Former North Ballarat chairman Peter Wilson, a club life member and hall of famer, wrote to the club on members’ behalf late this week and hoped to organise an official forum with directors soon, once the board had a chance to receive the letter and reply.

Wilson said members had issues with club governance that were brought to a head with the board’s announcement to not renew Roosters’ head coach Gerard FitzGerald’s contract, which expires in October. The Roosters will become a standalone club in the Victorian Football League at the season’s end.

“Broadly regional as we are as a club, we realise our views may not be the view of the whole club but this is the wide view, particularly of members that have been involved in the club for a long period of time,” Wilson told The Courier.

“These issues cry out for a sensible solution to move forward and continue the great story of the North Ballarat Football Club. Hopefully we can reach an agreement with the board on some matters we feel need to be attended to.”

Wilson said personally, he hoped to avoid a board spill “at all costs” for club stability and progress.

The letter to the board details members’ concerns on issues they feel are vital for the football club and requests a chance to talk through such issues with directors.

North Ballarat’s board remains working through an internal club review, with a particular focus on the football department as it prepares to move standalone in the VFL.

Club chairman Jenny Bromley reiterated in an open letter this week that the board was 100 per cent committed to VFL competition and this review was to best position the club beyond this transition period.

The board voted not to reappoint FitzGerald on Thursday, June 18 and announced its decision at a stakeholders’ function the following Monday. The Roosters return from a VFL bye to host Richmond at Eureka Stadium on Sunday.