County and that YTYT Thing?

Under the Cheadle End on Saturday at 5 p.m., a few hundred fans crammed into the Insider Suite to listen to fellow County fans (including former Player and Manager – Jim Gannon) talk about the state of the club, talk about the thinking of our current owners and how fan power had a chance to make a difference. Now, call me dis-loyal but after the gut-wrench of Hayes equaliser in the last couple of minutes, I like most County fans in the ground went home and waited for the Saturday evening gloom to set in.

So my understanding of what YTYT is about comes from chatting to a couple of old mates who went to the meeting and reading what material is out there in the public domain. If what I write is inaccurate please leave a comment or mail stockport [at] vitalfootball.co.uk because I won’t be on my own with this view.

At the ‘height’ of what couldn’t really be called Trust Mania, membership of the Trust stood at a little over a thousand (myself included). Many will tell you that whilst the number joining was a little disappointing, lack of member participation was more so. The Trust never really galvanised the masses, got under our skin, got us to pull together.

This is the challenge that YTYT face, because from what I can gather YTYT are…just us. The fans. No outside sugar daddy (although funds of £200K have been bandied about).

Just a tiny number of wealthy fans, most of us less wealthy. Fans with skills, talents and energy who are wanted to help run the club.

I must confess to being a little disappointed as I had hoped YTYT were either going to make a bid to buy the club or a chunk of it but it appears that unless our current owners cannot find another group to buy the club then the fans will not be getting a chance of ownership. YTYT will only own the club as a last resort.

It looks ever more obvious that the 2015 group do not really want to run the club. Have they have any real interest in the club other than as a key to unlock a property deal? I don’t think so.

2015 are in it for a deal which will realise 2015 (or another buyer of SCFC) a healthy return. The Council ‘gift’ the developer with land who build a hotel/supermarket/leisure facility/offices. Oh, and also a community stadium thrown up for the good folk of the borough. Of the Ikea flat pack variety no doubt.

Rumours of the property developers Conduit being close to taking over persist. So, it appears to me that YTYT are just propping up the current operation until another party offer 2015 enough of a package for them so sell up. The fans, working the turnstiles, manning the refreshments kiosks and the ticket office, painting the ground, replacing the lightbulbs and the printer cartridges. Keeping the outgoings to a minimum but also fund-raising, reaching out to fans new and old, promoting the club, selling corporate packages, programmes and the gold band lottery.

Is that it? Can it work? What happens if it doesn’t work?

If YTYT fails will the club continue to shrivel up and drop down the leagues?

In my opinion, and as ever I am open to being educated, the two things that would help the club most are;

a) convince Brian Kennedy to freeze the rent of Edgeley Park next year to this years amount (or better still reduce it). The rent increase next season from what I understand is just too great for us to afford. Action on the rent would really be a big step to making the club viable.

b) get Jim Gannon to manage the football side of things for this season at least. Gates up by a thousand? No more flirting with relegation. Even if you dislike Jim Gannon the effect on the club would be positive for this season at least.

Thereafter could a club run partly on goodwill be financially viable? Could we break even if points (a) and (b) were achieved. I do not know but the alternative could be a Stockport County playing further down the Football League pyramid or even folding and having to start again.

Early days, and I need to know more. Step 1 for me is to join the Supporters Co-op. Have a look and have a long think about it here



Further essential reading for every County fan about YTYT can be found here

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In a related matter the result of our poll is as follows.

We said ‘Fans running the club?’ and 57% said No. Not after last time. Which underlines how difficult it is going to be for the YTYT and Supporters Co-Op folk. Is there any alternative though?

Our new poll starts today. Jim Gannon back as Manager. Yes or No?



A&F folks