Weekly Briefing
December 17, 2022

Board Meeting Summary - December

Held at Upperby and Online, 14.12.2022

Attendance: Matt Spooner (Chair), Dan Maclennan (Vice Chair), Alastair Woodcock (Secretary), Chris Armstrong, Billy Atkinson, Kieron Bulman, Nigel Davidson, Malcolm Nugent, Carol Wilson

Apologies: Dave Noble

Nigel updated the board about the latest from the 1921 Boardroom. The accounts for both 1921 and Holdings had been approved and would be published soon, expected to be before the end of the year. It was noted that commercial income at the club had experienced a significant rise after the appointment of new staff over the summer.

Future direction of CUOSC was discussed with an initial meeting planned for the new year to thrash out broad direction of travel before involving members in the process thereafter. Member benefits were also discussed at this meeting, with a view to overhauling and clarifying them.

The aftermath of the members' meeting was discussed. The hybrid model was considered essential to the future of such meetings but some technical limitations needed to be overcome when it came to Zoom access. Steps would be taken to ensure a smoother experience for the next meeting.

Membership remained about the 580 mark with a healthy bank balance of £4750 but with some significant commitments in place regarding future outgoings.

A quiz night was in the planning stages for the first few months of 2023.

Next meeting: January 18

Summary from the CUOSC members' meeting held on December 8 can be found HERE

Please support the above raffle which will be open until Boxing Day. Prizes will be drawn shortly afterwards. Tickets will be on sale in the build up to Christmas outside the East Stand ticket office, and on Boxing Day itself before the home fixture with Bradford City.

CUOSC are offering a prize of match day hospitality for 10 people in Foxy's. 

For the full prize list, click HERE.



Your membership details are now online

We have recently implemented an upgrade to our membership system which allows members to join, renew and update their personal details online. We are using the tried and tested system, MemberMojo which is also used by the Supporters' Club London Branch. MemberMojo allows you to update your details and also make payments online using a debit or credit card. We are asking all members to check the details we hold, and make any changes if necessary. Many thanks to all of you who have already updated your details. To access your membership data, please visit our website via the link below:

cuosc.org.uk/apply-for-membership/




News & Star column, 15.12.2022

If CUOSC is to thrive in the future we need to become more ‘relevant’.

That was one of the main points to come out of a positive members meeting last week where our directors took questions from fans both in person and online.

Billy Atkinson, CUOSC’s representative on United’s Holdings Board said: “Looking into the future we have some big decisions to make. We have to explore ways of becoming more relevant.

“We do that by getting ourselves into a financial situation where if any new investors were to come knocking we can bring something to the table.”

The big stumbling block to new investment remains the Blues £2.4million debt to Purepay Retail Limited – novated after Edinburgh Woollen Mill went into administration.

Atkinson added: “The loans are there. But we have to stop worrying about the situation at the moment and look to the future.”

CUOSC owns a 25.4% stake in the Blues - a minority shareholding.  Potential investors, in the past, have wanted us to reduce that stake even further.

Atkinson added: “We are not, and never have been, about blocking investment.

“But if we could find substantial backing our position would be much stronger.

“There’s a feel-good attitude around the club at the moment and lots of businesses are coming forward with support. We have to explore where we can go that doesn’t stand on the club’s toes.”

CUOSC has around 600 members and are determined to push that figure towards the 1000 mark. We are particularly keen to attract younger fans – the Warwick Road End take note. It only costs £5 for under-18s for a year.

Vice chairman Dan MacLennan said: “Looking down the line, it would be fantastic to have four-figure membership. The more members, the more money we can raise, the more ideas, opinions, disagreements even.

“Success would be pushing forward and making sure we are your democratically elected voice with the powers that be.”

Following last week’s meeting we have already had offers of IT assistance and we would love to hear from anyone else who thinks they can help in any way. Just email: info@cuosc.org.uk

There was good news for supporters’ trusts this week when it emerged the government is now likely to go ahead with its plan to bring in an independent regulator for football.

Legislation could be brought in early in the New Year that will boost the representation of fans in running clubs.

And, hopefully, it will also lead to a fairer financial settlement imposed on the Premier League in its negotiations with EFL clubs.


Malcolm Nugent



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