The Anti Supporters Club

[PragueBlue]

I am in the same boat mate. In fact I will give you a scoop and admit I don’t even like everyone in my own Branch.

I think the people nervous about the protests mainly think the timing is wrong with us chasing CL qualification, City Matters negotiations at a sensitive stage and us fighting the Prem in the Courts. I am easy about the protests and the letter.

At least you didn't mention me by name ;-)

 

[CoventryBlue]

It’s hard to say. Kevin Parker is one of our greatest Blues and works 7 days a week to help fellow fans. Kevin and Alan Galley are in charge of the OSC.

I don’t really have a view over whether the letter is any good or not. Pep has already come out and supported the fans.

I will be joining the 6 minute protest because of excessive match day ticket pricing that affect fellow Blues.

I’ve got a feeling that we will hear about progress in reducing the flexi-gold set up fees in the next week or two.

He needs to be doubling your branch's away allocation given your tireless effort on here to deflect, obfuscate and strawman any argument in which he's mentioned

"one of our greatest ever blues"

Look at his time in the ticket office, behaviour he still carries on to this day, wooing for personal gain in Porto, Paris, Istanbul, Brighton. Bottling it when he had chance to join the protest

You're ten times the blue he is, you get it, in terms of FV, match day, families etc. and I think you're letting yourself down defending him

 

[jrb]

Sure, but that wasn't really what I was implying. But never mind.

At the end of the day, if I am half sensible and even remotely balanced, and I happen to have read that letter as arsey.. And by the looks of it at least some 25% of just the posters on this thread seem to have read it as arsey too.. and whatever layer of the osc have read it as arsey.. Then there is chance there will be more that will see it that way as well. Including, maybe, Pep. Or the Club. Which would then be both a shame, and counterproductive.

Disagree by all means, but it is there, and rather than jumping at my throat (not you specifically), maybe people should just for one second stop and look at it from another angle.

I understand that from your previous posts

I suppose it depends on what you think arsey is.

As with any letter, it's never going to please everyone, and will annoy some people.

There is nothing wrong with not agreeing with the letter and how it's written,

Pep understands the 'people' when it comes to ticket prices, etc. He has said that in his press conferences.

As fans we understand Pep wants a louder and better home support, which he has asked for on numerous occasions as manager of City. (waving his arms at the Tunnel Club) Which we've given him.

 

[.db.]

Doesn't sit well with me writing to Pep like that.
Pep is the greatest ever manager, has clearly struggled with off field factors in his life.
Why would us fans want to put more pressure on him ?
Leave Pep out of this and let him concentrate on his private life, then the team.

Pep already said last week that he is on our side with this, when asked by the press. Pep is a political man, he is diplomatic yet calculated. I reckon he’d enjoy the discussion of this with the club.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

How is the OSC able to make a properly considered reply for all of its members within half an hour.

Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before.......

Flash back to the mid 90's and the Swales / Lee takeover was in full swing.
General Secretary Frank Horrocks was in the MEN stating that the OSC was 100% behind Swales - to a backdrop of major unrest amongst fans.

I had a letter in Postbag a few days later, asking Horrocks when my opinion (as a member) was sought, because it wasn't.
I even had an article published in the fanzine Blue Print with my favourite ever title - "A little (closed) shop of Horrocks."
A week or so later at an OSC committee meeting, the same questions were asked - and not answered - leading to a couple of branches (Chadderton one was) resigning and a few days later the Independent Supporters Club was formed (later becoming the Centenary Supporters Association) with 11 branches that had resigned.

The supporters' club has never been set up to challenge the club, but to support the club and in return they would get players at branch meetings, use of the social club and, yes, of course, access to tickets. I have said this many a time, they never have and never will rock the boat. That isn't a criticism. It would be if they were set up to challenge the club. But they weren't.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

At least you didn't mention me by name ;-)

lol

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I don't fully understand or particularly care about the petty politics, but any message is undeniably stronger when communicated with one voice, and regardless of right or wrong, the current situation looks shambolic

We're all concerned about the rapidly increasing ticket prices and how it's going to affect our hardcore support
We're all concerned about the club's alarming drift towards prioritising the tourists.
We're all concerned about the club's lack of communication.

If they don't listen then how the hell are we going to fill a 60,000 capacity?

This is exactly the point. It certainly does no harm to have external groups who are completely independent of club control. We don't have a Supporters Trust yet, so 1894 is the closest we have to that. But all these groups have to work together otherwise it just risks becoming a Judean Peoples Front scenario.

What happens if 1894 want one thing and Trade Union Blues disagree and want a different outcome? As it stands whatever people think of City Matters, it's the representative body at the sharp end meeting with the club. Everyone should work together and show we have a common view. But if meetings get nowhere then that's the time for protests.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Pep already said last week that he is on our side with this, when asked by the press. Pep is a political man, he is diplomatic yet calculated. I reckon he’d enjoy the discussion of this with the club.

View attachment 154475

I hope he is, because on a number of occasions over the years when the topic of tickets prices and fans has come up he's made some quite tone deaf comments.

I hope he finally gets it now as it's been a bit of a blindspot for Guardiola over the years.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

TBF Tim, after the 9 minute protest, everyone made their way to their seats and supported Pep and the team. The same thing will happen against Wolves. The fans will make their point again for 6 minutes. After that the fans will support Pep and the team during the rest of the match. :-)

That was great about the 9 minute protest.

I have said this many times but one thing I really liked about Man City Face Value Tickets and Travel is most of the Blues on there dislike our Directors but don't let it get in the way of their passion for our club. That's exactly how it should be. One thing that really impressed my when I heard the Foodbank guy Nico speak on a pod cast was that he really understood that the face value pages were about much more than cheaper tickets.

I have now turned up to 2 games in a row relatively sober that is shocking to the rest of 209.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

The OSC is not fit for purpose and needs replacing

There are two points here.
The first is they are fit for purpose, as long as you understand what that purpose is. See my post further above for that answer.
The second you are right. We had our chance with the Independant Supporters Association / CSA (again see above) but once again, the ISA / CSA didn't want to be independent of the club in terms of still wanting access to players and of course tickets.
The change of name from the ISA to CSA is exactly because Chris Bird didn't like the "Independent" name and stated unless the name changed, then privileges would not be forthcoming. The ISA caved in and went with the name change. Eventually the club told both associations to kiss and make up as they were fed up of dealing with two groups.

The ISA / CSA should have been totally independent and set up to represent real issues of fans and to challenge the club when necessary.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before.......

Flash back to the mid 90's and the Swales / Lee takeover was in full swing.
General Secretary Frank Horrocks was in the MEN stating that the OSC was 100% behind Swales - to a backdrop of major unrest amongst fans.

I had a letter in Postbag a few days later, asking Horrocks when my opinion (as a member) was sought, because it wasn't.
I even had an article published in the fanzine Blue Print with my favourite ever title - "A little (closed) shop of Horrocks."
A week or so later at an OSC committee meeting, the same questions were asked - and not answered - leading to a couple of branches (Chadderton one was) resigning and a few days later the Independent Supporters Club was formed (later becoming the Centenary Supporters Association) with 11 branches that had resigned.

The supporters' club has never been set up to challenge the club, but to support the club and in return they would get players at branch meetings, use of the social club and, yes, of course, access to tickets. I have said this many a time, they never have and never will rock the boat. That isn't a criticism. It would be if they were set up to challenge the club. But they weren't.

This is what people don't understand about the OSC. It's not a pressure group and it isn't in its remit to challenge or confront the club.

I've been in two jobs where I've been a member of a union and a Sports & Social Club. I didn't expect the SSC to fight my corner or represent me at a disciplinary hearing. And I didn't expect my union to provide me with a place where me and my colleagues could meet for a pint and a game of pool.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

I've told this before but when my mate had terminal brain cancer, Sir Kevin sent Cliff a signed City shirt out of his personal collection. I had first tried to get something like through our Directors but got zero response. There are bigger things in life than squabbling over a letter even if, as many posters have said, it's usually better to present collective front.

The OSC's view is that it's better to be in the tent negotiating than protesting from outside. Luckily, we have committed fans reps doing both.

 

[M18CTID]

Not in the slightest. I never said anyone needs to be on anyone's page. I am telling you how I think the letter reads. You refuse to accept that, as you always do. But clearly there are people that agree, and that in itself should be worth consideration ffs.

If I wanted to just take the piss here, there would be far easier ways to do that.

Of course someone will fucking well agree. We have millions of fans so when it comes down to just 2 different viewpoints, you’ll get some people agreeing with you so that’s not the big win you think it is.

This isn’t the first time you’ve disagreed with the way these groups are going about things so if you feel it should be done differently then why not get in touch with those groups and make some alternative suggestions instead of moaning about it on here.

 

[M18CTID]

True mate. I would like to know who these Trade Union Blues are and do they go to games.

They were present outside the ground at last Tuesday’s protest Tim.

These groups have to start somewhere and the Trade Union Blues are in their infancy as a group so they’re hardly going to have 5000 members from day one.

They posted on here about their group a couple of months ago but the thread ended up descending into a bit of a political football.

 

[M18CTID]

Tim is a top blue and we have met many times. Bluemoon get togethers , funerals etc

He is about 8ft tall and the nicest fella you could meet.

7 feet 11 actually ;)

 

[mexico1970]

Tim is a top blue and we have met many times. Bluemoon get togethers , funerals etc

He is about 8ft tall and the nicest fella you could meet.

Yeah, but apart from that?

;-)

 

[Tim of the Oak]

They were present outside the ground at last Tuesday’s protest Tim.

These groups have to start somewhere and the Trade Union Blues are in their infancy as a group so they’re hardly going to have 5000 members from day one.

They posted on here about their group a couple of months ago but the thread ended up descending into a bit of a political football.

I think most Blues aren’t that keen on mixing football and politics, of any persuasion.

 

[Coatigan]

Of course someone will fucking well agree. We have millions of fans so when it comes down to just 2 different viewpoints, you’ll get some people agreeing with you so that’s not the big win you think it is.

This isn’t the first time you’ve disagreed with the way these groups are going about things so if you feel it should be done differently then why not get in touch with those groups and make some alternative suggestions instead of moaning about it on here.

Ok pal.

 

[hallsteve62]

And in return they please him

Allegedly...

 

[Eccles Blue]

There are two points here.
The first is they are fit for purpose, as long as you understand what that purpose is. See my post further above for that answer.
The second you are right. We had our chance with the Independant Supporters Association / CSA (again see above) but once again, the ISA / CSA didn't want to be independent of the club in terms of still wanting access to players and of course tickets.
The change of name from the ISA to CSA is exactly because Chris Bird didn't like the "Independent" name and stated unless the name changed, then privileges would not be forthcoming. The ISA caved in and went with the name change. Eventually the club told both associations to kiss and make up as they were fed up of dealing with two groups.

The ISA / CSA should have been totally independent and set up to represent real issues of fans and to challenge the club when necessary.

So…. If the club told two groups to “kiss and make up” … how the heck do you think they are going to feel about 5 groups?

Mmmmm. :-)