The Silkmen Supporters' Trust is committed to the improvement and development of Macclesfield Town FC by working in partnership with the club, the fans and the community to the mutual benefit of all.

To this end the Trust Board has compiled a draft five-year-plan to move us forward to the year 2012. This is still work in progress and the Trust would like to hear the views and opinions of all supporters on these aims. If you have any comments please send them to the contact details on this page or find a board member at a game.

Strategic aims to 2012.

• To increase membership to a steady state 500. At current levels, this represents around 25% of the fan base; even if the Club is successful in attracting new regular supporters, this would still represent a substantial proportion of fans.

• To increase the Trust shareholding by purchase, transfer or obtaining proxy votes, to an extent that the Trust would be in the top three shareholders in the Club, whilst recognising that even such a holding would still be relatively small in relation to the holdings by the Club owners.

• To have formal recognition (eg by a Club AGM resolution recognising and valuing the Trust).

• By increasing the shareholding and by supporting the Club in other ways, to be in a position where the Club sees benefit in recognising the Trust to such an extent that it agrees to appoint a Club Director nominated by and from the Trust.

• To be recognised independently from the Club as the fan group, used by the Club and the fans on all non-football issues.

• To be recognised in the local area, with the Club, as a significant community organisation.

• To be responsible for Club merchandising in all areas except team replica strips.

Objectives:

Membership

Membership recovery and growth plan to be developed.

Shareholding

As well as continued fund raising to purchase shares directly from the Club, a plan for reviewing the share register and the Trust membership to be developed with a target to obtain share transfers or proxies.

Club Board Director. Initially, the Trust to take up the offer of a meeting with the owners; to request that this is extended to include the Chairman and CEO; to request that this is developed into a quarterly meeting with a clear agenda; by building trust in this way, it is hoped to influence the Club board of the value of a supporter director.

The Trust as THE fan grouping

Importantly, this is seen as a major issue. The profile of the trust board needs to be increased; the level and quality of communications with Trust Members and indeed all fans needs improving; the Trust successes need constant publicity.

Community organisation

The Junior Silkmen organisation is well recognised and successful. The leaders should be invited to meet the Trust Board to try to establish how the Trust might support their efforts to the mutual benefit of all. An offer had already been made to organise the A-Line 6's in 2008; this might be extended to an area school competition. Contact to be made with local Charity organisations to establish whether any assistance could be provided outside monetary issues Friends for Leisure; Young Carers Association.

Merchandising

The Trust should act with the Club as a product specifier. It is understood that this would exclude items such as replica strips but might extend to scarves, hats, car flags, limited edition 10 year mugs, car hangers, lapel badges etc. Should the expected meeting with Club officials take place, this should be an item for discussion to establish the Club's position. Over the longer term, the Trust could become the supplier and seller for all merchandise.