Last nights meeting

Although last nights forum was suppose to be an information evening about the current financial situation at the club, and suggestions to improve finances to help Paul Cooke out,a lot of other contentious issues raised their heads. And it must be said these issues needed to be raised.

Loman Gallagher the club treasurer reassured supporters the club is not in a financial crisis at present but if we keep going the way we are it may not be too far away. We still pay players wages on time but the income form gates has dropped by over 40%.

First off most supporters will be glad to know the issue of patrons not being allowed leave and return at half time has finally been resolved. Common sense prevailed after 99% in attendance stated they wanted the gates re-opened.
M.Toolan stated that if this was the general consensus of the fans then they would be re-opened. All be it certain procedures will need to be put in place to ensure safe exit and return.

The stewarding issue arose. Quite a few supporters took exception to the head steward’s reactions to supporters and members at previous games.M.Toolan stated that if any one had any issues with the stewards or any other matter then put it in writing and sign the letter and the club will discuss the matter. But he did recommend to do this maybe the next day when the dust settles as sometimes emotions may run high and actions taken or word said in the heat of the moment are not are not necessarily the norm for the person.

Vincent Nally along with Fergal Keaveney has a fund raising initiative to help Paul Cooke out with players in the July transfer window.
20 Syndicates providing €2000 (syndicates may be made up of one person donating €2000 or 2 people providing €1000 each, 4 people providing €500 each etc) if the 20 syndicates re met V.Nally will then provide another €10,000 bringing the total to €50,000.
This money will money ONLY be used for players and NOTHING else.

Tickets for a club draw were also distributed on the night.

Lost of other issue arose but these are just some of them and I sure others at the meeting will fill in any gaps

Fair play to Sligo.
Ye appear to be taking action against that scumbag Davey.It appears alot of yere own are fed up of his crazy antics.

Still......Looking forward to Round 2 if he's still there in July!:)

One thing I took from the meeting was, that any person volunteering for helping out on match nights would need to be mad in the head. The amount of ill will towards the stewards in particular was disturbing to say the least.
One guy wanted to know why they didn't take on the Boh's Casuals and put them sitting down? Makes you wonder what planet some people are on.
AFAIK only one person put their name forward for helping out.
Mattie's case is been reviewed also.
V.Nally's idea is very good and with an almighty push, we will have 50K for Paul. He has 2 strikers and 2 defenders lined up.
Eamonn Cunningham also had an idea to raise 1/2 million from the business community. This is the right direction to proceed.
More lotto, half time tickets, programme sellers, stewards all needed.

Eamonn Cunningham also had an idea to raise 1/2 million from the business community.

What did the idea involve? If they can get the bsuinesses behind them again its a good start, need to position the Club even mor ewithin the community including the bsuiness community.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Guts&Glory

Eamonn Cunningham also had an idea to raise 1/2 million from the business community.

What did the idea involve? If they can get the bsuinesses behind them again its a good start, need to position the Club even mor ewithin the community including the bsuiness community.

---

100 Business people putting €5K each into the club.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by akearins

Vincent Nally along with Fergal Keaveney has a fund raising initiative to help Paul Cooke out with players in the July transfer window.
20 Syndicates providing €2000 (syndicates may be made up of one person donating €2000 or 2 people providing €1000 each, 4 people providing €500 each etc) if the 20 syndicates re met V.Nally will then provide another €10,000 bringing the total to €50,000.
This money will money ONLY be used for players and NOTHING else.

---

not sure about this idea. giving the club 2k for what? is there a package including a share or something? the club need to give value back to those who continually delve deep for the club.

Eamonn Cunningham always has decent ideas for the club and anything he says should be looked into in dept.

i think both ideas are good and bad! V.Nallys idea is brilliant, it is an opportunity to bring in better players, in turn play better football and hopefully bring back a few fans! Its €10 grand he is giving out of his own pocket, so i hope everyone gets behind it!!!What he has done for the club is outstanding and a golf classic is happening this year again!
Eamons idea seems good - 500k but getting 100 companies is easier said than done! and what do the companies get in return? alot of companies are already supporting the club through signage, match sponsorship etc. In my opinion this idea seems too easy to be true!

The club need to look at having a steady income on a weekly/monthly basis instead on one-off fundraisers, will we just be back to square one this time next year?

I hope everything is acted on and i hope Rovers performances on and off the pitch improve!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by neutrino;

not sure about this idea. giving the club 2k for what? is there a package including a share or something? the club need to give value back to those who continually delve deep for the club.

---

What the club would be proposing to give back would obviously be improved results by getting in a few good players - presumably any supporter willing to give money to Sligo Rovers would see that as a good return on the investment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

To be honest i think it is a good idea, you can give the club as little as 200 Euro, i think the club are requesting to the good nature of the supporters to give the funds and then i think if the supporters were seen to raise x amount of funds i think when the club went after the local companies and the business community it would be more difficult for them to say no to the club as they will be able mention what the supporters raised by themselves. Maybe that is way off the mark but it is my view anyway. I was just thinking to myself how proud i am to have a professional football team to support without having to go abroad. I think if they can do this correctly and push it i would expect to see changes with hopefully the club coming out with a business plan to raise funds for next season and the future, and from what i hear i would like to see Nally and Cunningham coming on board on the MC this is the type of new blood we need.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fivesilver

What the club would be proposing to give back would obviously be improved results by getting in a few good players - presumably any supporter willing to give money to Sligo Rovers would see that as a good return on the investment.

---

lads, raising money is always a good idea and i too am proud to have a pro club at home, but is this more of a quick fix than a viable source of investment ? i cant see this type of thing running every year. maybe i'm wrong but seems a once off than anything else. the good nature of sligo rovers supporters is why there is a team there. personally i will be backing this but the MC need to improve their behaviour going forward towards supporters.

fivesilver ; good results are what we all want. but some supporters give alot as it is to the club. share scheme, club400, season tickets,monster draws, programmes, half time raffle etc etc etc. i think it would be better if groups of supporters ran events to raise money instead of people continually delving in their own pockets. now i've no problem with it and i support everythin at the club, it's just not all supporters can ! hopefully it'll work out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by akearins

M.Toolan stated that if any one had any issues with the stewards or any other matter then put it in writing and sign the letter and the club will discuss the matter. But he did recommend to do this maybe the next day when the dust settles as sometimes emotions may run high and actions taken or word said in the heat of the moment are not are not necessarily the norm for the person.

---

Its quite clear that a certain steward should take the "emotions may run high" advice himself. If he cant control himself he shouldnt be there. As far I can see there is nothing to discuss get him into another role with the club on match days its only a matter of time before there is legal action taken against him and unfortunately your club.

Money wise Id agree with Neutrino. Getting 100 businesses to give €5k is a huge task. Surely the Commercial Manager should be looking at getting €50K from 10 of the larger companies in Sligo (Abbots etc.). If your gonna take €5k off a company they'll want something good in return. If you get €500k this year you certainly wont get much from those companies next year.

Best of look with it all the same and good to see common sense prevail about the half time drinks!

Hopefully supporters will back this syndicate idea and help raise funds for Paul Cooke to bring in players.Ok we have lost more than we won but from what I have seen we have been the better side in most games just missing that clinical finisher. I am sure if we had a recognised experience striker we would be well up the table.

I was at the meeting the other night and back E.Cunninghams proposal 100%, this is how we should be thinking "aim for the sky or you'll never touch the ceiling”. Think big.

We need this sort of money to compete with Bohs, Drogheda, Pats etc. we have been too long stuck and happy to be in mediocrity, mid table steady gate and good cup run. That’s what has kept fans satisfied for years.

A lot of people seem to think this idea is a non runner. What will they get back....?

Remember in 94' and subsequent years how sponsorship was done.
Businesses donated X amount and then all went in for the clubs shirt sponsors. The main prize was the home shirt sponsor and second the away with and vice-versa.

Maybe change the ultimate prize to Season naming rights on one of the 2 stands, then their company will be on the stand as well as tickets...
Then next gets their logo on home jersey, next away jersey, lower half of jersey, togs etc...

Each sponsor gets a player sponsor and a sign in the ground, and on all weather pitch, company name in all clubs publications, and 5 complementary season tickets.

I am no marketer but hopefully a package can be put together to sell to these companies. Imaging having €500,000 each season for the team.

A successful team will bring in the crowds i.e. increase in gate reciepts; televise games if we are up in top 4, setanta cup income....

Just need the finances to kick start it all?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

Totally agree with you Neutrino on the above, i think that this may need to be a one off venture if we want to see decent players, let the club get them straight and draw up a viable business plan and kick on from there ! Also think they will be in a stonger position when they do go to try and attract funds from the business community that is my view anyway.

---

I see. if it's needed as a once off to launch us towards eventually getting business ppl in the town involved then great. hopefully it will be a stepping stone. is anybody organising anything to help or are supporter just giving x amount. if the trust and supporters clubs (south, dublin etc) got events going it would be backed by us all. and bring money in from people who dont actively support the club. e.g supporter goes to some event (say race night or quiz or whatever) on a night and brings 5 friends. a couple of events could really raise a chunk of finance very quickly

A quiz night would be good? Don't remember one of them ever held in aid of the club, may be wrong?

Eamon Cunninghams proposal was 100 companies donating €5000

That's a fairly rash assumption is it not?For the size of Sligo surely there isn't a 100 Companies capable of paying that amount?

Ye'd be better off hitting a few of the big guns for a bit more and then the smaller businesses for maybe E2500?

It's not hard to raise money if the willpower and energy are in abundance.Simple ideas are often the best fundraisers.Race Night's/Night at the Dogs etc can all be effective.
Can the Supporters Trust not come up with a few innovative ideas?It's all well and good talking....

what about having all the season ticket holders names on the shirt - I think Alaves do it and it has both increased shirt sales as well as season ticket sales.

Just another suggestion

Cost-Benefit Analysis of that might not look to promising?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by akearins

Eamon Cunninghams proposal was 100 companies donating €5000

---

:eek:

1,000 companies donating E10,000 each would be a better idea.

The trust IS working on a few ideas at the moment.We only held our AGM recently so first meeting since then is tonight (7pm City Hotel) one of them in particlular we are waiting on a reply from the club on a particular issue before we can push on, and when this happens Conor H we will be in touch with the Galway lads???

As well as fundrasing ideas we are also organising some social events for supporetrs which do not revolve around fund raising.
I will post all these events when we have them confirmed