It’s an age old question and not something that can be quantified easily in terms of a product or even a service. In many ways membership of the Trust can be seen as something akin to holding an insurance policy. Hopefully it will never be needed but it’s good to know that it is there if things ever go amiss?

So what is the Swans Trust?

The main aims of the Swans Trust are to maintain a professional football club in Swansea and to bring the club closer to its fans all over the world as well as working within the local community. The Trust was formed by supporters in 2001 during difficult times when the football club was struggling for survival. The Trust currently owns just over 21% of the shares of Swansea City Football Club.

How is the Trust structured?

The Trust has a board that is elected by Trust members, with Phil Sumbler being current Chairman of the Trust Board. Stuart McDonald as Supporters Director represents the Trust on the Board of Directors of the football club. Stuart is consulted on decisions taken by the football club and is able to pass back the views of the fans with an ultimate aim of ensuring the Supporter voice is heard at Board level. Decisions are voted on by the club board and issues including matchday, cup and season ticket prices, stadium rules, catering, stadium and any other match day experiences are regularly discussed and implemented.

If supporters have any specific issues of their own they wish to bring to the attention of our Supporters Director or the Trust Board in general then they are encouraged to email them in the first instance to info@swanstrust.co.uk.

In addition to the individual experience of Trust board members, additional support is provided by financial and legal advisors who regularly provide expert and independent advice to the Trust Board.

As a major shareholder we believe we have the right to have first hand knowledge of much of what is going on at the Club. With that comes responsibilities around confidentiality but, when the need arises, we are able to engage with key personnel at the Club and if necessary highlight issues at a much earlier stage than is the case for fans at most other clubs.

Why should you become a member of the Trust?

The Trust is the voice of the supporters in OUR football club. Being a major shareholder ensures the Trust has certain rights but our voice can only be as strong as its membership. By increasing our membership base and asking you, friends and family to join then the stronger our voice can become in shaping our football club into one that we can once again ALL become proud of.

And of course by joining the Trust, you can influence the decisions the Trust makes by electing the Trust Board and by voting on matters of significance. The Trust plays an active role in the day-to-day running of the football club and arranges a broad range of activities that benefit communities and schools in the Swansea area. The Trust needs you as a member to ensure the interests of Swans fans all over the world are well represented and to ensure the best possible future for OUR football club.

How does the Trust communicate with its members?

The Trust engages and communicates with its members in a variety of ways including through this regularly updated Trust website, email, mailings, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We also aim to host regualar Fans Forums whenever the opportunities arise and future plans include more regular online and video Q&A’s designed more for supporters who maybe reside further afield?

How can I meet Trust Board members?

Board members are available to talk with all Swans supporters before home games at the Trust Pod at the Liberty Stadium (adjacent to the club shop), the Landore Social Club and various other venues around the stadium. Many board members wear clothing with the Trust logo prominently displayed, so are easily recognisable. Board members are always keen to hear your ideas on how the Trust can become more effective.

You can also visit our “Meet the Trust Board” page here to get a broader perspective of who they are and what they do!

We also have a communications@swanstrust.co.uk email address if you have any further ideas on how we can improve any aspects of our communciation processes?

How can I find out more?

Very simple! Just get in touch! We are all Swans supporters like yourselves with only the best interests of our fantastic club at heart! Have a look round our website, email us at info@swanstrust.co.uk, interact with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, email us or just come along and see us before any home game at the Trust Pod.

And finally..

These are some 0f the Swans Trust driven ideas and initiatives that have come to fruition over the past few seasons….

• The Schools Initiative Scheme, in conjunction with the WJEC Examining Board/Welsh Baccalaureate
• The annual awards dinner – which  attracts hundreds of Swans Fans
• Fans Forums in and around Swansea and various outlaying areas throughout South West Wales and beyond

The Trust has been instrumental in many events which benefit the football club including:

• Summer Open Day’s and Training Sessions
• Family Days which see thousands of youngsters attend the Liberty Stadium

The Ivor Allchurch statue that stands proudly outside the Liberty Stadium is a direct result of funds raised by the Trust and in 2008 we added the Robbie James Bust and later the Wall of Fame. In 2014 we commissioned and unveiled a commemorative plaque dedicated to those Swans players who lost their lives in World War One.

The Vetch commemorative box set which was produced to celebrate the end of an era was Trust led and raised a vast amount of money for the Trust, the club and local charities.

Earlier achievements include playing a major role in getting rid of asset strippers and galvanising the supporters so that we all raised a substantial amount to invest into our club when many had given up the ghost. This is always on-going and the Trust are in it for the long haul, the greater our numbers the louder our voice!

Things had been pretty ‘rosy’ for the Swans again up until recent years but the pressures of the Premier League, the sale of the Club in 2016 and a series of poor management and transfer decisions by the club’s hierarchy in recent times has seen a change in the landscape of the Club and this continues to present the Trust with significant challenges.

Now more than ever a strong Trust membership is important as we face up to those challenges so please seriously consider joining or re-joining the Swans Trust

Together we can make a difference!

The Swans Trust Team