The Supporters Direct Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Setting up a Supporters’ Trust: The three-stage model
• Stage one: Open meeting to introduce the Trust
  • 1.1 Rationale for the open meeting
    1.2 Organisation
    1.3 Publicity
    1.4 Venue
    1.5 Speakers
    1.6 Agenda
    1.7 Mandate
• Stage two: Develop an effective working group and launch the Trust
  • 1.8 Rationale for launch
    1.9 First working group meeting
    1.10 Nominating roles for the working group
    1.11 Project management for the working group
    1.12 Establishing a timetable for the launch
    1.13 Establishing a website
    1.14 Publicity and communication with the media before the launch
    1.15 Agreeing a Trust constitution in principle
    1.16 Attributes of Industrial and Provident Societies
    1.17 Attributes of Companies Limited by Guarantee
    1.18 Registering the IPS constitution
    1.19 Registering the CLG constitution
    1.20 Opening a bank account
    1.21 Creating and distributing application forms
    1.22 Board membership policy and co-options
    1.23 The launch event
• Stage three: The first Trust AGM
  • 1.24 Rationale
    1.25 Notice and formal procedures
    1.26 Audited accounts
    1.27 Elections
• 2.1. Organisation
  • 2.1.1 Business plans
    2.1.2 Trust calendar
    2.1.3 Open forums
    2.1.4 Organising Trust sub-committees
    2.1.5 Raising the profile of the Trust
    2.1.6 Membership drive
    2.1.7 Junior members
• 2.2 Constitutional issues
  • 2.2.1 IPS Secretary
    2.2.2 IPS Chair
    2.2.3 IPS Treasurer
    2.2.4 The executive board, sub-committees and staff
    2.2.5 Insurance, indemnity and liability for Trust board members
    2.2.6 Tax position for Supporters’ Trusts
    2.2.7 Annual Returns
    2.2.8 Amending the constitution
    2.2.9 The Trust seal
• 2.3 Fundraising
  • 2.3.1 Loan Notes
    2.3.2 Other schemes
• 2.4 Marketing
• 2.5 Using the media effectively
• 2.6 Trust action in the community
  • 2.6.1 The Football in the Community scheme
    2.6.2 The Federation of Stadium Communities
    2.6.3 Examples of good practice in the community
    2.6.4 Partnerships with local authorities
    2.6.5 Partnership with local co-operative groups
    2.6.6 Anti-racist initiatives
• 2.7.1 Shareholding, AGM and Board strategies
  • 2.7.1 Acquiring a collective shareholding

    2.7.1.1 PLC share schemes
    2.7.1.2 Transfer of shares
    2.7.1.3 New shares issues
    2.7.1.4 Proxy voting

• 2.7.2 Shareholding, AGM and Board strategies
  • 2.7.2 Strategies at a PLC football club AGM

    2.7.2.1 Submitting resolutions to a PLC AGM

    2.7.3 Strategies at a Private limited company football club AGM
    
    2.7.4 Negotiating board representation

    2.7.4.1 Strategies on the board

• 3.1 Corporate governance: a guide for supporters
• 3.2 Company law
  • 3.2.1 Memorandum and Articles of Association (MAA) & Company objects
    3.2.2 Shares & ownership of football clubs
    3.2.3 Information on your football club and its ground
    3.2.4 The officers of a company
• 3.3 Codes of corporate governance
• 3.4 Regulation by the football authorities
  • 3.4.1 The FA
    3.4.2 The Leagues
    3.4.3 The Independent Football Commission
    3.4.4 Sport England
    3.4.5 Regulation in Scotland

Appendices

• Appendix 1: Model agenda For the Stage 1 Open Meeting
• Appendix 2: Model Trust application form
• Appendix 3: Model Board membership policy
• Appendix 4: Model agenda For Trust AGM
• Appendix 5: Model rules for Trust elections
• Appendix 6: Sample election nominationform
• Appendix 7: Direct funding from Supporters Direct
• Appendix 8: Potential sources of funding from with the co-operative movement
• Appendix 9: Some of the objects used by existing Trusts
• Appendix 10: Media directory
• Appendix 11: Taxation treatment of football community mutuals
• Appendix 12: Code of conduct for elected supporter directors
• Appendix 13: Identifying and tracing shareholders at your club