing there is no requirement to further fragment the structure or to change our policy, in fact we are pleased to be able to report a feeling of cooperation, optimism and progress within the Club. Perhaps your Independent Supporters Association management committee should review its own operations strategy in accordance with what is happening within the main club. We would advise you to change from attacking Club policies and individuals to that of cooperation, particularly in offering your help direct to the Club on match days, this would give you a lot more credibility.

(b) Your dispute with the official Green and White Supporters Club is strictly a matter for your committee members to resolve. Neither the Chairman, John Fry, the directors or the officials of the Supporters Association will comment on the position. The recruitment of members and the appointment of suitable individuals for the management committee is the sole responsibility of the Green & White Supporters Club, as this is a separate legal entity to Yeovil Town FC Ltd.

(c) It was confirmed that any unauthorised selling or distribution of merchandise or goods on the Huish Park premises or the unofficial use of the Club's logo on any products or publications, without the written permission of the directors, would be viewed as a serious breach of the Company Trading Regulations. It was also confirmed that the Commercial Manager, Mr. Alan Skirton, had written to the Independent Supporters Association advising of the position. The secretary of the Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association had acknowledged receipt of Mr. Skirton's instruction in her letter to the Club Chairman, dated the 24th August, 2000.

(d) It was agreed the timing was not right for either the Chairman of the Club or for the Supporters Association Members to meet with the Independent Supporters Association Committee, until the points (a) to (c) above have been resolved. Mr. Fry pointed out that in his capacity as Chairman of Yeovil Town FC, he had met with Mr. Kelly and several of his Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association Committee members at the start of last season, following which and after a lot of hard work, Mr. Fry successfully persuaded his directors to support a policy of building a roof at the home end of the stadium. After the initial meeting the Chairman extended an open invitation to meet with any supporters in his office as and when required. However, as far as Mr. Kelly was concerned instead of talking around the table, he decided to pursue a strategy of using the Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association by publicly condemning and opposing the policies and decisions of the Club Chairman and his directors. If there was now a change of direction by the Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association Committee, would there be a press statement making clear the position and who would be the new Yeovil town Independent Supporters Association member to negotiate with the Official Supporters Association?

We hope you understand our current position and await your reply in a spirit of cooperation.

Yours sincerely,

Jean Cotton
Secretary
and on behalf of the Official Supporters Association

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