Supporters Trust At Reading
Encyclopedia
"Supporters' Trust At Reading" also known as "STAR", is the official organisation representing the interests of supporters of Reading Football Club
everywhere. STAR is the successor to Reading Football Supporters’ Club, which was itself established in 1930.
(IPS).
As an IPS, STAR, like most other supporters' trust
s, is a non-profit making, democratically accountable supporters' organisation, and as an IPS is regulated by the Financial Services Authority
.
STAR is managed on a day to day basis by a Board of between 12 and 15 people, at least 8 of whom are elected by the membership of STAR at elections held annually. Elections to the Board take place by rotation every three years and any STAR member nominated by ten other STAR members may stand for election to the Board at the Annual General Meeting, normally held in August with nominations by the end of May.
STAR Board Members meet at least monthly, and are responsible for the overall policy and financial direction of the Trust, including its relationship with Reading Football Club, and other football clubs, supporters' groups, the football authorities, the media and the local and wider community.
and the Football Supporters' Federation
.
STAR runs coaches for STAR members to all Reading FC away matches, with bookings taken in the STAR HQ behind the East Stand at the Madejski Stadium
. STAR holds at least 3 Fans' Forums every season. Recent guests have included John Madejski
, Steve Coppell
, Bobby Convey
, Kevin Doyle
, Marcus Hahnemann
and Stephen Hunt.
Representatives of STAR meet Reading FC's Senior Management Board every six weeks in order to discuss supporters' issues, and also have regular on-going contact with the relevant people at within Reading FC as appropriate.
In January 2006 STAR presented Reading FC with the “STAR Ticketing Blueprint”, outlining ways in which Reading’s fans’ believe that the Club's ticketing policies should operate in the FA Premier League
.
In April 2006 STAR organised the “Raise the Hoops” event which involved Reading supporters filling the Madejski Stadium
with hoops before the Championship
match with QPR
.
In August 2006 STAR ran a highly successful campaign to persuade Reading FC to grant broadcasting rights for live matches to BBC Radio Berkshire
after these were set to be granted exclusively to intermediate station Reading 107.
STAR provides the questions which are used each week for BBC Radio Berkshire’s quiz “Royals Masterbrain.”
In August 2006, at half-time in Reading’s first Premier League match, versus Middlesbrough at the Madejski Stadium, STAR was presented with a Coca-Cola Championship Winners Medal, in recognition of the contribution which STAR and all Reading supporters had made to the previous Coca-Cola Championship winning season.
In February 2007, STAR organised a facility to allow Reading and other supporters the means to donate to the Ulises de la Cruz
Foundation (FundeCruz
). Born in Piquiucho, a small village in the Valle del Chota, one Ecuador’s poorest regions, De la Cruz has set up a foundation there to fund a number of projects serving the local community to which he donates about 10% of his salary.
Between August and December 2007, STAR organised the production of a book entitled "Reading 'Til I Die" - an oral history collection featuring the memories and stories of a number of Reading supporters, aged between 7 and 93. This book will be officially launched at 1 December 2007 before the Premier League match between Reading FC and Middlesbrough FC at the Madejski Stadium
.
In May 2008, following Reading's relegation from the Premier League, STAR organised a rally in the manager, Steve Coppell
,'s parking space. This in turn convinced Coppell to stay at the club. (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1316477,00.html)
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
everywhere. STAR is the successor to Reading Football Supporters’ Club, which was itself established in 1930.
Constitution and Organisation
"Supporters' Trust At Reading" or "STAR" is the trading name of "Reading Football Supporters' Society Ltd", and was incorporated in the UK in March 2002 as an Industrial and Provident SocietyIndustrial and Provident Society
An industrial and provident society is a legal entity for a trading business or voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand...
(IPS).
As an IPS, STAR, like most other supporters' trust
Supporters' trust
In British sports, a supporters' trust is a formal, democratic and not-for-profit organisation of fans who attempt to strengthen the influence of supporters over the running of the club they support...
s, is a non-profit making, democratically accountable supporters' organisation, and as an IPS is regulated by the Financial Services Authority
Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority is a quasi-judicial body responsible for the regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom. Its board is appointed by the Treasury and the organisation is structured as a company limited by guarantee and owned by the UK government. Its main...
.
STAR is managed on a day to day basis by a Board of between 12 and 15 people, at least 8 of whom are elected by the membership of STAR at elections held annually. Elections to the Board take place by rotation every three years and any STAR member nominated by ten other STAR members may stand for election to the Board at the Annual General Meeting, normally held in August with nominations by the end of May.
STAR Board Members meet at least monthly, and are responsible for the overall policy and financial direction of the Trust, including its relationship with Reading Football Club, and other football clubs, supporters' groups, the football authorities, the media and the local and wider community.
Objectives
STAR has a number of objectives written into its constitution. These are:- to strengthen the bonds between the Club and the community which it serves and to represent the interests of the community in the running of the Club
- to benefit present and future members of the community served by the Club by promoting encouraging and furthering the game of football as a recreational facility, sporting activity and focus for community involvement
- to facilitate the participation of supporters of the club in activities promoting football in communities throughout the United Kingdom
- to encourage the Club to take proper account of the interests of its supporters and the community it serves in its decisions and to honour the contribution made by the community in the past to the life of the club
- to acquire and hold shares in the Club or any company controlling the Club and to be an active and growing shareholder thus giving supporters collectively the opportunity to have a stake in the Club
- to promote the full, accountable democratic and constructive involvement of supporters in the running and direction of the Club, including the principle of supporter representation on the board of the Club
- to continue the work of Reading Football Supporters’ Club, with particular reference to away travel, ticket priority and Fans’ Forums.
Activities
STAR is an active participant within Supporters DirectSupporters Direct
Supporters Direct are an umbrella organisation set up originally by the United Kingdom government to provide support and assistance for its member trusts to secure a greater level of accountability and deliver democratic representation within football clubs and within football's governing structures...
and the Football Supporters' Federation
Football Supporters' Federation
The Football Supporters' Federation is an organisation representing football fans in England and Wales. It campaigns across a range of issues and supports fan representation on clubs' boards, lower ticket prices, and the reintroduction of safe standing areas at grounds in the top two tiers of...
.
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
. STAR holds at least 3 Fans' Forums every season. Recent guests have included John Madejski
John Madejski
Sir John Robert Madejski OBE DL is an English businessman, with commercial interests, spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and football...
, Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
, Bobby Convey
Bobby Convey
Robert Francis "Bobby" Convey is an American soccer player.-Youth:Convey attended the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, played club soccer for the Philadelphia Soccer Club Coppa, and was a member of the initial class of the Bradenton Academy that also included current national team...
, Kevin Doyle
Kevin Doyle
Kevin Edward Doyle is an Irish international footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
, Marcus Hahnemann
Marcus Hahnemann
Marcus Stephen Hahnemann is an American international soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Everton.Graduating out of Seattle Pacific University, he played for the Seattle Sounders between 1994 and 1996. Between 1997 and 1999 he turned out for the Colorado Rapids, signing with English club...
and Stephen Hunt.
Representatives of STAR meet Reading FC's Senior Management Board every six weeks in order to discuss supporters' issues, and also have regular on-going contact with the relevant people at within Reading FC as appropriate.
In January 2006 STAR presented Reading FC with the “STAR Ticketing Blueprint”, outlining ways in which Reading’s fans’ believe that the Club's ticketing policies should operate in the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
.
In April 2006 STAR organised the “Raise the Hoops” event which involved Reading supporters filling the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
with hoops before the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
match with QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
.
In August 2006 STAR ran a highly successful campaign to persuade Reading FC to grant broadcasting rights for live matches to BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, as well as parts of North Hampshire, including Basingstoke. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 , 95.4 , 104.1 and 104.4 FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The 104.1 FM signal is the strongest...
after these were set to be granted exclusively to intermediate station Reading 107.
STAR provides the questions which are used each week for BBC Radio Berkshire’s quiz “Royals Masterbrain.”
In August 2006, at half-time in Reading’s first Premier League match, versus Middlesbrough at the Madejski Stadium, STAR was presented with a Coca-Cola Championship Winners Medal, in recognition of the contribution which STAR and all Reading supporters had made to the previous Coca-Cola Championship winning season.
In February 2007, STAR organised a facility to allow Reading and other supporters the means to donate to the Ulises de la Cruz
Ulises de la Cruz
Ulises Hernán de la Cruz Bernardo is a Ecuadorian footballer currently with LDU Quito.De la Cruz has set up a charity, Friends of FundeCruz, in his home village to fund a number of projects serving the local community....
Foundation (FundeCruz
FundeCruz
Friends of FundeCruz is an Ecuadorian and British charity, founded on 17 June 2002 by Ulises de la Cruz in order to raise money to fund a number of projects serving the local community of Piquiucho, a village in the Valle del Chota....
). Born in Piquiucho, a small village in the Valle del Chota, one Ecuador’s poorest regions, De la Cruz has set up a foundation there to fund a number of projects serving the local community to which he donates about 10% of his salary.
Between August and December 2007, STAR organised the production of a book entitled "Reading 'Til I Die" - an oral history collection featuring the memories and stories of a number of Reading supporters, aged between 7 and 93. This book will be officially launched at 1 December 2007 before the Premier League match between Reading FC and Middlesbrough FC at the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
.
In May 2008, following Reading's relegation from the Premier League, STAR organised a rally in the manager, Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
,'s parking space. This in turn convinced Coppell to stay at the club. (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1316477,00.html)