Annual
General Meeting
Minutes of the meeting held at Brimscombe and Thrupp FC Social
Rooms,
Friday 4th July 2008
Present:
*Jayl Gunner (Chairman)
Niki Gunner (Treasurer)
*Steve Helps (Vice Chairman & home match tickets facilitator)
Dave Gibbons (Social Events Coordinator)
*Geoff Goring (General Secretary)
About 45 full members.
Francesca
Gibbons (Very special and able assistant with the food)
Also
in attendance for the later events were ex-Arsenal and championship
winning hero, David Hillier and Russell Milton of Arsenal Soccer
Schools (www.premiersportscoaching.co.uk)
*Act
jointly as publicity officers.
The meeting opened at 19:15
Introduction
Jayl welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked all for attending.
He outlined the plan for the evening and that after the meeting
there would be a Q&A session with Dave Hillier, the raffle
draw for the very special prize of the signed shirt and the presentation
of the North Bank player of the year. He then handed over the
'formalities' to Geoff G. Jayl confirmed that 50% of the profits
from the draw and evening festivities would be given to Arsenal's
charity, Treehouse.
Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from:
Phil,
Ben, Luke and Jacob Morris
John Bradridge
Martin Young
Laurie Goring
Paul Goring
Bronwen Goring
Bill Mayling
Simon Eales & family
Darrell Taylor
Chris Marvin
Miguel Ferros
Leigh & Mandy Millar
Minutes of last meeting
Having been displayed on the website and distributed for re-appraisal
before the meeting these were taken as read and accepted as a
true record of last year's business.
Matters Arising
There were no immediate concerns or matters arising from last
year's minutes or the opening address.
Officers Reports
Chairman:
FORMAL
THANKS:-
Jayl
started by thanking Steve Helps - tireless efforts to make sure
everyone in this club gets to Arsenal at least once and frankly
dedication and hard work way beyond the call of duty.
Geoff Goring - Organising all the formal behind the scenes stuff
to make sure this club runs smoothly - his calm authority and
passion for this club is an inspiration to us all. Your Uncle
Pete would be very proud of you. Alas, his father Laurie (Peter
Goring's brother) has been unwell of late and I know you will
all join with me in wishing him well and a hope that he will return
to full health as soon as.
Pete Kinsella - Has spent 2.5 years as the football captain and
member of our committee. His passion and commitment and often
ferocity on the field have galvanised the troops on many occasions,
forcing us to raise our game -But off the field he's always been
a gentleman and very loyal to this club. Due to many pressing
commitments he has recently stood down from the committee and
as football captain, but I am pleased to tell you that he remains
as a very active club member and is still a player for North Bank
FC. Thank you Pete for all you've done thus far. Please show your
appreciation for Pete.
Dave Gibbons & his wife Francesca - We are proud to formally
welcome our new events officer, whom I'm sure you already know.
Dave and his wife Fran have worked so hard to make this happen
tonight, in fact, without them it could never have happened. Dave
has many plans to bring Arsenal fans together, not only to watch
games, but with all kinds of pro-active ideas.
Finally Head Fox - Niki. I see the work she puts in to this club
as treasurer and working with Steve to make sure everyone has
their tickets. More importantly, she keeps your Chairman together
and has obviously become a wag now - alas, unlike Mrs.Gallas or
Ms.Slade she has to wash football kit! Without her there would
be no club. Please show your appreciation.
OBITUARY:-
I
would like to pay tribute to someone who is sadly missed tonight.
This year saw the passing of Steve's father and esteemed member
of this club Michael Helps. His love for Arsenal was clear to
all and he also used to come to support North Bank FC almost every
week. Standing behind my goal complaining at almost every goal
I let in. But I loved him for it - he made me a much better keeper.
I know he is with us in spirit so I would like to give him a big
hand.
NORTH BANK:-
Thank
all the players, we didn't win the Emirates Cup but we had the
team that won it pinned back in their own half for most of the
game. Very proud to serve as your keeper and last week was my
40th consecutive games without injury and we've only actually
lost 9 of those games, so clearly we have become very difficult
to beat. Always looking for new players so anyone wishes to play,
please see our new Captain Alistair Bidmead. As always we have
a player of the year - haven't a clue who it is but the presentation
of this will take place shortly.
CLUB
PROGRESS & PLANS
"
127 Members - everyone who wanted to go went. We also have members
in the USA, Holland and now Sweden, so Arsenal Glos is becoming
truly international.
" Russell Milton - Arsenal Soccer Schools. Andy Cole used
to clean this guys boots! A highly distinguished career with Cheltenham
Town, helping them to become an established League Club.
" New Forum on Website - need help keeping it all up to date.
" Want to organise coaches, we will also need more car sharing.
" SOCIALISM. Brings people together from all walks of life
whatever your business or trade we are all equal - we are all
Gooners - we all share the same passion.
This is why we run this club. Because when I look out at all of
you and think of the great times and the triumphs and tribulations
we have shared together and will continue to share together it
fills me with a great sense of pride. Proud to know that in some
way, we are able to help make all of our lives more vibrant and
exciting and give everyone a sense of real belonging.
"THANK
YOU".
Home ticket facilitator:
Steve Helps reported the following:
"
Firstly I would just like to say a very very big thank you to
our Silver members for allowing us to use their memberships to
purchase match tickets.
"
I would also like to say another HUGE thank you to Dave for his
help and support in our time of need
"
This is the technical part, the number crunching, the stats -
so that you are aware of what the club did in respect of match
tickets last season.
" There were 28 home games played at the Emirates, we applied
for tickets for 27 of them, a Carling Cup game was one that nobody
wanted to go to.
"
We purchased 413 tickets, an average of just over 15 per game.
If my information is correct, we had 115 members last season;
out of those we took 103 to the Emirates, some once, some many
times. The people that didn't go either did not want to or couldn't,
but as far as I am aware it was nothing to do with us that they
never went.
"
We also had members that went to away games with tickets supplied
by us, they travelled to - BLACKBURN - frustrating,
" ASTON VILLA , MIDDLESBROUGH - Ouch that one did hurt, PORTSMOUTH
- Boring, BURNLEY - wooden seats and excellent half time entertainment,
MAN CITY - Mr Chairman, MAN UTD - that one did hurt very badly,
BIRMINGHAM, parking ticket, broken leg but we did get on tv, AC
MILAN - incredible, WIGAN - torture, back to earth with a bump
after Milan, LIVERPOOL (champs lge) - a rollercoaster of emotions,
DERBY - great night out and goals, SUNDERLAND, 70 degrees at home
, fog in Sunderland sums it up.
"
I have match ticket application forms here for home and away,
please use them; I also have match ticket rules, please please
read them.
" stevehelps@arsenalgloucester.com
Treasurer / Finance:
A hard copy of a report is held by Niki and Geoff G and is available
for scrutiny if required.
2008
- 2009 Membership
Geoff
reminded everyone that it is now necessary to rejoin and new blank
forms were available at the front. The form can also be downloaded
from the website, www.arsenalgloucester.com
ELECTION
OF OFFICERS
The current committee were elected unanimously en bloc; namely:
Position
of Office Name
Chairman Jayl
Vice Chairman and Home Tickets Facilitator Steve (Helpsy) Helps
Treasurer Niki
Secretary Geoff (Bungle) Goring
Social Events Coordinator Dave Gibbons
AOB
Strict instruction had been given to raise any other business
in writing before the meeting.
One
item in this category was the issue of the new forum. Martin Slade
had designed a superb new forum and this would very soon be attached
to the club website. It has been trialled by Geoff G and is indeed
an excellent piece of work. No other issues were raised so the
meeting was officially closed at 19:55.
