POSITIVE HELP FOR THE MALAYSIANS

They must be wondering what the hell they have got themselves into, perhaps now is the time for us fans to show our good side and do something positive.

The academy is the long term future and security of our club yet it is common knowledge that in the last couple of years it has been run down and run on a shoe string budget.

The badly sold scheme that Ridsdale came up with didn't help, the condescending approach that yet again the club were doing us a favour, and we could invest in our future, in Ridsadel speak that meant, you pay for the academy and we can lick the cream up from the bowl.

I strongly believe that the Malaysians are a honourable set and want the club to have a long term future and link with their country, rather than a get rich quick scheme with no long term ambitions.

It would be a great gesture and show our committemnt as fans if we could do some fund raising and help to bui;d the Academy up to one of the best in the Country, I'm scared to mention this now (am i f**k) but possibly the Trust would have more appeal and expand their membership if they got behind this and united the fans with a common aim.

I am in support of the Fred Keenor statue fund, but in all honesty it doesn't get my juices flowing as much as an academy fund would.

What if they had a scheme where a group of say ten friends could each sponsor a young player thru his developement, can you think how rewarding that would be if one of yours made the grade, how much of a buzz would that be.

Has anyone in the Trust thought about getting some simple collecttion boxes left on the bars and catering kiosks in the stadium and even around the pubs of South Wales, it could be an ongoing thing with them being regularly emtied on a monthly basis or whatever.

Anyway, that's enough positivity of me for today, out for the day now. Keep smiling anbd never lose your sense of humour.

Seems like a great idea to me!

sounds good to me Gwyn and maybe apart from regular donations too fund raising ideas and sponshorship can be put forward by the message boards and the Trust aswell as individuals , the reason I personally didnt get involved with Ridsdales scheme was the same as yours plus at the time I was thinkin why should a club approach fans for money to run an acadamy . Maybe if Sam doesnt end up on the board or a major shareholder then why not approach him too ?

That does sound a fantastic idea Gwyn.

I'd be well up for that.

Sounds good to me Gwyn and happily consider it, another way to assit the Malaysians as disturbing as this sounds is to find the mobile number of the Moat fella and text him that Ridders, PMG and other board members have been shagging his misses....

Gwyn,
The Trust feels the same way as you about the Academy and I'm hoping we can find a way to support it. Watch this space.
Mike

In return for shares, or in the form of a more secure loan to the Club sure. That's how ALL the investors in our Club operate and we should be no different. You get respect by being businesslike.

A lot of fans could be concerned that any financial gain this could bring would be licked up the the thugbyites running our club. Me personally don't trust them one jot. But its does sound a good idea

Gwyn,
The Trust feels the same way as you about the Academy and I'm hoping we can find a way to support it. Watch this space.
Mike

Agreed Mike. Lets make sure its on the Agenda for next week`s board meeting.

Keith

How about selling "The Big Issue"
We could be homeless if we don't pay the Tax Bill.

Great idea Gwyn . I can remember years ago they used to sell in the pubs like a scratch card thing, or pick a football team then scratch off the hidden team.To raise money for the club.

Great idea

Great idea Gwyn . I can remember years ago they used to sell in the pubs like a scratch card thing, or pick a football team then scratch off the hidden team.To raise money for the club.

I assume that you are not suggesting that we raise money like this and just hand it over. The investors in the Club put their money in on commercial terms, but apparently we are expected to donate to a business like we're giving to Save the Children or the RNLI (that last telephone call I received to raise money for the Academy was a real tear jerker...not!). A commercially-based contribution fine, but a charity or a trust CCFC is not - for now anyway! The fans have been treated like mugs because all too often we behave like them. It's long overdue that we behave in our own interests and that means taking a more commercial view to protect our interests as loyal supporters.

There is an approach whereby we can help the Club and get some respect/leverage at the same time. Using your example, if we want to buy/sell scratch cards for the Supporters Trust and the Trust then invests the funds in the Academy on commercial terms (e.g. for shares or as a more secure loan), that could work. Personally, I'd like to see all my money to CCFC find its way to the Club going via the Trust. Every last penny.

Past experience should tell us that we need to be more intelligent when handing money over to CCFC.......

As much as I was pissed off with the trust for not supporting our marches etc., and for sitting on the fence when push came to shove, if I though some of my money would be going to the academy, i'd join the trust!

The other thing that could help is local clubs such as mine in Cwmaman could be encouraged to sponsor an Academy player for some monthly amount.

That would then entitle that club to have certain access to that player etc. for youth presentations etc. it would be a good learning curve for the Academy players, first rung and experience of signing autographs and having photos done with the clubs kids etc. It would help our academy players to possibly step up to the mark if they like what they see i.e the bit of adulation they start getting may stimulate their ambitions to put that little extra effort in.

They could also be given club visits or a couple of comps for the odd game etc, also the club that sponsors that player may take an interest and attend an Academy game.

Could help build community spirit and bond and bring more kids into the support base earlier than they would have done in normal circumstances.

So me having a charity match and rasing money for the fred keenor statue is not realoly a good idea then if i had known about this before hand i could have done it all for this sorry

Hi Gwyn..you should ask the club to restock yours and Annis's books....all profits to fund the academy should keep them going for a couple of seasons Lol...

Don't be daft, that academy thing could take ages to set up, hopefully the statue will be up and covered with pigeon shit by then.

The sooner we can raise the money for Fred the better, it's great to see someone like you doing something positive off your own back and I'll certainly be chucking a few quid into the buckets etc. on the day, really hope you get the support it deserves.

Don't be daft, that academy thing could take ages to set up, hopefully the statue will be up and covered with pigeon shit by then.

The sooner we can raise the money for Fred the better, it's great to see someone like you doing something positive off your own back and I'll certainly be chucking a few quid into the buckets etc. on the day, really hope you get the support it deserves.

Thanks Gwyn Do you know how much they need to get this statue up?

The club could do that with everyone's blessing, the pittance us struggling authors (oh yeh) get as only gone in the charity pot up here, the club were making around a fiver a book and that would make a good sum for the statue over a period.

Also what a PR coop that could be for Gethin Jenkins, who may feel he could have handled things a little differently with hindsight, he may be totally happy with things and that's his shout.

I can't speak for the notoriously generous and flamboyant Annis Abraham, but I'd be quite happy to donate anything that is made from my share, it was never about making money, just wanted to record that small bit of our history that so many of us were involved in.

Great stuff.
I'll make sure it is mentioned in the Deportivo programme and it would also be good to get pics of the teams on the day which we could put in a future City programme and the Trust website.
I've spoken to David Craig today and I gather he's sorted out a card from Costco to buy food.
When I write the piece I wanted to check your from Caerau, Cardiff, not Caerau, Maesteg

best wishes

Phil

THIS IS MY REPLY

I assume that you are not suggesting that we raise money like this and just hand it over. The investors in the Club put their money in on commercial terms, but apparently we are expected to donate to a business like we're giving to Save the Children or the RNLI (that last telephone call I received to raise money for the Academy was a real tear jerker...not!). A commercially-based contribution fine, but a charity or a trust CCFC is not - for now anyway! The fans have been treated like mugs because all too often we behave like them. It's long overdue that we behave in our own interests and that means taking a more commercial view to protect our interests as loyal supporters.

There is an approach whereby we can help the Club and get some respect/leverage at the same time. Using your example, if we want to buy/sell scratch cards for the Supporters Trust and the Trust then invests the funds in the Academy on commercial terms (e.g. for shares or as a more secure loan), that could work. Personally, I'd like to see all my money to CCFC find its way to the Club going via the Trust. Every last penny.

Past experience should tell us that we need to be more intelligent when handing money over to CCFC.......

What a great post!

Uccello Azzurro I know you are not on the Trust Board but you do take a very active part in its running. Please take this message to the next board meeting and in me you have at least one other member who supporters your idea.

Also I agree fully with BigGwyn's idea about raising funds for the academy. Personally I have an idea that the Trust should redirect all monthly donation over £2.50 into a pot specifically for investment in the Academy, but as UA said it should insist on getting something in return.

TBH it is so refreshing to see idea's like BigGwyn's and UA floating around, well done both of you.

TBW - indeed, BigGwyn's idea is a good one.

Previous exchanges suggest that you and I share common views on the need for fans to have their interests better served. For this reason, like you I am a member of the Trust who takes a strong interest in their activities and is supportive of their good work on our behalf. That does not mean that I take an active part in the running of the Trust. I am merely an enthusiastic supporter of their work and a paid-up member. I will not be attending the next Trust meeting as I am most usually outside the UK. However, you can be sure that my views on this subject will be formally communicated although I am pretty sure that they, as yours, will have been seen by certain Trust Board members via this thread.

CCFC has truly outstanding fans, but we must never that loyalty be abused by the Club. To be respected, our money must come on our terms and with conditions defined by us.

Count me 100% positively well and truly in!!!!!!

Great posts, & i'm in as well.

Is this a fact?

Do you definitly know?

Has it been confirmed?

Do you have proof?

Can you show us the written confirmation?

Who told you this?

Why haven't the club told the Trust first?

Where did you get your information?

They must be wondering what the hell they have got themselves into, perhaps now is the time for us fans to show our good side and do something positive.

The academy is the long term future and security of our club yet it is common knowledge that in the last couple of years it has been run down and run on a shoe string budget.

The badly sold scheme that Ridsdale came up with didn't help, the condescending approach that yet again the club were doing us a favour, and we could invest in our future, in Ridsadel speak that meant, you pay for the academy and we can lick the cream up from the bowl.

I strongly believe that the Malaysians are a honourable set and want the club to have a long term future and link with their country, rather than a get rich quick scheme with no long term ambitions.

It would be a great gesture and show our committemnt as fans if we could do some fund raising and help to bui;d the Academy up to one of the best in the Country, I'm scared to mention this now (am i f**k) but possibly the Trust would have more appeal and expand their membership if they got behind this and united the fans with a common aim.

I am in support of the Fred Keenor statue fund, but in all honesty it doesn't get my juices flowing as much as an academy fund would.

What if they had a scheme where a group of say ten friends could each sponsor a young player thru his developement, can you think how rewarding that would be if one of yours made the grade, how much of a buzz would that be.

Has anyone in the Trust thought about getting some simple collecttion boxes left on the bars and catering kiosks in the stadium and even around the pubs of South Wales, it could be an ongoing thing with them being regularly emtied on a monthly basis or whatever.

Anyway, that's enough positivity of me for today, out for the day now. Keep smiling anbd never lose your sense of humour.