Supporters Trust
The ‘Warriors Supporters Trust’ is registered with the Financial Services Agency as a not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society. It was established in 2003. It works with the Board of the football club and the Supporters Club to develop a more successful football club.
It is a democratic organisation based on one vote per person, and its committee is elected every year by the members. It is the largest shareholder in the club with 20 % of the shares so that no individual(s) can wrest the control of the club away from its supporters.
It has a democratically-elected representative on the Stenhousemuir FC Board to relay supporter’s ideas and wishes. This person serves two years on the Board before being replaced by another member of the committee.
The annual membership subscription of the Trust is £5 but it is much appreciated if Trust members take out either a ‘silver’ membership of £5 a month, or a ‘gold’ membership of £10 a month. The cash obtained from membership of the Trust is used to buy shares the football club has for sale, and hence the club will directly benefit financially.
Since its inception the Trust has given money to the club and its members have given their time and labour towards several projects:
- The terracing has been covered with a roof the money and labour given by Trust members
- The Trust has given money towards the cost of providing new floodlights
- The Trust has provided the money and labour to move and refurbish the ‘Wee Bar’ underneath the stand.
History
The history of the Warriors stretches back 125 years. Throughout that period there have been highs and lows, but there has always been a club. A supporters’ trust cannot guarantee greater success but works to ensure the club continues for the benefit of the community and the next generation of fans. The Trust seeks to safeguard the club’s long term future.
What is a Trust?
Over the few years Supporters’ Trusts have been formed in most Scottish and English Clubs. Some of these have been in response to a financial crisis at their clubs, where the very existence of the club has been at stake, but others have been set up to help ensure that the club remains democratic and community-run. Most of these organisations have been formed with the assistance of a public funded body – ‘Supporters’ Direct in Scotland’ – set up to support the creation and continuance of these grass roots societies.
It is generally accepted that Stenhousemuir FC has a strong community emphasis, with a Board from the community. However, a few determined individuals could rest this structure away and a Supporters Trust works to ensure that this does not occur.
A Supporters’ Trust is an organization formed by fans to strengthen the bonds between the club and the community, and to represent the interests of the community in the running of the club. It is a non-profit making Industrial & Provident Society and is answerable in law, thereby ensuring it is run in a legally responsible manner. For legal reasons it is called the Warriors Sport Society, but we all know it as the Warriors Supporters Trust. It holds 20% of the shares in the club that have been donated by and purchased from shareholders, and through these actions is the biggest shareholder. It can also hold shareholder’s proxies for the AGM of the club, should any motion be proposed that is against the benefit of the fans and community. It can also in the same way support the SFC Board to promote things that are in the interest of the club and supporters.
Although the trust is independent of the Supporters Club we work together. There is also no conflict with the SFC Board, and they see it as a safeguard to their activities and endorse the setting up of a Trust. It was the Board who proposed at the AGM a change in the club’s rules of association so that shareholders can directly transfer shares to the Trust. A member of the Trust’ Committee is on the SFC Board.Owners
The Trust will be owned and run by YOU, the members. Each person has one vote and they elect a committee to manage the Trusts affairs. Important decisions are taken at General Meetings where every member has a single vote regardless of how much they have given to the Trust. Any member can stand for election to the Society Board at the AGM.
Guidance
Every Trust has a set of rules that it must follow and will be under the guidance off the Government sponsored body ‘Supporters Direct in Scotland’. The rules make it clear that the Trust must be run for the benefit of the community and that no individual can outvote any other. Nobody is paid, or receives expenses, from Trust funds.
A £5 annual fee is charged for joining the trust, but it is more benefit to the Trust if supporters subscribe either £5 or £10 a month that will be used to purchase shares and help the football club.Your Reward
By joining the Trust you’ll show that you agree that the Warriors future needs to be safeguarded and believe that supporters can play a responsible role in the running of the club. You’ll show that you believe that the club is an important asset that should be run for the benefit of the community. You will jointly own shares in the club and your financial contribution will be used to buy shares and benefit the club e.g. in the building of the terracing and the Wee Bar. Along with over 100 sets of supporters of football clubs throughout the UK, you’ll be agreeing that collectively we can ensure that the club is run democratically.
WARRIORS ABROAD
Warriors Abroad, our unique club for far flung fans of Stenhousemuir celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and we have added a number of new benefits to reflect this.
When WA first started the telephone was something that lived in a box in the street or on a table in the hall, the internet had hardly begun and information on Warriors games was hard to come by. Nowadays, the telephone slips neatly into a back pocket, connects to an internet full of every sort of information and Warriors fans can easily keep up with club news online – as a couple of fans have said: “the need for a newsletter is not so great”:
The newsletter will be continued but the club also realised that our loyal fans deserve more for the effort they make. Therefore we have added some reward schemes to the membership and hope to add others in time.
Any WA fan visiting Ochilview will have the chance of discounted accommodation, thanks to John Black at the Station Hotel, he is offering a 10% discount on B&B for our members. There is also still the same 10% discount of any food eaten in at the Gulnar Tandoori as well as discounts on all the items in our club shop. Warriors Abroad members also save £10 on hospitality taking the price per person from £65 to £55.
There are also 2 Warriors Abroad season tickets held at the club for members. These are issued on a first come, first served basis allowing 2 members free access to any home league game. To book these tickets please email info@stenhousemuirfc.com or call Margaret on 01324 562992
The newsletter will continue in a similar form to the current one and while much of the news in it could be got from other sources, it will continue to contain material, including interviews, that has not been on the web or published elsewhere.
The cost of membership is only £15 for the year, giving every Warrior wherever they are in the world the chance to support eh club and play your part in our future.
All members will receive a quarterly newsletter, From the Inside, a badge, which is produced new every year and other membership items in a welcome pack.
Finally as official members of a Stenhousemuir fan club, WA members will receive some priority for all ticket games. Season ticket holders have first option on major cup ties etc but WA members will also have the chance to place an order before tickets go on general sale.
Anyone wishing to join or rejoin WA can download a membership form by downloading a copy of the membership form or email the club with your information, you can pay by credit card. Thank you for joining, all support is vital to a club like us and we hope you appreciate the membership rewards we have arranged and, of course, to see you at Ochilview when you can make it.
If paying by cheque or postal order it should be made payable to:
“Warriors Abroad”
Stenhousemuir Football Club, Ochilview Park, Gladstone Road, Stenhousemuir, FK5 4QL
If you have any questions please contact us directly for more information.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF STENHOUSEMUIR FOOTBALL CLUB
The club was formed via a breakaway group from a local junior team called Heather Rangers in 1884. They played at two other local grounds, Tryst Park and Goschen Park, before settling down at Ochilview in 1890.
The nickname ‘The Warriors’, has been used since at least 1887 but the actual origins of the name are lost. The club first played in the Midland Central League, moving to the Central Combination League then the Central League before finally moving to the newly formed Scottish League Division Two proper, in 1921.
They enjoyed their best spell of success around the turn of the century, winning the Scottish Qualifying Cup on two occasions (1901 and 1902) and reached the semi-final of the Scottish Cup in 1903. In those days the Qualifying Cup was second in importance only to the Scottish Cup. The team also were Consolation Cup finalists 1in 1912/13 and were beaten in a replay by Galston. Since then silverware has been few and far between although they have won the Stirlingshire cup nine times, most recently in the 2001/02 season.
The team’s best season was in 1960/61 when they finished in third place in Division Two with 50 points, scoring an amazing 99 goals. The best ever goal scorer was Robert Taylor with 32 goals in 1925/26.
In 1928 the club’s wooden grandstand was burned down in a fire and a new stand was erected in its place. But horror of horrors, it was discovered at the last minute that the architect had omitted for access to the seating and these had to be hastily added.
On November 7th. In 1951 the club created history by playing Hibernian in the first floodlit match in Scotland. One of the team’s greatest hours in recent years came in 1972 when they beat the mighty Glasgow Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox Park in a League Cup tie. The result would have been even better if they had not lost the first leg 5-0 at Ochilview.
The league campaigns of 1987/88 and 1988/89 saw the warriors just miss out on promotion by a couple of points after being in the chase for most of the season.
The reconstruction of the Scottish leagues meant that third place enabled the Warriors to be playing their football outside of the lowest senior league for the first time since the early 1920’s, a great achievement for such a small club. 1994 also saw the proposed bid by a supermarket giant for the Ochilview site fail. If they had been successful it would have meant a new all seater stadium being built.
Season 1994/95 was one of the most successful in the club’s history, reaching the the Quarter Final of the Scottish cup, knocking out higher league St. Johnstone and Aberdeen en-route.
However, season 1995/96 surpassed anything that has gone before when Stenhousemuir reached the final of the League Challenge Cup final. On the way to the final The Warriors disposed of Montrose, 3-1; holders Dundee 1-3 and Stirling Albion 1-2 in the Semi-final, Stenhousemuir’s first national Semi-final since 1902!
On Sunday November 5th. 2500 Stenhousemuir supporters converged on McDiarmid park in Perth, filling one end of the stadium for the final against Dundee United who had recently spent two million pounds on players. The sides remained locked at 0-0 after extra time and in a nail biting finish the Warriors won the penalty shoot out 5-4.
One of the most curious facts about Stenhousemuir F.C. is the widespread fan base collectively known as ‘Warriors Abroad’ with many fans based in England and more bizarrely a large following from Norway. The supporters are loyal band and for many years our Viking friends have appeared at Ochilview in full Nordic regalia. Everyone in Stenhousemuir has taken our colourful friends to their hearts.
More recently great improvements have been made at the ground with a new 626 seater stand being built in 1996 and the old stand eventually being demolished in 1999. The ground capacity is currently 2645.
The team won promotion to the second division 1n season 1998/99 but unfortunately could not sustain their presence there, rejoining the third division ranks in season 2001/02. The team narrowly lost out on promotion in season 2005/06, falling only in the play-offs. However with the dedication of the board and the appointment of John Coughlin as manager there is great determination to go one better in the current 2008/09 season.
Ground improvements continue with the installation of a New Covered Enclosure being erected over the west terracing prior to the start of season 2003/04 and the installation of a FIFA two star rated synthetic pitch prior to the start of season 2006/07 and this quality has now been extended to the seven -a-side pitches which also have new changing facilities and showers.
A new floodlighting system was installed during Season 2006/07.
During season 2007/08 the football club was awarded the Scottish Football Association National Club Licence after having been assessed in all relevant areas of competence, which now puts us among the few Scottish Football League clubs to be awarded such a prestigious award.
A new perimeter fence and Tarmac Car Park was completed on the north side of the ground during season 2008/09 which has alleviated parking congestion when the facility is used by the local community.
During season 2009/10, the club erected a new Community and Academy office to allow staff to manage the increased Community and Academy programme.
A purpose built TV Gantry was installed at the start of season 2010-11 to facilitate our Warriors TV camera crew.
THE BOB HILL WEE BAR
Why not drop into The Bob Hill Wee Bar for a pre-match drink and a look at the Sports news on the TV’s before heading into the ground to watch the match. The bar is also open after the game where you can meet and discuss the game in detail and watch the other results as they come in. You can also have the opportunity of presenting the Bob Hill Wee Bar Man of the Match Award to the winner who is decided by the supporters in the bar.
You are assured of a warm welcome from the staff on duty.
The Bob Hill Wee Bar is situated inside the main entrance of The Norway Stand.
Supporters from the visiting teams are extended a friendly welcome and encouraged to join in the banter.
The Bob Hill Wee Bar is available for hire for any small function. If you are interested, please contact any member of staff who will gladly give you full details on how to hire the facility.
OPENING TIMES
The Bob Hill Wee Bar is open on Matchday Saturdays from 12:30pm to 9pm.
For any midweek matches it’s open 6:30pm to 11pm.
