I just feel that that's something of a misreading of Don's remarks. His comments were directed at members who don't renew, and he was encouraging people to stay the course, pointing out that not renewing memberships only harms the club. I'm not sure how we get to "I would have thought most clubs would want all the members it can get". when the article on the MFC site re his speech leads with:

"PRESIDENT Don McLardy has made a passionate plea for those who bleed red and blue to show their true colours and sign up as a member for 2013."

It also said

"McLardy was adamant the club did not want fickle supporters who chose to support

the Demons only in good times".

A number of people have commented on positive things from Mclarty's speech last week.

I have read parts of it on the MFC site and a couple of things worry me.

It said "McLardy was adamant the club did not want fickle supporters who chose to support

the Demons only in good times".

I am sure we want anyone who buys a membership. of course there will be people who lose interest after five nears at the bottom.

But why give them a reason to not join.

If I was wavering my response would be " oh the MFC don't need me confirms what I was thinking"

I cannot see any reason to say that, no upside in my view.

He also said "dismissed as just making up the numbers"

The people saying this are right we have been and in 2012 we were irrelevant.

Again not sure why you would say that.

“The cost of the investigation and the $500,000 fine has and will hurt us. We

are currently reforecasting our financial position in light of that,” he

said.

“Our aim has always been to remain operating debt free and post a profit, but

this will be sorely tested this year.

Is this a warning of a big loss in 2013?

I have a bad feeling about 2013, unless we show a marked improvement on the field it is looking very glum.

I must say that I didn't object to these comments Old Dee.I thought Don's speech soundly balanced positivity with realism.

For years Melbourne supporters have been slagged off as soft "theatre-goers " just as happy to waltz off to the snow as to watch their team struggle. The club is increasingly trying to get the message across that Melbourne supporters are passionate about their club. We aren't going to win any competition for supporter numbers - we want to be known as a club whose supporters stick - and fight.

I suspect that he was warning us that a loss is in store for 2013. What with a $500k fine, legal fees of at least that amount, a distracted Community Relations Manager - and heaps of bad publicity to discourage potential members and sponsors - Don was just stating the obvious. Let's quietly remind the AFL of the damage their criminally unfair investigation has done to our club as equalization talks hot up

If we can lift on the field - and secure enough match day revenues in these tough economic times to keep the loss to less than $500k - I reckon we will have done well. Sad - but true.

Edited March 27, 201312 yr by hoopla

Look, Don is trying a rhetorical device that gets people to make the conclusions we are making and either get offended or sign up to make them feel he wasn't talking about them - or both.

I don't think it is the right 'time' to try this 'in or out' meme.

We have not delivered a decent product for ages and while I agree that Demons should sign up before they think about how we will go, I realise that it does happen and if we wish to get new Demons we are going to have to deliver a better product.

Get better is the answer. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have signed up when we were crap if you could have.

Winning is the reward for my support, not the other way around.

Look, Don is trying a rhetorical device that gets people to make the conclusions we are making and either get offended or sign up to make them feel he wasn't talking about them - or both.

I don't think it is the right 'time' to try this 'in or out' meme.

We have not delivered a decent product for ages and while I agree that Demons should sign up before they think about how we will go, I realise that it does happen and if we wish to get new Demons we are going to have to deliver a better product.

Get better is the answer. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have signed up when we were crap if you could have.

Winning is the reward for my support, not the other way around.

Spot on rpfc but as you say some will drop off after 6 years of crap.

Win it cures most problems

I must say that I didn't object to these comments Old Dee.I thought Don's speech soundly balanced positivity with realism.

For years Melbourne supporters have been slagged off as soft "theatre-goers " just as happy to waltz off to the snow as to watch their team struggle. The club is increasingly trying to get the message across that Melbourne supporters are passionate about their club. We aren't going to win any competition for supporter numbers - we want to be known as a club whose supporters stick - and fight.

I suspect that he was warning us that a loss is in store for 2013. What with a $500k fine, legal fees of at least that amount, a distracted Community Relations Manager - and heaps of bad publicity to discourage potential members and sponsors - Don was just stating the obvious. Let's quietly remind the AFL of the damage their criminally unfair investigation has done to our club as equalization talks hot up

If we can lift on the field - and secure enough match day revenues in these tough economic times to keep the loss to less than $500k - I reckon we will have done well. Sad - but true.

You touched a little bit on the unfairness of the AFL towards the club. IMO this period could be used by all parts of the MFC as great motivation. It's a time that the club can form a new identity & stick it right up the AFL, media & footy public in general when we get to the location we are aiming to get to. It sometimes feels like the whole world is against the club as a Melbourne supporter. This is a defining moment in our history & I hope those in power at the club use the events of the last year as such to create an us against them mentality. Play like Demons on & off the field. The siege mentality is something Sir Alex Ferguson used to motivate his sides during the 90's to great effect. The MFC isn't on the scale of Man Utd of course, however it's still a great motivational factor when you think people are waiting for you to fail. You want to prove them wrong & I hope that's what Neeld tells his players on Sunday Afternoon.

It also said

"McLardy was adamant the club did not want fickle supporters who chose to support

the Demons only in good times".

I wasn't there, but I suspect the "not" refers to them being fickle rather than to being supporters. In other words, he wants to turn fickle supporters into full-time, dedicated, passionate, paying supporters.

I wasn't there, but I suspect the "not" refers to them being fickle rather than to being supporters. In other words, he wants to turn fickle supporters into full-time, dedicated, passionate, paying supporters.

The best way to achieve that is win games.

For fickle supporters actions speak louder than words.

Spot on rpfc but as you say some will drop off after 6 years of crap.

Win it cures most problems

Old there are supporters such as you and I who put up with the late 60's and the 70's where we were really crap and yet we are still here. This is just another phase in the life of the MFC and just another set of challenges we have to endure. Do you think there are any other club's (hope I got the apostraphe right for BBO) supporters who would still be around if they had to put up with that?

Have a look at North, they won premierships but still don't have our number of supporters.

Bit of faith required Old, I'm sure that we will turn this around and when we do it will be for the long term benefit of the club, no more weak players and hopefully no more weak supporters; stay the course.

Old there are supporters such as you and I who put up with the late 60's and the 70's where we were really crap and yet we are still here. This is just another phase in the life of the MFC and just another set of challenges we have to endure. Do you think there are any other club's (hope I got the apostraphe right for BBO) supporters who would still be around if they had to put up with that?

Have a look at North, they won premierships but still don't have our number of supporters.

Bit of faith required Old, I'm sure that we will turn this around and when we do it will be for the long term benefit of the club, no more weak players and hopefully no more weak supporters; stay the course.

Not quite sure what you think I was saying RobbieF

I was merely stating the fact the when you have continued poor results

Then some supporters will drop off.

Fact of life.

I just think winning games will cure most of our problems.

If we keep losing we will struggle with member numbers and lack of money.

I just think winning games will cure most of our problems.

Do you think we're still losing on purpose?

Do you think we're still losing on purpose?

That hardly needs a reply

Not quite sure what you think I was saying RobbieF

I was merely stating the fact the when you have continued poor results

Then some supporters will drop off.

Fact of life.

I just think winning games will cure most of our problems.

If we keep losing we will struggle with member numbers and lack of money.

We will but it may take a bit more time than we'd hoped, that's all, in the mean time we must just hang on for a bit longer and be positive. If we drop our heads it will be much harder to go through the season. Cheer up OD there are worse things than a season of poor performance, we should know we've seen enough of them.

We will but it may take a bit more time than we'd hoped, that's all, in the mean time we must just hang on for a bit longer and be positive. If we drop our heads it will be much harder to go through the season. Cheer up OD there are worse things than a season of poor performance, we should know we've seen enough of them.

I constantly remind myself it is only a game.

There are way more important things in life.

By the way I am not that sad about the MFC in 2013.

I have low expectations so I seriously doubt I will be disappointed.

That hardly needs a reply

Alanis Morrisette could have used this as example of something that actually is ironic (as opposed to the non ironic examples in her song).

Alanis Morrisette could have used this as example of something that actually is ironic (as opposed to the non ironic examples in her song).

Correct binman.

Like her a lot had a lot of her songs on tape.

God it is not that long ago surely.

If I had an iPad that worked I could down load them from iTunes I guess.