It will cost a lot, but that is the long-term goal. The amount needed to have influence within any bidding consortium is substantial but not beyond anyone - let alone several thousand people. The fans' strength is seen on the terraces week-in week-out - and the fans contributing to this trust fund make potential investors more likely to support the future of the club! One more thing - almost every enterprise like this exceeds its expectations.

So far Palace's trust has had over a million pounds pledged by only 10% of its members in less than three months. That trust also tapped into the local press and the internet. When the ISSA raised the issue of supporters contributing £50 to a similar initiative, they got over 200 people interested.

If everybody gives something then it will make a massive difference. If 5,000 people give what they can it will bring the trust more success than 500 bursting their wallets. If you smoke you can give the price of a packet of cigarettes or two. The same with a pint or a chocolate bar. How many pies or coffees do you have at a match? How many beers before a game? Could you forgo them for a couple of weeks for the sake of the club's future?

In previous fund raising exercises fans' groups have exceeded both expectations and pledges. The important thing to remember is that the bulk of our fan base is trustworthy and cares about the club. Contributors know that their money is definitely going to the cause and that no-one makes a profit.

Do you want to say you'd give money and then decline when the time comes for no good reason? If you don't want to stump up or become involved then don't say you will and don't criticise those who care enough to act.

All successful clubs recognise football is different and don't apply the 'normal' business practices all of the time. Once you accept this and adjust your strategy to match the circumstances of the business, you are thinking positively.

Supporters' Direct do have good contacts at football clubs and have already had some success in getting clubs talking to supporters' groups who were previously ignored - even offering shares for sale in some cases. We would need to look at the Articles of the company to see how this would work at Walsall. The articles describe the powers of transferring shares and provide for the rotation of directors. In an ideal situation a friendly shareholder could make an application to have supporters' representatives elected. We have copies of these Articles alongside a list of shareholders and we will be making representations both to the Board and individual shareholders.

The best example of a club owned by fans is Barcelona. Although they don't play in England in practice their environment is no different to ours

How many times have you heard managers tell players that they have to perform for the fans because it's the fans who pay their wages? If the club is owned by one person then psychologically the players know it's not the fans that pay them at all. It's easier to fool one paymaster every week than 5,000!

Northampton fans now have an 8% stake in their club and even accepting that the move to Sixfields will have had an effect, their average attendences over this time have trebled. Despite relegation last year, the Northampton trust has given their fans a belief that they matter and has increased the fan-base. You could also look at how Charlton's attendences have flourished in the last decade - another club who returned home but who have significant positive relations between Board and supporters.

Rupert Murdoch's Sky have bought a stake in Manchester City - but it's funny that big money doesn't come in when clubs are doing badly The only reliable buyers of, and investors in, a club are its fans. Do you think that caring Walsall fans, especially those that remember what happened a decade ago, would sell out in the future, just to risk that happening again?

Supporters' Direct is a government-backed initiative designed to give all supporters a say in the running of their club. The constitution of the Walsall Supporters' Trust and the membership of its committee will be voted upon by all trust members. The Trust will be for all Walsall fans, not just those in the Official or Independent Supporters' Associations.

This will depend upon the constitution of the Walsall Supporters' Trust. At Palace monies raised or donated can only be used to buy shares in the football club, or to support consortia that wish to take over the club. Beyond the start-up funds given by the Supporters' Direct team, some monies will need to be given over to the management of the Trust, but the best model for this will be one involving fund-raising and donations.

If you cannot afford to donate you can still help. The Trust will need help from people with good experience and knowledge of fund-raising, advertising, marketing, finance, law (especially trust law) and telecommunications.