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I'm guessing the script will be 100% "poor little Rochdale". Never mind the struggles of other clubs, NOBODY will have had it as bad as "poor little Rochdale". We can't compete with anyone, ever, because we are "poor little Rochdale". Being in 4 consecutive relegation dogfights in League One will be repeated as "historic success". Ambition and positivity will not be mentioned as those present salute each others abilities. Add lashings of extra "poor little Rochdale" for good measure.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 21:14]
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Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 20:48 - Mar 11 with 3336 views
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 20:48 - Mar 11 by tony_roch975
we all want that - we just disagree on the best method (& what is best for the Club)
[Post edited 11 Mar 2021 20:53]
What method would you go for?
Myself, the problems we have today have existed for years, through various regimes. The lack of focus and inability to ensure problems are not only addressed, but infrastructure being implemented to prevent them occurring, has been an issue throughout. Far too much is reactionary - see the pitch issues down the years, see the catering, see the bloody kits; for the club to progress we have always got to look at ways we could be better and actually admit we need to be. From there comes stronger planning and structures - and no that doesn’t mean at levels that require new staff or loads of new players, but getting the basics right.
This messageboard has hundreds of examples of where we have fallen short since the turn of the century, but how many people throughout that time ever said “we should have done things better”, then actually ensured that it was better?
The above is not necessarily the best method, but it’s the easiest starting point.
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 18:45 - Mar 11 by DaleiLama
That truly beggar's belief. Open communication as long as it's one way and on (RAFC) message. What is happening to the soul of this club? Please put your hands in your pockets after you've put your gag on?
The Plan The Plan The Plan
It's like the club has been taken over by some sort of cult.
The Plan.
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Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 23:13 - Mar 11 with 2997 views
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 22:27 - Mar 11 by Sandyman
The Plan The Plan The Plan
It's like the club has been taken over by some sort of cult.
The Plan.
Ah yes the plan. Didn't Graham Rawlinson end his piece last night saying they had a plan. But at no point during the previous 3 hours did we learn what it was?
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Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 08:25 - Mar 12 with 2760 views
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 23:13 - Mar 11 by Dalenet
Ah yes the plan. Didn't Graham Rawlinson end his piece last night saying they had a plan. But at no point during the previous 3 hours did we learn what it was?
Ah thats because you as just a mere fan , cannot understand The Plan since you cannot comprehend "the Context" . The Plan and The Context go together and "those in the footballing world" know much better. You just fund The Plan , dont worry yourself about it. We know what we are doing.... I'm in Charge LOL
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Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 10:22 - Mar 12 with 2649 views
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 16:22 - Mar 11 by Hopwoodblue
Apart from the usual “we’ve no money” which is standard even if we had spent three seasons in the Premier League the message would still be same I’m sure, god knows how many back room staff we would have then and we’re they would all work. Anyway you would think from the body language and tone from the managerial team we were sat in mid table obscurity, BBM joking about missing the people in the main stand giving him advice, seems all this is like water off a ducks back to him. They say managers lose the dressing room I think the directors are in danger of losing the fan base. I noticed Mr Bottomley didn’t seem pleased always having to answer the questions constantly saying I think all the directors should be answering these questions. Just thought it was all a bit laid back, a case of let’s get this over with. Apart from giving them money I think they see us as interfering pain in the ar$es questioning their credibility to run a football club.
That last paragraph is definitely spot on. The same couple of thousand fans are expected to keep the club afloat and while we do, the directors work is done. If we withdraw our wallets then it's the fans fault.
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 10:22 - Mar 12 by RooleyMoorBlue
That last paragraph is definitely spot on. The same couple of thousand fans are expected to keep the club afloat and while we do, the directors work is done. If we withdraw our wallets then it's the fans fault.
A long reflection from Wednesday night's forum before posting from me. In no particular order:
1. The true loss of Chris Dunphy is now clear. In 27 months, we have changed as a culture so much from being a stable club - the envy of the lower divisions - to an unstable, volatile body. In losing Bill Goodwin, Keith Hill and Chris Beech is quick succession the further losses of John Smallwood and Andrew Kilpatrick are big blows. If you've watched Dale in the last 15 years those 5 men have all been a large part of the journey.
2. Andrew Kelly is unwell and chairman in name only. You cannot fault or question the man's contribution but a chairman in a football club is an active role. I hope he gets well soon but aged 77 he is not going to be the long term solution.
3. It wasn't really explained why Andrew Kilpatrick stepped down as chair. He is still the biggest shareholder and so that void leaves a question. We are on our third chairman in 27 months and the "interim" nature of Andrew Kelly would make you would believe there is a 4th in the short term.
4. David Bottomley has a lot of questions to answer. The mysterious BBM contract extension being the most obvious one but there are questions on the structuring of the club, the spending of money we don't have and the lack of transparency of what has gone on. The telling point for me was when he said "we all care" - everyone who follows Rochdale cares about this football club in some way shape or form. The crocodile tears were unpleasant to witness.
5. BBM comes over well but needs help. He talks about the players needing "forgiveness". I can't imagine him giving the Hill / Coleman style kick up the butt some players need. He came across well and was open on the results. Mentioning that we won't be able to recruit 25 -27 year olds tells you that we are broke. I do wonder how he would do in a more stable off the field environment.
6. We are League 2 bound and have a huge rebuilding job over the next 2 seasons to stablise.
7. There is no plan for being League 2 bound. At the end Graham Rawlinson talks about throwing "as much as possible" the playing budget. We are doing that now. We have a lot of loan players and next year need to recruit 8+ players to have a competitive squad.
8. 1,000 people watched the broadcast. That really encouraged me; (unless they were all bury fans.)
9. There is a broken link between fans and club. The supporters panel point today is proof. Where is the Trust? Why are the club not using the Trust? No one knows.
10. Dan Altman and Emre Marcelli didn't want to be part of that Group. Why?
11. The person who hosted it (sorry - don't know his name) was good and got through a lot. The length of the broadcast was well intended but could have been used much better by the club.
12. Where is the youth on the shareholding Board - by my reckoning there is no one under the age of 50 in the thought process for leadership and there is no Board succession planning. I winced when I heard a mention of us "giving it a go in League 1 next year" and aspirations of the Championship. If you see the Wycombe season this term that is what would happen to us and we have one tenth of the stability Wycombe have right now.
13. I really don't know where we will be a year from now. Hopefully not in the bottom 6 of League 2 fighting for our lives. I remember that; its not great.
All IMO. Hard times ahead I feel.
George Bernard Shaw had it right:
"He who can does; he who cannot, teaches."
https://www.visittheusa.co.uk/
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 12:35 - Mar 11 by 49thseason
More to the point, how is it possible, given the "BBM out" comments on here for the last few months that the manager's contractrual position wasn't item 1 in the pre-meeting preparation? Or did they just turn up without any prior discussion? Surely they knew the gist of what they were going to be asked having had questions submitted days if not weeks ago?
This was a big opportunity to set out the way forward and get the fans onside. But ultimately there are now even more questions and doubts. There were no new initiatives other than a new sponsor and a hope that the new Lottery format would eventually bear fruit.
Scrolling through looking for another comment, saw this one, I agree 49th. When the question was asked basically saying why hasn't BBM been sacked it was a perfect opportunity, if it had happened recently, for DB to say. We believe in Brian blah blah blah, in fact we have so much faith in our management team I'm pleased to say he has signed a one year contract extension till May 2022. Would it have gone down well probably not, but it would have gone down a darn sight/site better than how it actually got announced.
'Only happy when you've got it often makes you miss the journey'
Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 22:48 - Mar 10 by IOMDale
Struggling to get my head around that tonight.
In parts it was refreshingly honest, at other times it was dull as dishwater and at others, just plain bizarre.
I realise not everybody’s question will have been read out (ok, maybe Rob Hume/Hulme excepted) but the management team and BOD had to front up tonight and whether we think they’re making a good fist of it or not, they clearly care. Passionately. I don’t buy DB turning on the tears, that looked very genuine and in fairness, I’m sure he is under a lot of stress, coupled with the stick he receives on here - of which I’ve been guilty. That’s definitely not to say that he is beyond criticism as he definitely isn’t but it’s clear to me that everybody wants what’s best for the club - they may just have varying ideas of how to go about achieving it.
Frances tried her best to justify the switch from the Goldbond to Lotto but it was clear she didn’t believe what she was saying and you hope the club sticks to its word that they may look to reintroduce cash collections in future.
As for BBM’s contract extension, where to start? For one, I couldn’t believe GR (who looked and spoke like he’d just woke from a deep sleep) didn’t know when BBM’s contract was up but for BBM to just casually confirm that he’s here for another year was unintentionally comedic and bizarre.
Tony Pockney was refreshingly honest again and I don’t doubt we’re absolutely skint but it still doesn’t change the fact that BBM what’s grossly mismanaged the squad available to him this season, regardless of budget or injuries.
Also I accept that the board are invested in BBM but don’t try to palm off the fan base by basically claiming that our loanees are here because of BBM and that we’re incredibly lucky to see them at Spotland. That’s complete and utter tripe. As numerous others have said, we’re not here as some sort of testing ground for players to iron out their mistakes - if we were, we may as well become a ‘Premier League 2’ club as the likes of Benitez and Klopp have so keenly espoused in the past.
There’s still 12 games to go this season and yes, we may well end up in League Two, but I want the board and management team to start demonstrating that lessons are being learnt.
As a goldbond agent since 2004 I sincerely hope that they do consider reinstating doorstep collecting. As it may rebuild the community contact with the club that has undoubtedly been lost by ending the rounds. It is obvious that something needed to be done especially when in lockdown, but it was the way it was done that hurt, especially as we found out by social media.
Most of my customers didn’t attend games and to my elderly customers I was the only person that a few had direct contact with on a regular basis. This what needs to be reinstated as when I explained that it was going to be done by DD and it was a totally safe way of maintaining your membership, not one customer wanted to change and many said they would reinstate membership if I returned to the walk.
I’m not naive enough to think that people haven’t changed their minds and changed to DD but I imagine the majority of people, especially the elderly are sceptical about DD and preferred to pay to a collector. Plus some didn’t like how the whole scenario was carried out in the first place.
But most of all I enjoyed doing it, I wouldn’t have done 16 years if I didn’t.
[Post edited 15 Mar 2021 9:10]
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Fan's forum 10.3.2021 on 10:34 - Mar 24 with 1468 views
Two weeks on and still no proper clarification on BBM's contract extension, the Altman/Marcelli situation, or the questions submitted about the CEO at the forum that weren't asked.
What was it they said about the standards they aspire to again?
Some people within the club are more than happy to respond to e-mails in a very constructive way but obviously can't disclose things that the club hasn't announced publicly. With such a small board and some members of it being communicative, it does narrow down where the current communication issue lies.
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