Grimsby Until I Die (Or So They Say)

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 29/01/2008

IT amazes me why people talk about their lifelong commitment to everything Grimsby Town FC. Perhaps I should say disturbs rather than amazes.

I have spoken many times about the Grimsby Town Supporters Trust and the trust movement as a whole and how successful the concept has been.

Everywhere that trusts have been created, they have brought huge benefits to the fans and supporters. Having a direct line into the club, fans and supporters recognized by the clubs, some for the first time, trust members seated on the board to protect the fans interests and some trusts actually owning the club.

And much, much more.

Supporters Direct are the organization that assists the supporters to create their trust and carry some of the legal costs of formation and helps them to run the trust once it has been created.

The Government recognise Supporters Direct and gives them grants to assist in their work. They have recently also invited their reps on a number of committees that relate to football and have recommended that fans and supporters should be involved in FA and Football League matters too.

That is now happening and as a result, the future is looking bright for fans and supporters in that their interests are being taken seriously.

Andy Burnham who was the chair of Supporters Direct is now the minister for Culture and Sport and he has not taken long to start beating the drum.

So the creation of the Grimsby Town Supporters Trust was really a major event in the history of the club.

Or it should have been.

But no matter how many times it is was explained to them, Grimsby Town fans never seem to understand how important it is or what it really means. Even those who moaned and groaned for years about the club never listening to them have ignored it.

Not that the trust was going to work miracles overnight. We could not expect that, but what it did do was create a better working relationship with the club and the fans and supporters by creating a better line of communication and an acceptance and recognition by the club of the trust.

So today, we have the board of GTFC involving the trust in committees relating to the new stadium, the future of the club and keeping us up to date news and events.

You cannot get better than that.

We must not also forget that the long term aim of the trust is to secure enough shares in the club to be a major participant in club affairs.

So quite naturally, as fans and supporters we all jumped in and joined the trust and assisted them in the running of the trust and their fundraising events.

Pigs arse we did!

We just sat back and let the few who recognized the importance of the trust to do it all. Not many, but enough to let the rest of us sit back and hope they never asked us to help or give money.

Because isn’t that the way of Grimsby Town fans? Haven’t we historically sat back and done nothing, but praised those who did?

The word apathy was invented for us. We live and die by it.

So here is the bad news folks. Not only does the trust need you to give money by joining, they are also looking for people to join the committee. People who are willing to give their time to help the trust to survive and continue its work for us. Us being the fans and supporters.

So if you are retired or are willing to give your time to help, please contact the trust HERE

If your time is limited, please help by joining the trust or if you are a member by renewing your membership if it is past due.

Once again, the future of the trust is in your hands. God help us!

P.S. I am a member!

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