RRFC Supporter-Director: Election Open

Nominations for the position of Supporter-Director have now closed.

The Candidates

There have been four nominations submitted to serve in this role, they are (in alphabetical order):

• Bill Gilby
• Paul Gilfillan
• Andy Mill
• David Proudfoot

Further info on the candidates can be viewed below.

The Role

The successful candidate will be appointed to the board of New Raith Rovers Ltd and (with the consent of the directors) Raith Rovers Football Club Ltd & Raith Rovers FC Holdings Ltd. The position exists because of the ongoing collective investment that fans make through their supporters’ organisations.

Voting

Voting opens today and closes at 10pm on Friday 1st June 2018.

To vote in this election, voters must be current adult members of any of the Raith Forum groups (Jim McMillan Club, 200 Club, Supporters Club, Rovers Down South and Raith Supporters Trust) OR an adult Raith Rovers FC season ticket holder.

The election will be by Single Transferable Vote where each candidate is ranked from 1 to 4. This will allow people to express their full preference of the candidates. Voters will be able to cast their vote online; emailed instructions on how to do this will be sent out to all eligible individuals in the next 48 hours.

Those individuals who have not submitted an email address to any of the Forum groups (or Raith Rovers FC for season ticket holders) will receive a postal ballot form in the post in the next 3-5 working days.

Hustings Event

There will be an election hustings event on the evening of Monday 28th May, at 7.30pm in the Raith Suite at Starks Park, where voters will get a chance to hear the candidates speak, as well as an opportunity to put any question to the candidates.

 

Candidate Statements

BILL GILBY

Time for change, time to make a difference

Unfortunately I can’t directly improve the Rovers‘ performance on the park but, given a chance, I can use my 30 years’ experience as a senior manager in UNISON to be an effective supporter/director:

• by improving 2-way communication between the club and supporters
• improving the board’s ways of working
• and collaborating with our office staff and volunteers to maximise their effectiveness

Problems need to be tackled, not tolerated

Teamwork has been key to any success I’ve had in life. Some of the ideas below are mine, some come from others:

• communicate via e-bulletins, the programme, supporters’ meetings, the Fife Free Press, “surgeries”
• revamp the Raith Forum with a 2 year action plan, not just reacting to events
• review ways of working and progress chasing; update and start implementing the board’s strategy; headhunt women and younger people for the board
• decide what we mean by Rovers values and being a Community Club
• discuss with staff and volunteers how the club can be better run, drawing in the professional expertise of supporters
• expand and use the database more strategically, targeting different groups, eg women supporters, supporters outside Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes
• extend the use of Raith TV and give the Former Players’ Association a role at every game
• expand the Rovers Down South kids’ sponsored tickets scheme
• develop a “Supporters for the Future” scheme, concentrating on attendance not price
• start outreach work, in my case with Torbain Primary, Kirkcaldy High and the 115^th Fife Scouts
• Succession plan – do myself out of a job after 2 years

This can be achieved without significant spending. Longer term we need a simplified ownership structure with a significant supporters‘ stake enshrined.

I’ve been a Rovers supporter since 1966:

• co-founded Rovers Down South in 1993, raising tens of £000s for the club
• helped hundreds of needy kids attend games with our sponsored tickets
• Raith Forum RDS representative since returning to Scotland in 2014
• successfully worked to establish the club database, the foundation for the weekly Digest
• a 200 Club and Trust member, I’ve a £500 shareholding, and sit and shout in seat XX 108
• London Tartan Army secretary for 4 years

Pre-retirement from UNISON I managed a team of 14, with an annual budget of £3.5m. In independent surveys the staff regularly judged themselves to be one of the top three teams in the union —that’s in an organisation with 1200 staff – that’s Champions’ League form. My responsibilities included Conference & events management, Programme & Project management, performance management, and servicing the National Executive and Senior Management Group —all transferrable skills.

I’ve played football all my life — our London 5s lasted 26 years — succumbing to concussion and a twisted knee in my 60s, I now play walking football with John Greer.

For more information contact billgilby@gmail.com

Thanks for reading this and taking the trouble to vote. Mon the Rovers.

 

PAUL GILFILLAN

My name is Paul Gilfillan and I’ve supported Raith Rovers for around 45 years, ever since my Dad used to lift me over the old turnstiles at what’s now the away end. I’ve lived in Kirkcaldy nearly all my life and I’ve seen the best of times and the worst of times at Stark’s Park. I was programme editor when we won the Coca Cola Cup and I created the popular and award-winning fanzine Stark’s Bark. I’ve been to Munich and Methil and everywhere inbetween and now would like to represent people like me, the hard working, passionate, occasionally frustrated and opinionated supporters, as the club continues to evolve into another phase – the age of plastic!

Football has changed, but it was always changing. From the opiate of the masses and the photographs of hundreds and hundreds of bunnets on the terraces, it now sits in competition with many other leisure pursuits and faces ever more stringent economic tests to justify its existence and pay its way.  Social media has replaced the old fanzines and letters to the Fife Free Press, and a good relationship with the customers is now pivotal to the success of any club, just as in any other business.  Broadcasting messages to the customer base is no longer good enough.  People want to be heard and to make the most of the interactive experiences that modern technology offers (witness the success of Raith TV live games), and there’s no good reason we can’t do that.  Audience engagement and influence can be powers for good if harnessed correctly.  After all, we’re all shooting the same way.

The last two seasons have tested the faith of many of our supporters. It does not seem so very long ago that we defeated Rangers at Easter Road in the cup final, completing a rare double of having triumphed over both sides of the old firm to win a national trophy. Since then the Rovers rollercoaster has been mostly down, coming to a halt most recently by hitting the buffers of an obstinate but extremely well drilled Alloa side and failing to achieve our stated aim of promotion.  “Always Next Season” is the title of a book on my shelf, and I believe we need to take that approach now.  What’s done is done and we’ve all cried into our beverages of choice for long enough.  The board has changed, the pitch is coming up, we’re staying full time and it won’t be long before we’re back, roaring back, again.  This time.

In addition to 45 years of support I can offer other attributes which might be of assistance.  I’ve been an accountant and a management consultant.  I’m now an HR professional and I’ve got experience of everything from charities to blue chip organisations.  I’m a qualified football referee, I lost weight with the FFiT programme and I sit in the middle of the south stand.  I hear what people are saying and I want to help their voices ring louder.

 

ANDY MILL

My name is Andy Mill and I am standing as a candidate for the role of Supporters Representative on the RRFC Board of Directors. I have been a Raith Rovers supporter for the best part of 50 years during which time I have witnessed the highs and lows associated with our football club. I have been a member of the 200 Club for many years serving on the committee in different roles throughout this time. I am currently serving as Chairman a position I have held for 5 years.

I retired several years ago after a 30 year career in the Fire Service. Since then I have become more active within Starks Park. In addition to my activities within the 200 Club I also regularly attend Raith Forum meetings. My wife, son and myself are members of the Raith Trust. I have organized the closed season maintenance group and I also assist the ground staff when required. I am a shareholder, fundraiser, lotto agent, shirt sponsor and on many occasions I have been Roary Rover!!

Due to my increased presence at Starks Park I have developed a good working relationship with the Board of Directors and the office and ground staff.

If elected I would work towards increasing avenues of communication between the B.O.D. and supporters:

• make myself available to listen to fans concerns regularly but especially on match days
• look to expand and develop voluntary working groups within the Club
• develop and promote fundraising initiatives utilizing all available areas within Starks Park
• liaise and consult with the Raith Forum and raise any pertinent issues with the B.O.D.
• assist the B.O.D. in the formulation, planning and execution of strategy and policies
• help promote greater links with community groups with a view to increasing attendances at Starks Park
• represent the football club in a positive and professional manner at all times

I look forward to the opportunity to carry on the good work of the previous Supporters Representatives and engaging with our fan base.

Thank you.

 

DAVID PROUDFOOT

I have been a Rovers fan for 30 years: from the age of 4, when my Granddad took me along to sit with him in Railway Stand on a cold Tuesday night against Stirling Albion. I’ve never looked back. Over a thousand games since then I have been giving my support and positivity no matter what the situation we find ourselves in. The great times – away to Gøtu Ítróttarfelag, Akranes and Munich are still vivid (although I was only 12!) – and although we’ve not hit those heights over the last few years, I truly believe we are a club that can compete at the top level of Scottish Football.

This opportunity, I believe, gives me a chance to give something back to the club I love. Although I now live in Edinburgh, I’m a Kirkcaldy lad through and through: Head Boy at Kirkcaldy High 2001, my Dad goes to every game (as do I) and my Granddad (until his passing late last year) was an absolute die-hard – we have cine films of game in the 60s and 70s!

I studied Computing and Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and I’m currently Head of Computing Science at George Watson’s College. In my post, I manage one of the most successful Computing Departments in the country: we now have more Advanced Higher candidates than any other school in Scotland. I am Head Coach of all school football and our U18 team plays 25 games a season, all organised and managed by me. Our U18 team has reached the U18 Independent Schools’ Final twice in the last 3 years and our U16 team is the Lothian Cup this Friday (a unique in achievement in Watson’s history).

I am Chairman of the Scottish Independent Schools’ Football Association: voted in last year because of my dedication and organisational skills, and I was in charge of Scotland’s first ever win away to England in Altrincham in 2017. I’ve singled handedly organised the SISFA Cup Final and SISFA international this year: two amazing days at Falkirk Stadium (I asked previous Chairman, Alan Young, if we could use Stark’s Park but he said no because of uncertainty around playoffs!).

You’re asking for someone with organisational skills, a good communicator, and have attention to detail: without blowing too many trumpets, I believe I have all of those in abundance, and, I said previously, I’d like to use these skills to give something back to the club. I may be a bit younger than the ‘norm’ but I connect with teenagers day in day out and one of my aims would be to engage with that age-range to ensure we have a sustainable support for years to come.

The Rovers are at my heart, always, and I would love to serve the club in an influential position, and hopefully help move us forward again. I believe I can be the connection between the Rovers’ boardroom and your ‘everyday’ fan – I think that is more vital than ever in these turbulent times.