Fan Elected Director. Statement from Clive Gowing

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Clive Gowing

I have been actively supporting Cheltenham Town for the past 19-years and was one of the group of supporters involved in forming and establishing the Robins Trust 10 years ago.

Initially taking the role of treasurer, I have held the role of chairman of the Trust for the past seven years.

I believe the hard work that I have put in with the Robins Trust stand me in a great position to take on the challenge and privilege of being the first fan elected director at Cheltenham Town FC.

During that time promoting and keeping the Trust running has not been easy, but I am proud that we have invested more than £50,000 in the football club and raised nearly £10,000 for charity in that time.

As Trust chairman, I can be seen walking the ground selling half-time draw tickets – something that allows me a great opportunity to engage with Trust members and other fans.

Those existing relationships with a wide cross-section of supporters will allow me to hit the ground running as the Fan Elected Director and ensure that supporters’ views are heard from day one.

As Trust chairman, I have also engaged with Supporters Direct over a number of different issues and have also been heavily involved with updating the Robins Trust Rules in readiness for our next big step.

From that, I have been able to gain a very detailed knowledge of the way Supporters Trusts work, and I have strong contacts with the people who work at Supporters Direct.

As a fan elected board member, my number one target is to ensure increased fan engagement to ensure the views of every single Robins fan is heard by the board of directors.

I also want to ensure that fans are able to engage in all aspects of the business and that all suggestions, no matter how big or small, are listened to and considered.

I appreciate that not every suggestion will be able to be actioned upon due to resource constraints – but that does not stop every fan’s view being heard and receiving a response from the club.

I am keen to ensure that the fan focus groups are reinstated, and that regular meetings will ensure that every fan has a chance to have their say.

It is key that these groups bring together vast cross sections of the club’s supporter base, regardless of age and gender – it is only then that we will reflect the fan base as a whole.

As someone who grew up in the town, I am passionate about Cheltenham and passionate about the football club and the club’s supporters.

Professionally, I am a qualified accountant with eight years post-qualification experience, and strong financial control is something I will always support.

I believe my professional skills, added to those that I have gained during my time on the Robins Trust board make me the perfect fit to be the first Fan Elected Director of Cheltenham Town FC.