Melbourne Heart FC worked closely with fans and members to establish a fan ‘Representative Group’ in March this year, in order to develop a key communications channel between the Club and its fans.
Melbourne Heart FC worked closely with fans and members to establish a fan ‘Representative Group- in March this year, in order to develop a key communications channel between the Club and its fans.
The Melbourne Heart Fan Representative Group, or FRG, has been meeting regularly and member Briget McPherson has an update from the group, below:
Welcome to the official newsletter of the Melbourne Heart Fan Representative Group, or FRG.
The FRG was established at the end of the 2012/2013 season – the Club felt that it was important to provide supporters with a direct say on Club issues and the supporter experience. Members were invited to express their interest, and the response was overwhelming – over 300 keen members applied. The Club selected eight of these people, ensuring it had at least one member representing each membership category, ranging from General Admission to Ace of Hearts.
David Lyon (General Manager, Fan Engagement) functions in a facilitator role for the group, and has been key in establishing the group and its functions. Meetings have also been attended by Ghadir Razuki, a member of the Club-s Board of Directors. The remaining eight members represent a range of cultural backgrounds, professions, and interests, sporting and otherwise. Some have been following football for decades; others have a keen interest in European, Asian and South American leagues.
In consultation with David Lyon, the FRG has finalised a Terms of Reference, which is aimed at ensuring that the group is open, and that it obtains direct feedback from the broad membership base and reports back on discussions and outcomes. As part of the this process, contact was made with Supporters Direct, which has assisted in setting up 170 supporters trusts in the UK and helped ensure the survival of a at least 50 clubs.
The group plans to meet every two months to discuss a range of issues that come up through the year and are brought forward by members. The purpose of this newsletter is to create a channel of communication between you and your Club. Here is where you-ll find information and updates about the meetings. After each meeting, the FRG will publish information about the ideas and themes that were discussed, and the direction that the Club is heading in on particular issues. This is your opportunity to communicate directly with the Club, via the FRG. Your comments and suggestions will be tallied by the FRG and discussed at monthly meetings, with the group then communicating back to you, the fans, about actions and progress.
The next FRG meeting will be held on Tuesday 10th September 2013. We-re keen to hear from you before then. What do you think the FRG should focus on during Heart-s preseason? What are the important issues? What would you like to see happen before the 2013/2014 season commences? Feel free to send your questions or suggestions to the FRG at
The Terms of Reference can be found below:
