Saunderson - It's about communication...

Saunderson on left.

After 4 weeks without a member on the board, Craig Saunderson filled the void this week and gave his thoughts to Radio Sheffield.

Asked how he would represent the Millers fans, "It's very simple, its about communicating with the fans. That's all they ever ask for its to be told whats going on so they understand, even though you might have to answer the questions in the negative they want to know whats going off."

Craig told that he would be taking a different role from Chris Dobbs who was on the Millers board as fans rep for a couple of years. "Chris Dobbs did a fantastic job in terms of the work he did on behalf of the club, however I have to make a seachange to that. I've made it very clear to the board of directors that I'm not there to do work for Rotherham United, I'm there to do work on behalf of Rotherham United fans and communicate back to them, and thats what I'm going to do."

Chris Dobbs

Craig was asked if the board would listen to him, "Yes they will listen to me, People need to remember that the current board of directors were bourne from the Supporters Trust and were board members on there, so I know them very well and I talk to them most days via the phone."

"They will listen, they are reasonable human beings at the end of the day and they will isten to ideas and suggestions. Thats what this club has to start doing and thats embracing the ideas, suggestions and opinions of its fans. We cannot command a huge fan base so we have to keep hold of the current fan base we've got and improve that."

"I will have an equal say as the other directors, I will become a full director of the football club, I will attend the board meetings and have equal say and rights in what goes on. It's important that those ideas and opinions are heard at board room but equally its also important those answers come back to the fans in the right way, and that where the club have been lacking. Most Rotherham fans will say thats where the club have been lacking, so thats what I'm looking to change."

Craig was then asked about the fans impression that the club is dying "The club is not just about a board of directors. The club is about the directors, the players and more importantly the fans. When the new board took over last year they tried to engineer the club as a community club where fans get involved, theres a lot of work to do and I could talk all night but action's speak louder than words and we have to get back to basics. Equilly the fans have got to start gettng more involved with the club."

"I think theres a mindset change that has to go on. Under Mr Booth who ran the club very well, but he wasnt very communitive to say the least, and fans are probably under that mindset that it's still Mr Booth's type of era and its not! It's about fans getting involved and they've got to get involved, but we have to to try and encourage that by various means, by fans forums, press and websites and whatever means we can to get them more engaged in the club."

"Ultimately Rotherham survive on and have to survive on the people that come through the gate, and we need more people through the gate, the fans have to do their bit to make this club a success, but the club have to do thier bit by communitcating with the fans, its a simple as that."