Press Release Article

Wednesday 09th May 2001: Fans across the world are backing United Supporters' Trust

CARLISLE United fans across the world are asking how they can further the aims of the Carlisle and Cumbria United Independent Supporters' Trust (CCUIST) which was launched at a public meeting in the Sands Centre at the weekend attended by over 1,100 people.

The Trust has been set up by a group of supporters with the intention of purchasing shares in Carlisle United once the club is under new ownership, electing supporter representatives on to the Board and ensuring that fans and the community have a greater say in the running of Cumbria's only remaining league club.

Secretary Alan Steel said thousands of brochures were handed out on Saturday and since the meeting thousands more requests had flooded in for application forms for Trust membership. These have been from local fans and supporters in countries as far afield as Ecuador, U.S.A, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and most of the EU countries. Many current shareholders and bondholders have asked how their commitment to the Club can be transferred to the Trust.

Mr Steel said individual fans had travelled long distances to make a contribution. One lady came to the meeting from Aberdeen to hand over several hundred pounds. He said because of the situation at United, many fans had in recent years refused to attend games or make any contribution to the ownership by buying merchandise. "One fan worked out how much he would have spent at the club over the last few years in merchandise and other ways and made a donation of a similar amount to the Trust in the full knowledge that it can only be used for the purchase of shares and that no individual can benefit from it."

Mr Steel said the Trust's launch, the biggest there has ever been, was overwhelming, but it was also the easy part. "We the supporters have to channel that emotion into practical measures aimed at making the changes at the club which will ensure that it never again finds itself scrabbling about at the bottom of the third division trying desperately to avoid being despatched, perhaps permanently, from the Football League," he said.

"Having made the first successful step we must now keep going, irrespective of who owns the club, to make sure we are in a position to acquire our shares and elect at least one director to the Board." Membership of the Trust costs £5 a year and will be used for running expenses. Contributions to the Share Fund from individuals or commercial concerns can be made as one-off payments or by weekly donations.

Mr Steel said if 3,000 supporters could donate just £3 a week for a couple of years they could raise millions. To date the support for the Carlisle Trust has outstripped any other club, including the giants of the Premiership. He said there was every reason to believe it would be a success, but in the unlikely event it was not then all the Share Fund money would be returned to the donors.

Further presentations are planned for halls, clubs and pubs around the county to tell people about the Trust and car stickers and tee shirts are going on sale to spread the message.

Brochures can be collected from the News and Star offices at Bank Street, Carlisle; Workington or from the Sands Centre in Carlisle. They can also be obtained from members of the Trust.