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I wonder how I got to £400 then as that is not one of the levels covered? And Sally confirmed I was sitting at £400. I certainly paid a lump sum and not monthly subscriptions. And from what you suggest, it was the top up benefits that folk paid an annual fee for and not a membership renewal? So initially a member for life with benefits being a yearly option? Whatever they were. I do recall that what was on offerseemed to be very changeable depending who chaired the presentations. Very much adapting on the hoof early doors. Anyway, clear as mud all these years on.

Lets not turn this into a who paid what. The whole point of the Society is to bring everyone together. Legacy members should be protected and current members should be treated fairly. There are many who fall into both categories. Im sure the current Well Society Board are reading this and aware of the feelings on both sides. I trust them to do the right thing.

I can maybe clarify some stuff as I and a few other contributors on here were involved as a sounding board by Leeann and Derek Weir. From the club website in 2013: https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/03/19/well-society-sign-up-night/ Junior Steel Membership – £25 (for juveniles under 15) Steel Membership – £300 Claret Membership – £,1000 Amber Membership – £5,000 1886 Membership – £25,000 The annual fee was to keep your benefits alive (which at the time were pretty substantial), from memory Amber benefits for an annual renewal fee of £1,000 maybe? you got stuff totalling way more than annual contribution. Not paying the annual fee did NOT affect your voting rights, just access to the benefits as per your tier. The £300 barrier to entry was something they were aware of at the time and DD's were floated at launch but there were fears it had financial compliance issues with the WS being a provident society. A few years down the line Hearts blazed that trail and we embraced it but more as a means to appeal to a wider audience to attain £300 steel membership (and beyond if you wished) in easier to swallow chunks. It was not sold as a universal adoption by all members, more it would be nice if you did. I can recall from when £5 was deposited new members post 2015 got their membership pack and voting rights which caused some consternation at the time, over them getting to £300 deposited, maybe it was part of the sales tool to boost membership.

Cheers. So I must have been Claret or Amber then. There was also a junior membership I think and even one aimed at Businesses. I think that kicked in at a few thousand? and involved picking POTM, entertaining clients on match day and use of FP for meetings. All a bit hazy though. Securing those business members was seen as the ultimate but I think we struck out on that front. Even more difficult nowadays.

There were 3 levels. Steel at £300; claret and then amber. One of those two kicked in at £1,000. Can't remember which was which.

I'll see if I can find it. From memory, different levels were on different pages and I stuffed the Steel one in a drawer because that was my sub level. I'm pretty sure I came across the rest of the pack a couple of months ago, so I'll try and track it down.

I think they have it well addressed in the stuff they've sent out to be fair. I'll just need to read it a bit more closely. No I don't think you can join for life these days I have read it a couple of times but it's a bit wordy so I'll need to go back to it. I think the biggest issue tbh is apathy. People not voting on certain proposals

Apparently I paid £400 up front so I don't suppose you have details of what that level was or meant? I have not kept any paperwork. Probably lost during various house moves.

We never got value for money from him last year at all he was injured more times than not. Hopefully we are moving away from this type and signing generally fit players.

FWIW, I was a relatively early joiner (number 473) and joined at Steel Membership Level. The membership pack I received says that Steel Membership was "a £300 joining fee then after the first year an annual membership fee of £50".

I could have sworn we had Seddon on longer than a one year deal, oh well fuck goes that idea of getting cash.

I think those are valid issues you raise. Firstly, I don't believe you can now just join up for life with a one off payment. That is purely a historical situation. A Board member can perhaps confirm that? I suppose those who signed up earlier are reducing in number in any event, as time takes it's toll? I wonder how many we are actually talking about? Less than folk imagine perhaps? Secondly, as for signing up purelyto vote on a specific issue, I recall that for the Barmack situation, the signing up purely to vote was addressed and avoided. But yes, maybe you should be a member for a certain length of time to qualify for a vote. And if that requires a NEW member to contribute for, say, 12 months before qualifying then so be it. Again perhaps the Board need to clarify that. Maybe they already have. I know for a fact that this discussion has been noted by the Board and will be on their agenda.

Surely this has to be about aligning the people who paid a lump sum for life membership and who aren't contributing any more with the people who are contributing monthly - and also so that there isn't a situation where people join en masse to get voting rights on certain issues. I suppose it's just about putting everyone on an equal footing - and I get that some people have paid in thousands - so if some people have more benefits than me it doesn't bother me at all

That's a player we couldn't afford...

I understand. Tbh the well society weren't really on my radar at that point in time but I joined as soon as I could White mostly

If I recall rightly, £300 was the basic level and that was worth more back in the day. Quite a few paid far more than that. Many were not in interested in the slightest in benefits. For many years afterwards, no one asked them to pay any more. I seem to recall being told that once a member always a member.

I was not referring to you when I commented that some might be upset. If you took it that than way, then apologies. I was really trying to just explain the logic at the time. Red or white?

I can only tell you what I was told at the initial meetings I attended and what I understood to be the case when I made my payment. Same as other folk who attended their presentations. Hopefully their are official records/minutes from those meetings although given the time that has passed that might be a stretch. Also, let's be honest, the WS record keeping was not the best. The current Board appear to believe that such a deal was made, otherwise why ratify it now? But if you have documents that prove life membership was not the intention, then by all means make them public.

Im not upset at all. My personal circumstances when I took the membership out in 2017 was that a payment every month suited me (because I was broke) - but I've tripled my payment since I signed up even though I'm not paying a fortune still. Maybe only slightly upset that I could have paid 300 quid and had more money left over for wine (joking).

Without sharing my opinion again on the "1886" group if you have evidence life membership was part of the deal please let us see it. I have a undated document from around that time that offers benefits in return for certain levels of payment.

Some paid more than £300. Some folk also bought more than one Membership....for kids and partners etc. The WS Board were looking to gather in funds quickly to get things started. Others opted to pay monthly as that was more affordable for them. I know I paid more than £300 as I checked with Sally. From memory there were various levels but records are held to confirm who paid what. But yes you are correct in that Life Membership was the agreement. Might upset some newer Members but that was the deal back then. Different if someone joins now under revised terms. fair enough, they know what they are signing up to. Hope that explains things a wee bit. You might need some of that Isle of Wight wine to help though.

So basically at the outset if someone paid 300 pounds in a one off payment they got life membership? If I'm wrong someone can correct me

No doubt how many feel. And I get that. But way back then those folk purchased a life membership for whatever lump sum they were asked to pay. You may not like it but that is the deal the Society willingly entered into. And it provided a much needed boost to the funds ingathered on day one. I suspect that is why the route you suggest has not been tried. And also why, when these new proposals were first looked at. so called Legacy Members were protected. To the annoyance of some it appears. But if you seriously want to cancel the contract that was legally agreed, then how do you feel about refunding them the sum paid? Not a serious suggestion by the way but appropriate. After all, it is not as if those Members really get anything tangible from being a Member..... other than the feeling of helping their football Club. Any monies paid are effectively donations. Perhaps the real challenge should be to try and encourage those Legacy Members to start up a regular payment. Rather than threatening them that is. Some already do contribute monthly and I know a good few...myself included....who are considering doing so given the progress we have seen of late Board wise and operationally. Also, setting aside the Society, if you entered into an agreement to purchase something outright, be it a pair of football boots or a house...... or a Membership, would you react positively to being asked to pay again several years later? For something you already own. I think not. If the Society adopt a rule from now on that future contributors must make regular monthly payments or pay an annual fee then that is a different matter as those signing up accept those terms when joining. But it is an issue that deserves discussion. If only to clear the air.

Lionel are better player than the other two IMO Just a shame he didnt always turn up Lionels ability coupled with Humphreys attitude would make some footballer

Anyone who paid a lump sum to join has had 10+ years of membership, that's plenty. Give them until the end of the year and they then need to start contributing again.