Magpies urged to recruit fan to boardroom
Story courtesy of 4thegame.com
Wednesday 25 Mar 1998
Former Newcastle hero Malcolm Macdonald has urged Sir John Hall to consider recruiting a supporters' representative to the St James' Park boardroom.
Sir John resumed duties at the helm of the Magpies after former chairman Freddy Shepherd and vice-chairman Douglas Hall were forced out of the club by the depth of feeling from fans over reported newspaper comments.
And Tyneside legend Macdonald believes that a former Newcastle manager is a prime example for Sir John to follow.
Macdonald said: "Until some time back there was a man in the street in the boardroom and his name was Joe Harvey. "He was so in touch with the people that he would not only put his point of view over but also how the public felt. It's very important not to lose that vital contact. "Out of all this bad there always comes some good - and the good is that the club will always be aware of how strong the feeling is with the public. They are to be ignored at your peril."
John Regan, secretary of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters Association, agreed with Macdonald but added that it would be difficult to integrate the idea into the club.
"Fans must have a say in the running of the club but I am not sure how it would work," said Regan.
"We're not experts on company law, but it's not like any other business in the country. "There are too many people in football out to make profit from it. Newcastle just made profits of £11million and that's virtually season ticket sales.
" Every season ticket sold is lining the pockets of the directors and shareholders."
But Steve Wraith, editor of Newcastle fanzine The No 9, warned against the idea and said that no one supporter could represent all Newcastle fans. "It's a very tricky job which I don't think anybody would be able to do justice to because there's no such thing as a fans' representative," he said.
"Nobody can be the wholesale rep for all Newcastle fans. The current situation is that we've got 36,000 cramming St James' Park every week and there are 10,000 on a waiting list. "Every one of these people would pick a different player and a different team. It's all about opinions, which is the wonder of football.But as far as Newcastle is concerned, although in theory it sounds good it just isn't practical."
A former supporters representative for Manchester City added that the elected fan must receive backing from both sides.
Fanzine editor Dave Wallace was asked on to the Maine Road board in September 1994 by chairman Francis Lee as a way to bridge the gap between the club and the fans - but just eight months later Wallace left.
"I think all clubs should have a fan on the board, but all the fans and the board must accept it as a responsible position," said Wallace. "The board shouldn't present him with things as a fait accompli which he then has to tell the fans about. "We have moved on to a fans' committee at City and a good example is that they've put season tickets up this year and instead of bouncing it off the committee they have just announced it. "It's a difficult situation. At Maine Road we're looking ultimately to organising a Trust. We can put money into that to buy shares and the Trust can elect a director to go into the boardroom with financial clout, which means he would have to be listened to. "We had a meeting with the new chairman (David Bernstein), Dennis Tueart and chief executive Mike Turner yesterday, so at least our lot are making some positive steps to recognise us."
But Wallace revealed that being the fan on the board was no guarantee of actually being a significant player in decision making. "I was there from September 1994 until May 1995. We didn't sign anyone and nobody was sacked. Nothing happened," he said.
"Then when a big decision had to be made to appoint a new manager - and bear in mind they had 18 months to decide on who it was - they spent all summer trying to find someone and finished up with Alan Ball, which I disagreed with and the fans disagreed with me and that was the end of the fan on the board.
"I do feel for the Newcastle supporters. The club have stolen our thunder recently and become a bigger laughing stock than us. "You can't insult your fans. If people in showbusiness did it they would be finished and it shouldn't be any different in football."
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