2,000 turn up for Trust's first meeting
Around 2,000 fans gathered at Kenilworth Road yesterday to discuss the current goings at the club and the role the fans should play in the future. The Trust in Luton meeting has been deemed a success with the representative of Supporters' Direct describing it as the biggest he has ever been to.
There was a clear message coming from supporters and those speaking - it is the fans' club and so the fans in the form of a trust, should have more say on how it is run.
There were six speakers,
> Dave Boyle from Supporters Direct
> Ian Pearce from BBC Three Counties Radio
> Tony Murray from the Trust in Luton Working Party
> Peter Chapman, councillor
> Yvonne Fletcher, the fans representative on the Luton Town board
> Steve Powell, chairman of the Arsenal Supporters Club
Dave Boyle said, "This is your club and your not going to let anybody mess around with it.
"It's your trust and it's only as good as you want it to be, but this is the biggest meeting I've ever been to and I've been to loads.
"The people running the game aren't making a good job of it and we've got to show that we can do it better."
Ian Pearce emphasised the main points that Luton belongs to the fans and so should be run by the fans.
Tony Murray from the Trust in Luton Working Party said, "We could make as much noise as we liked and they might listen to us, they might not.
"But this is our football club. We are the heart and soul of it and if the heart stops beating the body dies.
"Owners come and owners go but supporters are forever. I'm Luton 'til I die.
"We have to trust in Luton and the 'mysterons' will have to listen."
Peter Chapman said that he has been a supporter of the Hatters for 37 years. He said that he supported the Trust and was committed to Luton Town FC.
Yvonne Fletcher spoke next and said she wouldn't be renewing her season ticket until she knew "what's going on with our club". She read out messages of support from other trusts and Graham Kelly and Nick Owen. She also said she invited Mike Watson-Challis to speak to her why this deal was so good for the club, but he refused.
Finally, Steve Powell. He said that Barcelona were just about to owned by their fans and if one of the biggest clubs in the world can do it why can't Luton Town?
He called for everyone in the stadium to be at the next meeting and to bring other supporters with them and said, "You're in it for the long haul."
The meeting ended with supporters overwhelmingly voting in agreement with the Trusts formation. Dave Boyle from Supporters' Direct added to the fans after that they had just said, "We are Luton Town and we want our club back." |