I don't take them too seriously - but I remember this group as a kid. They were intimidating to a 7 year old in 1980, but until recently, I didn't know they still existed. While they gained infamy for the Elliott coup, they haven't done a whole lot since except ask inane question at the AGM each year (yes, Joe - they are inane). But while they have little or no relevance to the common member/supporter, unbelievably they still hold some weight with the Carlton board.
Sticks and a board member met with the USC a week before the AGM last December so that they could air all their grievances in a private meeting rather than at the AGM (which is what usually happens every year). The club, for reasons unbeknown to me, wanted to keep last years' AGM as quiet as possible.
On the same night, only metres away at the MCG, Collingwood held their AGM. Heavily promoted through their social media channels, they even tweeted proceedings to their members who couldn't make it. It's that proactive embracing of the supporter base that I wish my club was doing. They're not. There's no foresight, no fresh ideas and new ideas are generally remodeled old ideas. It must be an incredibly stale place to work. There are business units within professional sporting clubs that are supposed to be full of creativity and inspiration. This is the Carlton Football Club - there is sooo much to work with! Yet our President and board are still holding secret meetings with the 'Unofficial Selection Committee'...can you imagine how that looked on the board agenda? It beggars belief.
One can only hope that Craig Mathieson and Ryan Trainor bring some common sense business practices to the club and we don't give supporters like this the airtime they clearly don't deserve.
