LATEST NEWS
July 20, 2025
MINUTES OF THE 32nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2025
AT THE ANCHOR TAP, HORSELYDOWN LANE, TOWER BRIDGE, SE1
MEMBERS PRESENT: Neil Wright (chairman), Chris Vaughan (treasurer), Andy Skeels (secretary), Neil Holland (committee), Dave Ashton, Andy Theaker, Andy Stubley, Nick Whitworth, Anthony Patterson, Ian Rees, Ben Griffin and Colin Hunsley.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Howard Paynter, Gary Brackenbury, Jon Dunn, Carol Gunner, Harry Theaker, Jack Theaker.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: Neil Wright opened the AGM by noting a double success in season 2024-25 – United’s promotion from the National League North and the SULSESC darts team’s achievement of finishing top of the APFSCIL Second Division.
It was noted that SULSESC will celebrate its 40th anniversary in only two years’ time and a get-together is proposed for The Chandos in Trafalgar Square (venue for the first-ever meeting) in August, 2027. New merchandise will also be on the agenda.
The chairman confirmed that kit and match sponsorships have already been agreed with SUFC for the 2025-26 season. SULSESC will be sponsoring the home shirt of recent signing Jean Belehouan, while our annual match sponsorship will, as usual, be the penultimate home game of the season, v Brackley on April 11 next year.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Chris Vaughan reported that there has been a steady decline in club funds in recent years and currently we have £226 in the SULSESC bank account. This was largely due to the outlay on the sponsored game v Spennymoor (over £1,000) and kit sponsorship.
There were 54 paid-up members in season 2024-25.
There was positive news to report in that SULSESC has been paying bank charges of £5 a month for many years but the treasurer has successfully negotiated new terms which have led to the fee being dropped.
The treasurer thanked Andy Theaker for his sterling work throughout the season on raising money on match days through scratch cards and predictions, etc., and also thanked Vic Duke for his generosity in donating his £100 forecasting competition winnings back to the club.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS: The five-strong committee of Neil Wright (chairman), Chris Vaughan (treasurer), Andy Skeels (secretary), Neil Holland (website/forecasting) and Harry Theaker (travel secretary) were all re-elected.
CONSTITUTION: There were no amendments proposed to the constitution.
MEMBERSHIP FEES: The chairman proposed an increase in annual membership fees (which had remained the same since 2017) to £15 but this was rejected. Membership fees for 2025-26 will be £12 adults and £6 under-16s.
However, it was agreed that an optional £3 donation to club funds would be offered on the membership renewal forms and all members who paid £15 instead of £12 would automatically be entered into a draw on the day of the match sponsorship v Brackley in April to win the SULSESC sponsored home shirt of Jean Belehouan.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1. Forecasting competition. Changes to the forecasting competition were proposed and agreed:-
a) Prize money: instead of paying out £100 to the winner, £25 for second, £15 for third and £10 for fourth, it was decided to scrap the lesser prizes in favour of 50% of the pot going to the winner, 25% to the runner-up and 25% to club funds to help pay for sponsorship at SUFC.
b) Online entry via the SULSESC website will also be made available.
2. WhatsApp group. It was agreed that a second WhatsApp group would be created to cater purely for information, eg match ticket details, train travel to games, pre-match pub details. The existing WhatsApp group would be retained for general ‘chat & banter’, Vaughany’s crosswords, etc. It was also agreed that both groups should be for paid-up SULSESC members only.
3. Club day out.?It was agreed that the club day out by train should be revived in the 2024-25 season, but the destination remains TBC at this stage. The obvious choice is Truro away but that would be more of a ‘weekend away’ than a ‘day out’ and with the fixture being in January (throwing up the possibility of a bad weather postponement) and being complicated by the date also being an FA Trophy weekend, it is difficult to confirm at this stage.
4. Season tickets. Members Chris Vaughan, Dave Pratt, Ian Rees, Gary Brackenbury and Colin Lowe all have season tickets for the new season, which could be made available for use by other SULSESC members on the occasions when they are unable to attend matches. Availability could be posted on the new Noticeboard WhatsApp group.