I don’t normally indulge in statements on the site but I felt it was important to do this after some comments made about me by a few people in relation to my role as Vice Chair of the Swansea City Supporters’ Trust. I hope that this statement helps to set the record straight.
I decided to resign from my position as Vice Chair 6 weeks ago after 10 years of serving on the board of the Swansea City Supporters Trust. I have over these 10 years given as much as I can to try and help the Trust grow and develop and I am proud of the work I have done and of the work that the trust has done in general.
I chose to resign as I have some key plans for my own business InTouch over the next 12 months and I want to devote as much of my time to that as possible. I also felt that I had let Trust members and fans down with 1 comment I made on the Trust’s Facebook page regarding Huw Cooze not being paid by the club.
As the Trust have indicated in recent statements, Huw Cooze had been paid a fee by the club as part of the role he played as Supporters Liaison Officer (SLO). The Trust admitted that it should have been clearer about this and when I was asked a question in the Facebook page as to whether Trust representatives were paid, I said they were not. There were other Trust representatives included in the question and my comment was made about them rather than Huw.
I do accept however I should have said this comment was related to others and not Huw. I made a mistake and it seems that because of that mistake, a few people have used it to question my whole honesty and personal integrity.
I have given 10 years of service and help to the Trust and have been proud to be part of a very hard working group of people who do an incredible amount to try and represent Swans fans with other Directors and shareholders.
I have given up my own time and gone to my own expense to help run fans forums, attend meetings, run events and do what I can to ensure the club is protected through the 21% ownership the Trust has. I state this not because I want plaudits for it but to hopefully show that one inaccurate comment should not be the sole way to judge me for 10 years of commitment.
I understand the comment has caused some to doubt me and the Trust though and I am sorry if people feel that way. My intention was not to mislead anyone. I do believe that because of this and my business commitments, it was right that I should step down from the Trust board.
I am continuing to make my companies product InTouch available free of charge for the Trust to use as I have done for the last 10 years and I will continue to support the Trust in any way I can as a standard member.
So it’s the end for me as a Swans Trust Board member but I will continue to be a member and a supporter of what this fantastic organisation does for the rest of my life. I would like to pay a thanks and tribute to Phil Sumbler and the whole trust board for giving me the privilege of being a Trust board member over the last 10 years.
I know with some of the new blood that is coming on board, they will continue to work tirelessly to help look after our shareholding in our beloved club.
My final thanks is to you as a Trust member/fan for reading this and for continuing to support SCFC2.co.uk.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I only hope we can see an upturn in our fortunes on the pitch in the coming weeks. We have some big challenges to deal with but regardless of whatever happens we will always be proud to be Jacks.
Cheers
Jim