1) Introduction:
All today’s proposals for action were
submitted by members of SISA. The committee have been speaking and meeting with
members and non-members from the Fylde and far beyond in order to help focus the
fan base on setting achievable goals and working together for the benefit of the
club, its supporters and the community. The short term focus is on getting the
current owners to invest more of the club’s money into the football side of the
business and to pressurise them into acting in a way more consistent with the
traditions of our great club. The slogans of the campaign will be “Oystons’ Cash
Cow” and “Oystons Must Put Football First”. We are hoping that supporters
whether SISA members or not will rally around these ideas.
2) Bloomfield Road as Asset
of Community Value: The result of SISA’s
application for Bloomfield Road to be listed as an Asset of Community is
scheduled to be decided by the Council on Tuesday 11th February. SISA
understands that the application has cross-party support and Karl Oyston has
also given his public support to the idea. The main consideration now appears to
be whether it will satisfy the statutory requirements. The council seemed
satisfied with the application when it was submitted to them and there are good
reasons to be optimistic about a positive outcome. If it succeeds it will be the
first property in Blackpool to receive Asset of Community Value Status. This
will mean that should the owners choose to sell the ground, they will have to
inform SISA of their intention. The club’s supporters will then have the option
to raise money to bid for the ground or to lobby any potential purchasers
concerning use of the ground or alternatively, address and publicise any other
issues of concern. Action: SISA committee to inform Blackpool supporters of
the outcome of the application (110214)
3) Supporters Trust:
SISA have been given the backing of
Supporters Direct to establish a Supporters Trust for Blackpool FC. There are
many advantages that having a Supporters Trust can provide for Blackpool fans
e.g. collectively owning shares, providing a means of transparent and open
negotiation between fans and the club as well as potentially enabling fans to
have a much bigger say in the way our club is run with more co-operation with
the club and accountability from the owners. It will also give greater weight to
SISA and the fans it represents as well as helping to more widely publicise the
issues that impact our club. There will be a public vote on 5th of
April before the Yeovil game to create a Supporters Trust and it was stressed
that we need as big a turnout of people as possible on that day. Action: SISA
to publicise the Public Vote on the 5th April as well as providing information
about what a Supporters Trust is and how it can benefit Blackpool fans.
(Ongoing) Blackpool fans to turn up in great numbers at the meeting (5-4-14)
4) Proposals for Action:
The proposals had all been agreed in
principle with Tony Pinder, the Ground Safety Officer at Blackpool FC. The final
details will still need to be agreed with Tony Pinder, the Police and the Local
Authority.
a) The 90 Million Pound Note:
An A4 size double sided imitation bank
note was displayed with examples provide for all present to examine. The leaflet
is an imitation of a traditional English bank note (included as an attachment to
the minutes). This will be held up on the 19 minutes for a period of 30 seconds
to a minute displaying the bank note and on 53 minutes, for 30 seconds or so,
displaying the other side which contains the message “Oystons Must Put Football
First”. These leaflets will be provided by SISA and distributed outside the
ground before kick-off. This proposal was passed by an almost unanimous
majority. Action: SISA to finalise the design, co-ordinate with other groups
of Blackpool fans to try to ensure the demonstration has the biggest possible
impact. (Ongoing)
b) Delayed Entry To The
Ground: Fans will delay their entry into
the ground until nine minutes after kick off with each minute signifying ten
million of the approximately ninety million received from the Premier League
money. As with the other agenda items there was lively discussion about this
proposal and it was generally felt that supporters wanted to watch the game and
that this approach would clearly prevent people from seeing some of the game.
Action: This proposal was rejected by a hefty majority and therefore no
further action necessary.
c) Post Match Sit
In: It was suggested that supporters
delay their departure from the ground by a maximum period of 15 minutes and in
so doing make public the strength of feeling about many of the strategies the
club has been employing over the years in regards to the football side of the
business. Members said that there needed to be good numbers for this to have
real impact and the planning had to be properly co-ordinated. Action: This
was passed by a hefty majority and the Committee were asked to further develop
the idea, liaise with as broad a group of supporters as possible and publicise
the event properly. The committee should also make the necessary arrangements
with the club, the police etc. (ongoing)
d) The Premier League Legacy Funeral March: A coffin draped
in tangerine with the legend “Premier League Legacy” would be placed at the
front of the march and the supporters would form a procession behind the coffin
and march to and around Bloomfield Road. Action: Agreed again almost
unanimously, SISA committee to make the necessary arrangements and liaise with
the relevant authorities. (220214)
e) Video Montage:
Supporters would be filmed explaining
the reasons for their disappointment with the club or their unwillingness to
renew their season ticket. This would then be edited together and made into a
short film that would be posted on YouTube and various other social media. There
was a big majority in favour with seven people voting against. Members wanted to
see the detail of the proposal firmed up a little. Action: The committee to
arrange for filming and editing to take place, fine tune the proposal and bring
back to the members when the filming is ready to take place. Members to
volunteer to be filmed and provide their views on the club.
(100314)
5) Members
questions/issues
a) Gazette advertisement:
It was suggested that SISA take out an
advert in the Gazette using the design of the 90 million pound note as a
background. It would include a message for Blackpool fans concerning the
importance of helping to bring about changes to the way our club is run and
suggesting ways that these ends might be achieved. The idea was clearly still in
its early stages but was passed by a great majority of those present. Action:
SISA to investigate the possibility of advertising in the Gazette and attempt to
raise funds for the purpose (100314). SISA to fine tune the idea and bring it
back to members for approval (100314).
b) Ad Van billboard:
A member offered to provide his Ad-van
on match days. He suggested that an Oyston Cash Cow poster should be designed
and he would circle the ground on a match day with the posters displayed for all
supporters to see. This idea provoked much interest and met with almost
unanimous approval. Action: SISA to help raise the necessary money for the
posters and other costs associated with the Ad-van plan as well as offering any
other help that might be required (220214).
c) Media exposure:
A number of supporters felt that it
would be useful if the story of Blackpool FC was to receive wider prominence in
national media. A number of journalistic contacts were suggested and a local
journalist volunteered her services in helping to help promote some of the
problems at the club to a wider audience. Action: SISA to continue developing
media contacts, particularly with football journalists such as David Conn,
Daniel Storey etc (Ongoing).
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