So the tranmere game

[yeo]

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.

[Simon Pieman]

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.

[lebowski]

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.

[TalkTalk]

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 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.

[Simon Pieman]

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.

[deltaincline]

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

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  

[axs]

frisbee time?

[Simon Pieman]

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

[TalkTalk]

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.

[RobertT]

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 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.

[Phil_S]

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.

[Lumps]

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 beautiful, & 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

[Sippo]

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

[pauld]

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

That would be one hell of a banner though  

[Kinky Tom]

STFC for what it's worth!

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