Trust In Yellow

For further information on the Bristol Trust Development day click here

Chairman's Statement

On behalf of all Luton supporters, Trust in Luton would like to express our dismay and disgust at the FA's ridiculously harsh punishment of a ten point deduction for the irregularities in transfer dealings at the club between 2004 and 2007.

This year's edition of Soccer Review has been published, providing the latest information and thinking in the playing side of football today - including articles from PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor, Scottish FA Chief Executive of the Scottish FA, as well as Sir Trevor Brooking, a study on the development of football amongst ethnic minorities at Burnley FC, and an illiuminating interview with Simon Clifford, the maverick director of Garforth Town FC, friend of Socrates and more importantly, director of Socatots, a programme focusing on the football and co-ordination development of children as young as six months.

Read on here

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The latest Ownership Structure of Football League Clubs, compiled by Stephen Hope of the University of Roehampton and published by SD, is now here. To find out more about how your club is owned, and more, go here.

NB: This document requires Acrobat Reader, which you can get by going here

As you will probably know by now, the latest Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance is here, and whilst we can't provide you with a copy of the report, we can point you to some useful information on it.

Online registration is now open for our second training event of the year which is the Bristol Trust Development Day on Saturday 28th June 2008. The venue for the event is Armada House & the day will begin with registration opening at 10:30.

Please see the link on the right hand side of the page for further information & to register.

Stockport County's victory in the League Two play-off on Bank Holiday Monday made them the fourth fan-owned club celebrating promotion by the end of season play-offs.

Supporters Direct have appointed Dave Boyle as their new
Chief Executive in succession to Philip French, who moved to become a
Special Adviser to Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media
and Sport.
 
Dave Boyle has worked for Supporters Direct since 2000 in various
capacities, most recently as Deputy Chief Executive and Society
Secretary.
 
Brian Lomax, Chair of Supporters Direct, welcomed the appointment, saying:

"We
are delighted to announce the appointment of Dave Boyle as our Chief
Executive. Dave has been with us from the beginning, and probably knows
more about our movement, its members and its philosophy, than anyone
else. He is widely known and well-liked by our membership throughout
the country, and is well-respected by all the football authorities and
throughout the football industry."

Dave started in his new role this week.

Many of you will read the Daily Mirror for Oliver Holt's column, who has often written thoughtful and provocative pieces on the game. We've borrowed one such story from this week's Mirror: 'This is an obituary for the people's game.. I pray that it's premature'.

Read, enjoy, and think...

Today Virgin Media and Supporters Direct (SD) launch the first national sponsorship of the supporters' trust movement. This agreement is a significant development in the relationship between Virgin Media - the UK's leading entertainment and communications company - and SD, the umbrella body for the UK supporters' trust movement.

Club statement Sunday morning June 22nd. We are now aware for the first time that Cambridge United have seemingly approached Gary Brabin directly. This contact appears to have taken place while Gary Brabin was on holiday abroad this week. We are now in discussions with Gary as to whether he is going to commit  as Southport Football Club manager and go forward or not. The timing of this approach to Gary Brabin could not be worse with just over a week before our pre season commences. But supporters should be assured the club  will manage this situation.  The club will speak to Gary Brabin  today as to whether he wants to commit to Southport Football Club. This situation is not in anyway of Southport FC 's making. The club are very unhappy with the alleged approach from Cambridge United to Gary Brabin without any contact to Southport Football Club.

In response to recent speculation in the Cambridge press and a number of enquiries from other sources, Southport Football Club can confirm that they have had no contact from Cambridge United regarding the services of Gary Brabin, who has recently signed a two year agreement to become full-time manager of Southport Football Club. Gary took charge of 7 games for the club at the end of last season and is aware that he faces a tough task in achieving promotion from the Blue Square North, a task that the club fully expect Gary to undertake. Gary has already begun building his backroom staff, bringing in player/assistant manager John Doolan and physio Danny Gabrielson, and has not spoken to anybody at the club regarding this matter.

The Port's pre season kicks off with a highly prestigious friendly against a Liverpool X1 on Sunday July 13th kick off 3pm. Chief Executive Haydn Preece said "It is fantastic that Liverpool have agreed to come to Haig Avenue. We have an excellent relationship with Liverpool who in two spells have played their reserve team fixtures here. We would like them back in the future. The pitch, thanks to our groundsman Sam Moran will be in excellent condition. We are looking to publicise the Liverpool match as prominently as possible so we can attract all the Liverpool supporters in the town. The  Liverpool line up will be determined by  all the Premier clubs commitments but you are assured we will see some stars of today or stars of tomorrow lining up from Anfield. It promises to be a great start to our pre season build up."

Admission prices are £8 adults £5 concessions-under 16's and senior citizens. All season ticket holders free. Secondary school aged pupils can buy a season ticket for just £50.

Trust in Yellow had a very well attended meeting last night in the Grandstand Bar. Rob Urwin will continue to be acting chairman until a new chairman is elected. Last night no one was nominated or volunteered. The Trust will be publicising it's tremendous achievements in the local press and will be planning future projects through membership consultation.

Southport FC attended an FA hearing at Manchester City's  Eastlands Stadium today relating to the incidents after the Redditch match at Haig Avenue last season. Southport FC demonstrated through dvd evidence, witness statements and player evidence that from the final whistle and during the minutes after that, everyone connected with the club behaved in a controlled and orderly manner despite the actions of the opposition. The match officials were also called as witnesses.

The FA  hearing concluded that Southport FC  were not to be charged with any offence. The hearing for Redditch was to be held later in the day. The scenes on the final whistle were not in keeping with Southport FC's philosophy of being a family club and everyone connected with the club  had never witnessed anything like this before nor never wish to again. The outcome for Southport puts closure to those events and next seasons fixtures with Redditch can be played in the spirit of the sport we all support.

Southport FC  would once again like to thank the match stewards on the day, people who produced witness statements and our supporters who on the day behaved impeccably.

We have had a real rush on player sponsorships for next season. Thank you to all our enthusiastic supporters. The latest is Jeff Cahn from Victoria, Australia. Jeff has jumped at the chance to sponsor our most recent signing John Doolan. Thank you Jeff for your long distance support.

Andy Mitchell of Plasma and LCD  Installations 01704 537971 has sponsored last seasons top scorer Tony Gray.

Tony Wareing has picked last seasons emphatic player of the season Kevin Lee. While Friends of Real Lancashire have sponsored manager Gary Brabin and goalkeeping coach Paul Moore. Michael Corcoran has chosen versatile defender Chris Lever.

To sponsor a Southport  player contact Haydn Preece on 07976555782. Price per player £150. Featured in each full colour match day programme.

Trust in Yellow are holding a meeting on Thursday night at 7:30pm. All Trust in Yellow members are urged to attend with the election of a new chairman the main part of the agenda.

Season tickets are on sale at discounted prices today and tomorrow (Wednesday) we have our late night sales up to 8pm. Secretary Ken Hilton reports season ticket sales have been very good with the same sales as last year at this stage.

Secondary school season tickets are just £50 which is a great price for our younger teenage supporters. Junior school aged pupils are admitted free to all Blue Square North matches accompanied by an adult.

Every Southport supporter has the chance to win up to £2,000 if they join the club's Goalden Lottery.  By paying just a £1 a week into the club's Goalden Lottery every Southport supporter can contribute to the club's development-on the pitch as Gary Brabin builds his squad and around the ground as Haig Avenue is both maintained and developed. Support the Port and add to Gary Brabin's player power. Join our Goalden Lottery and play your added part. Contact Haydn Preece on 07976555782 for further details. You can pay weekly via collection, quarter year, half year or by standing order. If you are a Southport supporter and work in an office, factory garage, school or college how about setting up your own round?

Highly experienced John Doolan is the club's new assistant manager after agreeing terms. John Doolan completed the formalities at Haig Avenue this morning joining Gary Brabin's backroom staff. With five hundred Football League appearances in his locker the experienced Doolan will be leading his new Port players on the pitch next season. Last season Doolan was part of the Rochdale squad that lost in the Coca Cola Division Two Wembley play off final to Stockport County. Gary Brabin said "John will add a great deal on the pitch and off it. We have our backroom staff together with Danny Gabrielson coming in as physio and Paul Moore as our goalkeeping coach. Paul worked really well with Steve Drench last season and that is very important. John Doolan has plenty of contacts and we are working very hard to bring in the quality to succeed.  The full time  is a massive bonus to us and we intend to make it count."