Dons Trust Co-Chair Xavier Wiggins is excited about the long term prospects for the club and the Trust and seeking further member engagement as the new Board builds on the recent successes of the Plough Lane Bond and Dons Local Action Group.
He summarised the board’s initial work in its first month of priority setting when he spoke to Mike Dunn from the Dons Local Action Group hub around the corner from Plough Lane. And he praised the work of so many fans and volunteers and their achievements over the past 14 months.
He said: "It’s been a really difficult year or so and there have been many challenges, some of them very unexpected and unprecedented. We have seen repeatedly that the biggest strength of this club and this fanbase is when we all work together - players, officials, fans, employees, management and volunteers.
“With all that’s happened since, it’s crazy to think it’s only 14 months since we learned of the financial threat to bringing the club home to Plough Lane. And that was the thing that galvanised hundreds of us into action to keep this club fan-owned. What has happened since with DLAG has been remarkable. We have shown the power of a community club in its community.
“Now the new Dons Trust Board has had its first month and the energy and work rate of the people on it is inspiring. We have big challenges to face and we will be addressing them through a strategy review and structural review, as well as the work of a new finance committee.
"We will look to bring the same ethos of working together and bringing in the great minds and talents of our fanbase and community to assist in everything to continue the development of the club.
Looking at the question of how it will be possible in future to make further funds available for the playing budget, Xavier added: "We are excited about member engagement around the strategic direction of the club and building on our community successes. And we are united as a board behind the belief that we do not see being fan-owned or increasing revenues and investment as being an “either or” debate. We believe we can do both.
“All the work we are now doing on strategy, structure and finance is to ensure we are both majority fan-owned AND profitable in the medium and long term. We firmly believe we can do both. We want to ensure that the fan-owned ethos and nature is quite literally a selling point and we believe it is.
“At the same time we will ensure that the boards, resources and experience are in place to allow us to take advantage of all financial routes to increase revenues, monetise the stadium and all other forms of income to make more money available for the playing budget as well. And that’s not just for current first team players, but for facilities and everything we need to improve the player pathway for long term success.”
And Xavier had this message for fans and players after a difficult run of games: "It would be remiss of us not to acknowledge a tough time on the pitch of late. But everything we believe about how this club faces challenges by working together off the pitch applies on the pitch as well. You only need to look at Google and YouTube to see how we have always been able to upset the odds, laugh at talk of budgets and pull together to achieve great things. We’ve always punched above our weight with a club DNA of work ethic and having no fear."
Xavier concluded with a look ahead to when we can all be together again: "It will be ridiculously emotional when the fans are allowed back and we can all see the £32m stadium we’ve built in Plough Lane, at the heart of our community. When I walk up there I will be thinking about all the people who made it happen.”
You can see the full video from Xavier by clicking on the link below.