there is still continued criticism of Ian Ridley and his fellow board members about the merge - very unfair, I believe.

These guys were acting in what they thought was the only way for some presence of MFC to continue. Other alternatives were compulsory merges like the AFL forced on Fitzroy, or the AFL cancelling our licence and issuing of it to a totally new entity. Ian and co thought the Hawks merger at least would preserve some past history and continuation in a merged form.

I'm glad that we still have a MFC to support, but EVERY YEAR survival is on a knife-edge - this is 12 years after the merge plan.

Gutnick came and went like a fart in a head-wind - from recollection, he didn't even pay his remainder of about $300,000 that he owed to the club for a superbox.

I am doing my damnest to help the club survive, BUT I have real fears it may all go into oblivion soon, and I will then think - perhaps Ian and Co were correct.

My real wish for our survival is to become a department of the MCC again.

Operative word in the title is maybe...

Saying the club will go into oblivion is just plain stupid. Saying we're in danger of a few nasty realities like relocation, merging and al that is probably true... but oblivion? No.

This was always going to be a tough time. Rebuilding is like that. Other clubs have done it and come out ok, and from positions similar to ours.

I'm not naive enough to think we're going to be ok because "there has to be a team named Melbourne." I'm fully aware it's going to be a shitfight. But I'm not resigned to failure like some. Neither should you be. ANd oblivion isn't a word that should come into anyone's vocab on this topic.

I, and every Melbourne supporter i know would drop off the club if it merged.

pathetic thread

Heads up lads. Good times are just down the road. I know it looks bad but it not, have faith and believe.

there is still continued criticism of Ian Ridley and his fellow board members about the merge - very unfair, I believe.

These guys were acting in what they thought was the only way for some presence of MFC to continue. Other alternatives were compulsory merges like the AFL forced on Fitzroy, or the AFL cancelling our licence and issuing of it to a totally new entity. Ian and co thought the Hawks merger at least would preserve some past history and continuation in a merged form.

I'm glad that we still have a MFC to support, but EVERY YEAR survival is on a knife-edge - this is 12 years after the merge plan.

Gutnick came and went like a fart in a head-wind - from recollection, he didn't even pay his remainder of about $300,000 that he owed to the club for a superbox.

I am doing my damnest to help the club survive, BUT I have real fears it may all go into oblivion soon, and I will then think - perhaps Ian and Co were correct.

My real wish for our survival is to become a department of the MCC again.

Football clubs don't merge; they die.

I can take all the verbal bashing about the snow, and being elitest; what I can't stand is people reminding us that we are the only club in history to vote for a merge.

You need to get real if you think merging is the answer to our problems.

We are a football club! A CLUB. A club is something you belong to, and you should be proud of; not something you join when the team is winning, and drop off when times are tough.

""""""Maybe the merge was the answer after all""""

OK...now go stand in the corner.. and dont leave til you feel suitably embarrased !!!!

When you come to your senses....resume proper thinking and you may rejoin the rest of us !!

We'll have none of that thinking here thankyou... EVER !!

I, and every Melbourne supporter i know would drop off the club if it merged.

pathetic thread

"Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it"

You obviously have ignored the fact that the membership of this club is the only one in league history to actually vote its club out of existence! But for Don Scott and his ability to rally the Hawk membership, we would now be the Dorks! This is not a pathetic thread at all!!

I'm glad the merger didn't take place because I love our club however there has not been one thing that has transpired that has convinced me that Tiger was wrong, the only thing he didn't foresee was the CBF. Everything else he predicted has come true.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and in this current climate should not be chastised for expressing it. I have been a Melb supporter for over 30 years. I go to every Melb victorian game - soemtimes even interstate. In 1980 I went to just about every game including travelling to Sydney to see them lose by a considerable margin. I will continue to do this while we have a club.

FWIW I would agree to a merger if we keep the Melbourne name and predominantly red and blue. In other words I would be happy for the Melbourne Kangaroos with a red V and navy blue and white stripes. We have changed out jumper several times and our mascot name (eg. Redlegs to Demons). I understand this is controversial but I much rather that than a relocation.

In any case, people are aloowed their opinions and that is what a message board is for - to express an opinion. In the meantime, I will be there sitting in the rain, cheering on the Melbourne Demons week in, week out. And I will be bringing my two young children,(also members) who hopefully will see a Melbourne FC premiership in their lifetime.

As my name suggests - maybe next year.

there is still continued criticism of Ian Ridley and his fellow board members about the merge - very unfair, I believe.

These guys were acting in what they thought was the only way for some presence of MFC to continue. Other alternatives were compulsory merges like the AFL forced on Fitzroy, or the AFL cancelling our licence and issuing of it to a totally new entity. Ian and co thought the Hawks merger at least would preserve some past history and continuation in a merged form.

I'm glad that we still have a MFC to support, but EVERY YEAR survival is on a knife-edge - this is 12 years after the merge plan.

Gutnick came and went like a fart in a head-wind - from recollection, he didn't even pay his remainder of about $300,000 that he owed to the club for a superbox.

I am doing my damnest to help the club survive, BUT I have real fears it may all go into oblivion soon, and I will then think - perhaps Ian and Co were correct.

My real wish for our survival is to become a department of the MCC again.

The only reason he did not pay the last $300,00 is because the worst present of all time g. sondy overthrow him, at that time melbourne had no debt at all, three years under sondy we had a 5 million debt. Guntnick was doing a good job and melbourne was heading back up again but as always with melbourne we eat the hand that feeds as , the last present has a lot to answer for sondy was the worst thing that very happen to melbourne. Also guntnick gave Melbourne 2.7 million out of his pocket, i did not see anyone else digging deep in there pockets.

NO MERGER!!!

We shouldn't be bringing up ghosts from the past! The Melbourne Demons will never merge or relocate! Those who suggested a merger should have realised they were wrong and that it would NEVER happen!

ALL Melbourne supporters need to get behind the club and support it!

GO DEMONS!!! LET'S SMASH THE BULLDOGS!!! :angry:

NO MERGER!!!

We shouldn't be bringing up ghosts from the past! The Melbourne Demons will never merge or relocate! Those who suggested a merger should have realised they were wrong and that it would NEVER happen!

ALL Melbourne supporters need to get behind the club and support it!

GO DEMONS!!! LET'S SMASH THE BULLDOGS!!! :angry:

On the contrary Supreme, I think we should never forget that this did in fact happen. As Anthony quite rightly points out, there was some significant "behind the play" manouverings at work but the fact is indisputable, Court action notwithstanding, that the MFC membership voted itself out of existence that night. I voted NO and was crushed that night when the results came in - the news from Hawthorn made me feel only slightly better! Everybody should get behind the Demons to ensure that this doesn't happen again - 30,000 members and a base at Casey Fields (even if only for the summer) would be a great start!

The only reason he did not pay the last $300,00 is because the worst present of all time g. sondy overthrow him, at that time melbourne had no debt at all, three years under sondy we had a 5 million debt. Guntnick was doing a good job and melbourne was heading back up again but as always with melbourne we eat the hand that feeds as , the last present has a lot to answer for sondy was the worst thing that very happen to melbourne. Also guntnick gave Melbourne 2.7 million out of his pocket, i did not see anyone else digging deep in there pockets.

Szondy was hand picked by Gutnick, in fact the entire board was, which was amazing because after just a short time they were unable to work with him. Also, the money didn't come out of his back pocket, it was from his business.

Nothing like rewriting history

first we are the MFC not the afl, if we go down we dont merge or relocate we go to the vfl as the MFC and i will follow them stuff the afl i dont barrack for them i barrack for the mighty DEEs.

now the merge,we are lucky the dorks are so stupid and couldnt read the conditions of the new club. the new board would be made up as follows ..... 7members from the dork board, 5 members from the MFC, 2 members from the mcc and finally the pres nominated by the mcc and the dorks had the veto on that choise. the MFC had no say in the choise of the pres. so any way you look at it the dorks had 8 votes and we had a max of 7.

goodbye name goodbye colours just goodbye.

on the merge night i ask TIGER why the then board agreed to those terms amd he just stood there holding the mic staring at the floor refusing to give any answer at all not even a NO COMMENT nothing .if he or any of that board were on fire i wouldnt [censored] on them to put them out.

and if i have upset anybody Tuff. i will see you next week at geelong if you go.

"Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it"

You obviously have ignored the fact that the membership of this club is the only one in league history to actually vote its club out of existence! But for Don Scott and his ability to rally the Hawk membership, we would now be the Dorks! This is not a pathetic thread at all!!

At least get it right, it was a takeover not a merge that is way the hawks went against it, that's the problem with this club some people don't want to believe the facts.

I still don't see why people look upon the Hawks Dees merger talk as a merger... It was a takeover. They would have died, Melbourne would still have lived on...

THAT'S why the vote went through. Had it been the Hawthorn demons, their members would have voted for it and ours against. Simple really.

At least get it right, it was a takeover not a merge that is way the hawks went against it, that's the problem with this club some people don't want to believe the facts.

The membership voted for the Melbourne Hawks (velcro Hawk and all) and against the Melbourne Demons. Those are the facts!

"My real wish for our survival is to become a department of the MCC again."

I want more than anything for the survival of the MFC - my greatest fear tho is that our survival is getting more perilous every year - in commercial terms, we are bankrupt and should be liquidated. As a department of MCC we would be immortal.