Sometimes businesses take a step back to move forward, recognising that change is essential to survive in a fiercely competitive market, consider what their future aspirations are, plan the vital steps how to get there and move on. Essential to that being successful, are key stakeholders sharing that vision and working together to seek to achieve it, honestly and collaboratively.
On Monday night (24th June), sharing that desire to work together to see our football club progress, the key stakeholders of Berwick Rangers held the first, of what will be a regular rhythm, of meetings between delegates of The Club Board, Supporters Club Board and Supporters Trust Board to work together to take the club forward in the best possible way.
Our Club Chairman walked the group through the club’s draft financial strategy, delving deeply in to detail of forecast income streams and likely expenditure burdens, facilitated conversations, inviting challenging questions and leading the group to a successful conclusion. A profound outcome was an agreement between Matty Moor and I, the respective organisation Chairmen, and those representing both Supporters organisations , that both issue statements of unified support for The Club Board.
Other things that were discussed were the stadium upkeep and future strategy, progress on player appointments, coaching appointments and future player development, all of which we demonstrably saw are being worked on, and know now will figure in future club communication releases, when positive and conclusive outcomes have been reached. Again, all delegates were comfortable that this was a reasonable and effective strategy.
In addition, another very positive outcome, is that both Supporters Club and Supporters Trust will have Club Director representation at all our future Board meetings, so we can ensure our respective members are provided with real-time updates from The Club Board.
With such collaboration on communication between The Club, and both supporter membership groups, we hope that our working together will transcend the deep pain we’ve all felt over the last months, and change the small minority of our supporters social media themes. Those being to leave the past behind, and progress to more balanced and possibly even optimistic comments, recognising that entrenched negativity can be counter productive to progress and even, perversely, to recruitment of new vital personnel they crave.
That’s not to say that we in The Trust, or our colleagues in The Supporters Club, will become passive on behalf of our members; quite the contrary, the meeting showed to me that honest, professionally conducted discussion, debate and resolution has happened and will happen as we move forward together.
For my part, I’m looking forward to building my friendship with Matty as, when we met a week or so ago, we found strong and passionate common ground for creating a pathway for young players from our community, seeing more interaction with the club and young people in general, and taking strong strides to becoming the community hub we all want Berwick Rangers Football Club to be.
Andrew Allan
