Just another example of how completely useless they are.
On another angle I presume the Trust will continue to meet with club representatives on a regular basis as they are entitled to do bearing in mind their status.
If that happens I hope the Trust will make sure that anything of importance is publicised widely on their website and other media.
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Iâve spotted a problem there.
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Why would the Trust be treated differently to ISSA? 
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Both accredited fan groups, but the Trust are also shareholders. Are they also the âofficialâ supporter group? Frankly no idea, tbh.
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A terrible look for the club.
Keep your money in the club but donât get asking questions of us.
That last line is appalling - itâs a latter day âRotherham, Bournemouth or Lutonâ.
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It would be nice to have context around that. âWeâve done a peer review with both local and league two clubs and feedback is that our communication and involvement with our supporters is better than averageâ would go down much better than a bald statement.
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Football trusts are legal entities whose sole aim
Is to represent the fans in dealing with all matters relating to the running of football clubs.
I was involved to some degree in establishing the Walsall Trust. I have to admit that it has not become the force I expected it to be at the outset but it has acquired shares and it is quite possible that the changes in football governance will give Trusts much more influence over the decisions of Clubs. In the current climate it would be very unwise for the Club to ignore the Trust.
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Iâve said it before (since before Dutton was appointed) ⌠this manâs stewardship concerns me on many levels.
This is clearly over the minutes and criticism that he and his mates get.
By all means whittle the frequency down. Maybe even take more charge of the minutes etc. But closing an Avenue of communication is wrong.
Fact is he picks and chooses when to
Do fans forums based on the mood amongst the fans. Likes them when things are on the up or he has momentum with him.
We arenât stupid Leigh and co.
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of a club, run by 
âThis plan which actually cuts off a line of regular communication will hopefully achieve this aimâ
Werenât we promised a fans focus meeting before the end of the season?
I suggest people email the SLO and register their disgust at this development.
Iâd be interested to hear what he says - given heâs supposed to be our liaison to the club.
Iâve sent a fairly hefty email this morning:
Hi Graham
Me again!
I am writing at my and many other fansâ concern over the decision by the club to cut off a regular communication stream (the working party meetings) - when the club thinks this will help improve communication.
This doesnât seem like a great plan - but maybe you could reassure us that there is a better plan afoot.
As you know, Iâve been asking a lot recently when the next fans focus meeting will be - and I see the club is committing to a diarised 3 times a year focus meeting. I imagine these will be at the beginning, middle and end of season.
I have a series of questions that I hope you donât mind answering in your role as supporter liaison officer.
May I ask why there has been no organisation for a fans focus meeting at the end of this season?
Can I also ask if the next one will be organised at a time all supporters can attend (not right after work) - and with plenty of notice?
Can I also suggest that these meetings include an independent moderator (maybe the new pitch announcer or a fan who is good at these sorts of things) that helps focus the meetings and stop them descending into farce, which oftentimes stops us getting deeply into topics?
It may seem to outsiders, that the club is cutting off these meetings as they do not like the scrutiny that comes with them. I hope those people are wrong - and we see a new communication plan that benefits everyone.
An example of this poor perceived communication is the recent comments by Leigh that we have made 4 signings - yet itâs taken nearly 3 weeks and counting to announce them. Whilst I honestly couldnât give a monkeys when they are announced, it strikes me that Walsall are the only club in world football who would do this. The communication certainly has been poor on that issue - if there is a delay in announcing, maybe be open and communicate that?
I imagine fans are looking forward to something (the announcement of new signings) after another abysmal season - and the announcement of some exciting signings might help improve the mood, and help us all look forward a little more - rather than looking back.
One way a club can build bridges with fans, and make them feel a part of something, is by being open and transparent. Leigh has been brilliant in that regard, at the start of his tenure for sure, with the regular video addresses. However⌠these seem to have gone awry recently. There has been pretty much zero comment on the Jamie Fullarton situation - which is bizarre in the extreme. Fans would absolutely love to know why a DoF bought into much fanfare has now left 12 months into the role. Why? Leigh made a lot of passive aggressive remarks about Darrell Clarke leaving the club in trouble and being unstable - yet when a DOF came in precisely to bring stability (and leaves) - we get absolutely no comment on this. Why?
Leigh also said one of the reasons why a DOF was appointed, was because no one on the board knew anything about football. We are now back at that point, so do we really have a board who know nothing about football?
Am I right in thinking that the club do not wish to be questioned on these issues? And questioned on this season? Iâd also like to know why Leigh Pomlett thinks a 7 game losing streak was the difference between having a âright good goâ at the play offs - when we had never been above 10th all season, and signed an injured striker in January.
My point is that there are lots of outstanding and important questions that people would like to know the answer to. Some of the questions may seem trivial, but they are revealing - and help us understand the trajectory of our club.
Will the clubs new communication plan improve on how the club will answer these types of questions?
I look forward to your responses, and wish you a nice day. I know these questions are fairly heavy - but I would appreciate the answers.
Best wishes
PenguinOverlord
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If this is the decision the club wants to take then fine.
However they should now be booking in a minimum of three forums with dates, set in stone. That way they occur regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. No holding off to wait for an upturn in form or the announcement of a second rate signing to quell fans, which the cynic in me say will be the process.
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If the meetings added any value then Iâd be angry, but on the basis it delivers very little 
Hopefully when Pomlett goes things improve, until then suck it up!
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They are as much of a farce as anything else. Remember the fan questioning where the goals would come from and he was laughed at by Pomlett, Fullarton and Taylor. That showed me the feeling the people at the club have of the fans, laughing at our concerns.
Turns out the fan was bang on which resulted in yet another season of failure under Pomlettâs ownership.
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Too hefty in my view. In my opinion it is always best in these situations to stick to the main point at issue. A âscattergun â approach rarely works so I will be interested to see the reply which I hope you will publish in full.
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As I said at the time the decision to knock back fan representation at board room level very early on in the âPomlett eraâ was a pretty clear indication that this wasnât any sort of meaningful regime change. Since then, we have had zero change in the boardoom in respect of new investment or the removal of any of those in position under Bonser, several of whom have been re-elected. It was pretty obvious that the so called better communication was a charade aimed to draw a superficial distinction between the âtwo regimesâ, and it is one that has been increasingly undertaken through gritted teeth - certainly since the âback offâ Pomcast. Now the mask simply slips further, as it has been doing ever since.
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Itâs not the point though. People have been given the excuse that âwell the communication is improvedâ because it is being measured against Jeff Bonser. Thatâs like being an improved film over Sharknado 2: The Second One, or being an improved footballer on Zak Mills. A very low bar.
When you dig a little deeper into that âimprovementâ it also looks hollow. Fan Forums were already happening under Bonser. Indeed, Pomlett sat on one of them. A fan representative has been allocated to the board, hand chosen and that already worked for the club anyway. The YouTube videos are largely bullshit that is dispelled almost as quickly as they arrive (new signings announced imminently, anyone?). Programme notes never changed.
Even the âas good as anyone else lineâ makes me wince a little. I follow Harlequins, one of their directors this week appeared on a fan podcast, and during the hour long chat, managed to talk about planned fan events, improvements to the stadium, despite plans to move to a new ground, general thoughts on the season. And he managed to do that without insulting the fans on any level and coming across as somebody who, get this, actually could empathise with the fans. Obviously Harlequins is a bigger sporting club than we are, but Iâm just talking about the communication here. It wasnât Pomletts âthrow that dog a bone, and get in a few digs while youâre at itâ style.
This is just another example of them not actually doing any of the things they claim.
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agree with all of that, I am merely saying I have given up with them.
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