Save Our City (2 Viewers)

[ashbyjan]

Many thanks to all those who turned up and behaved noisily, good naturedly, respectfully and peacefully. As people seem obsessed by numbers then the best I can offer is that in discussions with the police after the game they estimated that at its peak we had around 500 there, they also congratulated all on their impeccable behaviour. Also the clubs Security people also thanked everyone for their behaviour and said we were all a credit to the club - remember they are City fans too and many wish they could swop the orange jackets for Sky Blue!

Now we must build on this great start and I invite all ideas of what we do next - we are planning to show our support for the team with a "Back The Boys" trip to Reading or Forest - that way we can show we support the players and not put £'s in SISU's pocket. Details will be published shortly. Any other ideas either post here, PM me or e-mail on [email protected]

There is another meeting on Thursday at 8pm at Hen Lane Social to debrief after Saturday, formalise our organisational structure, firm up our mission statement and aims and plan our future strategy, tactics and plans. If you wish to contribute in any shape or way please come along and join us.

We can and will make a difference to the future of this club and with everyone's involvement we can really demonstrate to these and any future owners that fan power is very real and they must treat all their fans with respect and inclusivity.

www.save-our-city.com
twitter: #save_our_city
email: [email protected]

 

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[Lord_Nampil]

Why only 1 away game?? cant it be more or all the remaining ones??

 

[CovInEssex]

Forest is a much better idea then Reading.

Good luck.

 

[ashbyjan]

It is one idea - if you think it should be every one then I will put that to the meeting - that is why I am asking for ideas. Reading was picked as traditionally its one we don't take huge numbers to, its a four weeks away so we can get the message out etc. We are talking about organising it properly with coaches, cooperation with Reading about banners etc but all that takes a bit of time but I will take your idea to the meeting or better still bring it yourself.

 

[WestEndAgro]

Which club would give us the biggest allocation, anyone know ?

This is my idea, I think we disrupt the game at a given time, by showering the pitch with streamers, toilet rolls , ticker tape, ballons ect' .

Not when the teams come out, but during the game, so it is interrupted for 4-5 mins, during this time we sing anti SISU SONGS, if the game is delayed for long enough it should generate some headlines

 

[la-ccfc]

Which club would give us the biggest allocation, anyone know ?

This is my idea, I think we disrupt the game at a given time, by showering the pitch with streamers, toilet rolls , ticker tape, ballons ect' .

Not when the teams come out, but during the game, so it is interrupted for 4-5 mins, during this time we sing anti SISU SONGS, if the game is delayed for long enough it should generate some headlines

That would generate the wrong sort of headlines, the last thing that is needed is having headlines for fans causing disturbances.

 

[WestEndAgro]

That would generate the wrong sort of headlines, the last thing that is needed is having headlines for fans causing disturbances.

why would it ? It's not violent, or intimidating , it is peaceful and if done correctly it would generate headlines.
Isn't that what we are trying to achieve ?

 

[skybluejelly]

throwing toilet rolls is not a good idea there would be too many references too our team being sh-t

 

[ashbyjan]

WEA - personally I quite like the idea in principle but would not back it simply because it would just take one idiot to throw not a toilet roll but say a lighter or golf ball. The press would pick up on that one act and would brand us all as mindless hooligans and remove any legitimacy from our protest, but I will take the idea to the meeting and see what others say.

 

[skybluelee]

Good idea about the away matches. I will definitely be there at Reading.

 

[ScottShearerFanClub]

All strip naked on the 15th minute to reveal "SISU OUT" on each cheek.

 

[EleanorRigby]

You have to be careful. Throwing anything inside or outside a football ground invites police action. Fans are banned for a minimum 3 years by law nowadays for offences at football. Why pick Reading instead of Forest. Well think about it Forest is a midland derby and they are in a similar position to us so fan confrontation is more likely. Reading isn't that far and they are doing a bit better and further up the table.

 

[ashbyjan]

Just SISU on one cheek and UT on other lol

 

[sky blue zam]

Id say reading and watford because they are both close to London Which is where the sisu and the press are

 

[RogerH]

Are we possibly in a "be careful what we wish for" situation.

If SISU announced tomorrow that because of the protests and bad publicity they have had enough and by next Friday would be gone, nobody knows if there would be anyone there to take over. We have heard nothing official from the Hoffman camp, there is a real fear that the club would fold. That would not bother SISU we all know they do not care about the club.

I think the Save the City campaign has to try to make contact with the people who are allegedly interested in buying the club with a view to formulating a strategy to decide what we want the club to be post SISU, what direction we want to head in.

If Hoff won't talk to us, I think Save the City should also put forward a separate post SISU plan, get it on the radio and in the CT. Save the City would gain credibility, and avoid the media perception of being just there to wave banners and shout the odds. Who knows who might become interested in the club if there is a plan in place.

 

[ashbyjan]

Roger - I agree 100% that we should be more than just an anti SISU group and I will be voicing my opinion on the direction the group should take on Thursday. I want us to be a true voice for the fans so that any owners, present or future, take the fans seriously and that the club becomes "fancentric". I want a healthy, successful and financially strong club that has at it heart the needs and wishes of its supporters. There is almost zero chance of SISU walking away or putting us into admin as they are the major creditors and would stand to lose an estimated £37 million so I don't see that as a possibility. We are trying to legitimise ourselves and on Thursday will be formalising our mission statement, our organisational structure with elections etc and planning future actions. Please feel free to come along to the to Hen Lane Social or if you cannot make it the email or pm me your ideas.

 

[Changeyourface]

These protests seem to concerned about being nice and not offending anybody. All publicity is good publicity, hell if a full scale riot broke out it would generate a lot more attention than if we took an extra couple of hundred to an away game.

 

[Cobi Jones's Dreads]

These protests seem to concerned about being nice and not offending anybody. All publicity is good publicity, hell if a full scale riot broke out it would generate a lot more attention than if we took an extra couple of hundred to an away game.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

"ALL publicity is good publicity" - Discuss

 

[la-ccfc]

why would it ? It's not violent, or intimidating , it is peaceful and if done correctly it would generate headlines.
Isn't that what we are trying to achieve ?

The headlines wouldn't be about getting SISU out, but about the fans stopping the game, which isn't the attention you want.

 

[@richh87]

When things get violent or yobbish the mission statement loses all credibility.

People out there will just think "scum".

 

[TheParsonsHose]

I like the away day idea that could be my 3rd and 4th away trip of the season! We need to get behind the team at home though now guys. I am all for protest but irrespective of the SISU situation we need to generate an atmosphere at the Ricoh as well and its perhaps time we started to get behind the team etc and think of ways we can drum up more home support.

Above all I want us to stay up.

 

[EleanorRigby]

The threat of violence is a big reason to support the SOC campaign. to stop trouble and not allow the aims to be diverted, the club, that is sisu would love that and people, fans, would get nicked and atleast banned for 3 years.

 

[WestEndAgro]

When things get violent or yobbish the mission statement loses all credibility.

People out there will just think "scum".

My ideas was to create a spectacular display, along the lines of Arentina 78, but to cause disruption with it !
I personally do not feel this action would be violent or yobbish .
It would need large amounts of fans to participate if it is to be successful, but I do feel it would generate publicity

 

[thorn in my side]

The threat of violence is a big reason to support the SOC campaign. to stop trouble and not allow the aims to be diverted, the club, that is sisu would love that and people, fans, would get nicked and atleast banned for 3 years.

I see - SISU would "love" to see violence and arrests? :slap:

How many Hedgefund Owners do you know who want to see "violence and arrests?"

 

[@richh87]

Put it this way - does anyone feel for the Blackburn supporters?

No, not really - it's all overshadowed by their vile abusive treatment of Steve Kean.

We need to be respected to have any credibility - so no swearing or violence. I imagine that will be the only boycott, as the majority of us have season tickets. So let's get new ideas together.

 

[Sky Blues]

I've been reading this board on and off for a while, but this is my first post so please be gentle!
I was thinking, why re-invent the wheel. Manchester United fans came up with a good idea to emphasis their dislike of their owners with their wearing green and gold campaign. OK, the Glaziers haven't gone, but it did get media attention. We could do something similar. It would allow the fans to carry on supporting and backing the team but at the same time get a message over to SISU. It is tricky because our club is so defined by its colour but on the basis that we need bright colours that would show up to other fans in the ground, or on television, or in photos, I would suggest red and green. They are the civic colours of Coventry and the team wore them between 1922 and 1924 http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Coventry_City/Coventry_City.htm The other advantage is stewards can't stop you wearing a green T-Shirt and red hat etc. And if someone had some money to make a few red and green scarfs to sell, that would be perfect. It could also be used as a way of generating some funds for future fan investment in either restarting the Sky Blues if the very worst happens, or for buying a fans stake in any future ownership arrangement.
Which brings me to my biggest concern with the SISU out campaign - what is the end game? I guess SISU could just choose to liquidate us down if costs continue to outstrip income and they get fed up with the hassle. Having a fans group with even a small amount of funding behind it would be a start for getting the club up and running again in non-league football. Alternatively, if a saviour rides to our rescue, having some funds to buy even the smallest say in the club (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but in most companies isn't one share enough to get you a seat at the AGM?) Save Our City appears to be the most co-ordinated group at the minute, but the perfect vehicle for buying a stake, the Sky Blue Trust, already exists. It is a registered industrial and provident society. The one downside appears to be that, judging by the Sky Blue Trust website, the trust does appear to have been dormant since last summer. I haven't heard anything about it for ages - but maybe I've just been looking in the wrong place.
Finally, I just wanted to add my voice to those that say whatever the campaign decides to do, please don't do anything illegal such as throw things on the pitch or get violent.
Right, I'll don my tin hat and hide back in corner!

 

[ccfcway]

get everyone to wear black to signify the death of the club !

Have a minutes silience when the players run out

 

[EleanorRigby]

We no longer have AGMs and have no shareholders or defined owners. The Sky Blue Trust seem to exist in name only nowadays but do have legal rights to the name so i believe. The whole matter is confusing to say the least.

 

[Sky Blues]

But under new owners there might be such things again... I was just trying to think about the longer-term possibilities as well as the short-term.

 

[maddog]

Stand up if you hate SISU

Chant stand up if you hate SISU and all stand up, or at a pre-arranged time turn your back on the pitch for 1 minute, or organise a 1 minute clap at a certain time, or a boo for 1 minute, or laugh for one minte. You need the acticivism of Abbie Hoffman dressing up in fany dress or voting a pig for chairman etc. Ridicule is a powerful tool and the media fall for it every time.

 

[Changeyourface]

My ideas was to create a spectacular display, along the lines of Arentina 78, but to cause disruption with it !
I personally do not feel this action would be violent or yobbish .
It would need large amounts of fans to participate if it is to be successful, but I do feel it would generate publicity

Probably the best sugggestion so far to be fair mate