TIME FOR ACTION BUT IT MUST BE LAWFUL.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 26 Aug 2018, 16:56

Yesterday was the low water mark in the history of Torquay United Football Club.

We all have to stop being "keyboard wankers" which is how Dave Phillips described us and take action to save our Club.

What can we do within the Law?

We have the right as citizens of peaceful protest.The right to peaceful protest in the UK is expressly guaranteed under European Convention of Human Rights.

We have to exert severe pressure on Mr. Harrop who is the decision maker at Plainmoor even though we know Mr. Osborne will make the final decision.

Harrop is banking on our apathy and lack of meaningful action but if we are the worm it is time for the worm to turn.

To get the message across to Harrop and Osborne that we want Owers out and a proper Manager appointed I suggest the following.

A LAWFUL PROTEST AT PLAINMOOR PRIOR TO SATURDAYS GAME 1PM TO 2 PM AND 5PM TO 6PM.

I emphasise these must be peaceful actions. Banners are acceptable and chanting but not bad language as we want Families to support the protests to show our feelings are deep rooted and we have had enough of sheer incompetence.We have been remarkably loyal and patient but enough is enough.

What else can we do? The time has come for action.

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:06

Take action but we can't swear? God Torquay fans are so polite.

IMO fans should have ripped into the shower of shit destroying this club a long long time ago yet it's not happened. It never will and i can now appreciate why not. It's pointless.

There is nothing lawful or unlawful that will shift CO from owning the club. You either have to sit and wait it out and then be ready to deal with the aftermath when CO finally leaves or keep attending and wait it out. No amount of banners or shouting at Owers to **** off will have any effect whatsoever.

Harrop doesn't care about the fans. Osborne doesn't care. Owers doesn't care. Nobody cares but the fans themselves but sadly caring isn't enough.

I admire and appreciate the sentiment of the thread though.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:14

If you read my post Yorkieandy it is about shifting Owers not CO from owning the Club.

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:28

Ah Ok Portugull. Fair point.

I can see how that might have more weight however Owers really has got skin as thick as a Rhino and it looks as though all the abuse in the world wouldn't see him voluntarily give up and resign.

Usually fan protests against a manager are designed to give the owner / chairman a bit of a nudge to pull the trigger however IMO Owers is part of the plan and Osborne will be perfectly content to leave things well alone.

Ordinarily i'd say that protests against a dismally failing manager would make the clubs owner take notice and perhaps take action but unfortunately Torquay's owner is Clark Osborne.

If Owers was sacked even if the club were in the bottom 4 i'd be absolutely shocked. Even more so if a new appointment was made within a couple of weeks and it was somebody reputable within football management.

Post by **Dave** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:32

Beat me to it Portugull, was just about to post you were on about the removal of Owers, as Osbourne is going no where any time soon.

One thing I will say to start with, it doesn't matter what our personal opinions of Harrop maybe, or his abilities as general manager, and therefore in day to day charge of running our club, to suggest he (Harrop) doesn't care about the fans, or the success of the football club, is way, way wide of the mark. I can assure you the man does care, but things aren't working out are they, and he answers to Osbourne the same as everyone else.

Right now Harrop's job is on the line, the same as Owers, the coaching staff and everyone else at the club, they all want to get it right, sadly, I'm guessing some lack the ability to succeed.

There's many things that can be done, I would not want to see any protests during the match, that would have a negative impact on the players, it's not their fault, and they don't deserve to be playing under those conditions, yep protest before and after the games have your banners fine, would support it, but as I said before on another thread, if I have something to get off chest, prefer not hide, I will go and find the relevant person and speak to them direct.

There's no need to shout, swear or threaten, gets you nowhere anyway, if things continue and nothing changes, I will find Mr Harrop on a match day, and talk to him face to face, and tell him what I'm feeling as a fan, and what I think the majority of fans are feeling, that's what I would suggest as many people as possible do, no banner, or chant could beat such an action I my view.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:42

Always respect your opinion forevertufc but surely Harrop knows only too well what the fans are feeling.

If he does not he must have his head in a very deep sand pit.

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 26 Aug 2018, 17:43

I agree Dave but it's down to the assumption that Harrop cares. You claim he does. I find that hard to believe. However, you have met him personally so will have a much more an accurate picture to paint than I of his character.

I also dispute your claim that it's not the players fault. They are paid a full time wage to go out and play well against part time amateurs which is well within their capability and they are not doing that. I'm not sure Owers is 100% to blame for this.

None of them care. If they did they'd improve things right now as they should be doing or apologize and offer to resign. We all know that people who consistently fail in football never do this though. Content to continue failing, letting people down whilst dragging a full time wage before pissing off to bleed another club for a few quid.

Post by **Dave** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:18

To answer the posts above, I very much do believe Harrop knows what the fans are feeling right now, and when you consider how Mr Harrop could be found freely available around the ground, also upstairs in and around the Gulls nest on matchdays when he first returned to the general manager, compared to these days, he seems a little harder to find, so maybe he has stuck his head firmly in the sand, but it would suggest, that no matter of chanting and banners is going to help him remove his head, that's why as many people as possible need to speak to him directly, he couldn't ignore that.

Andy, on the players, we have to look at it from a purely footballing point of view, there are many ingredients that make up a successful football team, it's not always the case that the team with best combination of players, goes on to win cups and divisional titles, any manager can lose the respect of his players by they way he speaks and handles them, they can lose the respect of players by poorly run training sessions, etc.

It's also down the manager to know how to get the best out his players, by knowing their strengths, so get them in the right positions, with the right tactical set up, it's far to easy to refer to players as serial losers, or not caring, we've seen at all levels of football, where a struggling team becomes successful with a change of manager, I firmly believe if the players we've got are managed correctly, they have more than enough to claim a play-off spot.

bringbackthecowshed · Post by **bringbackthecowshed** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:29

Harrop doesn't give a f**k, the one person that does, Tim Herbert club Secretary is leaving because he has had enough!

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:31

Boycott the next home again, EVERYONE! That might focus the minds of certain individuals!

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:41

Sadly Neal you might be right. If only 800 turn up on Saturday Harrop and Osborne might get the message and act.

YorkshireGully · Post by **YorkshireGully** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:55

NO NO NO NO far too harsh on Owers. Need to give the man another 15 games minimum to prove himself. I also can't help but see a lot of Stubsy in Reidy, top player can't let him go.
YorkshireGully

Parkys People · Post by **Parkys People** » 26 Aug 2018, 18:59

Just watching the Manchester City documentary, recently released.

Noel Gallagher at 07:10

''We kept this club going, there wouldn't be a club if it wasn't for the people who supported them in the 3rd division for start. So we deserve it, fans of a certain age, we deserve all that's going on there now.''

Whilst lower league fans can't relate to the level of turn around in a football club or the success that MCFC have enjoyed. The message from NG remains & is always something I hope for TUFC.

It's a horrendous period in the clubs history, ''better days/times'' are possible. I hope apathy, due to incompetence from the club, doesn't see the supporter base disappear for good and end in the inevitable death of the club as a result.

A football club without the fans are nothing, TUFC are pushing the fans away and it works into the hands of certain people if that does continue to happen.

YorkshireGully · Post by **YorkshireGully** » 26 Aug 2018, 20:08

Can't wait booking train down we need proper action this time no more mister nice guy COYY

notnow · Post by **notnow** » 26 Aug 2018, 20:45

Neal wrote: ↑26 Aug 2018, 18:31 Boycott the next home again, EVERYONE! That might focus the minds of certain individuals!

EXACTLY. Stop encouraging the deteriorating shit week in week out making our team feel that all is forgiven and the previous loss against some minor league amateur bunch of builders/ bakers and candlestick makers was a mishap and make our lot feel like professional pre Madonna’s who are only interested in the rewards a professional career contract awards them while out on the piss!

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