Solidarity Protest

[Tully Bascomb]

3 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Don’t think you’ve understood what he’s suggesting 

Yes I did, but if we do it it sends the wrong message. This is a steady ship. Don’t rock it.

[Davefevs]

Just now, BoneyardTIM said:

Yes I did, but if we do it it sends the wrong message. This is a steady ship. Don’t rock it.

I don’t think you did.  He’s not suggesting we protest against our ownership, but show support for Manure fans and theirs.

[BanburyRed]

4 minutes ago, Northern Cider Ed said:

I don't recall big protests from man utd fans when Bury were put into liquidation from a scumbag owner or Wigan went into administration when the owner was losing a bet. Both clubs on their doorstep

 

I do support the cause from afar and hope its the start of a fan led revolution against modern day football.

 

 

This   

You can also add Bolton to that list locally (although circumstances around their financial difficulties somewhat different).

[Tully Bascomb]

Just now, Davefevs said:

I don’t think you did.  He’s not suggesting we protest against our ownership, but show support for Manure fans and theirs.

By protesting outside Ashton Gate! Sorry Dave, in my humble opinion, wrong

[ExiledAjax]

7 minutes ago, Northern Cider Ed said:

I don't recall big protests from man utd fans when Bury were put into liquidation from a scumbag owner or Wigan went into administration when the owner was losing a bet. Both clubs on their doorstep

 

I do support the cause from afar and hope its the start of a fan led revolution against modern day football.

 

 

But doesn't someone have to be the first to help another? Man Utd fans may well say "where were Bury when the Glazers bought us?". Or "Where were Wigan when we set up FC United of Manchester". Ultimately, if everyone is to band together then someone has to be the first adult in the room and say "I don't care that you've never helped me - I am going to help you now."

1 minute ago, BoneyardTIM said:

Yes I did, but if we do it it sends the wrong message. This is a steady ship. Don’t rock it.

Rock it a little bit. Make them consider their plans. Make them take another look at the corporate structure. Maybe make them listen a little bit more than they do already. Just because it's a steady ship now doesn't mean there isn't an iceberg looming just over the horizon. Let's not sit comfortably on our high horse whilst the world changes around us.

[Tookster]

No - let our team focus on their football without distraction.

[Davefevs]

5 minutes ago, BoneyardTIM said:

By protesting outside Ashton Gate! Sorry Dave, in my humble opinion, wrong

Might well be wrong option, but the reason is to support Man U fans against their ownership.  I like the OP’s viewpoint on solidarity.

[Tully Bascomb]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Might well be wrong option, but the reason is to support Man U fans against their ownership.  I like the OP’s viewpoint on solidarity.

Thanks Comrade

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

Do people really believe that the billionaire owners of global football give a stuff about the grassroots fan?  How much money do they bring into the club, compared to the possible revenue from, for instance, China.  If fans truly want grassroots football then maybe they should let the circus begin for the mega rich and go back to supporting the true grassroots clubs that are left.  

[Southport Red]

1 hour ago, Maltshoveller said:

Didnt some walk away and start Utd Fc or what ever the name is

Yep, a mate of mine was one of the founding four and was Chairman of FCUM for years. Staunchest United fan and Season ticket holder for years (oddly, he IS a Mancunian ). In the pub one night, it went like this. 
 

After 2 pints:  “I’m not happy about the Glazer’s takeover”

After 4 Pints: “I’m not going to Old Trafford again, while they are owners”

After 6 Pints:  “We should start our own team”

 

The rest of the evening was spent coming up with a name, FC United of Manchester was chosen, partly because, after 8 pints, they though ‘FCUM’ was funny . 

[ExiledAjax]

1 minute ago, Tookster said:

No - let our team focus on their football without distraction.

Not sure that is a real issue given there's a single game left...that we're going to lose 6-0 anyway. 

Just now, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Do people really believe that the billionaire owners of global football give a stuff about the grassroots fan?  How much money do they bring into the club, compared to the possible revenue from, for instance, China.  If fans truly want grassroots football then maybe they should let the circus begin for the mega rich and go back to supporting the true grassroots clubs that are left.  

Yeh, they do care a little bit. Matches cancelled, ex-players and "ambassadors" speaking out against it. Also, they may not care much...but they might care a smidgen more after the protests than before.

6 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Might well be wrong option, but the reason is to support Man U fans against their ownership.  I like the OP’s viewpoint on solidarity.

Any protest by Bristol City fans would, IMO, need to be couched in terms of a general protest against a narrow list of issues regarding the ownership of clubs, league structure, fan input and representation, and financing of football. @Welcome To The Jungle I think that's your first challenge. Narrow down the issues you'd want to highlight on the picket line outside AG, especially remove any and all reference to any single club such as Man Utd or group of fans.

[Rocking Red Cyril]

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

They are probably running a coach from Temple Meads.

Would you not get a train from Temple meads 

[sh1t_ref_again]

Solidarity with Man united fans?

Yeah right, as they all protested at the setting up of the premier league so they could grab the bulk of the money and stick 2 fingers up to all the smaller not important clubs, and just to make the prem club is nice and cosy give parachute payments to make sure who ever gets relegated comes back up. No sympathy for greedy premier league Muppets

[Lewisdabaron]

Ideas like this sum up the tools that are “unionists”

[CheddarReds]

I understand the point you're trying to make (I think! ) and can see the benefit of the idea. I do think if you wanted to make a real impact it could be worth speaking to fans of other EFL clubs and gaging their thoughts. I think the message of a solidarity protest by BCFC fans alone could easily be misinterpreted, but multiple clubs doing it could decrease the risk of that. I also think framing it as a protest for more fan power among all clubs through a change in regulations could potentially provide more clarity in what you want to achieve, rather than calling it a solidarity protest with United fans. I think this thread is evidence that the message can be misunderstood with that in mind.

One thing to note is Ashton Gate is currently a mass vaccination centre as well so for that reason alone right now it's a no from me at AG. 

[054123]

What a great reasoned, opening post.

So many responses dont actually address what has been asked.

The OP has asked if anybody feels like taking part in a peaceful solidarity protest highlighting the massive problems caused and being created, that already threaten the existence of clubs and ultimately threaten the game.

There is no insinuation on our club or the Lansdown’s. The OPs idea doesn’t suggest anything against them, nor anything unlawful or non peaceful.

If you don’t feel like it’s an issue in the game, then fair enough.

Lets all just carry on as normal.

Until it is us, that is.....

 

[ExiledAjax]

1 minute ago, CheddarReds said:

I understand the point you're trying to make (I think! ) and can see the benefit of the idea. I do think if you wanted to make a real impact it could be worth speaking to fans of other EFL clubs and gaging their thoughts. I think the message of a solidarity protest by BCFC fans alone could easily be misinterpreted, but multiple clubs doing it could decrease the risk of that. I also think framing it as a protest for more fan power among all clubs through a change in regulations could potentially provide more clarity in what you want to achieve, rather than calling it a solidarity protest with United fans. I think this thread is evidence that the message can be misunderstood with that in mind.

One thing to note is Ashton Gate is currently a mass vaccination centre as well so for that reason alone right now it's a no from me at AG. 

A great point to reach out to other groups and get a coherent, multi-club noise made. Maybe too late but doing something on the final day of the season might get some attention? All kick-offs at the same time so all protests would be at the same time.

[Bristol Oil Services]

55 minutes ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

 

Football needs to be returned to what it should be. A saturday afternoon's cheap entertainment for the masses to help distress and vent after a week of work. 

When it was cheap as chips, the masses - or, the football lads - certainly "vented" after a week of manual labour/on the dole, they vented so much they ****ing trashed the bloody game. To within a whisker of its life.

The game was on its knees in the 70s and 80s. 

They don't tend to be terribly self-aware or very keen on taking responsibility, the football lads. They are as responsible as anyone for the state of the game nowadays. Football is only like it is now because of what it was like in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Look at the "lads" "venting" yesterday - glassing a copper when they're supposed to be angry with American owners. That's what the game would return to, given the chance.

I realise this was a tiny minority, but that minority always used the "masses" for cover.

What about the game moving away and on to something better than what it is now as well as what led to it being what it is now?

 

[054123]

3 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

When it was cheap as chips, the masses - or, the football lads - certainly "vented" after a week of manual labour/on the dole, they vented so much they ****ing trashed the bloody game. To within a whisker of its life.

The game was on its knees in the 70s and 80s. 

They don't tend to be terribly self-aware or very keen on taking responsibility, the football lads. They are as responsible as anyone for the state of the game nowadays. Football is only like it is now because of what it was like in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Look at the "lads" "venting" yesterday - glassing a copper when they're supposed to be angry with American owners. That's what the game would return to, given the chance.

I realise this was a tiny minority, but that minority always used the "masses" for cover.

What about the game moving away and on to something better than what it is now as well as what led to it being what it is now?

 

The truth is always somewhere in the middle.

Turning a blind eye only makes one complicit.

[Akira]

14 minutes ago, 054123 said:

What a great reasoned, opening post.

So many responses dont actually address what has been asked.

The OP has asked if anybody feels like taking part in a peaceful solidarity protest highlighting the massive problems caused and being created, that already threaten the existence of clubs and ultimately threaten the game.

There is no insinuation on our club or the Lansdown’s. The OPs idea doesn’t suggest anything against them, nor anything in  m awful or non peaceful.

If you don’t feel like it’s an issue in the game, then fair enough.

Lets all just carry on as normal.

Until it is us, that is.....

 

My thoughts exactly tbh. 

First off, I tip my hat to the OP for posting, especially given some of the negative, predictable vibes from some posters sadly. 

Surely we've all felt that 'modern day football' has crept in more and more with City, and how tedious we are of it. We constantly moan on here about it. From small issues, to big issues. But nothing ever gets done, because we all just take it, because it's easier to. What happened a few weeks ago was extreme, to say the least. But most owners would try and get more money if they could.

We saw it with Bolton and others trying to close off the Premier league. Now we've seen 6 of England's top teams trying to break away, with only their self interests at heart. 

As football fans, not Bristol City fans, should all be extremely angry and disappointed with what they tried doing. For years and years, owners have squeezed more and more out of their teams fans. The notion of a solidarity protest, is to say, we're all football fans, and we should all come together to stop greedy, selfish owners doing as they please. 

Our club is no angel mind, our club has done things most of the fanbase wouldn't  agree with, but we've got zero fan representation. We pretty much have zero say, and just have to accept whatever changes are implemented. The supporters trust is as close as we have to this representation, and sadly, they don't get much of a say/look in, especially over things that matter to most fans.

This protest is more about having fan representation (if I've got that right) and trying to protect the fans football club for generations to come. 

What Utd fans did on the weekend, got people talking. It did its job. Apart from the few idiots, most were well behaved and got their point across. Fair play to them. 

 

[ExiledAjax]

13 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

When it was cheap as chips, the masses - or, the football lads - certainly "vented" after a week of manual labour/on the dole, they vented so much they ****ing trashed the bloody game. To within a whisker of its life.

The game was on its knees in the 70s and 80s. 

They don't tend to be terribly self-aware or very keen on taking responsibility, the football lads. They are as responsible as anyone for the state of the game nowadays. Football is only like it is now because of what it was like in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Look at the "lads" "venting" yesterday - glassing a copper when they're supposed to be angry with American owners. That's what the game would return to, given the chance.

I realise this was a tiny minority, but that minority always used the "masses" for cover.

What about the game moving away and on to something better than what it is now as well as what led to it being what it is now?

 

I don't think that kind of regression is an inevitable result of greater fan representation in the rooms of power in football. This just distracts and deviates the argument away from a productive discussion around changing the way football clubs are run, and changing the role they play in their communities.

One change could simple as making fan representation on the board of directors a requirement of joining the EFL or Premier League. This is fag-packet stuff but a simple law or private rule/regulation that says that every league club must have a noted independent supporters trust, that such trust must hold the power to appoint a director to the board of the club*, and that no club official may take any part in the administration or operation of that trust. God, even just the power to appoint an observer to sit in on board meetings would be a start.

If that is the thin end of the wedge that drives the sport back to the 70's then I'd be very surprised.

*you'd have to draft it carefully so as to ensure the power was to the board of the correct company, the one that actually makes decisions regarding the club.

[mozo]

Perfectly reasonable suggestion from the OP (if Covid safe). I wouldn't partake but I'd support any protest against the people that defile football heritage.

[Kid in the Riot]

2 hours ago, BoneyardTIM said:

Sorry, it’s a no from me. You can’t compare our ownership and the running of our club with foreign owned money making shitbags

Really? Technically Bristol City FC is run by a foreign company. Pula Sport, based in Guernsey is owned by a holdings company based in Bermuda. All for tax reasons of course, so we hardly have our noses completely clean.

Spending by the club under Steve has also been significant and he has loaded tens of millions of debt onto the club and he is one of few owners in the Championship that charges interest on the loans he gives to the club. Most other owners provide the loans interest free. 

He has also separated the ownership of the football ground from the club. 

There is no supporter representation on the board and despite offers of such representation from the ST he has always been opposed to this, preferring to run the club as an autocracy. 

I'm afraid there are numerous comparisons to be made between our ownership model and those of foreign investors. 

Many choose not to see them because Steve is a local businessman. 

[Frenchay Red]

Absolutely not. Would no doubt attract some numpties who will pull down the statue of Big John.

[Tully Bascomb]

28 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Really? Technically Bristol City FC is run by a foreign company. Pula Sport, based in Guernsey is owned by a holdings company based in Bermuda. All for tax reasons of course, so we hardly have our noses completely clean.

Spending by the club under Steve has also been significant and he has loaded tens of millions of debt onto the club and he is one of few owners in the Championship that charges interest on the loans he gives to the club. Most other owners provide the loans interest free. 

He has also separated the ownership of the football ground from the club. 

There is no supporter representation on the board and despite offers of such representation from the ST he has always been opposed to this, preferring to run the club as an autocracy. 

I'm afraid there are numerous comparisons to be made between our ownership model and those of foreign investors. 

Many choose not to see them because Steve is a local businessman. 

So are you saying the owner makes a profit each year?

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, BoneyardTIM said:

So are you saying the owner makes a profit each year?

Need to look beyond the football club....and all that investable land! 

[Tully Bascomb]

11 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Need to look beyond the football club....and all that investable land! 

Ok, do you mean the field with the newts or the green belt field that will never be allowed for anything apart from a sports centre, or am I missing some thing.

[Yellow&Blue&Red]

There's stronger support for legislation to protect the integrity of the game and the rights of fans than I've ever seen before. The government has committed to review ownership rules, look at the benefits of independent regulation, look at how money flows through the game and look at how to protect the connections between communities and their clubs.

There are a number of Tory backbenchers who were calling for such a review during the Bury debacle and Labour have welcomed the review, their only criticism being that it doesn't go far enough. The mood for change seems real.

Nothing's going to happen before the review reports so whilst I support the OP's sentiment and objectives, I don't think a protest now would be helpful. I also think it's difficult to protest safely during Covid and that it's difficult to get the messaging right when protesting in support of the sentiment but not the nature of the Man Utd protest.

When the review reports, that's the time to protest and demand change. That's the time to remind politicians that this issue really matters. I think demonstrations then might really help. 

[REDOXO]

2 hours ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

Hmmm, guess it's a no then. I'll be honest and say I'm disappointed. This isn't about Manchester United or Bristol City. Our game has been eroding every year for decades. Ticket prices going up, fan engagement down, less atmosphere, journeymen players, agents, clubs like Bury and Orient going to the wall and now the ESL. I love Bristol City, but I love football more. If we don't protect football, we lose Bristol City. 

Football needs to be returned to what it should be. A saturday afternoon's cheap entertainment for the masses to help distress and vent after a week of work. It should not be the multi-billion cash cow it has become, and for what it's worth, SL is far from innocent. 

Yes and I want the Lyons Tea Room put back!

[Bristol Rob]

They (Man Utd) have always been a weird club with a series of less than great owners.

There was the son of the bent butcher in the 90s, that Knighton fella before him who never owned the club but wanted to (I think he ended up owning Carlisle in the end), JP McMannus and his pal, who made over 100mil flogging it to the Galzers. So whilst the fans might have the hump with the Yanks, shouldn't they also be annoyed with the people who flogged they club to them?

Pretty sure Murdoch tried to buy it at one point as well.