Trust Submit Recommendations on Director Elections to Rangers FC

[Frankie 8,400]

http://www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk/rstsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=142&Itemid=1

 

After a period of research and discussion, including a mandate from our members at the recent AGM, the Rangers Supporters Trust has made the following submission regarding the democratisation of the club through the election of a director on the basis of One Member - One Vote.

 

 

ELECTION OF A FANS DIRECTOR TO THE BOARD OF RANGERS FC

 

For the election of a fans director to be credible the Trust strongly believes that the franchise must be as wide as possible. The growth of the trust movement, it�s backing by both football and governmental authorities and the success of the Rangers Supporters' Trust all show there is a clear appetite for supporters to become more involved in their club. The Trust hopes that this is the beginning of a new era where the support and the Board of Rangers FC become intertwined and mutually supportive.

 

To that end, and in keeping with our traditions of Rangers formerly being owned by ââ?¬Å?membersââ?¬Â who then took up the protection afforded them by limited liability status as the club grew through the issue of shares, we consider that the electorate should be defined as those holding season tickets and those who are shareholders.

 

With an estimated 1,200,000 million members of the Rangers Family, the season ticket holders and the shareholders offer us two practical methods of granting a vote to the fans.

 

The season ticket holders form the core of the support and the integrity of the database is more than adequate. The season ticket is a link with the days of the club�s founders when membership, playing or non-playing, allowed admittance to the ground.

 

Due to reasons of circumstance many committed fans are unable to posses a season ticket. However, for as little as �£10 any fan can purchase a share in the club and give the club the use of their capital and so make a contribution in that way. So overseas fans and those unable to purchase a season ticket can still participate. A ballot paper would be issued to each shareholder on the basis of one per shareholder regardless of the size of the shareholding. This is both equitable and avoids any complex weighting arrangements, which are superfluous in any case given Sir Davidâ��s current shareholding. The integrity of the shareholder database is not in doubt.

 

 

DUAL STAKEHOLDINGS ARE NOT A PROBLEM

 

Having consulted the Electoral Reform Society concerning the possibility of a person having multiple season tickets or both a season ticket and a shareholding we consider this not be a hurdle. In this regard the ERS recognise the issue of those having different ââ?¬Å?stakeholdingsââ?¬Â in

the club and point out that organisations such as the Labour Party have members who may simultaneously be MPs, members of their constituency parties and members of a trade union. Those circumstances are dealt with via an electoral college, but with regard to Rangers the crossover is likely to be so small as to not materially effect the result in any case.

 

 

THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER FOOTBALL CLUBS

 

In the UK perhaps the best example of a large and successful club holding fair and free elections is Charlton Athletic.

 

The original Charlton electorate was for fans who paid into a scheme to get the club back to their Valley ground and after 10 years this was extended to all adult season ticket holders. The club retain the right to refuse a candidate although interestingly they didn't exercise this at the last election despite one of the candidates being an ex-employee sacked for insulting Crystal Palace fans while working as the pitch side announcer.

 

The election were by ballot paper at the ground or on-line with Membership numbers required for each vote. The Electoral Reform Society gave the club guidance and support but the votes were checked by club staff and two previous elected directors.

 

Clubs as large and successful as Rangers, such as FC Barcelona and SV Hamburg, conduct regular elections amongst their members and many other football clubs have successfully reconciled the need to operate a successful business with ensuring that supporters are directly represented.

 

For other practical examples, please also find attached the detailed voting procedures at Southampton, Brentford and Cambridge United.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We suggest that the Club publicly embarks on the route described by the Chairman at the 2007 AGM and gives notice that each season ticket and shareholder will be granted a vote to elect a fans� representative to the Rangers board.

 

Candidates should put themselves forward subject to a Declaration and successful vetting by Disclosure Scotland. One month before the election candidates would submit a 500-word manifesto which would explain what they consider they would bring to the board and a nomination form signed by 50 stakeholders. The manifestos and ballot papers would then be sent out to members.

 

Ballot papers can be returned either via the post, in secure postboxes at Ibrox or via internet voting - the Electoral Reform Society can both expand and advise on these methods as well as providing logistics and support as required.

[craig 5,199]

"With an estimated 1,200,000 million members of the Rangers Family, the season ticket holders and the shareholders offer us two practical methods of granting a vote to the fans."

 

Frankie..... that statement above is mathematically impossible - 1,200,000 million is more people than the world has in it. I would reckon you mean either 1,200,000 or 1.2 million.

 

Sorry for being pedantic, it is an accountant thing.

[Frankie 8,400]

It sure is - apologies mate...

[gisabeer 409]

"With an estimated 1,200,000 million members of the Rangers Family, the season ticket holders and the shareholders offer us two practical methods of granting a vote to the fans."

 

Frankie..... that statement above is mathematically impossible - 1,200,000 million is more people than the world has in it. I would reckon you mean either 1,200,000 or 1.2 million.

 

Sorry for being pedantic, it is an accountant thing.

 

 

nit picker!

[bmck 117]

Frankie..... that statement above is mathematically impossible - 1,200,000 million is more people than the world has in it. I would reckon you mean either 1,200,000 or 1.2 million.

 

Sorry for being pedantic, it is an accountant thing.

 

sorry for being pedantic, but that the world doesn't have 1,200,000 million is a factual, as opposed to mathematical, error, and may not even be an impossibility at all!

 

its a poet born in the age dominated by linguistic/analytic philosophy thing. :devil:

[craig 5,199]

sorry for being pedantic, but that the world doesn't have 1,200,000 million is a factual, as opposed to mathematical, error, and may not even be an impossibility at all!

 

its a poet born in the age dominated by linguistic/analytic philosophy thing. :devil:

 

Surely it is also a mathematical impossibility for there to presently be 1,200,000 million people in the Rangers fanmily if there is not that many people in the world ???

 

I didn't question the number of people in the world, but the number of people in the Rangers family.

 

Mathematical... factual.... all the same thing really :fish: