Foxes Trust Reform - show your support!

[Foxes Trust Reform]

It’s time to change the leadership of the Foxes Trust.

 

Since March, a group of new joiners to the Foxes Trust have been motivating for change. We want the Trust to become significant campaigning group representing the views of the entire fanbase and holding the club to account.  

 

We have met with several Foxes Trust board members but, despite the large number of new joiners (thanks to the ~200 new joiners in recent weeks) and warm words, they have failed to demonstrate a real openness to action change nor the ability to operate with the agility required to ensure we have an effective Trust come the start of the new season.

 

It is now clear that if the Trust is to be reformed then the leadership must be refreshed. We have therefore informed the Trust that we are to prepare a request for a General Meeting of all Trust members along with a resolution to change the leadership of the Trust.

 

We are appealing to you to show your support for a more effective Trust by simply emailing “count me in” to [email protected] - whether you are a current Trust member or otherwise. Doing so will allow us to further showcase the desire for change (both inside and outside of the Trust membership base today), keep you up to date on how things are progressing and ask for your input/feedback on what you want to see from the Trust.

 

Some of our top/most pressing priorities for the Trust are areas such as:

 

- Attract a significant membership to truly articulate supporters’ concerns/interests/aspirations and demonstrate strength/weight of numbers to the club. The Trust should not be beholden to the club and should be able to speak out where it believes necessary.

 

- Implement a fanbase-wide survey so that the focus of the Trust is driven by the views of the entire fanbase. There are so many issues where we wish to see a campaigning Foxes Trust press the club to do better: general sale ticketing,  shop pricing (especially for kids shirts), future of the singing section, introduction of safe standing; concourse pricing, matchday stewarding, banning policy, transparency over responsibilities of club executives/board members, creation of a Fan Advisory Board that is NOT under the control of the club, safeguarding for academy players and ladies teams, improved club media operations, charging kids to attend signing sessions… the list goes on!

 

- Fan Advisory Board: With promotion, the club now has to establish a Fans Advisory Board (FAB) yet the current proposal for the make-up of the FAB is unfit for purpose – this is a once in a generation opportunity to get things right. We asked the Trust to share full visibility on the current proposed plan and pause any agreement to proceed with the club so that we could work together to identify a more effective proposal. The Trust has not responded on this piece in particular.

 

Our assessment of the current Trust shows them to be lacking in their mindset on representation (they believe its first priority is to represent its members and the views of members rather than the wider supporter base), their relationship with LCFC (they are too cosy with the club, have just one person communicating with the club and fear being sidelined), their communication (they have little presence on social media and their statements are weak in tone) and their ability to change at pace (they have many manual processes and make every decision slowly and by committee).

 

To pressure-test the Trust board’s ability and appetite for change, we asked them to work with us on four simple requests and provide comment with a speed that would demonstrate their appreciation for the urgency of those requests. They replied late and did not directly action a single one of the four requests. This is why we are now taking action and asking you for your backing.

 

We would love for you to join the Trust here and secure your vote for the Special General Meeting (it’s only £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs, £5 for students, £3 for 18-21 year olds and free for under 18s) but, even if you are not quite ready to join but are supportive of what we are trying to achieve for all LCFC fans, we would still appeal to you to please at least email “count me in” to [email protected].

 

Share with fellow LCFC fans… it’s time to stand up for change in the Foxes Trust!

 

[Col city fan]

Sent 👍

[Dr The Singh]

Im not a member, but good luck, i think a reform is long overdue.  I back @Col city fan and if he has a major role, I may join and become his social secretary.

[Reginaldo]

Biggest coup d’etat since Pinochet. Off season just got interesting…

 

[RYM]

New energy is great but TBF to the trust, they don’t need to jump through any hoops for you guys or anyone, so I don’t understand the attack on the time demands?

 

To give yourselves credibility here it may be worth full transparency with your requests and the reply, where you feel they didn’t comply etc otherwise it’s going to come across as a bit playground like?

 

 

[Nolucklcfc]

 

I have joined the FT trust because I want to see the club challenged on issues such as fan engagement and the obvious issues of financial management. As we have seen with many clubs over the years, you can easily start to drop down the leagues when those at the top are not moved on or mistakes/accountability is not taken. On fan engagement, this is something that frustrates lots of us that want to vocally back the team and the club seem very reluctant to want engage with the fanbase (particularly UFS) around this. We are fans, not customers and a lot of us don’t feel valued. I think under the right leadership the trust can do some good 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

GETINTOEM!

[brucey]

I joined back in March and attended the Foxes Trust AGM.

 

The Trust made it very clear at their AGM that they only serve the interests of their members, which seem to be mainly older white people, not the general fanbase. Case in point, in their own words "We don't get involved in safe standing because that's a UFS thing and our members don't want it".

I don't think it's a coincidence that the Foxes Trust has started working with the other supporters groups more in recent months, particularly joining in the strongly worded joint statement about the £25 charge. Because they are aware they now have many more members who care about these things.

 

Too many of the current Trust board members are comfortable with the status quo and reluctant to change. Hence the weak statements being put out. Despite one of the Foxes Trust's stated aims being "To hold Leicester City Football Club and its owners to account for the highest standards of business management, and operational and commercial decisions that directly affect Foxes Trust members and the wider supporter base." 

 

The most pressing issue now is that the Foxes Trust is LCFC's designated official supporters group, the only one with a seat on the Fan Advisory Board, which will be implemented in the Prem next season. We need a voice on this - Everton's FAB were involved in submitting evidence in their appeal against the point deductions.

 

There were about 300 paid Foxes Trust members in February, before all of us mostly Foxestalk lot joined in March/April - there are now about 500. 

We now need as many numbers as possible, to vote through a change in Foxes Trust leadership and culture, and in turn, push for the change we want to see in our club.  

 

If you want to have a voice on the issues that matter to you...

Step 1 - https://foxestrust.co.uk/become-a-member

Step 2 - Email: [email protected]

 

 

Edited 13 May by brucey

[Foxes Trust Reform]

 

3 hours ago, RYM said:

New energy is great but TBF to the trust, they don’t need to jump through any hoops for you guys or anyone, so I don’t understand the attack on the time demands?

 

To give yourselves credibility here it may be worth full transparency with your requests and the reply, where you feel they didn’t comply etc otherwise it’s going to come across as a bit playground like?

 

 

We’ve already been in touch with a sizeable number of new joiners to the Trust, and we shared this information with those that had already been in contact but for transparency we’re happy to share it here and are also happy to field questions and receive feedback on our email account or via DM on here.

To date, we have had cordial discussions with the Trust. There are good people involved who are passionate about the club but, with many new joiners since March wanting change, we felt they needed to act upon the concerns we’d shared on behalf of a sizeable number of new members (that we are in direct contact with) with urgency.
 

We had not asked them to do so with urgency for any reasons other than a) there are some issues that are time critical and b) it will be important that the Trust can change quickly to be ready to take on challenges in the new season.

To comment specifically on our four requests: 

 

•    To start working together (rather than continuously corresponding) we asked for two people to be co-opted to the FT board - they said they need more helping hands but have been slow on taking up the offer of this.

•    What we know about the FAB proposal currently on the table leads us to suspect it is unfit for purpose. This is a once in a generation opportunity to get things right and it is likely it will be set in stone this summer given promotion so we asked the Trust to share full details but pause any agreement to proceed with the club so that we could all work together.

•    We asked the Trust to take up our offer of support on a new fan survey working group – to create something with the expertise of new joiners that would reach all LCFC fans and not just Trust members. This would include a satisfaction scorecard and identify fan priorities for the Trust to pursue. As you can imagine, this will not be a quick undertaking to get right but needs to happen in good time for the new season. For comparison, Swindon Town Trust managed 6000 responses to their survey - and without Foxes Trust doing similar, the club will ignore it.

•    Finally, we accepted that the club will not discuss the ongoing PSR case, however we simply asked the Trust to call on the club to nominate an executive responsible for ongoing PSR compliance. We are seeking to avoid the situation that if a further breach should occur we fans have no idea who is responsible…

The Trust sent initial holding emails and then a lengthy response that didn’t provide any assurances or address directly the four requests:

- The Trust said they were assessing skill audit returns for those interested in active involvement at working group/board level (a figure of 6 responses was mentioned - so this really shouldn’t take long in a well functioning Trust)

- The Trust either misunderstood or ignored our request in relation to the FAB. No full details have been shared with new members and there has been no confirmation of a pause to any agreement with the club

- The Trust asked us to detail out what we wanted the fan survey to look like but made no commitment to actually letting us have involvement with that or discussing further

- The Trust misunderstood our request in relation to PSR - our request was simply for the Trust to call on the club to nominate an executive responsible for future PSR compliance. They seem happy to let the club determine when the right time is to make any comment on anything PSR related.

 

So nothing playground like. We have met in person with board members almost four weeks ago and presented for 90 minutes to them three and a half weeks ago. Our approach has been considered and professional whilst challenging in a positive manner.

 

Our requests were in many ways an acid test of two things: would the Trust work with us and could the Trust move at the pace needed with the current leadership and ways of working? We do not take the decision to go public and prepare a request for an EGM lightly.

 

You are right that the Trust do not currently need to jump through hoops for anyone. But it’s a democratic organisation so if enough people want change then they will do. We believe it is time for change and we believe that there is significant support amongst the LCFC fan base for that change.

 

That’s why we’re asking for you to show your support by emailing “count me in” to [email protected].

 

[Daggers]

Count me in.

[ozleicester]

Who are @Foxes Trust Reform ?

[Claudio Fannieri]

I joined because I want to be part of a group that not only challenges the club but also works closely with the club to provide the very best fan experience,  not to be treated or made to feel a customer and most importantly bring the fanbase and club closer together. 
 

Given the club size and aside from the last 10 or so years, our history, traditionally our fanbase are Leicester supporters through love, not trophy hunters etc, therefore the club need to harness that passion not isolate it. 

[Raj]

Can someone post the GIF of Michael Jackson  eating popcorn please, this sh1t just got real!!

[Ginger_Filbert]

Joined a few weeks ago. Love what the lads that are leading this are doing, time for change. 

[Foxes Trust Reform]

4 hours ago, ozleicester said:

Who are @Foxes Trust Reform ?

We are a group of over 100 new joiners to the Foxes Trust since March.
 

We started predominantly as a group of writers from The Fosse Way who wanted to join the Trust to support it to do more and grew via campaigns on social media and by finding like-minded individuals on Foxestalk.
 

In the next couple of weeks or so we will be hosting an online session to provide further context on how the group and campaign started, to introduce those representing the group in discussions with the Foxes Trust, to share our vision for what we would like the Trust to become in future and to provide latest updates on any progress made.
 

That session will be free to join, open to non-Foxes Trust members and you can receive an invitation to that session by emailing “count me in” to [email protected] to become part of our mailing list. 

[foxinsocks]

The club have too many underlings making decisions that impact fans.  We need a strong trust to stand up to the club and work with the club to avoid such issues.

[mydogzonfire]

Over the past few years I have become more and more disillusioned with LCFC and the way they conduct themselves in relation to the fans. Others have commented on the stewarding and pricing and ticketing issues which alienate many of us (lack of choice and exorbitant prices in the concourse outlets) but I am also concerned about the lack of engagement of the club with many of the supporter groups who are desperately trying to improve the match day atmosphere themselves, but encountering barriers from within the club (as expressed on this forum elsewhere).

I have been watching live football for 60 years, so I do have a perspective born of experience, and I have seen clubs gradually become more remote from the match going fan and more inclined to target the corporate customer who can offer greater income through hospitality packages and high-cost events. This is short-term thinking and unlikely to encourage the younger generation to become lifelong fans whilst those who do attend are being fleeced by the club as a captive audience.

The only way to counter this is by supporting the Foxes Trust and ensuring they have the determination to hold the club to account about how it treats the fans. That is why I have joined the Trust, in the hope that they can become more active in communicating on behalf of the whole fan base and improve our match day experience in the way we want it to, rather than the way that makes them the most money. 

Without the fans football is nothing, let’s ensure the fans are heard in the boardroom where the decisions are made.

[Lako42]

Excellent mobilisation and action being taken here. 

 

Nice to see a group of people doing rather than talking. 

 

 

Joined 

[Chrysalis]

Good luck with this, it has become clear the current foxes trust leadership has become too cosy with the club.

[Ric Flair]

I've joined the trust for many reasons, largely because I think the disconnect between the club and fans is at an all time low. 

 

What an improvement on that looks like from a fans perspective championing change is very much in its infancy but I welcome the sense of being part of a movement that in time might aid that connect between our club and fans.

 

A few specifics that are close to me. I am a compulsive gambler 6 years in to recovery and I'm uncomfortable with the clubs relationship with gambling firms. It's not so much that gambling is the root of all evil and I demand Leicester to have nothing to do with such activities but more to be part of a culture that demands more regulation and not just see it as an easy way to generate commercial revenue. The links to shell Asian gambling firms that form a web of mystery is not a positive sign.

 

Secondly the lack of coverage of our academy irks me. It should be our pride and joy and at the centre of our foundations and blue print. We no longer stream games nor provide much information on the U18s and U21s. It's not a case of asking for something other clubs don't do either, we evidently have opted to cut back on this.

 

And more recently the decision making without consulting fan groups or the wider fanbase is unacceptable and has to change.

[CrazyKopCorner]

On 12/05/2024 at 13:28, Foxes Trust Reform said:

It’s time to change the leadership of the Foxes Trust.

 

Since March, a group of new joiners to the Foxes Trust have been motivating for change. We want the Trust to become significant campaigning group representing the views of the entire fanbase and holding the club to account.  

 

We have met with several Foxes Trust board members but, despite the large number of new joiners (thanks to the ~200 new joiners in recent weeks) and warm words, they have failed to demonstrate a real openness to action change nor the ability to operate with the agility required to ensure we have an effective Trust come the start of the new season.

 

It is now clear that if the Trust is to be reformed then the leadership must be refreshed. We have therefore informed the Trust that we are to prepare a request for a General Meeting of all Trust members along with a resolution to change the leadership of the Trust.

 

We are appealing to you to show your support for a more effective Trust by simply emailing “count me in” to [email protected] - whether you are a current Trust member or otherwise. Doing so will allow us to further showcase the desire for change (both inside and outside of the Trust membership base today), keep you up to date on how things are progressing and ask for your input/feedback on what you want to see from the Trust.

 

Some of our top/most pressing priorities for the Trust are areas such as:

 

- Attract a significant membership to truly articulate supporters’ concerns/interests/aspirations and demonstrate strength/weight of numbers to the club. The Trust should not be beholden to the club and should be able to speak out where it believes necessary.

 

- Implement a fanbase-wide survey so that the focus of the Trust is driven by the views of the entire fanbase. There are so many issues where we wish to see a campaigning Foxes Trust press the club to do better: general sale ticketing,  shop pricing (especially for kids shirts), future of the singing section, introduction of safe standing; concourse pricing, matchday stewarding, banning policy, transparency over responsibilities of club executives/board members, creation of a Fan Advisory Board that is NOT under the control of the club, safeguarding for academy players and ladies teams, improved club media operations, charging kids to attend signing sessions… the list goes on!

 

- Fan Advisory Board: With promotion, the club now has to establish a Fans Advisory Board (FAB) yet the current proposal for the make-up of the FAB is unfit for purpose – this is a once in a generation opportunity to get things right. We asked the Trust to share full visibility on the current proposed plan and pause any agreement to proceed with the club so that we could work together to identify a more effective proposal. The Trust has not responded on this piece in particular.

 

Our assessment of the current Trust shows them to be lacking in their mindset on representation (they believe its first priority is to represent its members and the views of members rather than the wider supporter base), their relationship with LCFC (they are too cosy with the club, have just one person communicating with the club and fear being sidelined), their communication (they have little presence on social media and their statements are weak in tone) and their ability to change at pace (they have many manual processes and make every decision slowly and by committee).

 

To pressure-test the Trust board’s ability and appetite for change, we asked them to work with us on four simple requests and provide comment with a speed that would demonstrate their appreciation for the urgency of those requests. They replied late and did not directly action a single one of the four requests. This is why we are now taking action and asking you for your backing.

 

We would love for you to join the Trust here and secure your vote for the Special General Meeting (it’s only £10 for adults, £5 for OAPs, £5 for students, £3 for 18-21 year olds and free for under 18s) but, even if you are not quite ready to join but are supportive of what we are trying to achieve for all LCFC fans, we would still appeal to you to please at least email “count me in” to [email protected].

 

Share with fellow LCFC fans… it’s time to stand up for change in the Foxes Trust!

 

Could I ask where you are in relation to UFS? Will there be an initial view to work together? 

[Stadt]

2 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

Could I ask where you are in relation to UFS? Will there be an initial view to work together? 

The reform group and UFS are well aligned 

[davieG]

I've joined and agree with many of the aims put forward on this thread.

 

Not mentioned that I know of...

I would like to see more nods to our history and the stadium to look more like the home of LCFC rather than KPFC. Whatever happened to the Museum.

 

Outside the Stadium it's nearly all KP wth the only physical 'Icon' being the statue which I have no problem with but where are the reminders of our previous successes on the pitch and our past 'Legends'

 

Inside the stadium the banner proudly claims King Power, 1884,  LCFC Badge and hidden behind the big screens Leicester City FC. A visitor might conceive we are KPFC founded in 1884 as nowhere else of any significance do we see much of Leicester City FC

[Chelmofox]

19 hours ago, brucey said:

The Trust made it very clear at their AGM that they only serve the interests of their members, which seem to be mainly older white people, not the general fanbase. Case in point, in their own words "We don't get involved in safe standing because that's a UFS thing and our members don't want it".

Thanks for raising this - and it's a really staggering position that they held here regarding safe standing when they could see what was happening throughout the game. Very brave for calling it out as well.  Will be joining. 

[GLC]

I joined the foxes trust because the disconnect between the club and fans has widened significantly since Covid.

It would seem the club only sees us fans as an inconvenience, with the only priority is to drain us of our money whenever possible. 
 

My biggest issue with the club, involves putting the ability to buy match tickets behind a paywall. 
Having to pay £32 a year just to be able to buy a ticket is disgraceful! This will lock out the future generation!

 

I want the club to be held to account for the bad decisions it’s made in the 18 months - 2 years. 
they assume getting promotion will sweep these issues under the rug, but that really shouldn’t be the case!