Aldershot Town Supporters’ Trust is the fans representative body of Aldershot Town FC. On Monday (13th May) they called for a brave and honest discussion between supporters and the community of Aldershot about the future they want for their club, which is currently in administration.
The football club entered administration in May with much publicised debts, just after being relegated from Football League Two, and the Shots Trust, after surveying the current situation, have proposed that community ownership – like that seen at AFC Wimbledon, Exeter, and Portsmouth, as well as conference clubs Wrexham and Chester – might be the way forward.
Speaking about the situation, Terry Owens, Chairman of the Shots Trust said: “Obviously the current situation is bad.
"We’ve been relegated and we’re in administration. What’s more, there’s a lot confusion and anger around the club and amongst fans.
"Now is the time for all of us to pull together like we did in 1992, but for a different result, because times have changed - where once we inspired people, and were pace-setters, showing the world that we wouldn’t lay down and disappear, we think it’s now time to start learning from fresh, new ideas that are out there.
"We’ve seen other ways of owning and running clubs that inspire us, and we think that supporters might now be able to learn from others and give our club a sustainable future”.
Terry continued by saying, “The Shots Trust is putting out a call to those who believe in this idea like we do.
"We’re already talking to Supporters Direct and harnessing their expertise in business planning, community-led buyouts and raising significant finance. For now we want to know what the appetite is amongst fans for community ownership of the football club.
"There is a summary of how community ownership works at other Clubs on the Supporters Direct website and we’d really like you to fill out a very quick survey to see if you’d want to support this approach.
"Please ask fellow fans, friends, families and work colleagues to complete the survey as we want to know that this is something that has the support of not only Shots fans but the wider community too, before we move forward."
If sufficient funds are not pledged for the community ownership scheme we may alternatively seek board representation on any newly formed board.
Please take the survey, by clicking here.