Jump to content

Sons' sorrow


Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Boghead ranter said:

As previously stated, Duffy was in Perth yesterday 😉

Aye, but he was head to toe in neon lycra in Scone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, sonsanorak said:


 

 


I think it's accepted that if you want a local team, high street or newsagent to be there you need to support it. There's often a premium to pay.

If you go to a coffee morning or a fund raiser, you don't quality check the raffle prizes or cakes, or at least I don't. I'm there to support the event/group, even if it means paying for a bag of empire biscuits made by a 6 year old.

Feel free to volunteer to help the club and trust out. If you don't know who to ask, message me and I'll give you some names.

 

I'd second that.

I'd go further than seconding it. We need more fans to sell halftime draw tickets. Having 1 person in the ground and 1 on the carpark entrance just isnt enough. We need an extra body or two who can commit to selling at every - or almost every - home game. Covering the away end isnt a big deal since there won't be an away gate for some games. Covering hospitality, the bar area and occasionally helping out in the home concourse is the priority.

We put out requests for volunteers on several occasions last season. There was some interest from folk who could help now and again but nobody who would commit to the majority of matches. What we need is volunteers who can commit to coming down to the ground a bit earlier (and we're not talking really early here - 1:50 is time enough) and who can keep volunteering for most home games. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BallochSonsFan said:

I'd second that.

I'd go further than seconding it. We need more fans to sell halftime draw tickets. Having 1 person in the ground and 1 on the carpark entrance just isnt enough. We need an extra body or two who can commit to selling at every - or almost every - home game. Covering the away end isnt a big deal since there won't be an away gate for some games. Covering hospitality, the bar area and occasionally helping out in the home concourse is the priority.

We put out requests for volunteers on several occasions last season. There was some interest from folk who could help now and again but nobody who would commit to the majority of matches. What we need is volunteers who can commit to coming down to the ground a bit earlier (and we're not talking really early here - 1:50 is time enough) and who can keep volunteering for most home games. 

Maybe this is really highlighting the central issue.  Dumbarton FC no longer looks and feels like a professional football club, and this constant appeal to people who perhaps just want to pay their money and watch the game becomes like background noise.  Like every other club in the league we have owners and we have a Board Of Directors - are they all operating on this volunteer basis ?  Somehow I doubt it.  So what is the problem and what is the solution ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, sonsism said:

Regardless if it was one board member or all of the board members the decision to choose those specific kits was incredibly poor. It was no secret we were going to be going with stock designs - why not let the fans have some input if the kit isn’t going to be as creative as usual.

There might not be loads of people rushing to buy kits but I noticed about 3 fans yesterday wearing the new kit. Compare that to previous kit launches at the stadium and it’s night and day. Even selling 10 extra strips at £42 a pop is a decent chunk of money.

Do the club only want volunteers for specific things they can’t be arsed doing themselves? Just feels like a lot of fans are going above and beyond which while admirable should not need to be happening.

It’s all good and well listing the board names on the website but the fact most people don’t know who they are says it all. If they aren’t even putting money in then they should be the ones working on improving the stadium, organising events, encouraging new fans in and looking for funding.

The fans don’t deserve a say on the kits - but they should be whoring themselves out to raise funds for the club.

Before I say anything here - I agree on the kits. They are poor choices and I don't doubt that a fans vote will have given very different results. 

That said, the board really are up against it on a number of fronts. I don't like to repeat the Brabco stuff ad nauseum as I understand fans get sick of it, but it really is true that they take up a lot of time for the board and certain members of the Trust. When so much of your time is taken up by one issue (or more accurately, a clusterfuck of issues caused by one group), some of the "day to day" stuff ends up falling down the pecking order. I'm not saying this is right, I believe the club needs certain restructuring to ensure everything runs as it should, but it's just the sad fact of the last season that time and resource has been the issue. I can guarantee you that things are already being put in place in this regard.

Can I ask though, why should fans not be going above and beyond for the club? The board aren't just sitting there doing the bare minimum to make us survive, at least two of them I know are putting in hours of work in the evenings and weekends after doing their day jobs. I really don't think the board are asking too much when they ask the fans to support certain initiatives wherever they can, whether that's buying a season ticket or supporting a fundraiser. Without wanting to sound like an "Against Modern Football" fud, this is OUR club - it'll only be as good as we make it. It needs to be a group effort from all of us and I think John Steele is trying hard to get that message across. If we all put a wee bit of time and money in where we can then nobody gets burdened with too much work and the club don't constantly need to have the begging bowl out.

I'm not sure I understand the "nobody knows who the board are" stance either. John Steele is very visible to the fan base (and will be again on Thursday). Colin Hosie has been on the board and around the club for as long as I can remember attending games, his family probably being the most well ken't name around the club. Alan Findlay has been the Trust rep for about 5-7 years now and Neil MacKay has been the club doctor for donkeys before coming a director in 2018. I can't be certain here but I'm willing to bet that some of them will have put money in, and they all support the fundraisers when they come about too (that I am certain of). Fact is none of them are millionaires with cash to throw around, they are fans like me and you who genuinely want to see us become self-sustainable and thrive from being so. Sadly I think too many Sons fans like the idea of that rather than the reality, as the reality requires a lot of effort.

I'll be very clear here in that I agree this summer has been a bit of a shitshow, our PR has been really poor and at times I feel like banging my head off the wall, but the only way things get better is if we stick by the club and offer assistance to make things run easier. I don't think anyone at the club has deliberately done any of this to piss us off, I think they've been slightly naive and a bit under the cosh, for want of a better phrase. For me though, as long as lessons are learned and we listen to the complaints coming forward then we can draw a line under it and move forward.

If folk don't know the board, or feel the place is too "cliquey" or have any concerns about how the club is being run, Thursday is an opportunity for you to ask your question. If you can't make it down but have a question then send it on to me (or Simon @TheFarPost) and we'll do our best to get an answer to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 19/07/2019 at 17:40, pleslie99 said:
On 19/07/2019 at 16:22, McGarci said:
I dont know why not.. no cost, involve the town and maybe some guy can develop till first time
moreover if there are a crisis injuries can play/sub with the first team, instead of go with 12/13 players....

There isnt the demand in the local area for youth football. Vale juniors have an under 19s and under 21s but other than that the nearest at that age Is clydebank. Both these are seen as pathways to their 1st team at junior level so doubt they would just roll over and cherry pick the best of their boys. Plus the standard is a million miles away from league 1 level so would be a pointless task. A better option would be to get an affiliation with either st Pat's or Dumbarton Accies and take their best players in a crisis, even that would be a disaster.

"There isnt the demand in the local area for youth football". - I'm not sure what that means so I'm going to strongly disagree.

There are 3 extremely well run Community Clubs in DFCs normal catchment area. All going through the SYFAs Quality Mark Process at various stages. Dumbarton United, Dumbarton Riverside and Ardencaple. between those 3 they probably have 300-400 boys AND GIRLS playing at all age groups and guessing over 100 parent / volunteers doing all sorts of coaching and Admin, thats not counting a myriad of other clubs in the area that dont quite have teams at all age groups. 

The Vale Juniors have also added a U15s team this year by essentially taking over the DU team that play in Tier 1 Paisley League. (no demand for youth football but there were 2 full 2005 squads at DU alone). They need that pathway of players.

As you mentioned, we also have 2 of the best run and most successful Amateur teams in Scotland in the area. There is a massive demand in this area for football of all levels. 

They are also self sustaining already financially. The Vale have the U21, U19s and U15s none of those will impact on any first team budget at the Vale.

All of these Clubs are to various degrees all much more engaged in there local community than DFC. Thats a fact. 

The quality is there as well. Anyone involved in Youth Football knows boys of all ages signed Pro Youth with Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Motherwell, St Mirren, Partick etc. from the area.

as an example many of the team that were the Finalists in Scottish this year at U14s were from Dumbarton / Helensburgh / Clydebank and are being picked up by Pro Youth.

 

We all appreciate the club dont have the funds to support a Youth set up and they dont have the volunteers to set one up from scratch. But they could have been engaging the local clubs that are already set up and successful doing that to put a pathway to Senior football in the area in place.

Even if it never produces a player for the first team, it brings the club closer to the community and opens up a whole new group of young fans (with or without drums)  to come along and feel connected. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Dylangt7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Dylangt7 said:

We all appreciate the club dont have the funds to support a Youth set up and they dont have the volunteers to set one up from scratch. But they could have been engaging the local clubs that are already set up and successful doing that to put a pathway to Senior football in the area in place.

Even if it never produces a player for the first team, it brings the club closer to the community and opens up a whole new group of young fans (with or without drums)  to come along and feel connected. 

Agree wholeheartedly with this. DFC and DUFC already have a link - C&G sponsor both. If we can open discussions about a more formal link between the clubs it would be great. We had Kyle Hutton and Carswell down handing out awards over the summer, if we can keep doing things like that, maybe even get our manager to go down and speak to these boys at training, and offer the 15/16/17 year olds a pathway to senior football it would do a lot of good, off the park anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OS are looking at players who have played for both Sons and Motherwell and as well as the ones they mention, I can think of Jumbo Muir and Brian Heron. I am sure there are others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Turnberry Fields Forever said:

Maybe this is really highlighting the central issue.  Dumbarton FC no longer looks and feels like a professional football club, and this constant appeal to people who perhaps just want to pay their money and watch the game becomes like background noise.  Like every other club in the league we have owners and we have a Board Of Directors - are they all operating on this volunteer basis ?  Somehow I doubt it.  So what is the problem and what is the solution ?

Most clubs rely on volunteers to sell half time draw tickets. Glasgow Clan with a crowd of 3000 still rely on volunteers. Teams outside of the top flight rely on volunteers. That's just the reality of Scottish football. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Sons FC said:

The OS are looking at players who have played for both Sons and Motherwell and as well as the ones they mention, I can think of Jumbo Muir and Brian Heron. I am sure there are others.

Paddy Boyle, Dom Thomas , nicky Devlin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OS are looking at players who have played for both Sons and Motherwell and as well as the ones they mention, I can think of Jumbo Muir and Brian Heron. I am sure there are others.
Colin McNair, Colin McAdam, Joe Carson, John Donnelly and Alan McKay too. Maybe Raymond Blair?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

after watching:

- I like the shirt, the borussia of the rock!

- QoS is a better team than sons, probably we dont play in league against players like dobbie and CIA.

- after a good begining, we cant receive 4 goals in 20 minutes, it is impossible, the second half has been more matched (maybe QoS doesnt effort too much)

KEEPER, brennan isnt oblak but I think is good enough (comparing with the rest of the team)

DEFENSE

-mcgeever & neill are big but extremelly slow, they are very similar, maybe should play one of then with mcmillan as the centre back, so we should sign another RB

-quitongo is a good left full back but weak defending, he must improve, but full back who attack are important if we play without wingers (or close wingers)

MIDFIELD, i like the trio carswell as anchor, mckee as playmaker and hutton helping both

STRIKERS, mcclauskey and tierney have made really good movement, changing continually their positions, they can make troubles in L1, despite the goal PJ crossan has been the weakly

maybe a strong striker who pins up their defense and let free to tierney and mcclauskey is needed

 

people who speak about players like dom thomas and similar are players better than L1, it was a gift have them last year

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 19/07/2019 at 18:40, pleslie99 said:
On 19/07/2019 at 17:22, McGarci said:
I dont know why not.. no cost, involve the town and maybe some guy can develop till first time
moreover if there are a crisis injuries can play/sub with the first team, instead of go with 12/13 players....

There isnt the demand in the local area for youth football. Vale juniors have an under 19s and under 21s but other than that the nearest at that age Is clydebank. Both these are seen as pathways to their 1st team at junior level so doubt they would just roll over and cherry pick the best of their boys. Plus the standard is a million miles away from league 1 level so would be a pointless task. A better option would be to get an affiliation with either st Pat's or Dumbarton Accies and take their best players in a crisis, even that would be a disaster.

I said mainly for a way of "making club" with youth people, although they havent level for the first team (althogh who knows... we can see crawford)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, lionel wickson said:
2 hours ago, Sons FC said:
The OS are looking at players who have played for both Sons and Motherwell and as well as the ones they mention, I can think of Jumbo Muir and Brian Heron. I am sure there are others.

Colin McNair, Colin McAdam, Joe Carson, John Donnelly and Alan McKay too. Maybe Raymond Blair?

Gary Smith, Jordan Halsman, Ross McKinnon and Ross Forbes.

Although I'm not sure if any of the first three made a first team appearance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sons FC said:

The OS are looking at players who have played for both Sons and Motherwell and as well as the ones they mention, I can think of Jumbo Muir and Brian Heron. I am sure there are others.

Iain Russell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the list on the Sons archive. If there's anyone missing let me know and I'll rectify it. I've only picked out ten players for this because I can only schedule up to ten tweets. That and it's not always easy to source pictures of some players. For instance, Lawrie Williams would've been one of them but I couldn't find a pic of him in Motherwell colours.Screenshot_20190722-171714_Samsung%20Internet.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...