St Johnstone fans forge ties with boardroom

Mar 12 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A MAJOR fans forum initiative could pave the way to stronger ties between grassroots supporters and the St Johnstone boardroom

Popular fans website www.weareperth.co.uk is creating a forum that will meet with Saints directors on a quarterly basis to discuss a range of initiatives aimed at supporting the club.

The venture has the backing of diehard Saints fan and broadcaster Stewart Cosgrove.

Key driver Ginger Baker yesterday revealed the mission statement and objectives of the new group.

He said: “The intention is to support St Johnstone FC in innovative ways by proposing, organising and promoting activities and initiatives that will help the club to thrive, now and in the future.”

He mapped out some of the key objectives, including:

support and promote the team at every opportunity.

increase the number of Saints fans at McDiarmid.

promote ideas that can generate profitable income for the club.

promote supporters groups in schools, colleges, societies and communities.

promote participation from Saints fans who live across the UK and abroad, via the internet etc.

promote fun events for the fans that can generate attention or income.

provide the club with positive advice from the perspective of fans.

Ginger continued: “The forum has held initial informal discussions with board members who have welcomed the forum’s ambitions. The board are keen to find new ways of supporters getting behind the club.

“Around 20 fans have already committed to meetings, with hundreds more wishing to contribute to the debates. The knowledge and experience of those wishing to get involved is fantastic and will help the forum flourish and achieve it's objectives.

“We are looking for as wide a cross section of supporters representing all ages to get involved as possible. Our aim is to keep the debates under the weareperth forum and then take any useful ideas forward for discussion with Saints directors at the quarterly meetings.”

To become involved fans need to register on www.weareperth.co.uk. Once signed-up they can express an interest in becoming involved under the Fans Forum section, under the thread “Post here if you would like to be involved.”

The first meeting will be called within the next few weeks.

Ginger added: “We hope that as many fans as possible will sign up to weareperth to join in the debates, even if they don't want to represent the forum at the meetings.”