White Ribbon Day

I've said to you before, there is little point in suggesting things like this a few days before the game.

I didn't know what 'White Ribbon Day' is until I just looked it up. If you'd have contacted the club a while ago perhaps something could have been arranged.

Indeed, I get the thought that it's OUR club and all that but if that's the attitude - "you do it" - then what's the point of an elected board and paid employees? We elect them to do it.

To be fair I didn't have a clue what it was either, and had to look it up - and I work for a large trade union and have been politically active for decades and involved in countless campaigns so I wouldn't actually expect any board member to know about it and be pushing this campaign unless someone raises it with them first. We have done some good work in recent years in partnership with Chester Pride for LGBT issues, the Men United prostate cancer campaign, the pink breast cancer days and poppy/legion remembrance as well as various other local charity initiatives. The club is normally very receptive to other charity organisations doing things on match days and I would suggest that this is one of those situations, but if the white ribbon campaign or their local supporters haven't been in touch with the club to do this I can't see where the criticism of the board is even remotely justified.

Just highlighting the fact that when we first reformed we had themed games to mark something every week it seemed, but as we've become more "professional" we've turned into a standard jobber Conference side no different to Bromley, Dover, Guiseley etc other than the fact we elect our board.

Should the club be doing more to incentivise fixtures and respond to themes on the charity/community calendar? Yes, definitely.

Is it helpful to publicly bring up an awareness campaign many people hadn't heard of, three days before a fixture, and use the lack of action over it as ammunition against the club? Not really.

I'm not just talking about this 'White Ribbon Day' this weekend specifically B. I'm talking about the complete lack of Marketing ideas or awareness that seems to reside within our club.

What is even more bizarre about it is that a certain CFU Board member, when standing for election - said that "Marketing is in my blood" or words to that effect. What Marketing improvements have we seen at the club during their tenure?

Name me one thing we do now as a club - marketing wise - that we didn't do a year, 2 years+ ago?

Is the manifesto basically worth nothing? Is it just an opportunity to tell the CFU Members anything to get onto the board?

That's my problem with all this. The people who put themselves up for election to the board do so because they have the time, and feel they have the ideas to take the club forward, but when it comes down to it, what are these people contributing to the growth and development of us as a football club? Where are these ideas, the fundraising initiatives, look at the Questions for the CFU Meeting Thread, the much publicised database from the back end of last season that was supposed to be up and running last April/May?

We have many ideas shared here by CFU Members and supporters who don't have the time presently to commit to volunteering or to the board. Are their ideas worth less than those who can?

It feels like as a board, that we lack direction, and the focus to achieve our goals. What do we want this football club to be? A Football League club? Currently, in my opinion, it's nothing more than a pipedream until we can start using the tools we do have far better. I.e. Engagement with Sponsors, Supporters, actually having a Marketing Strategy having a dedicated group of volunteers assigned to that, and giving them the freedom to see it through.

That's my 10pence worth on the subject anyway

Clearly expressed in regard to concerns over progress, or lack of. It’s certainly costing a lot more than three years ago, so if you’re correct that is a worry. My concern is that I don’t know what our goals are. I would love to know what the goals were when the managerial appointment occurred. New player signings are made with goals in mind, so without knowledge of these goals I cannot determine why any player has been signed.

I said this before the end of last season. But the Marketing and Advertising strategies should be done as soon as that fixture list comes out. We need to adopt an aggressive approach to advertising ourselves amongst the local populace. And I'm sorry if it offends, but it feels like it's all a bit half-arsed.

We should be gearing up to the fixture release day, then planning events around it accordingly - it's basic organisation. Get the hard work and planning completed during pre-season with those responsible, that means CEO, Trust CEO, Media team, the imaginary Marketing team and then implement it accordingly. That's your Think Pink Days, earmarking your Fundraising nights, former players pitch side talking to the crowd, advertising to local schools for discounted group visits, using this Database that does/doesn't exist.

I've sent my questions (from the other thread on here) to the board anyway for tonight's meeting (email sent to Neil Bellis this morning and requested a link for the live stream) so we will see if any of them get put to the board.

I've just got a horrible feeling that having Marcus there tonight will rather deflect much needed questions about our off the field activities - or rather lack of - and be swamped with questions about training, players, what's Marcus' favourite drink etc.