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Post by pirate49 on Jun 22, 2014 22:25:19 GMT
'I think the answer is to speak to the media, the radio the TV and the newspapers and....' That is exactly what we are doing...with more to come. There is a saying that all publicity is good publicity....but in this case I don't think the board will welcome this public criticism. Lengthy articles already in the Bristol Post and Sunday Independent by James Macnamara and Richard Latham, plus letters...........
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 21, 2014 12:27:36 GMT
My thoughts.......4 words....'They got off easy!' (Please excuse grammar!)
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 20, 2014 21:25:39 GMT
The last meeting allowed a few people to vent their frustrations and go home comforted by knowing that they weren't the only one to feel so frustrated and angry at what's happened to a club that turned a huge profit in Higgs' first year in charge in L1 and is now hemorrhaging cash and has been relegated twice, but I'm not sure what concrete action was decided and what the plan is for the group moving forward? If it's to be anything more than a short lived discussion group the people heading it up will need an objective and a properly thought through plan to deliver, failing that attendances will dwindle and that will be the end of that. Very good points; we acknowledge that the first meeting had elements of novelty and therapy! At the meeting on 1st July we fully intend having an agenda which is focused and proposed actions. Everything that comes out of it must, though, be agreed through consensus.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 20, 2014 21:19:23 GMT
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 20, 2014 15:13:48 GMT
Most of you will know that we held a meeting @ The Wellington Pub Marquee on 10 June. We arranged it because of the lack of news coming from the club. We had no idea how many would attend and of how the meeting would go. On the night over fifty fans turned up and we had an excellent meeting with a full and frank exchange of views and ideas from supporters of all age groups. Since then we have had good coverage in the Bristol Post and Sunday Independent.
In the ensuing two weeks there has been little further news from the club. We still do not know the scope, nature and timeline of the review; and to whom it will be made available. No date has been announced for Nick Higgs' Q&A which was to be open to all fans. The SC EGM raised more questions and concerns than answers. To all intents and purposes little, if anything, has changed. In fact some of the points made at the EGM have possibly given some supporters more reason for concern. We feel it is important to agree on which points we would most like answered by the Board, and our responses to some of the things that came out of Tuesday night's SC EGM; that way we will not waste any time when the Q & A takes place.
We are reaching out to the club, they have so far refused to reach out to us. We may have to respond in different, smarter ways to inspire change and belief in OUR club again.
Therefore we have arranged a second meeting on:
TUESDAY 1st JULY 7.30pm The Wellington marquee. This meeting is open to ALL Rovers Supporters.
We need to keep up the pressure for change. In doing so we need to be constructive, respectful and united.
Further details will be posted closer to the date; please try to attend, your opinions count. The more who attend, the louder our voice!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 19, 2014 19:52:47 GMT
July 27th if anyone is interested. Perhaps NH could have his Q&A then, when lots of fans are around!!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 19, 2014 16:19:02 GMT
I think we're more like Bleak House at the moment. I certainly don't have Great Expectations!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 19, 2014 9:37:30 GMT
PERHAPS WE COULD SUPPORT THE TEAM. TURN UP IN OUR NUMBERS AND SUPPORT DC AND THE PLAYERS. Unless somebody has the money to oust the Board then wht is the point of mOan.moan,moan? The only way we can move forward is with the players on the pitch. The Board can only provide the Money and must rely on the Manager to get the results. this forum just seems to be mainly people with egos who seem to get a great delight from having something to moan about. You have a choice SUPPORT and turn up or stay away.Where has staying away got us as a team? 10500 for the last game is not going to get us anywhere but perhaps 10500 turning up week in,week out could? football has always been swings and roundabouts and for a lot of clubs the downs period is much greater than the ups. During my entire school life Bristol Rovers beat Bristol City ONCE and that was in the Gloucester Cup!! We are becoming as a support more and more like the dark side EVERY day. Lets get behind the boys and prove that we are better than the red half or we may find ourselves without a blue half. You are fighting what some may see as a valiant rearguard action. But when almost everyone has a contrary opinion to yours perhaps it's time to see the reality. To condemn people who have opposing views for being driven by ego is patronising.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 18, 2014 18:28:49 GMT
Mention was made last night by TW of people being on holiday and FIVE pieces of legal stuff needing to be brought together. I thought there was no sense of urgency!!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 18, 2014 17:41:16 GMT
The more I think the angrier I get; and the angrier I get the more I think!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 18, 2014 15:45:49 GMT
Put Tuesday 1st July in your diary...same time, same place!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 18, 2014 9:52:37 GMT
Reflecting upon last night's SC EGM I was reminded of Johnny Nash's 1972 hit single.
The questions came thick and fast, but the answers were short and there was little opportunity to follow up or challenge an answer. The meeting was quite well run, with about 80/90 there; though as a percentage of the overall SC membership that was nothing more than reasonable.
I found it a bit like a meal which initially tasted ok, but as time goes on you don't feel so good. Today I feel as if a job was done on us. I realise that we were told quite little and there is scant chance of meaningful change.
Key points for me were:
* JW was seen as the main culprit. Yes, his second stint as manager was a huge disappointment. But it is not he who has overseen the decline at our club since we sat in L1. * TW wields extensive influence. Director of Finance, de facto CEO and clerk to the BoD. * incredible that no contingency planning for relegation took place. Nobody even scribbled a few figures on the back of an envelope! * BB thrust himself forward into the limelight a fair bit. About to take a more prominent role? * NH always looks ill at ease when challenged. His default setting is if it wasn't for the board there'd be no club. He doesn't realise that if there were no fans there'd be no club! * I thought their answers to questions about the stadium were very vague. I may be wrong but I sensed that all was not well. NH still believes 'The stadium is the future of the club' * The review...no added info about areas of focus, who's looking at what, deadline and publication. Amazingly NH said that he never thought, and no-one had suggested, external input!! * Gates of about 9,000 are needed to break even. Well how the hell do smaller clubs do better than us? Nobody at the table realised it's down inefficient and poor management! *Debatable point....'The Supporters Club reflects fans views' * DC's enthusiasm and commitment is admirable. However there is a naivety about him which older and more experienced heads in management may exploit.. I also found his repeated distancing from everything JW did somewhat disloyal. Some things you think but don't say. The bloke after all gave him a job!
Obviously there was much more, and it has been covered on another thread. But the bloke (Mr Smith?) over by the windows who stood up at the end hit the nail on the head. To paraphrase he said that the directors just don't seem to have got it. We're in the bluddy Conference and they took us there!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 17, 2014 22:01:29 GMT
Need time to think..but as speaker at end said...they really haven't got it. Toni Watola is de facto CEO...John Ward to blame for almost everything...board didn't think it necessary to get outside help with Review....they hadn't contingency plans for relegation..no heads to roll at board level.
DATE FOR DIARY...TUESDAY 1st JULY...7.30pm....WELLINGTON...more info to follow.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 16, 2014 20:59:32 GMT
Yes. Looking for some good news!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 15, 2014 20:39:34 GMT
When I was a nipper two good family friends, one a Rovers fan and the other City, living in our street in Knowle West used to take me on alternate weeks to Eastville and then Ashton Gate. Quite a few used to do that in those days. Luckily because of that I was able to see both Bradford and Atyeo regularly. At Eastville I used to stand at the open end opposite the Tote and at Ashton Gate on the terrace which became the East End. When I started to go on my own I just decided Rovers were the team for me. It just felt right!.. travelling on the 4A bus......
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 15, 2014 19:54:36 GMT
As regards keeping up the pressure on the board perhaps 'phone calls to the club on 0117 9096648 'innocently' enquiring when the Q&A is as July is barely two weeks away and you want to put the date in your diary might be a good idea!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 14, 2014 9:12:18 GMT
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 14, 2014 8:14:12 GMT
Says it all! Excellent and fair letter. I hope you get a response and, if appropriate, you could then share all or part of it with us.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 13, 2014 22:14:08 GMT
Jon, Mark and I had a good and fruitful meeting this evening @ the Wellington; and...
- reviewed Tuesday's meeting - decided upon some actions based upon what was agreed at that meeting - made initial plans for our next meeting - discussed topics for the next meeting
* We thought Tuesday's meeting went really well. About 50 people there, all showing an undoubted commitment to the club and wanting steps to be taken to bring about improvement. Besides improvement on the pitch we want to see a far better relationship between the board and the fans and more transparency in the running of the club. Other areas covered were the possible appointment of a CEO (with a knowledge of football!), a Chief Scout; and far more reserve/Professional Development games...especially with local clubs. There were sometimes differing views and many spoke; but there was respect throughout. Almost all of the feedback we have received through various channels has been positive. * We intend writing to Nick Higgs to request details about the Q&A (date, time, structure); and clarification about the 'Review' ( who, what, when...reported to whom?) If no answers are forthcoming we will not let it rest there! * We have pencilled in TUESDAY 1st JULY for the next meeting * Topics could include: - review of what is said at the SC EGM - plan how to respond to the Q&A (if it happens!) - respond to developments over the next two weeks - agree actions should progress in the close season not be satisfactory - decide if we want to formalize these meetings under a named structure If you have anything to add please contact any one of us. Please watch this space. It may go quiet now and again but we're not going away!
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 13, 2014 15:04:23 GMT
Rather than step down/aside from the board it MAY be that NH has been asked/requested to solely focus on the ground, whilst someone else takes over at the top and has a focus purely upon footballing matters; leaving NH still on the board, but not as chairman.
This, of course, is total speculation and guesswork!
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