Supporters Club: Meeting on Tuesday Nov 9th

**Fair_play_boy** · 02/11/2004, 6:43 PM

Originally Posted by James

. . . what would you see as the goals / roles / functions of a supporters club in your opinion?

Presumably this question is open for others to answer too? My tuppence worth is this.
1. Represent supporters' views to the club for example in a fans' forum with chairman and manager present. (I think Derry City does this)
2. Plan and try out ways of increasing the number of people who support City regularly. This may involve recommending certain policies and initiatives to the club itself.
3. Support for Noelle Feeney to keep in touch with supporters' opinions, and to help her in the community liaison stuff.
4. Liaison with the oppositions' supporters clubs for home and away matches, to ensure good relations are maintained. Much as some people like to talk the talk of hatred of certain clubs, the game is not about that in the real world.
5. Make european odyssey trips more within reach of the average pocket. Do this by setting up a not-for-profit scheme with technical assistance from people in the tourism industry. Lee Travel may be proud sponsors etc, but there must be a way to follow our team to Europe without breaking the bank.
6. Spread the singing bug further around the ground. I swear I hear some people in DF mumbling the words of some of the better known songs. They are there to be encouraged. A few more big drums and willing singers, and we will have "When Johnny Comes Marching Down The Wing" in super surround sound at the Cross.

Those are just a few thoughts. It is unlikely that I will get out to the meeting but I will support the club when it gets off the ground.

**Colm** · 02/11/2004, 7:15 PM

Originally Posted by xtreme rebel

If Ian Sheehan isn't involved in this then the whole bus idea probably won't work because he's doing such a good job at the moment. I'd be interested in knowing what these other ideas are though.

I agree but I think Ian is keen to get involved alright.

Corner, nobody said all the meetings will be on Tuesday nights!!

**colblimp** · 02/11/2004, 8:08 PM

Originally Posted by Fair_play_boy

Presumably this question is open for others to answer too? My tuppence worth is this.
1. Represent supporters' views to the club for example in a fans' forum with chairman and manager present. (I think Derry City does this)
2. Plan and try out ways of increasing the number of people who support City regularly. This may involve recommending certain policies and initiatives to the club itself.
3. Support for Noelle Feeney to keep in touch with supporters' opinions, and to help her in the community liaison stuff.
4. Liaison with the oppositions' supporters clubs for home and away matches, to ensure good relations are maintained. Much as some people like to talk the talk of hatred of certain clubs, the game is not about that in the real world.
5. Make european odyssey trips more within reach of the average pocket. Do this by setting up a not-for-profit scheme with technical assistance from people in the tourism industry. Lee Travel may be proud sponsors etc, but there must be a way to follow our team to Europe without breaking the bank.
6. Spread the singing bug further around the ground. I swear I hear some people in DF mumbling the words of some of the better known songs. They are there to be encouraged. A few more big drums and willing singers, and we will have "When Johnny Comes Marching Down The Wing" in super surround sound at the Cross.

Those are just a few thoughts. It is unlikely that I will get out to the meeting but I will support the club when it gets off the ground.

Lads, I think we've found a secretary!

Great ideas FPB, it's just a shame you can't be at the meeting. Can we vote for somebody who is absent?!!

As for "no buses without Ian", if Ian is involved in the 'club' then great. If not, why do things have to change? Just because he isn't in 'our gang' doesn't mean his buses stop!!

Roll on next Tuesday.

**Fair_play_boy** · 02/11/2004, 8:31 PM

Originally Posted by colblimp

Lads, I think we've found a secretary!

**S�C** · 02/11/2004, 8:54 PM

FPB's missus will have to be consulted

thecorner · 02/11/2004, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by xtreme rebel

Some member you'd be.

eh..............working nights

**Fair_play_boy** · 02/11/2004, 9:04 PM

Originally Posted by S�C

FPB's missus will have to be consulted

. . . and bought copious amounts of brandy, and that is just by you guys

**�anna** · 02/11/2004, 10:48 PM

I wish it all the best, but my experience is that city fans are a lazy shower who want everything done for them. look at the hassle FourFiveOne has getting contributions or even getting people to help with the flags etc. I tried so hard with the last supporters club to get more people involved, but people just used excuses of it being a closed shop to avoid making any effort. I hope it works, but forgive me if my experience has made me very cynical

**A face** · 02/11/2004, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by �anna

I wish it all the best, but my experience is that city fans are a lazy shower who want everything done for them. look at the hassle FourFiveOne has getting contributions or even getting people to help with the flags etc. I tried so hard with the last supporters club to get more people involved, but people just used excuses of it being a closed shop to avoid making any effort. I hope it works, but forgive me if my experience has made me very cynical

Agreed with most of that but ....... BUT i reckon it could be different this time around. Because it is start of anew ..... there is no excuse for people, they are either in or out.

Also ..... i'd push to have a huge element of the club to be recruitment of other members. That was just not happening in the last club. And anyone that says other wise is a lair. I never once saw a membership form barr annual membership renewal and even at that time there was no effort put in. Pathetic !!

Anyway lads .... there is no point in having any hang ups at this stage. If you want to join and think you'd make a difference or for whatever reason, just come along. Dont look for something to moan about.

**�anna** · 02/11/2004, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Also ..... i'd push to have a huge element of the club to be recruitment of other members. That was just not happening in the last club. And anyone that says other wise is a lair. I never once saw a membership form barr annual membership renewal and even at that time there was no effort put in. Pathetic !!

totally untrue. I myself printed 500 membership forms and myself and two others handed them out (I think with programmes) near the end of the season, asking people to get involved in the following season and we did not get one single reply. We DID make the effort, but as i said, I think City fans are just too lazy in general and the "its a closed shop" and "they never made an effort to attract new members" were lazy people's excuses that became fact because I and others just gave up when faced with that kind of attitude.

**A face** · 02/11/2004, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by �anna

totally untrue. I myself printed 500 membership forms and myself and two others handed them out (I think with programmes) near the end of the season, asking people to get involved in the following season and we did not get one single reply. We DID make the effort, but as i said, I think City fans are just too lazy in general and the "its a closed shop" and "they never made an effort to attract new members" were lazy people's excuses that became fact because I and others just gave up when faced with that kind of attitude.

Eanna ... what season ..... i'd hazard a guess and say about five seasons ago .... and then an abrupt end. If i remember (correct me if i'm wrong) was it the year you went to Limerick ?
Totally honest with you Eanna ... it was a pet hate of mine from day one, i made a point at suggesting it at every meeting for a year, i was at the stage where whenever i was on RedBoys ... foot.ie where ever, and i noticed one or two people concerned on there, i'd post a thread ranting about people joining and giving out to provoke reaction. Did i ever get one ...... ??????? in a word .... No F�cking Way.

There was talk of getting a programme page solely for supporters club and a membership form there all the time. Didn't happen .... and any other suggestion ... didn't happen. I suggested loose in the programme and i offered to put them in myself ... nothing doing.

I buy the programme all the time (think i have missed about 3-4 in the last few years) and if i had missed it then i would have heard about it.

Basically .... the old club = no effort.

**patsh** · 03/11/2004, 8:17 AM

Can I make a suggestion?
By holding meetings in a pub, you are automatically excluding the potentially largest membership group.
A lot of the people who go to away games, i.e. the most active fans, are under 18, and will not be allowed in to pubs in the city after 8:00.

Even though I cannot make the meeting, I would like to hear what the organisers have to say first, not try to have the split BEFORE the meeting...

**Colm** · 03/11/2004, 8:42 AM

Originally Posted by patsh

Can I make a suggestion?
By holding meetings in a pub, you are automatically excluding the potentially largest membership group.
A lot of the people who go to away games, i.e. the most active fans, are under 18, and will not be allowed in to pubs in the city after 8:00.

Excellent point actually and one which I don't think really crossed anyone elses mind. As you say some of these under 18's are some of the most active fans and go to a hell of a lot more games than some of the older crowd who might be interested in joining. They probably would have a lot of ideas aswell and would derive greater benefit from the SC than the 'home game only' supporters. I mean it would be a shame to exclude them alright.

Obviously the first meeting will go ahead as planned but does anyone have any ideas about an alternative venue for future meetings??

**Fair_play_boy** · 03/11/2004, 2:43 PM

Originally Posted by Colm

Obviously the first meeting will go ahead as planned but does anyone have any ideas about an alternative venue for future meetings??

In UCC. I am sure the supporters club there would book a room for us and host the meeting. And the culture would do us no harm either.

And there is a bar at each end of the campus.

thecorner · 03/11/2004, 3:26 PM

Originally Posted by Colm

Obviously the first meeting will go ahead as planned but does anyone have any ideas about an alternative venue for future meetings??

y not have it in the leisureplex

**Fair_play_boy** · 03/11/2004, 4:29 PM

Originally Posted by xtreme rebel

Correct me someone if I'm wrong but i don't think they can book a room or anything because they are have not been approved as a club or society by UCC.

Hmm. I suppose they could invite the Societies Guild to attend the meeting to tell us what their problem is in giving the CCFC supporters club official status.

**James** · 04/11/2004, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by joe

I'll come back to you later when I have some more time to put it all together.

anyword Joseph ?

**A face** · 04/11/2004, 11:35 PM

I reckon it would be a good idea for people with any ideas/events/activities they would like to see materialise, to write them down and raise them as points to be considered at the meeting.

Probably stating the obvious but sure theres no harm in that is there !!