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Letter To Derby County Board

To the Derby County Directors

We are disappointed that there has been no reply since we wrote to you privately two months ago over our
concerns about the current state of the club. About the same time, you also promised publicly to engage
with supporters’ groups.

This failure to communicate has further increased concern among supporters, especially with the new
season a few weeks away. We understand negotiations are in progress for a potential takeover, but as yet
there has been no ACV application for transfer of either Pride Park or Moor Farm, so this cannot be
completed before the season begins.

We would therefore again ask for a public response to the following questions:-

Are the Directors able to confirm that there is funding in place to ensure the club can complete the
forthcoming season?

Can you confirm that all outstanding debts to HMRC can be covered, so there is no danger of administration
before the end of the forthcoming season?

We realise that we are under a transfer embargo until these debts are met. In Sunday’s pre-season friendly,
we were forced to play at least 5 players not contracted to the club. Can you confirm whether you expect to
be able to sign any of these, or other players, in time for the start of the season?

Now that the Football League will not be appealing against the sanction decision, can the club confirm when
they will submit revised accounts to get the transfer embargo lifted?

We understand that further information on the takeover can’t be given until a deal is agreed with credible
investors, but we would urge the club to keep supporters informed as much as possible.

You will understand that supporters are both upset and frustrated at the continual lack of communication
from the club. It is at the point where the failure to keep promises about this is now unacceptable with no
respect for your customers and supporters.

We therefore encourage you to engage in meaningful dialogue with all supporters – at a most crucial time in
the club’s history.


Best Regards,
Jim Wheeler, Elaine Dean, Tanya Noon, Peter Drew, Kevin Hepworth, Malcolm Turner, Martin Rawson, Paul Sturges, Bob Donald, Patricia Goodwin, Patrick Breslin – The RamsTrust Board (on behalf of all members)

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RamsTrust AGM and Board Election 2021

For Members.

The RamsTrust Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place, as follows:

DATE:             Thursday, 23rd September, 2021

TIME:             8.00 pm

VENUE:         The meeting will take place via Zoom video conference. 

Members please confirm your attendance by emailing membership@ramstrust.org.uk and we will send you the link before the meeting.

Your support is important so please make a diary date for this important event. This year we have four vacancies, 3 for three years and 1 for one year, on the RamsTrust Board. We are now inviting nominations to all full members wishing to stand for election.  Please give this opportunity some consideration, as this is your chance to play a leading role in the trust. 

RamsTrust is committed to furthering the interests of Derby County fans and the general community of football supporters, so please come forward to formally volunteer some spare time and energy in active participation.  RamsTrust is an independent, open and democratic supporters group that endeavours to make a positive contribution to the future of Derby County Football Club.

The AGM also gives the opportunity for all members to submit any items or resolutions for inclusion in the AGM’s agenda.  Please note that another member must second any such proposals.

If you would like to discuss the role as a Board member, require a nomination form, advice on its completion or any aspect of the election process, please contact the Chair of the Election Management Group at this email address: election@ramstrust.org.uk.  Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no postal process.

If you wish to stand, please complete the form and forward to the email address given on the form.  All nominations will be verified on receipt.  In the event of any dispute over the validity of the form, the candidate will be contacted. The closing date for nominations in Friday 27th August 2021.

An election will be held unless there are four or fewer nominations for the four available positions and all candidates are willing to accept terms of office.  The election results will be given at the AGM.

In case of any complaints regarding the election procedure, there is an Election Management Group, chaired by John Boyle.

The Agenda for the meeting will be placed on this website at least 7 days before the meeting.

Thank you again for your continued support and we hope to see you at the 2021 AGM.

Tanya Noon, Society Secretary

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Welcome

Welcome to the RamsTrust web site. You can join here.

RamsTrust is the democratic Derby County Supporters’ Trust, founded to campaign for and deepen supporter ownership, representation and influence at Derby County Football Club.

If you would like to learn more about RamsTrust, please navigate the site using the links at the top and bottom of each page.

Alternatively, if you would like to contact RamsTrust, please fill in the form below:

European Super League

RamsTrust would like to join with @WeAreTheFSA and all the football community in rejecting the proposals for a new ‘European Super League’. This blatant money-grabbing scheme is against all principles of fair competition which make the game the best in the world.

This natural progression from the breakaway Premier League – designed to make the richest clubs richer – is clearly devised to avoid further sharing income with all other clubs. A healthy sport is reliant on strong competition and distribution of income to allow all clubs to rise through the pyramid and compete in leagues and cups – that is the dream for all teams, players and supporters.

This is what allows smaller clubs to develop players who go on to play for the ‘bigger’ clubs and international teams. This episode – which will surely fail – exposes the true intentions of the owners of the clubs involved, purely to line their own pockets at the expense of fans across the world. This is not healthy for football, not good for any of the teams across Europe (either members of this league or not) and totally disrespectful to all supporters whose interests are ignored. RamsTrust members are calling for the footballing authorities to take all disciplinary action they can against these clubs – not only to stop this proposal, but to stop any future attempts to destroy the Beautiful Game.

Statement

There are various reports this evening that Derby County FC are unable to pay their players and are on the verge of administration.

RamsTrust is therefore calling on the club to make an unequivocal statement on the true situation – over 2 months since the club released a statement on November 6th advising supporters the takeover “is expected to close very soon”.

Whilst we understand that contractual details cannot be revealed whilst negotiations continue, over the past 2 months some supporters have still not received ticket refunds and all supporters who have paid for this year’s tickets are becoming increasingly concerned.

The manager’s position is still in limbo, and we are now in the January transfer window without knowing the budget or feasibility of signings. Meanwhile the club remains in the relegation zone of the Championship and now with a potential points penalty supporters’ concerns are increasing. 

Can the club please update all supporters on the situation to give us some confidence for the remainder of the season, and longer term future?

Join RamsTrust here.

Agenda – RamsTrust Annual General Meeting 2020

Monday 14th September, 2020 at 8.00 p.m.

VENUE: The meeting will take place using Zoom.

Members please let us know if you wish to attend and a link will be sent to you.

1.   Chair’s welcome.

2.    Apologies for absence.

3.   Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.

4.   Matters arising.

5.    Resolution 1: To accept the Annual Report and Financial Statements, year ended 24th March, 2020.

6.   Resolution 2: Independent examination of accounts

It is hereby resolved that subject to the provisions of Section 84 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2004, the members of the Society shall not require an audit for the accounts covering the current financial year ending on 24th March 2021 when they are presented to the next AGM held in 2021. Instead of an audit, an independent examination shall be carried out, as per our rules.

7.   Results of ballot for Society Board members.

8.   Guest Speaker – Malcolm Clarke – Chair, Football Supporters’ Association.

9.   Any other competent business.

10. Close.

Zoom video conferencing

AGM 2020

RamsTrust AGM and Board Election 2020

For Members.

The RamsTrust Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place, as follows:

DATE:             Monday, 14th September, 2020

TIME:             8.00 pm

VENUE:         The meeting will take place via Zoom video conference. 

Members please confirm your attendance by emailing membership@ramstrust.org.uk and we will send you the link before the meeting.

Your support is important so please make a diary date for this important event. This year we have four vacancies, 3 for three years and 1 for one year, on the RamsTrust Board. We are now inviting nominations to all full members wishing to stand for election.  Please give this opportunity some consideration, as this is your chance to play a leading role in the trust. 

RamsTrust is committed to furthering the interests of Derby County fans and the general community of football supporters, so please come forward to formally volunteer some spare time and energy in active participation.  RamsTrust is an independent, open and democratic supporters group that endeavours to make a positive contribution to the future of Derby County Football Club.

The AGM also gives the opportunity for all members to submit any items or resolutions for inclusion in the AGM’s agenda.  Please note that another member must second any such proposals.

If you would like to discuss the role as a Board member, require a nomination form, advice on its completion or any aspect of the election process, please contact the Chair of the Election Management Group at this email address: election@ramstrust.org.uk.  Due to the coronavirus, there is no postal process.

If you wish to stand, please complete the form and forward to the email address given on the form.  All nominations will be verified on receipt.  In the event of any dispute over the validity of the form, the candidate will be contacted. The closing date for nominations in Friday 21st August 2020.

An election will be held unless there are four or fewer nominations for the four available positions and all candidates are willing to accept terms of office.  The election results will be given at the AGM.

In case of any complaints regarding the election procedure, there is an Election Management Group, chaired by John Boyle of the Stafford Trust, STRIPES.

The Agenda for the meeting will be placed on the website, ramstrust.org.uk, at least 7 days before the meeting.

Thank you again for your continued support and we hope to see you at the 2020 AGM.

Tanya Noon, Society Secretary

Tim Brooke-Taylor RIP

It is with great sadness that RamsTrust has learned that Tim Brooke-Taylor has died.

He was, as Rams fans everywhere will know,  a solid supporter of Derby County and was a lifetime member of RamsTrust.

We are sure that all members would share in sending our best wishes and deepest condolences to his loved ones at this sorrowful time.

He was one of us and we will remember him with warmth and love.

RIP Tim.



Derby County Staff Furlough

RamsTrust understands from media reports that Derby County is to furlough the majority of its non-playing staff during the Covid-19 crisis to make use of the government’s 80% grant scheme.

DCFC appear to have made the decision not to make up the shortfall in pay of those members of staff furloughed, most often 20%, but also including those where the 80% is greater than the cap of £2,500. If this is the case, then RamsTrust wishes to register its disappointment at such a decision and notes also the reports suggesting that Nottingham Forest do intend to maintain the pay of their furloughed employees.

If these reports are true, we would ask the club to reconsider its position and instead act to make up any shortfall in the pay of the furloughed staff.

AGM 2019

For Members.

The RamsTrust Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place as follows:

DATE: Wednesday, 4 September, 2019
TIME: 8.00 pm
VENUE: Unite the Union, 2 Pride Point Drive, Pride Park, Derby. DE24 8BX (the road between The Merlin and Lexus).

Your support is important so please make a diary date for this important event.

This year we have three vacancies on the RamsTrust Board for 3 years. We are now inviting nominations to all full members wishing to stand for election.

Please give this opportunity some consideration, as this is your chance to play a leading role in the trust.

RamsTrust is committed to furthering the interests of Derby County fans and the general community of football supporters, so please come forward to formally volunteer some spare time and energy in active participation. RamsTrust is an independent, open and democratic supporters group that endeavours to make a positive contribution to the future of Derby County Football Club.

The AGM also gives the opportunity for all members to submit any items or resolutions for inclusion in the AGM’s agenda. Please note that another member must second any such proposals.

If, as a member, you want to be nominated for election to the RamsTrust Board, please email election@ramstrust.org.uk for a nomination form. Nominations must be received by Friday 31st August.

If you would like to discuss the role as a board member, require advice on the completion of a nomination form or any aspect of the election process, please contact the Chair of the Election Management Group at the RamsTrust EMG Chair, Derby Co-op Bowls & Social Club,50 Taverners Crescent, Littleover, Derby DE23 6XL or, for a more rapid response, email election@ramstrust.org.uk.

All nominations will be verified on receipt. In the event of any dispute over the validity of the form, the candidate will be contacted.

An election will be held unless there are three or fewer nominations for the three available positions and all candidates are willing to accept terms of office. The election results will be given at the AGM.

In case of any complaints regarding the election procedure, we have adopted Supporters Direct best practice guidelines and have formed an Election Management Group, chaired by John Boyle of the Stafford Rangers Supporters Trust, STRIPES.

The agenda for the AGM will be placed on the website at least 7 days before the meeting.

Thank you again for your continued support and we hope to see you at the 2019 AGM.