Be like pushing shit uphill with a toothpick.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

I think you need a "CAN DO" attitude!

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dane's trolling again

There's no point sticking your nose in where you're not wanted.

The club wants to keep supporters away from the inner workings of the club, so there's no reason to establish a supporter's club from the outside, hoping the club will integrate it into their operations. They just don't want it that way.

I guess they're pretty confident that the pokies money will really start to flow, and 3 Premierships in 5 years will take care of the rest.

btw - seems pretty cheap to throw a function as a "tribute" to the contribution ex-SoC members made, and charge them a fee for attending that function. It's kinda like they're going out of their way to disenfranchise people. I don't really understand their philosophy on this.

Living in melanoma city i have no idea what happens with SOC and the various supporter groups.

But i have always liked that Aussie rules clubs, by and large, were owned by members and run by elected boards. I think I would have a problem if our club was privately owned and my contributions were for the benefit of some rich turd who just let's me buy tickets and tops.

Naturally clubs need to make decisions that are in their best interests, but I can't see (from WA anyway) why a club would choose to isolate people who have worked hard (particulalry through the dark days) for the club.

Is this a case of a group of people trying to make the SOC just for the "right type"of person since seats at functions will likely become more popular and therefore harder to get? What exactly constitutes a past official? I suspect a lot of the seats at functions will be taken up by family, friends, guests and other people with connections. I bet if your one of the Pratt family (the legitimate ones naturally ) that a seat would suddenly be found.

Is there an opportunity for disgruntled members to put pressure on the board or admin of the club now or via the next elections? or are we now moving to the point where representation at board level is beyond even the most dedicated supporter simply because he doesn't have a spare 100k or more to contribute.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

thought I'd look at their website, if this was the original mission statement than I guess they are now staying true to that??

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

But it seems a mission that included taking money and time from one group of people until they could get the "right"type in the show.

Anyway the SOC could end up being a force for good or ill. A type of super coterie who could eventually nominate it's own ticket's for board elections and, as seen with the Bummers, possibly influence appointments.

I imagine if I had been one of the dumped SOC people I would try to set up a new group (as someone else said) but for it to have teeth it would need some resonably high profile supporters. You can bet that there will be some well known CFC types who would agree to be involved in an alternative group, hopefully without an axe to grind.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Agree with you, can't defend the clubs treatment of people that are should be important to them.

Mandy Hunter has a bit of a stink around her from what I can tell.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

What ever happened to the "Blue Suits"?

Good question, went to a couple of their functions, quote enjoyed them. Suspect M Hunters involvement didn't help. I could be wrong here, I don't have a lot of substance to my thoughts on this.

Could just be that the club decided that they weren't making money out of it. I remember Adrian Gleeson was at one of the events pre board days, couldn't believe it when he got on the board, had no presence whatsoever.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

I think you guys are missing the point. It's reverted back to it's original being = a Past Players Group. So it's not as if they've been selective in who they cut - if you were a SoC member and not a past player - then your contribution is no longer required. That mixing of past player and supporter is no longer.

What they possibly should have done - and I think perhaps where Dane and co are coming from - is to form another coterie group. Find the individuals who were passionate about the group and build from there. Similar structures could have been kept - right down to where the money went and there could have even been past player involvement.

They've obviously chosen not to explore any other option other than to have it as past player /official group ONLY. What are they missing? Well - basic fundamentals of fan engagement to begin with, but clearly that's no longer their focus, so they're obviously trying to move on ASAP.

What else are they missing....hmmmm Money! Yes....money...bucket loads of it. Right up until August myself and others were being bailed up for raffle tickets or donations to assist the players trip to Qatar. It's been mentioned that through the SoC, they raised hundreds of thousands which went to state of the art gym equipment to the little GPS units inserted in the back of the players jumper...

So the only conclusion one can come to is that they don't need any more money. So I won't give them anymore money. It's that simple.

you should work for the club,

I miss the old past players set up,

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

yeah..and that's the only thing that's funny about the club stuff I've been reading lately.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

I could vent and vent and vent about this....but this isn't the place to do it and I think I've done enough.

Good luck to the Past Players Association and the Club going forward - there's just one thing they really shouldn't do, and that's make the mistake of calling it the 'Spirit of Carlton'...because that ship has long sailed.

As in business, if you get pissed off you tend not to go back to the well time and time again. I watch a lot of 'Shark Tank' and 'Dragon's Den', so in my best Kevin O'Leary speak..."This company is ignoring its biggest asset - its fans. This isn't something I would invest in. I'm out"

[youtube]Otm4RusESNU[/youtube]

The SOC is a past players association.

It is not a coterie group.

It is written into the constitution of the SOC that it cannot get involved in club politics in any way.

This is taken very very seriously by the SOC executive.

The SOC never has and never will get involved in the politics of the CFC.

The SOC is basically a group of past players who like to get together, talk about old times and if while having some fun we can raise some money so that we can support current players, past players in need and the history management of the club all the better.

The executive all happily volunteer their time to keep the SOC running, they do it because they love the club.

We understand how some SOC passionate supporter members from 2007-2011 feel disenfranchised at the moment as a result of our recent changes. We can only say that we hope each Carlton supporter supports the club in the way that each individual feels most comfortable. Supporters are a massive part of the culture of the club.

The executive believe though that the change of direction back to a pure past players association and a much stronger link to the CFC and its resources will have a significant positive impact for both parties. While it might not feel like it now to some, it is also going to be to the benefit of all CFC supporters as well.

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The Spirit of Carlton compels you!

The SOC may well have all the safeguards against club politics written into it's constitution, but I would suggest that simply by existence it will influence club politics and administration.

You simply can't expect that if, you have two groups both of whom have very high numbers of former players and current and former administrators, that there won't be some sort of cross pollination even if it's informally. SOC WILL be the group closest to access the actual running of the club other than the official CFC board and management.

I support the founding of a past players group, I don't even object to the move to "cull" existing participants if that's what the SOC committee want to do, however it appears to an outsider as a fairly shitty deal for the expelled SOC members and I'm certain if it was me who had been cut I'd be very very dirty.

Maybe the "new" SOC can make one of it's priorities to ensure that something is done to make the process a little less painful for the members left behind.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

i dont profess to understand everything thats gone on here or to have read all the posts

but

if that is SOCs constitution and the direction it wanted to take and the purpose it was setup for

why did it let randoms in and take their money to only now cut them off and claim that wasnt the purpose of SOC

im a grumpy cynic

but it appears dirty and that people were used for their money to help setup the organisation and then dumped when they werent needed as much

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

That's obviously what it is, not what it is like.

As for SOC suggesting that SOC is apolitical and that they "consider supporters a mammoth part of the culture" .... sounding like a politician....and they don't lay on the bullshit do they?

SOC done the dirty on your brethren.
SOC done the dirty on your mates.
Stop twisting the knives.
Put away the crocodile tears....makes me sick.

I'm so glad I saw SOC's true colours just before I was about to become a sponsor...bad luck to the others, I feel for you, especially Psych.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was surprised that people other than past players or officials were ever invited to be members of SoC. I gladly accepted the opportunity to join even though the nearest I got to playing for the Blues was a cousin who captained the U19's amd a very good mate who played in the 1968 premiership.

I don't mind not being able to be a member of a past players association and I will continue to contributute to SoC in any way I can as a supporter as I value the work that has been done particularly the support past players who may need it.

I just think the transition could have been handled better. A simple letter thanking non ex-player members for their previous support and advising that the club wishes to restrict membership to legit past players with perhaps a suggestion that non playing ex members might be welcomed as guests at some future functions/fundraisers.

As I also said in earlier post, a bit of diplomacy might not have disenfranchised previous SoC supporters.

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“Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you're a mile a way and you have their shoes."

Kicking someone when they're down much?

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

"I AM CARLTON"

Could the timing of this "brilliant" and "inclusive" marketing strategy been any more ludicrous, in the light of:

1. Restriction of long distance members voting rights
2. Dumping loyal volunteers such as Freddy47 without appropriate appreciation or thanks
3. The cynical grab for money by SOC from non-playing member supporters, then dumping them as soon as they have their money and want their private party back.

Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?

"I AM DISENFRANCHISED"

I am not buying a membership this year. I'll stick with my MCC membership and pay at the gate at Etihad.