The future generationThe courses run by the AFC Wimbledon Foundation on Saturdays and in summer holidays are a great way for boys and girls to get into football, says Dons Trust Board member Anna Kingsley. And they may unearth a future Dons first-team player.
For some of us at this afternoon’s game, this won’t be the first Dons performance we have watched today. My son is one of nearly a hundred boys and girls who train with AFC Wimbledon every Saturday morning..
On reflection …Roger Evans looks back at the challenges that he and his fellow Dons Trust Board members have faced since he was first elected at the end of 2013.
After six years as a Dons Trust Board (DTB) member I have, with regret, decided not to stand for re-election. It has, however, led me to reflect on the progress, trials and tribulations the DTB has faced – and dealt with remarkably well – during that period.
In January 2014, AFC Wimbledon..
How open should we be?The club and Trust are often criticised for not being more forthcoming. That’s not always the wrong approach, says Dons Trust Board member Luke Mackenzie, but perhaps we could do better.
Ronan Keating once sang that “You say it best when you say nothing at all.” And there have been times when that seems to be our maxim, as a club and a Trust. Don’t say much, and don’t be controversial. Contrast that with the approach taken by a recent..
Governance: a hot topicThe well-publicised crises at Bolton Wanderers and Bury are far from isolated cases. The founding of the Football Supporters Association is a potential watershed in the governance of clubs, says Dons Trust Board member Hannah Kitcher.
On Saturday 29 June 2019, the hottest day of the year up to that point at a mere 33 degrees, Dons Trust Board (DTB) vice-chair Rob Crane and I enjoyed the air conditioning of a conference room in central London.
We were there, along..
Welcome back!Dons Trust Board chair Mark Davis summarises the key activities at board level that have taken place so far this summer.
First of all, I’d like to welcome you all back to a new season – our final season at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. Whilst this football club belongs in Merton, TCRRS has felt to me like a place that for the past 17 years we have been able to call home. There are many things I will miss..
Slowly but surelyDons Trust Board vice-chair Rob Crane explains why there have been delays in making announcements about the progress of the crowdfunding initiative to help meet the cost of our new stadium.
Welcome back to the Cherry Red Records Stadium for the start of what, all being well, will be our final season here before returning home to Wimbledon – and what an amazing achievement that will be.
In 2002 we were told that AFC Wimbledon would not be “in the..
Holding the club board to accountDons Trust Board vice-chair Rob Crane explains how the Dons Trust works with the Football Club Board to keep everything moving along on the correct course.
Most Wimbledon fans, I would hope, know that the Dons Trust is the organisation that owns AFC Wimbledon. But on a day-to-day basis, how does the elected Dons Trust Board hold the (unelected) Football Club Board to account?
Traditionally, the split has been that the DTB looks after the strategic direction of the club,..
The number one jerseyDons Trust chair Mark Davis used yesterday’s matchday programme to talk about a change at the top at AFC Wimbledon. The following is a slightly edited version of the article.
Today I have commandeered the From the Boardroom page, for this one programme only, to report on the recent change in the number one slot at AFC Wimbledon. I’m referring to the position of chief executive officer, rather than goalkeeper, but I’m hoping this change proves to be as positive for..
Giving something backDons Trust Board member Jane Lonsdale reflects on the importance of letting our volunteers know how much we appreciate the work they put in.
I recently took a phone call from Blackpool Supporters’ Trust seeking our advice. They were putting out a plea for volunteers to help get their club back on its feet as soon as the receiver had officially taken control. They wanted to learn from our experiences of working with and recruiting volunteers.
It was a reminder..
The April SGMMark Davis, Chair of the Dons Trust Board, runs through the topics that will be discussed at the first Dons Trust meeting of the year.
I will shortly be writing to members to invite them to a Special General Meeting to be held on 17 April. These meetings are at the heart of the Dons Trust Board’s accountability to the membership. Members get to approve (or not) some important decisions and have a chance to quiz the DTB on the..