The launch this week of the Famous Five Club is a step from the club that has to be applauded. It has the potential to be a vital medium for fans and club to get closer together, something that in my opinion can only be a good thing. While I think that the benefits on offer are worthwhile from a fledgling membership scheme, I have to say that I see it only as a start.  This is because I think it could have a lot more to offer, to both fans and club, if developed in the correct manner.

I understand that it is better to start off such a scheme in a perhaps more modest way than many would have liked – better to develop in a consistent way than to create artificial success by offering un-affordable and un-sustainable gimmicks. This is ok, as long as this is what it is. If however what we have been offered is the extent of the scheme’s ambitions then we are selling ourselves short.  Let’s face it, the ‘range of benefits’ are not exactly over the top. For a season ticket holder, we are really only talking about getting to vote in the Player of the Year award, and receiving a jazzed-up newsletter. This is a start, but there are so many ways in which it could, and should be developed.  It seems fundamental to me that when asking fans to part with yet more money, they have to receive something tangible in return. Membership cards and e-mails are fine and well, but it’s not a tangible return. For the long-term viability of the scheme, the board needs to do something major, to attract and maintain interest.

I have long been an advocate of the Spanish system of club members voting for the club President. While I would like to see this happen in the long-term at Easter Road, I realise that it is unlikely. What could be viable however, is for the board to allow a fan’s representative to have a seat on the board. This would allow genuine representation on the Board for the fans. It could be totally democratic, with all club members being allowed to vote for their preferred candidate, for a period of say 2 years.  And voting would not be as much of a logistical nightmare as it sounds – after all, are member’s not being offered the opportunity to vote for Player of the Year?

Now I understand that the board might not always look upon the plebeian masses as equals, and at times their attitude to us seems to be more that they tolerate us as opposed to actively respect us. They could argue that a seat on the Board should only come with someone who would invest money into the club. But as has been repeated before ad nauseam, the fans are the club – they are probably the biggest investors and when all is said and done, they pre-date and will outlast any board and any owner. They simply must have more of a say in the running of their club.

And this brings me nicely to my second point. Every member should be seen as a sort of shareholder. After all they have paid their money into the club.  Now I am not suggesting that Tom Farmer and Rod Petrie should start to relinquish their shares to every member for no recompense. What I am suggesting is that each member, for the duration of their membership, should be seen as de facto shareholders, who would be treated as such – an Annual General Meeting, the right to vote on the larger issues affecting the club.

Of course, Tom Farmer should have the right of veto, but it would provide a meaningful level of participation for the fans – a level that they deserve for what they contribute collectively. So while the Famous Five Club is undeniably a step in the right direction for the club, if it is to have any sort of longevity and success, more tangible benefits have to be offered to the fans, because I cannot see many Season Ticket holders pay £30 for a magazine, a vote in the Player of the Year and a membership card. This is an opportunity to introduce a better way to run the club – to once again be innovative in the world of Scottish Football, and to reward the genuine and committed supporters of the club with a voice within the club. We can all just hope that the Evolution of the Famous Five Club will be worthwhile, and not leave us feeling like we have missed another opportunity.

Clyde manager Alan Kernaghan seems set to be installed as the new Hibs manager within the next week.  The Easter Road side approached The Bully Wee over the weekend with a view to talking to the First Division side's Player/Manager last night.  While the move has been welcomed by some Hibs fans, others have been left scratching their heads after Rod Petrie had earlier declared that any money that would need to be spent bringing the right man to Easter Road would be spent.  Kernaghan, who would cost Hibs nothing under the former Republic of Ireland International's contract arrangements, is seen by many to be the cheap option, particularly given his lack of management experience.  Whether the board choose to bring in another experienced manager to work alongside Kernaghan though, is still up for discussion although suggestions are that it will be a straight fight for the job between Kernaghan and Davie Hay.