Albion Rovers supporters' group bid to get club's future in fans' hands

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An Albion Rovers fans’ group is bidding to put the club’s future in the hands of supporters.And the move comes a year after a takeover bid that would have seen the club change its name to Shamrock Rovers Coatbridge struck fear into the hearts of fans.The group are holding an open information meeting at Coatbridge Community Centre, Old Monkland Road, Coatbridge, on Wednesday, June 5, at 7.30pm, with all fans welcome.David Crichton, who is on the steering group, stresses that they are in no way affiliated to Albion Rovers Supporters’ Trust, though he is a committee member of that organisation.His hope is that supporters can band together and look at ways of funding that would safeguard the club’s future.Crichton said: “The move to investigate the possibility of fan ownership was in response to a threat to our identity – the Shamrock Rovers Coatbridge story of last year“That was a huge concern.

This guy came forward and said they wanted to take the club over, they had all this money, but it was non-negotiable that the name’s going to be changed to Shamrock Rovers Coatbridge.“I don’t know any Rovers supporter that would have been anything other than hostile to that idea.“It would have erased our identity and several fans said ‘if we change the name to that, we’re not coming back’.“As a group, our intention is not to take on the day-to-day running of the club, but to investigate a couple of funding streams.“That will hopefully enable us to purchase a shareholding, which could give us a defence against any unwanted attention, or even a veto on any such move if we could acquire a sufficient percentage of shares.”Crichton added: “All fans, whether they be season ticket-holders, shareholders, a regular at Cliftonhill or just an