The following External Communication Policy was issued by former Chief Executive Andy Finch in 2005.

At the time he said: "In order to greatly improve the flow of information surrounding all activities at the Club, the new Club External Communications Policy document has been created. Its contents are entirely logical and straight forward, and are aimed at helping the Club achieve its communications commitments as defined within the recently amended Customer Charter. The Club welcomes any feedback from the supporters."

THE POLICY

The Club wishes to continue and improve upon its policy of communication with the fan base, and in order to do this a more formal route for enquiries has been established.

The Club will continue to provide up to date information on all aspects of the Club's activities via the website, Club Call, the programme and the press, as appropriate, and to provide this information as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.

Under the present arrangements anyone can put questions directly to any member of the Board or to the Club which results in a considerable amount of duplication with the same or similar questions being asked of more than one person.

As a result, all questions from now on, wherever initially received within the Club, will be passed to the Communications Manager who will then record receipt and assign reply responsibilities.He will call upon the Club's department managers, the Chief Executive Officer or a member of the Board to provide responses in accordance with the Customer Charter, other than for questions on any playing matter or member of the playing squad, which will continue to be dealt with by the Manager when questions are deemed both relevant and non-sensitive.

Many questions will be responded to using the Q&A section of the Club's website.Where enquiries are personal to the enquirer they will continue to be dealt with in confidence and not through the Q&A system.

In respect of the Q&A section, supporters should make every attempt to submit single questions - as requests for multiple questions to be answered places an unnecessarily high administrative burden on the Club and may detract from other more pressing Club business demands.The Q&A website offering is thought to be the ideal medium for providing information, so that as many fans as possible have the same information at the same time, which not only improves communication but will also avoid duplication of questions.Certain areas of enquiry will not receive a response:

1.  Information that is commercially sensitive. The Club will, however, and wherever possible, provide general information on the subject.

2.  Information on the duties, responsibilities and confidential employment terms of any employee or director. Now that the management and administration of the Club has been restructured there are adequate internal systems in place to undertake any necessary reviews.

3.  Any supplementary information on player transfers beyond that provided on the Club's website.

4.  Questions which are deemed intrusive, obscure, anonymous or are not of public interest.