In the Spring of 2009 the Trust Board organised a survey of all adult members to help shape future Trust policy and activities. Based on over 100 responses an action plan was developed at a strategy day.
The survey, an overview of the responses and key elements of the action plan are given below:
Lincoln City Supporters’ Trust - 2009 Member Survey
Dear Member,
With over 1,300 members Lincoln City Supporters’ Trust (LCST) represents a significant number of Imps fans, we are the largest shareholders in the Football Club with an approximate stake of 26% and we provide financial input not only through share ownership but sponsorship of the Trust Suite, Lee Frecklington and the Under 16’s shirts.
The LCST Board are all volunteers; they give their time freely and are involved because of their passion for the Club. It is important that the Trust Board understand where members want our future efforts focused and how well we are working now.
Please help us by completing our annual survey, let us have your views, good or bad, and help us build a stronger Trust and Club.
Roy Noble, Society Secretary
A. How you see the Trust
1a. Do you think the cost of Trust membership is
(please tick the appropriate box)
i) Too low?
ii) About right?
iii) Too high?
iv) Don’t know?
1b. Would you be prepared to pay for your membership through a Standing Order?
i) Yes
ii) No
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 1: -
The majority of those responding (83%) felt that membership subscriptions are set at about the right level.
- A Standing Order form should be included in the next 2 editions of the newsletter to facilitate members signing up.
- Copies of the Standing Order form should also be permanently made available at the LCFC ticket office.
Standing Order Forms are available on the Trust Website
2a. Which membership benefits are important to you:
(please tick as many boxes as appropriate)
i) Representing Imps fans by having Trust members on
the Football Club Board?
ii) Fans Forums?
iii) Discounts in the Club shop?
iv) Showing your support for the Club?
v) Other, please describe
2b. What additional benefits would you value?
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 2: -
The importance accorded by 36% of respondents to having members on the Board of the football club is not really that surprising, however, even with the acknowledgement of the confidential nature of much that is discussed at Board level there was a clear appetite to hear more about Board discussions.
The challenge of timescales on the newsletter and keeping ‘news’ current makes this desire for information, raised by respondents, even harder to address.
- A mechanism for addressing this may be by making ‘Directors Diary’ available on line within a set number of days of each meeting.
This may also help to promote visits to the website and address the issue of limited site visits by members identified below.
3. Do you believe that the Trust is open and transparent in its workings?
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Don’t know
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 3: -
With 74% of respondents saying that they feel the Trust is open and transparent in its workings and the sheer number of positive comments about the Trust and the time/quality of the effort put in by Trust Board Members, help to put into perspective the Board members drive towards better management of Trust Board business and a greater transparency of Trust Board proceedings, discussed at the June Board Meeting The vast majority of members are positive in their support; however, action is needed to help those that feel otherwise to have confidence in the actions being taken.
Actions could include:
- More concise and accessible reports from the Chairman in the newsletter.
- Real time comments on current topics on the website and clear communication by all media forms (including newspapers) on what we are about, what we want to achieve and how we go about achieving it.
- Email address as point of contact for all Board members.
- An approach to the Echo to see if we can have a monthly column, outlining our activities, views and actions etc. If necessary this can be ghosted by someone with experience of writing copy.
These are issues we have discussed in recent Board Meetings – the survey responses merely serve to reinforce the need to address these matters.
4. How many Trust Board members can you identify?
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 4: -
Recognition is very low with less than half being able to identify between one and four Board members and 24% not able to identify any Board member
This is a significant point and we need to ensure that recognition levels are raised; this will also make us more approachable and help with the transparency issues outlined above. We must strive to reduce the levels of non-recognition.
Recommended actions:
- Photo board in Trust Suite (agreed at June meeting)
- Photographs (preferably at a match or event) of each member of the board, including a 75-word pen portrait.
- Photo of board members in first newsletter following the AGM, with pen portrait recommended above.
- All members to wear there badges at matches (before) and at Fans Forum events
- Programme notes need to have a photo of the board member writing them
- Encourage members to attend and meet Board members at the AGM, at social occasions and at fans forums.
5. The Trust has partners and organisations that assist with some aspects of the Trust. Are you aware of these organisations and what they do?
(please tick the appropriate boxes)
i) Lincolnshire Cooperative
a) Yes b) No
ii) Supporters Direct
a) Yes b) No
iii) Football Supporters’ Federation
a) Yes b) No
iv) National Association of Disabled Supporters.
a) Yes b) No
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 5: -
Lincolnshire Co-operative and its actions are widely recognised (90% of 93% of respondents)
Supporters Direct and its actions are more recognised than not (77% of 83% of respondents)
Football Supporters Federation and its actions are 50:50 (55% of 86% of respondents)
National Association of Disabled Supporters and their actions are least recognised, recognised by 43% of 88% of respondents
If we are to have the support and involvement of ‘key’ partner organisation we need to ensure that our members understand their activities/involvement. Suggest:
- A profile of what the relationship is and what it means for supporters, the Trust and the Club in the newsletter, especially for FSF and NADS, as members do clearly not clearly understand these. Profile could be an article by representative from individual organisation saying why they value the relationship etc.
- “Did you know” ticker tape news strip along the bottom of each page in newsletter, outlining involvements etc. (This can be used for other news items also)
B. Communications
6a Newsletter – How much do you read? Most
Some
None
6b.What would you like to see included in the newsletter?
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 6a/b: -
- To keep the newsletter fresh a number of suggested topics were submitted by members, including:
Match reports, Supporters Comments, More information on Trust members and their activities, More information on players, Q&A with Club Officials, Junior news from more juniors, more info ref 3Cs.
- Some of these may help address the concerns raised by a number of members that the newsletter sometime lacked a dynamic edge and help to freshen up the communication. It maybe that revising the format may also help to sustain people’s interest in the same way as we have refreshed the website.
6c. Website - How often do you visit the Trust website? Most days
Weekly
Monthly
Less frequently
Never
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 6c
A significant number of members never visit the website (36%), whilst slightly fewer (33%) visit less than once a month. Low levels of members visit daily or weekly (18%). This is particularly disappointing but also underlines the importance of the decision already taken to renew and refresh the website.
- With the new website up and running there is a need to make sure that everything that we circulate carries and promotes the website address. Perhaps we should be talking to the Echo to get a link from the website (and vice versa) and make the new site a feature press release.
6d. What would you like to see included on the Trust website?
There was not a significant response to this question to be sure of how members would like to see the website develop so any further development of the website will be undertaken and members will be asked to respond to changes at a later time
6e. Would you be willing to receive Trust news by e-mail?
Yes
No
Comments
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 6e
A large majority of members would favour news by email (69%), although less than half (51%) have provided us with their email address!
- With this level of members interested in email communications we need to ensure that we are both collecting email addresses at every opportunity i.e. registration article in the newsletter, driving people to the site to register their address; same approach on any surveys that we circulate at matches which can also encourage people to sign up for membership
- It is important that where we use email for news communications we only provide tasters for news that is on the website, rather than send long winded emails!
6f. If you have an email address have you registered this with the Trust Secretary by returning the Membership Details Form sent out in 2008?
a) Yes b) No
(If not, you can do so anytime by visiting the Trust website www.impstrust.co.uk)
As outlined above there is still some work to be done to improve the uptake of members asking for email correspondence.
General Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 6
- Circulating surveys at matches will help heighten our profile and also will also allow us to actually show what we can achieve. We can promote ourselves as the ‘Voice of the Fans’ and look at areas that our members themselves have identified as important. These include:
· Catering and food in the ground
· Stadium facilities
· Match Experience
C. The Future
7a. In what main areas should Trust elected directors try and influence Club policy? (tick as many boxes as you wish)
i) Stadium development
ii) Sound financial arrangements
iii) Recruitment of the manager
iv) Youth development
v) Other (please describe)
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 7a
The purchasing of shares was seen as the most important priority in non-statutory expenditure (33%), with reasonable support for all other suggestions bar that of more social events, which was poorly supported (9%). Other results: It should all go to the club 16%, Sponsorship 17%, Mixture of all named options 25%.
The other areas of potential complaint raised by individual members (or a most one or two) included:
• Do not pay agents, Ticket pricing, more community involvement (reinforced by responses to 7c.),
• Generate more LCFC income (no suggestions as to how were provided), better training for stewards,
• Better team discipline, input into kit design (potential for trust competition?), club sustainability.
- These are the options that we gave members to choose from and it was of interest that no significant trend or support for other areas of activity in the comments made by respondents.
- The area where we need to be more active than we are currently is in looking at the issue of Stadium development (in response to the level of comments) and whilst this in overall terms will necessarily be linked to on field success, there is much that could be done in garnering supporters views (hence the match day survey idea) and peripheral improvements to the stadium i.e. gravelled areas beside Echo Stand, better PA system, Toilet facilities etc.
- Trust competition for design of new kit
[A question regarding ‘Junior’ members rights to vote and hold office – Trust Rule 12 deals with this situation. “A minor not under the age of 16 may be admitted as a member or joint member of the Society but may not be an officer of the Society.”
In the United Kingdom the term ‘minor’ usually refers to anyone under the age of eighteen. So, anyone over sixteen may vote but not be elected to the Board until they are eighteen.]
7b. After statutory expenditure how would you like us to prioritise where Trust income is spent?
(tick as many boxes as you wish)
i) It should all go to the Club
ii) Purchase shares
iii) Sponsorship
iv) More social events including Fans Forums
v) A mixture of the above
vi) Other (please describe)
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 7b
The vast majority of fans support the concept of holding forums outside of Lincoln (84%). Those most vociferous in opposing these events lived for the most part within 3 miles of Sincil Bank!
- It is gratifying that members share the Board’s view in respect to the purchase of shares being the most important element of non-statutory expenditure.
- The view that social events are least important is of concern as it means that, unless we can change perception, we will only be able to raise funds form a die-hard small group of people.
- In order to change this view we need to look at what type of event may change that view and failing that try and identify how we could raise more money from embers & fans on match day.
7c. Do you agree with the Trust holding Fans Forums outside of Lincoln?
(please tick the appropriate box)
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Don’t know
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 7c
The vast majority of fans support the concept of holding forums outside of Lincoln (84%). Those most vociferous in opposing these events lived for the most part within 3 miles of Sincil Bank!
- Continue to hold Fora outside the City.
7d. How far do you live from Sincil Bank? Miles
7e. The Trust has been managing a project called The Club’s the Hub.
(please tick the appropriate boxes)
i) Were you aware of this project?
a) Yes b) No
ii) Have you seen improvements related to this project?
a) Yes b) No
iii) Has the project been a success?
a) Yes b) No
iv) Do you support the Trust Board in running this and similar stadium and community projects?
a) Yes b) No
Responses and recommended actions in relation to Question 7e
The vast majority were familiar with ‘The Club’s the Hub’ (82% of 92% of respondents), a significantly smaller percentage felt they had seen improvements related to the project (60% of 72% of respondents), a smaller number still viewed it as a success ( 71% of 45% of respondents); although a significant majority supported Trust involvement in this and similar stadium and community projects 85% of 86% of respondents).
- It is clear that the majority of our members are strongly supportive of our involvement in community projects that link the club strongly with its local community; however, there is patchy knowledge of the level of success of TCTH in this instance.
- We need to identify what additional projects we can become involved in, what funding streams are available. With the County Council taking over the responsibility for economic development from the Regional Development Agency we need to be building bridges into LCC in addition to the City Council to see what role we can serve in future community projects
D. Your Opportunity
Your chance to tell us what you think about the Trust, what we should be doing, what we do well and not so well – anything at all.
The Trust Board thought that there had been a good response from members andthat the survey was a very worthwhile exercise and would probably be worth repeating it in, say, every 24 months to keep track of views and how we have responded to those expressed in this survey. Interim surveys (of all fans as well as members) on specific issues also seem to be a positive way forward, these can be on line and in leaflet form issued at matches – in this way we can be much more responsive to issues.
Board members are asked to consider the suggestions in this paper and identify those recommendations they wish to action and any additional actions that they feel are necessary based on the above analysis.
George Lee / Steve Derbyshire / Roy Noble, 17 Sept 2009
