Mad As Cootes Statement

**Ash** · 28/06/2007, 10:50 AM

On Saturday, 23rd June, members of the Mad As Cootes Independent Athlone
Town Supporters Club were approached by an Athlone Town FC official before
kick off at Station Rd., Newbridge.

Here, speaking on behalf of the Club, they requested that if supporters were
going to be critical of the team, management or performances, they weren't
wanted by Athlone Town FC in any way or form.

They requested that Mad As Cootes stop running buses to away games,
unless we could guarantee that individual supporters traveling with us would
refrain from being critical of players and performances.

Although we are a Supporters Club, we in no way censor or suppress the
opinions of the individual supporter about all things Athlone Town. Therefore,
in the interest of supporting the Club we love, we decided to respect the
Clubs wishes and so we will not be organising any more Supporters Club buses
to away games.

The official also requested that we, the Committee of Mad As Cootes, begin a
campaign of ejecting supporters from Athlone Town Stadium if foul language
and/or criticism is directed towards players.

When we explained that the stewarding our home stadium was the job of the
official match day stewards, and as an Independent Supporters Club we
would not physically take part in an activity to remove people from the
ground, the response was for us to tell the ATFC Committee that we would
act as stewards and ask for bibs to look official!

At a committee meeting of the Mad As Cootes on Wednesday 27th June, it
was proposed that due to the seeming lack of appreciation the Club have for
the Supporters Club's efforts, along with the popular trend of firmly putting
blame on The Cootes for every incident that occurs in terraces and stands
home and away, it was in the best interest of the Supporters Club to suspend
all Club activities with immediate effect.

This resulted in unanimous agreement and the resignation of the current
committee.

It was also disappointing to leard that a certain section of the Athlone Town
support also put blame on the Supporters Club for making a hostile
atmosphere at games which they felt was not present in the pre-Cootes era.

From the 1970's through to the 1990's the atmosphere at Athlone Town
games fluctuated between hostile and euphoric, depending on results, while
in recent seasons there was no atmosphere at games what so ever.
We tried to rectify that but unfortunately our efforts were not wanted.

We, the outgoing Mad As Cootes committee would like to thank all those
supporters who joined the club and took part in our activities, both on and off
the pitch, over the past two and a half seasons in an effort to make a
difference to the dull and dour atmosphere Athlone Town games have had in
recent seasons. While results were not going our way on the pitch, we tried
to bring more people, colour and noise back to the stands, but unfortunately
it has become apparent that the Independent organising of these
activities and an Independent voice are not wanted by the Club or some
other supporters.

As the Supporters Club has suspended just one third of the way through the
season, we will be refunding all 2007 membership fees over the coming weeks.

Although there is no longer an organised group I can assure the Club, players
and fans alike that we, as individual supporters of Athlone Town FC, will
always be as mad as cootes, and forever "Athlone 'Till We Die".

**Dodge** · 28/06/2007, 10:55 AM

Jesus ****ing christ!

Sorry to hear about the hassle Ash. Disgraceful attitude from the club.

Is there anything supporters of other clubs, or even other supporters clubs can do?

**Monkfish** · 28/06/2007, 12:01 PM

Have to say i agree with you, seems your getting the blame for everything.

**Schumi** · 28/06/2007, 12:01 PM

Unbelievable. I wonder how long it'll be until the club are complaining about the lack of support for the team.

**joeSoap** · 28/06/2007, 12:13 PM

Sad day for Athlone Town FC. Supporters clubs are an integral part of any club, and are key to it's success. I know for a fact that Athlone are paying good money to its players this season, and to say that a player should not be criticised when being well paid to do a job he obviously is not doing, is ludicrous in the extreme.

I have never, in over 30 years of going to League of Ireland football, been at a game where there isn't banter, criticism and general emotion of some form or other. Supporters pay good money travelling to games, and providing their criticisms are about football and not personal then they should always have a place in the game.

A recent chairman of Limerick FC had the world at his feet, with a good squad and big gates a few seasons ago, and destroyed the whole thing, largely due to his attitude towards supporters, players and staff. He is now back selling curry sauce. I hope a similar fate befalls the people involved at Athlone Town FC who have caused this.

**endabob1** · 28/06/2007, 12:21 PM

I used to go to Mels fairly often in my days at the RTC, I'd hate to see De Town lose what always used to be a good home support. It seems a very strange decision by the board to allienate a band of loyal supporters, I hope it will have a happy ending for all involved.

**garyh06** · 28/06/2007, 2:54 PM

Its a sad day indeed, but does it have to be. Its absolutely typical of the club to let something like this happen. The Cootes were the onlt force that brought life to the ground. The person (No Names) who is saying the cootes are foul mouthed will have to look closer to home on this one. I dunno if i was the only one who witnessed the language of players at matches and this bad language can be heard more when there is no singing. I am just saying its not a sport of angels, i do agree that alot of the songs are terrible and should not be chanted, but some chants are not bad and to 'brand all the song' is stupid.
Another point is if the young generation of supporters were not wanted at this match, why was their money taken at the gate?? Why was money taken and then having to go in to the ground and sit in 90 minutes of silence?? If a word was said 'out loud' there were security men to throw offenders out of the ground, but yet these security men only targeted people under 15, the small fans.
Its time for the club to get a hold of itself, they are putting up advertising boards across the town with the words ' COME SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CLUB' i dont see why they even bother at this stage. As a person once said on this very forum, ' The club is going to end up with an old man and his dog watching the matches. Its an absolute discrace. There is going to be next to none suppporting the club in times to come if this carries on.

**garyh06** · 28/06/2007, 3:07 PM

I would just like to thank all the people who contributed to The Mad As Cootes Supporters Club. I would like to thank Ash for putting everything into this supporters club, for making a less dull social atmosphere at Athlone Matches, and i would like to thank everyone else who made it all possible, even though the Cootes are now frowned upon by The Athlone Manager, some players and the Athlone Town Board, I myself and am sure the majority of others will agree with me, I am proud of The Cootes and I will always be proud to call myself a Coote, thanks again to the people who made The Cootes possible, and tried to uplift the Athlone Town terraces and Stand.

**NY Hoop** · 28/06/2007, 3:49 PM

Unbelievable stuff. All I can say is thank fcuk the fans own our club. Some officials do not seem to realise that there is no club without the fans.

But why didnt you just tell this clown of an official to fcuk off?

KOH

**Ash** · 28/06/2007, 4:03 PM

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Unbelievable stuff. All I can say is thank fcuk the fans own our club. Some officials do not seem to realise that there is no club without the fans.

But why didnt you just tell this clown of an official to fcuk off?

KOH

The official in question was the team manager and he told me the actual
players had asked him to make the request.

When the actual players request that none of our supporters travel to the
games the Supporters Club committee decided that they could no longer
continue to head an organised supporters club.

We made several requests throught the current and previous seasons for
more people to get involved in the organising process but only 1 person was
forthcoming. Therefore we decided to suspend our involvement and if
someone else wants to pick up the ball and run with it then we didnt want to
stand in their way.

**NY Hoop** · 28/06/2007, 4:12 PM

That's a disgrace. So because the players dont like some critical comments they dont want fans to travel?

The same players who run to the fans after they score. Very surprised at your manager. In an era when a lot more is being done to attract fans to games your club doesnt want fans? Astonishing stuff.

KOH

**Bald Student** · 28/06/2007, 4:57 PM

Playing Devil's advocate Ash, something must have happened to make the players request this. Is there another side to the story or do they really not take criticism well?

**pineapple stu** · 28/06/2007, 6:48 PM

Following on from that, is there any chance the club's hand was, shall we say, forced by higher powers?

Or am I just being too suspicious?

That's a disgrace. Did you send that release to the national media? Be interesting to see if there was any take up.

**John83** · 28/06/2007, 7:26 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Or am I just being too suspicious?

Never.

**Ash** · 29/06/2007, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Following on from that, is there any chance the club's hand was,
shall we say, forced by higher powers?

It had crossed my mind but I dont think the Catholic Church have much
influence

But seriously folks, if the order came from follic's himself, the Club could not
make it known publically as it would be seen as critising them association.

On the other hand it could be all talk from an under fire manager to deflect
his critisim by saying the players requested it. If this is the case it'll soon be
known!

**garyh06** · 30/06/2007, 3:12 PM

I think its O'Connor's way of blaming his problems on someone else. As Ash said he is an 'underfire' manager, and his little game of 'angels and devils' is getting old, and it is becoming apparent that he is prepared to sacrafice anything just to clean his slate.