Business Advantages of Supporter Community ... - Supporters Direct

with specific skills – in areas such as finance, IT and marketing –
that could be utilised when necessary. A lot of work was put into
fundraising, with £17,000 raised in the space of a couple of weeks.
‘It was clear that the support for Telford United was as passionate as ever
and that, if organised properly, the fans could have a significant voice in the
running of the club,’ said the supporters’ trust.
The TUISA Business Committee got into contact with Supporters
Direct and within a short space of time a Supporters’ Trust was
established, with the Business Committee as the interim Trust Board.
Originally the supporters’ trust was set up with the aim of saving the
old club, not creating a new one. However, it soon became apparent
that the financial commitments of the old club could not be met
without the support of a wealthy backer, and the money being raised
through donations to TUISA would been sufficient to allow the club
to survive until the end of the following season if it had to service
that level of debt. Although Telford United ceased to exist on 27th
May 2004, the donations helped to establish AFC Telford United,
with the motto “Numquam Oblviscere” – Never Forget.
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