Progress Report 2002/2003

We have pleasure in presenting a report on our progress during the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003.

The period in question has been an eventful one for Raith Rovers Independent Supporters’ Society (RRISS) and one which signalled that we’re very much here to stay. Our membership numbers have risen steadily during the course of the year, our 100th member joined in September 2002, and stands at 105 active members at the end of March 2003.

From humble beginnings we’ve grown to the point where we’re now recognised by the football club as a body that conducts itself in a responsible and professional manner. We have also proved we are an organisation which represents a wide range of opinion within the Raith Rovers fan base and the wider community and a voice which they simply cannot afford to ignore.

The Society Board has undertaken a variety of activities on behalf of members during the year. We continue to look for opportunities to work constructively with the Board of Raith Rovers Football club as well as looking for opportunities to promote our club, and football more generally, in the Kirkcaldy area.

We genuinely believe the strongest asset we have is the members and we are looking to get as many fans involved as possible whether through official sub-committees or ad-hoc advisory positions.

Legal Registration
A key objective that the Society had for 2002/2003 was to become legally incorporated as an Industrial & Provident Society, this was achieved in November 2002 making RRISS one of the first football supporters’ trusts in Scotland to achieve this status.

Shortly after this, as a way of formally launching the newly incorporated RRISS, a launch event was held at the Parkway Hotel, Kirkcaldy, on 27 November 2002, a date etched on all our memories as the anniversary of our historic Coca Cola Cup win over Celtic.

The evening, chaired by Raith Rovers fan and sports journalist Scott Davie, proved to be a great success and offered Society members and non-members the opportunity to learn more about football supporters’ trusts in general and about the aspirations of RRISS in particular. We were of course extremely fortunate to be joined by Scott Thomson, our goalkeeping hero from the final. Scott spoke with great affection about his time at Raith Rovers and in particular his role in the events of the semi-final and final as well as our UEFA Cup campaign the following season. The evening concluded with highlights of the match and the event was instrumental in a number of new members joining on the evening and shortly afterwards.

Youth Development
One area which we continued to support in the early part of our 2002/2003 business year was that of youth development, an area that our members feel to be crucial to the future development of the club.

RRISS provided financial support for Raith Rovers Under 18 youth team in season 2001/2002. Unfortunately the relegation of the team to the Second Division at the end of that season resulted in the club taking the decision to disband the Under 18 youth team for season 2002/2003 and RRISS was unable to continue this financial support.

Financial Support
The 2002/2003 season started with a degree of uncertainty as to how the team would perform in their bid for a speedy return to the First Division and in the early part of the season it became apparent to the Society Board that once again the club was experiencing financial difficulties.

At one of the Society Board’s periodic meetings with representatives of the Board of the football club the club requested a cash contribution towards the historical debts of the football club as well as a monthly contribution throughout the 2002/2003 season towards the monthly running costs of the club.

A Special General meeting of RRISS members was held on 22 August 2002 in order to vote on this matter. The Board of RRFC were represented at this meeting by Chairman Danny Smith and fellow Board members Eric Drysdale and Turnbull Hutton. RRISS members had the opportunity to question the Board on various aspects of the running of RRFC, a discussion that lasted over an hour.

RRISS members were grateful for the Board’s willingness to engage in open and forthright discussion on a range of issues of interest to the wider Raith Rovers community.

As one might expect RRISS members held a variety of views on how best we can support and work with the club in the months and years ahead. Ultimately members voted to contribute a one-off sum of £5000 in season 2002/2003 and a small sum each month towards the running costs of the club. These decisions are ones that not all RRISS members agreed with. However, it’s pleasing to note that for many members their faith in the democratic nature of RRISS tempered their own disappointment at the outcome of the vote. As always the financial contributions made were in return for shares in Raith Rovers FC (Holdings) Ltd.

The shareholding of RRISS is now nearly £14,000 worth of shares, making the Trust the fifth largest shareholder in the holding company. If any member would like to know more about the legal set-up of the football club please get in touch and we’ll be happy to explain things.

Business Plan
The development of a business plan was something which members were keen to see developed and this was completed at the end of 2002.

Essentially it has been devised as an emergency back-up, to be used in the circumstance that the club is placed in administration (whether voluntary or otherwise) and that no credible, financially strong proposition for rescue is forthcoming from the wider community, whether business-based or philanthropic.

The over-riding objective of the business plan is, therefore, to ensure the on-going presence of RRFC in Scottish football. Ensuring that such survival is built upon solid business principles, not just wishful thinking.

Survey
A survey of Raith Rovers fans took place in March 2003.

This survey of Raith Rovers fans, the first of its kind at the club, enjoyed magnificent support from the fans and gave ordinary Raith Rovers supporters the chance to tell us about their experience of being a Raith Rovers fan. The results will be used by RRISS and RRFC to promote the sound long-term development of our club.

Communication
Many of you will have noticed that our information stall in the South Stand has become a permanent fixture; this has been useful in building the profile of the Society, has enabled Society Board members to get to know many of our members better and has helped us to provide a service to prospective members, answering questions they may have about RRISS.

Our periodic newsletter and new information Board in the concourse of the South Stand have also proved to be useful communication tools.

The Trust Movement
Throughout the year members of the Society Board have participated in events organised by Supporters Direct in Scotland such as the informal meeting of established and emerging football supporters trusts which was held in Stirling in November 2002 and the first of what will hopefully be an annual conference for Scottish football supporters trusts held at Tynecastle in January 2003.

These events have been invaluable opportunities to meet with ordinary supporters and allow us to tap into a wealth of experience on issues such as marketing and promotion, fundraising initiatives as well as more technical issues such as clubs going into administration. These events have definitely helped to foster the feeling that we’re very much part of a larger movement which is taking off right across the United Kingdom.

Supporters Direct, with funding from the Scottish Executive, continue to go from strength to strength in Scotland, offering welcome support and encouragement to new and established supporters trusts and RRISS, along with other Scottish football supporters trusts will do what we can to ensure this support continues beyond the initial 2 year period of funding the Scottish Executive have committed themselves to.

The Coming Year
Despite the fact that the past year has been an extremely active period for the Society there still remains much to be done.

We will shortly:

• undertake a review of the cost of our membership
• explore the feasibility of a loan note scheme as a way helping to bring the club within community ownership
• organise a recruitment drive for new members
• consider the invaluable information provided by the recent survey

We would like to stress that the Trust is a member controlled organisation and that policy is guided to a large extent by the thoughts and decisions of the membership. Members can contact the Trust board at any time to discuss ideas, suggestions or proposals.