Public meeting

[Dave]

Public meeting

 

The current climate of uncertainty that surrounds the club highlights to us once again that Newcastle supporters lack a common voice when it comes to representing their interests and opinions.

 

While fans of other clubs continue to organise themselves into supporters clubs, that option hasn't been available here in recent years, aside from when specific issues have arisen and specific groups were formed as a result.

 

The time seems right now to try and change that situation and to that end, there's a public meeting this Tuesday at the Tyneside Irish Centre on Gallowgate @ 7.30pm.

 

The Mag and true faith fanzines have arranged this and NUFC.com is happy to support the initiative, in terms of publicity, practical and financial assistance.

 

However this isn't being done for our benefit and isn't meant to be a cause-specific vehicle for any individual.

 

It stands or falls upon the level of public support and the willingness of fans to participate.

 

Depending on the success of the meeting, further details will be made available afterwards to fans unable to attend due to the short notice or based outside the region.

 

Just thought I'd pass this on.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Is Frank going?

[geordie jamie]

I hope this doesnt lead to any more protests.

[James]

I don't really know what more can be said and done.

 

We all just have to support the team, even the likes of Shola, Duff and smith.

[binnsy]

i'm going,  been saying for a couple of years that NUFC need a supporters club.  Hopefully should be a good night and something constructive can come out of the mess of the last 2 weeks.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Hope it will represent a balanced point of view and not just the 'Ashley is satan' brigade.

[Guest Geordiesned]

i'm going,  been saying for a couple of years that NUFC need a supporters club.  Hopefully should be a good night and something constructive can come out of the mess of the last 2 weeks.

 

I agree that having a supporters club is a positive thing I just worry that the timing of setting it up is wrong. If it was set up during a more positive period for the club then I'd expect the meeting to attract a wide range of people with differing views but I think the majority of people there tomorrow night will want to carry on with protests which could potentially further destabalise the club.

[Adam]

Well there will at least be one person who can spell there so any future banners won't make us look like a bunch of mongs.

[binnsy]

Hope it will represent a balanced point of view and not just the 'Ashley is satan' brigade.

 

Get yourself there and put your point of view across if you are pro Ashley,  its a public meeting,  mainly to discuss recent events and guage opinion to see whether a supporters club will work.

[Big Geordie]

I'm hoping to make it along, with a couple of my mates. If folk don't go and air their views, it's got no chance of getting off the ground.

 

It's time to stand together. 

[geordie jamie]

like what has been said earlier dont know what more can do done. We protested to get MA out and he is selling and we cant get KK back as need the new owner to appoint his own manager.

[BottledDog]

i'm going,  been saying for a couple of years that NUFC need a supporters club.  Hopefully should be a good night and something constructive can come out of the mess of the last 2 weeks.

 

I agree that having a supporters club is a positive thing I just worry that the timing of setting it up is wrong. If it was set up during a more positive period for the club then I'd expect the meeting to attract a wide range of people with differing views but I think the majority of people there tomorrow night will want to carry on with protests which could potentially further destabalise the club.

 

This. Terrible timing when emotions are running high.

Doubt there will be more protests though, they have got what they wanted.

[Skirge]

Right so a few hundred go, agree on a few things then what ?  Unless you can get a meeting with Ashley we can have no more effect on what happens next.

[morgs]

I don't really know what more can be said and done.

 

We all just have to support the team, even the likes of Shola, Duff and smith.

 

fuck off

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

It would be good to get a proper Newcastle supporters group going. If for no other reason than to stop Frank Gilmour (chairman of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters’ Association), Steve Wraith, etc speaking on behalf of everyone.

[Mr Logic]

Public meeting this Tuesday (16th September) at the Tyneside Irish Centre on Gallowgate @ 7.30pm. (See .com for more details)

 

A chance for fans/supporters to discuss having a unified voice.. I think?

 

(Whoops, didn't see existing post. )

[manorpark]

It would be good to get a proper Newcastle supporters group going. If for no other reason than to stop Frank Gilmour (chairman of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters’ Association), Steve Wraith, etc speaking on behalf of everyone.

 

Yes, but we should try to bring them - everyone - into the group.

[Stu]

Public meeting

 

The current climate of uncertainty that surrounds the club highlights to us once again that Newcastle supporters lack a common voice when it comes to representing their interests and opinions.

 

While fans of other clubs continue to organise themselves into supporters clubs, that option hasn't been available here in recent years, aside from when specific issues have arisen and specific groups were formed as a result.

 

The time seems right now to try and change that situation and to that end, there's a public meeting this Tuesday at the Tyneside Irish Centre on Gallowgate @ 7.30pm.

 

The Mag and true faith fanzines have arranged this and NUFC.com is happy to support the initiative, in terms of publicity, practical and financial assistance.

 

However this isn't being done for our benefit and isn't meant to be a cause-specific vehicle for any individual.

 

It stands or falls upon the level of public support and the willingness of fans to participate.

 

Depending on the success of the meeting, further details will be made available afterwards to fans unable to attend due to the short notice or based outside the region.

 

Just thought I'd pass this on.

 

I would like to go to this meeting; however, I've been working in London for the past few weeks and I won't be about until the next home game (B'burn 27th).

 

Can someone, who is going, let me know what the general theme/mood was like.

 

I would really like to go and ask the people who've forced Ashley to sell what they feel they've achieved for the club in the long-term. Whilst this isn't going to be a popular decision, particularly in the light of a small minority maintaining a seige-mentality against all things southern - I suppose these are the more fanatical elements of our club and more likely to turn up this evening.

 

A) Given that Keegan isn't "the Messiah" - why the insistence upon him returning to the club? There's been little to suggest a repeat of 92-97 in the 8months he was in charge again, furthermore, he inisted that he would see out his 3 years and then retire for good so we knew it was always going to be a transitional period.

 

B) Given the state of the club in July 2007, particularly off the pitch and it's financial position, why have we successfully forced out someone who appears to have been acting in good faith throughout?

- Furthermore, while short-term improvements haven't been as extensive as we'd like, the long-term strategy of the club has been set in motion and we appeared to have been returning to a sound financial footing, with an additional £20mil/year coming from our main benefactor. This money is now unlikely to appear due to the actions of our supporters, how do we realistically propose to keep Newcastle United in the heart of the community (i.e. not some foreign billionaire's plaything) and on a quicker path to success [than proposed by Ashley]?

- Will Kevin Keegan be returning with his millions to try and steer the club back to the top? Remember that he "only has the best interests of the club at heart."

[Tom_NUFC]

OK, I went tonight, and it was a pretty good turnout considering the short notice, maybe 200-300 people.

 

There was a five-man panel:

 

Mark Jenson - Editor, The Mag

Malcolm Dix - Former member of The Magpie Group & Former NUFC Director (he fell out with Shepherd)

Michael Martin - Editor, True Faith

John Gibson - Sports Writer, Evening Chronicle

Colin Whittle - Writer, The Mag/True Faith & Former Save Our Seats Campaigner

 

Basically, it was about establishing a full on supporters club with a big membership, to stand up for NUFC supporters, but also with the aim of (at some point) working with the club.

 

Although its been brought about by recent/current events and anger toward Mike Ashley et al, it's not just intended as a reaction to this, it's intended to be a permanent fixture with a proper membership scheme, putting out communications and building relationships with other similar organisations at other clubs, with the media/press, with the club and perhaps producing supporters club merchandise, as an alternative to official club merchandise.

 

The supporters club wants to change the false perceptions that the media and other supporters have of us, because right now it seems they have a massively distorted and completely false picture of what we're like and what we want/expect (all the sh*t about us being deluded and having expectations). It was mentioned that the charvers desperate to be on telly and felt tip/badly spelt banners on bedsheet brigade don't help the perceptions.

 

They're basically looking for people to get involved at all levels, be it committee members organising stuff, or regular foot soldiers. The idea of creating localised branches from the borders down through Northumberland, across Tyneside and into County Durham - basically wherever there's demand - so that meetings/organisations can take place alongside general meetings.

 

It was pretty much the panel making their points and suggestions and then the mic went to the floor for comments/questions and it was really good to see a general concensus forming about what should happen with people putting forward their thoughts and ideas. There was a lot of talk about not letting it peter out and keeping the momentum up, and I made the point that we need to make sure we have a follow up meeting in a fortnight/ a month's time where we can reconvene with more concrete ideas/structures, and maybe have more people interested.

 

Obviously, The Mag and True Faith are well placed to spread the message and have resources to publicise and print stuff (at least initially anyway). Malcolm Dix, I think will be someone good to have on board with his knowledge, and John Gibson will also have some good contacts, both with the media and inside football as well. Something mentioned was getting ex NUFC players involved either properly or just supporting the course, and it was suggested that he might be able to get some of them on board.

 

At the end people left their contact details and we'll be hearing back about where we go from here.

 

I'm pretty sure that there will be a follow up to this, as it was the panel who took people's details.

 

Basically, there seems to be a genuine willingness to get something credible, sensible and lasting together.

I'm really enthusiastic about this now, and I'm really glad I went along.

 

Obviously things are still a bit vague, but should become a bit clearer when we're contacted regarding what happens next. I'll keep you updated when I hear anything, but right now things look really good and it looks like it's going to be something worth joining.

 

[Guest]

Why wasn't kane2005 on the panel?

 

I'll never take this group seriously now.

[Dave]

Did anyone mention the fact the club already have a supporters group meeting thing?

[Tooj]

I've heard John Gibson was quite the racist this evening.

[TRon]

OK, I went tonight, and it was a pretty good turnout considering the short notice, maybe 200-300 people.

 

There was a five-man panel:

 

Mark Jenson - Editor, The Mag

Malcolm Dix - Former member of The Magpie Group & Former NUFC Director (he fell out with Shepherd)

Michael Martin - Editor, True Faith

John Gibson - Sports Writer, Evening Chronicle

Colin Whittle - Writer, The Mag/True Faith & Former Save Our Seats Campaigner

 

Basically, it was about establishing a full on supporters club with a big membership, to stand up for NUFC supporters, but also with the aim of (at some point) working with the club.

 

Although its been brought about by recent/current events and anger toward Mike Ashley et al, it's not just intended as a reaction to this, it's intended to be a permanent fixture with a proper membership scheme, putting out communications and building relationships with other similar organisations at other clubs, with the media/press, with the club and perhaps producing supporters club merchandise, as an alternative to official club merchandise.

 

The supporters club wants to change the false perceptions that the media and other supporters have of us, because right now it seems they have a massively distorted and completely false picture of what we're like and what we want/expect (all the sh*t about us being deluded and having expectations). It was mentioned that the charvers desperate to be on telly and felt tip/badly spelt banners on bedsheet brigade don't help the perceptions.

 

They're basically looking for people to get involved at all levels, be it committee members organising stuff, or regular foot soldiers. The idea of creating localised branches from the borders down through Northumberland, across Tyneside and into County Durham - basically wherever there's demand - so that meetings/organisations can take place alongside general meetings.

 

It was pretty much the panel making their points and suggestions and then the mic went to the floor for comments/questions and it was really good to see a general concensus forming about what should happen with people putting forward their thoughts and ideas. There was a lot of talk about not letting it peter out and keeping the momentum up, and I made the point that we need to make sure we have a follow up meeting in a fortnight/ a month's time where we can reconvene with more concrete ideas/structures, and maybe have more people interested.

 

Obviously, The Mag and True Faith are well placed to spread the message and have resources to publicise and print stuff (at least initially anyway). Malcolm Dix, I think will be someone good to have on board with his knowledge, and John Gibson will also have some good contacts, both with the media and inside football as well. Something mentioned was getting ex NUFC players involved either properly or just supporting the course, and it was suggested that he might be able to get some of them on board.

 

At the end people left their contact details and we'll be hearing back about where we go from here.

 

I'm pretty sure that there will be a follow up to this, as it was the panel who took people's details.

 

Basically, there seems to be a genuine willingness to get something credible, sensible and lasting together.

I'm really enthusiastic about this now, and I'm really glad I went along.

 

Obviously things are still a bit vague, but should become a bit clearer when we're contacted regarding what happens next. I'll keep you updated when I hear anything, but right now things look really good and it looks like it's going to be something worth joining.

 

 

Those two bolded parts look mutually exclusive to me. I can't imagine the club being delighted at the prospect of people spending money on alternative merchandise.

[Guest optimistic nit]

if the supporters club doesn't work with the club then what the hell is the point of it? the people's front of judea?

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Seems like a bunch of people taking themselves a little too seriously tbf.