WFCSA Newsletter May 2022 (EXTRA EDITION!!!)

Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

May 2022 Extra The editorial earlier in the week alluded to an upcoming interview with board member Mark Palmer.

Mark has been the voice of the board in recent days and as representatives of the fans, WFCSA had its own questions it wanted to raise.

This has all been done quickly and without time to canvass popular questions. That doesn’t mean that if your question hasn’t been asked I won't be able to do so. Please submit to queries@wfcsa.co.uk and I will arrange a follow up chat.

James

Q&A JW - Thanks for your time Mark. First question is in two parts. Why WFC and why now?

MP – Thanks for inviting me James and giving me the opportunity to discuss these points with the supporter base via the SA Newsletter.

Why Weymouth ? …..I’m a Dorset lad born and bred and supported AFC Bournemouth (then Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Football Club), my first game was in 1969-70 season at the age of 6 watching a new talent arrive (Ted MacDougall)..I was hooked as a football fan for life.

Fast forward to the 1980’s I had a good mate who was a Weymouth supporter and I was curious to see what was going on in non league football and we had a deal that when Bournemouth played at home he would come to Bournemouth games and when Weymouth were at home I’d go to the Recreation Ground.

I really enjoyed it and started going home and away for a stint and went to Cardiff and Cambridge in the (1983 I think) cup run……So I had some previous background with the club and when I emigrated to Canada in the late 80’s and returned in the early 2,000’s I’d always looked at the results and how the club was doing.

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Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

Q&A Why now?…. when I returned to the UK I got involved in the football industry and the journey took me across a number of clubs over a 14-15 year time period, starting at AFC Bournemouth, to eventually Wycombe Wanderers where I came in as part of the new (American) ownership. I ran the club in a CEO role and we took Wycombe up from League one to the Championship for the first time in the 130+ history.

I left that project during the Championship season and wanted my own challenge / investment in football and always being attracted back to Dorset I approached the current Chairman and board to see if the club were interested in utilising some of my experience within the game.

JW - What is your response to those who question your goals and motives?

MP – I’m all for fully discussing plans, visions and goals and being transparent, that’s why I think it’s important to be doing the interviews like this and the ones I have done recently and being a football supporter myself very much understand the importance of feeling included on what’s going on at your club.

If I am looking to stay involved with the club, then going forward I would want to encourage more and more communication & interaction between the club, the fan base and the community.

I have picked up an element of a “vocal minority” (mainly on social media and forums) whether with or without an agenda, who will constantly criticise the club and the individuals that are trying the utmost to take this club forward.

As I’ve said previously, these individuals are easy to spot…..they will always criticise and be negative about what the club is trying to do, but if you notice never have any constructive ideas or way forward of their own…..anyone that does I will always listen to and engage with.

JW - Where is WFC at the moment? On the park and in the offices?

MP- In Summary…….”at a Crossroad”…..Having been involved both behind the scenes and now for a short while as Full Board Director I’ve seen both sides of the fence so to speak.

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Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

Q&A Those who are constantly looking back in the rear view mirror, at the past and still live in the era of previous ownership mistakes and those who have a view that the club can be structured into a sustainable model that can successfully carry it forward.

My experience in the game tells me that unless everyone is pulling in the same direction and fully supports those people that are trying to make changes to take the club forward, then it’s going to be difficult to move this club forward.

I very much believe that you as supporters of this club have that power that determines that direction of travel…..you have the choice of who to listen to and not and that will ultimately I believe determine where this club will be over the next year, two or three.

On the pitch the squad will now need to redevelopment…David Oldfield & Tom Donati now have the opportunity to build and structure their own squad during the summer and build a model on the football side that fully integrates into their own ideas and system.

Off the pitch, the club needs to use this preseason to restructure and remodel itself operationally through to board level…I can help use my experience to help in this, however as I’ve mentioned before, we need everyone pulling in the same direction and be fully behind the direction of travel.

For the sake of the club and the supporters, the club can no longer afford or carry people with self motives and different agendas.

JW- Can this club be a National League one in its current set up?

MP – Simply in a word – “no”.

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Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

Q&A JW - What should the fans of WFC look forward to most in the coming days, weeks, months?

MP- Hopefully, if David and Tom are allowed to rebuild a squad and we all get behind that rebuilding process, we can get back to winning some matches on the pitch and a good season ahead. Ultimately as a fan you want to see your team win and do well.

Off the pitch we are working hard to build a really good environment and improvement in the matchday experience, around ticketing, a club App (so it’s easier for the club to communicate with the supporter base and vice versa).

The recent Season Ticket launch initiative and pricing is hopefully an indication to a start of this positive direction.

Also there are a number activities we are planning that will hopefully involve the wider community. We will be announcing these shortly and there is some exciting things planned for this preseason on that front.

So as a Weymouth FC supporter, I would like to think that you will see there are some exciting times ahead.

JW - There has been some internet comment on how local sponsors might have become disaffected with the club. We have also seen some decent national brands on board in the last season. How do you think we get that mix of partners right?

MP – Again, this is an example of the negativity that is so easily spread by a “very vocal” minority. When I came to the club I managed to introduce some national brands that I have previously been connected with at other clubs, for example Dormeo our front of shirt sponsor were at Wycombe Wanderers as front of shirt sponsor and are currently major sponsors at Premier League Brentford….

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Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

Q&A I am absolutely puzzled why anyone who sincerely professes to have the club’s interest at heart would find any negative reason for our club to be associated with such respected sponsors who would normally be involved with clubs at a much higher level?

In terms of the local businesses, as a club we fully embrace our local business community and have supported a large number of our local businesses regarding their stadium branding presence……… for example we have allowed the vast majority of our local business advertisers extra branding time up in the stadium (through this season), recognising that the previous couple of seasons have been extremely tough, through Covid and now the spiraling cost of living.

But again those constantly criticising would like to somehow portray that there is a wedge between the club and local businesses…This can only be damaging for the club and again I’d have to question motives behind that.

During the pre-season we will be picking up again with those businesses and making it affordable for them to continue their much valued affiliation with the club.

JW - To close, give me the vision. Where can WFC be in 12 months or 5 years from now and what needs to happen to activate those plans?

MP – Great question and it comes down basically to the desire that you are fans have for this club.

If we allow the negative vocal minority to continue to undermine what is being achieved then, we will be in a different place to where the club can get to and what it can achieve.

In my view this next 12 months is crucial, as I indicated earlier Weymouth FC is simply at a Crossroad….it can either restructure into a successful sustainable model or it will allow itself to get dragged back to the past.

We need a model that will attract investment and build the club as the sporting hub in the community.

https://www.wfcsa.co.uk/

Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.

Q&A If it is allowed to restructure into that sustainable model then I see no reason why this club can’t get back into the National League within the next year or two and compete successfully at that level, looking upwards to the next step in the club’s journey.

James thanks for giving me the opportunity to connect with the supporters via your newsletter.

COYT!

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