I completely agree with this point.

and our president has an advertising agency, it really is a worry.

When did Paul Gardner own Grey Worldwide?

PG is chairman and his greatest strength is number crunching and business dealings. He didn't make his name being a creative.

He still has to answer to a higher power and i'm not sure how he can explain to them why he's divided his resources and staff to the MFC which will not earn the company a cent.

Hmm Given that TeamMelbourne has proved a total fizzer..( shame ) and that tenancy still isnt finalised at bubbledome.. the idea Of Linton Ave isnt all that silly.. Close to Sandringham. Not far from beach.. It has its plusses

Youd have to think Kingston might be ameniable to a new tenant..lol

Hmm Given that TeamMelbourne has proved a total fizzer..( shame ) and that tenancy still isnt finalised at bubbledome.. the idea Of Linton Ave isnt all that silly.. Close to Sandringham. Not far from beach.. It has its plusses

Youd have to think Kingston might be ameniable to a new tenant..lol

Sounds like it's worth exploring to me, I live close to Linton street and there is a fair few Melbourne stickers on the cars around Bentleigh and Moorabbin. However we would need to investigate costs, because if it is more cost effective to be base at the bubble, we would have to take that option!

Jaded, we ahev every right to whinge. Most people are members here anyway, but we're not going to delude ourselves and 'focus on the positives' because are present there aren't any, other that we exist. Simply existing will not win us a premiership. It is going to become more and more difficult to complete with interstate clubs especially with the 18 team expansion

How appropriate that as soon as we have one down year, after 3 fairy good years (acceptance of mediocrity, yes I know), we struggle to get 20,000 members to sign up before Round 1.

"We currently have 19,712 members, which puts us ahead of our membership tally at the same time last year."*

At the same time last year, we were coming off an appearance in the second round of finals, with many touting us as one of the best Victorian chances in the coming season.

*source - MFC member e-newsletter

Sounds like it's worth exploring to me, I live close to Linton street and there is a fair few Melbourne stickers on the cars around Bentleigh and Moorabbin. However we would need to investigate costs, because if it is more cost effective to be base at the bubble, we would have to take that option!

totally agree...just the idea isnt totally implausibe !!

Hmm Given that TeamMelbourne has proved a total fizzer..( shame ) and that tenancy still isnt finalised at bubbledome.. the idea Of Linton Ave isnt all that silly.. Close to Sandringham. Not far from beach.. It has its plusses

Youd have to think Kingston might be ameniable to a new tenant..lol

I can see pro's and con's for both, but lean towards the Bubble Dome option as opposed to far far away land.

Locating close to Sandy would give us a secure patch near where a lot of the home supporters live. Thats the good news, the other side of the ledger is that in doing so we would effectively be turning our backs on the remainder of the city and hence becoming a less appealing option to potential new members. Its a long drive for many, and quite frankly the public transport out there sucks.

What I'd suggest would be to take tenacy at Bubble Dome and then hold after training / after match functions at one of the recently renovated pubs near the corner of Swan Street & Punt Road. They are big and close to the G, and therefore a convenient place for our supporters to gather post match. Richmond station is just across the road so public transport is a breeze, those that travelled by car would be able to leave them in the MCG car park.

Its also a hell of a lot easier on our players who can complete their post match routines [ice bath's etc]. leave their cars [those who still have a license] at the Bubble Dome and walk over to mix with the supporters - who will of course send them home well before 1AM

I’m sick and tired of the bitching and the moaning that’s been happening here lately.

I understand that barracking for this club is difficult. But support cannot be conditional.

There is no doubt that we, as a club, have a lot of problems.

Our administration is struggling to keep up with a minute number of membership orders, and we are starving for more support. We have little to no money, which means we can’t spend big on advertising campaigns to lure new members. We’ve reached a point where, if I was working as a marketer for the club, I would use fear tactics to get people to buy memberships and turn up to games. Better to beg, than die.

While we’re trying to think big with our mission to China, we can’t even get decent numbers to games in Melbourne. We struggle to do the basic things right, our ex- CEO has let 70% of his staff members walk out in the past few years, and we don’t even have a ground to regularly train on during the summer.

But our biggest problem, are our pathetic supporters. Melbourne fans are a fickle bunch. Their support is dependent on on-field results, our clash strip and the plastic pen you get with your membership.

When things go pear-shaped, you need support more than anything. As individuals, we’ve all been through bad times, and we’ve all looked towards the people in our lives to help us. But if we as supporters can’t be there for the Melbourne Football Club, than what hope have we got of making it to the end of the season, let alone to our 200^th birthday?

I wish I could get every person in Australia who fancies themselves as a Melbourne supporter in the one room, and give them a serious piece of my mind and a good smack around the ears. But I can’t.

What I can do is come to Demonland and find other REAL supporters, who turn up to games, buy memberships, and who love this club like they love their mother/wife/child/dog/shoes... maybe more.

It is our responsibility to ensure that this club never loses their fight to survive. We might not win the battle, but as long as we’re still fighting, we’ve got a chance at getting better and stronger.

Buy a membership, turn up to games even if you know we won’t win, wear your scarf to games, harass other supporters to sign up and or shut up. And most importantly, don’t give up on the club.

Hopefully a new CEO can get the club to fine-tune all the really important, basic, fundamental things. Hopefully our new coach can get us some on-field success. But until that happens, hold tight and don’t let go.

If the desperados of Demonland give up hope, we might as well pack up our one training bike and call it a day.

Fantastic post there Jaded!

I salute you in your efforts.

I have been a paid up Melbourne member for the last 8-9 years and my support for the Demons is unconditional. Those so-called supporters who constantly criticize the MFC but don't do anything need to put their money where their mouth is!

I also believe that Garry Lyon should become a board-member and possibly become the next President/Chairman of the MFC just like Eddie at the Magpies and James Brayshaw at the Kangaroos.

We need PASSIONATE people involved with the MFC that will want to not just see us survive but thrive!

If it came down to a choice.. id probably side with bubbledome.. howevre.. There really isnt much of a case to suggest we are cemented in Melbourne. We wistfully look across the tracks to our beloved G...but its nots ours anymore is it. hawthorn took a deal( in waverly ) .. Sainters are now heading to frankston ( my daughter is Sooo rapt !! lol ) does it really matter. i suspect it doesnt.. Its not like the old territorial suburban days where a matter of a street separated one allegiance from another..Thats all gone.. The club needs to think with its head.. and bank balance.. Do whats best...not necessarily the most "passionate " option But id just as happily have it move to Linton Ave.. close to Oakleigh Bentleigh.. and Sandringham.

All Im suggesting is ..until that dotted line is signed we keep a corner of our club eye peeled for the quick chance !!

keep options open

What we need too is people like mcc members to actually buy a mfc membership.

I buy an afl membership every year and nominate melb as my club of support so some of my membership goes to mfc.

Also i double dip and buy a mfc membership whitch i dont even need to and dont even use but i am just trying to help them.

If more people done this afl members and mcc i think you would find we would have 40 to 50 thousand paid up members and we all know what would happen then.

Get a grip Jaded.

There's plenty to [censored] and moan about at the present. Why shouldn't supporters challenge and criticise? No supporters, no team.

2008 could be our annus horribilis with good reason though.

We may fluke a few wins along the way but at the moment the team looks like crap.

I have no doubt that things will change under DB but it's going to take some time.

Few of us have lost our passion. It's a reality check.

There is an old saying (from Rosavelt I think) that goes something like this:

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".

It might be a bit corny relating this to the MFC, but I am wondering if, perhaps, we are all just spectators who post our thoughts on boards like Demonland, Demonology and BigFooty and generally complain about things to each other.

We "talk the talk" but do we "walk the walk".

What can we do, if anything?

Should there be a "call to action"?

Do we need a "Supporters action group" to get out there and get things done?

Is the club receptive to our thoughts and concerns and, if so, how do we communicate with them?

Do we have anybody whose role it is to liaise with the club about our concerns and ideas?

Do we all expect others to do something without doing anything ourselves? (I am probably guilty of this).

Any ideas?

I guess i will always have a different opinion to many here in the regard of 'whom owes whom"

All you who are extremely gung ho ...line up over there ...>>>>>>>>>>>>.....and go for it.

Me.

I like footy.. have watched more games than I care to remember. Played some centuries ago. Have bought my share of raffle tickets for worthy ( demonic ) causes.. have sent monies away off and on over the years. have too many scarves to wear in one hit..even thrown some out.

Ive frozen my butt off at Artica.. braved the cesspit called Victoria Park.. have sung the song standing on tables in Essendons members bar ( the amber did help !!).. I go to handful of games a year(expensive ones effectively)..and thats all I watch others on the box.

essentially...been there..done that..

So I ask.. what as a spectator and follower of the game and barracker of Melbourne am I exactly supposed to do ?

I wont give over all of my waking hours, nor recreation time and certainly not any more money.. I have a differing opinion proabably to many here.. Its JUST footy..its NOT everything. Proabably 44 years of medocrity has calmed my passion...but not my hopes.

I do other things.. I have hobbies.. have friends who dont particularly follow footy ( and some even worse who do and have dark side tendencies )..and more importantly I have a family who dont al share my respect for the game..other than my daughter and she thought it would be fun to annoy me and follow StKilda.. well shes already one up on me this year huh !!

Essentially Footy fits into my life not the other way around.

Just my perspective.. Melbourne is a business... It turns over Millions. It pays its employees to run around and kick the hide around... Unless they start issuing share certificates why ought I hand over any more money. I enjoy Indiana Jones films..but after paying my 15 bucks ( plus popcorn etc ) thats as much of an investment I wish to make in Harrison Fords life.

I occasionally use PT ..and other than the ticket thats all I care to invest also.

But does that mean if I dont like the film or find the train and trams less than ideal that i cant comment on them ??

It was Kennedy who posed the suggestion that we question the relationship between the individual and their country..Thats al fine and dandy when you talk of your country..the very fabric of your life and that of your families and what you ought to be prepared to do to protect it.

But Melbourne is not a country..its a franchise of a very large corporation.

I would turn it around and suggest that its MFC that ought to be mindful of what it does for its supporters..the very folk that essentially give the club an existance. Id be proffering that THEY need to contribute more to the effort.

From where Ive been Sitting...Standing..freezing.. yelling..paying for the last 44 years its been a bit of a one way street.

And should i get to do so for at least half that time as well.. I'll do so with as much heart and passion as ever.. but I reserve the right to voice my concerns.

Blatant heresy isnt it !! lol