Thetownend.com

I'm not a member of the trust, the consortium or any other clique that may exist ... I am a middle-aged Swindonian who has been a life long STFC supporter through the good and the bad times and I have been a season ticket holder for over 20 years - most of my working life.

STFC is a major part of my life and I've kept quiet for many years but I have now reached the end of my tether with you and am now totally fed up with the amatuerish, underhand and disrespectful way you are running (or should I say RUINING) the club I love. I detest the way the lifeblood of the club is being sucked away by 'vampires' that claim to be directors (and personal advisers) of this club.

YOU (THE BOARD) SHOULD HOLD YOUR HEADS IN SHAME   :D ... (Holt, you really are a laughing stock; Carson, please leave and concentrate on your racing; Bowden, find a new job, one that you're capable of doing properly; and finally I'm sad to say the Wills family - find some guts to stand up for yourselves instead of taking poor, ill-advised guidance from Diamandes who quite obviously doesn't care about this club or its fans). You've proved over the last 5 years that you cannot take this club forward - It's now time for you all to stand aside and let people who have a genuine interest in rejuvanating this club hold the reins.
 
Long live the Orange Revolution ..... Long live the Power.

:goodpost:

Trini will you be joining the protests from now on them?

can you bring along suzannah if you do please?

I take 2 young children to every home game and, although, I was there when Lou Macari was sacked in the 80's; and again when we were unjustly dealt with by the Football League in 91 and agian when Hoddle decided to leave us in the lurch in 93. I've read the press on how Mr Holt has disrespected the protestors and this action alone should be reason enough for the Board to kick his sad ass out of this club once and forever. I've also heard and read about Diamandes' disgusting language and behaviour in front of his own family at one match. So I really don't want to subject young kids into what could become an unsavoury angry atmosphere.  

However, we all wear our orange hats and I am in full support of initiatives that will bring an end to the current regime. I suggest more peaceful protests such as the blimp (what a great idea that was) are contiued at every home game.

Also, I feel that the recent actions of local supporters, the consortium and Mr Power in the both the press and the local radio should be increased.

This cannot be ignored by the board and Holt's recent reactions really bring out the real personalities we are dealing with - MORONS.

I respect that view with your children, Hopefully they will leave soon

Good for you trini and welcome aboard .

Good posts trini, i agree with you 100%, this is my view of the current situation.

The board definitley need to go without doubt, they have had their time and they have had years to sort the club out but they have done nothing for this football club.

I have been watching swindon for around 18 years now since i was quite young when i started going and things are terrible right now, everything about the club seems to be fading away.

The playing squad is threadbare with no investment in the playing staff, we have let good players leave without really replacing them, i don't think Mr Sturrock is to blame, i think his hand may have been forced by the board, i wonder if Mr Sturrock finally realises what an incompetent board he is working for now.

Alot of money has disappeared, probably into the back pockets of the board members, the fallon money, parkin money, wise/poyet compensation, concert money etc etc where has it all gone, oh yes also the money that Mr Power invested in the summer where has that disappeared to as well?

More and more fans are turning against the board everyday now i feel, alot of people who were undecided are joining in and supporting the consortium which obviously is very good news as soon there will not be many fans left who support the current bunch of incompetent idiots running the club.

I feel that Mr Power and the consortium would run the club properly and clear the debts and i feel confident that investment would be made in the playing squad as well which rarely happens at this club.

I will not buy anything from the club again i.e (programmes, season tickets, food, drinks, merchandise) etc until the consortium are running the club, the board will not like being out of pocket.

The blimp was a classic idea and it went down a treat, i loved seeing the look on Mr Bowdens and Mr Holts faces when that was up.

As for Mr Bob "There Is No Consortium" Holt well he should be a comedian not a board member, he has to be the biggest clown out of any clubs board in the country, what a baffoon and total fool he is.

Rant over.

Totally agree Razzledazzle.

I feel a little sorry for Sturrock because I'm sure he qould sign quality players if he had the resources made available. WE are the only club not to have strengthened during the last transfer window. In fact, all we have done is get rid of players.

I pray that this season will end in success but if it meant the board remained in place then, right now, I'd settle for failure and new owners. The only hope is that they don't get rid of this Manager as I believe he will get things right given a little time and a reasonable level of resources.

I too feel sorry for Sturrock, he is a proven manager and i bet he feels betrayed by the board, i believe if he was given abit of money then he would get a decent squad together but the board are holding the club back, they are strangling us basically.

I think the board want us to stay in this division so that they don't have to fork out for promotion bonuses etc.

We need this board out, we have to kee pushing, ideally they will be gone by the end of the season if not then in the summer sometime but i will be very concerned and worried if they managed to sort out the cva and remain in control for next season.

A successful promotion push may have taken some of the heat off the current board in the short term.  But now the push is looking a little more shaky than it was a few weeks ago, and they can't even rely on that.  I'm quite sure that - whether we go up or not - the pressure they are going to feel before the end of the season is going to increase markedly.  But if we do fail to go up, they might as well pack their bags right now.  Once the financial protests start (season ticket boycotts etc.) - as they will in time - it will all start to unravel for them.

The balance has moved significantly away from the board in the last week, after weeks of stalemate.  At what point will they finally realise the game is up?  For their sake and ours, I hope sooner rather than later.

Start talking constructively now, and plan for a dignified exit.  Otherwise, you will be forced to leave...and the manner of that exit will be anything but dignified.

Good points Ardiles, they could talk and have a fairly dignified exit or they could be literally dragged out of the club by their ears....the choice is theirs of course but no doubt if that don't go nicely their life at every home game will be made a complete misery and more and more people will turn against them and they will be forced to go, they can save themselves alot of grief by going now, otherwise they get what they deserve.

I would have loved to have seen Power and SSW in an alliance, working together to make STFC a force capable of getting to the championship but unless he can find the means to offload the MORONS it will never have the chance to happen. It may already be too late now anyway.   :cry:

I lost respect for seton wills a long time ago, if he really cared about stfc and us fans then he would not be controlled by mr diamandis and he would do the honourable and decent thing and sell the club to the consortium, that way he could say he helped move the club forward, instead he is letting diamandis insult our club and its fans and they are dragging the club down and maybe into possible extinction.

I must admit you're views express the reality of the situation. I was dreaming of what could have been.

All around us there are forward thinking councils helping local clubs to build new stadia, forward thinking Boards working with the local community to build for success. It seems that we STFC fans are destined to suffer for eternity.

Come on SSW see the light ...... you could still be seen as the man who helped to start the drive to the promised land ...... get real, see the light and commence  negotiations with Bill Power.

Some good points there. Dennis and Gus were brought in on the premis that they could run the club top to bottom with the help of Mark D on the financial side.

Was Sturrock sold the same pup but without Mark D?

Your right trini, seton wills could still do the honourable thing and sell to the consortium headed by bill power and phil emmell but somehow i do not see this happening because i think seton wills seems to go along with everything mr diamandis says, the board are desperate for a new stadium so that they can have loads of money but the fact is swindon borough council will never accept the boards plans, however there were very positive signs over the trusts plans for the redevelopment of the county ground, i am confident that the consortium would be able to get permission from swindon borough council and local residents to redevelop.
The board are living in a dream world if they think they can redevelop the county ground, if they don't pay the cva in june then there could be no club left at all, the board need to wake up and admit the games over and its time for them to go and let the consortium take over, but the fact is they will never walk away, the only way they will leave is if they are literally forced out by the fans.

Millom,

I can easily believe that Sturrock was brought here by false promises like Wise/Poyet as this board are capable of anything, as proved by all their lies about Power leaving due to ill health and the cva being paid when it was not paid, i could go on all night as there is so many lies.

Hey trini how about me and you send our views to the adver and radio swindon etc? us fans need to be heard and the adver and radio swindon need to know the facts and need to give us more media coverage to pressurise the board more and more, i liked hearing Mr Bob rattled on the radio on friday, he really lost it, we need to make them lose it even more.

Agree. I've sat back and been quiet for too long.  :x

Power appearing in Adver will hopefully show the remaining doubters what an excellent main backer the consortium have, who is there for the long run & with the best interests of the ordinary fan in mind.

If the club wont play ball very soon over negotiations we the fans should call for a full economic boycott: stop buying programmes, merchandise & not renewing our season tickets.
We also need to galvanise larger numbers behind the Arkells, so its in the hundreds like King / Macari protests so the board start to feel more+more uncomfortable & aware of the strength of feeling against them from peaceful but vocal protest

A full economic boycott would also mean not going to games next season, until they leave.

All good carrying out the threat of not renewing your season ticket, but if the Newbury lot are still in charge come August, you'll have to not buy matchday tickets to make your threat worthwhile

The main economic artery through the close season is the merchandise sales, pre season ticket (early bird) sales etc. It is this activity that basically pays the wages of the staff without the gate receipts.

Whilst I agree wholeheartedly with boycotting the above, I strongly disagree with SiPi with regards to actually boycotting actual matches

I wont be boycotting and I think the idea stinks.

Nor will I YR

I really want to purchase some merchandise as a gift for a friend when I return home in May. And some for myself, might I add.

I have now decided to forego such activity until the vermin that run this club have been eradicated.

Anyone want some Columbus Crew shirts instead? (Not the yellow ones though  :wink: )

a boycott would certainly hit home hard but clearly it wont get everyones backing.YET!!!!!!

Yes please coxy

could you pop one in the suitcase and ill meet up with you for that beer in May

I am not calling for a boycott or saying people should boycott if they don't want to. Just that if you're not going to renew your season ticket and then go to games it's hardly doing the club out of money.

I know about timing etc. but I don't think we'll see that many people not renewing their season tickets for it to be a factor. Then when they turn up on match day it won't really make a difference. That was the point I was making.

I know Si

but if people left it until the last minute until renewing (if they intend to that is) then that would impose serious cashflow problems, and may force the issue

Season ticket money is crucial to keep the club going through the summer.

Im not sure that many people would hold off buying them though..

Unless the Consortium were to release an alternative season ticket price for if they were in control(that is cheaper obviously)

Agree 100% the sentiment is good.

Just that if the Board are still holding out and the issue hasn't been forced, people will have to continue otherwise the Board won't be harmed.

I can also forsee the problem if this drags out too long that people will lose faith in the Consortium.

The only money they will get from me next season is a town end season ticket renewel, which will be purchased on the last day of the early bird offer. This is the least money I can give to the club to watch my team.

I have thought it through (about not renewing) and have decided they will not stop me from watching the team I love.

That's the problem I see.

Just like an official boycott (again I'm not calling for one) will not get enough numbers.

Which is why I feel fan power is futile at the moment. We need to think of fresh ideas for next season,  if this lot are still in charge

Its a tricky one .. but I cant see myself renewing my season ticket under this current board

Can someone please provide me with email addresses for ed hadwin of bbc radio swindon and also the advertiser or jon ritson as i want to send in my views of the current situation and to try and give us more media interest and try to get them onside.

i'm hoping that the board will be removed by the end of the season and all this season ticket boycott talk wont matter.
out with the old and in with the new and all that...

The BBC have to be impartial. You won't get them onside so to speak. In fairness, Ed has been a big help to us lot lately (and that's without him being biased to one side or the other).

Good luck with the Adver

What, like extending early bird prices to facilitate this ?

Yes ed hadwin came across well on friday when speaking to mr walsh and mr "there is no consortium" holt.

He made such concessions to give a lot of time for us, like he said he has never been that late for the news.

I take my hat off to him

Its difficult because the Consortium wouldnt be able to set a projected price without seeing the books (vicous circle) but if the current lot increase the prices perhaps the consortium could promise a price freeze if they get in? People are selfish if they think they have chance of saving money they will deffo hold out for as long as they can.

I agree mate and think it's a great idea

Things are hotting up nicely now with the power article on saturday and with holt being a complete fool on the radio on friday night, i look forward to a major protest at the next home game, would be nice to get 500+ fans behind the arkells, wonder what mr "there is no consortium" holt would do then, no doubt he would act like a coward again and say he doesn't care what we have to say but it would put them under severe pressure.

I agree fred, mr hadwin did us proud on friday and he helped make holt look stupid, everytime the board speak the hole they are digging gets bigger and bigger, they score alot of own goals and they turn people against them without us having to do anything like on friday night as they speak so much rubbish, hehe.

They current board are our PR machine without a doubt

See your logic, but would that not be the final nuclear option of a program of economic boycott? Bigger question is outside of fans on forums who have indicated they would fully boycott if needed, how many of the wider fanbase would support this ?

Numbers of disillusioned fans are growing by the hour, if we keep the pressure up and the board keep scoring own goals then I think you would be surprised.

The tipping point for me will be when we, as the Trust, sanction active protests

It would certainly not be beyond the bounds of possibility for an account (simiarl to the RAF) to be set-up to hold peoples funds for season tickets.  The question would be to guarantee the price for the purchaser on the day they provide the funds.  That may mean someone having to fund an increased price if the Consortium do not obtain owenrship before the 1st game of the season - I'd guess the people would still want to get their season tickets you see.

I know people say a boycott won't get the numbers, and you are right - but also wrong :wink:

Check out our recent attendances, even allowing for some of the opposition.  Given where we were in the league and our run of results in January, we should (and history backs this up) have been getting more than our average gate for the season up to that point.  It's around the past month or so when the attendances pick-up for a promotion season, and they've gone in reverse.  not an organised protest, but the whole atmosphere around the club is acting almost as anti advertising.

Question is when will the Trust sanction active protest ? I appreciate why they held off to allow time for any negotiations to commence but the Board appear to be stringing this out for eternity.

I think yesterdays Adver piece has set the stall out.

If more stalling tactics are utilised by the board then I think that the patience that is already thin will become non existent.

Once that happens then I am sure the membership will be asked to vote

The board have been stalling for weeks and i believe they will continue stalling so that they can stall until the season ends and then we cannot protest, i think thats their plan, would be nice to get the go ahead from the trust for the shrewsbury game.

There is a Trust meeting the morning of the Shrews game

11.30am at the Moonies

11:30am?

FFS

Would be excellent if we could get trust backing for that game, go straight from the meeting to the game then i would expect 500+ fans to be behind the arkells, i wouldn't be surprised to see 1000+ fans behind their once trust backing is approved, everyone will join in then.

More patience needed I see to allow the process to see its course & when this has been exhausted, possibly a change of direction.

Do you really think we'll get that many with Trust backing?

I don't think everyone who's a member of the Trust would agree with active protests

I wouldnt be so sure,the Trust has a membership of near 1000 but how many are active members? I think a Trust call to arms would increase numbers a bit but in reality 500-1000 is pie in the sky.

Agree with Razzle/Dazzle if the Consortium cant envisage positive progress , in next 2 weeks, mandate Trust members to vote a motion for active protest before Shrewsbury game.

Totally agreed

We have got two weeks

If no progress has been made within that timeframe then I think it is time for the vote

You could always boycott it Si

Roughly how many protested behind Arkells for King to leave & before that Macari.. any ideas anyone & would these be valid numbers to make comparison or has the drop in fanbase over the years effected the numbers to actively protest ?

Agree YR

But just imagine the noise that 250/300 would make.

John the security would have a coronary aswell

The Shrews team bus would not be able to get past or anything

less than 100 mate

Re: season ticket boycotts. For reference, they had a situation at Luton a few years back when a chancer turned up and bought the club solely so he could do a stadium redev and reap the profits. Luton Trust organised a s/t boycott where people put the money they would have spent on a s/t in an escrow account, with the promise that they could get the money out at any time and that when Gurney was forced out people would be able to buy a s/t at the price applicable when they deposited the money (ie "early bird" prices would still apply in effect). They then got to mid-May and were able to turn round to Gurney and say "We've got 3-400 grand [can't remember exact amount OTTOMH] sat in bank account here. Do you want to talk now?" Of course he had to as he didn't have any money to invest in the club with the sole revenue stream over the summer strangled he was knackered. He was forced out by the end of June, if memory serves.

The point being not that I'm advocating a s/t boycott, but that it can be done intelligently and at Luton they only got about 25% of s/t holders joining in, but it was enough to bring Gurney to his knees in a very short space of time. I thought I'd raise this as an interesting anecdote, relevant to the matter being discussed.

Cheers Fred so the 60-70 we had at the last game was comparable with King protest.... so the Shrews game should take us above that number.

Sounds like a plan..

There was about 20-30 outside when King was sacked. In all honesty I think it was coincidence he went that week, the pressure applied by those fans may have helped slightly but his position had become untenable at that stage anyway.

I will not, nor will I ever, support a boycott of games. I'd strongly oppose a call for such action but equally I quite understand why individuals want to do so.

:goodpost:

Nice one Paul

 The Macari protest was about the same as the numbers after the Stanley game....however our attendances back then were regularly a couple of thousand or less....so a higher percentage.

 King....about 40.

  Difference is that in neither case were Directors being asked to do anything which jeopardised their personal interests....so they'll happily acquiese.

I don't think anyone has called for a boycott of games on here

Without a doubt

 8)

I know, I just wanted to make my opinion clear :advercool:

My sense of self-importance is terribly inflated

You media slut

I like that word Reg

I have written it down and will endevour to use it every day this week

Like "I'm disinclined to acquiese to your request. Means NO". Great quote  :mrgreen:

Thats ace !

Which of course sounds much better in broad Cornish, rather than my middle-class twang on an internet forum....

Anyway,  :ontopic:

:D

I know this may sounjd a bit corny to some of you but how about running another petition in the form of a letter addressed to the board.

The letter should set out all of the unanswered questions and anomalies that have been documented over the recent past about club statements etc. I've read some very good ones on this site over the last few months. People could be asked to sign one as they arrive at the ground for one of the forthcoming home games and it could then be passed to a club official at the end of the game.

Then a copy should be handed over to representatives of both the Adver and BBC Swindon noting the number of fans who have signed it. This would clearly reflect the increasing number of pepole who are seeking the truth about the way the club is being run (driven to oblivion) and challenge the board to respond.

Another passive but effective attack on the MORONS running (RUINING) the club

I agree with all of your sentiments trini although i don't think a before the game petition would work. Before the game people seem to me in a hurry to buy tickets, to get into another pub for an extra one before kick off etc....

At half time though it might just work although any clipboards would have to be made of non flamable very soft material to be allowed into the ground. unlike the highly dangerous leaflets distriputed earlier this season that had the potential to cause a paper scar so severe that it would result not only in your own personal death but the death of everyone you've ever seen!

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Waldron is the editor at the adver.

Regarding the possible Trust vote on whether to officially back protests...

The meeting is at 11.30am on the day of the Shrewsbury game.  Unfortunately, I think the vote would need to be taken at least 24 hours earlier if we would expect numbers behind the Arkells Stand to grow significantly as a result.  If the vote is taken a few hours before the game itself, there simply wouldn't be time for the word to spread that all out protest had now been sanctioned.

Thoughts anyone?

Easy answer to that one, warn everybody that it is possible that a vote will be sanctioned and then launch the fucking blimp again to tell them to get their asses to the back of the Arkells at 4-50 pm.

We will send an agenda out to members for whom we have email addresses a few days before the meeting.

I can vouch for that. I was at both.

I can't see this board going easy as they still seem to belive the consortium is still not real. They think it will just go away if they ignore it.

But the more they ignore it the more we'll try to get the usless twats out.
We have to get the board out before next season to give Sturrock a chance as with Bill Power behind him he'll have some money and be able to get a good squad together.
If they don't get out a really fear for a football club as they have no good intensions for it.
The longer they stay in charge the more chance we've got of losing are club forever!!

So everyone has to get behind Power and the trust to get control of are club and give it a future

Message To Bob Holt....we are not going away, and we are on your case.
Perhaps time for another exile stint in Africa. Try not to shoot anyone.

"There are no fans!"