Little did I know when I signed up to be the first gold member of Lincoln City Supporters’ Trust that we would still be here 10 years later and have had a Gold Member director on the Club Board for 8 years. Over this time we have raised over £100,000.00 for the club which is a tremendous achievement. We have also made a lot of good friends, had various highs and lows where the football is concerned and are always optimistic that Lincoln City will get promoted one season soon !
You can read here some thoughts from fellow gold members about being a gold member and if after reading them you would like to join us then please contact me and I will send you details. You will certainly enjoy it as you can read here from these reminiscences.
Jean Foster
ELAINE ELVIDGE
Being a Gold Member enabled me to give both moral and financial support to the club I had followed for over 40 years when it was in dire straits in 2002. In return I have acquired inside knowledge of the day to day running of the club and its people and have attended many lively, informative meetings with the directors and management. I am consulted, via our director, for my opinion on important decisions the Board have to make such as a new manager. I have also enjoyed the friendly hospitality of the board room, had great fun relishing in the social banter and gained some close friends. My number of shares has also increased, so all in all, it’s great value for money!
ANDREW COTTINGHAM
Why do I like being a Gold Member? It’s about:
- Giving greater support to the Club than I would do by just being a season ticket holder.
- Getting a deeper insight into the running of the football club.
- The opportunity to meet, question and understand the work of club staff and officials.
- Getting a nice feed before the match !!
GEOFFREY PIPER
What I like about the Gold Membership is the friendly, open way in which the Directors, Management and Staff of LCFC share their activities, concerns and ideas with us. They trust us to observe the “Chatham House” rules so that they can share some confidences with us, and this trust works both ways as I think most of us now understand the challenges facing those responsible for running the Club more readily than we did before.
It’s also really interesting and great fun to spend time with the Management Team just a short while before matches - a genuine insight into the task and the challenges facing them. Finally, it all seems very good value, which is more than can be said of most other things these days!
JOHN BATES
When I was away, working abroad, my chances of seeing a game were limited. The Gold Membership enabled me to put some money into the Club which I would have spent on gate money if I had been home. The benefit has been to meet the various managers over the years and learn a lot about how a football player’s mind thinks. The Gold meetings are always interesting and a visit to the boardroom during the season is an added bonus.
KARL MERCER
Being a Gold Member gives me the opportunity to see a different side to the Club from the one I normally experience in the Co-op stand. It gives a wider perspective of how the club is run and gives me confidence in the fact that we are in good hands and the dark days of administration are far behind us. I also get to meet fellow, like minded supporters who are doing their bit to help the Club in a positive way. The food and drink are just a bonus :-) UP THE IMPS
IAN HODGSON
Being a Gold Member is getting closer to the Club we all love. A unique opportunity to talk to managers, directors and staff with a chance to voice your own opinion. The Gold Members’ meetings with the Board and Manager are always interesting and give us a real insight into how the Club is run both on and off the pitch. However, just as important for me is being a key part of the Supporters Trust. I still proudly display my ‘I own the Imps’ car sticker. Like any supporter I always want the team to do well, but just as important is the role the Trust has played in helping to take the Club from the verge of extinction to one of the best run Clubs in the lower leagues.
MELANIE TOINTON
Over the many years I have been a member of the Gold Membership Scheme, I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to question the Board and Management team. It really is any eye-opener into the difficulties and complications of running a club and a team. Boardroom visits are always fun and you never know who you might bump into. I recently met Jim Rosenthal !! All this and you are providing important funding for the Club at the same time. It’s a really innovative initiative which I highly recommend. Every club should have one !
NICK BRIGGS
Being a Gold Member, I meet the Board members and the Manager and being able to ask them whatever questions I wish to is an immense privilege, but also a great eye opener as to the many issues that have to be balanced before any decision is taken. Running a football club is not easy. But the best bit, you know the questions we all want to ask on a daily basis - why did we buy him, why did we sell him, why do we play him, what were you thinking about when….? You can ask them and they will be answered in a very honest and open way! Have I died and gone to heaven? The only deal is what is said in the room stays in the room. Fair enough, it is too good to share.
JOHN MORLEY
Gold Members meet three times a season, discussions at these meetings, with the Board and Management team, are open and frank and allow a real feeling of having an input into the running of the Club. Jean Foster, who is the Gold Members’ representative on the Board, seeks the views of Gold Members on various matters throughout the season. Views have recently been sought on the appointment of the new manager. Another advantage of being a Gold Member is the opportunity to take a friend into the Boardroom once a season. These visits are always enjoyable with everyone being made to feel very welcome and part of the family which is Lincoln City Football Club.
PHILIP BRADLEY
Being a Gold Member means I have a great opportunity to put questions face to face with the Manager, Board and staff on a regular basis throughout the season. Just like the other Gold Members I have a great love of Lincoln City Football Club and when we meet up we share views, experiences and LCFC history - there is a great camaraderie amongst us. Feeling that we can contribute to the Club financially and via our elected Gold Member Director only reinforces what a great community orientated football club we support.
