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'Fans Representative' on the board


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Over the years Heart's have been fortunate with a number of bodies that represent their individual members interests, which, in general terms, represent the interests of Hearts fans.

 

However, whenever one of these bodies has been asked for an opinion or statement there is the usual outcry of how these bodies "don't represent my views", or, as can be seen on another thread, when there is an opportunity to have a go at a body, well, temptation often is hard to resist.

 

That got me thinking again about how 'fan ownership' of HMFC might be made to work, and realising I don't have an answer...

 

As I see it, we have proven time and again we have the most loyal fans in the game, if it wasn't for the efforts of fans who rallied to the cause, we would now be thinking about either giving up football or turning Edinburgh City into the new HMFC, so in the greater scheme of things we know that we have the same mentality and loyalty.

 

But if and when the time comes that FoH repay the debt to Ann and we take ownership on the grand scale, no longer reliant on custodians to guide us, will we not then just be torn apart by the usual in-fghting?

 

To try and clarify:

 

We expect that by 2020 FoH will repay Ann and the shares in Hearts will pass to that body (i.e. The fans who have contributed, or purchase from/through FoH).

 

I thought that, using whatever model they saw fit, FoH would then take control utilising the power of that shareholding, which I took would be held in trust (in effect) for those who had contributed into the cause (I fully accept I may be misreading it, but that isn't as important as the next bit).

 

We therefore have a situation where around 8,000 fans have the ownership in their hands.

 

Without doubt some of these fans will be members of other supporters organisations, so those organisations will have a say, or influence, through that mechanism.

 

But it is still the same old adage, 8,000 fans leaves many claiming that they are not represented - target on the back of FoH and infighting.

The exact same scenario is true if FoH winds down passing control to any other body or bodies.

 

The reality is there is no 1 organisation that, based on what is said on forums, blogs, the streets and on matchdays, etc, that is actually representative of 'the vast majority' of Hearts fans, either through their constitution, membership requirements (Shareholders Association needs minimum shareholding, Federation needs membership of a club, Trust needs membership of the trust, FoH (in this model) needs ongoing commitment), or possibly something as simple as a financial (even a very small one) commitment to membership. Not everyone can, or will, make a financial commitment that is not directly supporting the club (and this forum is a perfect example of that in action).

 

So, to cut myself short, what is the model that needs to be adopted to reduce the opportunity for in-fighting, and ensure that 'fans representative' becomes fans representative?

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The Gasman

As the FoH will own the Club, only those who are part of FoH will have any direct influence - as it should be IMO - though that does not stop any other fans group, or individual fans, making their views known.

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Tasavallan

I am a believer in Marx's philosophy of "I would never join a club that would have me as a member".

 

I have always been suspicious of the motives of those that stand for office, certainly not in my psyche to do so.

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Buffalo Bill

In 2019, hopefully there will be stipulations as to who can run for a place on the board; i.e. intelligent, professional people with the best interests of the club being their only remit.

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hughesie27

I expect there to be some sort of vote (STF system) for those who want a place on the board. So long as I get a vote, then I'll feel represented.

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I expect there to be some sort of vote (STF system) for those who want a place on the board. So long as I get a vote, then I'll feel represented.

 

Here Hughsie, under my stewardship you'll get TWO votes mate.

 

 

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Dallas Green

I'd be happy for Ann to stay on and guide the club after we have repaid the debt.

 

Who knows, maybe she will be part of the FOH board?

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Armageddon

Don;t you just love the EEN/Scotsman headlines.

 

Like my earlier thread re "Free Entry to Hibs Play-off" (It's not free entry) compared to "Hearts fans groups quit board" (As per the plan of the board sizing from day 1 - This isn't a quitting in disgust, it's what was agreed by all parties from the offing and in no way connected to Mondays events.

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I don't want a fans rep on the board. The owner and her management should be able to get on with things as they see best. There are lots of other ways to adequately communicate with fans and let fans have an input.

 

Even when full fan ownership comes to fruition, I would still want a fully empowered and autonomous management to run the club. We could do with being very clear from the outset that the club will be run by qualified people and not by fans, groups or whatever. Democracy and business are not fully compatible.

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Francis Albert

Confusion between foh and fc board. The foh board will be elected (partly from a skill specific slate, partly from general foh membership) The fc board should be appointed by the ceo appointed to run the fotball club

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Dusk_Till_Dawn

Got to be the most thankless position since the opposition leader in North Korea. Look at the abuse some supporters group leaders get for speaking the media.

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Walter Payton

I am a believer in Marx's philosophy of "I would never join a club that would have me as a member".

 

I have always been suspicious of the motives of those that stand for office, certainly not in my psyche to do so.

 

Just to throw my tuppence worth in then, as a Shareholders' Association committee member...

 

I originally joined the Shareholders' Association not long after I returned from living in Australia in 2007. For me, living away from Edinburgh had only deepened my desire to involved with the wider activities at Hearts beyond just going to games (and being a member of Kickback) and joining the Shareholders Association seemed a great way to get invites to monthly dinners with guest speakers on a theme that would interest Hearts fans. The fact that the Association has been able to raise thousands for Hearts youth or similar causes (alongside other groups, including Kickback, so I'm not trying to suggest they deserve any extra special recognition) only encouraged me in this.

 

I can't say I was ever "motivated" to "stand for office" as such- for everything that any of the different groups do, there's a degree of organisation that needs to take place and that's definitely true with the Shareholders Association (monthly dinners need speakers to be arranged, catering arrangements, website organised etc). As a result, either one person does all that work, or the responsibility needs to be shared by a group of people.

 

There's no benefits I can think of to being on the committee (I didn't apply, I was asked to join because I would be able to take responsibility for the website). If people didn't volunteer however, these organisations wouldn't be able to function and the wider Hearts family (to use a cheesy expression) wouldn't benefit from their collective output, whether it's raising funds for youth development, organising supporters buses or supporting groups like Big Hearts. Rather than take the view you suggest above, personally I don't see why I should expect to benefit from the hard work of others if I'm not prepared to take a turn myself.

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Franco Fascione

Jesus on a bicycle. Fans groups in charge of Hearts? No bloody thank you.

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Craig Herbertson

I am a believer in Marx's philosophy of "I would never join a club that would have me as a member".

 

I have always been suspicious of the motives of those that stand for office, certainly not in my psyche to do so.

 

Me too. That's why I think the current leadership is really good because it's more or less people who only did it because they felt they had to,

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Confusion between foh and fc board. The foh board will be elected (partly from a skill specific slate, partly from general foh membership) The fc board should be appointed by the ceo appointed to run the fotball club

Correct.

 

 

 

If the last four days are anything to go by, **** that

 

You may have a point.

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