And about time. One of the major shareholders kept away from the strategic board for years. But why now? Is this a good day to release good news? After poor efforts from Clibbens AND the team at the weekend, and a protest planned for this event, the cynic in me suspects that this has been fat-tracked to try to heal the wound..........
The Carlisle United Official Supporters' Club have finally been handed a seat on the Blues' influential holding company board.
The appointment of CUOSC's Billy Atkinson onto the board of CUFC Holdings was confirmed at a meeting today.
It means the fans' group are represented on both boards at Brunton Park for the first time, having previously had a seat only on the club's operational board.
CUOSC, who have a 25.4 per cent stake in United's holding company, have for several years coveted a seat on its board, which discusses strategic matters at Brunton Park including investment.
It had been suggested in recent months that the shareholders agreement at Brunton Park would need to be rewritten before a CUOSC representative would be appointed to CUFC Holdings.
But today's joint statement between the club and CUOSC says Atkinson's appointment follows an "invitation" by chairman Andrew Jenkins last week.
This is also despite chief executive Nigel Clibbens saying last October that simply inviting CUOSC onto the holdings board may be regarded as a "quick fix" without also updating the shareholders agreement in a way that would give the fans' group "safeguards" in the event of new ownership.
The process of rewriting the shareholders' agreement is thought to be close to completion.
Today's announcement, though, means CUOSC can now join co-owners Jenkins, John Nixon and Steven Pattison on the holding company board, along with Lord Clark of Windermere.
It means all shareholders in CUFC Holdings are now represented on its board for the first time.
Atkinson, a CUOSC board member, said: "CUOSC is pleased that it now has a director on the holdings company board.
"It is good to see for the first time fan representatives on both the operational and strategic management boards of the club.
"This should better enable the supporters' perspective on all things Carlisle United to influence the full spectrum of club decision making."
Jenkins claimed the move had been delayed by the recent talks with a potential overseas investor, which were finally ended last month after a 650-day saga.
Atkinson was one of three CUOSC representatives involved in talks during the closing months of the process.
Jenkins said: "With the ending of the recent investment process, it was felt appropriate for CUOSC to officially join and be represented on the Holdings board with immediate effect, rather than wait any longer.
"We hoped to do this formally far sooner, but we could not complete the process whilst involved in negotiations.
"Since October, even though not on the Holdings board, we have included CUOSC in discussions and this now makes the appointment official.”
The joint statement also said that "further strengthening" of both the club's boards are anticipated "in the coming months".
This, it is claimed, will "continue the process of management succession started in 2015."
United previously announced boardroom changes last autumn that saw Jenkins, Pattison and Lord Clark leave the operational board in favour of seats on the holdings board.
Nixon remains on both boards, with the operational board also comprising Clibbens, Suzanne Kidd, Phil King and CUOSC's Jim Mitchell.