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BIGChris
March 19, 2018, 8:23pm
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I rarely post on here these days but I have received messages regarding some of the recent posts and debates.

I have to say I still have so much anger about the way GTFC is being run as I mistakenly thought we would ensure the previous errors of judgement would never repeat themselves yet, if anything, the supporter engagement is even worse than it was in 2010. Supporters are treated as idiots with nothing to offer but their admission money.

As others have said, so many long term fans have had enough, you can only be slapped in the face so many times before either walking away or fighting back.

Given that grim choice which one will you do?

Walking away after decades of total commitment sounds easier than I think it will be. Why should the attachment, the cammarederie, the love for what is often your childhood sweetheart  be taken away by someone who many have lost any respect for, primarily because your commitment is not only unappreciated, but laughed at.

Standing up and fighting back takes time, energy and drive and comes with no guarantees of success, however that is measured.

At this moment in time, I don't think I can walk away and desert my club so what can I do?

I, and several others, put in a lot of time and energy into revitalising the Trust. I hold my hands up and tell the world that I had a keen aim to have fan representation on the board of GTFC. I wanted the fans voice to be at heard and I often said that I believed that we were better sat at the boardroom table than stood in the car park throwing stones. I was also of the view that the Trust representative should not be the Trust chair because I felt it more important to retain an independence.

I held the view that we were better off on the club board, even after the time when I left the Trust. The reasons for my departure have largely remained private and that is because I have always believed you don't air your dirty washing in public. I would say that the people who I worked with during my time on the Trust board had my total respect for a thankless task. It is to their credit that some of those stalwarts survive some six or seven years later. Let's just say my reasons were primarily related to the person who is attracting more criticism  than he has ever done!

That leads me to express my dissapointed at some of the posts over the last few days which have, in my opinion, been unnecessary and personal. We don't always agree, that's good and beneficial, but to accuse people who give up significant amounts of time and energy to try and improve our club as being in it for their own interests is terribly unfair, again, in my opinion.

The way forward now is to back the manager and players for the remaining games in the hope we can avoid relegation. Please note I am not telling anyone to get behind the team, that is not my place to do so, but I will ASK everyone who can to support the players because that is all we can do.

Once our fate is sealed then action must be taken. I hope the Trust will canvass their members with the question about giving up the seat on the club board. Whether we stay up or not the fans will demand change and the vechile to do that has to be the Trust. If the members wish to give up the seat then it is likely the bars will be handed back to the club. Sad but necessary in my view

If JF wiil not change then the fans must unite to effect removal.

This course of action is sad and an awful situation to be in but for me, doing nothing and continuing as we are is not an option, unless you wish to walk away without a murmur. That may happen but season ticket sales will slump without boardroom change.

Personally I don't think there is any need for a breakaway Trust, what we may need is to get the people with energy and drive for change to join together to unite the fan base with the aim of being professional and bringing about a brighter future for GTFC. Doing nothing after May 2018 is not an option IMO.

UTM
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Lincoln Mariner 56
March 19, 2018, 9:36pm
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Given the recent posts from Bax, Dave Roberts and Big Chris it is becoming increasingly apparent that GTFC is approaching a cross roads and the route that is chosen may be bumpy and uncomfortable but will take us to where we want to go more quickly.

In all honesty until the last month the actions of JF has not bothered me, and to come completely clean I personally have no problem with U23’s playing in the Checkatrade as I see it as a way of giving some real competitive football to many younger players completely spoiled and ruined by the premiership Academy system. Plus I never went to those games anyway nor see anyway it will result in those sides taking over league positions currently occupied with teams such as ours.

However, the numbers of people that have had board involvement and shared working relationships with JF are clearly pointing the finger and I like many more are finally accepting that the current regime has to end as soon as the final ball is kicked this season.

I don’t know what the future holds for town but as many have explained, in much better words than I, going to watch town is no longer a pleasure but like staying with the wife for the sake of the kids we go because it feels like the right thing to do. Looking back the real pleasure was enjoyed a long time ago with McMenemy’s glorious season, the Kerr and Buckley eras those magnificent trips to Wembley in 98 and of course that one good day since in 2016.

For my sins I have a lad of 11, season ticket holder, & given where we live, where he goes to school and where his mates go to watch their football I did offer him the chance of becoming a Chimp and I would not be offended. Well he was the one offended and after this season more than any other if I do not back the need for change I will for ever regret having ever taking him to BP and having to endure days at school like today after Saturday’s defeat.

Like so many others without that change we will not be attending home matches next season and the longer we stay away the harder it will be to return. I am incredulous at how truly awful this squad of players is and would never have thought that a guy with Slade’s experience capable of such ineptitude, when he returned I was not gleeful but accepting that at least we had a safe pair of hands for a couple of years.

Well that too was a mistake, backing JF was a mistake and not backing change would be one mistake too many. So I look forward to getting behind whatever change is planned and look forward to a time when once again going to BP is something to cherish and look forward to.
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realist
March 19, 2018, 9:46pm
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It will never happen. The trust treats its members with the same contempt that Fenty treats his customers. Look at the number of people who have posted that they have heard nothing since paying their membership. Is this ths dynamic inclusive group we need to influence our club? You have had your chance and  blown it
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Brazilnut
March 19, 2018, 9:50pm

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Chris a great post and totally respect the reserve you have shown in not airing the dirty washing , reading thro your post I found myself nodding every couple of lines .....must have looked like one of them dogs in the back window of a car......great to see you post again.

Lincoln ...feel your pain and you put it so well .........mate take it from me once you stop going it is hard to go back ......ex season ticket holder with my lad ....when he hit 18 and started working saturdays i needed an excuse to go .....now when i do i sit there and say right 20 quid spent entertain me........come away disappointed ....then the next time i find  it harder to hand over the £20.......for that can nip to pub saturday afternoon watch soccer saturday and due to the beer leave happy no matter what the score

Will always be proud to be a Town fan .........just a shame the club arent proud of us


<*(((><

    Town have given me some of my highest highs and my lowest lows ........ God it is like a marriage
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headingly_mariner
March 19, 2018, 9:55pm

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I actually think that it wouldn’t harm the club long term to see a bit of dirty washing aired in public.

Far too often those at the club have been able to rubbish and deflect rumours about their shocking behaviour. People still don’t believe the things that happen and the reasons we are in this mess.

Appreciate your contribution and it’s a shame your no longer part of the Trust.
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lew chaterleys lover
March 19, 2018, 9:57pm
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Quoted from BIGChris
I rarely post on here these days but I have received messages regarding some of the recent posts and debates.

I have to say I still have so much anger about the way GTFC is being run as I mistakenly thought we would ensure the previous errors of judgement would never repeat themselves yet, if anything, the supporter engagement is even worse than it was in 2010. Supporters are treated as idiots with nothing to offer but their admission money.

As others have said, so many long term fans have had enough, you can only be slapped in the face so many times before either walking away or fighting back.

Given that grim choice which one will you do?

Walking away after decades of total commitment sounds easier than I think it will be. Why should the attachment, the cammarederie, the love for what is often your childhood sweetheart  be taken away by someone who many have lost any respect for, primarily because your commitment is not only unappreciated, but laughed at.

Standing up and fighting back takes time, energy and drive and comes with no guarantees of success, however that is measured.

At this moment in time, I don't think I can walk away and desert my club so what can I do?

I, and several others, put in a lot of time and energy into revitalising the Trust. I hold my hands up and tell the world that I had a keen aim to have fan representation on the board of GTFC. I wanted the fans voice to be at heard and I often said that I believed that we were better sat at the boardroom table than stood in the car park throwing stones. I was also of the view that the Trust representative should not be the Trust chair because I felt it more important to retain an independence.

I held the view that we were better off on the club board, even after the time when I left the Trust. The reasons for my departure have largely remained private and that is because I have always believed you don't air your dirty washing in public. I would say that the people who I worked with during my time on the Trust board had my total respect for a thankless task. It is to their credit that some of those stalwarts survive some six or seven years later. Let's just say my reasons were primarily related to the person who is attracting more criticism  than he has ever done!

That leads me to express my dissapointed at some of the posts over the last few days which have, in my opinion, been unnecessary and personal. We don't always agree, that's good and beneficial, but to accuse people who give up significant amounts of time and energy to try and improve our club as being in it for their own interests is terribly unfair, again, in my opinion.

The way forward now is to back the manager and players for the remaining games in the hope we can avoid relegation. Please note I am not telling anyone to get behind the team, that is not my place to do so, but I will ASK everyone who can to support the players because that is all we can do.

Once our fate is sealed then action must be taken. I hope the Trust will canvass their members with the question about giving up the seat on the club board. Whether we stay up or not the fans will demand change and the vechile to do that has to be the Trust. If the members wish to give up the seat then it is likely the bars will be handed back to the club. Sad but necessary in my view

If JF wiil not change then the fans must unite to effect removal.

This course of action is sad and an awful situation to be in but for me, doing nothing and continuing as we are is not an option, unless you wish to walk away without a murmur. That may happen but season ticket sales will slump without boardroom change.

Personally I don't think there is any need for a breakaway Trust, what we may need is to get the people with energy and drive for change to join together to unite the fan base with the aim of being professional and bringing about a brighter future for GTFC. Doing nothing after May 2018 is not an option IMO.

UTM


The idea of having a place on the board and influencing things from within seems sound enough, but I am finding it hard to believe it has taken some people this long to realise that working with JF is impossible.

Remaining within the tent is simply giving him complete control and the Trust must surely become the catalyst to remove him. The Trust should simply come out and say they have no confidence in the current board and are actively working to get him to stand down. The membership would increase ten fold I would imagine, and that would include a lot of the people with the skill sets and ambition to effect change.
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Trawler
March 19, 2018, 10:00pm
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Amen BigChris.  This has to be post of the year.

What I would give for you to be at the helm of this club.


"Pound for pound, and class for class, the best football team I have seen in England since the war. In the league they were in they played football nobody else could play. Everything was measured, planned and perfected and you could not wish to see more entertaining football." Bill Shankly, Manager GTFC 1951-54
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crusty ole pie
March 19, 2018, 10:08pm

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Great post Chris you have summed up my feeling to a tee, the product served up this season, the way the fans have been treated as left me numb, and at this moment I don’t think I care anymore. What hurts most is that I have a two year old grandson who  a year ago I could not wait till I can take him to his first match to begin that dream of playing for the town like we all did.
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lew chaterleys lover
March 19, 2018, 10:10pm
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Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56
Given the recent posts from Bax, Dave Roberts and Big Chris it is becoming increasingly apparent that GTFC is approaching a cross roads and the route that is chosen may be bumpy and uncomfortable but will take us to where we want to go more quickly.

In all honesty until the last month the actions of JF has not bothered me, and to come completely clean I personally have no problem with U23’s playing in the Checkatrade as I see it as a way of giving some real competitive football to many younger players completely spoiled and ruined by the premiership Academy system. Plus I never went to those games anyway nor see anyway it will result in those sides taking over league positions currently occupied with teams such as ours.

However, the numbers of people that have had board involvement and shared working relationships with JF are clearly pointing the finger and I like many more are finally accepting that the current regime has to end as soon as the final ball is kicked this season.

I don’t know what the future holds for town but as many have explained, in much better words than I, going to watch town is no longer a pleasure but like staying with the wife for the sake of the kids we go because it feels like the right thing to do. Looking back the real pleasure was enjoyed a long time ago with McMenemy’s glorious season, the Kerr and Buckley eras those magnificent trips to Wembley in 98 and of course that one good day since in 2016.

For my sins I have a lad of 11, season ticket holder, & given where we live, where he goes to school and where his mates go to watch their football I did offer him the chance of becoming a Chimp and I would not be offended. Well he was the one offended and after this season more than any other if I do not back the need for change I will for ever regret having ever taking him to BP and having to endure days at school like today after Saturday’s defeat.

Like so many others without that change we will not be attending home matches next season and the longer we stay away the harder it will be to return. I am incredulous at how truly awful this squad of players is and would never have thought that a guy with Slade’s experience capable of such ineptitude, when he returned I was not gleeful but accepting that at least we had a safe pair of hands for a couple of years.

Well that too was a mistake, backing JF was a mistake and not backing change would be one mistake too many. So I look forward to getting behind whatever change is planned and look forward to a time when once again going to BP is something to cherish and look forward to.


It is a conundrum for a lot of us; do we withdraw our labour so to speak in order to force change? Do we temporarily give up a lifetime of commitment and enjoyment for the greater good?

If the Trust could step up to the plate and say they have no confidence in the current regime and want to push for change I would certainly join in a boycott of the club if financial penalties is the only thing he understands. It pains me to say such a thing after urging many on here to keep attending, but it has become so dispiriting I can hardly bear the thought of going if he is still going to hold the all the aces despite the keystone cops approach to running the club.
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MuddyWaters
March 19, 2018, 10:11pm
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What is so refreshing is to see individuals who may have been seen as part of the 'establishment' breaking ranks.

Great post Big Chris - I really hope that members of the club's hierarchy take time to read the posts of the last couple of days and realise how much dismay, despair and yes, hurt they have caused.

There are individuals out here who would do a better job - yes, there damn well are.
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