CONFIDENCE appears to be growing among the board members of the Stockport County Trust that they can successfully take over the reins at struggling Stockport County.

Cheshire Sport owner Brian Kennedy came out publicly in last week's Express, stating that he would listen to suitable offers for the football club, and the Trust have since met with the multi-millionaire in what was described as a 'cordial, detailed and constructive meeting'.

Following last Thursday's meeting, which included recently co-opted Trust board member and club sponsor Steve Parfett, as well as Supporters Direct chief executive officer Phil Tooley, it was agreed that the Trust should now return to Mr Kennedy with a comprehensive business plan proposal.

A statement issued by the Trust on Tuesday afternoon read: 'While bound by a confidentiality agreement requested by Cheshire Sport, the Trust board confirm that detailed confidential information was supplied by Cheshire Sport that will allow the Trust to formulate a detailed business plan.

These negotiations currently exclude ownership of Edgeley Park and Sale Sharks.

The Trust was invited to return for further discussions to prove conclusively that the Stockport County Trust will be capable of taking over the effective day-to-day running of Stockport County Football Club.

It is anticipated that the Trust's business plan will be presented to Cheshire Sport later this week. A principal objective of the Trust is to place the ownership and destiny of the club in the hands of its moral owners, the supporters.

Brian Kennedy has publicly stated that he personally believes the future for lower division football clubs is as community clubs. The Trust fully intends to take this opportunity to prove him right!

Membership of the Trust has received a massive increase since negociations were made public. The Trust board thanks those Stockport County supporters around the world who have generously pledged support, professional expertise and financial donations.

The Trust are fully aware that due to the lack of detailed information there is still considerable concern and confusion amongst all County supporters as to the future of their football club. To this effect the Trust is currently arranging a Q and A forum, at a venue and date to be confirmed, to discuss all matters with its members.

An open public meeting for all supporters of Stockport County Football Club will then immediately follow.'

Stockport County managing director Kevan Taylor added yesterday afternoon: 'Cheshire Sport and the Trust will continue to work together. It is important that we find the right way forward.

'Mr Kennedy is taking the Trust's proposition very seriously.'

The Stockport County Trust, headed up by Chairman Norman Beverley, was formed in 2001, the year after the government officially recognised that supporters can play a positive role in the game of football and, in particular, the running of football clubs.

The government established Supporters Direct, an organisation that offers legal and practical advice as well as financial help to groups of supporters, and now 122 British clubs have set up trusts.

Some trusts have been hugely successful since taking over at their football clubs, notably at County's League One rivals (and next Tuesday's opponents at Edgeley Park) Chesterfield (who are now pushing for promotion) and League Two outfit Lincoln City (who have recently announced record profits of '735,000 for the 12 months up to June, 2004).

York City's trust has also been singled out for praise recently by PFA chiefs Gordon Taylor and Mick McGuire, after they took over the Bootham Crescent reins from ex-chairman John Batchelor, ironically someone whose name has been very tentatively linked with Stockport County since last week.

• COUNTY fans wishing to join the Stockport County Supporters Trust can do so now by logging on to www.stockportcountytrust.com.

Alternatively potential new members should write to: The Secretary, The Stockport County Trust, 5 Outrington Drive, Openshaw, Manchester, M11 2BD.

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