News from the Community Team

A short update from the Martyrs to the Cause Community Team;

The link with the Tidy Towns project at Merthyr Council was a success, the area at the Pontmorlais end of the ground was cleared by the volunteers as part of our link with the Town & Park Ward Communities First partnership. The area has been improved for both supporters and local residents.

The Club is continuing to investigate the idea of setting up a mobile exhibition to portray the history of football within our borough, in effect a museum detailing the early years of the sport from the local league to the Football League membership of the 1920s and onwards through the 1950s glory team and finally modern times. The Trust has collected items for display including Sonny Gibbons's Welsh League medal from 1927 and a Merthyr League handbook from 1936. The community team will be discussing possible funding options with Communities First before proceeding further.

The collection of items for the Welsh Guards serving in Afghanistan continues, we have already delivered one box of goods to the organisers and urge all supporters to drop any items into the Club Shop on matchday.

The annual Let's Kick Racism Day will be on October 24th for the visit of Didcot Town, both teams will be invited to take part in the day's events which include a link with the Portuguese community in the borough. The evening will finish with Welsh language bands in the Candac Suite.

The club will be hosting an arts project with the local community in November, youngsters in the area will be encouraged to take part in a painting project depicting iconic pictures from Merthyr football history, the pictures will be displayed throughout the town and of course at Penydarren Park. Funding issues are currently being pursued with our local business community partners.

For further information please contact us at community.team@themartyrs.com

Welcome to Blue & Gold Supporters Society

A big welcome to the Trust family from Martyrs to the Cause to our friends at Kings Lynn who have registered their Supporters' Trust called the Blue & Gold Supporters' Society.

20th Anniversary edition

It was August 1989 and two Merthyr supporters are carrying a box around Old Road, Briton Ferry during a pre-season friendly in the sunshine (can you remember when we had a pre-season and it was sunny?), the majority of the crowd that day bought a copy of the new fanzine Dial M For Merthyr, probably most of them thought it was the programme (in the early days we were always asked "Is this the programme?", we'd say yes, sell one and then hope they didn't realise until we were safe in Strikers drinking the profits!) but it was the start of the Dial M For Merthyr fanzine.

The late 80s had spawned a new generation of publications dedicated to raising the profile of the ordinary supporter on the terraces, the early pioneers being When Saturday Comes, The City Gent (Bradford City), The Pie (Notts County), Orientear (Leyton Orient) and Watch the Bluebirds Fly (Cardiff City), it was a post-Hillsborough landscape with the fight against ID cards being led by the fledgling Football Supporters Association from its Liverpool headquarters, fences around the pitches, crumbling terraces and a wagonwheel was the best food you could get. The fanzines were a constant antidote to the patronising and out of touch coverage of the established media in the UK who failed to see the real issues relevant to all supporters, the fanzines weren't always welcome (the Merthyr Express expressed its caution in welcoming us after one of our early issues) but they remained vibrant until the establishment began to absorb the better elements into the mainstream, mainstay publications like Shoot were soon overtaken by more fanzinesque editions like FourFourTwo who relied heavily on journalists who had cut their teeth on the fanzine scene.

Dial M For Merthyr has continued over the 20 years to cover the fortunes of our club whether through joint fanzines with Cardiff City, testimonial issues for Chris Holvey or anti-racism booklets for the annual Let's Kick Racism Out of Football. We may not be able to match both Cardiff City and Swansea City for the number of fans but we have shown constantly that we have enough talent to maintain a famous fanzine brand which continues to be admired in terrace culture.

Twenty years after that first issue copied in Merthyr Law Courts and side stapled by hand, we look to bring out an anniversary issue celebrating 20 years of Merthyr Tydfil FC fan culture so whether its the poncho you wore to Woking, the music you listened to as you drove to Sutton Coldfield or the article that changed your view on football please forward your memories on both fanzine and Merthyr Tydfil to us for inclusion in the next issue. Deadline will be around 28th September.

Please forward all articles, one liners, poems, ideas for articles, dodgy photos of MTFC fans in various grounds to us at wolvesy@yahoo.co.uk

NEITHER CARDIFF NOR SWANSEA BUT INTERNATIONAL MERTHYRISM

Can you feel the difference?

The first month of the season is almost over, and to be honest it's been enjoyable once again to be a Merthyr fan, I've actually spent my time discussing the team with fellow Martyrs fans (usually in Tesco where of course anyone who is anyone meet these days, usually in front of the dog food for some reason), the lack of a comprehensive pre-season calendar has obviously hampered Shep's preparations but in all three home matches so far (unbeaten as we type this article!) we have finished the stronger of the two teams so physically we continue to compete right until the last whistle but I think the lack of match practice means we haven't really gelled in front of goal, yesterday's goalless draw against a very unambitious Bedford team being a prime example. The return of Cortez Belle surprised a few, this scribe included, but so far I have to say that I have been impressed, a determination to take on the defence will produce the goods soon surely. So on the pitch we seem to have continued from last season but it is off the pitch that has provided the platform for the stability on the field of play. The Trust has continued its work from the close season with the main activities thankfully turning from legal arguments to stadium renovation and commercial income; Penydarren Park is slowly returning to its full use but its going to be a long haul with the main issue being security to prevent the constant vandalism on the site, new fences coupled with a new community vision will hopefully reduce the problem. Commercially it's been a vast improvement on recent seasons; local businesses seem happy to work with the supporters to provide both services and money to help turn around the fortunes of our famous club, it's a never-ending search for funds as the main issue of the club being in administration will need to be tackled sooner than later but if the club continues as a going-concern then at least we buy ourselves a chance in keeping the biggest football club in the Valleys alive, there's plenty more big decisions to come though so no-one should sit back and think the job is done. The Trust movement in the UK, governed and backed by Supporters Direct, believes that supporters can make a difference in the running of their clubs and this is being proved correct at Merthyr Tydfil FC, it is the supporters who are making the difference and that is obvious by the renewed enthusiasm evident at the Lyn Jones Gates where a few "old faces" are returning once again to see their heroes in black & white, people are definitely enjoying the new season, there's a long way to go and every club event needs to be supported to maintain the resources to keep the dream alive but together we have acheived so much and united we can deliver more.

Keep on, keepin' on!

Administration update

Mark Evans, Meurig Price and I (John Strand) met with the Administrator at Penydarren Park for one and a half hours at 8am this morning, to show him around and to give him as much background to the club as he required.

The immediate action taken by the administrator was to lock the gates of the ground.

Nobody will be admitted to the ground without the administrator’s permission.

The administrator will now seek to find a buyer for the business, his main objective being to seek the best outcome he can for the creditors.

Although there may be other potential purchasers of the business, the Trust Board will continue to develop its plans to bid for the business and to maintain football at PP.

Clearly another potential purchaser could outbid the Trust. The Trust Board would then do its best to support and work with any new owner, whilst maintaining the objectives as stated in its rules.

The Save the Martyrs Campaign needs your support more than ever as we continue to build our finances to ensure Southern League football for Merthyr Tydfil FC. Please support the Season Ticket offers and please contact your local business to enquire whether they would be happy to help us commercially.

Important news for all supporters of Merthyr Tydfil FC

Dear Supporter of Merthyr Tydfil Football Club

Public Meeting on Thursday May 14th at the Penydarren Social Club 7.30pm Start

I am writing to inform you that the Trust, along with members of the OSC and other active supporters, are holding a Public Meeting to look for support for a campaign to save Merthyr Football Club from extinction.

On Wednesday 6th May her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs were seeking to wind up the club, because of non payment of £7000 in tax. The Trust employed legal representation to arrange a 28 day adjournment of the case.

The lawyers are now looking for alternative ways of going forward to save the club, and if possible, to gain control of the club by the supporters. It has always been the Trust’s intention to be a vehicle to arrive at a club run by the supporters on a democratic basis.

If we, the supporters, are to be successful in our bid, we are going to have show complete commitment and it will be necessary to raise significant funds.

I urge you therefore to attend the meeting on Thursday 14th May, if at all possible, to demonstrate that you want the club to survive.

Please pass this email to anyone you think might be interested in ensuring a successful future for Merthyr Tydfil Football Club.

Yours sincerely

John Strand
Secretary Merthyr Tydfil FC Supporters Society

Soccalot 5th May 2009

Tonight's numbers were 06, 14, 20 and 24.

No claims, draw undertaken by Steve Anderson.

Next week's draw to be £1,500.

Thanks for your support, don't forget to support the Trust in acheiving a Supporters' run football club at Penydarren Park by taking out a standing order to ensure that you are in the Soccalot draw every week.

Goals = Funds

Thanks to everyone who took part in this year's Sponsor A Goal fund, the lads did us proud this year with 79 goals and when all the monies are received we should benefit to the tune of nearly £500 which is much needed at the moment as we continue to search for a lifeline for our historic club.

Thanks once again!

Soccalot Result

There were no winners tonight. The draw was pulled out by Rob Morgan and the numbers were;

05, 07, 11 & 13

Next week the prize fund willbe £1,250.

Sponsor A Goal

Please note that the invoices for the Sponsor A Goal Fund will be sent out during week commencing 27th April to all supporters who have backed the project. It is much appreciated.

All monies raised will once again go towards the Youth/Academy teams' budget.

Centenary shirts

The Merthyr Town shirts specially made by The Old Fashioned Football Shirts Company (TOFFS) for Martyrs to the Cause have arrived. The shirt is based on the design of the 1909/10 season with the Town's first badge, the Prince of Wales feathers, incorporated on to the Red & Green striped shirts.

Both Gary Shephard and Danny Carter were delighted with the quality of the shirts and confirmed that the players would wear them for the Halesowen Town match as part of the celebrations marking the centenary of football at Penydarren Park.

Following the match, the shirts will be returned to the Trust to be sold to supporters. The cost per shirt is £39.99 for a unique item; cash or cheque (payable to Martyrs to the Cause) to reserve one via the Club Shop or Trust, first come first served while stocks last.

Up the Town!

Quiz Night

The next Martyrs to the Cause Quiz Night will be held on Thursday 30th April at the Cefn Club from 7.30pm. All proceeds will go to the Players' Travel Fund.

Entry is £10 for a four person team, the winning team will receive 50% of the entry monies.

Come along and enjoy a night with fellow Merthyr fans and test your brains whilst raising much needed funds.

See you there!

Leaflet drop

Martyrs to the Cause undertook another leaflet drop on Good Friday to advertise the next day's match with Oxford City, the target area for this drop was lower Twynyrodyn.

The next leaflet drop will be on Friday 24th April, prior to the Halesowen Town match, volunteers are requested to contact the Trust for this event.

Quiz Night

A big thank you

Martyrs to the Cause would like to thank all the other Supporters Trusts & Clubs who have contacted us with messages of support and especially those football fans who have become members over the past week or so. It is much appreciated.

Quiz night

Martyrs to the Cause will be hosting the first of its monthly quiz nights in the Cefn Club on Thursday 19th March, all teams are welcome with the night's takings being split 50/50 between the winning ensemble and the Trust. More details to follow.

20th February 2009

Statement from the Board of Martyrs to the Cause

The Board of Martyrs to the Cause met last night with officers of Supporters Direct, our accountants and the leader of Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council, Mr Jeff Edwards.
From the meeting, we have confirmed our intended structure for running Merthyr Tydfil Football Club FC and are confident that when the time comes for the ownership of the club to pass to the Supporters of the club, we are in a strong position to deliver a democratically run club, inclusive of all Merthyr supporters which will be financially focused, with open and transparent governance.

We have made our intention that we wish to take over the ownership of the club clear to the owner of the club and are waiting on his response.
END OF STATEMENT

Statement from the Board

18th February 2009

Statement from the Board of Martyrs to the Cause

With reports of spiraling debts, staff being unpaid, the threat of games being unplayed and removal of utility services at Merthyr Tydfil FC, the board of Merthyr Tydfil FC Supporters Society Ltd (Martyrs to the Cause) have today issued the following statement.

The Board of Martyrs to the Cause are 100% committed to preserving football at it's current standard at Merthyr Tydfil FC. The Society however is unwilling to do service pressing debts for the current owner of the club at present for the following reasons;

1) The club has failed to supply or submit accounts since those filed to August 2006.

2) The club is unable to present the Society with levels of income, expenditure or debt.

3) The club has been unable to present a case to show that they have any plan to make the club work as a viable business in the short or long term.

We have re-affirmed our ambition to take on the ownership of the club and change it's constitution to that of a Community Club and to that means we have informed the club that the offer made to the club in a meeting on August 17th 2008 remains open to them. In that meeting, we presented an outline offer to the club, following initial discussions with our legal representatives, the key points of which were as follows:

Firstly Martyrs to the Cause would loan the Club the money (on an unsecured basis but via a legal agreement) needed immediately to meet pressing creditors.

Wyn Holloway’s shares in Merthyr Tydfil Football Club Limited would be immediately transferred to Martyrs to the Cause for no consideration, however we would be prepared to consider the transfer of a controlling stake in the company only, with certain guarantees – to be agreed.

All of this would take place with the simultaneous resignation of the existing directors (without compensation) with a new board appointed by the Trust, which it is expected would be the current board of the trust.

The new board would meet the Club's ongoing debts and commitments.Under the terms of the deal, what we believed to be substantial existing loans and credit from a number of sources, would continue to be guaranteed by the existing directors (as they are now). And as a sign of our intention to ensure eventual repayment of those loans, we proposed that the new board would make monthly goodwill payments in order to assist in the ongoing maintenance of those loans.

We also proposed that annual reviews of this arrangement would be factored in so progress can be monitored by all parties to their satisfaction.However, all of this was contingent on due diligence of the club’s most recent accounts. Martyrs to the Cause offered to assist – financially or otherwise – in releasing these accounts, and would also be willing to discuss providing assistance as part of any deal.We believe that this deal represents an opportunity for Wyn Holloway and the other directors of Merthyr Tydfil Football Club Ltd to be released from their current over-burdening commitments, which must cause significant stress to all of them.

In operating the club, we would be doing so as a team, alongside the fans as owners. We would also be advised by Supporters Direct, which has a great deal of expertise in this area, and which has already assisted with fifteen supporters trusts in taking over or restarting their clubs, four of which are in the Football League. The involvement of the supporters is critical to the future of this football club, and we believe that now is the time for us all to step up to the plate and return our club to its former glories. The board of Martyrs to the Cause is committed to our great club having a future, and that future being under the ownership and control of the supporters of Merthyr Tydfil Football Club.

END OF STATEMENT

John Toshack Night

A big thank you to everyone who made our John Toshack night on Thursday such a huge success, the Cefn Club was full of football fans from all clubs for the visit of the Wales team manager. Mr. Toshack was excellent and spoke for 90 minutes on a range of subjects from Wales to Madrid to South Wales Switchgear.

A big thank you to our hosts at the Cefn Club for making the evening run so smoothly.

The night was a great fund raiser for the Trust and we would hope to repeat such an evening as soon as possible.

Match of the Week - Tamworth v Telford

http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=1202

News from Lewes

http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/4123205.Threat_of_administration_grows_at_Lewes/

Come Back to Merthyr Day 3

Well the weather outside is frightful .....

Don't despair we will have a home game soon. So remind that friend, workmate or complete stranger that we still want them up at Penydarren Park on 24th of January for the visit of Yate Town.

The players are doing the business on the pitch let's get a crowd to echo that on the terraces.

Come Back to Merthyr Day, take 3.

What next from mother nature? We're due a tornado!

Come back to Merthyr Day 2

So the great Welsh weather scuppers our New Year's Day at the football, the team set to go top, the biggest crowd of the season expected and the big chill arrives, just typical I suppose.

Today's project to get as many ex-fans (and new faces) into our ground will now be moved to 10th January for the visit of Cambridge City to Penydarren Park, although the principle of the day could be taken for any home match, just bring someone to see the current team as they are worth watching.

Finally, here's to a Happy New Year for all Martyrs fans from your Supporters' Trust.