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+ www.altyfans.co.uk » General Category » Altrincham FC First Team
 This is Altrincham Football Club?
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Author Topic: This is Altrincham Football Club?  (Read 8051 times)

markecky2

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This is Altrincham Football Club?
« on: March 21, 2017, 11:58:22 AM »

Right then, have I missed much?  Where I've been isn't really important, I've followed every game on Johns website, kept in touch with enough people to keep me getting balanced info and stay in touch. I’ve continued to organise the away travel (with the ever reliable unsung hero Mr Laidlar taking the money) to keep my hand in and out of respect for the brilliant people that support it. Even during the depths of DIY, very little got done between 3-5.
 
I fell out of love with this forum for reasons most people know a while back. That is not for now but I can’t stay silent any more. This is going to be long, very long.
 
After 31 years of putting Altrincham FC  before everything, I had a few reality checks that meant I had to prioritise health and family and some cycles had to be broken before a lot of very important things were lost. That's enough about me. I've met my family now, they seem like nice people.
 
Right then here goes.
 
This is Altrincham Football Club. Hands up who remembers Altrincham Football Club?
 
It means different things to different people.  To me it means a hell of a lot,  It means passion, atmosphere, a band of brothers sticking there chest out and proud  to be Altrincham.  
 
Not City, not United, Altrincham.
 
A team fighting for everything, playing good football and people enjoying themselves. Rose tinted glasses?  Probably but 25 of the 31 years have been rubbish statistically so I'm easily impressed I guess, I choose not to involve myself with Premier League football so I know what I signed up for aged 10. It was never going to be beautiful.
 
It'd be too long to reminisce about Barnet in 1991 and all the other top days through to Barnsley only 18 months ago.
 
I shed a little tear against Barnsley you know. Tragic really but I finally felt we had achieved some FA cup history once again and we were back in the limelight just for a short time. People knew us again and remembered we were still here.
 
In recent years it's been the big grounds that have been great, the acceptance that we have no right to beat some of these clubs with million pound budgets or 1,000 away fans but sometimes we did it and if we didn't then we had a damn good go.
 
As an ex commercial manager of the club I looked enviously at clubs social facilities and wished we could have something like that. Something that would give us an income 7 days a week rather than once a fortnight.  A place that people would want to hire for a function or a place for a business meeting with screens.
 
I never thought we could combine it with a place where sports could be played, kids football and be hired for yoga etc.  Whilst the old bar had character and a lot of memories. this was and is a triumph in my opinion.  It’s so sad that this has come at a time of such poor performance on the pitch.
 
Such hard work went into it and it provides the platform to build the whole club around. 10-15 years ago, our idea of us being in the community was a poster outside The Grapes.
 
For me, the CSH is a triumph and should not be maligned.
 
Now we have youth teams from about aged 3 right through to reserve teams and that side of it is great.  Well it would be great except my overriding thought when I see them is that the poor sods have to wear the same kit as these wasters masquerading as Altrincham FC.  Hands down the sh*ttest most pathetic bunch of players to represent this club in the 31 years I have watched it and I went when Stan Allen was manager.
 
Led by a manager who gets emotional when he sees people clapping us lose at the worst Telford team in 31 years is worrying.
 
Altrincham FC being chaired off the pitch for losing at Telford?  What the hell is going on?
 
How has this been allowed to happen?  Let's try clear up the last three managers. Neil Tolson, is there anyone less inspiring on the planet?
 
Been talked about to death and no one can say that wasn't a disaster on the pitch and the first PR gaffe of many to come.
 
GR mentions the fact that the two appointments after that were met with approval.  I was a bit unsure on Young after Stockport but gave him the benefit of the doubt due to his stuff at Chester and the fact he was not Tolson. Harvey I was 100% behind, who knew that both were bonkers?
 
I don't doubt that Matt and Robbie love the club. However this "someone else’s mess" thing is dragging on a bit now.  It'll take a fair few wins between now and the end of the season to make the win/lose/draw record look anything less than terrible.  
 
I think some are getting over excited by the fact we have played some dross in the last few games and have stopped giving the ball to an opponent five yards away.  This is not a triumph.  It’s not a cause for celebration that we are a bit less rubbish that we used to be.
 
Drawing 0-0 at home with Stalybridge Celtic is not a good point.  What have we become?
 
And so to the next manager. My only hope is there is a least some sort of process where others can apply for the job along with these two, if they are chosen as the best then they are chosen as the best.
 
And so to the protest.  The actions of a group of lads who simply didn't know what else to do in my opinion?  Should they stand and sing and clap like seals?  Get behind these charlatans who give them nothing back?  They have had the passion drained from them and probably feel helpless.  
 
And then, even then, they arrange the politest protest they could, still pay their money and get scorned on here by brand new posters?  Sure you can disagree but let’s at least have your reasons why GR should be the chairman and who you actually are would add a lot of credibility. They could have chained themselves together in the centre circle, screamed abuse for 90 mins and fought with stewards but no, they got their point across with dignity. Some agreed, some don’t agree, some aren’t really arsed and all should be respected.
 
There was an unreported chorus of "Cheerio" was there according to new poster Dingo?  Be the first chorus I've heard not started by me or one of them lads in 25 years.  Might need a few more choruses, perhaps even some songs when your stood on your silent ground next season where a huge ripple of applause shakes the famous golf road roof as we claw one back against Coalville Miners Welfare or whatever the hell they are called.  I mean, we didn't win but some the passing was lovely and it was a really nice day.
 
Is that what the club want?  A passionless stadium full of people who never criticise anything because they don't really care enough?  They only come once a month when Tarquin has one of his boys days where the wife drinks Prosecco in the bar whilst the chaps watch the football and then they all go into Hale for Tapas and chat?  I mean Altrincham lost but the other team scored a really good goal you know, great day out. Let's do it again next month.  Let’s not.
 
Will the people who remember what it used to be like just fade away or be driven away until that becomes the norm?  Is it part of the plan maybe to create a club like that? Much easier to run I'd of thought.  Let's hope that is me running away with myself but an Altrincham Football Club that people just spectate and don't support isn't Altrincham Football Club for me.
 
The dreadful article in the programme on the day of a protest of all days shows the complete lack of perception or awareness of how people feel?  What other clubs official programme publishes and article saying we deserve to be going where we are going, get used to it.  What a rallying call that is for next season!  And from a man who says he will go to Ashton next season on here if it's more than a tenner!  Steve from Sale is "taking an interest in MUFC?"  The worlds gone mad and yet still some people aren't remotely upset??
 
Now let's get one thing straight here on the subject of Grahame Rowley.  He and his family have done wonderful work for this club.  He stepped up as a reluctant chairman and often the worker behind the scenes when Geoff Goodwin fronted it and has put hours and hours into the place.  He has done many great things and his family have too.  There is no personal vendetta from me towards him.
 
However when the facts are laid out he has presided over two consecutive relegations and a new low in supporter relations.
 
Maybe  I see things a little differently.  When I hear that the chairman is behind the bar at half time I don't think "isn't that great, look at him, hands on, getting involved, that is great"  
 
I think " there is staffing issue there, bar staff are about a fiver an hour if they are young enough, £8 if you want more experience.  Get a load of them, take money hand over fist for that peak 15 mins.  The chairman should be shaking hands in the boardroom and trying to get the invited guest who owns half of Hale to get involved with us, put some money, sponsor a stand and not be doing that"
 
I don't want Grahame to leave the club and I don't think many I speak do either. For all the mistakes he deserves much better. I want him to step back and let someone else step up.  It has been 18 months of utter failure that no one could have really predicted.
 
The club is fractured and in absolute crisis at a time of no financial problems. It is unheard of for a club with no financial mess to do what we have done.
 
We have the worst Altrincham team in decades, the place is like a funeral parlour and yet still we have people almost looking forward to meeting new friends at Rushall Olympic and just seeing how we go on?
 
This social media fiasco is PR disaster 109 in a  very  long list. Should Jack have taken the day off and not tried to do the tweets?  Probably but the rest is history,  We need everyone we can get round here, now we lose two more and have to hope they don't find other things to do on a Saturday with their lives.
 
I could go on and on and on but even I'm exasperated now.  This is full of spelling mistakes and terrible grammar but it's how I feel.
 
This football club needs relaunching, it needs a five month not a five year plan and it needs a leader of men to step up and do it.  
 
Grahame Rowley is not that leader of men and he should step aside, admit he tried his very best before people sadly forget all the work he has done and only remember this.
 
The owners will let him carry on because let's be honest the vast majority of them couldn't find the share certificates if they tried, they don't give a shiny sh*te if push comes to shove and are happy to let Grahame take the flack.  Shame on them as well for this mess.
 
This is Altrincham Football Club.  I hope one day I can stick my chest out again and be proud of it because at the moment it's breaking my heart.  Flame me if you like but that is how I feel at the moment.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2017, 12:01:11 PM by markecky2 »
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Mrs Warbouys

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2017, 12:06:28 PM »

Superbly put by a man with more miles and stripes than most, absolutely spot on.
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Alty Bri

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2017, 12:07:27 PM »

I think this place has missed you Ecky. Your post made me cry.
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Mausoleum Alty

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2017, 12:10:08 PM »

What an excellent post Ecky!! Sums up exactly how I feel!
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AFC56

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2017, 12:12:17 PM »

Superb. Bang on the money. I left the ground on Saturday in total disbelief that many around me on the flags were happily clapping a 0-0 with the second worst team in the league. For the minutes reading that, I felt like i used to as an Alty fan.
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TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2017, 12:19:37 PM »


Welcome back.

Now that's what I call a strategic review.

And thanks for the very flattering description of me as being a lad!

Any chance that this could be read out to the directors before tomorrow's scheduled board meeting?


« Last Edit: March 21, 2017, 12:50:14 PM by TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe »
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"It was just two world class players going for a 50/50 ball."

John King's description of a crunching tackle on Ossie Ardiles in the FA Cup Third Round tie at White Hart Lane: 10th January 1979.

AltySi

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2017, 12:26:43 PM »

Couldn't have put it any better myself, pretty much 100% agree with every word of that Ecky.
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PukkaPieman

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2017, 12:27:37 PM »

Great to hear from you lad, really missed you, your common sense and love for the club. You make many really good points here.
Let's hope sooner or later we can get out of this mess.
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robininstockport

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2017, 12:31:36 PM »

Welcome back. You've been a big miss
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Full time and proud of it

andrewflynn

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2017, 12:33:58 PM »

Your first post back was never going to be a scoreline prediction on a match thread, lets be honest! Welcome back.

Fully expected a classy post when I saw your name on the forum board. Delivered.
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ArmchairAlty

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2017, 12:38:41 PM »

A superb post from a superb man. We have missed you mate.  

Hope to see you soon X  
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gazwarrington

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2017, 12:49:36 PM »

Best post I've read for a while.

It is possible to see both sides and appreciate there has been success and failure. Everything is not always black and white.

.

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taxi Phil

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2017, 12:52:07 PM »

Welcome back mate....I'm another who has sorely missed your wit and wisdom. Your post is massive, not just in size, but in perception and common sense - things that are in short supply at this club nowadays. And I couldn't disagree with one single word of it.
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CB

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2017, 12:57:38 PM »

Brilliant post.
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Frosty

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Re: This is Altrincham Football Club?
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2017, 01:03:27 PM »

LAD
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 This is Altrincham Football Club?