Saturday 27th February 2010
The ArabTRUST 2010 AGM took place at Club’83, Dundee today.
ArabTRUST Chairman Stephen Simpson formally welcomed the new additions to the Board for the year ahead and got the event underway by speaking of several points of praise in another packed 12 months.
He spoke firstly of arabtrust.co.uk’s major £8,000 kit sponsorship of the DUFC Youth ‘Take It And Play’ programme. Despite losing the Floodlight Derby penalties to Dee4Life, this half time event was acknowledged as a great success as well as the sponsorship of the Dundee United Hall of Fame Dinner for the third year running, the ArabTRUST Centenary Party with special guests including Ivan Golac, the ArabTRUST Quiz last November in Broughty Ferry, ‘An Evening With Ralph Milne’ in partnership with the DUBC and the ArabTRUST Player of the Month Award.
He also emphasised ArabTRUST’s strong links with Supporters Direct as well as sighting ArabTRUST merchandise sales as again being a hugely successful source of fund raising.
It was then over to the ArabTRUST Associate Director, Mike Barile.
Mike represents ArabTRUST on the Dundee United Football Club Board. He firstly addressed the high profile events in his personal life. He assured the membership that the integrity of his position was not in question and that he would remain Associate Director. He also spoke of the new charity United for All and appealed for interest in the one current trustee vacancy.
Mike described his concern for the number of Directors now on the Dundee United Board since the resignation of Derek Robertson, and also spoke of the continuing cooperation between ArabTRUST and the DUBC, the Dundee United Supporters Federation and United for All.
Next, ArabTRUST Treasurer Kenn Elder addressed the members with his assessment of the past 12 months but will deliver a full annual financial account in the coming weeks due to time constraints.
The first half of the AGM was rounded off with an address from Christopher Bennison who is in charge of Communications for ArabTRUST.
Chris began by saying how he has enjoyed having an outlet to ‘vent’ his passion for United and turn it into something positive and tangible for the benefit of ArabTRUST, sighting that, ‘What’s good for ArabTRUST is good for Dundee United’.
He went on to describe the extensive progress of ArabTRUST’s visibility and accessibility via it’s Facebook, Twitter and Bebo profiles as well as bringing ArabTRUST news to the 'savage' online football forums.
He went on to sight the ArabTRUST Player of the Month Award as a particular success in increasing visibility and as a good way of allowing fans to interact. Press coverage of Player of the Month has also been highly successful.
Chris described his pride as the troops paraded around Tannadice prior to the Floodlight Derby which was jointly arranged by ArabTRUST and United for All. He also spoke of the major £8,000 youth kit sponsorship as well as ArabTRUST’s informal contact with Jim McLean which, in part, lead to his attendance at the Dundee United Centenary Dinner in the Caird Hall.
It was then time for the AGM special guest, Dundee United Chairman Stephen Thompson.
Stephen spoke honestly and candidly about the club’s current financial position and invited questions from the membership which included further discussion of United’s finances as well as the Team Manager and the future of the position, the SFA, the SPL, the summer transfer market, Sandaza, Craig Levein, the stadium and a whole host of other topics before his closing comments of praise for ArabTRUST.
He said that most football clubs are ‘at loggerheads’ with their supporters trusts but that the unique relationship between ArabTRUST and United was as strong and productive as ever and speculated that it’s probably the closest club/trust relationship in British football.
Stephen Simpson and Stephen Thompson rounded off the AGM with a presentation of flowers and vouchers for Stella Brodie, the ‘unsung hero’ of ArabTRUST’s merchandise fund raising.
Stella’s husband, Alistair ‘Breeks’ Brodie was a foundation member and has been an ArabTRUST Board member for the past 8 years. Breeks has raised a massive amount of money during his time being in charge of the ‘Tangerine Trading Posts’ in the George Fox and Eddie Thompson stands, with his wife Stella always by his side.
Breeks and Stella stood down at the AGM and their absence will certainly be felt by ArabTRUST, the void they leave is a reflection of just how much time, talent, aptitude and skill they have both contributed.
Breeks has, and rightly so, been singled out for major praise in recent weeks and as a token of ArabTRUST’s appreciation for his outstanding and immeasurable contribution, he was visibly touched when informed that he is now the one and only ever ArabTRUST Life Member.
It was a fitting end to the AGM and ArabTRUST now look forward to another productive and successful year.
ArabTRUST would like to thank Club’83 for hosting the AGM and to Stephen Thompson for giving up his valuable match day time to attend.
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