CLUB director Dave Wood reckons the passing of Worcester City’s community ownership plan proves to councillors that old rifts are a thing of the past.

A special resolution to hand Worcester City Supporters’ Trust a controlling interest through the acquisition of all unsold shares in the club was passed by more than 80 per cent of the shareholding that voted at Thursday’s AGM.

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It means that the trust, which is a community benefit society that operates on a one-person-one-vote basis, will own approximately 46 per cent of City subject to the decision being ratified at a further meeting to be held within one month.

Wood, who also chairs the trust, has been a long-time advocate of community ownership as part of the push for a new stadium at Perdiswell.

The trust’s lengthy battle for planning permission for the site was won via the Planning Inspectorate with the next step gaining access to the Worcester City Council-owned site.

There has been political opposition to the proposal but Wood believes having the green light to move towards fan ownership will only strengthen the club’s case.

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“This shows that the differences between the old board and the trust board – and obviously there were some – no longer exist,” said Wood.

“It shows we are galvanised as a collective and that we have a mandate to go forward from the shareholders.

“Trust members have given us that for years but now we have the backing of the whole business, the members and the fans.

"It is a bit of a pinnacle for me. I have been on this journey for 13 years with the supporters' trust and my way of thinking has never changed.

"It has been one step at a time, sometimes they have been little steps and others have been bigger. This might be a small one in the right direction but it is a monumental milestone in the history of Worcester City Football Club.

"It shows we have galvanised the link between the football club and our supporters.”

The final hurdle involves another meeting of shareholders to be held between 14 and 30 days after Thursday’s AGM when the special resolution becomes an ordinary resolution.

That will only need the support of 50 per cent of the shareholding that votes, less than the 75 per cent required in the first ballot, but again the value of each vote is decided by how many shares are held by individuals.

One person with 3,000 shares, the old maximum, would have more clout than 50 people with 50 shares each.

"It is absolutely important we get this next step ratified and to make sure everyone gets behind it, even the people who might have been dissenters,” Wood added.

"I have no problem with different views but maybe now they will realise this is the right thing to do and get the full group behind it.

"I think the people who showed up (to the AGM) care, so do those who sent in their proxy votes.

"I say that no matter which way they voted, they cared enough to put in their votes and that is democracy.

"This has been a long journey and it starts again now. We have the mechanism to do it (community ownership) so now we start looking at steps to make it function."