Thetownend.com

Power writes open letter to Swindon fans
           
           


  LEE Power has written an open letter to Swindon Town supporters, apologising for the trials and tribulations the club has faced over the past few months.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/11318151.Power_writes_open_letter_to_Swindon_fans/?ref=rss
           
           
           

No, tell us what you really think Lee.

Probably best that Murrell keeps quiet for a wee bit.

Strong words but justified ones. A short period of early bird season ticket prices at this stage would go a long way I feel, a lot of people didn't renew with this hanging over the club as he notes and I think most of them would do so with the information we have now. I'm certainly open to buying one, but 415 quid is a lot of money.

Fair enough. He's only been honest thus far and only thing he can do really.
Talk on Twitter of stadium name being changed to "The Excalibur County Ground," if it meant that more money and more success, I personally wouldn't be that bothered. Don't know about everyone else though...

Everyone would still call it the County Ground anyway.

So he's taking action against murrell as well then?

One extreme to another - no information for months and then this! I can understand his frustrations, however this statement is a little too personal and therefore rather unprofessional, in my opinion.

I like it! Sounds open and honest. We can't have it both ways!

Agree with Nemo though. Bring the season ticket prices down for a week (just above the early bird level still to stop any whinging) and see what happens, can't do any harm. £419 is a lot of money I agree!

to be fair to him he says why he was quiet. So it's pretty clear you barely read it properly.

I think it's fair enough. Some people can never win but I'm all for a rallying cry. We need it.

Fair play to him.

That's one of the best 'statements' I think I've read from the club in a long time.

Time to get on board now.

That cunt should be banned.

To be fair it would seem like that if you can't be bothered to read the content and realise that there was a legal reason...

For me this is a message from the heart and exactly the thing we want to see

Everyone who wants to be a part of the club should be treated with a mix of disdain and suspicion.

What's the fucking matter with them?

Fair play to Power, I am all for backing him for the foreseeable future (let's face it, it's the only choice).

Agree about the season ticket prices though, have a 2 week period of early bird prices, towards the end of the month (payday) or now with a chance to defer the main payment until the end of the month.  I reckon he could pick up another 1000 plus ST's and put some more bums on seats...  I would definately consider.

I agree. I was an early adopter of the Jed is a twat club and took a fair amount of stick over it at the time. I've been on the fence with Power and I've worked on the basis of giving him the benefit of the doubt and he's not Jed. This statement is excellent and I can get behind a guy like this. I like the way he communicates - when he's got something to say, he says it. Sometimes less is more.

I'm all for an early bird price period. There is a risk though that those who did pay more will be put out (wonder how many of them).

There is no choice, I get and accept that, but part of the letter is really an SOS to avoid a potential budget crisis.  Already have my STs, so I will probably just go to the Southampton game I have no interest in - every pound helps I suppose.

Oh, and Ged, it's Ged.

The only problem with doing a 'retro' early bird offer is the people who have purchased tickets in the interim period between then and when the original early bird offer closed. They'll quite rightly want a refund of the difference that they paid.

This would in effect mean everyone got the early bird offer.

Nice idea, but I can't see it happening.

We had the early bird offer and then had a further 10% off for a week, why not just offer st's at 10% off for one week only.

Erm, not the silence over the court case. I was referring to that fact that he's been reluctant to talk to the press and fans (one phone-in aside) over the past 12 months and then made such a personal statement. I stand by my comments, he can rally the fans without resorting to name calling. I'd expect that from Jed.

I think he's been very good where communication is concerned. He's done more than one phone in, quite often speaks to press in interviews and offers many snippets through the papers. Once his takeover was confirmed I was actually pleasantly surprised at his openness with the press* and willingness to communicate. I found it very refreshing.

I genuinely don't know what you are getting at Gnasher.

*I know he's fallen out with the adver, but they aren't the only ones out there.

He's spoken to/through the press quite often and I like what he has to say. He comes across as down to Earth, sensible, knowledgeable and honest.

Of course I'm aware that he could be a convincing con-man, but he's done nothing so far to suggest that he is (That I'm aware of)

We've been here so many times with owners and investors that I don't believe a word they say any more. Everything may turn out rosey with Power but I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet.

Not believing them is fair enough. I think that few, if any, are without doubts.

But you're claiming he's not communicating. That's just not true.

It would appear it is the only bandwagon we have, so jump on, you will be very welcome!!

I did't even know there was a bandwagon.

It's not about supporting Power anyway is it? If you want the club to survive then you need to spend cash. Those that can't go for financial reasons or distance,  fair play.
But those who live in Swindon who can't make the effort really piss me off. 1 saturday a fortnight really too much?
Obviously feel free to comment on all the threads around the ownership, transfers etc.

Has anyone said they are not going because of Power? I haven't and I'll be there v Scunthorpe.

Equally whoever said my post wss aimed at you?

I'm ultra sensitive today  :D

And people find loads of excuses not to go. Which is fine, but don't then declare your undying love and devotion to a club that you have done fuck all to support. (Once again not aimed at anyone in particular).

I'm just a grumpy cunt!

I agree with this. I can only comment on what I've seen/read/heard with my own eyes and ears and as far as I can make out, he's not done a lot wrong thus far.

He talks a lot of sense and as he says in the article, has done the things he said he would do and he can't do any more than that really. Most tellingly, he has demonstrated that he can build a squad of players who are competitive at this level, on a very limited but hopefully sustainable budget and who can actually play a bit when they put their minds to it.

That's good enough for me at this point in time.

Finally, I want to ask for your continued support. Like I said earlier, I need your help. It is your football club and we need to unite together to make this club successful. I am just a custodian looking after your club at this moment in time. No Chairman, no manager or player stays around forever but the fans and the people of the town do. But I am sure whether I am here 10 years, 15 years or however long, that when I leave Swindon Town Football Club it will be in a better position than when I arrived but only with your support.

Let’s have a great season together.

Lee."

Like I said, it's OUR club, MINE, YOURS and anyone who really and truly supports the club. RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR, my arse.

Even it's just PR bollocks the "it's your club" line won me over totally.

Call me naive but I'll be 100% behind him until he gives me a reason not to be. The fact he also a football man has to be a good thing IMO.

im with Flasheart on this.

My biggest gripe with Cooper was his arrogant or flippant communication with the media after matches....it made my piss boil, some of you liked his stance...fair enough but not me.

I find this approach refreshing by Power. Telling us like it is rather than staying silent, referring to us as idiots ala Rikki Hunt, or patronising us.

I just wanted the court case decided so we could all move on.

Lee Power phone-in on Monday evening, 6pm, Radio Wiltshire.  Those of you with grievances have not got the chance to speak to the man.

Look at what Cooper had to deal with - new owners, Jed pissing about in the background, Nile Ranger, rumours and conjecture and shit flying around all over the place. Now that's all sorted, he can concentrate on on the pitch matters, and I'd say 90% of the time when he was asked about on-pitch matters he'd respond in a sensible manner. Yeah, he'd point out if it was a stupid question and sometimes be a bit monosyllabic but that just means there's no ifs or buts or wrong ways to take what he's saying. If it was a yes/no question he'd give a yes/no answer.

But then I know you love him secretly Flash.

Some people are comfortable with the media, some have PR skills, others don't.

Anyway, don't listen to the Flash, he doesn't know what he is talking about since he lost his leather hat. The loss of cranial confinement has affected his brain.

I'm with Flash on this...  His interviews wind me up also...  Hart was exactly the same and he got slammed for it.

Being successful on the pitch rightfully gives you some breathing space but it is the only real 2 minutes during the week where he gets the chance to talk directly to the fans live, and probably the only real time during the week that the fans want to hear what he has to say, he really should try to improve those PR skills.

I know the points about, emotions running high, hard to talk after a defeat, look at what he had to deal with etc. and fair enough, but it's part of the job.  I am shit hot at my job, but if I couldn't talk to my customer in the right way then my company would be pulling me in and putting me right/ getting me some training etc.  It's part of his job not to give a yes/no answer, the fans want to hear the reasons behind the decisions, and he knows that.

It's the only real gripe I have with him though so not a major issue in the grand scheme of things....  I'll take that while things are looking good on the pitch.

Cooper realised he wasn't the fans choice from the beginning. This has, obviously, made him defensive.

In fact, the club as a whole was getting a bit of a kicking from the fans before a ball was kicked last season.

Players sold or moved on, unknown youngsters coming in as replacements, everyone sure that it would be a relegation battle - and Cooper was the face of this every week after every game.

He was told what type of football to play which was probably not what he would choose.

Personally,I thought he grew into it during the course of the season and my only real gripe was why the fantastic football of early season metamorphosed into more than a few games of utter shite later on.

Now we've got all the boardroom shenanigans out of the way and the prospect of a few new players coming in, this season will be make or break for him I think.

Probably, again, not many will be expecting promotion but as long it isn't a season slog down the nether regions, I will be reasonably happy

Agree with that Audrey

I don't think there is any similarity whatsoever between Hart and Cooper in terms of their dealings with the media. To me, Cooper just gives a straight answer to a straight question. Hart on the other hand...I don't even want to talk about him. Even though he was only at the Club for 5 minutes (thank God) he is for me, my most hated Swindon manager - even more so than McMahon.

I quite like Cooper on the other hand and don't find him arrogant or flippant.

Still, each to their own.

I agree.

And pretty much with what Audrey wrote too, apart from the tactics part. I know that Cooper went against Powers instructions vs Colchester in playing a 4-6-0 and that pissed off Power a lot so I think Cooper has more of a say in tactics/player choice than he is given credit for.

I don't think there are any similarities either, just making the point that Hart got slammed for his interviewing technique and one word answers, whereas most are fine with Cooper doing it.

I know I am in a minority, and it's not a big deal, just saying that it grates on me when there is no real need for it.

If that's your biggest problem with a manager, any manager of any football club, it tends to suggest he's doing a bloody great job where it counts - on the pitch.

Coopers interview technique is the one area I feel he needs to work on as he does piss off a lot of Town fans.

I don't like it either and I know many Swindon fans who I know that don't post on here don't like it too. He needs to nip it in the bud before he upsets too many fans as Hart and Muckmahon did and I don't want that, there are many Town fans he will never win over (Flash ;) ) but don't just say "we were unlucky" "the town fans got on our back early" "I heard fans shouting at me from the kick off" etc etc.

Swindon fans will back a losing manager as long as his team give effort on the pitch and he doesnt overly criticise the fan base, especially uncessarily.