Trust needs your support

Charlton fans have revisited the idea of forming a trust and a motion has been carried that a Supporters Trust should be created to harness the backing of all Addicks.

The main objectives are to represent the fans and positively engage with the club as it progresses in the future. A core objective is 'To preserve Charlton Athletic Football Club for this and future generations.' The Trust notes, 'Most of the clubs Charlton compete with benefit from a strong and vibrant Supporters Trust and now, as the team and club are building for the future, is the time for Charlton fans to show their support and join us to help make the Trust and the club a success.'

The Trust states, 'This can firstly be done by attending our next meeting which is on Tuesday 25th September. We will be voting again to endorse the Trust and Supporters Direct will be attending. Secondly, by registering your support and subscribing to our mail list subscribe@castrust.org - please include your full name, date of birth, email and postal address. We will also soon be starting a membership scheme that fans can participate in.'

'For further information on the Trust please visit our website www.castrust.org and ‘like’ our Facebook page www.facebook.com/castrust we can also be reached on twitter @castrust and email to enquiries@castrust.org.'

With the Supporters Club no longer functioning except through individual branches such as West Sussex fans need a collective voice. Indeed, it is questionable whether the Supporters Club ever functioned in that way. Even the fans director was hemmed in by the requirements of company law and commercial confidentiality.

Let us hope that it is possible to establish a positive and constructive relationship with the club which will enable the Trust to contribute to its success and development.

Some consider that the pattern of activity in the transfer window suggests that the financial challenges at the club have now gone and it is certainly the case that the immediate concerns have dissipated. It is understood that the Inland Revenue has been paid, so threats of a winding up order have disappeared. Wages were paid in full at the end of August. Whether invoices outstanding from March, when the underlying financial position appeared to deteriorate, have been settled cannot be known.

How much of the Sky TV and season ticket money has also been committed is an interesting question. However, a gate of 21,000 is forecast for Friday, generating around 10,000 walk up sales which will be a useful contribution to cash flow.