FAI Fans Forum Abbotstown, Saturday

[Dodge]

Did the revenue "leap" include grants (from government bodies etc)?

[Magicme]

Just checked the email list, dunno if this was mentioned already in the post but
the only Clubs who did not have a contact email on it were : Monaghan, Kildare, Cobh, Shels, Waterford & Sporting Fingal.

And of those missing from the list, Shels had a 2 reps there

I myself only spotted it on here but as had other things to do couldnt go. The only other person from our club that would normally be able to go to these things had bigger fish to fry like welcoming his new daughter into the world! @ monutdfc

[John83]

There was no further breakdown of the revenue increase, Dodge, but it was clear that something like that would be included.

Smith seemed competent (he's an ex Ernst & Young auditor) and focussed on getting clubs to run at break even or better. He didn't give a great deal of information for confidentiality reasons, but I'm inclined to give him time and judge him on the basis of club accounts over the next two or three years. Negatives on the financial side:
1) The reports he's working off are supplied by the clubs - he doesn't get the audited reports until January. There's still room for a club to game the system a bit there, but hopefully they can beat the idea of doing it right into clubs.
2) He was pretty scathing on the quality of some of the audited reports. Fortunately, he seems willing to follow that stuff up.

He put a lot of emphasis on how bad clubs cashflow analysis is - the inability to look ahead and see that those three weeks without a home game need a bit of saving for seems to be a rare talent.

[OneRedArmy]

Did the revenue "leap" include grants (from government bodies etc)?

If it was infrastructure related grants then I would imagine it should've been excluded. Not sure though.

Bear in mind when considering this info that Padraig Smith also openly questioned the accuracy of some clubs accounts (none named) and said he had been in discussion with certain clubs auditors about the quality of their reports.

Edit: John 83 beat me to it!

[Dodge]

There was no further breakdown of the revenue increase, Dodge, but it was clear that something like that would be included.

Thanks, I thought it might exaplin a large rise, but like ORA I'd expect it not to be included

He put a lot of emphasis on how bad clubs cashflow analysis is - the inability to look ahead and see that those three weeks without a home game need a bit of saving for seems to be a rare talent.

I think the fact some clubs don't have anything to save hurts them (but I agree with your point...)

[MariborKev]

Edit: John 83 beat me to it!

I mentioned it on the first page

[Buile Shuibhne]

Just checked the email list, dunno if this was mentioned already in the post but
the only Clubs who did not have a contact email on it were : Monaghan, Kildare, Cobh, Shels, Waterford & Sporting Fingal.

And of those missing from the list, Shels had a 2 reps there

I saw the thread here and linked to it on our MB.

I've been on the FAI/ League mailing list for a fair few years now in my capacity with the Shels website. I was also the Shels supporters's contact for the international tickets.

We didn't get any invites to the fans forum last February either, nor was any attempt made to contact any Shels supporters through the club itself. Like Saturday's one, we only found about it here, contacted Noel Mooney and invited ourselves.

At the February forum, we went out of our way to pass on our contact details so we wouldn't be overlooked again. But we were.

[Mr A]

I saw the thread here and linked to it on our MB.

I've been on the FAI/ League mailing list for a fair few years now in my capacity with the Shels website. I was also the Shels supporters's contact for the international tickets.

We didn't get any invites to the fans forum last February either, nor was any attempt made to contact any Shels supporters through the club itself. Like Saturday's one, we only found about it here, contacted Noel Mooney and invited ourselves.

At the February forum, we went out of our way to pass on our contact details so we wouldn't be overlooked again. But we were.

Jeez, take a hint FFS!

[the-blue-harp]

But the amazing thing is neither does the Government. To see that Enviro Neo Con Eamon Ryan saying "RTE are correct in showing Eastenders" says to me there is something more going on here.

You do have to wonder some days if Freemason/Murdoch/Globalisation or some similar has to pulling the strings behind the scenes. RTE is actively working on destroying our national culture and industry. Why? Every penny RTE spends on imports they are robbing it from the TV and Film production company here. How expensive can it been to make a home-grown documentary consideing peoplecan do it on YouTube for free? Economics as well as any sense of public broadcasting service always takes second place to RTE getting as much Murdoch as posible into Irish homes.

Eastenders on the same time on RTE as BBC. Terrible US chick shows which get terrible ratings they fight to bid on... They are completely twisted and surreal in just about every way possible. Apparently RTE's latest cut back is that staff have make their own coffee. Poor dears.

I tell you the more I live, the more lies I see in media, the more destruction I see of nation states, the current communisation of banking the more I am starting think that David Icke was right after all.

im with you on that!

[pete]

Smith seemed competent (he's an ex Ernst & Young auditor) and focussed on getting clubs to run at break even or better.

He talked a good game at the last Fans Forums but the clubs spending & 65% rule is his sole role in the FAI. It cannot be seen as a success.

[HarpoJoyce]

Alot of posters have 'follow-up' questions. There is no reason these questions remain unanswered. Contact a League of Ireland club, and ask them to clarify your query.

[OneRedArmy]

He talked a good game at the last Fans Forums but the clubs spending & 65% rule is his sole role in the FAI. It cannot be seen as a success.

If you mean sole role as in the only thing he does, then no, its not his sole role.

That aside, as an example, the salary cap had nothing to do with Cork imploding and wouldn't have saved them.

Its the first year its been mandatory, so its early days. Per the above, he also admitted it won't be fully effective until the quality of annual accounts improved.

Something that I'm not sure has been highlighted above sufficiently, was that the FAI said that they have deliberately taken the decision not to intervene in a nanny state way in the operations of clubs. This was the theme of most of the day. They are requiring them to operate within the framework of licensing and the rules (eg salary cap) but broadly they don't want to take a more active role in controlling exactly what clubs spend their money on etc. This was questioned during the day a few times (some people asking why the FAI didn't intervene earlier when they knew, which they admitted, that some clubs would fold).

The response was that that was going down the road of franchise football and that, at the present time, that wasn't what they wanted to do (they would prefer to "help" clubs with advice) but if they kept screwing up they would be forced to take a more active role in financial management of clubs.

Time will tell I suppose.

[dahamsta]

HarpoJoyce, please respond to John83's comments or retract yours. A PM will be sent pointing to this post.

[Macy]

That aside, as an example, the salary cap had nothing to do with Cork imploding and wouldn't have saved them.

The way the FAI facilitated the avoidance of the 65% cap had everything to do with Cork imploding, and Drogs for that matter. No non-legally binding guarantee, no stupid wages busting the 65%, no clubs going belly up and not being able to pay their players.

[HarpoJoyce]

**** off Harpo. You were on the mailing list that got the notice. You replied to none of the emails, including ones which indicated a vacancy when Pineapple Stu dropped out last week. It seems you didn't even read them - three of us went, not two.

I have to reply to your abusive comments. Which legitimises them of course.

I contacted member of the UCDAFCSSC board, on Thursday by Mobile telephone (my service provider is Meteor.). He assured me that there was a number of represententives going to the meeting on Saturday and that it was not neccessary for me to go.

I did read some of the emails.
But why would I want to read emails yourself, if they contain content like the post quoted.

[John83]

I apologise to everyone for taking this thread slightly off topic. There will be no further posts by me regarding this.

I contacted member of the UCDAFCSSC board, on Thursday by Mobile telephone (my service provider is Meteor.). He assured me that there was a number of represententives going to the meeting on Saturday and that it was not neccessary for me to go.

As indicated in Ciaran's email of the Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008 at 1:42 PM, which stated in response to the call for a third rep,
"If no one else is available, I'll go. Has there been an agenda circulated yet?"
That email was sent to you.

Clearly you felt that you'd been denied representation by this tyrannical declaration , leading to the remark,
"For myself, I checked among some of the usual syuspects (sic) at my club and two (sic) supporters of my club were going. Representative of me or not."
Three fans volunteered to give up most of their Saturdays to attend that meeting. Ciaran outright declared that he was happy to step aside if someone else wanted to go. I know I was, and I suspect the third would have too given his limited availability. You sent a text to one person, who seems to have assured you of what you already knew via email. This is sufficient basis to attack the others' input of time and effort to represent UCD supporters' opinions as best we could, disseminate information for the benefit of other fans and offer suggestions to help the league? It's motivation enough to publicly undermine us and imply that we are blanket anti-FAI, when our contribution to this fans' forum and the aftermath has been nothing but positive and constructive?

But why would I want to read emails yourself, if they contain content like the post quoted.

Quote one email from me - ever - which has been abusive. I reacted angrily above to an attack on my integrity, and I stand by it.

It is you who are abusive, ignorantly attacking people's well-intentioned efforts without contributing anything positive of your own, accusing people of negativity when it's all you offer yourself.

[dahamsta]

Thank you both. Take it to PM if you have anything further.

[the-blue-harp]

big brother is watching you, let that be a lesson to you all

[A face]

Initiatives suggested at Fans Forum, Abbotstown, 11th October 2008.

1, Adverts on buses
2, Generic Posters
3, Signage to Grounds
4, Attitude of Stewards/Groundstaff
5, Weekend Special Offers- local & national; communicated to the press
6, Schoolboy/Affiliation offer
7, New League logo & design- run a nation wide schools contest to have the kids submit entries and thereby the getting schools, kids and their parents involved.Prizes could include a visit by some of the players from the league and international set up to the school.
8, Food Outlets at Grounds/mobile kiosks
9, MNS Highlights at Internationals
10, Car Stickers
11, Next Fixture signs at all grounds
12, Link CPO’s to their GAA & Rugby counterparts
13, Tourist Market- link to Bord Failte and advertise at Hotels etc
14, Increase 1st division profile
15, Live Streaming on Web of matches
16, League sleeve patches on general sale
17, PA- Overall improvement required plus could they read team in sequence
18, Consistency in fixture dates
19, Ex league players in UK used to promote the league
16, Use of old club programmes in doctors/dentists waiting rooms etc
17, Trappattoni to comment on high standard of the League
18, Pre-season open days at all League Clubs so that fans can watch training, meet players etc
19, Billboard campaign to announce start of the season
20, Freshers Week promotion at all colleges
21, Better use of local media
22, Penalty Shoot out between fans at half-time
23, 5 minute focus on 1st division on MNS

1.Clubs PRO to compile a database of young fans (from school visits or young supporters clubs)

One criteria on the application form is their favourite player
Now along with D.O.B from database a simple query could be written that would pop up a message to club CPO say 10 days before fans birthday.
Have postcard size pictures of players printed and get that player to sign card (pre bday message printed)
Young fan gets card in post from favourite player who remembered their birthday.

2. An underage (U12-13) all Ireland weekend tournament.
Winners of underage leagues invited to attend a weekend competition.
Families to host visiting players in selected location.
LOI clubs would sponsor players as mentors to clubs that do not have a LOI club e.g. Rovers could mentor Sligo teams, as well as Roscommon, Leitrim.
Raise leagues profile among towns that may not have LOI sides but are close to teams.
Also an economic spin off to hosts town/village. Dublin could have a separate weekend in the capital.