1. What is a supporters’ trust?

A supporters’ trust is distinctly different from a ‘supporters’ club, Facebook group or fans forum’ A Supporters’ Trust is a democratic, not-for-profit organisation of supporters. It is committed to strengthening the voice for supporters in the decision-making process at a club and strengthening the links between the club and the community it serves. The club are obliged to engage in consultation with supporters through Premier League regulation, a supporters’ trust would provide a formal mechanism.

2. Is a supporters’ trust a charity?

Supporters’ Trusts are not charities and whilst they contain the word ‘Trust’ they do not follow the legal definition of a ‘Trust’.

Supporters’ Trusts are constituted as Community Benefit Societies (CBS), a form of Co-operative that operates under a one-member one-vote principle.

CBSs are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and any changes to the rules must be approved by the members and only become effective once the FCA has agreed to them, checking they are in keeping with the spirit of the organisation.

The members own all assets and liabilities collectively.  

Under FCA rules the Trust must remain solvent if it is to continue to legally exist.  Trusts are non-profit making organisations any profit made is either kept as reserves or reinvested to meet its objectives.  It will never take the form of a dividend to members.

Wolves 1877 Trust is formed in accordance with these rules and guidelines, registration number 8625.

3. What about the involvement of existing supporters’ clubs?

Existing supporters’ clubs are set up to serve their own members in respect of providing relevant information and dealing with specific matters, such as organising match travel coaches and local events. Supporters’ groups also arrange Q&A Fans Forum sessions with past and present people involved with Wolves. The trust will encourage open dialogue with all supporters’ groups, but our roles are distinctly different. Supporters’ groups can be represented within the trust, although it is recognised that there are now many informal supporters’ groups emerging, Facebook, Chat Sites, YouTube channels etc

4. Will the trust be part of Worldwide Wolves?

No, The Trust is not a member of ‘Worldwide Wolves’. We encourage dialogue and try to communicate across all supporter groups. We seek to cooperate with the club to communicate the purpose, and function, of the trust to Worldwide Wolves members. Worldwide Wolves is a club initiative to grow supporter clubs across the world, it is not run on any democratic lines and could be considered as a commercial part of the clubs operation.

5. Can a ‘supporters’ group’ have membership of the trust?

Yes, Supporters’ clubs will be able to have affiliation membership of the trust. We welcome contact with all supporters groups. Members of all supporter groups are encouraged to join the Trust as our purpose is distinctly different.

6. What has happened to Wolves Fans’ Parliament?

Members of Wolves Fans’ Parliament voted to close the Fans’ Parliament in favour of merging with Wolves 1877 Trust. It was widely recognised that Fans’ Parliament no longer met the requirements of the supporters, and club.

The club have introduced a number of Fan Engagement Groups that perform a similar role to the old fans parliament, although membership of those groups is by invitation only, and they do not have democratic structures.

7. What does ‘consultation’ with the club mean?

Three levels of supporter engagement can co-exist within football clubs:

1. Fans Forum Q&A sessions – where the club put forward representatives for an ‘open’ Q&A session. Focused sometimes on playing matters or topics such as match day catering etc. Usually, the club is explaining why decisions or actions have been taken after they have been made.

2. Fan engagement groups – The ‘Matchday Experience Group’ is an example where the club has convened supporter groups for feedback, and suggestions, on ideas and actions. Working groups are formed to discuss specific topics and are by invite only.

3. Governance and engagement – This is where a supporters’ trust, and other supporter representatives, acts on behalf of the wider supporter base to engage with the club on high level matters – Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Environment, Heritage and stakeholder engagement. The focus is ensuring that our owners work with supporters in the best interests of existing and future supporters. This will take the form of a Fan Advisory Board.

Whilst at level one and two the trust may have a role to play, it can be seen and accepted by the Trust that the club and supporters have many routes to achieve positive engagement. Wolves 1877 Trust will focus on consultation at level’s 2 and 3.  

8. Will the trust be the only form of consultation with the club and will the trust have a formal role within the decision-making groups within the club?

No, the Club will always communicate directly with supporters’ groups, individuals, and other interested parties. The supporters’ trust must demonstrate real benefit to the club to be part of the consultation process.

Our role in active decision making will be at the request of the club will by via Fan Advisory Board, attended by the Trust Chair. We accept that ultimately decisions will always be taken by the club’s owners, through consultation we hope to influence those decisions.

The trust will raise’s routine concerns or topics directly with the club’s Supporters’ Liaison Officer, but we will also seek to speak to key decision makers as appropriate.

9. Who will run the trust?

The Trust is formed as a community benefit society and meets the requirements of the Football Supporters’ Association as an affiliate members. We have a democratically elected board, an chair, and members are consulted through surveys and meetings. Any full member of the Trust can stand for election to the board, or bring forward a motion at the AGM, and other correctly constituted meetings.

10. Will membership be open to all supporters?

Yes, any Wolves supporter can become a member of the trust. The trust has two levels of membership:

Full (premium) membership - at a cost of £5.00 per year, this level of membership allows individuals to be fully active within the trust, including standing for elections, voting on motions/elections and be actively involved in running the trust. Trust members also have their own social media chat group - via Discord.

Associate Membership - is free of charge and allows individuals to sign up to be kept in touch with the trusts activities, through newsletters and surveys. An associate member cannot stand for election or vote on trust matters.

11. What are the requirements for members?

There are no requirements, all full (premium) members will be required to complete a membership form and pay the membership fee of £5.00.

12. Why is there a charge of £5.00 to join the trust?

The trust is entirely self-funded through membership fees and donations from sponsors. To effectively communicate and consult with the supporter base we will create a website, survey forums, social media content and arrange meetings/events. The membership fee will go towards the cost of running the trust. The trust is ‘not for profit’ and Board Members are entirely voluntary. Our accounts will be audited in line with Financial Conduct Authority requirements.

13. Will the club support the trust?

The Trust is completely independent of the club, we hope that they see the benefit of consultation with a properly constituted supporters’ trust. The club has issued statements welcoming the formation of the trust and understand the independent position of the trust. they have committed to ensuring that at least one trust member will have a place on Fan Engagement Groups, and importantly on the club’s Fan Engagement Board

14. How would the supporters’ trust be involved with the National Football Supporters’ Association?

The FSA is the overarching body that represents supporters’ groups at a national level. The formation of the trust will ensure that Wolves supporters’ views are represented at a national level, as a trust we are affiliate members with increased voter rights, the trust is also be members of the FSA Premier League network group (represented by the Vice Chair at meetings).  We encourage all Wolves supporters to become individual members of the Football Supporters’ Association.

15. Fans’ Parliament is seen as a closed shop, what would change?

Unlike the old Fans’ Parliament, and the current clubs Fan Engagement groups the trust has open membership and the ‘democratic’ process will be visible to all members. Trust Board members are elected by it’s members.

16. Will the supporters’ trust push for ‘board’ representation with the club?

In an ideal world all football clubs should have supporter representation at board level. The reality is that most clubs are resistant to this concept, it would not be the intent of the trust to ‘campaign’ for board representation. The landscape of supporter consultation is changing and what is not seen as acceptable at the current time may become ‘normal’ in years to come. The trust will support the FSA in its efforts to achieve high level consultation with the authorities that run the game at a national level (FA, EPL and EFL) and the introduction of an Independent Regulator for Football. We are active participants in campaigning for the full implementation of the government’s Fan-Led Review of Football Governance. The trust is an active participant on on the clubs Fan Advisory Board.

17. How will diversity be ensured within the Trust?

The Trust has adopted the Football Supporters’ Association Equality Charter. We are committed to ensuring diversity of representation and will positively seek to engage with all supporters.

18. How will the trust promote itself? Will the club help?

We are independent of the club; we will not seek, nor expect support from the club. The trust will have its own website and social media presence. We will also seek to engage with supporters through events and meetings.

19. Is the trust just a different version of ‘Fans’ Parliament’ with the same old faces running it?

Initially the trust evolved from the now defunct Fans’ Parliament, but the trust is open to all supporters and is no longer reflective of those that were involved with the old Fans’ Parliament.

20. What is the definition of the "community", supporters only or local communities with an interest?

In this respect the ‘community’ is defined as the local Wolves supporter base. The trust may support activities (directly or indirectly) that benefit the local geographical community close to Molineux (Wolverhampton), but it is recognised that the trust is NOT a fund-raising ‘charity’ group and others are better placed to deliver this activity.

21. In seeking to "act with the authority of the wider fan base" - how is this to happen?  How will all members be consulted?

The principle of ‘one member one vote’ is the underlying requirement of the trust decision making process.

The trust can only act on behalf of its members, it is, therefore, important that supporters join the trust.

The trust undertakes to survey members as policy is formed.

22. How ill the trust overcome "member apathy" which inevitably leads to a small active group becoming dominant and, at times, misrepresentative. How will this be managed?

This is a common in other similar volunteer run organisations. The trust seeks to manage ‘member apathy’ through maintaining engagement, and visibility, across the website and social media, alongside running member surveys on all significant policy decisions. 

Sub-Groups can be formed to focus on specific issues, within the trust, enabling cross representation and open dialogue.

Ultimately we are all volunteers, we encourage as many members as possible to assist with our work.

23. Will there be a focus on safeguarding the future by encouraging younger members?

Encouraging young supporters to be involved with the supporters’ trust will be a key ambition of the trust.

This may be achieved through setting up a ‘young Wolves’ focus group within the trust, alongside other special interest groups. The trust will seek the views and help of members to establish a focus group in this area.

24. The club has launched its ‘Fans Engagement Group’ concept with supporters being asked to apply to be involved in consultation groups. With this initiative is there a need for a supporters’ trust?

The Fans Consultation Groups are welcomed but it replicates many of the issues that were experienced with Fans’ Parliament:

1. Membership is by invitation from the club only.

2. It recreates the ‘closed shop’ environment that existed in Fans’ Parliament.

3. The groups and members will not act independently of the club and therefore do not meet the guidelines of the FSA trust model rules.

The wider remit of Wolves 1877 Trust will be to engage at a national level for the greater good of supporters at all levels. As Wolves supporters we have direct experience of the problems of clubs in the football pyramid. Club-led focus groups are not involved in this area of football governance. The trust is required to represent Wolves supporters at a national and club level.

25. Will the Supporters’ Trust be involved with Wolves Foundation?

No, the trust’s role is explicitly different from that of the Wolves Foundation. We may choose to support, or promote, charitable and community initiatives but this is not our principal aim.