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Alan Wills – @alanjwills

Alan discusses the Fans Forum

FANS FORUM

One of the issues with the previous custodians of our beloved football club was the lack of fan engagement, and in particular a Fans Forum (I’m not counting the pre-recorded one with no fans present).

In the new era, our club’s new custodians the Bryn Consortium decided to rectify that immediately with excellent communication up to now to our supporter base, and now their first Fans Forum on Monday evening.

The event took place with a likely capacity crowd in the newly refurbished “The Cove” (formally No.10s, Mr B’s and Laces Restaurant), which was re-painted by volunteers from the Torquay United Supporters Trust (TUST) including myself, and Mr Jonny Jones.

Being an exiled supporter, I watched this event on the live stream via YouTube, which got off to a slightly rough start during the introductions with a very low volume. Once that was rectified, there was a clear delay between the video and audio of several seconds, but this did not affect my viewing pleasure too much.

The presenters on the main table were: CEO Joe Lovell, Co-Chairmen Michael Westcott and Mark Bowes-Cavanagh, TUST Chairman (and new TUFC board member) Nick Brodrick, TUST board member Matt Gorman, and Consultant Mark Lovell.

Michael Westcott started proceedings by outlining the agenda for the evening. He emphasised that the future direction of club would be guided by its supporters. This is a breath of fresh air compared to the previous regime, and was clearly much welcomed by supporters in attendance.

The vision is for a well run fan-led sustainable club which operates preferably at League Two level, and has strong links to the community.

It was noted that they are putting clauses in the association documents to ensure that safeguards are in place to help prevent the situation the club found itself in ever happening again.

There was also a pledge of transparency towards the supporter base in the way the club is run, and the engagement of more younger people and women in particular.

Joe Lovell was up next to talk about the financial aspects of the club, which went some way to explaining why the club has been losing £1 million every year.

He reported that they have managed to improve the expected income by increasing the match day revenue with better season ticket sales and crowds in pre-season, significantly increased commercial sponsorship, and potentially hospitality (food and drink), whilst maintaining rental costs from the bowling club and facilities used by the school (e.g. the gym).

In the future, they hope that a revitalised youth scheme will unearth some gems to provide some much needed transfer income.

The outgoings were a bit of an-eye opener, with the playing budget last season being almost £1 million ! This has been slashed almost by half, but is still very competitive for the level that we are at, and is planned to be increased as the team hopefully progresses up the leagues.

Football Costs including the football management staff has also been reduced.

With the annual income projected to be £2.16 million and the costs projected to be £2.15 million, the club should break even next year.

This compares to an income last year of £1.7 million and costs of £2.7 million, which is where the £1 million loss came from.

What the previous custodians were thinking is beyond me!

However, you have to give kudos to the Bryn Consortium in the way that they have sought to plug this rather large hole which was left to pour money down the drain over several years.

The playing and management budget was just unsustainable at 54% of revenue, and is now down to a more reasonable 29%.

It may increase in the future as we go up the leagues, but there was an intention to limit it to 40% of revenue, which is sensible.

Any profits are likely to be invested in the club to improve the football, facilities and youth/women’s teams.

To safeguard the future of the Youth and Women’s teams, it was a stated intention that these teams would be placed under the Community Sports Trust, which is a registered charity. This would mean that any future owner of the football club could not close down the Women’s team (as has happened at Reading FC recently), and the Youth teams (as we have seen in the past at Torquay United).

Since taking the reins of the football club a few months ago, there has been an unbelievable amount of work going on, and the progress was outlined in a number of slides.

Highlights were the new playing squad and new management, the successful pre-season, the training facilities, the successful new kit launches, and increased sponsorship and season ticket sales.

They talked about improving the hospitality and match day experience, including a new away bar (not in view of the pitch).

The new ticketing system and better communication to supporters was mentioned, and stadium renovation.

The outside of the stadium is to be painted starting in September by a company whom are doing it for a very good rate as they want to help the club.

PROGRESS TO DATE

FAN ENGAGEMENT SURVEY

Michael Westcott then talked briefly about the Fan Engagement Survey, where they had a significant response from supporters all of whom wanted to have their say.

They talked about the demographics of supporters they would like to target, which were unrepresented, including females and younger people in particular.

It was mentioned that Torquay United has quite an elderly fanbase of loyal supporters.

They also stated their intention to try to grow a fanbase in places such as the South Hams, which they believed to be untapped.

THE TUST COMMUNITY SHARE ISSUE

The key points were as follows:

Any contributors are not going to see their money back
£100,000 will give us a golden share in the football club, a 2nd place on the board, and 18% share in the club
Anything over £100,000 will be invested in the club
Timeline: Over next week or two
Application forms will be online. Contributions will start at £250
Up to £5,000 can be contributed through the crowd funder website
£25,000 max per person (!)

There are basically two tiers of membership: Gold (£250 contribution) and Platinum (£1,000+ contribution).

All contributors will be able to have their name in the material on the 3rd shirt to be launched in October.

Gold members’ names will be very small, with Platinum members’ names slightly larger.

It was stated that you need to be a TUST member to invest.

The website is ready to go for the membership application, but they are awaiting approvals of the legal documents.

The evening concluded with a Q&A session, here’s a summary of the answers given:

There will essentially be a steering group through board member from TUST, and he will also represent fans whom are non-members
Fans Forums are likely to be quarterly. The next one could be around November.
They intend to use the stadium in the close season for a concert/festival/events to bring in more income.
On the football side, they are looking at potential loan deals around Christmas if required.
Oskar Threlkeld is fit. He just took a knock in the Plymouth game. He would have played if it was a league game. He lives up north.
Golden share is a protection against stadium move, club colours or club name.
Need a 2,400 crowd to break even (as it was last year).
There are number of women’s fixtures intended to be played at Plainmoor this season
The worn Bristows Bench sign is likely to be fixed at the end of next season as needs a heavy cherry picker on the newly laid pitch
The Community share issue might go internationally
It is not in the plans to do a TUST investment on an annual basis, but may try to raise more money for a specific purpose
The Community share issue will be available for a four week period on the Crowdfunder website. It can be extended for another four weeks if needed. Waiting for document approval at the moment.
Paying off creditors was part of the original investment. Not part of profit and loss covered in the slides above .
Looking into sponsorship for the Travel Club
Creating a TikTok account is on their ToDo list
16,000 individuals bought a ticket to a game last season. This is untapped potential.
There have been a few conversations with the council about having a retail unit in town to sell merch and tickets
There is a 50/50 split on merch between 51% online and 49% in the physical club shop.
Discussions about more engagement of younger fans. Giving considerable thought, including directors having a pint with them in Boots before match
Discussed with Safety Advisory group about beer in view of the pitch, but they are not keen. Hope to go up a level to where beer is not allowed anyway.
There is a license to sell beer on Pop side, but nowhere to drink it. Talking to Bowls Club about using their bar on match days.
Menus to potentially be put on website for pre-match meals, and communicate the details better.
Great feedback for food from sponsors of Plymouth game.
Fanzone before home match days – TUST will talk to new Operations Manager once appointed. Also to discuss Matchday Ambassador.
Safety Advisory Group pressuring council to fix pavement potholes outside the ground
Structurally, the stadium is sound, even the rusty girders. There will be some remedial work though, when required.
There is a limit on free tickets you can give away in a season, but there will be Community Days like previous years.
Half time refreshment bars queuing – Perhaps open other hatch just for drinks? Drinks/pasty sellers walking along popside perhaps?
Disabled section improvement – Constrained about the space we have. No plans at moment.
Use of the away end if not many away fans? Will consider if required.
Half time entertainment – looking into it.
Saturday live band in Boots & Laces? After the game to keep fans in the bar.
Cannot do everything this season. PA system, Boots renovation, etc will wait for next season or after.
Possibility to go into away end for 2nd half? Costs extra stewarding though, so only for big crowds.

All in all, in the nearly three hours, there was a plethora of information presented, which is a testament to the new transparency that the Bryn Consortium have introduced since taking control of the club.

In my opinion, we have to thank them for their huge effort to ensure that we have a club to support this season, and indeed a club to be proud of!

I for one cannot wait for the first season in the new fan-led era to begin!