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Post by Finnish Gas on Jun 23, 2014 8:15:08 GMT
Protest group want more dialogue with Bristol Rovers boardBy The Bristol Post | Posted: June 23, 2014 BRISTOL Rovers supporters have written to chairman Nick Higgs seeking answers to questions raised by the club's loss of Football League status. Angered by demotion to the Conference in May, a recently-formed protest group is calling for a dialogue between the Memorial Stadium boardroom and supporters. Group spokesman Mark Czekalski has written to Pirates chief Higgs on three occasions since the end of last season asking if fans can be briefed on the progress of the internal review launched by Rovers directors last month. The most recent of these was sent on Monday, but long-time Rovers fan Czekalski, 50, has yet to receive a reply. He claims Rovers fans are being kept in the dark regarding plans for the club's future and feels the decision to shut down the official forum last month is stifling debate among those who pay at the turnstiles. The as-yet-untitled group held an initial meeting at the Wellington Pub in Horfield recently, which was attended by about 50 people, including two former Rovers directors. They have announced plans to stage a follow-up meeting at the same venue on Tuesday, July 1 (7.30pm) and anticipate an audience of more than 100 fans. If Rovers directors refuse to discuss the findings of the internal review with fans, then the group will find different ways in which to protest. Proposals under discussion include leafleting supporters and requesting fans to turn their backs on home games in large numbers. Chairman Higgs announced plans to hold a supporters meeting on an unspecified date in July when taking the decision to close the forum on the club's official website last month. But no further details have been forthcoming, while the Rovers website has yet to report on an emergency meeting of the official Supporters Club, staged on Tuesday evening. "All we want is to know what is going on and to be kept informed of the board's future plans for the football club," said Bristol-based Czekalski. "We have been very patient ever since the club was relegated, but now we feel the time has come for us to be given some answers. "I have written to Nick Higgs on three occasions asking him to give some indication of when details of the internal review will be ready and when we might expect a supporters meeting to take place. Unfortunately, I am still awaiting an answer. "We are seeking to build a dialogue with the board and get answers to what we consider to be pressing questions, but this has been difficult without the forum. In the end, we decided to set-up our own action group and interest is growing all the time." Chairman Higgs was not available for comment. Read more at www.bristolpost.co.uk/Protest-group-want-dialogue-Bristol-Rovers-board/story-21277159-detail/story.html
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Post by amgas on Jun 23, 2014 8:20:28 GMT
That article actually gives the impression that no one from the Board was at the recent Q&A session with the Supporters Club, which is misleading. Was that meeting not exactly what this group is asking for, the only difference being the meeting was held with the long standing supporters club rather than a group formed in the last few weeks ?
Can't see moaning to the BEP and threatening protest is going to do much to get the new group listened to by our BOD. Poor strategy. Every other group that has taken that route have failed, the only way a new supporters organisation will succeed is if they take a different approach and are prepared to be less confrontational.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 23, 2014 8:36:23 GMT
I don't think that writing a letter is confrontational.
The rudeness in not bothering to reply, however, is.
The SC EGM was carefully choreographed, with no opportunity for
following up points with further questionning
I rarely protest vehemently about anything. But if we stand by and let our
club go down the pan we are guilty by association.
This club is one poor season away from oblivion. Remember, we were told we need
gates of 9,000+ to break even.
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Post by amgas on Jun 23, 2014 8:45:49 GMT
Understand what you are saying, however what was starting to look like a credible independent alternative to the supporters club has now become Black and Gold Mk2.
I don't see why people think doing the same thing over and over again is likely to have a different outcome. The truth is any new independent organisation would need to build credibility with the board before starting to demand things. Yes, you may be correct that it would not take much to respond, but we all know the board have previously taken the approach that there is already a supporters club and that is the fans organisation they have dialogue with. No one is going to change that view overnight, the only way people could do so would be to build a strong independent organisation before making demands. Being seen as yet another protest group is not going to work, and is not the way to get wide spread support from all the fans.
The very fact that the headline describes the new group as a "protest group" says it all.
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 23, 2014 8:54:04 GMT
The very fact that the headline describes the new group as a "protest group" says it all. Well, we are a group and we are protesting! However, as you probably well know, it is the newspaper which writes the headlines. Look, there are no tangible signs of change. The SC is a worthy body but is viewed by most as a tame arm of the club. The SC directors don't seem to wield much influence, other than over peripheral matters. I sense that you can see good in both camps, perhaps we'll meet on the 1st July!? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 8:55:28 GMT
I think that was a poorly worded article, protest group  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 9:29:09 GMT
Out of interest, what is stopping all the people joining the Official SC then voting in less "toothless" reps that would then challenge the club?
A "coup" of the SC by a large group of ordinary fans would surely be more effective?
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Post by pirate49 on Jun 23, 2014 9:34:41 GMT
A "coup" of the SC by a large group of ordinary fans would surely be more effective? Certainly worth considering! |
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Post by peterparker on Jun 23, 2014 10:38:30 GMT
I don’t see how that plays other than trying to drag the SC into something it doesn’t want to be and perhaps causing more problems than an independent group. If anything that plays into the clubs hands and anyone/everyone will be tarred with the trouble makers brush
At least an independent group can challenge and raise issues on behalf of Gasheads and if it is done in the correct ways then even if the club want to call the group a bunch of trouble makers and/or ignore the group. The group can at least show they have been respectful in their attempts and done everything above board as it were
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Post by gasincider on Jun 23, 2014 10:40:03 GMT
Threatening boycotts of home games says to me you don't care about the club. We lose enough money as it is. So sadly as this is part of the agenda, I hope you fail miserably.
The obvious answer, is to change the outlook of the S/C if that floats your boat. So join up, and try to persuade them to be more strident in their dealings with the club.
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Post by mehewmagic on Jun 23, 2014 10:42:48 GMT
remember that journalists write what they like, even decent ones. That is their job. Once you've handed over your press release and /or talked to them, they then write the article.
ANYTHING you ever read in the media should be taken with a pinch of salt.
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Post by newmarketgas on Jun 23, 2014 10:47:21 GMT
Surely in Dinsdales words " this is trying to split the fan base " We have a supporters club already best join it and move on.
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Post by mehewmagic on Jun 23, 2014 10:49:08 GMT
Threatening boycotts of home games says to me you don't care about the club. We lose enough money as it is. So sadly as this is part of the agenda, I hope you fail miserably. The obvious answer, is to change the outlook of the S/C if that floats your boat. So join up, and try to persuade them to be more strident in their dealings with the club. very true. join up with a pre-existing, middle of the road, group whose main focus is not to change anything. That's what Martin Luther did. And Ghandhi. And Jomo Kenyatta. And Walter Sisulu. Maybe fans should also make some internet comments. that should do it. |
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Post by newmarketgas on Jun 23, 2014 10:51:58 GMT
Don't forget Hitler.
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Post by mehewmagic on Jun 23, 2014 10:53:17 GMT
Out of interest, what is stopping all the people joining the Official SC then voting in less "toothless" reps that would then challenge the club? A "coup" of the SC by a large group of ordinary fans would surely be more effective? in some respects yes, but hard to organise, and joining the establishment is always fraught with serious problems. Look through history and very little gets changed from within I'm afraid. #noonewillevervotelibdemagain |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 11:20:28 GMT
Im in favour of changing BRSC from within rather then creating a new group. Experience tells me hardly anyone will bother joining a protest group and the board will not entertain it or a minute. Get new blood like Stripey on the Executive committee and elect them as supporters reps.
I think we should expect more from BRSC then coach travel and raffle tickets, we need 21st century thinking and leadership.
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Post by lockleazer on Jun 23, 2014 11:23:30 GMT
the group who are meeting at the welly need to join forces with the people setting up BRISA theindependent supporters associtaion and form 1 group ... the aims are the same but the BRISA are ready to launch witha clear structure and have the legailittes all sorted already ..2 groups wont work.. unify the fan base ... something the club will never manage to do or seem to want to do... the board are laqughing if 2 groupsw go ahead and fight each other... you try the SC but as was shown its hard work like when i belive Ken Masters was seemingly going to be replaced all of a sudden record votes were placed and Ken got over 700 votes from somewhere... good luck with trying to overthrow the SC reps ... but independance is the way forward IMHO
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 11:24:13 GMT
Surely in Dinsdales words " this is trying to split the fan base " We have a supporters club already best join it and move on. I think the article is misleading as Mark just wanted fans to meet and pressure the board to give more answers? Not in favour of boycotts or protests at matches at the start of the season. We need to get off off to a flyer. Lets keep the pressure up pre season and behind the scenes and stick to being fantastic supporters at matches. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 11:43:37 GMT
Out of interest, what is stopping all the people joining the Official SC then voting in less "toothless" reps that would then challenge the club? A "coup" of the SC by a large group of ordinary fans would surely be more effective? RE:SC EGM May 2004. Tried that, including Trojan Horse. The response is now part of the history of the failure of fans attempting to be more participative in the running of the football club. |
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Jun 23, 2014 13:09:54 GMT
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Post by fanboy on Jun 23, 2014 13:09:54 GMT
the group who are meeting at the welly need to join forces with the people setting up BRISA theindependent supporters associtaion and form 1 group ... the aims are the same but the BRISA are ready to launch witha clear structure and have the legailittes all sorted already ..2 groups wont work.. unify the fan base ... something the club will never manage to do or seem to want to do... the board are laqughing if 2 groupsw go ahead and fight each other... you try the SC but as was shown its hard work like when i belive Ken Masters was seemingly going to be replaced all of a sudden record votes were placed and Ken got over 700 votes from somewhere... good luck with trying to overthrow the SC reps ... but independance is the way forward IMHO I'm not sure I agree wih the way BRISA want to handle things... But I do however agree with this group. |
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