SINGING SECTION MEETING

[DJS]

The Supporters’ Trust has suggested two dates to ICTFC for a public meeting regarding the future of the Singing Section. We await a response from the club regarding which date would suit them best to send along representatives who can tell fans about their plans and answer questions. The dates proposed are Tuesday, 26th June and Wednesday, 27th June.   Once a date and venue have been confirmed we'll let you know.

[CaleyD]

For clarification - Will this meeting also be the (intended) platform from which we will receive feedback from the club with regard to what happened at the Dunfermline game and what will/has been done to ensure it isn't repeated?

Until those concerns are dealt with I fail to see how we can move forward with plans for any future singing section in a positive and cooperative manner.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

What are the rules about standing ? Do we have to remain seated during the meeting ?

[caley100]

What are the rules about standing ? Do we have to remain seated during the meeting ?

Dont be daft...you can only stand if ya need the toilet or if a goal is scored..

Hope the club start on a positive note with this issue, the noisy section is needed, in the bridge end of course.

[L_G]

Meeting date now confirmed Tuesday 26th June. Alan Savage will attend. Venue and time to be confirmed later today.

[L_G]

For clarification - Will this meeting also be the (intended) platform from which we will receive feedback from the club with regard to what happened at the Dunfermline game and what will/has been done to ensure it isn't repeated?

Until those concerns are dealt with I fail to see how we can move forward with plans for any future singing section in a positive and cooperative manner.

As far as I know at the moment the meeting will be an opportunity for the trust board to present our findings following the investigation and this will be followed by a question and answer session where you can express your concerns.  The club chairman will be in attendance.

[CaleyD]

A politicians answer if ever I heard one.

Let me re-phrase the question.

Have the club been invited to give feedback on the situation that arose at the Dunfermline game and what will/has been done to ensure it isn't repeated and do the Trust expect them to provide such feedback?

I appreciate the efforts of the Trust in investigating this matter and no disrespect, but at the end of the day it is the club who were/are ultimately responsible and I would fully expect them to deliver their own report on what has happened and action taken on their end to prevent it in future as well as what they expect from us, the fans.

I'm all for the Trust acting as an intermediary between the fans and the club, but that shouldn't mean they are allowed to hide behind the Trust when it comes to facing up to their responsibilities.

[L_G]

I would hope that will be the case Caley D.  All I do know is that the club chairman has agreed to attend, I can only assume that he now feels able to update the fans on the situation.  I would only be guessing if I gave you any more info.  We have chased up a response and we will share any responses with the fans at the meeting.

[caley100]

For clarification - Will this meeting also be the (intended) platform from which we will receive feedback from the club with regard to what happened at the Dunfermline game and what will/has been done to ensure it isn't repeated?

Until those concerns are dealt with I fail to see how we can move forward with plans for any future singing section in a positive and cooperative manner.

As far as I know at the moment the meeting will be an opportunity for the trust board to present our findings following the investigation and this will be followed by a question and answer session where you can express your concerns.  The club chairman will be in attendance.

I dont suppose you are at liberty to inform us what the trusts 'findings' were?

[L_G]

I don't have that info to share at the moment.

[HighlanderICT]

Was the Chief Executive of the club invited ? If so, what was his response ?

[DaveDargo]

Sit down? :014:

[L_G]

Was the Chief Executive of the club invited ? If so, what was his response ?

The club received an invitation to send someone or some people along, it would seem the Chairman is going to be their representative.

[L_G]

TUESDAY 26TH JUNE AT 7.30PM IN THE KINGSMILLS SUITE AT THE STADIUM

[CaleyD]

LG, it really isn't that difficult a question - I know your trying to be helpful but I'm finding your answers rather frustrating.  Surely the Trust must know under what basis Alan Savage has been invited to the meeting and whether he is willing and able to give the feedback and answers people are looking for.  If they don't then I see little point in having a meeting whereby the chance exists that he'll stand up and say "we're waiting on the outcome of our investigations".

IMO, many people will not be willing to throw their support behind any future plans for a singing section if they are going to be faced with the possibility of treatment such as they received at the Dunfermline game.  I fail to see how we can move forward with these plans until that has been cleared up - everyone needs to know where they stand and what is expected of them.

On that basis I would say that it is VITAL that the club give proper feedback and answers at the meeting and if they aren't going to then there's little point in having it at all.

[L_G]

Caley D, I share your frustration, but we have no control over what the club do and don't do.  We have arranged the meeting which gives everyone involved a deadline to work to, so hopefully it will be constructive. What more can I say?

[Scotty]

Given that the chairman has publicly expressed support for the singing section then I would assume he will be all for it and full of positivity. However it is a shame that the Chief Exec was either unable or unwilling to attend as it is not the chairman who is holding the ball - so to speak - on a matchday.

I agree with Caley D - the past incidents have to be addressed before the future plans can be discussed .....

As far as past events are concerned, the club need to put the Dunfermline game to bed. Be big about this .... admit that errors were made, or that over-reactions occurred (on one or both sides ?). There is no need for a witch-hunt but certain assurances need to be made about what happened and what mechanisms are in place so that it doesnt happen again. If there are any internal repercussions then that should be a private matter that is dealt with internally and not made into a public or media feeding frenzy.

However, IHE also needs an explanation that he is satisfied with as he was one person who was "targeted for ejection" which is a very worrying development. This explanation can be made privately to IHE, but at the very least the club needs to acknowledge that they have made this explanation so they are not accused of burying the incident.

Only then can you really move on to future plans ......

I dont know what the Chairman has up his sleeve in terms of plans for the signing section, and I hate to keep harping on about Toronto FC but if he needs any example of a situation where a supporters section has been created from scratch, allowed certain latitudes compared to other areas of the ground, has good but sensible stewarding, and has, for the most part, been very well behaved then he could do worse than talk to Paul Beirne at Toronto FC.

Before the club was officially a member of MLS, before any players were signed, before the ground was completed and before Mo Johnston came on board as manager, Paul put plans in motion to have a singing section across the complete south stand. He argued the toss with the suits, was given concessions for this part of the ground and managed to make it sound attractive to all 'hardcore' fans (not least because of a deeply discounted price). The end result was that this section sold out in weeks and has been a tremendous success. In MLS circles, the David Beckham story is very much playing second fiddle to the amazement most teams express at the atmosphere they experience when they visit Toronto's BMO field. 6 home games so far, 6 total sell-outs and the stands bouncing so much that engineers had to come in and do some checks that the stands can cope with it !!!

[CaleyD]

Caley D, I share your frustration, but we have no control over what the club do and don't do.  We have arranged the meeting which gives everyone involved a deadline to work to, so hopefully it will be constructive. What more can I say?

The club should be made aware of what is expected from them in terms of contributing to the meeting.  They should be invited to attend on the basis that they have some feedback and answers - if they aren't able or willing to do that then they should be told not to bother coming and wasting everyones time, because without it, any effort to form a future singing section will be made all the more impossible.

[Flower]

I think that it would be most helpful if the club and the trust release any reports, information etc before the meeting.

This will allow people to read and understand the issue and be able to table relevant questions.

What I don't want is the statements to be released at the meeting with little or no time to digest the contents and to properly question club officials and the trust.

[CaleyD]

I don't think it would be in anyones best interests for that level of information to be placed in the public domain.

The word of the Trust and the Chairman that matters have been handled appropriately and assurances given for going forward together with some general feedback are sufficient.  Nobody died and nobody was injured so no need for a public inquest.

[Flower]

What is there to be afraid off?

The world finds out that ICT have a robust trust that can question the club and the club have the decency to take on board the issues of the fee paying supporters.

I believe the the world should know that provincial supporters are treated less favourably than the old firm, but that the support will not stand  :003: for that sort of discrimination.

[Scotty]

The word of the Trust and the Chairman that matters have been handled appropriately and assurances given for going forward together with some general feedback are sufficient. 

and perhaps a comment from the likes of IHE that he has received a satisfactory (private) response to the points that he has raised.

[CaleyD]

What is there to be afraid off?

The world finds out that ICT have a robust trust that can question the club and the club have the decency to take on board the issues of the fee paying supporters.

I believe the the world should know that provincial supporters are treated less favourably than the old firm, but that the support will not stand  :003: for that sort of discrimination.

Nothing in what you want to see that can't be achieved without the need for a full blown public inquest.

[chris123]

Tuesday Night :019:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Mr Savage has indeed been in touch but I did state to him that I would hold his communications in confidence. I have found him to be a very professional yet open person. He has expressed an interest in my responses and he does appear to be very supportive - So far he has gained my respect but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

I am going to try my damndest to be there but I am extremely busy at work at the moment. As far as I am aware Mr Smith may still be on his hols and his presence at the meeting may well be inflammatory and counter productive. His absence may well be a business decision - which is understandable.

Personally I do not expect that any report on the Pars game will come out with anything conclusive - it will undoubtedly end up as one word against the other and counter argument against counter argument.

I feel that the support in general deserves an apology and the people behind the scenes who worked hard to try and ensure that the day was a success. The members of the Trust are in a difficult position but, IMHO, they have pursued this matter and the promptness of the meeting says volumes - for Mr Savage and the Trust. I do expect a personal apology - and if it attaches any blame, which I doubt, I will not hold that information in confidence.

If this serves to strengthen the argument for a Singing Section then the hassle was more than worth it - It doesnt stop here.  :023: