A Public Meeting

**jamesd** · 23/09/2008, 9:22 PM

I know I might get shut down on this one, but I would like to suggest the holding of a Public Meeting somewhere like the Commodore, where the general public and members of Cobh Ramblers could come and discuss the current situation and hopefully come up with solutions.

While I realise that Cobh Ramblers is "A Members" Club, I really believe that the entire community should be given an opportunity to save Cobh Ramblers. The situation that we find ourselves in, I believe is too big now for just the members to deal with, and with respect, no stone should be left unturned.

I know some will shout about dirty laundry in public and all that, but guys, I believe we owe it to ourselves to open this out to the community at large, and maybe, just maybe, we might attract some business people and potential sponsors to come on board.

**don ramo** · 23/09/2008, 10:04 PM

in all fairness, give it a rest,

aslo what information are you gonna give,

like i said before people claim to be in the know but yet reveal noting,

can someone please stop him whinging

**the sub** · 23/09/2008, 10:16 PM

Evey time you are anyone post on the web it public. What is wrong with someone trying to get the communite united and support ramblers, why are you and others so negitivetowards people getting together to try as l said and save and support the club. Or are you happy to knocking down others that is why cobh have no support from businessess or the community

**don ramo** · 23/09/2008, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by the sub

Evey time you are anyone post on the web it public. What is wrong with someone trying to get the communite united and support ramblers, why are you and others so negitivetowards people getting together to try as l said and save and support the club. Or are you happy to knocking down others that is why cobh have no support from businessess or the community

alright so, get some information as to what needs to be done, then call a meeting, no one know what the situation is therfore dont know what needs to be done,
if its money why doesnt someone request a meeting with the fundraising commitee, and get some plans moving,

jamesd can make the call and let us know where and when the meeting is on,

**the sub** · 23/09/2008, 10:51 PM

Whats needed is money or am l missing somthing over the last six months. That is what is needed so get together and fundraise get the business community behind you and get the fans as a group to act as one

**drinkfeckarse** · 24/09/2008, 7:53 AM

Ideally I don't see it as a bad idea. Realistically though a public meeting will descend into shouting and farce no matter how it is chaired.

Also the question must be asked, if anyone of the Cobh public wanted to get involved, surely they would be members already?

**luka** · 24/09/2008, 8:17 AM

I believe we owe it to ourselves to open this out to the community at large, and maybe, just maybe, we might attract some business people and potential sponsors to come on board

Jamesd, if the larger community were interested bud, our gates wouldn't be so small and nor would be be faced with what we currently are. Tis well known that these days Ramblers don't have the backing of the larger community and I'd say it's been many a year since they had.

**the sub** · 24/09/2008, 8:44 AM

Originally Posted by luka

Jamesd, if the larger community were interested bud, our gates wouldn't be so small and nor would be be faced with what we currently are. Tis well known that these days Ramblers don't have the backing of the larger community and I'd say it's been many a year since they had.

Its like every business if you do not go out and try you wont know, sometimes you have to get out and get the backing of the business/ community, they won,t walk through your doors they need to hear the positive aspects of Cobh Ramblers as a club... please don,t start again about the chairman or the commette we are all sick of hearing the same from the threads every minute of the day. Leave it behind start again be positive meet the businesses , meet the community members and give them a positive spin in what the true supporters are going to do for the club. Get them behind you not away from you and if it do not work then at least you went down trying not talking it down. Use all the tools that are there for you 96fm, Redfm, echo get a person who is good at PR and push the club in a positive mannor not a negitive one that is why you are not getting the support.

**drinkfeckarse** · 24/09/2008, 9:00 AM

Originally Posted by luka

Jamesd, if the larger community were interested bud, our gates wouldn't be so small

I've said it before and I'll say it again. IMO our gates aren't actually that bad in relation to our population. Yes we can always attract more but we also have to be realistic. In a town with a population of circa 12-14000, averaging 1,000 per game isn't too bad at all and represents a turnout of 7-8% of the town. I doubt there are many if any LOI clubs that can match that.

I know some City fans come down etc but due to the geography of our town and the fact it is an island it will always be difficult for us to attract "outsiders" as Cobh has it's own sense of identity which would make it hard for someone not from the place to feel part of.

In my humble opinion of course

**luka** · 24/09/2008, 9:18 AM

Cobh has it's own sense of identity which would make it hard for someone not from the place to feel part of

I concur wholeheartedly and the same might be said about Ramblers as a club.

**jamesd** · 24/09/2008, 10:33 AM

I only suggested this as another avenue to be looked at. I am sorry if some here feel its negative.

I agree that there has been a lot of negativity on these threads, and I know I have added to them. But last night I was chatting to some family members and we all have some very fond memories of my grandfather taking us to matches in St Colman's Park, and no-one wants to see this place become another memory.

Yes, we need money, and a lot of it, but I do believe there are many people out there that will support the Club, but there needs to be security and assurances that the money will go to where it is needed most.

I would also suggest that the whole Season Ticket business needs to be seriously over-hauled. The idea that in order to be involved is dependent on having a Season Ticket is just crazy, and also, that there is a cut off date is even worse. I know of at least 20 people that wanted to get a season ticket in the last 3 months to help out and they were all told, sorry, wait till next season.

**6yardpunisha** · 24/09/2008, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by jamesd

I only suggested this as another avenue to be looked at. I am sorry if some here feel its negative.

I agree that there has been a lot of negativity on these threads, and I know I have added to them. But last night I was chatting to some family members and we all have some very fond memories of my grandfather taking us to matches in St Colman's Park, and no-one wants to see this place become another memory.

Yes, we need money, and a lot of it, but I do believe there are many people out there that will support the Club, but there needs to be security and assurances that the money will go to where it is needed most.

I would also suggest that the whole Season Ticket business needs to be seriously over-hauled. The idea that in order to be involved is dependent on having a Season Ticket is just crazy, and also, that there is a cut off date is even worse. I know of at least 20 people that wanted to get a season ticket in the last 3 months to help out and they were all told, sorry, wait till next season.

2 words jamesd,the constitution

**sadloserkid** · 24/09/2008, 7:19 PM

Originally Posted by jamesd

I know of at least 20 people that wanted to get a season ticket in the last 3 months to help out and they were all told, sorry, wait till next season.

Originally Posted by 6yardpunisha

[/B]2 words jamesd,the constitution

Now while I know you have more pressing maters at the moment surely this needs to be amended asap. That's literally turning money away!

**6yardpunisha** · 24/09/2008, 7:33 PM

Originally Posted by sadloserkid

Now while I know you have more pressing maters at the moment surely this needs to be amended asap. That's literally turning money away!

welcome to the wonderful word of Cobh Ramblers

**chimpster** · 24/09/2008, 8:34 PM

PROPOSAL:

Season tickets to be available all year round to everyone, e.g. �250 for the season, �125 for half season, etc.
Club membership (and voting rights) available to season ticket holders only, say �50 a pop, must be taken out before the first fixture.

BETTER PROPOSAL:

Abandon this ridiculous archaic membership system, which is crippling us and have the club run as a proper business instead.

**ramblers** · 24/09/2008, 9:00 PM

It is not in the constitution that you stop selling season tickets in May!! This was the first year it happened to the best of my knowledge. The constitution is being blamed for a lot of things that to be fair are not even in it.

Just a quick question does any one have a copy of it??

**rambler14** · 24/09/2008, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by ramblers

Just a quick question does any one have a copy of it??

I don't think so.

As far as I know it was written on a napkin over dinner one night and unfortunately the waitress dumped it!

**Redshanks** · 25/09/2008, 7:46 AM

Sorry for harking back on it again, but it is the constitution. The current rule is that there is a cut off date to buy a season ticket and our constitution now guards that rule until its changed again.

The constitution which allows and protects the current leadership to stay in control of the running of the club, now ensures the status quo remains -that is the present crisis -the looting and free-bees at the gates etc.
That in turn and this is just my personal opinion, impedes and turns off new people and some former supporters from coming to matches because of the negative image. With all of the negative press of late, there is now a mountain to climb to overcome that.

I would dispute the figure that we get an average of 7% of the population coming inside our gates at home matches. A more accurate figure would suggest that we had only about 3 games this season that reached or exceeded the 1,000 mark and two of them were local derby's, some games were as little as 5-600.

Its too easy and lazy to shrug the shoulders and say these small gates are okay for our size population. They are if you think and act like we are still in the past, in the days of amature sport -then we deserves exactly what we get and have!
We have a big struggle ahead of us to fix and bring this club on to where it should and could be -Think of it as a long war.
If the members came to accept that the constituion is a major impediment to sorting all this out, and moved to change it - then we'd have the back of the struggle broken in quick time!

**drinkfeckarse** · 25/09/2008, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Redshanks

I would dispute the figure that we get an average of 7% of the population coming inside our gates at home matches. A more accurate figure would suggest that we had only about 3 games this season that reached or exceeded the 1,000 mark and two of them were local derby's, some games were as little as 5-600.

Its too easy and lazy to shrug the shoulders and say these small gates are okay for our size population. They are if you think and act like we are still in the past, in the days of amature sport -then we deserves exactly what we get and have!

Unnofficial I know but it's totally NOT unrealistic to say the average crowd this season is about 1,000

Also, it's all well and good coming out with the "think big" line. It's also much more advisable to be realistic and remember what country and what league we play in. "Where we could be"?? Do you honestly think we should be one of the top clubs in the land and do you honestly think that's achievable!!??

That's not me being defeatist. That's having a bit of cop on.

**jamesd** · 25/09/2008, 11:34 AM

We might have a mountain to climb, but I believe with the right approach, we can do it.
The first step up that mountain is to realise that while everyone will have a differing opinion, the common ground is that everyone cares about Ramblers.

But how best to convert this genuine care in to proper finance and management of the Club as a whole?

Every organisation needs a constitution, not for the purposes of hiding behind, but rather to ensure that every member, officer and supporter is accountable for their actions.

I also believe that we need to admit that we are just a little out of our depth at the moment in Premier Division from a financial point of view. Would it be so bad to be back in First Division and use our time there to plan a strategy to get us back up and keep us there.

Without a proper framework in place, then I can't see any major sponsor coming on stream. What sponsor would want to come on board when there is such division.

I believe that all barriers, if they exsist, between us and GAA, Rugby etc should be broken down and everyone help everyone else in supporting what ever is going on. We might be an island town, but together we can acheive anything.