By Malcolm Nugent - CUOSC

CUOSC welcomes the influx of new members we have had over the last week.

New supporters group Unita Fortior are encouraging fans to enrol. They say they have no hidden agenda and just want to see a more representative organisation.

What is there to not like about that?

We believe CUOSC can be a powerful voice for supporters and we would be delighted to see our membership climb towards the 1,000 mark.

We hold a 25.4 per cent shareholding in United – something fans at other clubs envy – and may be granted more influence if the government’s fan-led review leads to legislation.

You don’t need to be a member of Unita Fortior, or any organisation, to join up - you just need to love Carlisle United.

CUOSC has always wanted to widen our membership as much as possible to represent people of all ages and from all walks of life.

We would love to have more women members. The Blues have strong female support and we would like them to join the campaign.

At the moment, CUOSC has only one woman on our board and this is something we are seeking to address.

This week we approached the working group behind Unita Fortior about a face-to-face meeting and are disappointed they have declined. We had hoped it may have helped move things forward.

Unita Fortior has also announced they are holding an informal gathering in the rugby club before the home game with Sutton on Saturday.

This coincides with our regular pre-match supporters’ surgery in the Brunton Park study centre (next to the club shop) between 1.30 -2.30pm. It’s an opportunity for new members to sign up.

In the interests of good faith we hope to have representatives with a listening brief at the Unita Fortior meeting.

This week a sub group has been continuing to work on our forthcoming manifesto. This will set out our vision for the future of CUOSC and what we believe 'good' looks like in our football club and in the wider game generally. The manifesto will be based on the ‘Future of Football’ questionnaire completed by fans towards the end of last year.

United will have guests from #HerGameToo in the boardroom at the Sutton game. The club recently went into partnership with the group who are committed to trying to cut out sexism in football.

The guests are also hoping to meet members of the Carlisle ladies team.

To find out more about CUOSC visit www.cuosc.org.uk. It costs £10 for adults to join for one year and £5 for seniors and juniors.