Here's the crux - even in it's most eloquent and well constructed form, all I'm still reading is a list of problems and assumed scapegoats.

The only 'solutions' offered are that 'we need to fix the problems'... Bravo.

Sack the Directors.
Sack the Coaches.
Sack the Marketing Dept.
Sack the Conditioners.

Then?

I'm trying to put all off field issues out of my mind. I'll never know what's going on and it's a waste of time trying to.

I am grateful we are a superleague club when so many others have fallen by the wayside, I am grateful that every so often we realise our potential, play some great rugby and have a win to savour.

I am grateful to watch my rugby at the Willows, surrounded by knowledgeble and loyal fans who LOVE this club.

I am going on Saturday still believing we can beat Bradford and I can return home happy.

If things go tits up....................well there's always next week!

It's a good long while since we've had a 'Tarry out' thread on here!

Nice work young Michael.

Best post on these forums I've ever seen without a shadow of a doubt Mike, my feelings exactly and one of the reasons why I have become so fed up, nothing ever changes. The club needs a huge clear out especially of the people who run it I could go on forever of the shoddy experiences that I and others have had from certain departments and obviously some of the issues that Mike mentioned that stick out in the past the problem is finding people to come on board and be committed to turning this club around as we move into the new stadium and a new era because its no good moving to Barton and still having the same issues because the crowds will never rise, we have the players in place well a core we can build around to take us forward on the field but with the same old problems it will affect the team and people will not want to sign for a farce.

The club are now paying the price for massively over-hyping in pre season (We'll definatley make the play offs etc). All this achieved was to raise the expectations of the fans, whereas the extra money we spent this season comapred to other seasons was wasted on signing the first players who became available rather than players we actually needed (with the exception of Patten).

As for other areas of the club, we all know how badly certain areas are run, yet the same people are still in a job. On the subject of marketing, Sale are expecting 20000 on Saturday for their game at the Reebok (also clashes with Utd vs city), whereas we will be lucky to get 3000 in.

When you read comments like Patten's in the MEN you know how bad it has become, yet the club has still not had the decency to issue any sort of statement on the Alker situation.

No magic wand here fella, but let me tease you with a what if or two:

What if we were the fans that did things differently?
What if we engaged with the club, threw our ideas around and chipped in a bit of spare time and effort?
What if we confronted difficulties with support and encouragement?
What if we all brought a mate along to the games?
What if we sang our franchise's positives from the rooftops?
What if we cheered, sang and made the Willows a belting day/night out irrespective of the spectacle on the pitch?
Not just the wonderful few who do this already, but all of us?

Just a thought. Anyway, I'm off to teach the world to sing...

The ship's gone,only the iceberg's left.

Would actually love this to happen, especially the first 3 on the list, however it works both ways and when there is little or no communication from the club to the fans then it's not hard to see why people are quick to criticise.

It's quite concerning that there still havnt been a press release about the alker situation, the only reason I can think of is there is negotiations going on and there is nothing to tell.

There are lots of power struggles going on all round the club at present somebody needs to stand up, draw a line in the sand and say as a club we go forward from here.

The money will be the same but the club need to go out and reconnect with the people of salford and the fans that have drifted away. To be honest I feel there is a sence of panic within the club that with the new stadium comming out of the ground its becoming very real that the whole organstion need to go up a level as
There isn't any hiding places anymore on and off the field

Ex salford uni I agree its a two way street tho, I've had dealings with with the club where because of computer systems I've had to wait 2 weeks for various free ticket offers to come into play by then my victims / new supporters ha ha had lost a bit of interest and I had to drag them in, they are still coming now but I had to get into their grill about it.

We as fans do our bit and the club surely can't continue to fluff it up.

Forever Reds fella? But you see, no ones interested, nobody ever wants to get involved its the same people putting their hands up every time to help the club achieve the things outlined above. With more members you never know some of these things may become reality but there's far to much bluff and bluster amongst our fans to make this happen. We've given the club ideas in the past, we've supported them with time, money and ideas but we're only a small number, more people, more ideas, more input. So will I see you at the next FR meeting / event?

FWIW I agree with DR's original post I think he raises good points and issues that need to looked at and what's more he's gone about it in a very constructive way. He's allowed his chance to speak and everyone else is entitled to theirs, nobody's right and nobody's wrong on this point (or any other for that matter, it's an independent fans site after all) but one thing remains, and not wanting to paraphrase politicians, as fans, we're all in it together and lets never forget that, fight on brothers and sisters, fight on!

But should that be considered an achievement? It's something of a cliche but to say that you are standing still is really to say that you are going backwards. Well done on keeping the ship afloat in difficult circumstances, but don't we all want to progress?



Read [iMoneyball[/i by Michael Lewis. You don't need money to compete, it's about how you approach what you do and get value from the resources you have. Re

But you don't disagree with my analysis?