QPR1st understands Linda Favell has resigned from her position as Secretary of the Official Supporters Club. It is understood that other members of the OSC Committee have followed suit and stepped down.
The committee is currently made up of the following: Karen Hampshire, Zach Hampshire, Brian Ahearne, Linda Favell, Rebecca Favell, Brian Patterson, Simon Patterson and Ian Stenning. It’s unclear at this stage, who the others are who have resigned, but if true, we presume elections will be arranged by the Club to create a new committee.
The OSC recently met with the Club on June 3rd 2011 to raise their concerns about the ticket pricing for the 2011/2012 season, amongst other issues surrounding the governance of the Club.
On Monday the Club published minutes from the meeting that Linda Favell has stated on message boards, were not written by her, and which she claims did not reflect the entire content of the meeting.
More recently the Club have been using the OSC as a vehicle and mouthpiece for the fans and has refused to meet independent supporters groups on a one-to-one basis, which in the past has occurred on a regular basis. We continue to regret that the Club currently is reluctant to continue with this practice.
QPR1st remains extremely concerned by the Club’s inability to engage with its supporters and it’s clear that communication levels have now reached a total breakdown between the Club and its fans, irrespective of whether it’s an independent supporter group or one that is affiliated to the Club, such the OSC.
We are also saddened to hear that the Club is publishing incomplete, inaccurate and potentially false accounts of the meeting. There are unsubstantiated rumours at this time that not all of the OSC members listed as in attendance in the minutes were actually present at the meeting, and that the Club are deliberately manipulating material to provide a picture to their liking that does not reflect reality.
The Club continues to generate its own negative press by its actions and a mass walkout for its own affiliated Official Supporters Group is the first in the OSC’s 75 year history and an embarrassing reflection of how poorly the Club is handling governance matters currently.
QPR1st will try to establish the facts behind the meeting and will write to the Club seeking their position on the matter as well.
Update (30/06/2011): We would like to stress that such claims have not been made by Linda herself.