A Reaction...

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beatroute66
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A Reaction...

Post by beatroute66 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:37 pm

Firstly, telling others what they should think/feel and how to react to today's news isn't really constructive. I've read a variety of thoughts on Twitter this morning, some I agree with/some I disagree with, but each to their own.

Clearly a pretty hefty mistake has been made and, beyond the statement issued this morning, someone probably needs to make a full apology, give an explanation and (in the interests of "doing the right thing", perhaps) possibly offer to step down/resign. As to whether that happens and then is accepted is an argument for another day.

As Kev Luff said on Twitter earlier on, it's the players I feel sorry for the most. They've done brilliantly to get us to 5th in April in a league that we only got promoted to last season, so they deserve way better than this.

Clearly a lot of fans will also feel stiffed - I feel let down, I suppose, but by the same token I'm able to recognise that a mistake has been made. I don't think there is a conspiracy theory here and I think a lot of what appears in the statement is probably true. It is what it is and we have to work out what happens next in the interests of moving forward.

Appealing against the decision is pointless. We're better off putting our efforts into working out a plan, to be honest.

And it might not make me popular given the tone of a lot of the reaction, but: "...we would remind everyone that had we thought that we would be playing back in our home town, in the second tier of the non-league pyramid, under our original name, and all within five years of that fateful day in 2012, not many would have had faith in that dream."...is pretty much where I'm at, to be honest. Maybe my sights are a little lower than others, but I still find myself being amazed at where we're at in comparison to the situation in 2012. However you cut it, this isn't as bad as 2012. Not by a long chalk.

That doesn't mean that mistakes like this should be just brushed off - far from it - but maybe these shitty 'means' will get us to a better 'ends' in time. Like it or not, going up this season would probably have caused more damage both on and off-the-field next season. Even as it stands, we've progressed way more on the pitch than we have off it - at some point a period of time was going to come where the club's infrastructure needed to catch up with the team's heroics ("we can't afford to go up this season until X, Y and Z...". It looks like that time has come, albeit someone else has made that decision for us.

I'm not overly concerned that MG or a whole host of players are going to walk away. I don't think that will happen. This situation isn't 2008 or 2012. What does concern me is the investment needed to make sure that next season we can compete for promotion - without stating the obvious, I can see a large number of fans being way less keen to dip their hands into their pockets this time around so, with the lack of a sugar daddy or any form of grant (as I understand it?), I am wondering where £150/200k is going to come from.

As others have said elsewhere already, lets finish in the PO places anyway and end the season in the spirit of how we've approached it thus far. If nothing else, the players deserve to finish on as good as high as they can.

Wouldn't be Darlo if it wasn't an absolute chew, would it?

al_quaker
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by al_quaker » Thu Apr 13, 2017 1:07 pm

beatroute66 wrote: What does concern me is the investment needed to make sure that next season we can compete for promotion - without stating the obvious, I can see a large number of fans being way less keen to dip their hands into their pockets this time around so, with the lack of a sugar daddy or any form of grant (as I understand it?), I am wondering where £150/200k is going to come from.
Good post, and it's this part which I am in most agreement with. I think the way that the board handle the aftermath of this issue will go a long way to determine how quickly we as a club move on from this and move forwards off the pitch with the fundraising for a new stand. The board need to reflect on what's happened and their recent statements before the fans forum next week, and make sure they get the tone correct.

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Spyman
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Spyman » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:24 pm

It has been said a million times before, but the fans will get the club the fans deserve.

If people want to spit their dummies out and say they're not putting any more money in, then fine. But they have to accept that nobody can then do anything to grow the club and move up the leagues. It won't be 'the boards' fault or the players fault or Martin Gray's fault.

Of course, people are within their rights to say 'I've put enough money into this club now and I don't want to do it any more', but they have to accept the ceiling we'll hit, and it appears we've now hit that ceiling.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

DC

tezza
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by tezza » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:36 pm

Spyman wrote:It has been said a million times before, but the fans will get the club the fans deserve.

If people want to spit their dummies out and say they're not putting any more money in, then fine. But they have to accept that nobody can then do anything to grow the club and move up the leagues. It won't be 'the boards' fault or the players fault or Martin Gray's fault.

Of course, people are within their rights to say 'I've put enough money into this club now and I don't want to do it any more', but they have to accept the ceiling we'll hit, and it appears we've now hit that ceiling.
Until the next waive of fundraising and the response it brings I do not see how you can state that we have reached any ceiling.

The board need to demonstrate collective responsibility, rather than single out any individual. I agree how they approach and communicate this at the next fan forum is key to their credibility. We should however , and this is in no way an excuse but a reality, we should not forget what they and all the others as unpaid part time volunteers have achieved for us the "normal" fans.

This latest event can serve as a wake up call , one that we need to learn from. Having a lynching party , now, would be the exact wrong thing to do.

I am mindful some will want some kind of punishment, however I firmly believe that the majority of supporters, recognise the efforts made on our behalf by a few, and still support their endeavours.

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Spyman
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Spyman » Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:39 pm

tezza wrote:
Spyman wrote:It has been said a million times before, but the fans will get the club the fans deserve.

If people want to spit their dummies out and say they're not putting any more money in, then fine. But they have to accept that nobody can then do anything to grow the club and move up the leagues. It won't be 'the boards' fault or the players fault or Martin Gray's fault.

Of course, people are within their rights to say 'I've put enough money into this club now and I don't want to do it any more', but they have to accept the ceiling we'll hit, and it appears we've now hit that ceiling.
Until the next waive of fundraising and the response it brings I do not see how you can state that we have reached any ceiling.

The board need to demonstrate collective responsibility, rather than single out any individual. I agree how they approach and communicate this at the next fan forum is key to their credibility. We should however , and this is in no way an excuse but a reality, we should not forget what they and all the others as unpaid part time volunteers have achieved for us the "normal" fans.

This latest event can serve as a wake up call , one that we need to learn from. Having a lynching party , now, would be the exact wrong thing to do.

I am mindful some will want some kind of punishment, however I firmly believe that the majority of supporters, recognise the efforts made on our behalf by a few, and still support their endeavours.
We've hit a ceiling because we have reached a point where we can't progress by natural means.

If the fund-raising drive raises whatever is needed to develop the facilities, and concurrently we can fund a promotion-challenging squad, then we'll break through that ceiling - but without that we've hit a ceiling and people need to accept that no funding = no promotion.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

DC

H1987
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by H1987 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:03 pm

I'm gutted. I can't quite imagine how MG and the players must feel.

At no point did I ever expect us to go up, but a money spinning playoff game would have been absolutely what we needed, not to mention momentum going into next year, even if we didn't make it.

This is a massive let down, and will feel like a black mark going into next season. Also, if we don't get the appropriate seats installed over the summer, how the hell do you motivate the players for next year?

It's just an absolute and total shitter. I don't think 'heads need to roll' or anything like that, but people have a right to be upset / angry about it all.

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Mr_Tibbs
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Mr_Tibbs » Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:03 pm

H1987 wrote:Also, if we don't get the appropriate seats installed over the summer, how the hell do you motivate the players for next year?
Don't we have until March 2018 to get them installed for next season's shot at the play-offs, or was I reading it wrong?
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leedscol
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by leedscol » Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:09 pm

Look it's very disappointing but we've got over worse.
We now need the Board to come up with some proposals to go forward.

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QuakerPete
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by QuakerPete » Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:22 pm

beatroute66 wrote:Firstly, telling others what they should think/feel and how to react to today's news isn't really constructive. I've read a variety of thoughts on Twitter this morning, some I agree with/some I disagree with, but each to their own.

Clearly a pretty hefty mistake has been made and, beyond the statement issued this morning, someone probably needs to make a full apology, give an explanation and (in the interests of "doing the right thing", perhaps) possibly offer to step down/resign. As to whether that happens and then is accepted is an argument for another day.

As Kev Luff said on Twitter earlier on, it's the players I feel sorry for the most. They've done brilliantly to get us to 5th in April in a league that we only got promoted to last season, so they deserve way better than this.

Clearly a lot of fans will also feel stiffed - I feel let down, I suppose, but by the same token I'm able to recognise that a mistake has been made. I don't think there is a conspiracy theory here and I think a lot of what appears in the statement is probably true. It is what it is and we have to work out what happens next in the interests of moving forward.

Appealing against the decision is pointless. We're better off putting our efforts into working out a plan, to be honest.

And it might not make me popular given the tone of a lot of the reaction, but: "...we would remind everyone that had we thought that we would be playing back in our home town, in the second tier of the non-league pyramid, under our original name, and all within five years of that fateful day in 2012, not many would have had faith in that dream."...is pretty much where I'm at, to be honest. Maybe my sights are a little lower than others, but I still find myself being amazed at where we're at in comparison to the situation in 2012. However you cut it, this isn't as bad as 2012. Not by a long chalk.

That doesn't mean that mistakes like this should be just brushed off - far from it - but maybe these shitty 'means' will get us to a better 'ends' in time. Like it or not, going up this season would probably have caused more damage both on and off-the-field next season. Even as it stands, we've progressed way more on the pitch than we have off it - at some point a period of time was going to come where the club's infrastructure needed to catch up with the team's heroics ("we can't afford to go up this season until X, Y and Z...". It looks like that time has come, albeit someone else has made that decision for us.

I'm not overly concerned that MG or a whole host of players are going to walk away. I don't think that will happen. This situation isn't 2008 or 2012. What does concern me is the investment needed to make sure that next season we can compete for promotion - without stating the obvious, I can see a large number of fans being way less keen to dip their hands into their pockets this time around so, with the lack of a sugar daddy or any form of grant (as I understand it?), I am wondering where £150/200k is going to come from.

As others have said elsewhere already, lets finish in the PO places anyway and end the season in the spirit of how we've approached it thus far. If nothing else, the players deserve to finish on as good as high as they can.

Wouldn't be Darlo if it wasn't an absolute chew, would it?
A measured and thoughtful response - if we want the club to succeed it's the fans who will provide the means. However, the club have to have an open and honest discussion with the fans now


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Mission Impossible
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Mission Impossible » Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:09 pm

I've read the statement. Might have been better if the word sorry was included.
I'm gutted and can't understand those postings that seem to say that this is probably for the best as we have progressed too quickly and probably would have been relegated if we went up. Don't be so defeatist! Statements like that don't help team morale.

Good luck with the appeal.

charlie

Re: A Reaction...

Post by charlie » Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:24 pm

I saw a post earlier , not on here that the board didn't care about the fans which upset me. The board are fans, supporters. Yes mistakes have been made that is glaringly obvious but to say they don't care is out of order. The original post in this thread makes good reading

trevstanley
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by trevstanley » Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:56 pm

In the last 5 years i have roughly calculated that i have "donated" over £1,000 to the club. I have been glad to do so although i was not a darlington fan but a lad from County Durham who thought the club had been s*** on. I am absolutely delighted that my small amount has contributed to the meteoric rise back to so near where i want you to be. I am sure in a years' time when money bags Fylde and Salford have gone , the stand has been built and the club goes for promotion again all this will be forgotten. I stand ready to keep helping.

Rufusuk
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Rufusuk » Thu Apr 13, 2017 9:23 pm

Not that it will happen....but if we win the league would we then have time to fix the ground?

quakersam
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by quakersam » Thu Apr 13, 2017 9:25 pm

Rufusuk wrote:Not that it will happen....but if we win the league would we then have time to fix the ground?
No, same rules apply
QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

H1987
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by H1987 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:24 pm

quakersam wrote:
Rufusuk wrote:Not that it will happen....but if we win the league would we then have time to fix the ground?
No, same rules apply
Which really does illustrate what a stupid rule it is really... Every game at this level to a satisfactory standard and you could get the upgrade done over the summer....

I really, really want to believe the FA will let both us and Poole play if we have demonstrable ability to get the work done in the summer, or even if they'll let us use temporary on this occasion. I can't, for the life of me, see it happening though. It would be far too reasonable.

Yarblockos
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Yarblockos » Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:30 pm

H1987 wrote:
quakersam wrote:
Rufusuk wrote:Not that it will happen....but if we win the league would we then have time to fix the ground?
No, same rules apply
Which really does illustrate what a stupid rule it is really... Every game at this level to a satisfactory standard and you could get the upgrade done over the summer....

I really, really want to believe the FA will let both us and Poole play if we have demonstrable ability to get the work done in the summer, or even if they'll let us use temporary on this occasion. I can't, for the life of me, see it happening though. It would be far too reasonable.
Would that be fair on all the other clubs who spent money getting their ground up to standard? I mean, whats to stop them spending the money on the team instead, getting into the play-offs, and then asking for the NL to let them off "'cos we'll do it next year and it's a silly rule anyway"?

biccynana
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by biccynana » Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:47 pm

trevstanley wrote:In the last 5 years i have roughly calculated that i have "donated" over £1,000 to the club. I have been glad to do so although i was not a darlington fan but a lad from County Durham who thought the club had been s*** on. I am absolutely delighted that my small amount has contributed to the meteoric rise back to so near where i want you to be. I am sure in a years' time when money bags Fylde and Salford have gone , the stand has been built and the club goes for promotion again all this will be forgotten. I stand ready to keep helping.
Good lad!

jjljks
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by jjljks » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:10 am

trevstanley wrote:In the last 5 years i have roughly calculated that i have "donated" over £1,000 to the club. I have been glad to do so although i was not a darlington fan but a lad from County Durham who thought the club had been s*** on. I am absolutely delighted that my small amount has contributed to the meteoric rise back to so near where i want you to be. I am sure in a years' time when money bags Fylde and Salford have gone , the stand has been built and the club goes for promotion again all this will be forgotten. I stand ready to keep helping.
Any chance we can clone this generous person?
This is the kind of fan we want, not the moronic yobs who disgraced our reputation at Fylde.
Respect, sir :clap:

dfclincolnshire
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by dfclincolnshire » Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:24 am

This board makes me laugh, "moronic yobs at fylde"

The majority of posters on here disgrace our reputation as a football club, any investors who may have showed any interest in sponsorship etc would read half the Trollop on here and think " why bother" , " what will we get out of it"

I rest my case

tdk1
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by tdk1 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:11 pm

Clearly, this is very emotive, but I'm glad people are looking at it with a degree of balance. It is gutting, and I must say the tone of things so far leads me to think the appeal is little more than a shot in the dark with little confidence of success. I want to get promoted, it's massively disappointing for the team to put so much in and have nothing to show for it.

For me, though, rule one should be financial sustainability. No ifs, no buts. Could we have built the further seating with the resources available to us last year? Would doing so have put us in jeopardy again? Can we argue to the nl and fa that we deserve to go up if we prioritised playing budget over investment in the ground?

I'm not angry with the board, I have to say. I think we're a victim of our own success on the pitch to an extent. We've got much further than we could have expected in a far shorter time, and we haven't had time or money to put the right infrastructure in place to cope with that. I think if anything was really unforeseeable it was the rate of our success. Putting a five year improvement plan on place now I think is the right thing to do. I'm not among those who don't want to get promoted, as when you're ready you're ready, and being barred really feels like it's against the spirit of sport. If we make the play offs and somebody gets a by to the final, i hope they feel that victory is slightly hollow (I'd like to hear John gregory's take on it - and I never thought I've have cause to write that sentence...). But if we must use this as an opportunity to take stock and make ourselves conference ready then that's what we've got to do. I made my first trip to bm last weekend and while i enjoyed it, it didn't feel like a conference ground- there's so much vacant advertising space, so much pitch level standing.

For me, genuine wrongdoing by the board would involve risking the club's financial future. I can accept this as a very disappointing oversight, and not a gross dereliction of duty. Let's appeal, build again, and use this as motivation to win this league next season if we are indeed blocked from competing.

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bertbanger
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by bertbanger » Sat Apr 15, 2017 7:31 am

we need to start treating the cups a lot more seriously, theres no reason why we cannot get into the FA Cup 1st round with some luck

Beano
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Re: A Reaction...

Post by Beano » Sat Apr 15, 2017 12:03 pm

bertbanger wrote:we need to start treating the cups a lot more seriously, theres no reason why we cannot get into the FA Cup 1st round with some luck
Easier said than done.

I don't think we've ever not aimed for that, but, as the bigger fish in the early qualifying rounds, we had our scalp taken alongside a couple of our poorest performances.

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