Good thinking S/O: There more good ideas that can be put together to raise the cash, the better.

I am disappointed that the player we are after is Paul Cooke. After digesting what Tony and the board had to say, I thnk the squad builder fund is a good idea.

However, even though Paul has seemingly got his act together I don't think we can really expect much from him as a player having had 2 years out. We have signed numerous 'big name magnets' and none of them have been true to their word. I am afraid Graham Holroyd is another that this is another Graham Holroyd situation. I hope I am proven wrong and if that is the case I will hold my hands up.

As an idea for fund raising, the retro match shirts auction went down really well (I personally spent almost £200 on one). How about all fans vote for an all time, all stars dons team, then the player for that position (if still with us obviously), signs the corresponding shirt which is then auctioned for the squad builder? Who wouldn't want to buy Alex Green's signed shirt?????

What people seem to forget about the "Graham Holroyd" situation is that he was almost certainly our best player for 5 years, single handedly kept us up in his first season and organised the team after that. I'd love another "Graham Holroyd situation"

But that is probably an argument for years gone by

A lot of people have said this year they will not be travelling to as many away games due to the distance and extra expense. Therefore we want to get as much out of the home games as we can, with the best players we can get. So why not set aside some of the money saved from not travelling to the away game and invest in the team for your entertainment at the Keepmoat.

By my reckoning an average away game is knocking on £35 of expense

Obviously lots of people will still want to go to away games, after all that is the reason most of us are here, to watch the team. But there are those that don't

Agreed, Holroyd was class and exactly the kind of player we need now.
He only went elsewhere when the ship was sinking, otherwise he would have stopped with us.
I thought he was great, I wish we could have had him and Mansson at the same time.

The meeting was interesting for two other points.
The man who said ''What if Cooke breaks his leg after say a fortnight, what then?''
He took my crown did that man ... congrats.

Also the bit about ''Why would Paul Cooke want to come to Donny rather than Superleague?''
Reply ''Because he doesn't want the pressure and wants to work in Schools.''
Durrr?
There would be no pressure at Donny then?
And have you ever worked with kids Paul?
They're 'orrible!

I thought the bloke who said stick a quid on the gate had a good idea.

Have a Paul Cooke raffle at every match and have him present the prize.

See if we can get Kingdom to make a Paul Cooke range like Warrington did for Joey.

Aution the new shirts with his autograph on them.

i will be pledging and buying what ever we knock up to bring him here, the only person i feel sorry for is China who is in his testamonial season and has to compete with the "bring Paul Cooke to Donny" fund.

Steve Hossack's report in rl[sizeThe Star [/sizerl

It would take 400 people at £5 a month to make two grand. I would have thought that would be within the range of everyone to afford. Even with a small fanbase this is achievable.
I will be signing up for this. We need to be in the Championship in 2013 to avoid the intergalactic travel to away games on planet Zog and maybe when we are up there with increased attendances we will be able to keep hold of our better players.
The season tickets were for nothing so i don't think we can complain at being asked to cough up a few extra pounds to help build the team.
I really hope this works out.

You won't get 400 people signing up though, only about 100.
The only people really interested, apart from those that could not make it or didn't know about it were at the meeting.
I don't think the people at the meeting were a significant subset of a bigger group of interested fans. If more fans were interested then why didn't they come?

Besides which, the money raised this way is at risk at source.
If Paul Cooke turns out to be a disappointment and people rag their pledges in, we are still committed to him for a year aren't we?
Not least because he has packed his job in to come and needs an income.
Much better to get some money by other means that is up front, then it doesn't matter. In other words, you already have the money and the risk is covered.

It's all right Carl saying he doesn't want to put the club at risk, but paying for Paul this way could do just that.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket would be my advice.

It shouldn't come to this of course, but you can't just pay the guy on promises.

I would class 400 as a poor attendance. You would think that at least that amount would give a fiver a month. If we were going to Wembley they'd be knocking the doors down. Typical Donny sporting public.
You are right though, we won't get 400.

I'm more than up for that..

Not wishing to be a merchant of doom but if we don't raise the cash to get Paul Cooke and we finish 5th in the league (and don't go up) what a sickener that would be!

I hope the people of Donny support this initiative by the club.

I will be signing up for at least the £20 per month. Won't be going to too many away games, so it will be worthwhile just to try and escape the league of the damned in 2013.

Good stuff Rupert. I'm in for £25 per month. That's £540 between us over the year ... that's 3% of the required £18,000 sorted!

... another £20 per month here ...