Cjs

[BristolCity1992]

I have been involved with the running of the city junior strikers for the last ten years and i am reallyappalledat this decision. Not only do i feel sorry for the children for which the cjs was their only way of going to away game but also the older fans who used the juniors room to meet up and have a cup of coffee and a chat. During my years of being involved with the juniors i have met many fans from other clubs and will miss my contact with the children who i have looked after.

Mr.Lansdown and Mr.Sextone i beg you to reconsider this decision. Many of the youner children who can not attend games with their parents will now be unable to attend games and will end up wearing shirts of premiership clubs or supporting the other team in bristol that has a junior club on matchday. All of the committee worked extremely hard on behalf of the Juniors and I would like to thank John and Claire Banks for all their hard work.

Please do your utmost to reinstate this club on a matchday as these children are your fans of the future.

Is that THE KATE?

I remember sitting with you when I was a young lad no way should the CJS be scrapped, the children are the future and the best way to get loyal fans is have them hooked from a young age.

[zookeeper]

From the responses on this thread it seems that the cjs was a succesful way to recruit some kids to city and it will be a shame to stop that opportunity for them and the club.

However I do like the idea of the kids having pre game football sessions allowing the adults to refresh themselves before the game.

[Bow_Legged_Chicken]

The Pre-game footbal lsession were always avaliable and the least likely to continue. the football sessions mentioned are those form Tommy Hutchingson who comes at a price and always used to operate up until midday. A tiem of which many people are stil lnot atthe ground. However there was alwaysa blow up 5-a-side pitch which was free up until a certain time and then organised games were arranged at £1 each. This went on until £1 and was organised by the CJS.

The CJS always have offered a match day room for youngsters to go and play games and genarally hand around, mess around and meet other youngsters. A much more apt place than outside in the car park, or in the pub with their parents I'm sure everyone would agree.

Its this facility that is in threat to be lost and what i sincerly hope is reviewed and re-instated.

[cheshire_red]

Comment: http://www.bristolcitynet.co.uk

[HobNob]

My daughter and I have travelled regularly to away games with the CJS for the past 9 years and during that time we have made many friends who we now meet regularly both home and away.

It should not be underestimated the commitment, effort and hours upon hours of their own time that have been put into running this over many years by John, Claire, Kate and other Committe members present and past. They have worked very hard to establish a reputation with other Clubs and their Junior Supporters Clubs, that is I suspect second to none and have encouraged many youngsters to become loyal and long term supporters of the team that we all love (whether that's a good thing or not - who knows !!) !!

It seems that now that this has leaked out (and yes I'm speculating here !!) the club have quickly put out a very brief bare bones statement that there will be something next year. Well sorry - but whoopy doo !! For anyone who knows nothing about the CJS you will just say there's a replacement - get over it !! Not quite that easy if you realised the years it has taken to build it to what it is now. It would be nice to know answers to some very important (if you have an interest in the CJS) questions (and not just the usual - details will be announced !!) :

1. Will John, Claire, Kate, Tracey, Zoe etc be involved with the running of the new club - or have they just been unceremoniously dumped ? If the latter - thanks a lot Mr Lansdown and Mr Sexstone - a lovely reward for their commitment.

2. Will this new club offer supervised 'Away' Travel ? If not how are unaccompanied under 16 year olds expected to get to away games as you have to be over 16 to travel alone on CATS. Or will this policy be reviewed ?

3. I believe that part of the reason for scrapping CJS may be because they don't want them to take up the far end of their newly refurbished Supporters Lounge - no money in Kids cos they can't buy alcohol at premium prices !! Strange how from the Season Ticket mailing it said if you paid £5 for Juveniles to join the Supporters Club they became members of the CJS. The assumption would be that was to allow them to use that end of the bar. Silly me - re-read it and of course it doesn't actually say that - mustn't ever interpret the small print in a BCFC document again !!

So this new club will not have a base or clubroom - so presumably will be just a post and e-mail club only - a great way to make loads of new friends !! But at least you get a personalised membership card and a birthday card !!

Oh well - rant over !!

I look forward to hearing about the full details of this exciting new club - NOT !!

[Bow_Legged_Chicken]

At present the only thing continuing will be matchday experience which is set to be run over in Ashton Park.

The reason for this change is ebcause the club has said there is no-where for CJS to be based, which can only be assumed to be because they want the newly refurbished Rd 7 White bar to be extended into their room.

They were thrown out of their orginal base by Prime Time Recruitment, now what has that got to do with Bristol City? or even football at all? We are happy to find them a home but not the CJS, abolsute disgrace.

I also was a regular on the CJS coach but since growing older I have grown away from it a bit but still go on there to soem games to catch up with kate, John and Claire and enjoy the atmosphere of the coach. At present this service is also gone.

There is a metting some time in the future and hopefully threads like this oen and the article on the wen site will sway Lansdown's decision. Because the CJS play such a huge role in the upbringing of supporters in this club.

It looks to me as they seen it as an easy cost cutting exercise and thought nothing of losing the CJS. From what I heard they have never really been interested in the CJS and it has always been a burnden on them. I don;t think they relise what it measn to the young supporters and te people who have and do use it. Hopefully they will now realise this and take a depper look into things before making rash decisions.

Hopefully everything will be reviewed and ironed out in the up and coming meeting but at present. the situation is nothing short of shocking.

[DIZZYRED]

CJS has played a great part in my life its been the key to the development of some great friends i have still to this day.

John, Claire and Kate have done a great job and so much time, dedication and commitment they along with many others have put in to give the younger fans of the future an enjoyable experience of an Away day the coach is always full due to the great Enthusiasm that the younger city fans have.

the Cjs room is a great meeting point for all the younger fans to hang out before a match and catch up while the adults catch up themselfs in the bar.

The Cjs IS Very important for the younger fans and teaching them and building on the good relationships that Bristol City Football club has with other footballing clubs and should this opportunity for other youngsters be taken Away then this would be a totaly outrageous.

were is the appriciation i that?

I'm Greatfull for every thing the CJs HAs givin to me

i wait with much attentiveness to the outcome of the meeting.

[Ashton Kate]

Is that THE KATE?

I remember sitting with you when I was a young lad no way should the CJS be scrapped, the children are the future and the best way to get loyal fans is have them hooked from a young age.

Yes it is the KATE. I wouild like to thank everyone for their support and it is nice to hear from all you ex Junior Reds and Junior Strikers. We all had such good times and I will miss you all. You kids are what this is all about!

[Ricky BCFC]

When I was younger the only way I could go to matches was by using the Junior Reds (CJS), we all used to sit together at the end of the Dolman Stand with quite a few other young lads who also wouldn't have been able to go to games without the Junior Reds and these are people who have gone on to become life-long fans like I have. I've grown up away from it all now but will always be grateful for the chance the Junior Reds gave me when I was younger. I hope this new scheme involves something similar otherwise the club will be missing out on many potential new fans who would go on to become part of the core fan base of the club when they are older.

[Antman]

There are alot of assumptions in your post,Stylus.

I think more information is needed from the club before any judgement is made about whether the relaunch is positve or negative.

Here's a thing. Perhaps the club should have thought it through, and posted all the details on the site.

Instead it looks like they are fiddling with something that is popular with the fans young and old, and replacing it with a second rate stand in.

People will make assumptions if no information is forthcoming (the club made the announcement after all). But if you prefer blind faith in a board who have proven their disregard for fans opinions, go right ahead.

[Wurzel City]

[red panda]

Here's a thing. Perhaps the club should have thought it through, and posted all the details on the site.

Instead it looks like they are fiddling with something that is popular with the fans young and old, and replacing it with a second rate stand in.

People will make assumptions if no information is forthcoming (the club made the announcement after all). But if you prefer blind faith in a board who have proven their disregard for fans opinions, go right ahead.

Understand what you're saying about thinking it through and then posting in on the site.

But perhaps the underlying problem is that there are too many people waiting for a chance to come on here and slag off the board, the commercial dept, etc.

On the one hand, everyone is saying that the club needs to consult on its ideas. On the other hand, once any news of possible developments leaks out, and well in advance of any kind of official announcement (or sometimes perhaps even a decision) from the club, there are lots of people assuming the worst on this forum.

As fans, we're not exactly helping to create a situation where the club will want to consult us.

[Wurzel City]

Understand what you're saying about thinking it through and then posting in on the site.

But perhaps the underlying problem is that there are too many people waiting for a chance to come on here and slag off the board, the commercial dept, etc.

On the one hand, everyone is saying that the club needs to consult on its ideas. On the other hand, once any news of possible developments leaks out, and well in advance of any kind of official announcement (or sometimes perhaps even a decision) from the club, there are lots of people assuming the worst on this forum.

As fans, we're not exactly helping to create a situation where the club will want to consult us.

If i ran service i would value my customers and consult them ahead of any change so i could provide what they actually want. This is a simple respect issue. When have BCFC consulted it's fans on a fundamental issue?

[Flaxbourton Red]

As fans, we're not exactly helping to create a situation where the club will want to consult us.

as fans none of us want to change CJS, this is something the club is forcing upon us.

If its not broken, why fix it?

[Antman]

Understand what you're saying about thinking it through and then posting in on the site.

But perhaps the underlying problem is that there are too many people waiting for a chance to come on here and slag off the board, the commercial dept, etc.

On the one hand, everyone is saying that the club needs to consult on its ideas. On the other hand, once any news of possible developments leaks out, and well in advance of any kind of official announcement (or sometimes perhaps even a decision) from the club, there are lots of people assuming the worst on this forum.

As fans, we're not exactly helping to create a situation where the club will want to consult us.

The club has a PR department & It needs to do a better job.

I think it's entirely possible to create a culture where the fans feel part of proceedings and still maintain the commercial bent that the club needs to survive.

It's chicken and egg though because if the club feel we're on their backs, thats only because of the clubs actions in the first instance.

If the new juniors scheme IS going to cover all the bases the old set up did, you'd have expected them to clarify that in the initial announcement. They haven't and so we'll have to assume the worst.

I agree that some posts spiral off into a wholly critical, slagging diatribe without any foundation in reality.

But then SL bounced this forum away from BCFC because of that so why worry?!! I think freedom of speech is a good thing (not sure SL does though)

Football is in a sorry state, run by money men purely for profit. Unfortunately at our level it doesn't quite pay, so we end with half cocked attempts to increase revenue at the fans ultimate expense.

[Milo]

Just in case anyone is wondering what the Supporters Trust is doing on this issue, here's a brief update.

I had a conversation with both John and Clair Banks last night. Most of their dealings recently have been with Doug Harman who was out of the office today when I rang for him. I understand that he is back in tomorrow so I'll call again then. When we have a full picture of what's going on we'll make a full comment.

As stated earlier in this thread, the Trust wants to help put Bristol City as the hub of the community. John and Clair set in place a community spirit at our Club when establishing the Junior Reds that became the envy of most other football clubs. They have worked to engender a family atmosphere, they've ensured that kids could gather safely on match days and have organised away trips for kids. This thread has shown how instrumental their work has been in getting fans hooked on Bristol City. What John, Clair, Kate and others have put in place and maintained over the years is very much at the heart of what we want our Club to be.

[SimplyRed]

I'm no marketing guru, but I would have thought that any business wanting to provide a successful service would test its market first and find out what its customers want and provide it rather than launching anything new, assuming that everyone wants what they're offering.

Not having any relationship with the CJS or any axe to grind either way, this is just my thoughts, given as objectively as possible...

This, of course applies to several other 'projects' infamously launched by the club without regard to whether it is actually wanted by the supporters.

It appears to me to be "common sense" to give people what they want rather than putting it out there and saying "This is it - take it or leave it". Surely, it is more likely to be successful then and will cause less resentment and kill the perception that the club doesn't care about the fans?

[twaters]

Any news on this guys? Are we still going ahead with City Redz? Are there any more details on a better membership scheme?

[Milo]

Any news on this guys? Are we still going ahead with City Redz? Are there any more details on a better membership scheme?

I've had a chat with Doug Harman about the decision and the topic will be raised in a meeting with Colin Sexstone tomorrow afternoon. Update to follow shortly.

[twaters]

Thanks Milo

[Stylus]

Any news from the meeting Milo?

Regards.

[Bow_Legged_Chicken]

Hello Milo,

Sorry to keep pestering you regarding this!

Have you heard anything further?

I recently lost my phone so lost touch with everyone!

Cheers

[Milo]

Hello Milo,

Sorry to keep pestering you regarding this!

Have you heard anything further?

I recently lost my phone so lost touch with everyone!

Cheers

Hi BLC,

thanks for keeping on and sorry we've not got an official statement yet. We met with Doug Harman and Colin Sexstone on Friday and discussed the City Redz. We prepared a statement over the weekend but before releasing I had another chat with John Banks. Some information came out of that conversation that has prompted me to go back to the Club and when we've had a response we'll comment fully.

In the meantime please be assured that as a community based organisation we believe that football is for everyone and that everyone should be made welcome at Ashton Gate. We also believe that the away trips for juniors offer a great way of getting youngsters involved in football.

We know there's pressure to get a response on this quickly and we'll give a full statement as soon as possible.

[Ashton Kate]

Hi Milo. Any news on your meeting with Doug.

[Denilson]

If its possible could you post details on how to apply to join City Redz, When you know. If its not posted on the website etc.

[Milo]

Hi Milo. Any news on your meeting with Doug.

Hi Kate,

unfortunately I've not heard back from Colin yet (see my post above from yesterday) but we'll update as soon as we know more. Thanks for bearing with us.

Miles