The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I have been a Gold Bond Member since the beginning of the scheme. I have payed my £20 a month plus my season ticket plus a donation for parking plus £5 worth of raffle tickets each home game. I was told I was going to have a special evening with Mr Coleman (you know what I mean!!). Nothing but nothing has happened, oh yes they have reduced the number of prizes for the monthly draw!..Its a case of take all from the supporters then sod them!! I had the pleasure of going to an ecent at our local Primary School where Owen Coyle spent from 7.30 to 10.00pm answering questions from fans. A most intelligent and informative young manager who was prepared to give something back to the fans and raise over £1000 for the school. I don't see Eric Whalley or the management of Accrington Stanley doing anything like this. Sorry they want you to support the Sportsmans dinner (another opportunity to demonstrate how not to do things!) All in all they have lost another supporter.. Iv'e had enough of the tinpot setup and will take my custom elsewhere.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

From Gold Bond Members to Junior Eagles, Eric just wants your money with nothing in return.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Its getting a very bad state atm is the apathy between fans & the club - the gap couldnt be wider & the footy > Fan competition most fierce, i dont think the club appreciate what its doing & is driving some fans to despair & u wanna try living with dingles to have their club that does & our club that dont - stanley fan loses everytime so far & not talking money side but the shear difference in attitudes from every level alone :( [i sooo hate to admit an all]

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

My money's going to the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday to watch United humiliate Blackburn. The first home match I've missed (other than through having to work) in 4 seasons. Going off the murmurings in the Main Stand last week I won't be the only one going elsewhere to watch a match this weekend.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I've not given up on the footy and Coley just Eric Whalley.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

after sat day and tues day im off to eastwood town game on sat and there 4 accy fans coming we have seen to much **** this year its time to change at accy we all put hard cash in to the club and get kick in the balls all the time

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Club chairman and owner, Kevin Henry of Darwin fc has stated that in is time as owner of the club has put in £100k+ and how long has he owned the club 3yrs is it! Eric has had stanley since the mid/late 80s at that rate he has pumpt some where between 1.5 and 2 million in to the club out of his own pocket,and yes loyal fans who have put their hard cash in season upon season through the gate and in other ways have a right to have a moan now and again,But as you and i and that goes right to the top we all want Stanley to sucseed and progress on and off the field,right now the team and stanley as a whole need me and you wheather you like it or not and not been there to push the boys on specialy at home wont help the club one bit lets get behind the team as one.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I thought Eric took over from John Alty around 1994-ish?

I think there are 2 issues here. There are those who seem disgruntled because we're not winning, although most would admit that the quality of football at home this season is significantly better than last. Then there' re those others who are disgruntled with the way that the club communicates with and treats fans. Of the two groups, it's the latter that the club needs to be most concerned about, as they are normally your hardcore supporter. Once they've gone, it'll be harder to win them back than it will the first group.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I'd like to see what unofficial web liasons officer Southern Red has to say here. :-) Fettler is taking his custom ELSEWHERE because the club aren't making with their promises. Are alarm bells not going off at the club?! Something might be going wrong here fellas!! Promises are compromised along the way yet the club expect people to keep paying the same rate as when they were promised the full kaboodle. Snot gunna happen.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

the problem with the money that has been pumped in over the years is that we allowed footballing matters to rule over everything else. The ground is always maintained to a minimum, the squad to a maximum. We have now peaked in terms of what we can acheive with the funds available and we have to keep those funds to the maximum in order to stay where we are (near the bottom of the league). This is not going to change unless we can find the money to improve things off the pitch in order to generate the funds needed to move away from the bottom. We will remain this way until a) somebody wins the lottery b) soembody is wiling to pay far more than the club is worth to take it off Eric's hands c) we have a lucky cup run and draw the big boys away from home.
The club has overtaken itself (good thing or bad thing?) and can now only tread water. Money has to be diverted from the playing squad to improve the infrastructure (sales staff, better shop, better corporate facilities, improved bar, improved website etc etc). Sadly, doing that could result in relegation to the Conference - which some fans would catagorically hate.
If we had never reached the FL then it wouldn't be a problem - you dont miss what you dont know. But as we have then we shouldn't be willing to relinquish it so easily.
If Eric knows that he will have to put in x amount of cash over the next 24 months then he should really think about putting the lot in at once and finding the means for the club to make that money itself.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

...and therein lies the crux of the matter. Until Eric is willing to sell the club at a reasonable price to someone (and I don't mean that character who wanted to shift us to Leigh) who has the ideas, imagination and cash to make the club a more attractive proposition to local people, we are doomed to carry on as we are, just scraping by. Come on, Eric, do the right thing.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Have to give Southern red credit - he is the only one from the club that does come on here to try to answer queries, give info & still try to diffuse the situation that the rest of the heirachy of the club have caused, he is interested in the fans & does attend osc meetings. Just a shame none of his counterparts are like that which would make a huge difference, but SR can only do so much as hands are tied with erics reign - that i altho we disagree on some issues that can only change at the top, he does what he can within his ability, & taking the discussions from not happy people is brave whereas he could be like the rest & avoid the message board, a point i wished to clarify :D

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Quite agree, SM. Southern Red's a top bloke and if it weren't for him coming on here, we'd know even less about what's going on at the club which supposedly values our support. A pity there aren't more like him at the club!

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Just to re-itterate another point, as the club have removed the link back to this message board also give this website a reason to remove the asfc link from here to the club, things work both ways & seems a point ignored from the club, dismissing its local forum, its local forum could soon well dismiss the club too:rolleyes:

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I find it very sad when fans get disolusioned, especially those who have stuck by the club through thick and thin, but even the most genuine vans can so much before they get hissed off, if only the power that be could see it, just wonder if he ever comes on here to see what the fans are actually say, if he doesn't he should

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

You didn't think that one through did you :)

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

thats a big assumption mate= that Eric can read.:rolleyes:

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I think this thread and especialy the headline is a bit harsh..

Eric promised the football league in five years..he delivered... slagging him off now is a bit off :(

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Nobody realistically expected the Football League in 5 years and that's why we're in the mess we are now.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Aww come on.. thats a bit stretched to say its all erics fault for giving us the football league... jeeze

I agree the team went/climbed/progressed? faster than the club did.. but I dont think thats anyhting to attack someone for.. I would offer praise not attack.

There are two types of chairman.. a man who has the club at heart or the man who has money at heart... I doubt anyone would accuse eric of not having the club at heart and I would prefer eric than someone whos only motivation is money.. I would prefer someone like eric who loves the club..

Having someone with mega millions and a love of the club is a bit of a pipe dream...

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I don't think I even implied that, let alone type it.

I was merely pointing to the fact that when we were promoted to the league, we were probably 8 years ahead of where we should have been. Due to that, we're now 'suffering' from a barely minimum ground, low fan base, etc.

Most people are aware that winning the Conference was a blunder.....lol

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I led with my right instead of my left.. I should have jabbed first... You quote my first line but not the second where I am all but agreeing with you...

I guess you ahve fallen intoi the accyweb way.. pick out the worse and focus on that.. ignore everything else..

I don think winning the conference was a bad thing.. I agreed that the team went faster than the club... but if the team have to fight relegation and just hang on for a few seasons while the club catches up then we are on a winner...

lets face it theres a lot of club who would swap places in a heartbeat

I prefer non league to league 2... but i wouldnt wish the club to go backwards

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

For once, and astonishingly, I find myself in agreement with KP. We all know that the club has been punching above its weight for some years and we've been treading water for the last couple of years. The most disappointing thing is the loss of all those people who came to watch games during the heady charge to the FL. There have been changes although , I agree, they have been slow to come. I still feel there is cause for optimism (fool, I know). Most people agree that the football has been better than it was last season and, at the end of the day, that's what I go to see.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

In terms of what has gone on both on the field, and in terms of ground improvements off it, I can find no serious fault with anything the club has done. Eric and Coley put the club before anything else, so if a player has to go to balance the books or to protect team discipline, he goes, and what supporters want doesn't matter. Similarly if finances dictate seats on the Clayton End then so be it.

My gripes are over the change which has overcome the club since joining the Football League. Where there was once communication between the club and supporters there now seems to be a determination to keep us in the dark. Information is only made available when it becomes absolutely necessary and sometimes not even then (there has still been nothing about the Sportsman's on the Fishy site).

There was always going to come a time when results would be a struggle, we couldn't keep on rising through the leagues indefinitely, but just as we hit three seasons of disappointing results and the supporters need cosseting, the bunker mentality has set in.

As to the Gold Bond scheme money has been obtained under false pretences. The promised events etc. have not taken place and no explanation given. If it's down to one person's illness, as might be the case, then a brief post on the web site the that effect would suffice. The sort of people who signed up to Gold Bond did it out of love for the club not to attend special events or win special prizes. They deserve better than to be taken for granted and ignored.

What will it take before the club understands its obligations? A complaint to Trading Standards or the gaming authorities?

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

The website is now the main communication between fans and club.. what will happen is that we will see some news stories posted for a day or two.. then all and sundry will slap thereselves on the back saying they got the club to listen and even posts thanking the club for listening... then we will have months of no news

How do I know this will happen? because thats how it happens every single time to date.. someone tell me I am wrong?

I want to see news.. not adverts dressed up as news ending with "every penny spent goes to the club" ..

Search the forum.. its been going on for years.. accy observer or telegraph or other club websites is where we get news

like an old repeating record isnt it :)

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

As long as its not to John Batchelor :rolleyes:

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Have you contacted the club? Email, telehphone or even fax?
Have you been to the club shop?

My view is that the club is always going to have little different problems like this! All football clubs do, whether thats ticket mixups, online sales etc. This football club isnt perfect and neither is every other in this league! Ask any other fans from the clubs in this league and they will have incountered a problem. This is a big problem for you as your obviously not getting your £20 worth for your Gold Bond! But why come and post your problem on the forum and slag Eric off? Eric has put plenty of money into this club and has got us back into the football league! Has anyone actually thought that its not Eric hanging onto the football club and its a fact that no-one wants to buy it!? And to compare it to Burnley is a different matter! Just look at the size of their club and set up compared to us! My answer to your problem would be to live and learn and not do the Gold Bond any more! :)

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I think we are getting a bit confused with the Gold Bond and the Gold Stanley Legend. The former is the weekly draw and the latter is the £20 a month scheme which gives you entries in the Gold Draw as well as the supposed bonuses such as the following

"Be a Gold Legend - £20 per month
Benefits as with the bronze and silver packages but with a total of four sets of seven numbers in the Accrington Stanley Gold Bond Draw, full complimentary match day access to the new Buy the House Hospitality Lounge, a further draw exclusively for Gold Legends, and an annual Gold Legend event with Stanley manager John Coleman"

I only opted to be a Bronze legend but that has produced pretty much the same result but with fewer entries in the Gold Draw.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

perfectly true n the fact they did made me very happy, never expected to see a stanley side back in the league in my lifetime, obviously though some folk that paid hard cash on the promise of things disagree n to me they are entitled to do so, its tantamount to deception in my book.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

This is quite true, but sadly the club seems to behave in a way that makes it appear that they do not need us.

Those who are disgruntled are not asking for anything extraordinary. Some are asking specifically for promises to be kept. Is that too much to ask? Others are asking that the club acts in a professional way in its dealings with its fans and supporters. Again, is that too much to ask?

As has been said repeatedly, the club failed to capitalise on its promotion to the Football League. The opportunities to do so continue to pass by (Exhibition etc etc).

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Be a Gold Legend - £20 per month
Benefits as with the bronze and silver packages but with a total of four sets of seven numbers in the Accrington Stanley Gold Bond Draw, full complimentary match day access to the new Buy the House Hospitality Lounge, a further draw exclusively for Gold Legends, and an annual Gold Legend event with Stanley manager John Coleman" :eek: Annual event meaning onces a season or year which implyes a date hasn't been set for the event as of yet :)

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

The Legends scheme must have been running for over a year now. I've been donating monthly to a charity for over a year, ever since my application to Legends was lost by the club.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I'm sure I joined before Christmas 2007 and it had been on the go for a while before that. We used to get our names in the programme but I'm sure that stopped at the end of last season.

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Must have started sometime around here



http://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/i...ws/archive.php

Coming soon... ( Wednesday 22nd Aug 2007 )
Stanley Legends
What does it take to be a Stanley Legend? A long and illustrious career in the red shirt? Involvement in a Championship winning side? Or just a magical scrappy goal against a local rival on a cold February evening in front of a few hundred supporters?

Of course all of these things can write a name into Stanley folklore forever, but as we look to continue to take the club further in our footballing journey, we are now looking to the true Stanley legends to help us on the way. You!

Further details to follow next week...

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

I signed up straight away and the first payment was taken in October 2007 - 17 months ago.

promises were made and should be kept. I've been meaning to cancel for months but know that the first event will occur only days after doing so!

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

So once again it's a case of "Rip Off Stanley".

Re: The club that promises a lot and delivers nothing
 

Does anyone get the winning numbers emailed to them? I don't but it says on the fishy site