What now for the Poppies Trust?

It would be unfair to say that yesterday evening's Trust AGM was a complete farce.  At no point did a vicar unexpectedly arrive whilst the Brian Rix's trousers were temporarily absent, and a saucy French maid was being hidden in a wardrobe.  But, for a while it seemed the AGM would not take place through simple lack of numbers.

Given that the adult Trust membership is close to the 250 mark, you would have been forgiven for believing that a minimum starting number of 20 should be a push over.  But no.  In the end it was the usual collection of the board and a handful of regular members who made up the gathering.  Curiously all those who swarmed up to the EGM at the Tin Hat Lounge a few months ago demanding the Trust do this or do that were absent on the night of their own AGM.  Those people who a few months ago were demanding that the Trust either wholeheartedly support the move to Non Park, and those equally demanding that the Trust set up a new club just for them all found themselves with something better to do on a mild Thursday night in September.  Those who endlessly complain and moan about everything the Trust do all missed their opportunity to put their money where their mouths were.  As usual.

Eventually a quorum was assembled and the meeting began.  Actually as AGM's go, this was a pretty good one.  People asked pertinent questions, and the top table had some interesting statistics to tell, mainly about their continued running of the Tinhat Lounge and buses over to Non Park on matchdays.  Suggestions about maintaining a presence within the town were put.  Some board members stepped down, whilst others were elected.

It became clear that with our first team games now taking place at "Project Nonce-Park", the major income stream of the bar at Rockingham Road would no longer be generating much in the way of funds.  With an additional drop off in Club200 membership the Trust is going to have to look long and hard at their future direction, and allocate resources accordingly.

Hopefully gone are the days of Imraan sticking out his hand to the Trust halfway through the season for top-ups.  Particularly as we now have ample facilities for generating income streams at our new ground (Imraan's words at Wicksteed Park).  On that fateful night at Wickies it was made painfully clear to the supporters how little our gate receipts counted towards the overall running costs of KTFC.  Consequently one hopes that the contribution made by the Trust would also be considered too trifling for Imraan's people to demand.  Assuming of course, Imraan has any people left to administer such things!

I, for one, hope the Trust take this opportunity to distance themselves from the goings-on at "Project In-bred."  Instead it might be a more beneficial idea to concentrate on serving the forgotten Kettering community.  Perhaps look to permanently house their large Poppies memorabilia collection?  Support the reserves/youth/ladies football at Rocky Road?  Stage events and evenings at the Tinhat Lounge (until the end of next year at least!)

Let Imraan and his big-boy, business contacts (ie Morrell) sort out and finance "Project Cyclops".  Let the takings from their Chinese restaurant fund Morrell's misfits over the course of their twenty year deals.  Let the 10 or 15 quid the halftime draw will generatre now there is no cash prize, buy-out Koo Boothe's contract.  Free the Trust to take care of the Kettering based Poppies supporters, and keep a few bob in their bank account in case it can help when the next rainy day hits us.