Port Vale Programme, 14th February 2009

I hope you are all aware by now that my three year term of office as Supporter Director expires on 21 February and so this is my last letter to you in this role that will be published in the programme.

Looking back over the last three years most of the first two were probably amongst the worst in the Club’s history.  I’m sure we all can pick out several “lowlights” from our relegation season.  My worst experience of all however was the following season, watching the 7-0 thrashing at Peterborough, where for the first time in supporting the Club for nearly 40 years I felt like leaving a game at halftime!  Thankfully December 2007 saw a significant change in the Club’s fortunes with the appointment of Andy Scott as First-Team Manager.

From the first match Andy was in charge at Wrexham there was an immediate response from the players which was not just “new manager syndrome” but a sustained improvement which was acknowledged by you when you chanted, “We’ve got our Brentford back!”  Happily since then Andy has continued to build and strengthen not only the team but also the coaching and support staff.  We are now well placed for on the pitch success; not that he will be happy to just settle for that.  Under Andy’s leadership we are now in a good position for a promotion push and credit must also go to the playing, coaching and support staff for the way they have all contributed to getting us in this position.

Off the pitch we are finally beginning to see a reduction in the Club’s losses through more effective financial control and cost management.  Despite this the Club will still lose around £450,000 this season.  Whilst finance is in place for this season’s loss, there are some serious funding issues to be resolved for the following season.  Both the Club and Supporters’ Trust Boards are working together to address the finances.  No one should underestimate the magnitude of the task ahead in terms of finding a satisfactory level of finance for next season.  That is why it’s not only your continued vocal support that is important to the success of the Club but also your financial support.  This is really appreciated by the Club Board, particularly in these difficult financial times.

At my last Brentford Football Club Board Meeting I was told how much my contribution had been valued by the Board over the past three years.  In particular they said that they appreciated the way I have represented supporters’ views.  Part of doing this has involved me taking up issues on behalf of individuals when the normal routes of communication with the Club or Trust have failed.  It is felt there is an ongoing need for someone who will bring an independent view, if and when such situations arise, by acting as ombudsman. This is intended to complement BIAS’s similar but different role as the voice of supporters.  The Club Board have invited me to become an associate director of the Football Club giving me access to them whenever I choose in the directors’ box home or away.  Whilst I will continue to have access to the board, I shall no longer have the right to attend board meetings or vote on matters.

I’m honoured to been asked and delighted to accept the role of ombudsman and the position of associate director.  Both will be reviewed annually by the Club Board (although I would resign in the interim if they asked me to).  I wish to make it clear Brentford Football Club will not lose any money as a result of me accepting the offer of associate directorship.  Just as I did when I was Supporter Director, I will continue to pay for my season ticket, programme, food, parking and guests.  In addition I have offered my services to the Club to assist them on specific projects when needed.  I am also considering if it is feasible to use my website (www.bfcsupporterdirector.co.uk) to support my new activities.

Will I spend all my time in the Directors’ Box?  Absolutely not, as I also still want to continue to spend time with the friends elsewhere in the ground, many of whom have said that they wouldn’t want to be seen dead in the Boardroom!

It is strange how generally supporters believe that anyone in the boardroom can’t be a fan and I must admit before becoming Supporter Director I did not really understand this either.  Of course there are some people who are in the boardroom who are there for the “experience” but I have found that those who come regularly are supporters too.  Take the Club Directors for instance; there are minimum of two directors, and generally more, at every game home and away.  I can assure you that they feel either the joy of victory or the pain of defeat just like any other regular supporter.  I’m sure you recall how bad it felt in our relegation year and the early part of last season. Well it felt just as bad in the Directors’ Box and now, with Andy at the helm, it certainly feels a lot better!

I am really sorry the Supporters’ Trust has decided not to continue with your direct representation on the Club Board and I sincerely hope that, between the Trust Board and BIAS, the two organisations can find a way of getting your voice heard by those who run the Football Club.  In my new role I will endeavor to contribute to ensuring your voice is continued to be heard.  I am optimistic that a solution will be found.

It has been a great honour to be elected and represent you as Supporter Director.  When I took up the position I sought to ensure that I met the Bees United requirements for the role, including giving you a voice on the Club Board.  In addition I also set out a number of additional objectives to achieve:

I have done this through a variety of means:  through holding and reporting matchday surgeries held throughout the season, visiting different parts of the ground to meet supporters, writing in the matchday programme and on my website. 

This was achieved within the first year of my appointment.

There were a number of initial discussions between the clubs which enabled benchmarking of off the pitch performance, however after further discussion it was decided not set-up a formal networking group.  Contact now is informal.

This has been done for every completed season and is something I will continue to do in my ombudsman role.

This is the one area I failed on making little difference to the status quo.

Although I would have liked to have done more, overall I’m pleased with what I delivered on my promises.  I’m very happy that my efforts have been recognised not only by the Club Board but also the Trust Board and by many supporters who have also thanked me for my efforts.

Of course I have not been able to achieve this on my own and I must thank a number of people for their support:

Firstly I would like to thank the Club Directors for working with me, and although we didn’t always agree, we always took a constructive approach and maintained a healthy respect between us.  I’m grateful to the Bees United Board throughout my three years on Club Board for keeping me in their confidence and allowing me to contribute to various discussions and to the Lionel Road Board for their steady progress toward a new stadium.

I’d also like to thank all the Club’s staff for working with me throughout my tenure and although in terms of space I cannot mention everyone by name I would like to pick a few out:  As Acting CEO and fellow director David Heath has done a fantastic job and has given me continued support throughout; he has also often reduced my stress levels with his ability to make me laugh! Tony Ashley has done a fabulous job since arriving at the Club improving different areas of the stadium management no end and really helped me by accommodating my surgeries in different parts of the stadium.  Peter Gilham has been very cooperative by allowing me space in the programme and also very patient when I have bumped up against the programme deadline.  Club Secretary Lisa Hall is really an unsung hero at the Club and helped me through the boardroom etiquette in my early days and subsequently with the boardroom arrangements both home and away.  Andy Scott and the backroom staff, not forgetting the youth set-up, have been very open with me and, together with the players, are really worthy of our support.

Outside the Club it has been a pleasure working with Lee Doyle and the Community Sports Trust team and Jo Emmerson and her team in the Learning Zone. Both groups do a fabulous job, not only in their own right but also promoting the Club.  Kath Richardson has helped me overcome my technical, and sometimes grammatical incompetence, to run my website.  I must also thank my family because without their support I would have never been able to do the job in the first place!

Finally I must thank you the supporters who have taken the time to either write or talk to me.  Without your involvement the role of Supporter Director would have been very difficult to do.  Thank you for voting for me and allowing me to represent you it has been a great privilege for me. 

Whilst we all look at things differently, one of the great things about our great Club is that wonderful Brentford Spirit that manifests itself in so many ways: walking to Hartlepool, competing to the end of the match (scoring a last minute goal!), singing for the team even if it is losing, the Club’s wonderful community work, or making standing orders to the Trust.  We must never lose this spirit.  So with the forthcoming challenges, both on and off the pitch, the only way we can collectively succeed is by ensuring we all pull in the same direction.  So for one last time….

Let's work together!

Jon Gosling

Comments can either be sent to me on or directly via comments page.

15th Febuary 2009

Aldershot Town Match Programme, 27th January 2009