Problems At Melbourne FC- not just the playing team!

[Guest unstable punt]

I have never started a topic before and have only ever commented a few times but I can longer hold back and need to have a 'whinge'.

I was born in 1964 and obviously have never seen a Melbourne Premiership - and the way the club is going I don't think it will happen soon. Please don't get me wrong I am a member (as is my family) and attend as many games as possible. I support the club, the players and do my bit as best I can.

We all know that the entire football club has to be as 'one' and working at the highest level for a club to be successful. This football club will never be successful until it fixes numerous problems and starting at the MFC HQ would be a good start. It is this reason I've started this topic to find out if I'm just unlucky or if others have had similar problems.

1. Back in October we received our membership packs and 2 weeks later we paid for a family membership believing that earlier we paid the better for the club. Went to the round 1 game and up to the membership tent to pick up our 2008 members items (IE the tie, pashimina or beanie). The attendant said 'where are your coupons?' As last years membership cards were 'clipped' and the items given, I didn't know there were coupons. Turns out that the club has not sent my almanac or coupons out. Now I paid 5 months ago and we only have 20.000 members - how can this happen? Surely the marketing staff are not under that much pressure. A call to the club and finally I receive the correct items this week.

Whilst I'm here - who really wanted a tie, pashmina or beanie? I sat there on Saturday and saw the Bulldog members with very smart baseball caps on - why don't we have these? Especially as our sponsors could have their names put on the side.

2. In November my wife purchased a 150th anniversary pack and I am still yet to receive this. Another call to the club last week and I am told that 'there was a problem with the printers' - yeah sure. We are currently up to surnames beginning with "M", you should recieve it this week. I am still waiting.

3. I take the family to the family day a few weeks ago and spend $300 in the MFC store. The young female attendant cracked the sads cause we asked her if she had scissors to cut the tags off our purchases so the kids could wear their new jumpers. Her comment was 'Well I am now going to hide these scissors - I won't be doing this all day!" What a pathetic attitude.

4. Whilst on the Family Day - can anyone explain to me why the park surrounding the MCG was not allowed to be used as a car park for the day? The function went for 4 hours but the longest parking nearby was 1 or 2 hours. Speaking to the 'Grey Ghost' there - he says that it is a designated park unless it's a game day or an application has been made. There is no doubt that people stayed away because of this factor. I am more than happy to pay the $6 for a parking spot - more revenue for the club? I know public transport is there but this is often not convenient for all.

5. I have had other problems such as incorrect e-mail addresses and not reciving information, wrong spelling of names on memberships, etc etc

I know these are little whinges, but crikey if we can't get the little things right how are we;

a. going to lure more memberships,

b. ever going to be successful.

I've spoken to members from other clubs and they don't seem to have any of these problems. Has anyone else had problems? I often hear coaches say that the admin istration dept. do their thing and the coahes/players/football dept. do theirs and the 2 don't influence each other - bull. Of course they do.

Sorry for the gripe. My support for the MFC is still strong with the desire for that elusive premiership and the bragging rights it provides.

If we only have 1 win for the year - please be on the Queens birthday!

Go Dee's,

Moose

all these problems with the membership, and we've all had them is the reason Harris got the flick, no-one was doing anything around the club, the administration is IMO the most inept going around, hopefully McNamee will get rid of the slackers, because there are heaps

[demonique 314]

Was just wondering about our logo

The bottom of a big red arrow pointing downwards on a blue background, looks prophetic don't you think?

[MrMoose 262]

I have just read the replies and it seems I am not the only one who has had dramas. Let's hope that these problems diminish as the club becomes strong.

For the record, I have contacted the club numerous times about issues and to be honest the person on the end of the phone has done their very best to fix it. There is no use going off the handle at them - it's not their fault. I just hope that the issues are passed further on to those up the ladder to those that CAN fix them. Working in a customer service industry myself, it's never the person that you have first contact with on the phone who causes the problems, but thy cop the brunt of the disgruntled customer. Something we all have to be minful of.

Just for something 'twilight zoneish' - there was a ring on the doorbell first thing this morning and there was the delivery man with my 150th MFC pack - I should have posted a topic whinging about the tardiness of the delivery earlier!

Looking forward to beating the Cats this week!

Cheers to all,

Moose

[Rogue 585]

The MFC could have made an application to the MCC ( Melbourne City Council ) for parking at the G on that day. Its about as hard as that.. Too much huh ??

How do you know they didn't..?

[beelzebub 23,383]

How do you know they didn't..?

I dont.. but an application would be unlikely to be turned down. They SOrt of have an in at mcc

[AdrianOB 0]

I dont.. but an application would be unlikely to be turned down. They SOrt of have an in at mcc

I actually asked someone from the club at the time. The Melbourne City Council actually denied the club a permit for the parking even with our SO in !

The club wanted a permit so they could have raised some money as well as attracting a far bigger crowd

[CARN THE DEES! 14]

I pray that in 2009 that everyone is saying how good the service at Melbourne is and how well we are doing on the field!! Oh how i pray!!

Also when Melbourne does finally get everything in order can we have threads acknowledging it instead of just focusing on the bad cause that would be nice and fair!! That is if it happens..

[beelzebub 23,383]

I actually asked someone from the club at the time. The Melbourne City Council actually denied the club a permit for the parking even with our SO in !

The club wanted a permit so they could have raised some money as well as attracting a far bigger crowd

well i stand corrected.. am very surprised.

probably should have handed the app directly to John

[Ballarat Demon 0]

For the last 4 years l have asked that the membership pack be sent out for Xmas

so the kids could have it as they look forward to it each year.

every year l,m told sure no problem just to have it not turn up till the start of the season.

well at least we can wrap the cards this year ourself for the kids now if melbourne could just tell me whats in the pack.

for next year

[occo 2]

I must admit that a major downer was seeing Footscray supporters with their 2008 member's scarfs. I have got a pile of them and don't really need any more, but to me the scarf is part of my football experience and I do not appreciate my club from taking it away from me.

Completly agree with you there. The tie is hidious and when am i going to wear it? Not every melbourne supporter goes to games in a suit, infact very few do. Its pathetic. And the pen haha that broke within 2 minutes and i didnt even take it apart to read the thing inside it at that stage. My membership was sent without the redeption gift card and its been 6 weeks and i still havnt recieved it since letting them know. I called them up recently and and explained i had been waiting for it to be sent and they said they had no record of one needing to be sent and they will send one and it will be sent within 14 working days. Christ its really really pathetic.

[Rogue 585]

Completly agree with you there. The tie is hidious and when am i going to wear it?

Whenever you wear a suit.

I've never worn a MFC scarf outside of a game, and if I wanted to this year somethime this year, I'd have plenty in the cupboard to choose from!

well i stand corrected..

Happens to the best of us