NCISA Meeting Thursday March 2nd St Andrews Hall.

[Kathy 733]

[quote user="cityangel"]Is there an agenda Kathy or what format will the meeting take?[/quote]

 

I dont think there will be a formal agenda as such. What will probably happen is that Roy will briefly address the meeting and then throw the discussion open to the floor. People will be asked to keep what they say brief and too the point to give as many people as possible the chance to join in. At some time during the evening we would like to have a show of hands to get an idea of what the feeling is like of those attending. Hopefully at the end of it all we will have something concrete to go to the football club with.

For those of you who are concerned that we are using money you have contributed towards the association, we are inviting those attending to contribute £1 towards the hire of the hall. We have already had some donations from generous fans and any shortfall Roy has said he will make up.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Is it true that 1st Wizard  (or 2nd Wizard) is using this Forum for a come-back?

[arrdee 2]

foggie , i think roy blower has done a good job for us , he cares about the shambolic state we are in and is trying to do something about it.good on you roy.

[Unlucky Fried Kitten 0]

Does anybody have any idea of how many people will turn up on Thursday? I''m thinking of going along out of curiosity, but fear I may be killed in the crush (don''t take that literally, of course). Will it be a case of 1st come 1st served, or will there be plenty of room for all who wish to attend?

[Kathy 733]

St Andrews Hall can hold about 600 people so there should be plenty of room. I fear the attendance nmay be dictated by the weather. Snow is forecast for this week and may put people off particularly those living out of the City. Keep your fingers crossed.

[ncfc0405 0]

can I reiterate my request for an audio recording of some kind if ncisa has the technology... would make interesting listening for those of us many miles away, even if it does turn out to be completely one-sided...

[Fat Barman 0]

I will be working, so not attending.I hope the turn out is healthy - a full hall would be fantastic.My only reservation about the meeting is that people won''t take enough ideas with them. It would be a shame if the entire meeting was taken up by a succession of people saying "Worthy must go, the Board have to listen to us now!"Whilst a large show of hands in favour of a move like that would send a clear message, this could be done within 15 minutes of the start (assuming no large body of opposition attends!). What will you talk about after that? If the Board have decided to give Worthy until September/October, and won''t shift, what then?You have a great opportunity here to discuss what other ideas you could put to the Board - give them options to consider, try to consider a position where the Board ask you to work with Nigel. Don''t get tunnel vision about dumping the manager - what (if any) other avenues of change might be explored? Change of coaching? Visits to other clubs to examine possible problems in training methods?The club has proven very open to new ideas in the past decade - they used to visit ''similar'' clubs in France, Italy & Holland to exchange ideas, does this still happen, or are we suffering from a stagnation of ideas? Use the next couple of days to consider the broader issue before attending the meeting. By all means call for the manager''s head, show you represent a majority - then move on to allow some quality brainstorming on what you''d like to see if the Board ask for 8 months more patience. This is a golden opportunity to get some really good, diverse ideas - please don''t waste it on just calling for ''Worthy Out''.

[Kathy 733]

We will try. If not Antony can do shorthand and says he will do a transcript. If you meant a livre transmissionI''mafraid I dont thinkwe can do that.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Kathy"]We will try. If not Antony can do shorthand and says he will do a transcript. If you meant a livre transmissionI''mafraid I dont thinkwe can do that.[/quote]

Kathy,

Can the NCISA get involved in this 2.00PM protest before the stoke game??  Thus promoting it in the local newspapers perhaps through an interview with the local rag, so that all NCFC fans know it is going to happen, not just those on these message boards??

Is this possible Archant Chaps??

[Cantley 0]

Anybody want a lift on Thursday?

[ncfc0405 0]

no, not live, was just thinking of a recording available as mp3 after the fact.

I''m sure radio norfolk have the technology but you might consider them too close to the club to get them involved.

Either way a transcript would be great too.

[NCISA 0]

ncfc0405

Although the technology exists to be able to record the meeting we have technical issues that would prohibit this from being available on the web. For a start MP3 files are massive when you are looking at 2hours worth of recording - to keep costs to a minimum our website would probably only hold about 20MB - about 20 mins of audio. The cost of increasing this is too much to be considered. We are also in a position where the site would in all probability crash if too many people downloaded the audio and we would have to wait until April before anyone could access the site again (due to a limit on downloadable information set by the host.)

We will continue to explore all avenues and do the best job we can, but please remember that we are citizen journalists not the real deal!

Many thanks

[Web Team - Vince 0]

We may be able to help... NCISA check you email.

[Syteanric 1]

Vince rides to the Rescue it seems with the good folk at Archant! all hail the Pinkun staff!

jas :)

[YankeeCanary 0]

To The NCISA:

I sincerely hope you don''t take this comment as criticism of the effort those of you are putting forth on behalf of the Association. The individuals participating in your association are to be commended. However, given the initiative you are taking to bring people together at this time it struck me as odd, given the the response by Vince, that possibly the questions are not even being posed by the NCISA to those that may have the capability to help. I agree that it''s tough for most of us to continue to be open-minded as we seek to make improvements on the fronts we are involved in but you know the old saying, the more heads around a problem the more likely a solution is to be at hand if we are looking for it.  

[0ridgemanddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

Is this meeting open to everyone or just NCISA members.

[Kathy 733]

Im afraid when it comes to stuff like sound recording systems we hold our hands up and say we dont know much about it and maybe we didnt ask the right people. But this really is a small side issue compared to the reasons we are holding the meeting; in fact is is a response to just one message on this thread. We strive to do our best and will continue to do so.

[Kathy 733]

The meeting is open to everybody.

[YankeeCanary 0]

Kathy, you say it''s a small side issue compared to the reasons that you are holding the meeting. Is it really? Any association is only as good as the people ( and people participation )  it represents. Sure, the meeting will take place at St. Andrews''s Hall and we''ll all hope for excellent attendance. But surely the reason NCISA is arranging such a meeting is to broaden the exposure of the content of that meeting so as to be as effective as possible. I was observing the flow of this thread where some were questioning what the meeting agenda is. I seem to recall your earlier response to that was that there is no formal agenda, and that after some opening remarks by Roy, the meeting will be turned over to the floor for open discussion. I think it was your earlier comment that triggered the possibility in someone''s mind as to the best way to capture an open discussion with today''s capabilities, as opposed to your last message where you seem to be suggesting the reasons for the meeting are specific.

[Kathy 733]

Pardon?

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Don''t bother trying to work it out Kathy; Septic UNPEELS bananas!

Fat Barman made some sensible comments about the meeting. There is a serious risk of it being a disreputable scrum unless it gets a strong steer (and no Septic I am not referring to a muscular bovine).

[ca 1]

Kathy,

 

Just wondered what the NCISA ''s response was to the letter in the EEN tonight, from one of your members, Neil Howard.

Also I suspect that a lot of people dont know much about what you guys do behind the scenes and what support you''ve got, so could you tell us roughly how many active members you have and how often you all meet.

Also will the NCISA be joining in the various protests organised.

Thanks Kathy and keep up the good work!

 

 

[NMTD 0]

Having organised a similar meeting through my fanzine that fillled The Waterfront club back in the dark days of a certain Mr Chase over the imposition of all seater stadia, that was to a great extent highjacked by Big Bob himself, I would offer the following comments for all sides.

• Please attend whether you are NCISA members or not - it is your chance to make a difference whether you believe it or not. Our apathy is the clubs strength.
• Respect the chair of the meeting as it will be very difficult for that person - whoever it is/whether you like them or not.

To NCISA

• Don''t under any circumstances allow the club to highjack the meeting if they were to turn up. This meeting is to represent the fans views, not the clubs.
• State the meetings objectives and do set some kind of timed agenda to cover all the issues at the start of the meeting.
• Make sure the outcome is sent to the club/press professionally and curteously but don''t hold back - its a big opportunity to speed change.

In general

• Use this meeting to get closer to the fans - as an organisation you are too anonimous - when things are as they are you should have 5000 members not a few hundred
• Act truely independently - you feel too close to the club to many fans - you should be putting the fans first and foremost.
• Raise the issue of the SCG (Supporters Consulative Group) being a closed shop aggressively with the club. Do fans actually realise the people on it are on it for life? Do fans actually know who is on it and how to get their views represented?- No! NCISA should be addressing the lack of democracy regarding the SCG and filling the gap.
• You have to question whether you have the correct person in charge. I know Roy, and he truely is a big City fan, doing an incredible amount to raise money for the club etc, but because of this he is and appears quite close to the club. You need to have someone who appeals to young and old alike, can communicate well, and isn''t afraid to ruffle a few feathers, and has nothing to lose in terms of relationship with the club. A ''Richard Balls'' type character is what you need.

I wish I lived locally rather than 90 miles away, and could allocate the time to NCISA (I''m not a member) as I think it has the potential to be THE supporters mouthpiece, but its just not doing it effectively. Get out there, build your membership, and do what they want you to do.

Its time for change - and we all know it.

OTBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter 0]

First of all thank you for all the interest and suggestions that many of you have made about tomorrow night. Be assured I pass all of these on to the other NCISA committee members and we act on them when we can.

City Angel

The letter in last nights Evening News was the same one printed in last weekends Pinkun I believe. To the best of my knowledge Roy has rung the gentleman to discuss the issues raised. We normally do this with any correspondence positive or otherwise as we find people respond better to being contacted rather than ignored even if they do not necessarily agree with what you say. I havent got a copy of the letter here but I believe one of his criticisms was not being consulted about calling the meeting in the first place. There are two issues here. Firstly calling the meeting is our way of consulting the fans. We went ahead so that we could gauge how fans feel about the crisis at the club. Secondly when you are a non professional, non profit making organisation, the logistics of consulting every one of over 500 members (thats the answer to your second question!) are very difficult. With the advent of email we can now do a lot more of this sort of thing than before, but when you consider less than one third of our members have given us email addresses that leaves the post or the telephone as the alternatives. In my experience when you send out written material, unless you enclose a stamped addressed envelope not many people will respond. This also costs money and as one of our remits is to raise money for the academy it seemes a shame to use it in this way. The same goes for phone calls. All this takes time as well. All of the NCISA committee bar two have full time jobs and families and we do have to fit stuff in as best we can. For example just about all of my daytime contributions to this board this week and the process of forwarding them backwards and forwards to the others has been done while I am at work. Good job my boss isnt constantly looking over my shoulder. As you can imagine I have also received many emails from both NCISA members and non-members over the past few weeks. Most of them have been supportive but not all. If you are interested the ratio is about ten to one supportive v against. I have however answered them all, agin mostly at work.

NCISA was formed in the dark days of the Chase regime as a supporters mouth piece and I like to think we played some part in the subsequent events. a period of relative calm followe until now and during this time our focus changed to fund raising for the academy. We also hold regular supporters forums so the fans can meet the players and more recently successful quizzes. Personally I run the Canary Challenge competition which over the past five seasons has raised nearly £4000. This means writing off about three hours most days in August. We still do sometimes get involved with contentious issues and taken up the cases of individual supporters when necessary. Two of our officers sit on the SCG and we are well aware of the criticism surrounding the way this is run. Lets just say its on our list of ''Things to do'' when all this is behind us.

As to whether or not we will  become involved in other supporters protests, a lot depends on the outcome tomorrow night. If there is an overwhelming consensus then without committing the rest of the organisation I think it is likely. However if we are shouted down so to speak, it probably wouldnt be appropriate.

 

NMTD

 

Thank you for your constructive suggestions. As far as the meeting goes we are acutely aware it must not degenerate into anarchy. All NCISA functions are conducted under strict guidelines and this is no exception. All persons and opinions will be welcome on the night and will have a chance to be heard. As always discourtesy, offensiveness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. I dont know if anyone from the club will be coming. I have extended an invitation to them to attend but received rather a curt reply from Neil Doncaster. The press are definitely coming and have been kinmd enough to help us make some sort of recording of the meeting to put on the website.

 

I hope this answers some of your questions. Now I really must do some work!

[YankeeCanary 0]

Well said NMTD. If the objective is to encourage change at NCFC then the powers that be at the club need need to understand there is a genuine approach to change in the way of looking at things outside of the club. I did not say this in my previous note but the organising of fan movement does not begin and end with what goes on in that church tomorrow night and a note to the club to follow. It''s how well organised and prepared fans are to deliver and back up a powerful, united message ongoing. NCFC has the overall potential to do very well in the next decade or two but it does not have enough scale to blow the opportunity when it''s there to be taken.

[Rossi 0]

Yankee,

The way i see it, and i certainly do not write on behalf of anyone other than myself, is that the club have always tried to unite the fans within the ground, but off it it rarely pays anything but lip service to what, at the end of the day, are the supporters of this club.

I was thinking the other day, when trying to work out if I should attend or not, what other forms of action i can personally take. I may be wrong, but i have a few rather limited options. I can write to the club to voice my unhappiness (already done that and got no reply.) I can tear up my season ticket form, but then I would financially hurt the future of the club. I can demonstrate outside the ground, but that doesnt get a recognised voice within the Carrow Rd towers (besides Doncaster has already indicated that the demo''s have been noted and serve as no further use) The SCG is a closed shop and I have no knowledge of exactly who sits on this rather cozy set up. What else can I do?

I have the utmost respect for any organisation that is willing to put itself out, willing to upset the staus quo, and ascertain ( i think) the true extent of feeling amongst the faithful. I have to add that personally, had Skipper not made his ridiculous inflamatory remarks, then I may have come to a different conclusion on whether to attend or not. In fact, I have now become a member because of the stand it is taking and I urge others to do the same. I see that I am making a stand and also helping via my membership fee the future players of this great club by virtue of the money going towards the academy. That surely has to be better than boycotting the clubs facilities on matchday etc.

With all of what I have written in mind Yankee, you appear to be suffering from what I call ungrateful bas***d syndrome - in fact I dare say that I could air mail you $1m and you would complain that you had to collect it from the airport and take it to the bank.

You are probably right in your hints that this is all a bit amateurish - but the last time I checked NCISA was not a professional organisation, nor does it claim expenses or any other form of pay for what I believe to be a key role within this club. Yes people may argue about this and that, but at the end of the day what other options are there?

I do not doubt that what you are saying is important to you, but in the greater scheme of things,I don''t care. Personally I will be there to say my piece and I am grateful for that opportunity, an opportunity to be heard and have my comments taken back to the club. What really matters is the night, listening to different opinions and collectively with the help of the organisers ( i hope) come to a reasonable conclusion about what needs to happen next. The fact that you can sit in front of your PC and listen to what was said is irrelevant to what actually happens / happened.

My gut reaction is that you only want to be able to listen to it so you can complain about this point or that point, but all of that will not matter. Come to think of it, you remind me of a rubber-necker.

[ca 1]

Kathy,

Thanks for your detailed reply to my questions, that was much appreciated. I am looking forward to the meeting tomorrow and hope as many people as possible make the effort to support it..

Cmon everyone lets be aving you!!

City Angel

[Syteanric 1]

i was a bit apprehensive at first about the meeting but am looking forward to it.. id quite like to be a member of a larger NCISA if it was to grow to 5000 or whatever as NMTD said....

 lets hope all goes well tommorow.. see u all there!

jas :)

[Ramrod 258]

What a post Rossi. I was reading it attentitively and got to half way when WHAM  a shot out of nowhere followed by some superb sarcasm. Septic, don''t be annoyed just accept a nut crunching post when it hits you.

Apart from that this is passion that I can really relate to, the right course and a good summary of supporters options. I am not going to go on about renewal or otherwise, I will make a decision in time, I would not want to detract from the spirit of the piece which is clear, focussed and mature....trouble is, not everyone will take this line and the meeting and demo could be hi-jacked.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Good persuasive post Rossi, but a bit harsh on old Septic there.