Not being able to make the meeting friday(due to saving up money for the start of the season again) one of the points that was made was about the RBA coach.
Can i say what a STUPID idea i think it is to run our own and not through to club. Why is it Stupid?
It costs more money for each perosn if we do our own, can everyone afford to do that to every game ? The chnaces are if we start playing sh!t come october, we will NOT fill half of them.
At least through the club, we are helping the club out(by giving them some money which is more importan than the RBA will ever be) and also if we can fill a coach and the club can't they can combine the two and at leats put one on and it means we won't have to let people down by stopping a coach(like York last year).
So what if every so often we have to share a coach ? As long as are at the game supporting the lads is that not the most important thing ? not how good the coach trip is there ?
Because i put good money by november people won't beable to afford to do the coach every game and we won't take one anywhere, are you really all going fork out £15 every game if we are playing sh!t?
I know some of us will, i for one will be at ever game no matter what, but i think there is only at least 15people i can think of off the top of my head who will part with money for ever game!
I just think away numbers are what will make the RBA and running our own coaches won't get numbers to away games because we just won't fill a coach every game, every 5 if we're lucky!
if you were at the meeting you would of heard the idea of going to a coach compony that can offer a 23 or 25 seater for certain games when the rba no the interest wont be so grrat for a away ie farsley or halifax on a tuesday evening.
But that is what i am saying, if there isn't interest and its not worth running a coach people are going to be let down aren't they ?
I just think that people will still be interested through the club so it would make more sense to run with them still, also it makes ties with the club which could come in handy in the future in terms or displays and being aloud to do things.
just my opion i could't give a s**t how i get to gagames because i will still go no matter what!
yes but its good on coach because its better as you dont waist money paying for petrol and you can sleep but when your driving you cant, the only down point is that you know that driver will lose out on money because people will book seats and not turn up on the day when you could of had some one who is willing to pay you up front.
The whole idea to use a 23-seater came about because people drop out at the last minute on a 49/51 seater and there's a chance we can't fill it therefore with the use of a 23-seater we're more likely to actually fill it.
Say we get 80 odd members and the ones that go on every RBA coach we'd only need to look for around 10 more people say - perhaps not even that. So what if it's an extra £3 or £4 for the coach you'd probably still go on it because you know it's going to be a laugh and you're with your mates.
We've seen from last season organising through the club is a hassle - look at Stevenage away on 1st Jan (I think) and we were supposed to have a coach but the club didn't book us one then when we have to share, you can really notice a difference in atmosphere.
I think we should be as independent as possible from the football club but that's not my decision, just thoughts.
At the end of the day you can't please everyone, where some people will agree others will disagree and vice versa, Tongham is well within his rights to have reservations about being independant and perhaps his concerns will prove to be accurate during the course of the season.... At the end of the day though a decision had to be made and that's why we wanted to have a meeting.
Having these meetings reguarly will give everyone the oppurtunity to come along and have their say and then a decision will be made on the majority vote, In this case the majority vote was to step back from the club this year and be more independant again and only time will tell if our decisions was a good one or a bad one.
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I am 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain, which makes 100% reason to remember my name!
It is good that we can have the open forum to discuss these kinds of points. There is no right or wrong answer. What we need to do is take the decision that the majority of us believe is going to give us the best chance of meeting our 'reason for being' and that of course is 'to be the 12th man for the team thanks to our vocal, colourful and passionate support through thick and thin''
I personally think the 23 seater is an idea worth exploring and even testing on the first few away games (providing there aren't any category A away trips early on)
I didn't travel on any of the mixed coaches, but the feedback I received was that it was dull compared to the usual RBA atmosphere - and in fairness Tongham, I have also heard that the 'regulars' on the supporter's club coaches are not particularly keen on the arrangement.
I am certain that we would not fill a 49 seater for every away game, we have to pick and choose these games carefully.
i think the best way is to get rba members to pay a deposit for an away trip and if they pull out they lose that deposit i know things pop up now and then and people cant make it ,but at least the rba wont lose a lot of money, just an idea it might work it may not but if we all pull togetherwe can make this happen. myself can not always go to the away games, but the ones ive been on with the rba are great fun.
I think Tonghams point was a valid 1 but I really think the 26 seater idea is one worth trying.Yes it will cost a bit more but I for one would be willing to pay the extra for the atmosphere of a RBA coach. I think it will work as long as the team is doing well but if our form drops we may have to resort to using the club for coaches. I don't think its about seperating ourselves from the club or any of the other supporters but more about keeping the RBA spirit alive for the whole day. Our support always seems better when we have had our warm up on the coach and oiled our throats!!! we then tend to give more on the terraces. Thats what I've noticed anyway. For times when all the seats are booked I would take my car and offer the seats on the forum to any1 that couldnt get a seat. I would much rather go by coach by the way though, so booking a seat would be my priority. The RBA meeting was obviously a success as it has sparked debate which can only be good for us. This subject will no doubt need more discussion on the 28th July.
I think this 23 seater idea is a good idea and well worth trying. spilting up from the club has some good points and some bad but my personal throught on it would be i think paying an extra 3 or 4 quid maybe and being with your mates and the atmospher is worth it. If however tongham concerns turn out to be true (which to be fair he made a good point) then we may have to look for another idea like going back with the club.
but for now i would try this 23 seater as i think it is a good idea.
