Ok, from my own perspective, and not the Trust's point of view, I will make this post and then reserve the right of reply with no intention of doing so....
The reason, as I see it, that members of the Trust do not engage in this type of discussion on here is because those who do usually get bombarded with questions, criticism and general flak. The attitude to the Trust by some posters on this site has, historically, not been particularly good, including the way the Trust's own threads about events and travel were dealt with a little while back - resulting in the Trust not posting anything here for some time. Very few of the Board members go on SZ at all, even fewer post.
Scott, Lee and Cricko certainly all know exactly where to contact the Trust if they have something they wish to raise with the Board. An online supporters' forum is not going to be the right means to enter into constructive discussion for the very reasons I've outlined above.
The Trust holds annual general meetings, in common with many other organisations. At those, we give the opportunity for members to raise questions. The FACT that we have had hardly any non-Board members attend the last few years would suggest that there is an apathy to bother to come along and ask the kind of questions that people are raising on here. In every newsletter that is sent out, the Chairman invites members to ask him questions directly. I don't know how many do, but there is another opportunity that people seem to overlook.
The Trust has also held several open forums, usually with Phil Brown or with Steve Kavanagh present, in recent years. That has been another opportunity to ask questions, yet how many of those making the most noise on this thread, and on Chris Phillips' Southend United page on Facebook have taken up that opportunity? All the fuss about the Checkatrade trophy changes and the FL top bod comes along to a meeting and hardly anyone turns up to ask him questions.
Ron Martin is his own man. The Trust continue to seek that elusive place on the Board, but this is clearly something he doesn't want. We know from meetings with Steve Kavanagh regularly over the years, that he keeps largely his own counsel and certainly hasn't included Steve or other directors in some goings on with the proposed new stadium.
Citing the goings on at Charlton, in my opinion, is a poor comparison for what's going on with us. The club there has been sold to a foreign owner who doesn't have the vaguest clue about the club's standing, history or anything else. The Charlton supporters are passionate and, like anyone else, want their club to do well. They have been wrongly branded as "customers" by the clueless CEO, and rightfully upset. Whatever you say think about Ron Martin, he knows the supporters and knows what they want, he cares about the club.
