Robins Trust Email - Cheltenham Town: Building for the Future

[Si Robin]

Have received an excellent email from the Trust designed with the future of both the club and the Trust going forward. It is extremely long winded so won't post everything, but here's the main parts:

The Trust's Statement
The Robins Trust is keen to work with Cheltenham Town Football Club on a strategic review aimed at building on past successes and positioning our club for the future.

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 Trust Board has been working on proposals that we believe will assist the Club in developing an aspirational plan for the future.

Put simply, the more that we can grow the club off the field, the more we can grow on it.

...

The main document below presents our ideas under the following themes:
• Driving modernisation and becoming proactive - starting with the independent and formal strategic review.
• Ground development and asset management - creating a timetable for ground development and driving revenue growth at Seasons.
• Creating a volunteer army - unleashing and valuing the talent and dedication of fans who can help deliver projects and matchday operations.
• Improving supporter engagement - going beyond minimum EFL and regulatory requirements to make CTFC an exemplar.
• Being an anchor organisation in our community - an ambition to make CTFC a key institution in the town and county and a hub for business and community networks.
• Celebrating diversity and reflecting the fan base - steps to make CTFC a more welcoming place to visit because a more diverse fanbase is a larger fanbase.


The document goes into a lot more detail on each of these points. I really hope the club sit up and take notice.

[Warwickshire Robin]

The document goes into a lot more detail on each of these points. I really hope the club sit up and take notice.

I agree an excellent well thought out and constructed email. However, with regard to your final point, alarm bells are already ringing for me with this excerpt form the same email:-

"Through the FSA the Trust were introduced to a firm of master-planners and architects who have a rich experience in stadium development.

Meetings were held and documents detailing the site were shared, we introduced the firm to the Club and an onsite ground survey of both the Main Stand and Prestbury Road end was carried out.

The Club Board have chosen to speak to another company. It is not clear what steps have been taken since."

[horlickfanclub]

Why is that alarming? Seeking more than one opinion seems wise to me.

[Shade]

Agreed. You don't just speak to one firm if others are available.

[Warwickshire Robin]

Agreed. You don't just speak to one firm if others are available.

Fine with talking to others but if the Robins Trust, who I thought were part of the Club board, are not being kept up to speed this is what has me a little concerned.

[Leckyfan]

Not yet mentioned here is the first key recommendation from this (excellent, constructive) paper produced by the Trust:

DRIVING MODERNISATION: BECOMING PROACTIVE

Cheltenham Town is an outlier in the EFL in that it is one of a small handful of clubs without anyone in a senior executive management position - a CEO or Managing Director.

Instead, the Club operates with a mostly voluntary Board of Directors and with a small number of full-time staff performing certain specific functions.

We believe the appointment of a senior executive is essential if the club is to become the modern, forward-thinking and aspirational football club we all want it to be.

A senior executive will deliver the step change needed around commercial performance, which is vital for realising long-term potential, if not survival.

A senior executive will also bring together the commercial and football sides of the business and have daily management oversight of budgets and target.

It will also be the facilitating factor in helping all of the initiatives below to become reality.

We recognise that the appointment of a talented senior executive will cost money, at a time when the club is forecasting a loss.

However, there is plenty of evidence to show that a talented individual in such a role can significantly drive up revenue.

We can point to a recent example where a CEO doubled a club’s (a similar size and turnover to Cheltenham) annual revenues while simultaneously overseeing significantly increased attendances and elevating community and fan engagement.

There is a wealth of untapped potential for the Club to develop in this area and we see the appointment of a senior executive, reporting to the Board of Directors, being the key to unlocking that potential.

A good senior executive will develop the Club’s culture and be responsible for leading an energised and productive team of staff and allow the Board of Directors to spend their valuable time on other activities to grow the Club.

We have no doubt that the right appointment will pay for itself and then some (and quite quickly) and will enable the Club to better achieve its other objectives.

[Emphasis added]

Debate!

[Fuller]

Fantastic effort by James Young and The Trust.
Why people can’t just acknowledge and praise that is beyond me.
Too much continual nitpicking on here for my liking.

[Robin]

That's absolutely brilliant by the trust fair play. Really hope to see some tangible outcomes in the coming weeks and months.

I will get accused of bashing but I suspect this is what most wanted to see from the board at the forum.

[asl]

Hang on Fuller, the email says: "We would love to hear your thoughts, comments – whether they are good or critical, it all helps to shape the narrative."

The intention is to generate debate.

[Artemis]

Not only is the Trust represented by Dave on the board, it is also the third biggest shareholder. Great to see one of the major owners airing its views, and instigating and publicising activities to take our club forward.

[Lord Elpuz]

An excellent, well thought out and well presented document. If taken seriously, as indeed it deserves to be within the Board Room, this may well secure the services of Darrell Clarke for the foreseeable future. A very timely intervention, given the recent Forum debacle.

[andgarod]

An excellent starting point
The trust need to drive this

There is only one thing missing from the trust and that is a substantial amount of investment
Unfortunately not just at CTFC but every where in footy money talks

[art vandalay]

Positive move by the trust.

[Horteng]

Why is that alarming? Seeking more than one opinion seems wise to me.

The issue is they appear to be working against each other not with each other. Get various companies to look into it obviously but do it together not behind each others back.

[horlickfanclub]

A CEO or money in the playing budget ? Players get my vote.

[Jerry St Clair]

Excellent from the Trust. Bravo. Worth noting that the core group on the trust is pretty small so they’re punching above their weight with this thoughtful, ambitious document.

Up to us Trust members to get behind it and offer practical support. Can’t expect a dozen people doing it in their spare time to do it all.

[longmover]

The trust have pulled a blinder here which should cause a few red faces amongst the board, The board need help and hopefully full collaboration with the trust can get us all pointing and aiming in the right direction.

[hookyrobin]

Hi all,

Following sharing this with the other owners and the Club board on Tuesday, then the release to Trust members yesterday, we're now sharing this with the rest of the CTFC family.

If you have any comments or suggestions, or would like to help with this process, please contact us via info@robinstrust.org - or any of our social media channels.

Cheltenham Town: Building for the Future

https://www.robinstrust.org/posts/state ... pril-2024/

The Robins Trust Board

James Young, Dave Beesley, Jenny Hancock, John Cooper, Ryan Grimmett, Jaimie Henderson, Leo Hoenig, Sam Lear, Sam Nair, Simon Watten.

[Robin]

A CEO or money in the playing budget ? Players get my vote.

Now look at what a CEO achieved at Morecambe, doubling their crowds, record season ticket sales and their commercial income. It's a no brainer so long as we get the right person into role it can pay for itself.

[Lord Elpuz]

A CEO or money in the playing budget ? Players get my vote.

Now look at what a CEO achieved at Morecambe, doubling their crowds, record season ticket sales and their commercial income. It's a no brainer so long as we get the right person into role it can pay for itself.

But all is not as it seems at Morecambe FC.

See: https://www.blackstonechambers.com/new ... on%20time.

Forest Green Rovers’ CEO’s haven’t had the desired effect, either.

I’m not against a CEO in principle, but they are an additional expense that would likely affect the playing budget, and there is no guarantee of success.

[Robin]

Yes the Morecambe owners are the same ones who ran Worcester rugby into the ground. They have had the club up for sale for over a year now but not sold as nobody will meet their asking price. That's seen a lot of key staff and players leave and they are stuck in a downward spiral.

I fully agree there is a risk with a CEO but if sucessful it can pay for itself and we are one of the few clubs now without one and also one of the biggest under achievers when it comes to commercial revenue generation.

[leohoenig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hp3597

Jaimie was on Radio Glos last night, talking about this.
It is about 26 minutes in.

Since this has gone out, the numbers of Robins Trust members has increased dramatically, and we have seen good numbers of members selecting the monthly paid option.

The trust is a one member one vote organisation, which means everyone's opinion counts. Old members like myself find that the newer members of the board are the ones carrying the flag forward.

So if you are not a member, join now and get your voice heard
https://www.robinstrust.org/join/

[horlickfanclub]

A CEO or money in the playing budget ? Players get my vote.

Now look at what a CEO achieved at Morecambe, doubling their crowds, record season ticket sales and their commercial income. It's a no brainer so long as we get the right person into role it can pay for itself.

But with no profit?

[horlickfanclub]

Yes the Morecambe owners are the same ones who ran Worcester rugby into the ground. They have had the club up for sale for over a year now but not sold as nobody will meet their asking price. That's seen a lot of key staff and players leave and they are stuck in a downward spiral.

I fully agree there is a risk with a CEO but if sucessful it can pay for itself and we are one of the few clubs now without one and also one of the biggest under achievers when it comes to commercial revenue generation.

Are we? Considering the attendances we seem to be able to fill events, sponsorship , advertising boards quite well. Profit on the bottom line is the important thing. I would rather see any extra money available put in to other projects and players than on another management level that is not wanted by the Board.

[asl]

I think I'm right in saying that there were a number of matches last season with no 'match sponsor'? I don't recall many of those in previous seasons.

[hookyrobin]

We've put together an audio recording of the Robins Trust's 'Cheltenham Town: Building for the Future' document. Please feel free to pass on to any fans who might find this format useful: https://youtu.be/GYJcdKLdrCM

Jaimie
Robins Trust
https://www.robinstrust.org/join/

[Fuller]

Be interesting to see or hear what the main board’s thoughts are on this, and if they will make a public response.
I’d like to think so, and I’m sure many others would too.
Once again, thanks to the Trust for their considerable efforts in producing this document.
Onwards and hopefully upwards.

[Shade]

I see membership has somewhat surged in the 8 days since this statement was made, proving that the Trust showing some intent and challenging the board is what the core fanbase wants. I think I saw that it was just under 270, and had climbed to 351 the day before last.

[Fuller]

I see membership has somewhat surged in the 8 days since this statement was made, proving that the Trust showing some intent and challenging the board is what the core fanbase wants. I think I saw that it was just under 270, and had climbed to 351 the day before last.

Excellent! if anyone on here is not a member of the Trust why not join now? It's only a tenner a year and it will help strengthen us, the supporters voice.
I told a friend earlier and he has now joined. The more the merrier

[Broadway Brian]

One item I’d appreciate clarification around, are the Trust and the 500 Club completely different subscriptions?

[Fuller]

One item I’d appreciate clarification around, are the Trust and the 500 Club completely different subscriptions?

Yes Brian, two separate bodies.
https://www.robinstrust.org/
https://www.ctfc500club.co.uk/

[Oldun]

With the greatest respect to all involved I was wondering if there is a case to combine these two organisations.....strength in numbers and all that? Is there a duplicating of resources and man power.
I am not in any way wanting to question the good work that both do but wonder if the two together might be stronger.
Forgive me if this has been raised and discussed before.

[Ihearye]

my uninformed feeling is that there is already a large amount of cross pollination

[paperboy]

The Trust launched a lottery initiative a few months ago.

https://www.robinstrust.org/posts/win-w ... m-lottery/

[Ihearye]

The Trust launched a lottery initiative a few months ago.

https://www.robinstrust.org/posts/win-w ... m-lottery/

thanks for this, am in the trust but missed this