Quote:
Originally Posted by JEFF
As for Macca's suggestions of what should be done. A couple of years ago we had long winded posts from Macca regarding the Supporters Club about what should have been done and what was going to be done now that Macca was in charge. What happened to all that when it was put into practice, how did all his suggestions and ideas change the Supporters Club. Well I am told that there were four people at the last meeting, that's how much it changed it.
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touche Jeff, touche.
what did happen during the 18 months that I was Chairman of the Supporters Club? well we had the largest ever organised away travel (that the club pulled its face at), we organised an open day of great magnitude (that was only pulled weeks before the date due to LCC sticking their noses in on a subject that had been cleared by HBC and Hyndburn Police), as part of the Open Day we had organised the resurrection of the Primary school knockout 7 a-side and had secured sponsors for that event - it was eventually held elsewhere, we broke into our own brand of merchandise (and love it or hate it it roughly broke even on takings and left us with over £2k of stock despite the club not allowing us to sell it through official avenues), we organised The Exhibition that had over 3000 visitors from various corners of the globe (despite the lack of involvement from the club), we represented the club at events that it never been to such as the Mela and Barrowford show, we upgraded membership cards from paper to hard wearing plastic, we secured our own sponsorships for the first time ever and had the membership cards, website and events sponsored by various people. We made marginally more money year on year than in previous years, despite larger outgoings due to things like merchandise, and despite the fact that we did not do a single sponsored event in that time.
My aim when I took over was to increase the profile of the club (ASFC as well as OSC) through various different approaches. This was done with regular radio interviews on 2BR, 107 the Bee, Radio Lancs and Rock FM, articles in 4-4-2 magazine, News of the World, Independant and Guardian newspapers, numerous 'college' type interviews for media studies courses and of course as frequently as possible in the local papers.
The exposure was all well and good and should be maintained as all positive (and it was) publicity is good publicity and helps to dilute any bad publicity (such as the turnign down of Freedom of the Borough and the various tussles with planning over the control room) BUT it doesn't put pound notes in the till and is, cynically, the reason why Mr Whalley doesn't put any emphasis on doing such things. But at the end of the day the club didn't really put any effort into the things we attempted, and this coupled with public apathy, ensured that things never really changed for the better. Before I took over there were numerous people sayin gthe OSC was that that or t'other and only Ossyclogger defending it. Many people said they would come to the meetings if things changed. The meeting where I was voted in saw 18 newcomers attend, looking back it was the largest meeting held for some time. But once that was done some of these people dropped away and many of the people who were attending prior to my appointment stopped going. This might have been because of me or it might have been because they saw the opportunity to get away quick while the going was good. Make no mistake it is a thankless task but one that I worked bloody at trying to do.
MORE PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN THE OSC FOR IT TO BE THE SUCCESS THAT IT DESERVES TO BE.
If people didn't like my brand of doing things then they can do their own - it's not a problem. I always said that if somebody was willing to do something then it shouldn't be backburned - crack on with it. Sponsored events always brought the money in but meant a lot of effort for few people and the same people being asked by 10 folk for sponsor money! I wasn't willing to do that and tried to give the Supporters Club the means to be self sufficient eg the merchandise range. But if you and a few others thought it a good idea then fine, do it. If you think it's a good idea to do lapdances on the coach to a game then fine, do it. The OSC could and should support 'branches'
As for there being only four members at the last meeting or what is going on with the Supporters Club now then you'll have to ask Harwood Red. For similar reasons to why I haven't been to the games, I also have had no involvement with the OSC since the Exhibition ended.
Hope this answers your questions Jeff. (and sorry for being long winded again!)
