Published 12 May 2022
We are Jags for Change. We are an independent group of fans who came together in April 2022 to push for fan ownership of our football Club, Partick Thistle FC.
We wrote an open letter following the decision, publicised on 9 April 2022, by Three Black Cats Ltd (the Club’s current majority shareholder) to discontinue its work with The Jags Foundation (a fan-owned group with around 500 paying members, which was intended to become the new majority shareholder in the Club).
More than 700 Partick Thistle fans shared our concern about these developments, and backed our call for clarity and a way forward by signing the letter. The letter has also been sent privately to the Club’s current owners and custodians, but the fans have not received a response as of early May 2022.
It is our view that The Jags Foundation remains the only suitable and viable organisation to deliver on Colin Weir’s wishes for Partick Thistle to become a fan owned, fan controlled, community Club. After 2.5 years of uncertainty, we think it’s time to get this done and we want to get it over the line.
What have we asked for?
We have asked for clarity about three things from the Three Black Cats and the Football Club Board.
- Why was cooperation with The Jags Foundation discontinued, and how can it be restarted?
- What are the reasonable conditions a fan-ownership vehicle must meet to be considered suitable to receive the majority shareholding?
- What is the Club’s financial position setting aside any recent or ongoing financial support from Three Black Cats?
What are we doing?
The Jags Foundation announced on 13 April 2022, following the statement from Three Black Cats, that it would be holding elections to replace its current Board of Directors. It, quite rightly, believes that the fans should have a say in what happens next, and hopes that a new intake can find a constructive way forward.
Several of us have decided to stand for election to The Jags Foundation Board, on a common platform (Jags for Change). If successful, we plan to work with the rest of the new TJF Board, the Club Board, and Three Black Cats, to make fan ownership a reality and a success.
What is our vision for the Foundation?
Jags for Change believe that The Jags Foundation is the only viable body in existence capable of delivering true fan ownership at Partick Thistle, and meeting the aspirations of Colin Weir’s extraordinary act of generosity.
Our priorities are:
CLARITY – Getting Three Black Cats to state publicly what its reasonable criteria are for the fan ownership vehicle and what more The Jags Foundation must do to meet them. This process has taken too long already.
TRANSPARENCY – We need to know how financially sustainable the Club is, and how dependent it is on ongoing support from the current owners. Show us the books and the fans can then know what they must do to rise to the challenge.
ENGAGEMENT – We will cut the initial membership fee to £5 for the first year, so that there are no barriers to fans, whatever their means, becoming part of the fan ownership journey. Those who feel able can continue to make regular contributions.
INDEPENDENCE – Fan ownership has to mean fan control. That means the Foundation is accountable to its members and the Club Board is accountable to the Foundation, not the other way around.
Back The Common Platform.
Sign The Open Letter.
Join The Jags Foundation.
It’s always been our Club. Time to make it official.
You can read more detail about our Common Platform here.
Jags for Change 