Good afternoon everyone, we’ll now get proceedings underway.

In front of my wife you will see a list of attendees, I would ask you to write your name, membership number if know & sign it in front of her please (I’ll explain why later) that‘s if you haven‘t already done so!  Also she has the raffle tickets for the signed shirt, new shirt/kit & a couple of Arsenal DVD’s, which we will draw at the end of this meeting.
   
Ok, if anyone feels the need to interject during this meeting, we will give ample opportunity to do so!

Also if you need refreshments, then feel free to visit the bar, all we ask is that you keep the noise level as low as possible, out of respect to the others, both speaking & listening. 

Your committee is made up of me,     Ian Lawrence - Chairman,       
Christine Lawrence - Vice Chairperson,    Richard Beale - Treasurer     & sharing various secretarial duties are in alphabetical order are Clark Campbell & Chris Williams.    

Does anyone have any objections to any of the aforementioned continuing in there rolls?

I would also like to say a special Thank You to Paul Richards & Ashley & Denys Jones in helping us during the Season.

As highlighted this time last year, we failed to read out the previous meetings minutes.  So I’ve taken the liberty to reproduce some copies along with the club rules.  If you can share them out, so that everyone can see them & I will ask for a volunteer to read the previous minutes.

As the last few seasons have seen our Supporters Club hit hard fiscal times.  I think that it would be correct for Mr Beale to present the latest Treasurers Report!

CLUB RULES;  The 1st 2 are the law, so even if you object - tough,

*No Smoking on our Transport

*No Alcohol is allowed on our Transport.  It’s is a criminal offence under the Sporting Events Act 1985.

*Behaviour that is likely to give our club a bad name.  Will result in the culprit being banned.

*Bus fare as with everything else @ present the cost of hiring a coach has gone up £120 for a Double Decker (73 people) & £115 for a single (49 seats).  AS a consequence this will have to be passed on.  For the Club to meet our breakeven figure, I purpose that the coach fare goes up by £3.50.  I know our Club has done really well this last year, but I do still feel it prudent for us to charge this amount & review where the club funds are next year.
This will result in the adult fare going up to £21.50, OAP to £19 & U16’s to £16.50 (£3 surcharge to north east)

*Package prices, Tickets have gone up £1 for grade B‘s = £55, £52.50 & £50 respectively.  For Grade A’s = £70, £67.50 & £65.  Grade A tickets have gone up £2.
Please also remember that Junior Gunners & Cannon Clubs will be @ a lower price. 

*Those not wishing to travel on our transport can obtain tickets. But are still expected to pay for the transport, at the adult rate.

*Home games only.  £1 deduction for Arsenal ticket registration holders

*Gold Members.  £1 deduction for all travel.

*Away games deposits of £30 per ticket. Some clubs give reductions please state if tickets are required for juniors or OAP’s

*On the odd occasion when demand for tickets outweighs supply, the following will apply.

Home 
1st registration card holders
2nd those who have been to the most games
3rd travel card holders

Away
1st season ticket holders
2nd travel card holders
3rd those who have been to the most games
4th registration card holders

*Refunds will only be issued, if we are given 14 days or more notice.  Please note that this only applies to Home fixtures.

*Tickets that we supply are only for Arsenal fans
Unfortunately due to complaints. We will not take fans of our opponents

*Transport
Once a match has finished it is up to you, to return to our transport A.S.A.P.  A departure time will be given when we arrive at the stadium.
It is your responsibility to return to the transport in good time.
If you do not, the bus will leave without you.

*Club badge
Anybody not in possession of one, will be fined £1 towards club funds. Or £2 at my discretion.
Badges cost £3 each, Keyrings £3.50 each.
A set of 4 badges, are £10, Or 2 Badges & 2 Keyrings also sell for £10 . 

*Now, my work both with Arsenal & my proper job are becoming more time consuming.  I purpose that we bring into the rules that members have to contact me, either by e-mail or phone, not my mobile unless text, 14 days prior & no later than 7 days prior to a home game.  Failure to do so can result in your ticket or coach seat being allocated to another person & I will not contact anyone in future! 
There is also another reason for this, Arsenal require names of those attending with match tickets & they have insisted that they will increase spot checks on paper-ticket match attendees, so it will be in your interest & also you need to keep your membership card on you, as this should help speed things along if you are stopped.  I still need you to contact me a week, before an away fixture.  So that not only you know the departure time but also so that I can make sure that everything is in order. 

Anything else, that anyone would like to have added to the rules?

*This is a bit of a grey area, after what has been said earlier, about refunds etc.  Match Tickets, We still have members turning up to games with people other than stated on the booking form.  We say this every year, but from now on, Match tickets will be regarded as our Clubs property.  If the original person who the ticket was obtained for cannot make a fixture, then you need to contact me to find out if there is a waiting list.  If there is, the member who cannot go will be given a refund.  If everyone agrees then, just turning up on a match day with someone else will result in a warning & if you do it again a ban!  Normally if we can, we let you take someone else, anyway, so in the long run it’s not worth keeping mum & as said before this may also cause you problems on entry into the Arsenal Stadium!

Things from Arsenal;

1st, Supporters Club Player of the Year.  Max 10 Clubs a year are allowed to present a trophy on the pitch, 1 of these Clubs are London, as Arsenal regard them as the main Supporters Club.
Only 1 person per a Club is allowed to do this.
If we aren’t lucky enough to have a presentation on the pitch, we will still be required to award a trophy.
The question is, do we want to have a player of the Season Award. 
It’s up to you, but I think that only those who vote should be entered into the ballot, for presenting the trophy, maybe only those who vote for our player of the Season?
Arsenal deadline is around April, so I think ours should be around the end of January.  Those present vote Against

2nd, Club Culture Page.  They are in need of input & ideas, so if you have raised money for Charity, or done something unusual & can write a little piece that I can forward to Arsenal, ideally any photos would be good, then Arsenal would be very grateful for your input.

3rd, After years of promising to promote Supporters Clubs, Arsenal are starting to do so!  Some of you may have seen resent local papers, with our efforts @ the Supporters Football Tournament.  So if you any ideas, then put them in writing to either me or directly to Jill Smith @ Arsenal, & don’t forget to state which Supporters Club you are in.

4th, Coach Parking.  Will be the same as previously, for this Season.  But with the development of Queensland Road, this is likely to change, next Season. 


Ok, that’s the rules & Arsenal covered.  Now onto various other topics;

1st, I don’t & shouldn’t have to be in the position of having to raise this!  Something that has been going on for a few years now, has got completely out of hand.  I have come very close to quitting this position, because of the behaviour of a very small minority of our members.  So I want to make this quite clear for everyone to understand.  I do not expect to be shouted at, I also do not expect to be insulted, and I do not expect fellow members attempts to undermine everything that I do in the Clubs interests.  If you have a problem, then speak to me, ideally in private.  I’m not going to name, names as the culprits are obviously intelligent enough to know who this is directed at.  It stops now, or leave our Club, for your behaviour is unwelcome & uncalled for.  As a word of warning, all instances will be on record, If this carries on those guilty will be asked to leave.

2nd, E-mail addresses, I’m only available on my msn address.  The Orange one is corrupted & very little actually gets through to me & what does I cannot reply to.
I require your up to date addresses & phone numbers, even if you have already told me in the past, if it’s not on the form, I will assume that it is no longer valid & please make this ledge able.  This is for your benefit, as increasingly, I need to forward information @ short notice.

3rd, Club Raffles, I think that it would be best to reduce the amount of raffles we hold to 3.  I.e., Christmas, Signed Shirt & New Kit.

4th, Fanzines, These are selling less & less each edition.  It takes 20 minutes or so collect them, as well as not being good for my back.  So I think it will best to leave it for individuals to purchase there own copies!

5th, When we are on the coach doing, Club Stuff, don’t expect us to open the overhead vents, or go speak to the driver for you.  If you can ask us, then you can ask the driver!

6th, On each trip, once we’ve picked up @ Bristol, I make an announcement, about future tickets, etc.  If it doesn’t concern you, then just keep quite for 5 minutes for those that it does.  It gets quite tedious repeating yourself, when people couldn’t or didn’t bother to listen the 1st time.

7th, Minute of the Goal, rules; for 01 to win the 1st goal has to be scored up to 1.59 minutes, for 45 to win the 1st goal has to be scored from 45 minutes until the end of the 1st half.  46, is from the start of the second half until 046.59 & so on

8th, Our 7 a side team, we have our own Team & after years of endeavour we are starting to progress, I.e. win games.  But we are always on the lookout for any good players.  To qualify you have to be 16 or older, male & most importantly, as you are representing Arsenal, you have to also have a good temperament.     

9th, For your 20% of Arsenal goods, The shopping will be done on the following dates; 2nd & 30th Aug. 15th Nov, 6th, 20th Dec, 10th Jan, 25th April & 24th May (if required)  I will need to be in receipt of your payment & order no later than 7 days prior to the date of pick-up.

10th, Hotels, Graham from Maidstone Supporters can get cheaper hotels through his work, his details are on our website, also on this page is an address of a site, that tells you all the Hotels near to all the Stadiums in Europe.