Question Are you a Shrimpers Trust member? Join up Now!

[East Green I 83]

I let my member ship lapse a few years ago, but just renewed because somehow this seems the right time to do it?

 

[ClarenceDragon]

I've paid for a membership because here's a Cobbler hoping you manage to pull through these dark times. I lived in Southend for a number years and I was a frequent visitor to the Roots Hall back then when I couldn't get home to Northampton. Times like these call for supporters across the country to pull together.

 

[RHB]

Superb gesture, very many thanks @ClarenceDragon.

 

[Kris]

Just signed for three years. I was a member back in the Custard Splat era but forgot to renew (crap excuse but I was a stoodent back then).

 

[fredheim_holm]

I wasn’t but just signed up for life and changed my vote.

 

[Floval Flyer]

Just signed up for 3 years. Paid via PayPal

Am I correct in presuming the membership card will be sent the address in my PP login?

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

I took out life membership at the Trust's inception.


Still haven't won the Christmas raffle though.

That’s another thing - join the monthly raffle. Worth it.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I've paid for a membership because here's a Cobbler hoping you manage to pull through these dark times. I lived in Southend for a number years and I was a frequent visitor to the Roots Hall back then when I couldn't get home to Northampton. Times like these call for supporters across the country to pull together.

Wow, that is fantastic, thank you so much!

 

[Lord Football]

I am not. Why should I be?

Change my mind.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

I've been thinking about joining. Can someone make the case for why I should?

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

I am not. Why should I be?

Change my mind.

Genuine?

 

[Lord Football]

Genuine?

Yep.

I won't share my personal view here, it'll offer nothing positive but if someone wants to convince me that this organisation can do something to steer the ship into calmer waters, that will be transparent and auditable I'm prepared to listen and reconsider.

And I say that safe in the knowledge that ousting Ron is not achievable or even the way to go.

 

[Shrimperstrust]

Just signed up for 3 years. Paid via PayPal

Am I correct in presuming the membership card will be sent the address in my PP login?

Yes it will be

 

[Shrimperstrust]

I've paid for a membership because here's a Cobbler hoping you manage to pull through these dark times. I lived in Southend for a number years and I was a frequent visitor to the Roots Hall back then when I couldn't get home to Northampton. Times like these call for supporters across the country to pull together.

Hi there, thanks for this. It is a great gesture and much appreciated

 

[RHB]

Yep.

I won't share my personal view here, it'll offer nothing positive but if someone wants to convince me that this organisation can do something to steer the ship into calmer waters, that will be transparent and auditable I'm prepared to listen and reconsider.

And I say that safe in the knowledge that ousting Ron is not achievable or even the way to go.

It's all about personal choice Kerry and by the sound of things you have already chosen your path. Many on here have expressed a view on their reasons for joining which are open to everyone to see and I don't think anyone has mentioned ousting Ron on this thread. So the choice is yours as always.

For what it's worth, I joined because I wanted to be part of a supporters organisation which had some sort of input into the Club and was recognised by the Club as such. I'm not aware of any other organisation of Southend supporters that has that hook.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

I've been thinking about joining. Can someone make the case for why I should?

BS, Right, I'll have a go. These are my views (as a Trust Board member and of course fan, and may not be the views of others in the Trust (I used to work in finance so am used to putting in caveats!)

I fully accept that the club is in a situation where there is no obvious magic solution and whatever the Trust may do in reaction to it will have its critics as well as support.

My take on the Trusts's purpose is to seek to help maintain the club and support its links in the wider community. Those that sit on the Trust Board, and all of its members, are fans, so we do what we do to support our club. This is not only via obvious stuff like arranging away travel but also in club sponsorship and (key of late) in supporting the club's future with direct support to the youth team (I think donations to the latter last year were in the region of £8,000). There are also other aspects but nonetheless key aspects like 'Junior Blues' (so, vitally, encouraging our young fan base) and SUEPA (with its ex player link which seems to be a win-win for all including the fans). Countless community support has been given over the years too for local charities via various events, and we like to 'look after our own' as well - the immensely successful tribute campaign for Alan Moody from 2017 (which led to SUEPA) and more recently the work we are doing to help out Bobby King are two examples which not only 'do good' but help to bring us all together.

I am bound to mention SUEPA a bit as that is my main contribution to the Trust, but without the Trust (under whose umbrella SUEPA sits) it would not exist. Ask the many helpers from the Moody Blues campaign that helped to raise funds via various collections, a cricket match, auctions etc and I'd like to think they will say how it galvanised fan co-operation in to something that proved to be quite wonderful. For the SUEPA match day events the sheer joy of re-uniting players who haven't met each other for 40 years is just wonderful, and when the whole crowd on Smithy's Army Day last year rose as one to applaud the 20 former Shrimpers entering the pitch from the North East corner (the only place we could wheel Alan on to the pitch) before the PA announcer had a chance to announce them it was ... well, quite emotional. At our last event v Bristol Rovers in March I re-united a fan with Micky Beesley who he used to caddy for some 40 years ago, and just before then after the awful trip back some fans had back from Blackpool we made sure their support was appreciated in a small but I think lovely little event. The others on the Trust Board will have other tales of bringing the club and fans together from their own 'specialities' that they bring to the party, I know for instance that Kay receives so many 'thank you's' from those she helps re Junior Blues. None of this would happen without the organisation of the Trust and it all goes together to build our club in to the community club it is and should be - there are so many unsung things that happen that are good that sit behind the headlines of match day performances and financial difficulties. The Trust could not do any of it without the membership fees paid by the fans.

All of what we do too helps to provide a bridge and create a relationship between us the fans and the club itself, and we (mostly via our Trust chairman) are in regular contact with Ron.

What happens at our meeting tomorrow in focusing on the current club situation I would not want to speculate - as mentioned there are many differing views and I suspect no answer is perfect. But we will try to do something that, as fans, we believe will act in the best interests of the club we all support, and will communicate/involve from there.

I've rambled in trying to answer your question, my own personal answer is perhaps not one to pick apart its individual bits but to be read in the whole. Whatever you decide thank you at least for considering joining.

Cheers, Andy

 

[OldBlueLady]

I've been thinking about joining. Can someone make the case for why I should?

Hiya, further to what Andy's said above, it's worth remembering that as the official supporters Club, the Trust has membership and is in contact with exactly the people who would guide us through the stormy waters of any supposed (Heaven forbid) demise of the Club.

Also means that, as Trust members, you can see the Minutes of our meetings, both Board and Liaison, which will include evidence of any discussion with Ron, and of those "hard hitting questions" being asked.

 

[slapheadsteve]

Hiya, further to what Andy's said above, it's worth remembering that as the official supporters Club, the Trust has membership and is in contact with exactly the people who would guide us through the stormy waters of any supposed (Heaven forbid) demise of the Club.

Also means that, as Trust members, you can see the Minutes of our meetings, both Board and Liaison, which will include evidence of any discussion with Ron, and of those "hard hitting questions" being asked.

I am also in the try and convince me why i should join.
I remember the days of Paul Holland's coaches and the way too me it seemed the Trust started a rival travel coach up, which it seemed to me tried to close down that operation, not just work together.
I don't doubt many things socially the Trust help and are very good at. I applaud that.

However i do think (my opinion), The trust, don't like to confront the club on things that really matter. Don't know if that is true, but that's the impression i get, as it seems in that way the Trust are just ignored, and it sometimes falls to other's to try or even get it done, which i accept is a very hard job. Yes i know a lot have full time job's etc.
However my final comment is, it appears to me say Orient supporters went down dare i say it a tougher/harder approach with there club.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Just joined for 3 years but they didn't ask for name or email? How will they know where to send my signed photo of Terrell Egbri?

 

[RHB]

Just joined for 3 years but they didn't ask for name or email? How will they know where to send my signed photo of Terrell Egbri?

Use this one mate if you have problems getting one.