Thetownend.com

If as expected the trust members support a protest do you think Ironsides post is the best way forward

http://www.thetownend.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24158&start=105

it pains me to agree with him, but yes, 100% behind that idea and I think it should be a topic of discussion on Monday but we should plan as if it's a cert now.

I know it's been done before but at the front of the procession should be a coffin with a "RIP STFC" wreath.  Everyone should dress as if attending a funeral.

That'd get in the press.

janaage what a fantastic idea to dress like a funeral and we could make a fake coffin and put a swindon town shirt on top of it instead of a flag etc... things to really pull at the heart strings and show the severity of the situation. I have said I'll chip in £50.00 of my money to help fund banners, or whatever is needed to make things a success.

I'm just worried that if you don't do something eye catchingly obvious the average person who sees a couple of hundred football fans marching through town with a police escort are just gonna think, what a bunch of hooligans.

And now is not the time for orange hats, or something bright and cheery, it's got a little too serious for that.

Perhaps at the end of the march you can lay the coffin at the reception area of the Arkells.

And how do you propose getting a coffin for this without it costing a fair whack Jan?

It doesn't have to be an actual coffin, surely an arty type can make a coffin out of something?

Gravedigging?

Couldn't we just make one out of mdf or something?

It doesnt nee to be a proper one lady, just make one. Piece of piss i should think

i'm looking forward to seeing it when you've finished it  :D

Makeing one out of boxes should be do-able by someone with an ounce of creativity. Unfortunately i have the artistic prowess of a disabled antelope.

lets ask Blue Peter if they will show us how its done.

Why not just buy one of those eco friendly cardboard jobbies, same shape and everything and cheap as chips

What if it rains?

How fucked up would the B & Q staff think you are  :soapy tit wank:

''oh yes hello i need some MDF''

''certainly sir, may i ask what for?''

''yes, i'm building a coffin''

No chance, I cant make shit  8)

On a funny note i reckon FB should shave his head again and go in the coffin. When the coffin is placed outside reception he then jumps out doing some crazy ninja dance, thus scaring the stewards shitless, and then leaving the doors free so everybody can steam in and storm the boardroom. Would be ace.  8)

Have you seen how fat fB is getting?  :|

nope

Then paint it dear lady dear lady, then paint it

it should be draped with the big L & P banner anyways IMHO

Just sums about everything up

bit like a ceremonial funeral

i think you mean dear Laddy, dear Laddy.

It'll fall apart if it gets wet is what I'm getting at.

my old primary school teacher used to call me that, fucking evil little cunt she was  :twisted:

Did she bend your ear aswell "Come with me Laddy..."

No not really unfotunately.

Surprised you went to school growing up in Burnham on Crouch in Essex  :D

:fu:

There's a coffin (of sorts) on ebay at the moment. It is in Wooton Bassett, no bids at 99p. The only slight catch is it doesn't finish until Friday 19th. I'm sure if we offered him a tenner or something he'd end the auction early.

link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Coffin-Halloween-Coffin_W0QQitemZ170157511967QQihZ007QQcategoryZ88433QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Looks ideal.

Jan & others:

Any "gimmicks" that highlight the fact that the club is on its death bed to the wider community in Swindon who aren't as informed as those who have followed the situation is a good thing.  I agree with the point that was made about having to have these in order not to simply look like a "bunch of hooligans" marching through the town.

Gazza's post about placards is relevant as well.

If the Trust & other fans groups approve the demonstration (I'm fully expecting them to do so)  They will need to release a press statement (to every newspaper, TV & Radio outlet in the country) making it clear what the purpose of the march is and the message that they are sending to Mick the Bubble & Wills.

I'm not sure who's organising all this, Lady??  Macca?? Mex??  But PaulD has info ref available coffin, worth a PM to find out the details.

This was done for the last away game of the 1993-94 season at QPR to mark the passing of our Premiership season.  There were three or four chaps dressed up as priests and carrying a mocked up coffin in a procession of at least 500 hundred fans as we walked to Loftus Road from the pub.  The sight of a crowd of Town fans kneeling down in the road to pray was brilliant.  The local police saw the funny side as well.

Proper carnival atmosphere that day, so very different circumstances.  But the idea is at least 13 years old!

Not me.

Whoever started the idea ideally.

Should I contact the buyer with a £10.00 offer? I'll pay for it if someone else can pick it up as I dont have a car?

why would someone one have a spare one available to sell on e-bay?  Reason for sale - death fell through?

In relation to 'Gimicks and Placards' would it be wise to think of a slogan/title to help deliver the message. Think back over the last couple of seasons to Loud and Proud, when the fans consortium was launched the 'Fan Power' stickers and T Shirts the adver got behind the slogan/title because it delivered a simple message, ie: it did what it said on the tin. If all promotion materials, leaflets, press & media coverage and any placards on the day used the same slogan then the message would be clear as mud to all concerned.
All sucessfull campaigns have a simple yet effective slogan/title.

S.O.S - Save our Swindon is the obvious suggestion for a slogan with the O's the new Swindon Badge? or better yet the old Badge from the 1990 playoff season.

Oh Fit, We're Shucked.

I knew it wasn't the most original idea Ossie, but thought it was approriate given the circumstances.

Apologies Lady, wasn't trying to pass the buck, I thought I had read that someone had agreed to lead the protests that's all, wasn't sure who though.

If we are going to go for this one I am quite happy to sort it. I've got plenty of time on me hands at the moment. I think Jan said that PaulD might have a coffin we can use, might be best to wait and see what comes of that before we commit to buying the ebay one. There's no great rush at the moment.

Nah your alright no need to apologise.

Whos going to actually carry it though?

Could be true, as someone has to pick it up no one is going to rush to buy, perhaps I can touch base with him to get his details etc incase we need it later if he doesnt sell? Or you can if you want to sort it?

I hope I didn't sound critical.  I think the march is a great idea.  I have fond memories of that day in West London, and I think a march behind a coffin would get the message across very well.

If organised properly, I also don't think anyone should worry about being branded a hooligan.  The march must be inclusive.  You would need families, including children, to attend.  No problem at all with indignation, but people must be told that socially unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated.  Then you'll get a march you can be proud of for all the right reasons.

personally i dont think it matters about coffins or specific banners ect.all that is fine if people want to do it but its not really important.getting as many people as possible to turn up and make a stand is what counts.

which is one of the reasons behind the gimmick stuff I think, to make it more inclusive so more people get behind it rather than think it's a bunch of rabble rousers.

Agreed. Whilst getting X number of fans to march though Town might get the local media mildy interested, I doubt the people that matter wouuld actually give a fuck. Out of sight, out of mind etc.

aBSOLUTELY AND thats what it is about, with gimmicks etc, its gets people talking and aware and hopefully increase numbers.

I disagree.

The message is all important.  

The people who turn up will know what its about and so will the board.  The people who see us marching won't have the foggiest if they're not already aware of whats going on.

Thats the point. They wont know and chances are if they are not interested in STFC they wont care

Banners and stuff give the whole thing more of a focal point. It helps the media get a good angle which is useful because let's face it, if I was a journalist I'd like my job to be made easier. In fact it just generally draws peoples attentions.

Again, I disagree (but take your point)

I know many who have said they're fans but have stopped going for one reason or another.  The type of bloke who looks for the result on a Saturday, even if we just get a few of them interested again it will be worthwhile.  

Be honest.  Most football fans, whilst fiercely partisan toward there own clubs, probably don't want to see other clubs going to the wall.  I wouldn't want to see any other club going bust (maybe dropping out of the league, but not disappearing from existence altogether).

Its also good for the Papers & TV to see the placards, displaying the message.

i didn't mean no banners or stuff.just that they dont have to be specific ie what gazza was saying.

I don't think we need to get in touch with the ebay bloke just yet. I can't imagine there is that much call for homemade coffins in the Swindon area.

If you have Paul's number might be worth sending a text or giving him a ring to see if this is worth pursuing, but he'll probably read this before long anyway.

As complex as the whole issue is, we cn sum it up in one simple message:

The Wills' are placing their own financial worth ahead of the STFC, the thousands of STFC fans and town as a whole.

Ideally, I don't want to see Seton Wills a bankrupt. But his personal solvency is NOT a price worth paying for the death of STFC

The only reason he has had to loan money in the first place is because of his appointed advisor/board incompetence.

No sympathy with the guy whatsoever. If he had the right people running the club he wouldnt have had to keep putting his hands in his pockets

Thank you Bart, you can leave the room now

Agree 100% Bart

Suny not trying to be funny but stating the facts as they are.

You cannot put incompetent people in charge of a company and then complain because they lose your money- a buyer comes along then expect them to cover all your losses. Dont work like that im afraid.

No-eyed deer ?

you could cut its legs off.

still no idea.

Hasn't anybody here got a Brother or Sister who could knock up a Coffin in their Technology lesson at School?  :mrgreen:

I could ask the kids here to do one!!  :D

Bart, just being curious...it seems you always have something to say, yest out side at the protests you wouldnt say anything on the camera, and then i heard you say you couldnt because it would jepordise your job.

What is it you do exactly?

I understand you might not want to post it on here, so pm will be fine if you like.

Dooooooooooooooooooooooo Itttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!

Yeah

Then post it on here would you Seb mate ?

i would never do such a think frederick :--

he's a secret agent and his cover would be blown

:nuts:

Its Halloween in less than 3 weeks. Surely some shitty gimmick shop must have a near lifesize coffin lying around just waiting for this moment......just a thought????

http://www.spirithalloween.com/Decor_Skeletons-Reapers/Coffin-with-Skeleton-Decoration

Logistics problem involved with shipping to the UK (i.e. they don't!), but otherwise thats perfect!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=coffin+prop&spell=1

There's an article on there on how to build one, 2nd or 3rd hit down. Can't open it at work (damn firewall) so I don't know whether its sound or not.

Im a rebel Reg,I have no fear of the law.

This one ships to the UK

http://www.buycostumes.com/Category/0/Product/20239/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=SCE-msn

 Good i think you're just the man for a father's 4 justice style narwhal, whereby you climb up the floodlight pylons dressed as Rockin Robin and refuse to come down until the Board has gone.

  Well keep you in beer and fags....anyone got a dumb waiter?

$66.98 shipped to the UK. Just over 35 quid.....

http://www.justforfun.co.uk/prod.asp?code=ARU1411

This lot are actually based in the UK, also they do a next day delivery option... presumably with a courier, which might be handy if the postie's are all going on strike again.

FFS, I'll make a coffin if nobody can get their act in order.

And it will be waterproof and Ben proof.

No apologies for a long post as they're few and far between.

As a non activist but sometime TEF floater, I'm presumably the sort who needs to be engaged to take any planned event beyond the back door of the Arkells stuff seen so far.

On Tuesday afternoon somebody questioned the objectives of the protest and was trampled over by the rush of ideas and emotion.  Understandable, but the point remains valid.  If the objectives aren't clear out of Monday, it could become a damp and dispiriting anti-climax.

Objective - remove the board or save the club?  What do you want to achieve?

There's a fundamental difference between organising to remove the board through negative protest versus positively trying to save the club, and the way it's perceived in the world beyond the TEF is key.  

For me, going down the familar Trust (plus some new friends) v Board battlelines doesn't do it.  Years of dissent and....we're nearer the cliff than ever before.  The same approach but louder and on a road will not work: it's not going to capture imagination beyond the TEF.  The protests are gifts for the Board, it's easy to  blame the busy bodies for potential investors legging it, any of us could write this week's Friday statement.  And if you don't think that response still has resonance (right or wrong) with an awful lot of the fan-base, get out more.

I believe that there is another way.  We all know that STFC does not have a future with the current regime.  Period. They either cut a deal, sharp and leave or there is no club.  The time for protests has long gone, but the time for showing the importance of this Football Club, is now. Therefore any events should not be about them, but us. Show how much they matter to the future of STFC by ignoring them.  We can make the Tranmere game a celebration of both the past - and what the future could be.

The creative amongst you will find generating the ideas easy. The Happy Clappers should be in their element. Engaging real life ex players might be tough, but singing a million songs from down the ages, all day, won't be.  Engaging the Rogers generation en masse isn't going to happen, but celebrating the life and times of Town fans through the ages in fancy dress and old memorabilia could do (there are enough accidental skinheads around to make the 70s a doddle).  Demonstrating outside the Arkells after the game hasn't caught on, staying in the Town End singing about Chris Kamara and Alan Macca and Jan Aage, well who knows?

The media will need a new and different angle: older folk and children should be ruthlessly exploited to emphasise the Past and Future message.  Above all it should be red and white.

Celebration of us or protest at them?

And if it all fails, better to give our club a proper fucking send off.

I appreciate what you are saying Christy but cant help but think it smacks of giving up?

Its an adult response and makes alot of sense.But if we take that route then we might s well say goodbye .Im not ready for AFC Swindon Olive just yet.

So Christy is kinda saying we should celebrate the life of the club rather than battle to save it from death?

Fair enough I spose, but if there is a slim chance we can still manage to save the club I think there's a lot of people that will do whatever it takes.

The apethetic fans will not protest or sings songs in celebration anyway. They'll just sit there and clap when a goal goes in.

rather than sit on the internet slagging off apathetic fans, dont you think it would be a better idea to embrace them and come up with ways to encourage them to join in?

i fully expect a sarcastic response.

I would like to think that we (collective) are doing that, particularly via the media?

Monday night will be the call to arms I should think. We need the media there definitely.

There's a bloke at my work who I would class as your typical apethetic Arkell's fan. Sees the chanting in the town end as coming from another breed of animal and thinks any form of protest is pathetic as it could make someone pull the plug (his words, not mine). You will never win these people over. But yeah, try and stuff. I was just saying. People who will become genuinlly worried will probably feel the need to join in at some point, or at least lend their support.

The more passionate fan could go along and sing songs etc etc. It's not a bad idea, but that's what a passionate fan would probably do at any game anyway. Let's face it, we aren't getting out of this hole with these chumps in charge so we need to show them who's boss. If they want to fuck things up they will anyway. Hopefully the pressure will just force the sale.

Whoa! Why would Paul D have a spare coffin that we can use? Is he a fucking undertaker or a closet serial killer? Does he have a weird fucking collection of different coffins kicking around his gaff?? Fuck, this is getting scary if the chairman of the STFC trust can be relied upon to donate the odd coffin whenever one is needed for the cause  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

frisbee time?

On a serious note. We could all do a minutes silence up to kick off off or something.

Good idea.

I'll be quiet in the CGH for a min then.

I completely get your point.

I completely see it wouldn't work.

A positive "protest" would, in the Boards mind, justify their existence.  They do not give the slightest about the fans of this club.  As one of the people involved in our problems once stated "we think you're all fucking nuts".

As someone who put a shit lot of effort and money into trying to get a positive vibe going for this club, I'm angrier than most at the present time.  What is the aim? to Save our club.  How can that be achieved? by removing the current owner or showing him and his advisor that they are not wanted.  Will it work? who knows?  They honestly do not care whether we live or die as a club, so they won't base any decisions on whether or not it's important to us as fans that they do right thing.

The litmus test will be MOnday when we see if people come out to discuss the way forward or not.  If they don't then both ways are dead and possibly the club.  If people turn up we can judge what the way forward will be, my guess is a move to show our complete lack of confidence in Diamandis and unfortunately the major shareholder will win the day.

To my way off thinking the objective needs to be to get SSW to pick up a phone & talk to Betfair,  the amigo's &/or the fans consortium.
The problem is that he has an advisor who tells him not to.
So, imho, their are two things we need to get across. Don't listen to the greek, & it's good to talk.
History suggests that the only thing that they will take notice of is protests & media coverage. They were worried by the Orange campaign, & they were worried on Tuesday night. It shows them up, yo their pals.
The coffin idea is a good one, because it will get the protest in the papers. It also helps focus minds on the fact that the club is close to death.

CAN WE PLEASE drop this fucking ludicrous "all we need to do is get SWW to step in and take personal charge" BOLLOCKS!

I am sorry but it is all too fucking clear that the man is involved up to his bloody eyes. It's mainly his chuffin' money the boards demands in the negotiations are seeking to protect. Does ANYONE seriously think he hasn't fucking noticed?

What is needed is to send a very clear message to the whole board, including the Wills family, that if they put lining they're pockets ahead of the interests of this club, and as a consequence it folds, then they will never be forgiven, and life in and around Swindon is likely to be a bit uncomfortable.

The message is "Oi you bastard, get your snout out of the trough and set a realistic price for this club that you've mismanaged to the point of financial collapse, and then bugger off!"

Only a bit snappier than that obviously :D

I've spoken to a few people, and I may, just may, be able to get a wooden coffin made if we need one.

That would be one hell of a banner though  :D

STFC for what it's worth!

(Sell The Football Club for what it's worth)

Don't Pimp my Side!

OOOH now that's good! Do you do this for a living?

Nope, what I do for a living is get paid for what I am supposed to do while coming up with stuff like this instead.

banner idea: cunts out!

Displaying that on a Saturday afternoon in Swindon you might well see a whole load of 'things' you dont really want to  :shock: