9 2 e u s is - SEP 10 AUG
O T N R U T RE
. T E E R T S N A SW
The 14th of August 2010 for a lot of people is simply another date that Melbourne played a regular A-League match on. The first home match of the 2010/11 season, no more, no less. But for some, many of whom are active supporters, it was the day they returned home. Just over 3 and half years had passed since the countries most successful club had played a meaningful game in Melbourne's premier sporting precinct. For many it was 3 years too long. For the Melbourne faithful, Olympic Park was more then an old and aging stadium. It held a lot of sentimental value, it's where friendships were formed, where the club started its journey to becoming the most successful A-League club in the competitions short history. It's where loyal fans stood out in the rain four friday nights in a row, without witnessing a win or a goal for that
matter. The same place where we beat the scum 5-0 and went to the top of the table.
the new home was just a fairy-tale ending to the nightmare occurring right before our very eyes.
And perhaps the greatest memory of all, the very same location where we were first crowned premiers!
Time passed and dirt piles turned to construction site. Many fans seemed more interested in the piles of dirt moving around and eventually turning into something resembling a stadium rather than what was actually going on mid-season. Especially when the roof began to take shape, the dream slowly became a reality...our new home was coming along nicely.
As footballs popularity went through the roof following Australia's qualification for the 2006 World Cup, Olympic Park was deemed too small a venue for the sports loving public and for the next 3 and a half years Docklands was to be called home... albeit reluctantly. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride at the Docklands. There have been many highs, but just as many (if not more) lows. When fans felt the full force of the FFA through their overzealous, unnecessary implementation of the Home-End Memberships, it was all too much to handle. Fans fought back, FFA retaliated 10 times harder, it seemed
When the stadium was finally completed and the time came to move in, the nerves kicked in. Would it be (as some suggested) just as bad as Docklands? Would we be treated just as bad and probably worse at Melbournes new home of football? One must admit that it did look that way, but thanks to some great PR work and an open
line of communication between the people that matter the first couple weeks in our new home have come and gone without any major problems to report. Request have been granted and then some, their is a sense of respect and all this will only encourage active support and create the foundations for a strong relationship between club and fan, something sorely lacking in the A-League.
Let's hope that this is a positive sign for things to come. To date security and stadium management have been very co-operative and more like human beings and completely opposite to the animal handlers down by the docks. One can only assume that if fans truly do love their new home and they treat it with respect, the sky is the limit. What they do at Docklands is not of any bother to anyone anymore, it's no longer a place we need to respect.
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FFA'S NEW BEST FRIENDS? IN WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN AS AN AUDACIOUS BID BY THE FFA TO ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH IT'S VALUED CUSTOMERS (US, THE PAYING PUBLIC), THE GOVERNING BODY OF AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THE BEST SUPPORTER GROUP IN 2010/11 WILL BE GIVEN AN OFFICIAL AWARD.
The FFA's fan award has not been well received in what is arguably the strongest market in the competition. Many fans have already expressed their disgust at such an idea on the supporters major forum melbournevictory. net and one would suggest even if it was chosen as the winner it would not accept the award. The major problem is the contradiction in what is being said by the governing body. We have instances where certain flags, banners and standards made by fans (just as the new ad campaign depicts) that have been banned/confiscated or taken down during a game. Some would argue it is the stadium management who is behind those incidents, but it is the FFA's rules and regulations which most stadiums act upon. Along with the orders of FFA's goons-for-hire, Hatamoto.
The ad specifically aimed at the Melbourne Victory fans shows 3 youths trespassing and stealing to make their homemade banners. Yes its just an ad, but what kind of message are they trying to send to the young football fans in Melbourne? And when you consider the problems that many fans have faced over the years (specifically with banners, standards and other fan made materials) it's almost insulting that the FFA is now using an ad like this that mocks those who have spent a lot of their time and money to provide these same people with the colorful images used to sell their product. For the most part the FFA has neglected its most
loyal customers and chosen not to engage them when making decisions that directly affect their ability to provide the best active support of any code in this country. The implementation of the Home-End Memberships were a great example of this. So far (in Melbourne anyway) the only input the fans have had was during a video conference where one fan was given a short time to put forward his case on behalf of Melbourne's active supporters. Most, if not all, of the fans suggestions never made it out of that conference.
Many fans throughout the country have lost the respect of the FFA due to its poor handling of fan issues. It will take a lot more then an award noone wants and a bunch of ads that take the piss out of what the active supporters of this country spend so much of their time and money into simply because they love the sport and city they come from.
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The A-League Season So Far Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9
3-3 3-3 2-2 0-1 2-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs Sydney vs Brisbane vs North Qld vs Gold Coast vs Central Coast vs Brisbane vs Wellington vs North Qld vs Newcastle
Away Home Home Away Away Home Home Away Away
12106 20358 13318 3624 6829 13792 11513 4922 8652
Broxham, Dugandzic, Celeski Muscat x2 Kruse Pondeljak, Ricardinho, Brebner
Fixtures - 2010 / 11 OCTOBER Sat 2, 7:30 PM
Melbourne Heart FC
Swan St, Melbourne
Sat 16, 6:45 PM
Sydney FC
Docklands, Melbourne
Sat 23, 7:45 PM
Brisbane Roar FC
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Fri 29, 8:00 PM
Adelaide United FC
Docklands, Melbourne
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