RST Policy Paper 2013

[Stimpy 0]

Rangers Supportersâ?? Trust Policy for 2013

 

The Rangers Supportersâ?? Trust (The RST) is an Industrial & Provident Society with 3 core objectives which can be defined as:

1. Wider Share Ownership

2. Supporter Representation

3. Defending the Reputation of the Rangers Family

 

The rules of the Trust alongside our annual accounts, AGM minutes and all relevant documentation for joining the RST can be found at our website.

The RST is FSA registered, backed by UEFA and national governments via Supporters Direct.

 

The annually elected board meet throughout the year to assure membersâ?? interests are at the heart of our decision making process.

 

Members can currently communicate via our website or our social media sites (twitter/Facebook), which have the biggest following of any UK Trust. Moreover, we have a members only Facebook page where members can communicate directly to the board on any subject they feel relevant.

 

Working With Members:

Members are the heart of the RST and through our growth in social media we have communicated directly with members, and prospective members, to better understand what members need and want. However, we understand for the Trust to continue growing members have to have become more involved in forming Trust policy.

 

With this in mind in 2013 we will establish an innovative Customer Relationship Management System enabling members to engage, vote and shape RST policy. Moreover, members will take charge of their own account. The board are committing to March for the launch of the CRM System.

 

Working with the Clubâ??s New Ownersâ??:

Solidifying the already professional relationship with Charles Green and the Rangers Board is paramount to the success of the Club and the Rangers Supportersâ?? Trust. Rangers FC is marching back to the top and the fans are at the heart of the Clubâ??s rise.

 

The mutual benefits of fans and Club working in tandem will accelerate the growth of Rangers. The RST is the only independent fan vehicle movement for wider ownership and effective representation. Therefore, discussing and proposing our vision of fan representation on the PLC board makes up part of our key priorities for 2013.

 

It is imperative fans work with Rangers after Craig Whyteâ??s disgraceful actions; working together ensures Rangersâ?? prosperity which is the aim of all involved.

 

BuyRangers.org:

In December the RST launched BuyRangers with members, old and new, collectively raising and investing £250,000 in the Clubâ??s IPO in under a week. The Trust Board view this fantastic achievement as the start of the journey to greater fan ownership.

 

BuyRangers.org is still live and accepting investment from fans and the board aim to develop the project in the following year.

 

Defending the Club and Fans:

A scan of our website will show the boardâ??s commitment to defending the Rangers family against the numerous scandalous accusations thrown our way weekly. The RST will endeavour to challenge such behaviour and act accordingly.

 

Via our media work, which has the highest profile of any Trust in the UK, and press releases the RST has continued to challenge the validity of football authoritiesâ?? witch-hunt, aided and abetted by a compliant Scottish media, against our club.

 

Key Priorities for 2013:

· Work closer with RST members in order to be fully representative of our membership and to grow the RST.

 

· Build on the professional relationship with the Clubâ??s board and work for the mutual benefit of all the Rangers family

 

· Develop the BuyRangers community share scheme to further increase fan ownership and seek independent professional advice from experts in the field of finance

 

· Discuss effective fan representation with the aim of a supporter representative on the PLC Board

 

· Set-up and work with fan groups in the formation of an 1872 membership scheme

 

· Continue to defend the reputation of the Rangers family in the media and online

[Bluedell 5,366]

Thanks, mate. Looking forward to hearing details of the membership scheme. Would this be done outside of the club? Would it be a cash generating vehicle for the club?

 

What about the potential disenfranchisement of the non buyrangers members? It's a concern of mine and would be interested in how you see it working going forward. I'm a full member of the RST and there shouldn't be any policy issues that I don't have a say on.

[GovanAllan 0]

Is the Memebrship Scheme totally separate from the RST & BuyRangers?

 

Full member also BD but I don't think any RST member who didn't buy into the BuyRangers Scheme should have a say in anything it does.

Edited February 22, 2013 by GovanAllan

[Bluedell 5,366]

Full member also BD but I don't think any RST member who didn't buy into the BuyRangers Scheme should have a say in anything it does.

 

 

Where do you draw the line?

 

Let's say hypothetically that a vote of RST members was taken and a majority voted against the renaming of the stadium but a vote of buyrangers members voted for it. What is the RST policy on it? Could we have the situation whereby the RST are actively campaigning against the the renaming but the RST votes at the AGM are made in favour of it?

 

There's also the issue that the rules of the RST don't allow for members to be prevented from voting on certain issues. I'd like to know how this is all going to work.

[Frankie 8,190]

I particularly like the idea of a membership scheme but I do feel this should be something the club instigate.

[craig 5,199]

A membership scheme, for me, is a great idea depending on what the proceeds were to be used for.

 

If, for example, you paid in even 3 quid a month (price of a pint) and you got 100,000 paying members (we had more than that in Manchester) then you would be looking at 300k a month - or 3.6 million in a year. Those funds could then be combined at the end of a year to purchase more shares in the club or even to buy Ibrox (on a discounted interest loan to the club) - effectively a number of things could be done with the funds.

 

Once in control of the club the members could continue to pay the 3 quid a month and this would, in essence, be an annual transfer kitty - assuming that the club could be run on a break-even basis from the other revenue streams.

 

There would be many issues with this as some people would "want something" for their membership fee whilst others would see it as being a contribution to the club and either ensuring its safety or enhancing its financial position or enhancing the standard of playing staff etc etc.

 

The above is simplistic but it does have potential....

[Zappa 0]

I particularly like the idea of a membership scheme but I do feel this should be something the club instigate.

 

Agreed because that's the only way a membership scheme would get a large enough number of subscribers to make it worthwhile.

[Stimpy 0]

I particularly like the idea of a membership scheme but I do feel this should be something the club instigate.

 

 

So do I. It's something all fans should get some sort of say on IMO. Fan groups and website the likes of TRS getting involved too.

[Stimpy 0]

Thanks, mate. Looking forward to hearing details of the membership scheme. Would this be done outside of the club? Would it be a cash generating vehicle for the club?

 

What about the potential disenfranchisement of the non buyrangers members? It's a concern of mine and would be interested in how you see it working going forward. I'm a full member of the RST and there shouldn't be any policy issues that I don't have a say on.

 

The CRM System will provide a platform for all RST members to help shape policy and vote. Seen little snippets and any doubts on anything is where members should stick the thread in and members vote.

[GovanAllan 0]

Where do you draw the line?

 

Let's say hypothetically that a vote of RST members was taken and a majority voted against the renaming of the stadium but a vote of buyrangers members voted for it. What is the RST policy on it? Could we have the situation whereby the RST are actively campaigning against the the renaming but the RST votes at the AGM are made in favour of it?

 

There's also the issue that the rules of the RST don't allow for members to be prevented from voting on certain issues. I'd like to know how this is all going to work.

 

I understand but then you can look at that both ways, is it fair for BuyRangers members to have their views overuled by members who wouldn't or couldn't buy in. What's the point of buying in if the you actually don't have a say.

 

As you say its very complex it will be interesting to see how the CRM system works