DO THE FANS WHO ARE DIRECTORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Well, a lot of that would be up to the skills of the Director elected, and the respect they commanded from fellow board members. You can imagine a ‘Twelve Angry Men’ situation where a Fan director makes a superb case and changes a lot of people’s minds. The key is to make sure the Director is seen as a constructive player in the life of the club, and not someone who is simply there to object when required. The Director should always have their feet on the ground and be aware of fans’ views – be in touch with Officers of the Trust, fanzine editors, website webmasters and so on, so they know what the prevailing view is. If there was uproar about an issue, the ability to represent that view forcefully and articulately could be a big factor in the Board’s decision. But even if there was, the Director is unlikely to carry people with them if they simply sit at the end of the table and say ‘the fans won’t like it’. They have to explain why they won’t like it, what the consequences will be, a
