Thank you to the four candidates who have put themselves forward to join the HUST Board for a three year period. HUST relies entirely on volunteers and we are grateful to all applicants for offering their services.
There are three vacant positions on the board so we now move to an election. Members received voting information by email on 6th of November and below are the candidate statements that accompanied each application. If you are a member and you did not receive the voting information please contact HUST so we can ensure your contact details are up to date. You can download a copy of the voting form using the link below.
Adult members can vote for a maximum of three candidates and responses can be submitted by email to membership@hufcsupporterstrust.org.uk or by post to Hartlepool United Supporters Trust, c/o 40 Belmont Gardens, Hartlepool, TS26 9LS once voting opens. The election will be conducted by an election management group (EMG) comprising three HUST members, including the HUST Secretary, and one non-member who will act as the EMG Chair.
This is your opportunity to make your voice heard and to choose the people that you want to represent you and HUST.
The candidate statements in alphabetical order are as follows:
Marc Gilfoyle
I would like my application to the HUST board to be considered with the supporting information on my background & motivation below.
With both my parents being from the town, I have been a Hartlepool fan for as long as I can remember despite never actually living there. I watched the team as a boy/teenager with my family and more recently away games on my own too. I am not a ‘die hard’ knowledgable season ticket holder but someone attracted about helping the club’s current plight. I feel changes are needed, especially in challenging circumstances.
As a professional in the financial services industry for nearly 20 years I have worked on delivering change, digital strategy and managing my team for Lloyds banking group.
I completed a MBA with Henley business school last year with relevant modules on Strategy, Managing Financial Resources, Reputation & Responsibility and Managing People. My professional experience and above I feel can add value to your board.
In terms of personal expectations, my role maybe almost consultative at first while I learn & understand the HUST objectives for 2025 and we identify together where I can best add value and counsel. I expect my involvement to grow as my experience on the board does, after some of the initial meetings are completed. Though I’m happy to discuss this further and follow your ideas on the best approach to take welcoming new members.
Clearly, it’s a pivotal time for the club. The gap to league 1 grows wider and the financial strains on the club are apparent from your insightful updates, despite the ambiguity and often obscurity from the club’s current board.
Wider than us it’s a tough time and once “well established” clubs aren’t safe, the spectre of Bury FC concerns me and I’d be distraught to see our club go the same way. Government intervention and protection may help somewhat; however my view is I want our club to have its ‘house in order’ in order to be less impacted by the external environment or an opportunist owner.
Equally economic pressures continue to grow on our fans/members, the impacts on communities like Hartlepool’s will be significant and can naturally have a bearing on the support for the football club. A healthy supporters trust and therefore club can only benefit the town & community which I’m passionate about.
Many thanks for your consideration.
Benjamin Meggs
I am a lifelong Hartlepool United fan with 15 years’ experience working Financial and Contractual roles in a multi-national company. I have been an off and on member of HUST since its inception and have followed the groups progress. I believe that HUST has achieved some significant milestones which include:
- Its formation which required a lot of administration and hard work.
- Raising of funds, which provide a cushion should HUFC require financial support.
- Providing a credible alternative ownership in the form of the recent consortium.
I would like to contribute to the journey of HUST through the next phases of continued growth of members, raising additional funds and working with legitimate potential new owners should the current owner decide that he would like to end his ownership of the club.
I have met Raj Singh at a fans forum and can understand his perspective and frustrations that he is, which is important if HUST want to be part of the solution when the owner does eventually move on.
Over the years I have travelled home and away to watch matches, including on transport provided by various fans groups. I have spent many evenings in the Corner Flag, 1908 Bar and the Century Bar and have several useful connections should the time come for the multiple supporter groups to come together to support the survival, or progress of our club.
If I were elected to the HUST board I would like to spend some time understanding how HUST operates and where HUST adds value not only to HUFC but to the town too, after that I would then like to contribute using my competence, experience and passion for HUFC.
Ed Parkinson
I’ve enjoyed being a member of the HUST Board for the last three years and would like to continue for another term. I’ve attended board meetings regularly and have also contributed content for the website and helped with member updates.
During the attempted takeover I was HUST’s main negotiator working closely with our partners in the consortium. I believe we established some good relationships with the businesses involved and I hope these will prove to be useful in future.
I believe that we are heading for a crucial turning point in our club’s history and I’d be extremely proud to represent our members as we try to ensure the best possible leadership for our club going forward. I’m prepared to work hard to ensure that we gain genuine democratic supporter representation, ideally as minority partners with new owners who want to take us back into the league as a thriving club that the whole of the town can be proud of. I genuinely believe that there could be exciting times ahead for Pools and HUST can play an important role in making that happen.
Like everybody else who is standing, I’m a lifelong Pools fan so I won’t pretend that makes me special!
Stephen Smith
Hello, I am a 60 year old Pools fan, born and bred in Hartlepool. I spent my childhood growing up in the M block of Owton Manor and attended both Grange and Manor Schools. We moved to Rossmere when I as 19, eventually moving back to the M block when I met my lovely wife Denise. We have been happily married for 35 years, and since 2011 we have lived at Greatham Village. I have followed Pools for 54 years, through good times and bad. I even remember my first game against Workington Town. I am a retired Postal worker for Royal Mail after 20 years of service and the main reason that I wish to be considered for a place on Hartlepool Utd Supporters Trust, is I believe that I can bring things that I have learned over years of life, and I am looking for different challenges in life.. I am currently a parish councillor within Greatham and I have recently been invited to join a couple of committees within the council.
This is so that I have something to do to fill in my time now that I am officially retired.
I don’t know what tasks are required at the trust, but I can assure you that I will always give my best to whatever I’m tasked with, and I’m willing to help others should they need it, if I’m elected.. I do have limited mobility but that won’t stop me, of that you can be sure.
So I would be grateful if you could please consider me for a place on the Trust board.
Thank you in advance