An Impassioned Plea

[Dbsl]

My name is Dave Bland and as you know I am the new boy on the Board.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen comments about the Board and slating of each other on various Forums Some of this has become personal to each other and Board members.
Please, please, please stop right now.
For all the Volunteers, past and present, we now need to turn our anger and frustrations into positive actions to the save and make the Club we love, great again.
I have just been given a day's annual leave. Today I will sit by my phone and e-mail and take calls from anyone who feels they are able to give support, help and advise to take into the EGM.
There will be no point to the EGM if we spend time answering questions on why? how? We don't have time. The EGM must focus on taking us forward as a Club. The Football Supporters Association will guide us through and Chair the EGM

Contact me on 07979855668 or e-mail me david.bland@afc-diamonds.com

[fentiger79]

Hi Dave, firstly total respect for putting yourself out there today to take calls, emails and concerns from supporters. It’s a great piece of engagement and this is something that I know from experience is a major instrument in building relationships and delivering satisfaction. I will give you a call later and I urge others to do the same, don’t shy away. It’s the first step and a real positive one. The only thing I will say is that we do need to look at what has happened and how and why we have got here. Until these answers/concerns are dealt with the fractured support can’t heal and move forward. It’s vitally important that we as a club understand what went wrong and the road map that has got us here as it is the road map to get us out. I would say to all volunteers and fans who have left over the years for whatever reason to reconsider and come back and help build this club to the next level. I include Chris and Scott, who I dont personally know, but hope whatever has happened doesn’t make you want to stay away. We may disagree as a collective on many things, I’m totally in disagreement on the managers appointment, but we need to come out of this the other side stronger with a committed board, fanbase, club to deliver our plan.

[BartonRaz]

My name is Dave Bland and as you know I am the new boy on the Board.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen comments about the Board and slating of each other on various Forums Some of this has become personal to each other and Board members.
Please, please, please stop right now.
For all the Volunteers, past and present, we now need to turn our anger and frustrations into positive actions to the save and make the Club we love, great again.
I have just been given a day's annual leave. Today I will sit by my phone and e-mail and take calls from anyone who feels they are able to give support, help and advise to take into the EGM.
There will be no point to the EGM if we spend time answering questions on why? how? We don't have time. The EGM must focus on taking us forward as a Club. The Football Supporters Association will guide us through and Chair the EGM

Contact me on 07979855668 or e-mail me david.bland@afc-diamonds.com

Well done Dave, that's brilliant.

[elizabeth]

Thank you for this initiative, Dave. I think everyone is grateful for the time that Board members devote to the Club. Constructive, positive input is definitely the way forward. I do think fentiger79 has a valid point, though, and maybe some understanding of what has happened to bring us to this point might encourage some of our ex-volunteers to start giving their time and enthusiasm again. I don't think it has to be seen as a negative thing - on the contrary, it should be seen as a learning opportunity. But yes, maybe the EGM is not the place for it as that time needs to be used for maximum positive impact.

[Trek]

Well done Dave

[AFCRD_Dan]

Great post Dave.

[NN10-Nige]

Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen comments about the Board

Try reading the comments? If you have read the concerns of fans you would know that your request below is unfair.

There will be no point to the EGM if we spend time answering questions on why? how?

Did we used to be a well run club? - yes.
The board have navigated us into this mess - how can people learn from their mistakes if we don't address them.
If the problems are not spoken about - we will just paper over the cracks for a few months and then the same mistakes will be made again.
Can you tell me one single job in which someone can make mistakes and the company says 'lets not talk about that' 'let's not try to understand how it has happened'?

First we get Matt Ward saying 'we know we need a manager who knows this league' before delivering an under 23s manager.

Now we have a board member suggesting the EGM is not used to discuss the mistakes.

And we wonder why some people don't trust the board to run the club anymore.

It's all well and good putting your phone on for 'off the record' one-on-one chats, but you are not the only one we need answers from.

Reaching out is good, I admire you for that.
But that opens just yourself up for crtiticism... the other board members need to be as brave as you, if the board don't want to discuss the mistakes at the EGM - they should arrange a fans forum kind of thing before it to discuss them.

[bozzer]

Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen comments about the Board

Try reading the comments? If you have read the concerns of fans you would know that your request below is unfair.

There will be no point to the EGM if we spend time answering questions on why? how?

Did we used to be a well run club? - yes.
The board have navigated us into this mess - how can people learn from their mistakes if we don't address them.
If the problems are not spoken about - we will just paper over the cracks for a few months and then the same mistakes will be made again.
Can you tell me one single job in which someone can make mistakes and the company says 'lets not talk about that' 'let's not try to understand how it has happened'?

First we get Matt Ward saying 'we know we need a manager who knows this league' before delivering an under 23s manager.

Now we have a board member suggesting the EGM is not used to discuss the mistakes.

And we wonder why some people don't trust the board to run the club anymore.

It's all well and good putting your phone on for 'off the record' one-on-one chats, but you are not the only one we need answers from.

Reaching out is good, I admire you for that.
But that opens just yourself up for crtiticism... the other board members need to be as brave as you, if the board don't want to discuss the mistakes at the EGM - they should arrange a fans forum kind of thing before it to discuss them.

I trust you've picked up the phone and gone through this with Dave, rather than just plaster it on an open forum under the anonymity of a username.

[fentiger79]

Don’t get me wrong I’m totally in disagreement of the managers appointment and honestly believe we need to change this before we all can move forward. However the board have said they will publish the minutes from the board meeting where the decision was made so hopefully this will answer some questions that people may have. I don’t think it will change the mood but help see where we can go forward. Pick up the phone, have a chat with Dave today.

[real diamond]

Those minutes are now in the members area.