Aberdeen For Change

[torrysheep82]

Got reading about this on Facebook and then researched it on Mad. Seeds of an orchestrated campaign being sown amongst the guys on that forum. There Facebook page is really quite positive and not just the usual anti milne stuff.

 

I have copied it to let those of you who have not yet heard about this have a read, also check out the Aberdeen For Change Facebook and Twitter pages. The scarves the guy refers to are gold and black scarves worn at matches not as an anti Milne et al statement but you identifying with the Aberdeen For Change agenda.

 

re: Aberdeen For Change Pleased with how this has evolved since Sunday. Some fantastic support from people. Going to need some assistance though and folk to commit to the running of this and to take it on.

 

Can you email aberdeenforchange@gmail.com if you can be:

 

Official spokesman

Web design /set up (template and domain done)

Organiser/campaigns

 

I'm happy to do the social media stuff but if someone wants log ins for that let me know too.

 

Media - Panda

Design - 2Stars (will email you back)

 

Im a season ticket holder and Aware I need to keep momentum but got family and holiday commitments too. The response has been incredible and need folk to push it on with me more consulting or supporting it.

 

My key message would be don't be hugely critical. Involve everyone.

 

Think the ball is definitely rolling but would like others to step forward to drive it.

 

Keep buying the scarves!

 

Interesting stuff what do you guys think?

[The Boofon]

Has the Man United green and yellow scarf campaign worked?

 

It's been ongoing for over two years I think and hasn't made a jot of difference.

 

WIth them being a far bigger club than us I think that might tell you if this campaign will be any use.

 

A nice idea don't get me wrong but as pointless a campaign as I could ever imagine possible.

 

(Guy selling the scarfs would probably disagree though.)

[Stoney]

Too little too late but wish them all the best

[Dynamo]

What is ti they want? Milne out?

[torrysheep82]

What is ti they want? Milne out?

[/q

 

The agenda as far as I can see is this:

 

 

 

Aberdeen For Change is an organised, collective group of supporters, seeking to reverse the current plight of Aberdeen Football Club.

 

The group has its origins on the advert-mad.co.uk message board.

 

There has been much talk on this messageboard in December 2011 about how to improve the fortunes of the Dons.Aberdeen For Change is seeking to make the media aware of the common views of Aberdeen supporters.By adopting constructive and credible discussion, we aim to bring about much-needed changes at the club.

 

These changes are focused on key areas including:

Board

Management

Players

Fans

Stadium

 

 

We are aiming to create a better future for Aberdeen FC and its supporters. We will do this by focusing on what can be done now for the long term good of the club.

 

It has got to the stage that something has to be done and the fans deserve answers.

 

We are not in the 1980s like many think we are. It

[Dynamo]

Boring is the wrong word but I can't think of a better one. But that's what the board strike me as. Quite happy to just plod along. Tick over. Little ambition.

 

We're getting a new ground - supposedly.

I want there to be a (relatively) great team to be playing there! Competing for trophies. I'm not talking about a return to the 80s! Competing for trophies does not mean we are living in the past! Reaching cup finals is competing for trophies! I want the over all long term aim to be a league title however unrealistic it seems. Aim for the top. It's the only way in my book. As a club it lacks something just now - and that's quite clearly AMBITION, right from the top and it works its way right through the club to the manager, and the players.

 

The sad thing is there are fans who settle for FAILURE these days. Some of you lot on here too. Settling for failure. It's totally pathetic.

 

Have an attitude that these previous seasons have been unacceptable. We're Aberdeen FFS, not Kilmarnock or Inverness or Dundee United ().

 

Bring back the air of superiority over these clubs!

 

 

Where's the initiatives to bring in extra revenue to the club?

Is a share issue viable?

[King Street Loon]

Boring is the wrong word but I can't think of a better one. But that's what the board strike me as. Quite happy to just plod along. Tick over. Little ambition.

 

We're getting a new ground - supposedly.

I want there to be a (relatively) great team to be playing there! Competing for trophies. I'm not talking about a return to the 80s! Competing for trophies does not mean we are living in the past! Reaching cup finals is competing for trophies! I want the over all long term aim to be a league title however unrealistic it seems. Aim for the top. It's the only way in my book. As a club it lacks something just now - and that's quite clearly AMBITION, right from the top and it works its way right through the club to the manager, and the players.

 

The sad thing is there are fans who settle for FAILURE these days. Some of you lot on here too. Settling for failure. It's totally pathetic.

 

 

Where's the initiatives to bring in extra revenue to the club?

Is a share issue viable?

 

^^

This

 

The board seem to be devoid of vision.

No charismatic personalities or people driven to succeed.

 

Nt much wonder we're floundering.

[torrysheep82]

The staleness at our club is killing it. Buy your scarf, get involved do whatever you are comfortable with but dont settle for this shit anymore. Voting with your feet and not going to Pittodrie is not an option for some. I love the club and going to the game is a part of my life im not willing to forego.

 

I mean we were one of the best sides in Europe once, now we are quite frankly a bad team run by idiots.

 

Get the cunts told enough is enough, can you imagine 5-6000 people with these scarves on actually organising a campaign,the impact would be huge, yes we are not Man Utd that could also mean it might work the local media would be all over it, Milne might actually have to answer for his ineptitude.

 

Milne does not give a fuck for AFC or any of us mugs that cough up £300 plus for season tickets, he would sell us or wind us up tomorrow, he and his cronies are dismantling our club it is criminal.

 

As someone once said " evil only happens when good men sit around and do nothing".

[RUL]

Whats happening with the scarf money? Did someone not start a youth fund raising scheme here? Even if nothing positive comes of it it would be good if that happened!

 

Folk are gradually getting there, that we deserve better from the board and I agree with the above poster, Milne doesn't give a fuck about afc fans! As part of this transparency I want to know how much Milne has actually invested in afc

[ericblack4boss]

would have no problem buying scarf is there an official outlet, would prefer that the money went to the cause than to east fife, or dumbarton club shops!

[ollie1903]

would have no problem buying scarf is there an official outlet, would prefer that the money went to the cause than to east fife, or dumbarton club shops!

Everyone just send their

[V for Vendetta]

I suggested something symbolic like a scarf/shirt but that still allows fans to attend a while back in a thread discussing this very thing.

 

I think to get the message across what you really want is all fans who support the campaign to not only wear a balck and gold scarf but only wear black and gold to games - no red shirts etc.

 

Also I have said on here before that its quite plausible do demand more from the club and from the board while still supporting the team on the park. It doesn't have to be a mile out campaign however if he can't deliver on what is needed then yes he should step aside for someone else to have a crack at chairman.

 

Basically a campaign could list a number of points that we want to see implemented and also a number of expectations that we need to see the clubs strive for.

 

We could in theory demand a better standard of player from the club while at the same time giving full support to the boys who currently have the shirts.

 

I think this would be a good step away from the usual gunning down of all the boys in the firing line when the fans patience runs out.

 

Come to think of it have they just stolen all my ideas?

[RabidGiraffe]

I'd love a scarf protest or something similar, however I think our support is just too divided these days.

 

Let's face it, some folk will not back this purely because of the messageboard it originates from.

 

Give it time to establish itself, see it work as a lobby group and then think about protests and the like.

 

I think you're right about the divisions in our support, but fuck it, I need a new scarf anyway

[muttonhumper]

I think you're right about the divisions in our support, but fuck it, I need a new scarf anyway

 

That's the spirit min.

[Guest]

Milne has withstood demos and people hounding him when he came out of the Main Stand. Although I agree with the sentiments, I feel that we need a more obvious form of action here. Wearing black and gold scarves will achieve what exactly? Just let the Board know what they have known for years.... that most of us think they suck.

 

The real issue is this and is what Aberdeen for Change should concentrate on:

 

1. Our finances - In short, we're not in good shape. No extended lending facilities beyond Feb 2012... conditions only granted on the basis of having offers on the table for Pittodrie. At time of writing this, we haven't even seen a single noted interest. £15m need repaid. How?

 

2. A succession plan - Milne needs to see this plan through in order to safeguard our financial future. The only way out of our serious debt problem is the sale of Pittodrie and moving to Loriston. But, we should demand change as soon as this is delivered.

 

3. Rebuild the relationship - AFC need to build bridges, repair broken relationships. They have lost so many fans and some may never return.

 

Sounds a bit wooly just saying, we want change. Change comes in many shape and form. We need to be specific about what it is we want the Board, and more notably, Milne, to deliver..... a bullet proof, cast iron business plan which the supporters and shareholders are aware of.... a succession plan for the current board, when they will stand down and who Milne sees as a suitable candidate to replace him..... and tangible signs that they are doing something to rebuild the relationship that has broken down over the years.

 

Wearing scarves will achieve nothing, expect show you up as someone who is fed up. Sure, we've all been fed up for 15 odd years now. We need actions, targets and specific objectives.

 

It's certainly somewhere to start but someone inside this campaign group need to firm up their intentions.

[Foster14]

Can we all sing a bit of Sam Sparrow at the games too?

[K-9]

Milne has withstood demos and people hounding him when he came out of the Main Stand. Although I agree with the sentiments, I feel that we need a more obvious form of action here. Wearing black and gold scarves will achieve what exactly? Just let the Board know what they have known for years.... that most of us think they suck.

 

The real issue is this and is what Aberdeen for Change should concentrate on:

 

1. Our finances - In short, we're not in good shape. No extended lending facilities beyond Feb 2012... conditions only granted on the basis of having offers on the table for Pittodrie. At time of writing this, we haven't even seen a single noted interest.

[King Street Loon]

Milne has withstood demos and people hounding him when he came out of the Main Stand. Although I agree with the sentiments, I feel that we need a more obvious form of action here. Wearing black and gold scarves will achieve what exactly? Just let the Board know what they have known for years.... that most of us think they suck.

 

The real issue is this and is what Aberdeen for Change should concentrate on:

 

1. Our finances - In short, we're not in good shape. No extended lending facilities beyond Feb 2012... conditions only granted on the basis of having offers on the table for Pittodrie. At time of writing this, we haven't even seen a single noted interest.

[Guest]

Probably as the sale comes with the planning permissions for a certain amount of houses to a certain spec which a certain local company did the plans for. So the sale is heavily weighted towards one company getting the sale. And if no other bidders will no doubt get land on the cheap. There is also the clause which says once the sale goes through in early 2012 then a seperate negociation must take place to lease the land (with Pittodrie on it) back to AFC until new stadium is complete and we are ready to move in.

 

Yes, but imagine the scenario.... no bids come in, Milne is left to put in a bid on behalf of SMG. But for how much? Land valued at

[K-9]

Yes, but imagine the scenario.... no bids come in, Milne is left to put in a bid on behalf of SMG. But for how much? Land valued at

[Guest]

From what i believe we need the money from the sale to put forward into the new stadium monies.

 

I don't know if any company would spend circa

[Jonty]

Unless there is somebody willing to take over from Milne then I can't see what a "sack the board" type movement is going to achieve. Anybody that takes over the club is going to be doing it out of love for the game/club or whatever as there is no money to be made in the SPL- if that person existed then I'm sure Milne would have handed over control by now.

 

Hopefully one day soon Ian Suttie or whoever decides to plough their hard earned into their home town club but until that day we will be stuck with Milne. Looking at the state of hearts that's not so bad, and hopefully the new stadium will be the catalyst for another period of success.

 

Milnes lack of imagination is frustrating as fuck but what we going to do?

[K-9]

I don't know if any company would spend circa

[Sheeptastic]

The organisation still doesn't seem to specify what needs to be done.

 

Agree that change is needed but there does need to be targets or some form of alternative to the way the club is being run at the moment.

 

F**k it though, I'll buy a scarf.

 

Also do the board know what the scarf signifies?

[Ke1t]

 

 

2. A succession plan - Milne needs to see this plan through in order to safeguard our financial future. The only way out of our serious debt problem is the sale of Pittodrie and moving to Loriston. But, we should demand change as soon as this is delivered.

 

 

 

See, here's something that concerns me.

 

We can't afford to make repayments on a 15 million pound debt, so each year our debt increases, which increases the disparity between debt and ability to pay debt down. This is a vicious circle... we can't afford to pay so every year we're forced to pay increased levels of interest on ever-increasing debts.

 

So, if we can't pay 15 million quid, how are we going to pay a mortgage that is going to at least double our debts in one fell swoop?

 

I'm being conservative in supposing the new stadium will indeed only cost 30 million.

 

And if we can't pay our mortgage... tata Aberdeen Football Club.

 

Not that Milne will give a fuck, because he's going to be long, long gone by the time the shit hits the fan.

[RUL]

If my understanding is right, the new stadium is being built on greenfield land, which was changed to brown, to allow the building of the stadium. SMG are building houses in that area? Similarly it appears inevitble that SMG will get the Pittodrie land as ecomics are going against AFC at the moment and I doubt anyone else is interested in a bidding war for it. If AFC have valued it at

[tainboy]

Has the Man United green and yellow scarf campaign worked?

 

It's been ongoing for over two years I think and hasn't made a jot of difference.

 

WIth them being a far bigger club than us I think that might tell you if this campaign will be any use.

 

A nice idea don't get me wrong but as pointless a campaign as I could ever imagine possible.

 

(Guy selling the scarfs would probably disagree though.)

 

 

Yes. Norwich club shop has sold out.

[Stoney]

Forgetting all this, we still need funding for the stadium do we not?

 

Who the fucks going to invest in us at the moment? Local council?

[Dynamo]

Forgetting all this, we still need funding for the stadium do we not?

 

Who the fucks going to invest in us at the moment? Local council?

 

 

I thought we were just getting a mortgage?

[Redstar]

Has the Man United green and yellow scarf campaign worked?

 

It's been ongoing for over two years I think and hasn't made a jot of difference.

 

WIth them being a far bigger club than us I think that might tell you if this campaign will be any use.

 

A nice idea don't get me wrong but as pointless a campaign as I could ever imagine possible.

(Guy selling the scarfs would probably disagree though.)

 

Got to agree with this