Ready To Listen: Phase 1 Results

[Hildy 0]

I'm not sure what you mean with respect of the class stuff. If anything I;d have thought upper working class/lower middle class numbers would be increasing throughout the modern era - especially with increasing prices, all-seater stadia and vague offensive behaviour laws.

 

The lack of volunteers is simple - people don't want their every move analysed by people that think they know it all without making the effort to volunteer themselves. It's a time-consuming, thankless and often costly task to volunteer for the board of a fan group and I think folk are just put off by the criticism such people often get. Some fair and expected, others abusive and disgraceful.

 

Perhaps such roles should be outsourced and/or paid? Make the expertise and cost aspects up front at the very beginning?

 

My experience is this, and it is shared by several Rangers fan friends. The higher Rangers fans fly in society, the more they are likely to leave Rangers behind. The more they achieve, the more they have to lose, and some find their interest in Rangers waning because an allegiance to Rangers doesn't tick the right boxes in modern society.

 

The educated middle class; doctors, teachers and lawyers etc seem uncomfortable with a Rangers association and are inclined to let it fade and sometimes disappear. If this is true, and I'm not suggesting that it's hard fact, it's no wonder that we can't get fan leaders - or club owners - who are movers and shakers in upper tier society.

 

Rangers have been denigrated for so long in Scotland that respectable people would rather their sons and grandsons had a fashionable English club shirt to wear than a Rangers one. Some parents are actively encouraging their children to support anyone but Rangers.

 

Martin Bain was CEO at Rangers for years and proudly admitted that his sons followed English clubs. The day will never dawn when a Celtic CEO makes a similar admission. I think there is a problem brewing for Rangers that will not easily be resolved.

[Zappa 0]

I don't think they've had that budget for a number of years now. No idea how they accounted for it but I'd fancy their annual dinner and expenses formed the bulk of the budget.

 

I think they may also have paid for a few of the card displays.

 

If the Assembly budget was cut off or massively reduced when we entered administration, then that would at least partly explain their lack of activity. If they were essentially now defunct though, it might raise further questions about the RFFF monies.

[bluebear54 0]

Everyone will see it differently, but I don't think it's unreasonable for a large fan group to be administered professionally.

However, as soon as you employ third parties, other expenses multiply such as insurance, legal advice, IT support etc etc.

I would think that £30,000 per annum would be on the rather low side for a budget.

It's worthwhile bearing these thoughts in mind, but with regards to where we are just now, the most important job at hand is to attempt to draw together our disparate groups - even if in a very loose form.

This is obviously what the Board are trying to do, and I very much doubt if this would ever have been on the agenda if Dave King hadn't raised his head above the parapet.

Given that supposition, my thoughts about the Club sponsored fan engagement policy are filled with suspicion. Politically, divide and rule would be a smart move for them. It leaves confusion, and the present Board and owners seem to specialise in operating under a cloud of confusion.

Edited April 3, 2014 by bluebear54

[Frankie 8,153]

My experience is this, and it is shared by several Rangers fan friends. The higher Rangers fans fly in society, the more they are likely to leave Rangers behind. The more they achieve, the more they have to lose, and some find their interest in Rangers waning because an allegiance to Rangers doesn't tick the right boxes in modern society.

 

The educated middle class; doctors, teachers and lawyers etc seem uncomfortable with a Rangers association and are inclined to let it fade and sometimes disappear. If this is true, and I'm not suggesting that it's hard fact, it's no wonder that we can't get fan leaders - or club owners - who are movers and shakers in upper tier society.

 

Rangers have been denigrated for so long in Scotland that respectable people would rather their sons and grandsons had a fashionable English club shirt to wear than a Rangers one. Some parents are actively encouraging their children to support anyone but Rangers.

 

Martin Bain was CEO at Rangers for years and proudly admitted that his sons followed English clubs. The day will never dawn when a Celtic CEO makes a similar admission. I think there is a problem brewing for Rangers that will not easily be resolved.

 

Thanks for the clarification and I'd agree with what you say to an extent.

 

Certainly in the last ten years, since the media led by Graham Spiers really went for us and aided and abetted by a soft SDM and a politically immature support; our club and fans' reputation has nose-dived. However, I'm not convinced this will have had a huge effect on what kind of people we can attract to key roles - certainly not as much as Rangers (and Scottish football) generally just becoming also-rans compared to the commercially successful English, German and Spanish leagues. And certainly not as much as the club's problems vis-à-vis financial/legal/tax issues which I doubt many businessmen would want associated with - historically involved or not.

 

All in all, I don't think this is so much a class issue than just otherwise credible people don't want to be tarred with a Green and Whyte brush.

[pete 2,499]

I don't think you feel part of a fan group unless there is a reasonable amount of communication. I never felt part of the RST as they took my money and then I hardly heard from them - perhaps because I've never been a member of Follow Follow.

 

I do feel part of Gersnet however.

 

We also appreciate your input Cal. As with all active members of course.