I know you’re joking but if we ever have Appiah another contract I would no longer care about remaining fan owned cos we’d clearly be fucked up beyond any redemption.

Is that before or after we sign Crouch, Spit?!

appiah to sign a new contract

Any rumours on strikers we might sign?

My view is that for many tasks, working groups just create unnecessary bureaucracy and that quicker, more responsive results can be achieved by tapping into individual expertise. That's where the volunteer database should be very useful going forward,combined with advertising for specific help with a role description etc.

I've probably forgotten one or two.

Very few working groups these days. D&I, Junior Dons, constitution review (on hold since this hoo-hah came up in November). Think that's it. Stadium group is a committee crossing club and Trust and external experts so not a working group.

But if a strange one doing the rounds-Isaac Hutchinson? Guess Sanders is the connection

A long time ago, the Dons Trust site used to have an area for each working group to report activities (several didn't unfortunately). Now I'm not sure what working groups there are, what their make up is, what they are doing and what successes they have had. Maybe we should try to publicise some of that more.

Isn't the PLB the perfect example of the DTB working with fans with expertise to achieve good results? I think there should be a heck of a lot more of it - but this is a fantastic thing and sets the benchmark imho.

Note to myself sing more loudly to attract Nicks vote :)

The trick on DTB is to use co opted expertise effectively at least as a part of answer? The analogy earlier 're councils andcfelative rules of Cllrs and officers is relevant. Equally in my own field I have to work with whoever is elected but also have access to employed expertise and support. I hate the argument that we are run by a small clique anyway so let's sell to an even smaller one!

Indeed, Nick. When you put it like that, it's almost as if a fan base electing volunteers to oversee the running of a professional football club isn't the most effective model.

Thanks to all working on PLB and my pledge in the surveywill be exceeded once I get a but of time to move money let's thank Oxford for giving me a free Saturday! One thing have we considered advertising or are there rules against?

Kt2 the other side of that is the difficulty in getting people to vote for candidates who offer the expertise that we need over other people that sing a lot and get drunk on match days which seems to be something that attracts votes.

There is always the provision for seconding people with expertise on to individual working groups.

OI @ 11.18, you make a fair point with your example, but for that to be a viable path there would need to be a certain number of willing volunteers of your capability each election. The fact that you don't wish to put yourself up (not suggesting you should) just goes to show that forming a DTB of sufficient calibre isn't necessarily and/or consistently possible. Investing in salaried and specialised expertise would seem a more reliable approach.

We’re on that LoveSport radio thingy tonight, too. 10pm I believe. 9years George and a PLB guest - so anyone with any questions can pitch them live over the phone etc 👍

Glad to receive a bond promo email from the trust today. Slowly the cogs are turning and I still feel optimistic that we will end up close to the 3m.

More generally I'm not saying we have things arranged perfectly, we do need to revisit governance. The Exeter model is well worth looking at. Using the vast amount of expertise in the fan base needs sharpening, as has been shown by the effort non-DTB members have put in over the past two months. Don't however assume that those who can contribute a lot in specific situations, either want or would be good at running the DTB long term, they are different skillsets.

kt2 - when I was helping with IT, Erik, who never claimed great IT expertise, was able to ask penetrating questions. When I was helping on the Finance Working Group, where I don't claim great expertise, I was able and determined to ask relevant questions. I certainly don't want to be on the DTB but I believe we could put together a group of people who will question thoroughly and not accept slippery answers. JP seems to want that and I believe Erik did too.

KT2 - That sounds about right to me. I can only speak about how I feel it was during my own time on the DTB. I'd suggest the strategic direction was the Dons Trust aims, and after that was decided everyone was given "something to do". Sometimes this would be over-sight, sometime it would be actually running something. There would then be monthly meetings where Erik would present to the DTB the current state of affairs and any issues. He certainly was questioned and held responsible for any decisions made, but during my time the only items that could be seen as particularly interesting, i.e. the Darragh McAntony talks, Darlogate, appointment of Terry Brown, were dealt with in a manner that the DTB agreed with and consistent with the aims.

OI @ 09.38 - I don't see the DTB working in its current form OR selling out as a binary choice. We need to professionalise the structure as has been said by others, perhaps add more specialist expertise in paid roles that might dilute the expertise monopoly of a single actor (or double taking the eg of Erik and Ivor) running the club, enabling to DTB to make more informed decisions on the basis of a range of advice.

“I just don't think they have sufficient time to commit.” Now that is an inherent problem with the structure and the structure of any voluntary org that requires this much time - hence why people end up on these boards who have time first and skills second, third or not at all.

I seem to remember reading some time ago that Erik himself was worried by the lack of scrutiny of his actions and was counselling the DTB to do something about it.