Trust Launch

By Veronica Macgregor
August 4 2003

I’m delighted to say our Trust Launch Day was an outstanding success. The main purpose of the day was to encourage as many people as possible to join the Trust and, in the space of three hours, we signed up 150 new members.

It was also a day for families, and I was especially pleased to see so many children and young people there. The main attraction, of course, was an opportunity to meet club officials, players and management and a special thanks is due to Jim, Anne Marie, Walter, Mr. John and Mrs. Rose Ballantyne, Gavin, Sandy Stewart, Kenny Black, Stephen Docherty, Paul Ronald and Peter Cherrie - complete with plasters.

We had a short question and answer session with Jim, Sandy, Stephen, Paul and Peter willing to answer questions from the supporters - although for the first time that I can remember there weren’t too many questions.  I’m taking that as a good sign though!!

The presentation of the share certificate to the Trust went ahead as planned.  The players and co. spent the rest of the afternoon signing autographs and having their pictures taken, to the delight of younger fans.  The day was hard work for all those involved, and thanks are also due to everyone who helped out, including Isobel McDonagh for the terrific cake she made to celebrate the launch and the club’s first birthday. The cake was raffled and made £130.

I’d also like to thank Jim Milton who kicked off the day with a talk about fanzines and, like many others,  I’m looking forward to seeing the  resurrection of  Only the Lonely later  this year.  

As I said, the whole day was a great success, but now we need to keep the momentum going. Everything this Trust undertakes will be for the ultimate benefit of the club and the community that supports it.  If every one of us brought along one other person who wouldn’t normally go to Airdrie games it would be a start. 

We need to encourage the kids who hang about the town centre on a Saturday, because they have nothing better to do, to come along.  The possibilities to increase the support are endless - we just need to make sure we make the most of them.  This community almost lost its football for ever a year ago, and people turned out in large numbers at the time.  Unfortunately not all of them have become regular supporters again.

 It’s easy for apathy to set in - the club’s been saved and we don’t need to do anything else. 

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Ballantyne and Speirs families have taken a risk that nobody else was willing to take, it’s time for the supporters to show that we will never take anything for granted again, and the best way we can do that is by turning up in numbers at every game.

 

It’s YOUR club and it’s YOUR Trust - don’t let us down.