From the Boardroom – Club News
A thank you to the Supporters Trust
Firstly, the Directors at Stenhousemuir would like to thank the Warriors Supporters Trust for promising a year of additional fundraising effort to support the club and enhance the player budget. A number of other clubs in the SPFL operate similar schemes and we are delighted that we are now in this strong position too. The fundraising has already begun successfully with Trust member Stephen Fraser completing his Pedal for Scotland cycle ride on Sunday. All funds raised by the Trust will go directly to the player’s budget and will be over and above the amounts already set aside by the club. Thank you to Stephen for kicking things off, to Andy McPhate who has joined the Board to represent the Trust, and to all the other Trust members and supporters who continue to work away in the background.
The funds have already been put to good use with French born Willis Alves Furtado joining the club last week. Oli Shaw has joined us on loan which has also been funded thanks to the Trust’s fundraising efforts. We are sure that fans will have already been impressed by both players. The Manager is also in talks with additional players and hopes to add to the squad over the next couple of weeks. Whilst the league campaign is already underway, and we may not have had the start we would have liked, the majority of the season lies ahead of us and we are confident of better results.
The Three Year Plan
Secondly, as many fans will know, the club has recently carried out a review of operations right across the club. The review identified a lot of positive aspects, and also a number of areas where we could improve, develop and grow. The Board and club staff have already begun implementing many of the changes needed and we continue to receive independent advice and assistance. To bring all this together in a clear structured way, we are developing a three year plan for the club that will guide us forward and drive that development and growth. This is an exciting time for the club and we are very positive about the future.
A three year deal for Brown Ferguson
An important part of the three year plan will be how we support the development and growth of our first team. The Board recognises the work that our manager Brown Ferguson has done in his time at the club, not just as the manager, but also in his time as a player and coach. The Board unanimously feel that our three year plan will have Brown at its core, continuing to lead and develop the squad of players. On Monday, we agreed to offer Brown a three year contract and we are delighted that he has accepted. This deal underpins how much we value Brown, recognise his commitment, and believe in his ability to lead the team.
A strong sporting and community programme
In the other important areas of the club we continue to do well. Our community teams are well subscribed, there is healthy competition for places in our community select teams, and events such as our summer camps are doing well with record numbers attending this year. As fans will know, two players from our pro-youth academy at Forth Valley FA have stepped up to the first team this season and two players from our U-20s squad have also joined. This shows that the hard work and investment can pay off. Our other community and sporting programmes continue to do well and we are always looking at ways to strengthen what we do.
There is still much to be done to get the club where we’d ideally like it to be, and the three year plan that is being developed will help guide us in that direction. We are always pleased to hear from supporters with any thoughts, ideas or suggestions in how we could do things differently or better. The Supporters Trust are a key part of the club and are always looking for fans thoughts and opinions too.
Mon’ the Warriors!
Finally, with the Trust, Board, and Manager all working together to develop and grow the club over the next three years, we are all very positive about what lies ahead. Whilst we expect there to be high and low points, we are excited about what we can achieve. For now however, our place is to get behind the team and give them the support they need to get some further points on the table. See you at Ochilview!
