Off the field operations

[Disco down under]

Didn't protest when one of our board members, allegedly, knew we were playing a child sex offender.

Didn't protest when Ellis Short had us in virtually insurmountable debt which nearly sent us bust.

Didn't protest when we plummeted through the leagues.

Didn't protest when the chuckle brothers had to sell our best academy prospects to keep the lights on.

Didn't protest when we couldn't even make the league 1 play offs.

Didn't protest when we appoint Phil ****ing Parkinson as manager.

But aye let's protest because it's our first season of midtable obscurity since the 2010/11 season (yes that long since we had a season not battling promotion or scraping to stay up!!!)

Mistakes have been made and need to be addressed, have appropriate dialogue to discuss that. The RAWA have asked for stuff to be looked into and it seems as though the club are starting to make improvements and listen to them.

Protests man, jesus christ. What are we actually protesting about?!?!? Because we're not spending our way out the championship so we're taking a hissy fit?

Speakman isn't very personable. Build the effigy ready, have the young ones climb into the wickerman.

 

[Brainy Dose]

Not sure where to put this so just using this thread as I did promise I'd try to keep people on here updated re rawa rather than solely posting on smb.

Rawa are going to hold an open meeting for members on April 18th, venue TBC (but will be Sunderland city centre). We just want to hear from the members regarding how they view the club/ recent meetings/ the action log the club produced etc. There will likely be some there who will want to push for protests/ ending engagement with the club. I know many on here don't want protests and the likes so, in the interest of balance, wanted to make sure it was mentioned here as well. Anyone who is a rawa member can feel free to come along and voice their opinion, whichever side of the fence you're on. The more the merrier. If people want to have a say but can't make the meeting, feel free to email [email protected] and we'll make sure your views are considered

Well done mate,keep the info coming and,whatever happens,we mustn't have any protests or end the engagement with the club.It just isn't justified.

 

[Hudson92]

Hypothetically we add Billy Mitchell, Ryan Hardie and Jed Wallace and have our players fit and we’re 15 points higher.

Can’t be arsed with anymore eastenders memes after Beale so for that reason Mitchell is a no from me

 

[Hudson92]

Can’t be arsed with anymore eastenders memes after Beale so for that reason Mitchell is a no from me

Although his stats looks canny and 100+ games at this level at 22 in a position we desperately need to strengthen I could get on board with it!

 

[BRMC]

****ing PROTESTS? Honestly I despair. Where were these people when Short had us in debt up to our eyeballs or when the chuckle brothers had us close to the brink? This has been the only fairly poor season under this regime and it isn't exactly a **** show. Financially we are in a good place, have a squad of sellable assets, academy is up and running again, womens team doing great, ground upgrades coming, off the field things seem to be coming together, exciting new kit deal.

So why the **** are we protesting?

Sitting in a pub watching it on the TV with a pint in hand while claiming it was too expensive for them to attend.

 

[TonyG]

I appreciate your efforts marra. The communication with the club is decent in my opinion. Of course sometimes you'll get fobbed off or be given a managerial bullshit line, but from reading the minutes I think the club has been challenged on a number of things and the verbal response has been positive.

The club have admitted failings, engaged with the support and have acknowledged the need to do better. The proof is in the pudding admittedly, but these things take time.

Protesting or ending engagement will be a really bad course of action in my opinion.

This is it exactly. What are are we protesting for?

off the field has already been addressed, new pitch, various new retail schemes and rail seating. Apologies made for BCB and whether it’s related or not SD has left

on the field what are we going to say?, model isn’t working? It got us promoted, then in the playoffs, then safety this season (if the playoff and this season were reversed we’d have been much happier)

We can’t protest against Beale as that has been sorted and getting an impulse coach in at this late stage is foolish.

We can complain about recruitment but is it really
Worth protesting about ?

 

[Pure River Slut]

This is it exactly. What are are we protesting for?

off the field has already been addressed, new pitch, various new retail schemes and rail seating. Apologies made for BCB and whether it’s related or not SD has left

on the field what are we going to say?, model isn’t working? It got us promoted, then in the playoffs, then safety this season (if the playoff and this season were reversed we’d have been much happier)

We can’t protest against Beale as that has been sorted and getting an impulse coach in at this late stage is foolish.

We can complain about recruitment but is it really
Worth protesting about ?

Recruitment you can do literally nothing about until summer. Thick as **** if you ask me.

 

[Smug in Boots]

This is it exactly. What are are we protesting for?

off the field has already been addressed, new pitch, various new retail schemes and rail seating. Apologies made for BCB and whether it’s related or not SD has left

on the field what are we going to say?, model isn’t working? It got us promoted, then in the playoffs, then safety this season (if the playoff and this season were reversed we’d have been much happier)

We can’t protest against Beale as that has been sorted and getting an impulse coach in at this late stage is foolish.

We can complain about recruitment but is it really
Worth protesting about ?

The only 'protests' are on forums by people who claim to be the most passionate supporters ...

... so passionate they do nothing except blame other people for 'accepting mediocrity' and allowing the club to fail.

In fact everyone but these visionaries are to blame.

 

[Robertson]

I don’t think protests are a good idea and would make us look entitled / out of touch.

We have made a lot of progress but things aren’t right at the moment. While I think it’s wrong to protest, I also think it’s wrong to dismiss fans who are unhappy*. It’s been pretty **** for parts of this season for one reason or another. Is there a different way to express the dissatisfaction of some supporters that’s not strictly a protest - something that won’t create a divide amongst the fans?


* Look at Brexit for what can happen when groups of unhappy people are dismissed or ignored

 

[Essayyeffcee]

Funny thing about protesting being considered, didn't we all laugh at those lot up the road protesting against Ashley and shouting outside his shops? And if protesting was put forward, could you get non fitted sheets and who would be in charge of spelling?

 

[Grizzled Wanderer]

I don’t think protests are a good idea and would make us look entitled / out of touch.

We have made a lot of progress but things aren’t right at the moment. While I think it’s wrong to protest, I also think it’s wrong to dismiss fans who are unhappy*. It’s been pretty **** for parts of this season for one reason or another. Is there a different way to express the dissatisfaction of some supporters that’s not strictly a protest - something that won’t create a divide amongst the fans?


* Look at Brexit for what can happen when groups of unhappy people are dismissed or ignored

The club will no doubt look at forums like this one as a barometer of the attitude of supporters. If they don't take the legitimate, constructive criticism on board (and there's plenty of that) now, they never will.

Protesting should be reserved for the very worst of times, and this isn't it. It's probably the last chance saloon for Speakman and the model though. If he can't take the next step and evolve, he'll have to go.

 

[Rade Prica]

If you ask anyone what they’d focus the protests on, they likely wouldn’t have an answer. I’m far from happy at the way this season has played out - but protests man?! They can quite easily make amends in the summer - and they really do have to.

 

[Disco down under]

The club will no doubt look at forums like this one as a barometer of the attitude of supporters. If they don't take the legitimate, constructive criticism on board (and there's plenty of that) now, they never will.

Protesting should be reserved for the very worst of times, and this isn't it. It's probably the last chance saloon for Speakman and the model though. If he can't take the next step and evolve, he'll have to go.

The model is KLDs. The notes from the meeting said as much. The next guy will likely be tasked with a similar goal. Youth. Sustainability.

I'd be very disappointed if he dropped his vision for the sake of some noisy fans when overall it has been exciting and brought us some progression.

 

[Grizzled Wanderer]

The model is KLDs. The notes from the meeting said as much. The next guy will likely be tasked with a similar goal. Youth. Sustainability.

I'd be very disappointed if he dropped his vision for the sake of some noisy fans when overall it has been exciting and brought us some progression.

It has, but there's a point where pragmatism has to take over. There's no reason we can't spend just one window adding a bit of steel and leadership to the side as the priority to help these young lads get to the next stage in their development. That's progression - not adopting a 'sink or swim' attitude, because quite a few are sinking at the moment.

As it stands we're going backwards and the 'noisy fans' can see it. That's why they're noisy.

 

[Smug in Boots]

The model is KLDs. The notes from the meeting said as much. The next guy will likely be tasked with a similar goal. Youth. Sustainability.

I'd be very disappointed if he dropped his vision for the sake of some noisy fans when overall it has been exciting and brought us some progression.

It's pitiful how a handful of noisy people think they've spotted things no-one else could and feel they simply must inform the club ....

... 'we haven't made the play-offs, we need someone to score goals, we need a competent manager, Speakman needs a good summer window, etc etc etc.'

I can just imagine someone at the club saying,
"Hey lads, look at this post, I think they're onto something ...

... why did none of you lot think of this!'

 

[Disco down under]

It has, but there's a point where pragmatism has to take over. There's no reason we can't spend just one window adding a bit of steel and leadership to the side as the priority to help these young lads get to the next stage in their development. That's progression - not adopting a 'sink or swim' attitude, because quite a few are sinking at the moment.

As it stands we're going backwards and the 'noisy fans' can see it. That's why they're noisy.

We went backwards this season having over achieved last season. We will go forwards next season as our young squad keeps developing and we keep adding quality where we can.

 

[DH4]

Funny thing about protesting being considered, didn't we all laugh at those lot up the road protesting against Ashley and shouting outside his shops? And if protesting was put forward, could you get non fitted sheets and who would be in charge of spelling?

Kildare OTR in charge of spelling to make it more authentically "Magesque"

 

[Teessidemackem]

Can’t be arsed with anymore eastenders memes after Beale so for that reason Mitchell is a no from me

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[TopCat.]

Open training session today - 2 days after a 5-1 humbling and in the pissing rain. Be about 50 people there

 

[Grizzled Wanderer]

We went backwards this season having over achieved last season. We will go forwards next season as our young squad keeps developing and we keep adding quality where we can.

Getting beat most weeks does nothing for development. Especially given the consequences of getting beat most weeks in the first team.

It does plenty for fostering a habit of losing and the desire to go somewhere else though.

We need a summer of adding experience and leadership. If we exclusively sign another half dozen kids with potential we'll struggle again.