Vote-dominated offseason for Ebbsfleet United owners
While most football fans put their feet up and peruse August's fixtures, MyFootballClub members - owners of Blue Square Premier club Ebbsfleet United - have serious work to do.
Ebbsfleet United is the world's first and only website community-owned and run football club. The club was purchased for £625,000 in February 2008, and approximately £700,000 of club debts have since been cleared.
New members join daily, and the club currently has around 9,500 owners from 100 different countries who can make decisions on and off the pitch.
They've already had an extremely busy off-season.
They have voted to give manager Liam Daish a new contract for the 2009/10 season and also have voted to reject offers from rival clubs for their star players. This includes rejecting £30,000 and £40,000 bids for striker
Michael Gash and a £10,000 offer from York City for defender Darius Charles.
Daish believes that the Fleet's MyFootballClub owners were right not to cash in.
"The bids that have come in are the first offers and it's still very early," said Daish.
"It would be foolish to take the first bid and snap their hands off. It's wise not to rush into it.
"There will be people looking at our situation and wanting to capitalise on it."
Responsibilities of owning a football club don't stop there.
Yesterday, the 9,500 owners approved giving a historic football shirt to The National Football Museum in Preston. The item in question, ex-player John Akinde's shirt, a striker who the members decided to sell to Bristol City for £150,000 in the first transfer of it's kind, was decided by internet vote.
The members are currently bracing themselves for further bids for their star players.
Chairman John Moules insisted yesterday: "The club does not wish to lose any of its current players and is urging supporters to contribute to the playing budget to support manager Liam Daish in building a squad for next season to compete in the Blue Square Premier."
They also await less taxing decisions, such as which design for next season's matchday programme!
For more information about becoming a part-owner in Ebbsfleet United, you can do so from anywhere in the world, visit MyFootballClub.
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Feb 14th | |||
| West Ham United | Southampton | - | 19:45 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Millwall | - | 19:45 |
| Coventry City | Leeds United | - | 19:45 |
| Bristol City | Crystal Palace | - | 19:45 |
| Derby County | Reading | - | 19:45 |
| Portsmouth | Ipswich Town | - | 19:45 |
| Doncaster Rovers | Blackpool | - | 19:45 |
| Middlesbrough | Nottingham Forest | - | 19:45 |
| Burnley | Barnsley | - | 19:45 |
| Cardiff City | Peterborough United | - | 19:45 |
| Watford | Leicester City | - | 19:45 |
| Birmingham City | Hull City | - | 19:45 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham United | 29 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 56 |
| Southampton | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 55 |
| Birmingham City | 29 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 50 |
| Cardiff City | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 50 |
| Blackpool | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 49 |
| Hull City | 29 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 49 |
| Reading | 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 48 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 48 |
| Middlesbrough | 29 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 47 |
| Leeds United | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 45 |
| Burnley | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 44 |
| Leicester City | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 42 |
| Derby County | 29 | 12 | 6 | 11 | -3 | 42 |
| Crystal Palace | 29 | 10 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 39 |
| Barnsley | 29 | 11 | 6 | 12 | -4 | 39 |
| Watford | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | -8 | 37 |
| Portsmouth | 29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 35 |
| Peterborough United | 29 | 9 | 7 | 13 | -2 | 34 |
| Ipswich Town | 29 | 10 | 4 | 15 | -11 | 34 |
| Millwall | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | -11 | 30 |
| Bristol City | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | -19 | 30 |
| Nottingham Forest | 29 | 7 | 4 | 18 | -24 | 25 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 28 | 6 | 6 | 16 | -22 | 24 |
| Coventry City | 30 | 5 | 7 | 18 | -17 | 22 |
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Comments (5)
I too am a member/part owner and one of the many overseas members (from Australia). I was involved from the very start and will continue on. Our numbers dropped from the first year but we look to be left with a core of people around the world who are genunely interested in owning and managing a football club in this exciting way. I've met, face to face, other members from three different countries so far and hope to see my first live match this year when I'm in the UK. Give it a go mate - sign up as a member/part owner!
I am a member as well and as the other commenters I urge anyone who are passionate about football to join and be a part of this unique experience.
http://www.myfootballclub.co.uk
The involvement of the members in decision making has really accelerated this close season. At present we're voting on an increased offer of 80k for centre forward gash & centre half Charles. For just £35 a year, if you care about football, you too can get involved.
We're a pretty broad church. I've supported the club for 37 years; othesr have only been with us in the 2 years MyFC has been going, but many of them are now just as passionate about the Fleet as my fellow old timers & me.
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