G'day from down under...

[wcfc trust]

Apologies to the Site Admins if this infringes the rules, it is certainly not our intention to do so but we are a club in strife and wondered if you guys could help us in any way. We know you have had a shocking time over the last 12 years and wish you all the best for the future.

The story is an all to familiar one these days.

At 5pm on Friday 27th November 2008, the Wollongong Wolves (Paul Reid's former club), arguably Australia's greatest ever regional football team closed its doors and went out of business.

The contracts of the CEO, players, coaching staff became null and void just 72 days after the club had swept all aside to lift the New South Wales Premier League Champions Trophy.

Members of the former club's operations committees, fans and local businesses rallied together and sought to immediately raise A$40,000 to save and protect the region's NSW State League Licence.

The initial call for pledges went out and by Sunday 29th November, over A$55,000 had been promised! This was a huge vindication of the proposal for the community to take full ownership of the region's State League Club and Licence.

We have now established a not for profit organisation (Illawarra & South Coast Supporters Ltd) which follows the UK and European Supporters Trust model as closely as Australian Companies Law will allow.

I&SC Supporters Trust now owns 100% of Wollongong Community Football Club Pty Ltd a trading company set up to run and administer day to day football operations. The new club and trust are currently debt free.

We have lost our ground ( a long story like Brighton, York, Cambridge City, AFC Wimbledon etc..), we have lost our name (a group of former owners maintain the Intellectual Rights to the name Wollongong Wolves) but we are determined not to lose our club or our region's place in the NSW Premier League.

How can you help us:

Visit the new club website (still under construction) at Welcome to the Heart of our Community and make a donation or take out a membership. You have the opportunity to be a member of Australia's first ever Supporters Trust!

Tell your friends, family, workmates about our plight and urge them to support our fight.

Post this message on other web forums where you think we will receive a fair hearing from fellow football fans.

Thank you and Keep the Faith.

 

[Juan Albion]

Add one Canadian full member.

 

[Nottseagull]

Post this message on other web forums where you think we will receive a fair hearing from fellow football fans.

I think it would be more appropiate for us to suggest clubs and websites for you to post on directly yourselves. AFC Bournemouth are a supporters-run club, and Mansfield Town are partially so; their fans maybe of more help than ours concerning the running of the club. AFC Wimbledon are probably the club who have most closely experienced your predicament.

Cambridge City are still playing at Milton Road, although I believe it was earmarked for housing before the recession. York City still play at Bootham Crescent, the ground being renamed Kit Kat Crescent.

 

[Gully]

Try the Football Trust, they may be able to help advise which clubs in England are largely run by the fans or even offer advice on how to do so yourselves, I wish you the very best of luck in your efforts.

 

[wcfc trust]

Thanks guys, really appreciate the support and advice.

I'm originally a Yorkie and was a member of the York City Trust and was involved in the battle to save Bootham Crescent. Subsequently I was able to provided information to the Cambridge city Trust regarding Milton Road, which we got from Exeter ST! So I know the power of fans, I know we played you in that last sad game at the Goldstone that ended at 3:17pm

The reason for asking help spreading this news is personnel and the fact that many of the Aussies don't know too much about ST Clubs and their histories yet. Dave Boyle from Supporters Direct has been in touch with us and offered support.

@Juan Albion fantastic and thanks. I've always thought Cannucks were good eggs...

 

[wcfc trust]

A big thank you to those of you who have donated!