An open letter from The Board of Directors to Saints City Trust and all of our Supporters and Followers.

We are writing this letter following our Board meeting earlier this week. 

Getting straight to the point............. we need your help during this period of the season as we seek to stabilise the Club and to give Steve Castle extra funds to improve our squad so as to make a push for the play-offs.

As you know it has been a difficult season financially.  However, despite the general economic climate the Board has been able to attract several new shareholders who have generously contributed to the cost of running the Club to this point in the season.

However, cashflow is presently difficult and more financial assistance is needed urgently.

Four weeks ago the Saints City Trust was asked to contribute some money into the football club and they were told that one of our new shareholders had generously offered to double that amount out of his own pocket.

The Trust was asked for approximately £6000 that would have therefore resulted in £12,000 being donated to the Club.  The Trust has subsequently avoided making the contribution and the shareholder has now withdrawn the offer because no progress has been made with the discussions with the Trust.

The Board are of course extremely disappointed in this outcome and especially the frustration felt, having just lost two quality young players to Luton Town because we couldn't afford to put them on contracts.

In this regard the Club has had an ongoing dialogue with the Supporters Trust who have managed to accumulate a sizeable amount of money through their fundraising activities over several seasons at Clarence Park.  Activities that the Club allowed to take place at no cost.

The Supporters Club believed this to be their own money and the Club disagree.

The Supporters Club has historically used the Club shop rent free, sold club merchandise with only selective return to the Club and used the bar facilities free of charge for quiz nights and such like.  The money was moved across to the new Trust without the Club being asked for an opinion or having any say.

Documents were tabled at our meeting, which stated the aims and objectives of the Trust and these were examined in some detail although it was generally felt that the documents said much and concluded little.  The absence of a commitment to playing quality football and providing fiscal backing to give us our best shot at wining Cups and Titles was particularly noted.

The Club believes that the Trust should aid the Club going forward and the financial aspect has to be the priority.  The Trust talks about now being a legal entity and their intentions to work in the community, but surely the priority has to be the Club and the finance.

The Board's rationale is that if there is no Club, then what use is a lengthy document stating lots of good intentions when, if The Trust really have the good of the Club at heart, the available money should foremost be repatriated back into St Albans City FC for the very benefit of the Club itself.

The Board would like to pose three key questions to Saints City Trust:

1.  Did the fans that recently joined the Trust, contributing to the bank account of the Trust, realise that the money may not be used to help the Football Club?

2.  Do members of the Trust know that money earned by the former Supporters Club in harmony with the Club and subsequently transferred to the Trust is lying dormant in the bank and is being withheld from the Club and that this is preventing improvement of the playing staff and further investment?

3.  Do members of the Trust realise that the objectives of the Trust do not state that they want the Club to play at the highest possible level and to have a strong squad and successful team? 

In concluding this open letter, the Board would like to make it clear that we are unhappy with the Trust and we would ask quite simply, if the Trust has money in their bank account which the Club that we all love and support is requesting, then why hold back and not support the Club in a time of need? 

Investment now would see improvement of the playing squad, a possible promotion challenge resulting in better crowds, enhanced commercial activity and increased revenue all of which would lead to a sustainable future.

The alternative, without a contribution from the Trust, is to cut the playing squad, forego a play-off challenge, start next season with a reduced playing budget, and the prospect of financial instability.

The Board are putting relative large sums into Club to keep it running thus it is not right that supporters' contributions are being channelled into a fund that won't release that contribution.

We ask that our supporters pose these questions and discuss the situation urgently with the representatives of the Trust.

Hopefully the Board and the Trust can reach a sensible way forward so that the monies that are presently being withheld can be transferred to the Club within the next few days, and to agree a plan to work together in the longer term. 

We are ready and willing to meet, with open minds, so as to conclude matters.

The Directors

St Albans City Football Club

27 January 2010