MyFC in talks with major kit manufacturer

[Santa]

I understand from an article on the MyFC website that a meeting has taken place with a major kit maufacturer and they have been asked by MyFC to come up with a proposal (no detail).

 

Can someone from MyFC please qualify this as imo it's the sort of thing that could cause speculation and resentment among the fans and those people at the club who have built realtionships with the existing supplier unless of course they were involved ?

 

And don't you think this is just a little bit presumptious especially as it appears to be a company associated with one of the MyFC members.

 

Doesn't sound like good PR to me.

 

 

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Surely not "nest feathering?"

[Yorkfox]

Originally Posted By: Santa

And don't you think this is just a little bit presumptious especially as it appears to be a company associated with one of the MyFC members.

I am just a member, nothing else.

The article says the company was put in touch with MYFC by a member, says nothing about the company being associated with the member.

One other point. Liam is said to be delighted with the prozone match analysis tool. The Woking game was fed into it. Hopefully, that will be a useful tool for the future.

[Santa]

...I stand corrected, however the major thrust of my post was that such a meeting might cause some consternation within EUFC and its supporters unless it is put into context.

[chris blanc]

More talk of a new kit?? Haven't we had to buy enough of these over the last 5 years?

[Yorkfox]

No problem Santa. Like I said , I am just a member but I would doubt anything like that would be done without the club being involved, but thats just me guessing.

 

Something else that came from the article is that members can now buy memberships for friends and family, so that in the long run should bring more money into The Fleet.

[doheochai]

Originally Posted By: chris blanc

More talk of a new kit?? Haven't we had to buy enough of these over the last 5 years?

To me, it reads that talks were about a new kit manufacturer - not necessarily about a new kit.

And the article clearly states that the kit manufacturer has been asked to put forward a proposal for decision by the membership.

[chris blanc]

Surely any kit made by a new manufacturer would look different? If in no other way it'd have a different logo on it?

[Santa]

Originally Posted By: doheochai

To me, it reads that talks were about a new kit manufacturer - not necessarily about a new kit.

And the article clearly states that the kit manufacturer has been asked to put forward a proposal for decision by the membership.

Were those people in EUFC that worked on the current deal and those involved in maintaining a relationship with the current supplier involved in the meeting ?(not to mention those people in the shop working overtime to satisfy MyFC members)? If they were fine but if not then you'd need to question the wisdom of such a meeting. If you're going to start playing with the fabric of the club (yes, pun intended) before the ink's dry then you're playing into the hands of those that fear the worst. Thats why it needs to be put into some sort of context.

[DA11]

To me, it reads that talks were about a new kit manufacturer - not necessarily about a new kit.

 

quote]

 

Surely one in the same??

[doheochai]

Originally Posted By: Santa

Were those people in EUFC that worked on the current deal and those involved in maintaining a relationship with the current supplier involved in the meeting ?(not to mention those people in the shop working overtime to satisfy MyFC members)?

Don't know - but remember these are initial discussions and may or may not be related to the current year or affect any current or existing contract. The point to remember is that, at the end of the day, this company have to put forward a proposal and that proposal will be debated within MyFC, the ST and the board of EUFC and a decision taken on what is in the best interests of the club.

Originally Posted By: Santa

If they were fine but if not then you'd need to question the wisdom of such a meeting. If your going to start playing with the fabric of the club (yes, pun intended) before the ink's dry then you're playing into the hands of those that fear the worst. Thats why it needs to be put into some sort of context.

I agree - I do not know the context - but before any thing happens a full consultation process with discussion and votes will take place. The members of MyFC (including the many existing EUFC fans who have joined) will discuss the issue, the ST will discuss the issue and the board will discuss the issue and I would be hopeful that a consensus would be reached on any decision.

The involvement of MyFC with the club will open up many additional sponsorship opportunities. Since it became clear that MyFC was actually in a position to puchase a club (and that clubs were interested in discussing this possibility) there have been numerous requests for discussions on sponsorship deals - all serious discussion of which have been posponed until the purchase is complete. Any decision on this issue will not take place until due diligence is complete, the final agreement has been accepted by all parties involved and the contracts have been signed.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Originally Posted By: DA11

To me, it reads that talks were about a new kit manufacturer - not necessarily about a new kit.

quote]

Surely one in the same??

Perhaps it is a model kit manufacturer....To make model fans, to stand on the terraces, to make the crowds look bigger!

[Friejose]

Originally Posted By: doheochai

The point to remember is that, at the end of the day, this company have to put forward a proposal and that proposal will be debated within MyFC, the ST and the board of EUFC and a decision taken on what is in the best interests of the club.

To me, this is the main point. Getting proposals, having a full public airing of the pros and cons, and then voting on it is very different than shoving something down people's throats. But I think it would be irresponsible not to explore options for manufacturing the kit, especially as it appears that Jako cannot keep up with demand currently. Doesn't mean they are kicked to the curb, but that other possibilities are considered.

One other thing, nothing I have seen or heard indicates that a change to the color scheme or badge is in the offing. And if it was, there'd be a whole consultative process and vote on that too before it happened. My sense of the MyFC membership is that they'd be pretty loathe to anger people by fooling with things like that.

[Santa]

So MyFC decided unilaterally we needed a new kit manufacturer for whatever reason, they unilaterally decided to ask a company that was known to one of its members for a proposal. To the best of anyones knowledge they did not inform or involve anyone at EUFC.

 

This really sounds to someone on the outside as if MyFC have ridden rough shod over the club in this particular instance. I hope I'm wrong. But why the hell get involved with the kit anyway I'm sure there are much more pressing issues you could be concerning yourselves with.

 

 

[Uncle Urchin]

Originally Posted By: Santa

So MyFC decided unilaterally we needed a new kit manufacturer for whatever reason, they unilaterally decided to ask a company that was known to one of its members for a proposal. To the best of anyones knowledge they did not inform or involve anyone at EUFC.

This really sounds to someone on the outside as if MyFC have ridden rough shod over the club in this particular instance.

get used to it santa....

[DA11]

Change the kit and then get us to send all our old shirts to Africa.

[Friejose]

You make it sound so nefarious Santa. I think the truth of the matter was that the current manufacturer could not keep up with demand. In that situation, it would be foolish to simply rest on the status quo. Further, you assume without knowing that the club doesn't know about any of this. That's not my understanding, though I could be wrong. Lastly, in Unc's world, where a couple of well-off businessmen (or women) own the club, those people would just make decisions without consulting anybody, and I don't see how that's better than having an open discussion once there is a proposal to discuss. Especially since the decision could be to keep the current supplier.

 

Sorry if this sounds too optimistic, the Reverend sent out fresh moon beams to us all today.

[doheochai]

Originally Posted By: Santa

So MyFC decided unilaterally we needed a new kit manufacturer for whatever reason,

No decision has been made about anything (as has already been explained here)

Originally Posted By: Santa

they unilaterally decided to ask a company that was known to one of its members for a proposal. To the best of anyones knowledge they did not inform or involve anyone at EUFC.

Jumping to conclusions here Santa - and even if this was the case - someone has to bring proposals to the board. Are MyFC not allowed to do that?

Originally Posted By: Santa

This really sounds to someone on the outside as if MyFC have ridden rough shod over the club in this particular instance. I hope I'm wrong. But why the hell get involved with the kit anyway I'm sure there are much more pressing issues you could be concerning yourselves with.

As explained before - the involvement of MyFC will open up major sponsorship opportunities for the club - in the interests of the club these opportunities will need to be explored. If they prove to be positive - then proposals will be drafted. When proposals are drafted all parties involved in EUFC will discuss the benefits (or lack of) of the proposals and a decision will be made democratically (unlike the current situation where normally no consultation takes place and no vote is taken).

No need to jump the gun on this one. All that has happened is that Will Brooks has indicated that a kit manufacturer has expressed an interest in 'something' - when they come back with a proposal it will be published, discussed and decided upon. And none of this will happen before any final decision on the purchase of EUFC by MyFC.

[DA11]

To be honest Jako are pretty appalling when it comes to ordering stock. Wouldn't mind getting Nike or Umbro. Was some do gooder on Myfc saying we should go for a fair trade manufacturer.

[doheochai]

Originally Posted By: DA11

Was some do gooder on Myfc saying we should go for a fair trade manufacturer.

More than one - and it should not be ruled out. The entire ethos of MyFC is to get away from 'money deciding everything'.