Exeter City director in key election

FC United are pleased to hear that the Vice Chairman and Sporting Director of Exeter City, Julian Tagg has been elected onto the Board of Blue Square Premier (formerly Conference) for the forthcoming season, becoming the first member of a supporters owned club to achieve this.

As many FC United fans will be aware, Exeter City Supporters’ Trust saved the Grecians from near extinction in 2003 when they took over the running of the club from chairman, John Russell and vice-chairman, Mike Lewis who had seen debts rise to around £3million and had both been arrested over concerns of financial irregularities.

Julian was one of three people who took over the day-to-day running of the Devonshire outfit four years ago but he has been at Exeter City since 1997 when he started out as a youth team coach.

Julian’s passion for the Grecians, the city and for the players he had coached over the years made him determined to help save the club. It’s that enthusiasm, resolve and experience he is hoping to bring to the Board which governs the Blue Square Premier as well as the North and South divisions.

He told FC United’s official website: "It’s the first time a director of a supporters owned club has been elected to the Board and hopefully it will be the first of many because I believe it’s the way forward.

"There’s so much boom and bust in football, lots of clubs are on a real rollercoaster ride. Many people feel that they own their football club but they don’t because anyone can come in and buy it. Supporters have always been too far away from the running of their football clubs and it’s not right."??

Julian hopes being on the Board will enable him to pass on the experiences he has had at Exeter City to other football clubs around the country. The Board should carry some clout too as one of the other directors for the forthcoming season is Mancunian peer and Labour Party politician Lord Richard Faulkner.

Julian said: "I’ll be able to bring the experience of where the club has come from and hopefully help other clubs avoid the same situation because that sort of thing doesn’t help the fans, the football clubs or the city."??

Julian agrees that Exeter benefited in the end from the club being on the brink because the supporters were able to gain control, but he doesn’t believe that would be a good way forward for other clubs. He added: "I’m not saying our way is the only way to do things, far from it, the key thing is that football clubs listen to their supporters and let them have a say."??