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Post by Bacon on Aug 23, 2023 10:38:22 GMT
Why do people think that “Rupp should invest” just simply means buying players and paying high wages? Actually I know, it’s because that’s all they think goes into making a successful football club. I wouldn't trust Rupp or Sparks to invest wisely, so leave the individuals aside. Under proper leadership, investment should be made in: High quality, data driven scouting to identify the best young players in League and the Conference, as well as possibly Ireland, Northern Europe and Scandinavia Transfer fees for genuine quality and high potential players under 24. You can't just throw more money on the same type of player we've been going after, that'd be a car crash. Has to be done right though, and it'd need around £3m over a couple of years. Never gonna happen. Investment could and should also be made in proper digital content. High fan base, reasonably young contingent as well. Its an untapped market. All the kids will be queuing up (online) to buy a Liam Ridehalgh Non Fungible Token.
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Post by hobbes on Aug 23, 2023 11:45:21 GMT
I wouldn't trust Rupp or Sparks to invest wisely, so leave the individuals aside. Under proper leadership, investment should be made in: High quality, data driven scouting to identify the best young players in League and the Conference, as well as possibly Ireland, Northern Europe and Scandinavia Transfer fees for genuine quality and high potential players under 24. You can't just throw more money on the same type of player we've been going after, that'd be a car crash. Has to be done right though, and it'd need around £3m over a couple of years. Never gonna happen. Investment could and should also be made in proper digital content. High fan base, reasonably young contingent as well. Its an untapped market. All the kids will be queuing up (online) to buy a Liam Ridehalgh Non Fungible Token. He deserved a boot in his non fungible token for his defending on Saturday.
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Post by bantam147 on Aug 23, 2023 12:34:40 GMT
I wouldn't trust Rupp or Sparks to invest wisely, so leave the individuals aside. Under proper leadership, investment should be made in: High quality, data driven scouting to identify the best young players in League and the Conference, as well as possibly Ireland, Northern Europe and Scandinavia Transfer fees for genuine quality and high potential players under 24. You can't just throw more money on the same type of player we've been going after, that'd be a car crash. Has to be done right though, and it'd need around £3m over a couple of years. Never gonna happen. Investment could and should also be made in proper digital content. High fan base, reasonably young contingent as well. Its an untapped market. All the kids will be queuing up (online) to buy a Liam Ridehalgh Non Fungible Token. Yeah obviously shit like that wouldn't fly. But there's plenty that could be done.
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Post by Hobhead on Jan 25, 2024 7:07:18 GMT
Well with the fan forum at the Latvian Club on Monday it looks like the apocalypse is finally upon us. Although what’s going to come of it I’m not so sure. I think there’ll be a match day protest organised but beyond that I don’t see what they’ll be able to get everyone on board with.
Short term tactics like tennis balls would have an effect as it would be embarrassing for Rupp and especially Sparks but wouldn’t affect the longer term change that the club desperately needs. The only thing I can see shifting Rupp is a ‘not a penny more’ protest. Making his investment too much of a burden is the only way we flush this chuckling turd that I can see.
Any ideas?
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Post by jose on Jan 25, 2024 8:25:34 GMT
The tennis balls thing would die on its arse though, Reading are in all kinds of trouble with points deductions and the owner sacking the assistant mgr because they can't afford it.
Whereas we are just poorly managed, as ever, the wider football world would wonder why we sacked Hughes and just think we're shit and should accept it.
Clear Augustus needs to move on, I was always pro Lawny moving on in truth, I am happy to say I got that wrong. We'd have been in a better position with him still around. But he realised his limits re the cash (plus it was making him ill)
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Post by bantam147 on Jan 25, 2024 9:09:38 GMT
Any protest would need to be seriously disruptive, Reading style.
The only way, is not to renew your ST.
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Post by Dick on Jan 25, 2024 9:16:38 GMT
First, what do they want to achieve - Rupp to take a loss and sell, Rupp to invest to make us sellable, Rupp can stay as long as he invests, Rupp to fire Sparks? And that's just the top level ones. There's a whole load of others.
Seriously, without an answer there any form of protest would fall flat instantly.
Tennis balls would be a flop. A game would be held up, a few hundred people would throw them, the older fans would probably have a go at them... then what? If it doesn't get back to Rupp or doesn’t happen at a game where he's in attendance he'll never know about it.
With Rupp having no other business or personal interest in this country there's nothing else than could be prominently targeted either.
Season ticket boycott is the main that could get back to him, buy I don't our fans not to cave in and end up renewing. It would need a substantial drop to make any impact.
The only other thing could be if there was a prominent media piece, that could somehow be picked up in Germany and make its way to him - but to an outsider we're not that badly run to warrant that type of coverage.
Unless there's another Dewhurst-type mercy mission to say it to his face there's not much else that can be done really.
With Lawn at least we knew he's a fan and still had that interest. What was the point of Rupp buying us - make money? Interest in football? Ties to the city (personal or professional)? Portfolio asset? Wanting to develop us as part of a wider project? Ego booster?
We lack even that type of direction.
I think as a club, we're doomed unless a stupidly rich person meets his asking price and is prepared to invest further.
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Post by leaguetwomainstay on Jan 25, 2024 9:24:34 GMT
Well with the fan forum at the Latvian Club on Monday it looks like the apocalypse is finally upon us. Although what’s going to come of it I’m not so sure. I think there’ll be a match day protest organised but beyond that I don’t see what they’ll be able to get everyone on board with. Short term tactics like tennis balls would have an effect as it would be embarrassing for Rupp and especially Sparks but wouldn’t affect the longer term change that the club desperately needs. The only thing I can see shifting Rupp is a ‘not a penny more’ protest. Making his investment too much of a burden is the only way we flush this chuckling turd that I can see. Any ideas? There's plenty you could do but they all have to lead up to 'not a penny more.' The first thing I would do is after this meeting at the Latvian Club is send out a letter from the collective. This letter should outline a plan of what needs to happen, and the consequences of this being ignored. Long and short of it is Rupp and Sparks need to go, and while this is happening they need to communicate with this new group. The consequences should include but not be limited to. Step One (game one) - A walk out on a certain minute, regardless of score at the time. Step Two (Game two)- full game boycott. Step Three (game three) - Protest of some kind be that a tennis ball protest, banner or outside ground protest. Beyond this you need to ramp it up, you need to be willing to walk away. Step Four - Send back your Season ticket with a note stating you will not be renewing until Rupp and Sparks are out. Step Five - Not a penny more. No season ticket, no shop purchases. Then you can start getting extreme. Step Six - Contact as many sponsors as possible to make them aware you will boycott them if they continue to support the current regime. Build a relationship as a group with them. You may need them if a phoenix team is required. Get in touch with as many former players as possible to join the fans. They can boycott the clubs corporate events. The club and Sparks in particular is too arrogant to realise what Bradford City fans can be capable of. We have ALL been subservient for a long time. If we mobilise as a group Sparks and Rupp are fucked. No signing will change that. BUT... we won't. In a week or two, this will all die down and people will renew. In decades to come people will study the downfall of Bradford City and wonder how it was allowed to happen. At least we beat Chelsea.
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Post by Dick on Jan 25, 2024 9:40:20 GMT
leaguetwomainstay Rather than quote all that, yep. I think there's too much crab in a bucket mentality with our fan base in regard to not going, especially if you're in a group or your kids want to go. There's 6 in my group. Without giving much away there are bored kids, someone with health issues and someone who lives a fair distance away. I was the only one in our group on Tuesday. Out of all the home games over the last 2 seasons, I've been to about 40% on my own. It's grim, and I look around and think I don't want to be one of those blokes in his 60/70s who goes on their own becuase he has nothing else going on in his life. I saw a comment on WOAP about going to watch non-legaue instead. That could be an idea, you have a weekend where ST holders go to watch local non-league games instead, but it would need some coverage and promotion otherwise you'd just be doing it for yourselves.
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Post by leaguetwomainstay on Jan 25, 2024 10:08:29 GMT
leaguetwomainstay I saw a comment on WOAP about going to watch non-legaue instead. That could be an idea, you have a weekend where ST holders go to watch local non-league games instead, but it would need some coverage and promotion otherwise you'd just be doing it for yourselves. Anger won't kill the club, but apathy will and its here. Like you say, surely nobody wants to be that old man who only lives for the club. Since my self imposed boycott I have found other things to do and at the moment I don't feel like I am wasting my weekends anymore. The nonleague idea is a good one, and practice for a phoenix team situation.
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Post by Dick on Jan 25, 2024 10:51:03 GMT
leaguetwomainstay I saw a comment on WOAP about going to watch non-league instead. That could be an idea, you have a weekend where ST holders go to watch local non-league games instead, but it would need some coverage and promotion otherwise you'd just be doing it for yourselves. Anger won't kill the club, but apathy will and its here. Like you say, surely nobody wants to be that old man who only lives for the club. Since my self imposed boycott I have found other things to do and at the moment I don't feel like I am wasting my weekends anymore. The nonleague idea is a good one, and practice for a phoenix team situation. If the intent is just for us exist in some kind of lower league purgatory, where the priority is just to balance the accounts year after year, I'd rather go to the odd big game (if we ever have them) and mix it up with some non-league or going to see the village team, or even making the journey further afield to watch some European football. We know we'll never win titles or cups. So what is the ultimate aim for the club? Try to compete at a reasonable level, where away teams bring 2-3k fans minimum? Try to entertain? Try to be part of something bigger for the community and city? The only aim is just to be 'sustainable', and probably just not drop into NL in the process. Been going 28 years. I'm in the position now where life, or at least Saturdays, can't revolve around Bradford City. The same routine almost every week, year after year is just mind numbing. Its not matches, it's transfer windows, it's the moans about the training facilities, the setup, everything.
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Post by Hobhead on Jan 25, 2024 10:58:10 GMT
The tennis balls thing would die on its arse though, Reading are in all kinds of trouble with points deductions and the owner sacking the assistant mgr because they can't afford it. Whereas we are just poorly managed, as ever, the wider football world would wonder why we sacked Hughes and just think we're shit and should accept it. Clear Augustus needs to move on, I was always pro Lawny moving on in truth, I am happy to say I got that wrong. We'd have been in a better position with him still around. But he realised his limits re the cash (plus it was making him ill) I use tennis balls as an example of something that would make it loud and clear that the fans aren’t happy but it would only be a short term tactic. Longer term ideas like the ones outlined above by leaguetwomainstay and others would have to be the main focus otherwise it’s pointless. Lobbing tennis balls won’t bring about ownership change but financial boycotts could. Another danger of displays of anger like the tennis ball idea is that the wetter-chinned, clap everything section of our fanbase would use it to show that protest is pointless. ‘You’ve had your protest, thrown your tennis balls and nothing’s changed. Time to get behind the lads ffs.’ That section of our fanbase has almost as much to answer for as Rupp and Sparks do. Arseholes to a man.
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Post by hobbes on Jan 25, 2024 11:04:54 GMT
I went to watch my lad playing for BPA academy yesterday afternoon, and two of his former teammates who are now at Farsley were there. They're all 17 and support City and one asked me if I went on Tuesday. I said no, and that I'm not renewing next year. When they asked me why I said I'm not renewing till Sparks is gone. They asked me what Sparks job is.
They're football lads through and through and have been ST holders all their life, but they're not arsed about boardroom ineptitude or who is responsible for what, they just go because they go, and hope that things will improve. My lad is the same, he wants to renew even if I don't, which makes it even harder for me to follow my convictions and not renew. He was calling me wet for caring about all the stuff we rant about on here and said we're just like Gillingham really.
Then it occurred to me thats all they've ever known - shite occasionally punctuated by a giant killing or a decent away day.
So I don't think its just the older fans who wouldn't protest, I think a LOT of the younger lads and lasses would think its absolute cringe to throw tennis balls or stage protests. As I said in a previous post, I don't think we're bad enough for outsiders to take protests seriously. Everyone gets paid, so do the bills. Maybe there's an occasional shortfall so we sell Lewis or Young. The way the club is "run" dominates my thinking to a daft extent and I'm sure you're all the same, but protests seem premature really. Bit of unrest can't hurt, and I think somehow getting a reputable outsider to write about us OR getting an envoy out to Germany is our best bet.
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Post by bantam147 on Jan 25, 2024 11:38:02 GMT
The younger ones could be made the most active. Dish out some stone island clobber, hoodies and balaclavas and pyro, and they're bang up for a bit of carnage.
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Post by leaguetwomainstay on Jan 25, 2024 11:55:37 GMT
He was calling me wet for caring about all the stuff we rant about on here and said we're just like Gillingham really. Then it occurred to me thats all they've ever known - shite occasionally punctuated by a giant killing or a decent away day. So I don't think its just the older fans who wouldn't protest, I think a LOT of the younger lads and lasses would think its absolute cringe to throw tennis balls or stage protests. I mean if that's the case it's probably best to just, let it all play out. We aren't going down this season, maybe not next, but we will at some point. What are we fighting for really? the ghost of Christmas past? That's gone. If the younger fans are happy, leave them be to enjoy it while they can I am at a stage now where if the club goes bust I don't really care. There are so many more options on what do do with your weekend now than ever before.
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Post by Hobhead on Jan 25, 2024 12:19:18 GMT
The ultimate aim has to be regime change. Forget Sparks, he’d get rumbled by any owner with half a clue. Get Rupp out and everything else follows.
Any efforts need to be focussed on the best way to get Rupp to sell up and the only thing he cares about when it comes to City is not losing money. Whether that’s cash or asset value. It had to be a boycott for me but, as mentioned above, our fans will buy season tickets while wanking themselves silly that we’ve signed an unknown Barnsley reserve with a point to prove who had an underwhelming spell on loan at Colchester two seasons ago.
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Post by Dick on Jan 25, 2024 12:37:48 GMT
The ultimate aim has to be regime change. Forget Sparks, he’d get rumbled by any owner with half a clue. Get Rupp out and everything else follows. Any efforts need to be focussed on the best way to get Rupp to sell up and the only thing he cares about when it comes to City is not losing money. Whether that’s cash or asset value. It had to be a boycott for me but, as mentioned above, our fans will buy season tickets while wanking themselves silly that we’ve signed an unknown Barnsley reserve with a point to prove who had an underwhelming spell on loan at Colchester two seasons ago. That's the thing. They need an idea of what they want or what realistically can be done going in to the forum, and a bit more direction by the time it finishes. If they're just going to whinge and moan like one of their phone-ins it'll be pointless. But ultimately, we can collectively moan as much as we want. Anyone not familiar with BCAFC would ask - 'it as bad as at Reading, Sheff Wed, Scunthorpe etc?' 'Well no, but...' 'So you're not in debt, wages are being paid, there's no layoffs... doesn't sound that bad then other than the football being shit?' Ideally it needs a catalyst or scandal - like wages not being paid or money being misappropriated - before any real negative publicity outside the BCAFC world could be garnered.
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Post by Hoochy on Jan 25, 2024 13:04:37 GMT
The ultimate aim has to be regime change. Forget Sparks, he’d get rumbled by any owner with half a clue. Get Rupp out and everything else follows. Any efforts need to be focussed on the best way to get Rupp to sell up and the only thing he cares about when it comes to City is not losing money. Whether that’s cash or asset value. It had to be a boycott for me but, as mentioned above, our fans will buy season tickets while wanking themselves silly that we’ve signed an unknown Barnsley reserve with a point to prove who had an underwhelming spell on loan at Colchester two seasons ago. That's the thing. They need an idea of what they want or what realistically can be done going in, and a bit more direction by the time it finishes. If they're just going to whinge and moan like one of their phone-ins it'll be pointless. But ultimately, we can collectively moan as much as we want. Anyone not familiar with BCAFC would ask - 'it as bad as at Reading, Sheff Wed, Scunthorpe etc?' 'Well no, but...' 'So you're not in debt, wages are being paid, there's no layoffs... doesn't sound that bad then other than the football being shit?' Ideally it needs a catalyst or scandal - like wages not being paid or money being misappropriated - before any real negative publicity outside the BCAFC world could be garnered. This is what I've said before. To an outsider, were not a basket case. We're a model of sustainability. An Oldham, Bury or Scunthorpe fan would give their left knacker to be us. We'd just look like entitled pricks.
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Post by Attentive Onlooker on Jan 25, 2024 13:07:39 GMT
The ultimate aim has to be regime change. Forget Sparks, he’d get rumbled by any owner with half a clue. Get Rupp out and everything else follows. Any efforts need to be focussed on the best way to get Rupp to sell up and the only thing he cares about when it comes to City is not losing money. Whether that’s cash or asset value. It had to be a boycott for me but, as mentioned above, our fans will buy season tickets while wanking themselves silly that we’ve signed an unknown Barnsley reserve with a point to prove who had an underwhelming spell on loan at Colchester two seasons ago. That's the thing. They need an idea of what they want or what realistically can be done going in, and a bit more direction by the time it finishes. If they're just going to whinge and moan like one of their phone-ins it'll be pointless. But ultimately, we can collectively moan as much as we want. Anyone not familiar with BCAFC would ask - 'it as bad as at Reading, Sheff Wed, Scunthorpe etc?' 'Well no, but...' 'So you're not in debt, wages are being paid, there's no layoffs... doesn't sound that bad then other than the football being shit?' Ideally it needs a catalyst or scandal - like wages not being paid or money being misappropriated - before any real negative publicity outside the BCAFC world could be garnered. If fewer than 5,000 renew that's exactly what will happen.
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Post by Dick on Jan 25, 2024 13:12:27 GMT
That's the thing. They need an idea of what they want or what realistically can be done going in, and a bit more direction by the time it finishes. If they're just going to whinge and moan like one of their phone-ins it'll be pointless. But ultimately, we can collectively moan as much as we want. Anyone not familiar with BCAFC would ask - 'it as bad as at Reading, Sheff Wed, Scunthorpe etc?' 'Well no, but...' 'So you're not in debt, wages are being paid, there's no layoffs... doesn't sound that bad then other than the football being shit?' Ideally it needs a catalyst or scandal - like wages not being paid or money being misappropriated - before any real negative publicity outside the BCAFC world could be garnered. If fewer than 5,000 renew that's exactly what will happen. 1,500 didn't renew last year. If things stay as they are I reckon it'll be 2,000-2,500 this time. No way 10k won't renew.
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