Last week our Supporter Director Sian Davies wrote to all our current Trust members as follows…..
As I write this update the spirits of the club, and fans, have been lifted following an impressive win over Bristol City. It was great to see everyone get behind the team and help create a winning atmosphere around the stadium.
Since my last update we have released many communications to our members via our website, our various social media platforms and also an exclusive Trust interview with the majority owners of our club. On that note of communications with the majority owners we welcome the recent loan to equity conversions, albeit with the accompanying dilution of the Trust’s shareholding in the Club, and fully support the ongoing efforts to make the club more financially stable and to reduce the total debt owed by the Club. The Club is constantly looking to keep debts to a minimum through a model based on commercial income, player trading and owner investment. Through this model the Club is currently one of the few Championship clubs that are financially stable.
Although the Trust is never happy to have its shareholding diluted, we do not have the finances to match fund each investment in the club. Should other shareholders in the Club not match any investment their shareholdings are also diluted. However, we should remember that we have a protected shareholding of 5% in the Club which cannot be diluted and ensures that the Trust will, at a minimum, always own 5% of the shares in the Club, have 5% voting rights and a 5% entitlement to dividends etc.
On top of our regular meetings with the club’s senior management team we have been working hard on a number of fronts as outlined below.
Membership – technical issues with our website undoubtedly impacted recruitment earlier in the year but using the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) benchmarking exercise, led by the Trust, across supporter trust/groups of all Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs, shows that membership of Swansea City Supporters’ Trust compares well against a number of other Supporter groups/Trusts of Championship clubs. The Trust’s Membership and Fundraising sub group is currently analysing all the information collected, as part of the aforementioned exercise, to identify best practice which can, hopefully, improve the way in which we interact with our supporter group members and the wider fan base.
The Trust also now has a direct link on the Club’s website which enables supporters to directly access the Swans Trust website should anyone wish to join the Trust or just find out more about the Trust. After further recent discussions between both our media teams the club have also updated their Swans Trust page on the official club website here
Communication with Supporters – following the very positive feedback from the first TrustCast with Jake Silverstein in October 2022 the second TrustCast, with the support of Ben Donovan, Head of Media and Communications and the club’s local management team, was recorded in December 2022. The interviewee was Head of Football Operations Josh Marsh. Josh outlined his career path thus far and also gave an excellent insight into how transfer decisions are made within the club, the importance of culture, his work with the Academy, and how players are managed when they are with us. As part of our new member communications and engagement initiatives we also invited questions from fans to be put to Josh. Our TrustCasts are now available on Spotify, Amazon, and a number of other podcast streaming sites and we are planning to conduct more interviews with key club personnel in the future.
Former Players Association (FPA) – the most appropriate way to recognise former players in and around the stadium continues to be discussed in conjunction with the Trust. This could include re-naming of some of the stands, concourses, bars or walk-up areas around the stadium. The Trust feels strongly that these areas should all be easily accessible to supporters rather than just those in hospitality areas, lounges and suites.
Charitable/Community Work – the Trust has, once again, provided sponsorship to the Swansea Schools’ F.A. and the Swansea Junior Football League for season 2022/23. This support began back in the 2013/14 season and has continued every year since. This is the 10th consecutive year that the Trust has provided financial support to these two extremely important grass roots junior football organisations in and around the Swansea area.
Swansea Schools’ F.A. is responsible for the running of Participation Projects, Primary Festivals, Secondary Leagues and Representative Squads for Boys & Girls. Last season various changes were introduced across the player pathway in terms of pitch sizes, squad numbers and equipment requirements, including new size goals to allow them to develop their involvement and fixtures within the English Schools’ F.A. structure. The Trust sponsorship has enabled the Swansea Schools’ F.A. to meet a number of these requirements.
The Swansea Junior Football League has been running since 1968 and are the beating heart of the game in the Swansea area and are the first taste of organised football for so many potential young stars. Trust support has helped provide the clubs and players with a wide variety of items and additional support. Over the years the Trust has also supplied such items as special safety glasses for a young player and made a donation towards the cost of a memorial bench for a young player who tragically passed away.
The Trust continues to work closely with the Swansea City Foundation on community/charitable initiatives. Over the past few months, a Trust Board member, who is himself visually impaired, has been working with the Foundation and the Swans DSA to help establish a new project for visually impaired young people. This has culminated in visually impaired football sessions for ages 8–18-year-olds being available on a weekly basis. Another member of the Trust is the official Trust representative on the Foundation’s Walking Football project and reports regularly on the project to the Trust Board.
We are also supporting the inaugural Swansea City Foundation’s ‘Swans Cycle Challenge’. It is hoped that the Swans Cycle Challenge will become an annual event raising much needed funds for a local cause each year. This year, working in partnership with Prostate Cymru and Maggie’s Cancer Care, the Foundation is aiming to raise £25000 which will allow the Foundation to plan and host a prostate cancer testing event at the Swansea.com Stadium. The route will see riders travel more than 150 miles over two days, starting at the home of West Bromwich Albion, The Hawthorns, and finishing at the Swansea.com Stadium ahead of the final Championship fixture of the 2022-23 season between the Swans and West Brom at the Swansea.com Stadium. If you would like to take part in the Challenge further details can be found at here.
Schools Initiative – seven years ago, representatives of the Swans Trust put together a project to raise awareness of the work of the Trust and the Club amongst young people. Working closely with the body responsible for many qualifications and examinations in Wales (the WJEC) the Trust developed an approved “Challenge” – Improving the Matchday Experience for Young Fans – for pupils in the 14-16 age group that formed part of their Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification. Over the next three years well over a thousand pupils from Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire schools undertook the Challenge. Inevitably the project was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic but was relaunched last Autumn and was extended to include Economics and Business Studies students up to the age of 18.
This season about 700 pupils and students between the ages of 14 and 18 are expected to take part in the project. We are indebted to the Club for providing access to their facilities and tours of the stadium, free of charge. Without their support the initiative would not have been the success it is. The Club’s Supporter Liaison Officer Catherine Thomas has worked extremely hard to accommodate visits to the stadium, often at very short notice, Lee Trundle has very kindly committed his time to meeting the students both at the stadium and in schools and the Swans Foundation has facilitated and been actively involved in the delivery of the programme.
Trust AGM – the Trust held its 22nd AGM on Monday 30th January 2023 at the Swansea.com stadium. Members were able to attend in person, for the first time in three years, or via a live stream thus enabling as many members as possible to access the meeting. As we continue to learn, reflect and improve the way we operate as an organisation the Trust’s Governance group have been reviewing and updating the Governance documents, including the Model Rules, under which the Trust operates. These changes, which clarify and simplify the way in which the Trust operates, were ratified at this recent AGM.
Heritage Boards at the Vetch – Swansea City have been working with Swansea Council and the Safer Swansea Partnership on a project to place new heritage boards at the Vetch. Roger Goodwin and I recently represented the Trust at a photo shoot at the Vetch to mark the erection of these Heritage Boards. The boards commemorate important events and legendary players who graced the Vetch Field in its 93-year history. The area continues to be a hub for the local community with important local green spaces, community allotments, orchards and various play areas. Two heritage boards have been installed on the path leading through the Swans’ old stomping ground, reminiscing about special memories from the Vetch years. The event was organized by Swansea City Council who offered the Vetch as a venue to the Trust should we wish to use it for any events. The Council are also keen to establish a memorial garden on the site but have been unable to trace names of those whose ashes have been scattered/buried at the site. If anyone has any information that would be of help please contact the Trust at info@swanstrust.co.uk
Swansea City DSA – our congratulations to the Swansea City DSA which celebrated its 10th anniversary in March. The DSA does amazing work strengthening the links between the club and its disabled fans to ensure fans have the best match day experience possible. Cath Dyer, secretary of the DSA, is also a Trust Board member and reports monthly to the Board on DSA initiatives.
Fan Led Review (FLR) – the FLR White paper was published on Thursday 23rd February 2023. The Trust welcomes the White paper and, in particular, the establishment of an independent regulator which is an important step towards the protection of football clubs particularly those in the EFL pyramid. The relationship and interaction between the Club and the Trust Board is an example of excellent practice which could be emulated by the Shadow Boards proposed by the review.
The above gives a brief overview of some of the more recent work of the Trust. In addition, the Trust would like to thank all club personnel, and in particular, Julian Winter, Gareth Davies, Ben Donovan and Cath Thomas, for the continued very productive, constructive and supportive engagement with the Trust across a range of areas. The Trust continues to be the envy of many other supporter Trusts and fan led groups across the country and are frequently contacted by their representatives to find out more about how the Swans Trust operates in our dual role of both being permanent shareholders in the club and of course as an active “voice of the supporters”. This season a number of representatives from other Supporter Trusts/Groups to have come and met our board representatives at home games and we hope to be able to do more to meet them at our away games as we move forward into 2023 and beyond.
Club Board Meetings
Ceri Stone (Associate Director) and I recently attended a meeting of the Club’s Board held via Teams.
Loan Conversion and Transfer of Shares – the first two items on the agenda of the meeting were to approve the conversion of ownership loans to shares, thereby reducing the Club’s debt and the transfer of Jake Silverstein’s shares, held via US entity Stormlight Elyrch LLC, into Swansea Football LLC. Jake Silverstein’s shareholding will now sit alongside those of Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan. This administrative adjustment will not have any impact on club business or decision making, and ensures the club’s ownership group are further aligned as all parties look forward to ensuring Swansea City remains in a financially stable position. The effect on the Trust’s shareholding, and the reasoning behind our support for the conversion and transfer, have been outlined earlier in this report We encouraged the majority ownership group to issue a direct update to fans on this transaction which has been done in addition to the Trust’s statement.
Financial Report – Gareth Davies presented the club’s accounts for the six months to 31st January 2023. The club is heavily reliant on external investment whether it be from the current ownership group or new investors.
Summer Transfer Window Planning – Josh Marsh provided a detailed analysis of the club’s recruitment requirements in the summer as well as a breakdown of the recruitment process. Planning is underway to ensure the club can complete the necessary business. The board agreed unanimously that the events which transpired in January cannot happen again. A number of discussions around the execution of the January transfer window have taken place between the Club’s ownership group and local management since January and a strategy is in place for the forthcoming summer transfer window. Although we are not in a position to divulge confidential strategy we will continue to engage in a dialogue with both Jason, Jake and senior managers at the Club in order to answer more fully questions the Trust has received from fans around this issue.
Safe Standing Update – persistent standing remains on the agenda. There are significant areas of the stadium, within which fans choose to stand almost permanently throughout the game. Unfortunately, this could result in increasing issues for the club with regard to the stadium licence.
Academy – in December 2022 the Academy was subject to an external Health and Safety audit by the EFL. The result puts the club in the top four Clubs in the country.
Safeguarding – information on on-line safety is sent out to Academy and Development Centre parents and carers weekly. Feedback indicates that this information is very useful and informative and is very much appreciated.
Meetings with Julian Winter and Other Club Personnel
We continue to be hugely appreciative of the support we receive from the Senior Management team at the Club, of their willingness to attend Trust Board meetings, to share information with us and to meet with us when requested. However, many of the discussions with Julian Winter, Gareth Davies and other key personnel around the playing squad, club finances and investment in the club are strictly confidential but please be assured that the Trust will challenge the Club when appropriate but will also support the Club, again when appropriate. In a number of areas, we do not seek to interfere as there is a very experienced team working on the ground. We ask questions, many of which are shared to us by the fan base, and provide solutions, if needed. The position of the Trust is not an easy one as, on the one hand, representing the views of our members and, on the other, considering the best interests of the football club, can be conflicting.
January Transfer Window – everyone at the Club was disappointed with the outcome of the recent transfer window. However, planning for the summer is already underway as are discussions around player contracts.
Season Tickets 2023/24 – season ticket sales are going well. As the early bird window was extended this year a true comparison with 2022/23 sales can only be made at the end of the season.
Commercial Manager Appointment – the Club have appointed Richard Morris from Cheltenham Town as the new Commercial Manager. Richard has recently taken up his post. Once settled in Richard will be invited to attend a Trust Board meeting.
Fan Behaviour – the behaviour of Swansea City fans is very good although, unfortunately, there continue to be a minority of fans who continue to exhibit unacceptable behaviour. These fans are being dealt with in accordance with the Club’s Acceptable Behaviour policy. The Trust condemns such behaviour and fully supports the Club in the actions it takes.
Catering at the Stadium – as of the 3rd round FA Cup replay against Bristol City Compass Group assumed responsibility for matchday catering, as well as conferencing and events. There will be an increase in plant-based menu options, as well as plans to reduce the use of single-use plastics and the amount of food waste, all of which are priorities for both the Trust and the club. From the start of next season, supporters will be able to order and pay for pre-match and half-time refreshments in one transaction through self-order units, minimising queue times.
Fixture Lists on the Swans App – to include fixture lists for U21/U18/Women’s team fixtures will necessitate some changes to the App and, consequently, some expenditure. Ben Donovan is investigating and hopes to have an updated App in place for the 2023/24 season.
Financial Distributions Discussions with the Premier League – the Premier League have opened dialogue with the EFL over the way in which the EFL is funded through solidarity and parachute payments. However, no agreement has yet been reached although the advent of an Independent Regulator as part of the government’s White Paper may influence the speed of reform.
Access to 4G/5G in the Stadium – improving access to 4G/5G in the stadium will require significant investment and, currently, no funds are available.
Can I end this report by saying that, as a Trust Board we are not averse to criticism or to receiving tough questions but as Trust Board members, we are all volunteers, doing our best to manage our daily working and family lives alongside our commitment to the Trust. Board members regularly spend many hours over and above their working and family commitments each week to support Trust activities. All we ask is that we are treated with respect. The abuse that individual Board members continue, unfortunately, to receive periodically is, at times, extreme and doesn’t only affect the individual but also their families and friends.
As Supporter Director I want to be available to members, and potential members, whenever possible. To this end, on most matchdays, I can be found at the Pod so please come along and have a chat. Alternatively, please email me at sian.davies@swanstrust.co.uk
And if anyone is interested in discovering more of what is discussed and reported at our regular Trust meetings together with the reports from our various sub groups they are always readily available for all supporters to read HERE
I hope to see you soon.
Sian
