STAR or, to give it its proper name, Reading Football Supporters’ Society Limited is a non-profit making, democratically accountable Supporters’ Trust set up in March 2002 and is regulated by the Financial Services Authority. It is the successor to Reading Football Supporters’ Club (est. 1930) as the fans’ organisation, but has a legal Constitution with a wide range of objectives.

These objectives, as well as what a Supporter’s Trust and STAR is, can be found by clicking on the link ‘Aims & Objectives’ to the left, but they can be summarised as aiming to represent the interests of Reading supporters to the Football Club, the media, the local community and the football world, as well as encouraging football in the local community and strengthening the links between the local community and the Club.

Whilst financial resources are obviously very important in building and sustaining a successful football club, there also has to be a passionate, human and communal dimension. STAR is here to help build and sustain a well-supported and well-respected football club in Reading where the whole community feels involved.

HOW IS STAR RUN?

STAR is run by a Board, currently with twelve members, eight of whom were elected by the membership and four co-opted to the Board. The Board has to meet at least four times a year, but, in practice, it meets monthly, often with the STAR Team leaders, and is responsible for overall policy and financial direction of the Trust, its relationship with Reading F.C., the local media and the local and wider community.

The Board can have up to 15 members, but the elected members must always be in the majority. Co-opted members may include representatives of different parts of the community; for example, local business, the local council, disabled supporters, ethnic minorities and Football in the Community. You can find out more about the Board members and their individual STAR responsibilities by clicking on ‘Meet the Board’.

Elections to the Board take place by rotation every three years and any STAR member nominated by ten other STAR members may stand for election to the Board at the Annual General Meeting, normally held in August with nominations by the end of May.