S.A.F.C. - the future

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I understand the RAWA statement has raised shackles but is it not time to pull together as a club and show the new owners what it means to see Sunderland with full support behind them. This is an exciting new era - let bygones be bygones, move forward and let's hope the team can get out of this backwater league and pproach the Championship with a new found vigour
 
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King Kareoke said:
I understand the RAWA statement has raised shackles but is it not time to pull together as a club and show the new owners what it means to see Sunderland with full support behind them. This is an exciting new era - let bygones be bygones, move forward and let's hope the team can get out of this backwater league and pproach the Championship with a new found vigour
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You're spot on mate which is why we don't need one of the fans groups making statements like this.

Just let's all welcome the new owner unconditionally.

RAWA were quite dismissive of the takeover talk but have now switched completely and are jumping to the front of the queue wanting to speak to the new owner.

We're all equal and should all pull together ...

... not be lead by a self annointed voice of the supporters.

Just my honest opinion.
 
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Oliver's Army said:
No worries mate, I'm honestly not having a go or trying to be arsey, fair play for responding; I genuinely think it is a good idea to have a group representing the fans to club but it needs to do just that -represent the fans- and not just the few selected people on the committee.

There is **** loads for them to think about in terms of a governance structure, voting to elect the committee, data protection issues around gathering, processing, storing and disposing of data, as I said previously; vision statements, organisational goals, maybe some performance indicators for individual committee members, action plans to track progress against those indicators against those individuals to promote accountability. Maybe even an internal 'scrutiny' panel.

They are (potentially) going to representing a load of people if their membership booms and if I were them I'd rather get the structure right while we are in the third division than have to sort it out when we have just won the premier League with 20million followers on Twitter to satisfy. :emoticon-0105-wink::emoticon-0102-bigsm:emoticon-0102-bigsm
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A agree with you, mind (although I haven't been involved in it directly) I know there is a hell of a lot that you need in place in order to become a trust in terms of procedures, governance and all of the things you mention in your post . The switch is about to be flipped on them becoming a trust so I think that has all been done, and I know a lot of work has been put into it. One of the committee members is deputy CEO of the FSA so I'm sure he's well on top of the requirements and has had the FSA advising along the way. And don't worry, I don't mind any questions, like I say there's no point having a group if they aren't prepared to discuss things! Very occasionally I hear bits that aren't to be circulated but other than that I can pretty much say what I want as far as I know, they don't want to be secretive or owt
 
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Guinness Guzzler said:
A agree with you, mind (although I haven't been involved in it directly) I know there is a hell of a lot that you need in place in order to become a trust in terms of procedures, governance and all of the things you mention in your post . The switch is about to be flipped on them becoming a trust so I think that has all been done, and I know a lot of work has been put into it. One of the committee members is deputy CEO of the FSA so I'm sure he's well on top of the requirements and has had the FSA advising along the way. And don't worry, I don't mind any questions, like I say there's no point having a group if they aren't prepared to discuss things! Very occasionally I hear bits that aren't to be circulated but other than that I can pretty much say what I want as far as I know, they don't want to be secretive or owt
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Cheers mate, I'll leave you alone to watch Liverpool rout the scum. :emoticon-0148-yes:
 
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Smug in Boots said:
Just had a message, from someone who's happy for me to post a vague hint but nothing more.
(Not like I could, he's told me nowt.)

He reckons the new owner has made another appointment who'll be announced at the same time he becomes Chairman.

He's not giving anything away but says he's impressed and will be 'unlike anything we've had at Sunderland before' ...

... answers on a postcard please <laugh>
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Late reply because it was such a poser and I thought and thought and came to the logical answer -A WINNER !!! This will take a bit of getting used to as we are not used to such appointments . Tongue in cheek response for the seasonal period .
 
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Smug in Boots said:
It's a very difficult situation mate, you've done well to try to provide answers.

I just hope the committee men have seen the reaction, from some, to what they put out. In particular how quick the Echo was to pick out all the 'clear message' 'supporters demands' and 'meeting with the owner wanted' stuff.

I'd hope a lesson has been learnt and RAWA stick to their mission statement in future ...

... as @Somebodys pinched my sombrero would say, their card has been marked ;)
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Can’t remember ever saying that? <whistle>
 
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Smug in Boots said:
Euthanising a forum thread, that's growing, would seem to be the antithesis of a forum imo.

The same debate is happening on social media, RTG, etc which shows that people feel strongly about it.

Many who disagree with the timing and tone of the statement are RAWA members.

The problem for me is that a few people decide to issue a hasty statement ....

... the media then report it as the red and white army, which we've sang for decades and how we regard ourselves.

We're all tarred with the same brush as if we're making demands before the owner has even arrived.

Sadly I believe RAWA are well aware of this and actually encourage that state of affairs.

I don't like it one bit tbh.
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I just cancelled my RAWA membership with this message.....

Your recently issued statement does not represent my views regarding the new ownership. I know for certain you didn't consult me before you issued your statement, and I strongly suspect that you consulted basically next to no-one except a very small number of people at your committee level. That is hugely disappointing and a non-democratic way of doing things. You have demonstrated that you are not a voice for anyone except the small group who took it upon themselves to issue the statement. To my mind you have destroyed your credibility and the goodwill that many were willing to offer you. Ha'way the new owner!
 
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Sciolist said:
I just cancelled my RAWA membership with this message.....

Your recently issued statement does not represent my views regarding the new ownership. I know for certain you didn't consult me before you issued your statement, and I strongly suspect that you consulted basically next to no-one except a very small number of people at your committee level. That is hugely disappointing and a non-democratic way of doing things. You have demonstrated that you are not a voice for anyone except the small group who took it upon themselves to issue the statement. To my mind you have destroyed your credibility and the goodwill that many were willing to offer you. Ha'way the new owner!
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You're prefect entitled to do that, it's fair enough. Personally I'd think it more useful to keep the membership but stand against a committee member at the next AGM. If enough disagree with them you'd get in and could do things differently . But that's not a criticism, I know that isn't doable for many, and many simply wouldn't want to.

I do think the statement was largely positive mind. It pretty much said we're glad you're here , you'll get loads of support from the fans, and if we see that you're not useless like the last lot that support will only grow. That's something that I think most fans agree with, and I don't think they needed to canvass every member to know it. But again, I'm not saying you're wrong to read it differently. I'd have worded it differently and released it later (when he was actually confirmed) myself, so I know it's far from perfect. If anything, it shows they need to learn from it, which I'm sure they will.

All I'll say is that I hope things improve and I hope you rejoin later to get involved with what will hopefully be more positive things in the future. Things around atmosphere, community initiatives etc, with any luck the need to be moaning about owners will be gone now. Like I say, not a criticism, you're entitled to your opinion on it and I'm sure it'll be respected as it should. I think we all agree with the haway the new owner sentiment .
 
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Guinness Guzzler said:
You're prefect entitled to do that, it's fair enough. Personally I'd think it more useful to keep the membership but stand against a committee member at the next AGM. If enough disagree with them you'd get in and could do things differently . But that's not a criticism, I know that isn't doable for many, and many simply wouldn't want to.

I do think the statement was largely positive mind. It pretty much said we're glad you're here , you'll get loads of support from the fans, and if we see that you're not useless like the last lot that support will only grow. That's something that I think most fans agree with, and I don't think they needed to canvass every member to know it. But again, I'm not saying you're wrong to read it differently. I'd have worded it differently and released it later (when he was actually confirmed) myself, so I know it's far from perfect. If anything, it shows they need to learn from it, which I'm sure they will.

All I'll say is that I hope things improve and I hope you rejoin later to get involved with what will hopefully be more positive things in the future. Things around atmosphere, community initiatives etc, with any luck the need to be moaning about owners will be gone now. Like I say, not a criticism, you're entitled to your opinion on it and I'm sure it'll be respected as it should. I think we all agree with the haway the new owner sentiment .
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Not sure they are learning - just becoming even more arrogant.
 
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ROKER PARK said:
Not sure they are learning - just becoming even more arrogant.
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I don't agree that they're arrogant. I think it was just a bit badly worded (and to be fair they probably didn't expect it to be as analysed as it has been). Due to Covid I've only met a couple of the committee members, and only briefly, but I've talked to them on the phone, on video calls, on messenger, and i can safely say that none of them are arrogant, or have ideas above their station or any of that sort of thing. They're hard working, decent people putting in a lot of work for something they hope can help fans. I think some groups can get a bit above their station. If I felt RAWA were going that way I'd walk away straight away, no interest in that kind of thing. As it is I think they're canny, and like I say I'm really hoping to get involved in things around atmosphere and community stuff, I think RAWA are a positive thing, but accept not everyone agrees! Certainly don't think they're arrogant though, if it read that way then they'll need to take more care on the releases
 
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