Trust putting forward plan for the future
CHELTENHAM Town’s supporters trust has outlined its vision for the future of the club following relegation to Sky Bet League Two,
The Robins Trust, now the third-biggest shareholder in the club, has produced Cheltenham Town: Building for the Future,a document which it has shared with the club’s fans, board and controlling shareholders.
The Trust says the aim of the document is “to be the starting point for an exciting plan for the future – one that unites and galvanises the supporters, the Trust, the club’s board and staff and significant shareholders.
“It is not a list of demands, nor is it a final document. We want to collaborate and invite feedback and comments from the entire Cheltenham Town family to make this work.
“We want to take stock of the club’s achievements and identify areas where improvements can be made to maximise potential and break through the current glass ceiling.”
The ideas are presented in six areas – driving modernisation and becoming proactive, ground development and asset management, creating a volunteer army, improving fan engagement, being an anchor organisation in the community, and celebrating diversity and reflecting the fan base.
The document adds: “It is our belief that for our club to be a forward-thinking, ambitious and stable club, thriving in the EFL and serving our community, many of the things below must happen.
“Most of the actions below require the club to operate a new staffing model, one that puts greater emphasis on what goes on off the pitch.
“We are realistic enough to appreciate that this will come at an expense – at least in the shortterm – to the playing budget, but in the long-term we are confident all these initiatives will create long-term payback and value.”
One of the key suggestions is the appointment of a managing director or chief executive – seen as “essential” to bring together the football and commercial sides of the club. The Robins are one of just a handful of EFL clubs without such a person in place, operating with a mostly voluntary board of directors.
“We believe the appointment of a senior executive is essential if the club is to become a modern, forward-thinking and aspirational football club,” the document says.