Sportsmans Dinner

[Alex MacLeod]

I'm sure a few have had e-mails about Sportsmans dinner planned for 7th may at stadium. Does anyone know if this is intended as an all male affair? Also does anyone intend going?

[Charles Bannerman]

I'm sure a few have had e-mails about Sportsmans dinner planned for 7th may at stadium. Does anyone know if this is intended as an all male affair? Also does anyone intend going?

I have to say I'm certainly becoming a bit weary of these dinners at the Drumossie and the Stadium would be a welcome change of venue. I was very pleased to be at the Drumossie for Saturday's excellent 10th anniversary celebrations and will definitely support next month's Clach one given the current climate. But I think that's me for a while, irrespective of venue.

There's something of a sameness creeping into these Drumossie functions and I think the venue has quite a bit but not everything to do with that.

For a start it's pretty expensive (before you think about a return taxi to an out of town venue) and the food really isn't all that good for what you pay (and I speak from over 30 years' experience of school dinners). It's usually a plate of soup, a rather small and prefabricated main course with soggy mash and frazzled courgettes, some kind of arty looking but not really all that substantial sweet followed by coffee. The service can also be very slow.

Moving on to the bar, it's extremely expensive. On Friday I paid ?4.75 for a small glass of house white and ?6.20 for a large one. The barmaid was actually extremely apologetic and empathised with my observation that you can buy two bottles of perfectly drinkable wine out of Tesco for ?7. The only reasonably priced drink I could find was Carling which is actually their only lager (astonishing for a place like that).... and I'm prepared to listen to anyone who might suggest that ?3.15 for a pint of p**h is not in fact "reasonable". I'm not surprised wedding guests at the Drumossie smuggle in carry outs and the only thing that surprises me about the Old Firm's defection to Tennents is that it's even worse.

Then there's the rather hackneyed Sportsman's Dinner format. You come in and you cough up a further tenner for your red and yellow cards. You then get tapped for more for the raffle. After the meal a couple of people stand up and crack a series of jokes, frequently expletive ridden, which may make you laugh quite a lot at the time but next morning you've forgotten 90% of them.

Somewhere in there there's the euphemistic "comfort break". Why can't they just use the word "toilet"? Anyway during even a single visit you will watch upwards of a fiver's worth disappear down the pan.

But most people don't really need a "comfort break" because most people can go to the toilet while those with enough cash are bidding breathtaking sums in the auction.

Then you stand around tables having OK quite a decent crack with people but by now the bar staff are wanting to chuck you out so it's off into your premium rate taxi. By the time you get home, only the most abstemious are less than ?100 lighter for the night.

I was actually wondering whether the venue was maybe a factor in Saturday's numbers being just a little bit down. I suppose if you're on a freebie at somebody's corporate table it's OK, but if you're paying your own way it's a lot of money for what's become (Saturday excepted) "just another Drumossie dinner" the gloss is maybe wearing off if you've been to a few.

Maybe the Kingsmills Suite will revitalise the proceedings which were conspicuously rescued on Saturday by the interviews!

Edited February 8, 2010 by Charles Bannerman

[+L_G]

I'm sure a few have had e-mails about Sportsmans dinner planned for 7th may at stadium. Does anyone know if this is intended as an all male affair? Also does anyone intend going?

I don't think it will be a male only dinner - I believe these things would be a thing of the past. Currently there is no speaker advertised, so I would want to see who that is before committing myself to attend.

Charlie, I, and many others, thought that the meal on Saturday night was one of the best ever. I'm afraid yours was the only negative comment I have heard. I agree with the bar prices, spending ?100 was very easy to do, but then again you are used to Westies Caley Club prices.

[Alex MacLeod]

Agree with most of what you say Charles. All the same, had i not been working I'd have forked out for the night and the overnight stay.

L_G Would be helpful to know who the guest was before committing, as you say, but I'll likely make the effort anyway. Not keen on ending up at a table of strangers though.

[Heilandee]

Your spot on Charles,clubs need to be a bit more imaginative and come up with more innovative ideas to part supporters from their hard earned.Formulaeic sportsmans dinners, exactly as you describe, and race nights (sorry Lady F) are past their sell by and new ideas are required.I would happily come along to ICT functions but as an "outsider" i need to feel i get value for my money and entertainment which to some extent we sometimes ignore if it's for "our" cause

Edited February 9, 2010 by Heilandee

[+L_G]

Your spot on Charles,clubs need to be a bit more imaginative and come up with more innovative ideas to part supporters from their hard earned.Formulaeic sportsmans dinners, exactly as you describe, and race nights (sorry Lady F) are past their sell by and new ideas are required.I would happily come along to ICT functions but as an "outsider" i need to feel i get value for my money and entertainment which to some extent we sometimes ignore if it's for "our" cause

I actually do agree that the sports dinner format is past it's sell by, but I thought we had something a bit different on Saturday night, which everyone (except Charles) seemed to really enjoy. To accomodate the fans who couldn't afford the dinner, we had a mini event in the Caley Club at only ?5 per head, which included the never seen before, full 90 minutes and MacDougall and Hasties award winning pies at half time. Support for this was poor to say the least.

Once we catch our breath we have a couple of other things in the pipeline, but like them or loath them the big dinners are the only way to raise a few quid.

[Johnboy]

I would happily come along to ICT functions but as an "outsider" i need to feel i get value for my money and entertainment which to some extent we sometimes ignore if it's for "our" cause

Value for money is of paramount importance for all Dundonians....

[Heilandee]

Wasnae havin a go BTW LG,just an observation,i know you folk put in a lot of time and effort ,and it's very disapointing when a lot of effort arranging is met with apathy,but new ideas are needed where fund raising is concerned.Good on ya's for trying the event at the Caley club,shame it wasnae better supported.

[PullMyFinger]

clubs need to be a bit more imaginative and come up with more innovative ideas to part supporters from their hard earned.

like them or loath them the big dinners are the only way to raise a few quid.

Really?

How about a golf tournament? I'm sure Loch Ness Golf Club would be happy to accomodate and a few of the players/backroom staff could get involved. There must be someone willing to shell out to play around with Richie Foran?

Get Alan Hercher involved and Ann Nicol would be throwing money at you.

Race nights? How about a proper day at the races? Perth or Ayr in the summer? I'll "wager" that would prove popular.

Do you think oor' Rod would do a private shindig in the Kingsmills suite? That would sell out faster than the pies at Killie now Tango man's there.

we had something a bit different on Saturday night, which everyone (except Charles) seemed to really enjoy.

I think you're being a bit sensitive there LG Charles did not say he didn't enjoy it, just that the dinner (food) could have been better.

[Heilandee]

Race nights? How about a proper day at the races? Perth or Ayr in the summer? I'll "wager" that would prove popular.

Now,i'd go along to that right enough

[tabs75]

Hi there Folks,

Just a quick update. The after dinner speaker is Award Winning comedian Jimmy Stirling. Women are not only welcome but encouraged. This dinner will be held instead of our annual ball. We have an annual golf day on 1st October at the exclusive Castle Stuart Golf Course. I am currently working on a new style of event for next season but kind of have my hands full with the Sportsmans Dinner, Golf day and Player Sponsor Evening

Hope that clears a few things up for you but if you have anymore questions you can email me:

[email protected]

Cheers xx

[PullMyFinger]

Thanks Tabitha.

[tm4tj]

Thanx Tabs

When reading Charlies epic tale, although the Drum prices etc were brought up, I got the impression it was a generic take on all dinner do's, after dinner speeches and all that goes with it, pound coins nearest the bottle.

Aye new ideas are great, but hard to find.

[TopSix]

As a fundraiser how about a Fifa 10 tournament at the stadium for the younger fans?

Get some of the players in and I'm sure numbers would be decent. Might be an idea for the Easter hols.

Entrance could be 3-5 quid with a prize for the winner being a signed shirt and/or a half season ticket and/or a token for the shop? We sometimes run tournaments like this at work - usually over lunchtimes and without payment (or an entry fee which goes to charity) and they prove to be very popular and heavily subscribed.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Top Six Next Year

[Harry Chibber]

As a fundraiser how about a Fifa 10 tournament at the stadium for the younger fans?

Get some of the players in and I'm sure numbers would be decent. Might be an idea for the Easter hols.

Enterance could be 3-5 quid with a prize for the winner being a signed shirt and/or a half season ticket and/or a token for the shop? We sometimes run tournaments like this at work - usually over lunchtimes and without payment (or an entry fee which goes to charity) and they prove to be very popular and heavily subscribed.

I'm not that young anymore but I'd still kick your @ss :(

[TopSix]

Bring it on bi-atch!

You online Harry?

[Harry Chibber]

:(

yeh mate, ps3 though... mrchibber for game tag

[Charles Bannerman]

Formulaeic

The best candidate to date by far for the CTO "word of the season" award! :(

It does also sum up one of the two things I was really trying to say, which I have since clarified by text with L_G and which I will repeat in more detail here.

First and foremost, please be in no doubt that I thought Saturday night was an absoutely excellent occasion, free from many of the "formulaeic" :( aspects of the classic Sportsman's Dinner.

HOWEVER I think there are drawbacks with the venue which is in a position to milk the fact that it is the only place in or around town able to accommodate relatively large numbers.

The Drumossie's monopolistic position means that the drink is far too dear and they seem to charge organising bodies quite a lot for food which I think isn't all that good. It seems other disagree but quite frankly, when the main course arrived I underwent what has become my normal, reflex reaction there which is to look for the separate roast and boiled potato dishes and then realise that their absence is explained by the mousse-like semi colloidal substance which is hiding under the vegetables. The Drumossie is also too far out of town.

Then, moving on to your "formulaeic" :( :( Sportsman's Dinner (which Saturday was NOT... it was several leagues above that.) Here you have speeches (often TWO) which in themselves are becoming a bit of a rapidly forgettable cliche ridden tedium. After that you count up the additional cost of the "heads and tails", raffles and an auction (which on the other hand is of no real interest to many attending.) Apart from all that, these functions tend to be a bit of a Fat Cats' Paradise with tables of corporate largesse and of limited attraction to normal punters from the general public.

Once again, I emphasise that was what Saturday was NOT but on a personal note I think I have now got to the stage that the Drumossie and the Sportsman's Dinner, never mind both, are weary and overpriced solutions so, apart from my commitment to Clach, I will be giving anything with either of these components a miss.

[+L_G]

Thanks for that Charles. I accept that I may have been a bit over sensitive after some very busy weeks and months of preparations.

Your comments re the venue are fair, although I thought that the chunk of beef was almost a meal on it's own. Roast tatties and yorkshires wouldn't have been out of place though.

[Guzz]

One of the better evenings I have attended was the 'Murder Mystery' at the Waterside a few years ago.

[Heilandee]

Formulaeic

The best candidate to date by far for the CTO "word of the season" award! :(

You stick wi me Charlie boy,eh'll broaden yer vocabulary wi words ya never kent existed :(

[Johnboy]

Jings, crivens, help ma boab....

:(

[Scotty]

thats it, we are putting 'peh' on the swear filter :(

[Heilandee]

thats it, we are putting 'peh' on the swear filter :(

:( :( :(

[Charles Bannerman]

Formulaeic

The best candidate to date by far for the CTO "word of the season" award! :025:

You stick wi me Charlie boy,eh'll broaden yer vocabulary wi words ya never kent existed

Having said that, I believe the spelling is actually "formulaic" (cf "pie") :025: