The Fans' Forum is meeting with the Football Club at The Valley this evening.
The agenda so far includes a mixture of strategic and operational items, ranging from the critical to the less important. Please feel free to offer any thoughts (constructive, please) on any topic that interests you, or add to the topics if we have missed any current, general issues.
1) Player of the Year event - update on progress from the Fans' Forum and discussion about the role of individuals within CAFC
2) 5 year season tickets - questions to be answered about any new owners honouring existing financial commitment by fans; update on credit card payment issues; update on progress so far
3) In the wake of recent disappointing results, the Club needs to make a statement about the future. What happens if we do not secure promotion this season? Richard Murray has been quoted as saying that promotion is 'imperative'. As automatic promotion is now looking increasingly unlikely, and the play-offs bring no guarantees, how is the Club planning to deal with any failure to achieve what is regarded as 'imperative'?
4) Bristol Rovers fixture - change of date due to Sky. What is the definitive position from the Club on why this change was allowed to happen at such a late stage as many fans were severely inconvenienced?
5) Lack of hot water in the West Upper stand. Is this a general problem and is the Club aware?
6) 'Boots for Africa' campaign - can the Club donate anything (eg from academy players who may have outgrown their old boots)?
7) Recruitment of support around the Ashford area - we have had a specific request about asking the Club to improve its efforts in this area
8) Beer survey - this was discussed at a previous meeting. Is it still a viable option? If so, we need to firm up on options and plans
9) Fans' Forum and Club teams at various supporters' events - lots of good ideas at the last Fans' Forum meeting. Can we firm up on some of these?
10) Big screen - it's starting to feel like an embarrassment. What are the plans for maintenance/improvement?
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Comments
What about Greenwich, Lewisham and inbetween ?
The Ashford bit was based on a specific request as we seem to be light in that neck of the woods. Rightly or wrongly, the feeling is that we have support in other areas. Ashford just seems to be a neglected area.
I'm sorry, but i strongly disagree with this.
There is a time and a place for everything, but putting further negative pressure on when we approach the most crucial stage of the season will not achieve anything. What exactly do you want them to say, and what realistically could the club say ?
That more people will lose their jobs and and we'll flog any player that we could get more than 50p for ?
We're realistic enough to know in the back of our minds that those things are likely to happen if we fail, but putting pressure on for further public statements concentrating on the downside when the upside is still very much achievable is ultimately pointless and potentially damaging, IMO.
There will be all summer to get into the nitty gritty of things, the last 12 games should be fully focused on trying to get the best out of our squad, management etc, and that is more likely to be achieved by avoiding a negative backdrop.
What can be done to attract a more positive backdrop should be more of interest.
Fair comments, Danny, but we are trying to understand that the Club does have contingency plans, however unpalatable they may be. Leaving things until the summer may not be too clever.
We don't intend to create negative pressure, so we will take whatever response the Club provides and will pass it on to fans. Not saying everyone will like what they hear, but our impression is that fans want to know that the Club has a plan to deal with the unacceptable.
totally agree with that, not quite sure what (we'd) expect the club to come out and say at this point?. I think everyone has a fair idea of what will happen if we don't go up....do Parky and the squad need to basically be told in public by the board
Keep up the good work.
If it's as simple as that, then fair enough - although, even then, it might be nice to get an idea of how many players might need to be offloaded (Richard Murray did allude to that at last November's Q&A) and what kind of budget re-structuring would be necessary.
But bearing in mind the board has financed this season to the tune of £7m and has initiated the five-year season ticket plan to raise working capital, don't you think there are other, more serious possibilities? And wouldn't you be interested in knowing how the Club sees those possibilities?
Don't want to flog this point, and we will play it softly tonight.
As i stated earlier, at this exact point in the season and given where we are, i think all public focus should be around rallying, creating a positive vibe and doing what we can as supporters to assist the club to the benefit of the team.
These are just my own thoughts, please consider / dismiss entirely as you see fit.
The big missing question to the club for me should be 'what do the club feel the FF can do that will be of benefit to the club in the final run in ?' ie. Have the club got ideas that they think would be of benefit but can't undertake due to resourcing ? Are we just going to continue through to the rest of the season in 'normal mode ?' etc. If the answer to your question is no, then fair enough, it can be analysed once the season is finished and prove to have been unnecessary, unworkable, or missed opportunities that could come under further scrutiny of short-sightedness.
The main issue for me is we have a run of home games that may prove key to determining the outcome of our season. And we have consistently 10,000 empty seats in our ground, where on the face of it there have been no initiatives outside of the long-running schools / community programme to try and fill those seats. No attempt has been made to try various offers to try and fill those seats. How can we fill those seats ?
So, 'are the club to consider any fresh incentives to try and boost attendances for the remaining home games ?'
I think they missed a trick when announcing ST details for next season in that they could have worked in incentives for existing ST holders to encourage guests to attend remaining home games and receive a small discount off a ST for next season. Would have three advantages, would involve supporters in trying to fill the ground for key games, get people into the stadium who are not regular, and provide an incentive for people to renew when renewals are expected to decline if promotion is not achieved. Examples could have been if a ST holder or a member attracted 5 non-members to one of the key remaining games they receive £10 off their ST for next season, 10 non-members receive £20 off etc. The take up might not prove that great, but at least it would be trying something. Equally for remaining games (post-Gillingham), there could be an offer that ST holders could bring an adult guest for just £10. 'How could the FF and supporters work with the club to make such offers successful ?' Bring a full-paying adult guest and get sent a £5 club shop voucher, or two free pints etc. There must be hundreds of offers if advertised and circulated effectively would be of benefit to trying to fill those seats with home-backing fans and more revenue for the club.
'What can be done to improve the atmosphere surrounding The Valley on a matchday for the remaining key games ?' Is there any pre-match entertainment strands that could be investigated to help provide a more supportive backdrop'
'Could we make more of the blocks of juniors we already offer discounted tickets to try and make their matchday experience more unique ?'.
More long term this. but at present it looks just like cheap / free tickets for games, and stick them down the end of the stand. How about for some of the junior football teams we attempt to make it more of a day thing ? Form an itinery programme for two junior clubs in the same age group, ie. 12pm stadium tour, 2.15pm they go through coaching drills on the pitch, half time the two teams have a penalty shoot out in one of the goals. It provides alternative extras for the crowd and would make those kids visit a hell of a lot more memorable than just watching what could be a disappointing game. Is it purely a resource issue ?
'What can be done to encourage large followings to the remaining away games ?' - Millwall is already upon us, and Exeter will be limited, but there is real opportunities to take large followings to key games at MK Donalds, Huddersfield and Oldham, for example. Are there any discounts that can be worked with coach and train companies for these games ? Would there be any willing sponsors to subsidise travel ? What effective advertising could be done to appeal to fans to travel ? What role could the FF play in making it work ?
It could well be sh*t or bust for us over the next 2-3 months, lets not drift through it 'hoping' things turn out ok, everyone should be doing everything they can to try and galvanise supporters, get them 100% behind the cause and hope to god it rubs off on the players. The window of opportunity is narrowing by the week, a strong positive push just might help provide that extra couple of percent at a time when the margins are so thin.
Come on, this is a real opportunity to try and create a positive mindset and attack the run in, not for focusing on negative what ifs if things don't work out. The club has 65,000+ names on its database, what can be done to reach those fans to fill our ground for the run in ? What role can the FF play in that ? How we best get to active supporters to encourage and help this ? In what way could groups of volunteers assist ? If no one asks, then there will never be an answer.
This could be a real opportunity for the FF as an organised body to take the bull by the horns are try and make things happen positively. If it don't work, so what. At least you tried.
This embarrassed lot, have they been to any away grounds this season?
Why isn't AFKA on the Fans Forum or Target 40,000 committee (or both)?
agreed. Plus what does he do (or doesn't do) that enables him the time to write the above.
Quite frankly, I dont care whether the water in the West Stand bogs is slightly lukewarm
No one has been trying at all, no effort whatsoever, Rick and Wendy et al sit around doing nothing all day : - (
by coincidence the postman just turned up with 20 tickets for the Gills game for a local kids team so thats some more bums of seats. Wasn't hard. Few phone calls and emails.
Maybe the question should be "what more could YOU be doing to fill those empty seats?"
Agreed.
surely this should be the job of the main branch of the supporters club? The forum is mainly to air questions etc. mobilising the fan base should be CASC?
I can see the point you're getting at but not really sure this is the way to go about it or that any response given is likely to be helpful. Basically I'm with AFKA on this I suppose.
Very harsh on the Fans Forum. They arrange a meeting. They ask for questions that they can ask on behalf of fans.
When they are given a good set of questions by AFKA to ask to add to the ones that perhaps others fans have given them they are dismissed as a waste of time before they have even had a chance to ask them on the grounds that they "probably" won't ask them.
Credit the FF with making the effort and giving up their time.
Easy to pick holes in the existing questions but tellingly AFKA is the only poster on here to have suggested some additional questions and lines of action.
Another one might be isn't it time to do something about CASC (if not already)
Yes it is the point. Isn't that why they asked for more questions and issues to raise. Why dismiss them before they have had the meeting or a chance to ask the questions?
If they don't ask the questions then then is the time to have a go at them, not prejudging the situation and so dismissing them now..
Dave said right up front that it was a mix of strategic and operational issues.
You need to read back on the thread started by Dave on the Player of the Year do.
The only point I would make in response to AFKA's final comment (about the Fans' Forum taking the bull by the horns and trying to make things happen positively) is that our remit is to try to represent the views expressed to us by supporters. Try as we might, we are not in a position to take on all the well-intentioned activities which each fan might want us to. We do not have the resource or the time, or even the authority to do that. However, we are prepared to try to galvanise activity from the Club and from fellow supporters on key issues and, if others share the spirit of AFKA's rallying call, let's hear it and let's see you step up to the plate.
Tonight we will make the points that AFKA has made. If the Club responds positively, I would hope that fans would not be found wanting.
In short, ladies and gentlemen, you have been selected to play your part in the remaining 12 games ... you will be wearing the metaphorical No 12 shirt (apologies to Grant Basey) and will be expected to deliver top class performances, home and away, to power us back to the Championship. I want to know if you are carrying any slight niggles, but expect you to run it off and not let it hinder you doing what you do best ... that is, getting behind the team, helping to fill the stadium, making a ridiculous amount of noise and generally putting the fear of Christ up the opposition.
How badly do you want it?
Late now but I do agree there's no need for a statement from the club. Only increases the feeling of pressure and expectations for the fans and surely the players as well. There's enough frustration when we have a bad start to game, or a player makes a mistake. The board have always tried to plan for both the possibility of staying in the same league or going up (or going down in the relegation seasons), they know they've got to do it and we don't need a statement to show that with two very important months of the season left.
I tried to post on here yesterday prior to the meeting but had some probs. I was going to echo AFKA's "rallying call" on all fronts but with special reference to the empty seats at The Valley. I understand that Rick & Wendy are in touch with ALL schools in relevant parts of Kent, with LBs of Bexley, Greenwich and probably Bromley. Is this one contact per season or could flyers be sent out to everyone concerned targetting specific matches ? A further option would be for parents of school aged kids to approach the Head of their school(s) to encourage participation in a matchday experience, possibly with the assistance of a document downloaded from the OS outlining the positives of the offer.
I also applaud the idea of incentives for existing supporters if they bring a newbie along to a match. I can't believe that something along these lines hasn't already been discussed by the Target 40,000 committee....
Finally, I can remember standing outside Dartford Station some years back , handing out leaflets to commuters to drum up business ( for football !!) when Target 10,000 was the name of the game. When we met with Steve Waggott & Stephen Kavanagh last season , I indicated that I ( and I'm sure others) would volunteer to assist the Club in these difficult times if a need arose and now, this could be addressing flyers to "lapsed" fans via the database , or in fact, giving out such again directly to the public. Some may feel that the former would encourage the idea of laying off more Club employees but, as AFKA rightly stated, these are difficult & hopefully unique times.
Let's show the Club and all who sail in her that we are willing to pull out all the stops - then it's up to the players to play their part in the battle for promotion & survival .