Post by gary on Dec 3, 2012 10:40:10 GMT
The Rotherham match has generated a huge debate about a wide range of issues both on and off the field. All of this is really healthy as it indicates that there are number of people who really care about the club.
There are 2 areas that are being discussed. On the field and off the field.
I now get to most games home and away whenever I can and have a view about players, systems etc but in reality who am I to advise Kevin Maggs and Dave Hilton with all their experience? However it is part of the 'fun' to express our views and maybe, just maybe, the fans have an occasional opinion that is of some value. At the end of the day, however, the coaches stand or fall based on their decisions.
Off the field is another matter and I think we need to stand back and attempt to have an objective view of where we are.
The efforts to keep the club going over the years have been wonderful and everyone associated with that should be congratulated. I speak as someone who has simply been a spectator on and off since coming to Birmingham in 1977.
What do we have now? On the field a team regularly struggling at the bottom of the Championship with, I believe, one of the smallest playing budgets in the division. Realistically should we expect to be in a better position or be extremely happy that we have managed to stay in the Championship? I do worry that if we are relegated, looking at some of the better resourced clubs in the divisions below, we will struggle to return. We trade on the Moseley name but as other clubs have shown that only goes so far.
Off the field we have a new ground but, and it is a big but, the facilities are appalling. Much has been written in other posts about the grandstand, catering , potholes, toilet etc so there is no need to repeat that here. I have visited most other grounds in this division and several in lower divisions and we must have some of the worst facilities by a long way. Having said all that again I congratulate those who have got us even this far from the blink of oblivion.
So, to the way forward. I've attended the last few AGM's. We have heard about the plans for a new grandstand for at least a couple of years now. As I recall it was scheduled to cost 5(?) million. I guess the price will have gone up by a couple of million by now but I'm sure the experts can correct me if necessary. We were told at an AGM (2 years ago) that there was just over 1 million in the bank so there is a big gap by anyones standards. We need an official update from the club on just where we are now regarding that vision or indeed any amended version of it.
As others have said we could in theory make substantial improvements to our current facilities if the money we have could be used for those purposes. Can it? Perhaps someone can clarify that very point.
There also remains the bigger point about whether the city wants a top flight rugby club. Do the City Council want it? Will the business community support it? I have several friends who go to Worcester and Leicester. I have brought some to Moseley and the general view is '......is this it....?
Our attendances are one of the lowest in the division and I always find it hard to believe that only 500 - 750 people in the Birmingham conurbation want to come and watch a top flight rugby game. So why is that? Is a lack of advertising the problem? Our facilities and the 'match day experience' must be an issue too. We also seem to get very few schoolchildren to matches. There must be hundreds who play rugby. Do they all play on Saturday afternoons? I would rather give away 200 free tickets to schoolkids and get them into the ground (bring your dad/mum for a fiver?) just to fill up the ground and to bring in some new people.
There seem to be some issues between the supporters association and some volunteers that need to be addressed as we move forward. Moseley Matters and this message board need to be used more by the club to raise, address, discuss some of the more generic, structural issues affecting the club. I don't think the communication is as good or as open as it could be.
I've just tried to raise a few issues. I don't want to be on committees, I don't want to volunteer and maybe I'll be criticised for that. I'm just happy to pay my money to watch some good rugby in a nice environment. How best can that be achieved?
There are 2 areas that are being discussed. On the field and off the field.
I now get to most games home and away whenever I can and have a view about players, systems etc but in reality who am I to advise Kevin Maggs and Dave Hilton with all their experience? However it is part of the 'fun' to express our views and maybe, just maybe, the fans have an occasional opinion that is of some value. At the end of the day, however, the coaches stand or fall based on their decisions.
Off the field is another matter and I think we need to stand back and attempt to have an objective view of where we are.
The efforts to keep the club going over the years have been wonderful and everyone associated with that should be congratulated. I speak as someone who has simply been a spectator on and off since coming to Birmingham in 1977.
What do we have now? On the field a team regularly struggling at the bottom of the Championship with, I believe, one of the smallest playing budgets in the division. Realistically should we expect to be in a better position or be extremely happy that we have managed to stay in the Championship? I do worry that if we are relegated, looking at some of the better resourced clubs in the divisions below, we will struggle to return. We trade on the Moseley name but as other clubs have shown that only goes so far.
Off the field we have a new ground but, and it is a big but, the facilities are appalling. Much has been written in other posts about the grandstand, catering , potholes, toilet etc so there is no need to repeat that here. I have visited most other grounds in this division and several in lower divisions and we must have some of the worst facilities by a long way. Having said all that again I congratulate those who have got us even this far from the blink of oblivion.
So, to the way forward. I've attended the last few AGM's. We have heard about the plans for a new grandstand for at least a couple of years now. As I recall it was scheduled to cost 5(?) million. I guess the price will have gone up by a couple of million by now but I'm sure the experts can correct me if necessary. We were told at an AGM (2 years ago) that there was just over 1 million in the bank so there is a big gap by anyones standards. We need an official update from the club on just where we are now regarding that vision or indeed any amended version of it.
As others have said we could in theory make substantial improvements to our current facilities if the money we have could be used for those purposes. Can it? Perhaps someone can clarify that very point.
There also remains the bigger point about whether the city wants a top flight rugby club. Do the City Council want it? Will the business community support it? I have several friends who go to Worcester and Leicester. I have brought some to Moseley and the general view is '......is this it....?
Our attendances are one of the lowest in the division and I always find it hard to believe that only 500 - 750 people in the Birmingham conurbation want to come and watch a top flight rugby game. So why is that? Is a lack of advertising the problem? Our facilities and the 'match day experience' must be an issue too. We also seem to get very few schoolchildren to matches. There must be hundreds who play rugby. Do they all play on Saturday afternoons? I would rather give away 200 free tickets to schoolkids and get them into the ground (bring your dad/mum for a fiver?) just to fill up the ground and to bring in some new people.
There seem to be some issues between the supporters association and some volunteers that need to be addressed as we move forward. Moseley Matters and this message board need to be used more by the club to raise, address, discuss some of the more generic, structural issues affecting the club. I don't think the communication is as good or as open as it could be.
I've just tried to raise a few issues. I don't want to be on committees, I don't want to volunteer and maybe I'll be criticised for that. I'm just happy to pay my money to watch some good rugby in a nice environment. How best can that be achieved?