ytisa - correspondence with the club

letter 4 - ytisa (sara brimble) to ytfc (john fry)

Mr. J Fry
Yeovil Town Football Club
Huish Park
Lufton Way
Yeovil
Somerset
BA22 8YF

Your ref: JRF/YTFC/2000

21 September 2000

Dear Jean

re: Supporters Association Matters

Thank you for your letter dated 7 September 2000 to which I would make the following points.

In reference to part (a) of your letter in which you suggest our committee review our operations strategy in accordance with what is happening within the club, I would point out that this has been our intention since the new Official Supporters Association was launched. This was what led to my initial conversation with club chairman John Fry during which I informed him of our intentions to enable us to work alongside other associations in existence at the club. I refute your suggestions that we attack club policies and would invite you to supply me with examples of such instances when this has taken place. I do not recall any occasion when our committee has publicly condemned the club. I acknowledge that in the past there have been personal grievances between club chairman John Fry and YTISA chairman Mark Kelly, however these were very much personal differences which to my recollection related to neither current issues or the independent supporters association in any way. We fully hope that these differences are now a thing of the past and can assure you that our Chairman is more than willing to cooperate for the good of the football club.

On the issue of offering our help to the club on match days I would turn your attention to the meat draw that takes place in the supporters social club prior to every home match. This is organised and run by members of the YTISA and all money raised is given direct to the club on the understanding that it is donated to the Erection 2000 appeal. Alan Skirton's letter of 22 August 2000 both acknowledges this and goes on to thank us for our efforts. Would you please ensure that the Official Supporters Association is made aware of this.

Moving on to point (b) of your letter I note your position with regard to recruitment to the Green & White Supporters Club and will therefore ensure that any further action relating to this matter is taken up directly with them. However, I do consider that an association that has direct affiliation to Yeovil Town Football Club should be seen to be acting in a democratic manner as it does reflect badly on the club otherwise.

Point (c); having discussed the situation with the committee of the YTISA it has been agreed that we will no longer print any merchandise bearing the Yeovil Town crest, in the spirit of cooperation. We fully intend to continue producing our own merchandise not bearing the crest and selling this off YTFC premises. To make clear our position with regard to the YTISA fanzine entitled 'Independent Barmy Army'. We have no intention of ceasing our publication of this fanzine as we do not use the name of Yeovil Town Football Club in it's title and we do not use the club crest. We also print a clear disclaimer inside the front cover of every issue advising readers that the views of 'Independent Barmy Army' are not those of Yeovil Town Football Club, but are those of individual contributors. Our readers are therefore made fully aware that they are purchasing an independent publication. It should also be noted that we have not at any time since we started the fanzine used it as a means of attacking the football club in any way. It is a light hearted publication which has been received extremely positively by the fans and has also received great acclaim from past players who have given interviews that have appeared in the fanzine.

I am not aware of how you anticipate points (a) to (c) being resolved, or indeed whether this letter suffices in such a resolution. Could you please advise us further on this.

In reference to paragraph (d). I appreciate that Mr. Fry worked hard to persuade his directors to support the roof policy but I am most surprised by your comments stating that Mr. Kelly was not interested in sitting around a table and pursued a strategy of public condemnation and opposition. If you refer back to last year you will find that Mr. Kelly was an active member of the Erection 2000 committee for many months and helped to raise several thousand pounds in support of the appeal. Since he stepped down as a committee member he has continued effortlessly to raise money in support of the appeal. The YTISA also made a donation of £756.00 to the fund last season.

On a final note, the direction of the YTISA has always been to raise fluids to give directly back to the club and to act in its best interests. I strongly believe that a club the size and stature of Yeovil Town has enough room for an independent supporters association and should listen to such a large proportion of their fans who have intimated that this is what they want. I would point out that the independent supporters association membership register currently equates to over 10% of the football club's fan base, based on an estimation of 2,500 fans per home game.

We are more than happy to release a press statement making clear our position and I am prepared to put myself forward to act on behalf of the YTISA when negotiating with the Official Supporters Association. Obviously though, negotiation is a two way process which I am sure you understand.

I look forward to receiving your further comments and ensure you that cooperation has been our sole intent since I initially approached John Fry on 19 August 2000.

Yours sincerely

Sara Brimble
Secretary YTISA

Original to Jean Cotton, Secretary Yeovil Town Football Club

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