Time for protest, meeting Saturday

[derryblade]

We all know NA will have a rallying cry in his interview before the PV game for all fans to get behind the down trodden players during the match and show your dissatisfaction at the end of the game. Any protests during the match will probably used as an excuse why the players underperformed if it goes tits up. Catch 22

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Mass protests puts off prospective buyers from taking an interest in this club (I assume it would cost about £30M to buy out McCabe?). How many protests in the club's past has achieved things for the better? Absolutely none!

The protests the pigs had didn't put their owner off.

 

[Esablade]

Can you think of anyone who would pay £10-15M while we are a League 1 club and losing money?

To buy the other partner out?
No...nevermind the £30 million often quoted for McCabe's half...or did you mean the Prince hasn't put £10-15million quid into the club?

Perhaps McCabe expects the Prince to walk away and cut his losses?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

What are you protesting, and what do you aim to achieve?

If we're bottom of the table, winless in 15 and shipping goals at an alarming rate, then yes, by all means.

But even then your questions would still arise. It would just be that the circumstances were worse than the already dire circumstances - for a club of our previous stature - that already exist.

It's just that many folks think the situation's bad enough to warrant protest right now, tethers are being got to the end of.
You don't, fair enough. But you probably wouldn't even if we were bottom of the league & leaking 2 or 3 goals a game, if you're honest.

 

[marsh blade]

If you want to do a "6" theme, how about everyone standing up on 6 mins and slow handclapping?

Or we could all turn our backs on the game.

 

[sitwell]

But even then your questions would still arise. It would just be that the circumstances were worse than the already dire circumstances - for a club of our previous stature - that already exist.

It's just that many folks think the situation's bad enough to warrant protest right now, tethers are being got to the end of.
You don't, fair enough. But you probably wouldn't even if we were bottom of the league & leaking 2 or 3 goals a game, if you're honest.

That's unfair ,just because people don't want a meaningless protest doesn't mean they don't care. You need a target and an aim otherwise its a waste of time and energy. Liverpool fans had ticket prices and the board ,we have 'were not very good and er.. aimed at some suits sat in the directors box.

 

[shorehamview]

How will we get all 16,000 Blades into Fanny's for said discussion? It'll need to be a very capacious Fanny, beyond even such delights as the Wizard's Sleeve, Laughing Donkey, or even the Shocked Hippo.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Poor opening post.

What exactly would the protest be about and what do we want to happen.

It seems the protest is about our position and we want to start winning but that isn't grounds for protest.

We need to have a clear action plan and point out mistakes and what can be done to rectify it.

However it will be tough because the board has been one of the biggest spenders in league 1, brought in big loan signings, employed the best manager in big wages, tied our biggest talent in years to a lucrative contract, unprecedented improved communication , had some great cup runs, kept prices at a reasonable level.

We can't just protest and say we need to win more games. We need to make suggestions about how this happens but well look stupid if some say we should employ xxx whilst others say lets employ xxx

 

[Tyler Durden]

I WILL be there.

No more bleating from the sidelines. Time to be proactive.

 

[ric1889]

So what exactly are we protesting about again? We've got a long term owner who wrote off millions in debt in order to give half the club away to an investor who then financed - in the third tier - the £2m signing of JB, £1m (I'm guessing) for Billy Sharp and the wages / signing fees of numerous other signings. We've also got a board member willing to communicate with fans better than any directoral club rep we've ever had, but we scared him off twitter by harassing him with pointless insults.

Look at the investment in our squad compared to every other team in the division - Investment is NOT the problem, its how its being spent, and responsibility for that lands squarely with Adkins, who walked in the door and signed a glut of strikers and snail-paced midfielders - when what we needed were defenders - while shipping out decent talent.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Poor opening post.

What exactly would the protest be about and what do we want to happen.

It seems the protest is about our position and we want to start winning but that isn't grounds for protest.

We need to have a clear action plan and point out mistakes and what can be done to rectify it.

However it will be tough because the board has been one of the biggest spenders in league 1, brought in big loan signings, employed the best manager in big wages, tied our biggest talent in years to a lucrative contract, unprecedented improved communication , had some great cup runs, kept prices at a reasonable level.

We can't just protest and say we need to win more games. We need to make suggestions about how this happens but well look stupid if some say we should employ xxx whilst others say lets employ xxx

The first thing it could do is show how the fans feel and how many aren't satisfied.
No point coming up with some detailed plan as a starting point based on the opinions of a few. I'd guess anyone who expects to be able to sit down with the board is kidding themselves.
I see it as a precursor to the threat/reality of a dramatic reduction in ST sales. Why wait until renewal dates, let them see now.

It may not garner enough support so to start with some detailed demands is a bit premature. At the end of the day, we want them to sort it out, not take over the running of the club.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

That's unfair ,just because people don't want a meaningless protest doesn't mean they don't care. You need a target and an aim otherwise its a waste of time and energy. Liverpool fans had ticket prices and the board ,we have 'were not very good and er.. aimed at some suits sat in the directors box.

No, I'm not saying that those unwilling to protest don't care, not at all. We all react in our own way.

But the unfairness here is in judging any protest "meaningless". Protests are being suggested & encouraged by folks who themselves very much care, as I'm sure you'd agree.

It's not that there aren't targets and aims (e.g. the board; a desire for a clear & fully funded strategy for progress), but not everyone's targets and aims are the same, just like there are various ideas on how best to go about protesting. That's why the fact that an initial meeting's taking place & the fact that some are taking up the baton to co-ordinate any protests is so encouraging, I reckon - the widespread dissatisfaction is potentially being converted into some sort of positive action.

Based on the belief that any one, single protest won't lead to miraculous changes, it's fair to assume that protest might well become ongoing while we're in this malaise - & that targets & aims will become much more focused as a result.

 

[Damski]

But even then your questions would still arise. It would just be that the circumstances were worse than the already dire circumstances - for a club of our previous stature - that already exist.

It's just that many folks think the situation's bad enough to warrant protest right now, tethers are being got to the end of.
You don't, fair enough. But you probably wouldn't even if we were bottom of the league & leaking 2 or 3 goals a game, if you're honest.

I absolutely would. I was as livid as the next guy during Weir's tenure. It's not as bad as that now, is it.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Here is a manifesto that I would be willing to protest for:-

1) No manager to be sacked without the consent of the fans
2) No manager to be hired without the consent of the fans
3) No contracted player to be sold without the consent of the fans

Q. What are you hoping to achieve?
A. Involve fans in the key decisions. An end to knee-jerk decisions influenced by a minority of fans on media/social media. An end to disastrous, unpopular managerial appointments that are doomed to fail from the start (e.g. Robson).

Q. How do you get the consent of the fans?
A. Internet voting mechanism (it's the 21st Century. Not difficult to set up)

Q. Who will be eligible to vote?
A. All fans with a certain number of loyalty points can register to vote (prevents hijacking by rival fans).

Q. What if the Board have good reason for making the decision?
A. They can fully state their case when asking the registered fans to vote. Persuade fans it is the right decision for the club. (e.g. good offer for a player who wants to leave. Manager hasn't followed transfer policy. A certain manager has experience of both promotion and relegation!).

It's a prototype idea of the top of my head. Could it work? If not, why not? Thoughts?

 

[flash-blade]

Nice idea but people start leaving then anyway! Good on yer for getting something done - this with SC?

if we can virtually have an empty ground on 84 minutes then all the better

 

[flash-blade]

Walkouts seem to be popular but maybe a different time of the game? Say half time?

By 84 minutes we're usually losing and half the ground has emptied anyway!

so lets try and get more people to walk out

 

[Silent Blade]

Here is a manifesto that I would be willing to protest for:-

1) No manager to be sacked without the consent of the fans
2) No manager to be hired without the consent of the fans
3) No contracted player to be sold without the consent of the fans

Q. What are you hoping to achieve?
A. Involve fans in the key decisions. An end to knee-jerk decisions influenced by a minority of fans on media/social media. An end to disastrous, unpopular managerial appointments that are doomed to fail from the start (e.g. Robson).

Q. How do you get the consent of the fans?
A. Internet voting mechanism (it's the 21st Century. Not difficult to set up)

Q. Who will be eligible to vote?
A. All fans with a certain number of loyalty points can register to vote (prevents hijacking by rival fans).

Q. What if the Board have good reason for making the decision?
A. They can fully state their case when asking the registered fans to vote. Persuade fans it is the right decision for the club. (e.g. good offer for a player who wants to leave. Manager hasn't followed transfer policy. A certain manager has experience of both promotion and relegation!).

It's a prototype idea of the top of my head. Could it work? If not, why not? Thoughts?

Too many cooks

 

[flash-blade]

It's a good idea, I'm all for protesting.


But what will a walk out do? it's not like the owners will see or take notice when they very rarely go to games.

This is the problem I feel, people talk about protest in the car park etc but who are we protesting to when no one important will see it or take notice.

agree, but the time has come to do something

 

[Silent Blade]

To buy the other partner out?
No...nevermind the £30 million often quoted for McCabe's half...or did you mean the Prince hasn't put £10-15million quid into the club?

Perhaps McCabe expects the Prince to walk away and cut his losses?

Dont know but it means that it will be a lot of money for a prospective to buy a half share or a full share for a league one club

 

[I should coco]

It's a prototype idea of the top of my head. Could it work? If not, why not? Thoughts?

It wouldn't work because my sensible, well thought through vote would be cancelled out by someone like Barney or Brian the Blade.

ISC

 

[flash-blade]

Who exactly will this protest be aimed at ? You have to have a target or objective for a protest otherwise its purpose is questionable and meaningless.
Im out.

against the farcical running (or lack of running) of our football club, from top to bottom. Or shall we just tap on a keyboard and do nothing

 

[alcoblade]

Who exactly will this protest be aimed at ? You have to have a target or objective for a protest otherwise its purpose is questionable and meaningless.
Im out.

McCabe, for years of incompetent management.

He needs to either invest more to compensate for his mistakes, or publicly put the club up for sale.

I'm in.

UTB

 

[sitwell]

Here is a manifesto that I would be willing to protest for:-

1) No manager to be sacked without the consent of the fans
2) No manager to be hired without the consent of the fans
3) No contracted player to be sold without the consent of the fans

Q. What are you hoping to achieve?
A. Involve fans in the key decisions. An end to knee-jerk decisions influenced by a minority of fans on media/social media. An end to disastrous, unpopular managerial appointments that are doomed to fail from the start (e.g. Robson).

Q. How do you get the consent of the fans?
A. Internet voting mechanism (it's the 21st Century. Not difficult to set up)

Q. Who will be eligible to vote?
A. All fans with a certain number of loyalty points can register to vote (prevents hijacking by rival fans).

Q. What if the Board have good reason for making the decision?
A. They can fully state their case when asking the registered fans to vote. Persuade fans it is the right decision for the club. (e.g. good offer for a player who wants to leave. Manager hasn't followed transfer policy. A certain manager has experience of both promotion and relegation!).

It's a prototype idea of the top of my head. Could it work? If not, why not? Thoughts?

Basically a referendum on everything \not a bad idea really but where do draw the line as a fan ,season ticket holder ,blade tattoo ,went to the Port Vale game ?

Blades protests always just make me think of that cunt Brian the Blade in the car park ,or those paedos at Danny wilsons. that's why Im not a protest guy ,don't want to be associated with scum like that.

 

[I should coco]

Or shall we just tap on a keyboard and do nothing

That's my kind of protest!

Count me in.

ISC

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

I absolutely would. I was as livid as the next guy during Weir's tenure. It's not as bad as that now, is it.

Fair play.

In answer to your question, no & yes. No, in that we're not facing an imminent prospect of relegation to Division Four. Yes, in that two seasons later, after two experienced managers doing their best to overcome the Weir reign (& what went before it), we're entrenched in Division Three & seemingly going backwards. A relegation battle seems every bit as likely a prospect as a promotion assault next season. Without properly funded recruitment over the summer, a relegation battle seems more likely.

 

[Trigger Blade]

As you say, Sitwell, you're not a protester. It's not really for you to be setting the terms for those who feel a desire to protest.

That isn't what sitters was doing, he was asking a question. I think setting an objective for a protest is fair enough, essential actually and personally, I don't know what it is or even what it should be.

Four pages to this thread and our natural leader Barney Guevara hasn't told us what we have to do and how to do it. Without his vision and leadership, this protest is going nowhere.....

 

[AnotherBlade]

The folk who almost seem happy about the current state of affairs and are apathetic to any protest / action being taken are probably the same people who are responsible for Sheffield being light years behind the likes of Leeds and Manchester. Bout time this take what were given, it is what it is, we've got not more right than anyone else, village mentality was finally fucked off from our collective mindset

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Basically a referendum on everything \not a bad idea really but where do draw the line as a fan ,season ticket holder ,blade tattoo ,went to the Port Vale game ?

Blades protests always just make me think of that cunt Brian the Blade in the car park ,or those paedos at Danny wilsons. that's why Im not a protest guy ,don't want to be associated with scum like that.

Loyalty points. Set the bar high. I don't go to many away matches, so probably wouldn't even get a vote.
However, I would trust those that do go to most matches to prevent the worst excesses of non-footballing people like Jim Phipps and Kevin McCabe.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Arse Protest !

At the first whistle of the Port Vale game, supporters in all three home stands should be encouraged to stand up, turn around, and bare their arses at the directors' box and/or the pitch.

[Edited out: slanderous and highly actionable suggestions about appropriate tattoos of our absentee benefactors in Belgium and the Gulf--cast as new Marvel villains-- to display on supporters' facing cheeks].

Cessation of Arse Protest to come either when we are no longer arse, or whenever we can no longer be arsed (whichever serving of arse we prefer, as individual members of the Arse Protest).

 

[alcoblade]

Our main problem is the lack of long term planning. Is the aim of the protest to tell the board that we have to get promoted next season? We want another expensive one year plan?

Isn't that, together with any action, the idea of the meet up and discussion?

UTB