Lewes FC undergoes a "velvet revolution"
LEWES Football Club this week underwent a "velvet revolution" as the Dripping Pan outfit changed hands – and became a 'club owned by the community'.
Six founding members of a group called Rooks125 early yesterday put the final touches on a deal that will see control of the club pass from former MD Martin Elliott.
At least one member of the new group this week told Sport Express that the handover of the club was so smooth that is was more like a "velvet revolution".
The new group said that after a period of stability while the new regime beds in, fans will be able to pay into membership of the club, possibly by the end of the upcoming season.
This membership will mean "one member, one share, one vote" for each fan of the Rooks who invests in the club – regardless of how much money each person put into the club.
In a statement released to the Sussex Express yesterday morning, the new Rooks125 group said: "As the club nears its 125th anniversary in September, it now begins an equally historic process taking it from private ownership to a democratic model of one member, one share, one vote. This is believed to be the first time that an English club has achieved a universally agreed, smooth handover from private to cooperative ownership.
"After 10 years that has seen the club rise from the Ryman Division Three to the top reaches of the non-league pyramid, current owners Martin Ellott and Kevin Powell are relinquishing control and passing the club on to the community.
"Under their ownership, the club enjoyed many years of footballing success and they funded a transformation of the Dripping Pan, overseeing the building of the new stands along the west and south sides of the ground.
"As a first stage, 100 pe rcent of the shares in the football club have been passed to a newly formed Community Benefit Society called Lewes Community Football Club (LCFC).
"The two parties have spent some time ensuring that remaining debts and loans will be resolved in a way that clears the road ahead.
"(Messrs) Elliott and Powell first came in during the 1999/2000 season and in the following years, the club won successive promotions. Significant donations by both enabled the club to continue its rise to the Conference South Division in 2004.
"The club also twice progressed to the First Round of the FA Cup during this period. The opening of the Philcox Stand in 2003 and then the new Rookery Stand in 2007 confirmed the Dripping Pan as one of non-league's favourite grounds."
In the statement, Messers Powell and Elliott commented: 'We've been privileged to be the custodians of this great club for the last 10 of its 125-year history. And the fact that we are now opening up a new era where the whole community will be the custodians feels like a great way to recognize the true heroes of Lewes FC – its fans and army of volunteers.
'We thank fellow Directors that we have worked with, in particular Kevin Fingerneissl and Terry Parris. And we must pay tribute to Derrick Parris and Peter Hiscox's amazing team of people in the Members' Club.
'Owners change, players change, managers change, but fans are forever. Now we can feel like supporters again in the community scheme.'
The statement continued: "The new Community Benefit Society which now assumes control was formed by a group of local fans and business professionals: Rooks125. It was this group who approached the club earlier in the year with proposals for community ownership. Its initial membership is, so far, composed of a group of around 50 people who have either come forward as significant benefactors for the new approach or who have been in the team running the club's day-to-day operations over the last year. Membership will be opened up to one and all as soon as possible later in the season.
"The six founder members of Rooks125 plus David Arnold, a key member of the club's former Management Committee, will form the inaugural Board of the new LCFC ownership body. The Board will instigate a review of the club's operations and is expected to remain in place until LCFC's second AGM when the process of open elections will begin.
"Within the club itself, a brand new Executive Board has already been appointed. They will now take on the day-to-day management of the club.
"Its Chief Executive will be Nick Williams, publisher of Viva Lewes magazine and one of the six founding members of the Rooks125 group.
"All members of the Executive Board are giving their time and expertise on a fully voluntary basis – the playing staff are the only exception to this."
Steve Ibbitson, Lewes FC Team Manager, said: "What's important to me is stability and the sense that we're all in this together.
"Last year was a case of keeping the club afloat in the hope that something like this would happen. If it hadn't, there was a real danger of the club going into freefall down the leagues, or worse.
"The great thing is that we can now look forward to an exciting new future whist still playing at an exceptionally high level of football.
"It's a great opportunity to push the club's development but that will only happen with hard work, commitment and sensible budgeting.
"I want to call on the fans and the whole town to rally round and let us know how we can help each other. It's the town's club now and I for one am delighted at this turn of events.'
The statement concluded: "The new Executive Board has been given the task of putting in place strong management systems and developing the club's commercial operations.
"It is when this process is sufficiently underway, that membership of Lewes Community Football Club (the ownership body) will be opened up.
Rooks125 said; "Community ownership is not a magic wand. But it is an entirely different approach from just another private individual or consortium coming in with a bit of cash and promising to get everything done overnight. Our absolute commitment is to continuing the development of Lewes FC as a club that Lewes and the whole of East Sussex can be proud of – proud of its football achievements and proud of what it puts back into the community."
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Weather for Lewes
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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