Yesterday was an important day in the history of our football club, but for all the wrong reasons.
We have taken our time to collect our thoughts and to respond constructively. We have produced a statement, which we encourage all fans to read in full.
In that statement, we have made suggestions about how to unite the Thistle fanbase. Regardless of what has happened, we now need to build credibility, legitimacy, and effective accountability for the ownership arrangement that has been imposed on us.
It is clear that the current unelected trustees cannot provide this, and we have called for a full slate of trustee elections, with a considerably expanded franchise, at the earliest reasonable opportunity. Let the fans decide what type of fan ownership they want, and who they want to represent them.
Our statement also provides a lot of important background to the PTFC Trust deal. We have pieced this together from several sources in recent weeks and months, and set out our account of what we believe has happened.
This account explains why we have been asking for trust minutes.
In summary, however, we believe that the PTFC Trust deal was not fan-initiated. Rather, we believe it was dreamt-up by Thistle Directors and officials, some of whom were (until recently) still PTFC Trust trustees. The new trustees were subsequently hand-picked to implement someone else’s plan.
If we are correct about this, the PTFC Trust deal cannot sensibly be described as fan-ownership. It is a model, supported by compliant personnel, that is designed to marginalise rather than empower fans. It was crafted for the benefit of the existing Club Board.
Since the PTFC Trust re-emerged from its dormant state around a month ago, various promises have been made to fans and press alike and these have all have been broken. We were promised:
Amendment of the trust deed to allow all season ticket-holders and non-season ticket holders to be involved. This has not been done.
Fan engagement. This has not meaningfully been done.
An open fans meeting to take place in mid-September, prior to any transfer. This has not happened.
That the Trustees would answer fan questions emailed to them. This has not happened.
This list could include a litany of other examples, but these are some of the most important ones.
TJF has, over several months, collected feedback from members and non-members alike. We have the results of our recent members survey, which more than 570 of you completed. We have seen the overwhelming condemnation on social media of this deal. Contrary to what one of the trustees might try to claim, discontent at this deal is far wider than “20 loud voices” – it is endemic in the Thistle support.
Let there be no doubt, what was served up yesterday was thin gruel. Anyone who tells you this is fan ownership, or that it is time to accept it and move on is treating the Thistle support with contempt. This is not over.
Stick with us. Join the Foundation. Help amplify our voice to democratise the PTFC Trust. Help us to keep building pressure to get clarity on and to improve the ownership vehicle’s position in relation to the Club.