We need your help - urgently…
The pandemic has hit Montpelier Villa’s revenue extremely hard across the club and we need to find an immediate - but lasting - solution that helps to build the foundations for our great club’s future.
As a result of this pressing need, the club’s board have decided to set up as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) a fan owned model that will help to secure our future as well as giving supporters a say in how the club is run.
The board feels deeply that a CBS aligns with our values and we want you to join us as we urgently look for solutions that will protect our club from closure and, as with the FA’s new grassroots campaign, help us to survive, revive, thrive.
Not only that, it keeps alive the pathway from youth to senior football for all of our players, girls and boys, women and men, so they can stay as Villans for life!
Why a CBS?
Before deciding on becoming a CBS was the best route for Villa to take, we counselled opinion from a range of experts, including the Football Supporters Association, The Community Shares Company, Practical Governance (who have experience in setting this up for Lewes FC) as well as the FA and other parties.
We also spoke with a number of people across Villa to gauge their views. All were positive in backing our aims and understanding the reasons why. This gave us the encouragement to explore the opportunity further and, as such, we now have an EGM on April 5th at 8pm to pass the motion of Montpelier Villa FC being dissolved and becoming a CBS.
At the EGM representatives of Montpelier Villa and The Football Supporters Association will be available to answer questions regarding the CBS model.
We want you there if you want to play a part in this vote and our future.
As a result of this move to become a CBS, the club as a whole, (Mens, Womens, Vets, Youth) would all come under one organisation that would be member owned. Each member would buy 1 share in the club and be entitled to vote on how its run and shaped in the future.
It’s important to point out that there are no personal liabilities for each shareholder in this model, the most you can lose is the nominal value of your share with is £1 (although we would offer the minimum investment amount as £50).
There would be a Montpelier Villa Community Benefit Society (CBS) Board whose purpose would be run the overall club and set its strategic direction. This board is made up of:
Chair – Responsible for running the board.
Vice Chair – Responsible for supporting the chair and other board members.
Director of mens Football – Responsible for all mens Football Operations and running of teams.
Director of Women's Football – Responsible for all women's Football Operations and running of teams.
Secretary – Responsible for all teams administration
Commercial Director – Responsible for all commercial activity and sales of new shares & renewals in the CBS.
Owners Director – Represent all the owners of member shares on the board
Finance Director – Responsible for all club finances as a whole, including oversight of individual teams accounts.
This structure isn’t intended to replace the valued volunteers we have across all of our teams, we will still need everyone to help as they do now (and more!). The CBS structure is a legal entity and requires a more formal structure to be in place to support it.
Below the main board would be the Football Operations board to manage the day to day activity.
Laid out below is a draft of what this could look like to start the discussion on how things would be run, being conscious that the number of different teams across some areas of the clubs may mean we need to take a different approach. This is to ensure we don’t create volunteer roles that are too big and time consuming to complete.
Football Operations Board
Chair – Responsible for running the board.
Vice Chair – Responsible for supporting the chair and board members.
Director of football - Responsible for all football Operations and running of teams.
Senior Secretary – Responsible for all administration of senior sides.
Youth Secretary – Responsible for all administration of junior sides.
Senior Treasurer - Responsible for all financials of senior sides.
Youth Treasurer - Responsible for all financials of junior sides.
Senior Fixtures - Responsible for all fixtures of Senior sides.
Youth Fixtures - Responsible for all fixtures of junior sides.
How much does it cost?
Only £50 a year, either as a one off or £4.20 a month.
What do you get?
An official share of the club in your name
Vote on key decisions for the club
A season ticket to all Villa first team mens games
Access to the Villa community via our app so you can network, access discounts from member offers and more
A place on the official Villa shareholders board
So there you have it. An exciting but, ultimately, necessary and urgent move if our great club is to survive, revive and thrive.
We’d love you to join us. Play your part and be a part of our future. Have your say in how we’re run. Put yourself forwards for selection. Volunteer your time. Become a Villan!
We’re all in this together as someone once said - only this time it’s for real!
Register your interest in signing up here and see you at the EGM on April 5th at 8pm!
Vive la Villa Revolution!
as a player and parent and (long-haired) Villa lover of many years this is inspiring stuff?
clearly a LOT of work has gone into it so I hope we can get the whole community behind it
up the villa
mark