Statement from Fleet Trust Chairman, Graham McQueen.
The Fleet Trust manages the running of the Club Shop on match days and some of the working week, they also manage the on line shop. However the shop finances are managed as an integrated part of the clubs accounts.
In past years the club has had major problems in funding the purchase of the Replica Club Shirts at the start and throughout the season.
Effectively at the time of the greatest funding need in the shop, the club find the cash injection required difficult , mainly due to the lack of revenue out of season . Not only does this delay the availability of shirts ( although last season all bills were paid but Lotto did not supply any shirts after the initial delivery) but it can have a significant knock on affect on availability (or lack of it) for the remainder of the season.
To avoid this scenario the Trust have committed to ensure that sufficient funds are available to the club to purchase stocks of Replica Shirts in a timely fashion to meet fans demand. Effectively the Trust will make available up front cash for the club to make shirt stock purchases taking subsequent sales income to repay the upfronted money.
This will ensure that funding will not be an issue in supplying Replica Shirts whilst still ensuring the club benefits from the full profit from all shirt sales.
This will have no net effect on Trust Funds but is a practical way the Trust can support the club.
This will only apply to Shirts as the club have been able to negotiate flexible funding arrangements for the remaining lower demand items in the shop.
Graham McQueen
Trust Chairman
