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Post by shehens on Jun 15, 2012 17:11:17 GMT
The argument over £24.00 - If Rob had to pay the club this amount for getting the club's facilities for a whole day, allowing them to allegedly raise in excess of £600 for youth funds, then this is a cheap deal. Would you be able to hire Riverside's facilities for this amount for a whole day?. I don't think so! All very petty, but as Buff says - this is merely a smoke screen!!!
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Post by youthparent on Jun 16, 2012 1:58:18 GMT
Hi all i'm a parent and mother of boy who plays football in one of the Youth teams, my son showed me this forum and the thread that was started about the Youth he asked me to read it and the re-assure him he will not be victimized because he chooses to play with his friends in the new team. Can i say i have a worried boy now, it's 2:00am in the morning and after the the last post above don't everyone think enough is enough just because my son and me as a parent choose for him to play for the new team we are all MUPPETS
I for one was at the meeting on Tuesday along with say 50 to 60 parents maybe more, after listening to the proposal of forming a new team, many questions being asked and answered, a couple did show some concern this was for sure. All the parents then spoke together in there teams and with other. The parents were then informed if they wanted to stay with Mildenhall Town Youth that was an option they could choose. Every team choose to move us parents are not idiots we can make our own decisions for our son's. SO i bet your glad to get rid of us CREW of MUPPETS inc the boy's.... Further more in my view nobody has taken your Youth teams away they have just decided as a group to form there own team, your Youth teams are still there just need some new volunteer's which creates new opportunities to form new teams.
Why would the color they choose be a concern of yours, it's already been stated they can't play in amber & black
I ask you do you think your playground antics of name calling is appropriate because I for one don't when my son could be on the end of your remarks.
I'm all for debate until it get's aimed at person or people
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Post by applefootball on Jun 16, 2012 7:59:25 GMT
I have waited to comment and due to my position of work will choose my words carefully but the only things I want to add are a few facts.
1 - In my time at MTFC I have tried desperately on various levels/schemes and ideas to support and get a full up and running youth section for MTFC to filter eventually into adult football - this has failed because of a variety of reasons, some because of coach's, players themselves, parents and other individuals intervening. This has given me a lot of hard work and disappointment.
2 - I have personally for two years asked verbally to people, asked verbally at MTFC meetings to relevant parties, had phone conversations and texts ASKING to be involved with the youth meetings, be invited to any meetings and assist with development - I have NEVER been asked or taken up on my offer.
3 - we have supported the Youth section from an adult / first team perspective at ALL times WHEN ASKED - e.g. attended youth days (me, Coops, Popey and Tom over the past two years, handed out trophies etc), allowed them to train on parts of the pitch we were not using on our training nights when viable etc.
4 - I have been approached by many students and parents this week on my return form Africa when this has all occurred so until late this week was unaware exactly what was occurring, stating they are unhappy, felt they had no choice, saying they wish they could have stayed at MTFC and kept the lads together, but having no option to go with a new set up or not have a team their son could play in. The actually hard thing for me this week is having to hear 13/14/15 year olds ask why do we have to change our name, can we still come to MTFC matches etc etc (of course i would welcome them all at games).
I personally feel this has not been a snap judgement, due to knowledge and evidence gained this week from various sources which I will not go into, I know this has been orchestrated and created long before the last two weeks. I think it is very unfair to have a youth day in the knowledge that the youth section (or at least parts)wanted to move on and would have known this on the day.
I personally wish the new club all the best GENUINELY in their set up. If they feel they want to move and play under a different banner it is up to people to do this and create their own club, which they can rightly do. I feel it is harsh for some of the kids who may not want to move and do not get involved in politics but just want to play - the important thing is that they will be playing football each weekend which they will be. Sometimes things like this happen at clubs and it can turn out to be best for all parties. As I have said I have tried desperately to sort the youth section but had no luck so maybe this is best to have a clean break and then sometimes a phoenix can rise from the ashes and it could be starting from scratch almost will be best for MTFC.
Again, genuine best wishes to all players of MYFC and I hope to see them playing each weekend and hearing about it each week as I currently do. I am sure we will see some of these pull on an MTFC shirt in the future whether at youth or adult level.
Finally, we have a lot of local lads or those that have come through the youth section in the first team and long may this continue.
Thanks for reading the post, I do not think I will have offended anyone but I do feel a but let down and sorry for some of the parents / pupils - but again wishing the best to those that feel it is right to move on.
Christian
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Post by youthparent on Jun 16, 2012 8:43:35 GMT
Thank you Mr Appleford for your response I have read through and you made some good points, also points that I would expect from the Club Manager as looking from the main clubs view which is the only view you can comment on as you haven't experienced from the other side, likewise my views are from the youth perspective as I haven't experienced from the main club. At the end Parents decided for themselves and to say they didn't have a choice is not true any of us could have stood up and said NO "We want to continue as we are" but nobody did.
Mr Appleford what are your views on people associated with MYFC being a "Crew of Muppets" I understand you didn't write these comments and Buff has apoligised but he must have thought this as he wouldn't write them. Not the kind of actions I would assume from somebody who must be associated high up the club. I understand you may well be diplomatic and say you cant comment, but I hope you do have a view on this.
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Post by shehens on Jun 16, 2012 8:58:46 GMT
I think now we are getting too personal with our comments and becoming too far removed from what this link should be about. Let us close it down at once! The boys just want to play football , it is the adults that create the politics and I wish the lads all the best wherever they choose to play. They will always be welcome at MTFC.
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Post by youthparent on Jun 16, 2012 9:13:11 GMT
Thank you, but did you actually read the deleted post that was aimed at MYFC that was personal and that's why I commented. Tell me if i'm in the wrong to ask as me being a parent i'm not impressed.
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Post by BUFF on Jun 16, 2012 11:37:03 GMT
I have apologised. What more do want me to say? As I said, this has been a highly emotive subject, and I used the wrong words...I actually admire all of the youth managers, including Rob, because they have given their time freely to enable the lads of Mildenhall to enjoy the game of football. If we are not careful, future children will think football is just a game to watch on the Telly, or play on their PS3s.
Even though I think the whole affair has been sneaky, and I don't believe the £24 had anything to do with it other than provide the trigger, I believe that the MY people have only honourable intentions to provide football to the young people of Mildenhall, so good for you I say.
It really doesn't matter what shirt the kids wear does it as long as they wear it with pride.
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Post by BUFF on Jun 16, 2012 17:39:55 GMT
I have deleted all my posts on this thread.....I have spoken to Rob today and the whole thread has got completely out of hand, for which I accept alot of the blame. Sorry everyone, and sorry Rob. Also, I am sorry about my comment on the challenge cup day money, which Rob assured me went into the MTFC junior bank account.
BUFF has retired from the forum! This time for good!
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Post by youthparent on Jun 16, 2012 17:48:44 GMT
Thank you Buff for your apology which is accepted your right in what your saying it went to far. No need to retire as discussions are good if kept to the subject.
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Post by kopout on Jun 16, 2012 18:49:00 GMT
I am a bit confused, was anyone from the club at the meeting when the parents decided to move their children from MTFC? Or was it a kangaroo court. It’s easy to put the wrong impression across to parents when only one side of a story is heard. I played in the MTFC youth system all the way through to under 16, was not good enough to play at a decent level so just played Sunday football with my friends, however looking back we had problems but most were caused by some parents egos thinking their sons were better than they were. Some parents wanted a rotation system and the boys just to have fun and others wanted the best team on the field each week, this caused massive arguments with the coaches and club. My point here is I wonder how many of the parents sat down with their children and asked if they were happy at MTFC? Will all the teams formed under the new name have to start in bottom leagues, I would say looking at the FA rules they will as this is the same with Rangers in Scotland (although they will probably get away with it). Has this been discussed by the new club as this will harm the prospects of the better players being seen by scouts from the likes of Ipswich, Norwich and Cambridge as they normally go the higher league games. It’s a shame that grown ups cannot sit around a table and sort out the problems, have MTFC thrown the towel in just because a few people want to walk away. Has a meeting with the parents ever taken place?
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Post by shehens on Jun 16, 2012 20:14:39 GMT
I agree entirely with your comments kopout. I was at that meeting following my involvement in heading the youth section for 10 years and wanted to find what was going on . Unfortunately MTFC were not invited to attend the meeting to have their say. Also the timing of the breakaway - announcement on Tues evening with the league application deadline being Friday did not do MTFC any favours. This coupled with the fact that all paperwork on the teams, ie squad members names and addresses sits with the managers and youth sec and has not been made available to them. Table positions is down to the Cambs League to decide. Hopefully this will not be the end of a youth section at MTFC . I for one will volunteer my help and I can only hope that all in some way will learn from what has happened.
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Post by youthparent on Jun 16, 2012 21:04:28 GMT
Can I just say this thread was started on the 31st May so surely it was known then? so why if did MTFC leave it so long
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Post by festivalmick on Jun 16, 2012 23:19:12 GMT
I have been reading this thread with great interest and I am not surprised how emotive it has got as this kind of thing is enough to make a saint swear. I am on the main comittee and I have been present at every meeting in the last year. Mildenhall Town FC is the biggest thing here and not individuals because MTFC alone is the vehicle that allows us all to get what we want from it. That could be watching the first team, it could be playing for the youth team, it could be sitting at the bar watching the racing on a Saturday, it could be proudly watching your child or grandchild play whatever level they are at and the list goes on and on. I have been involved in non league and youth football now for 35 years either as a player a manager or in this case a commitee member and in all this time if i have learnt one thing it is that nobody is bigger than the club! So what happened here then? Well first let me say that I was and am delighted by the appointment of Mr Appleford and the main reason is that he wants to develop and promote a youth policy at out club which was not the case with Simon Charlton so while I have sympathy with the veiw of some that as a club we have not let our youth sides progress I really feel that we are on the right road now and Rome was not built in a day so its a bit of a waiting game but I believe we will get there. I don't see why anyone on this forum would really want to attack or badmouth any of our youth players or parents etc as in the main they just want to play football and that is after all what we want to promote. However it is important that everyone gives their view and side to the story so that those people who are asked to make a decision such as has been asked can do so with as much information as possible and my veiw on this subject is as follows
A few meetings ago Robert Redman brought a new guy with him to the main commitee meeting and we were told that he was really keen to get things moving for the youth section (I am afraid that I do not recall the man,s name but my guess is that most of you will know who he is as he is the only new face for a while) It turned out that the guy had a very good knowledge of youth matters and as a commitee we were really excited to embrace his talents. Our secretary Brian arranged a private meeting with him where he was informed by Brian of everything he had to do to get things off the ground in some of the areas that the youth section had problems with. He then took this information and used it to set up MYFC and we never saw him again. Then at our next meeting the £24 incident raised its head and of course was, as has been said, just a smokescreen and Robert Redman left the meeting swearing and then came back in and carried on swearing and eventually left. Rumours then started flying about the youth section splitting from the main club, and at our next meeting Robert Redman sat through the whole meeting and then when we came to the Youth Section on the agenda announced he was resigning and gave a long speech saying that he was not happy about the Youth Section leaving the club and that he wanted the teams to stay. He was question by some members about his knowledge of the MYFC situation and he denied almost everything saying only that he felt there was a possibility that it may be the case and when asked outright who had set this up he refused to answer. It has now of course come to light that when the youth team met the same day he in no way suggested that the teams stay with MTFC and indeed highlighted reasons why they should not stay. In short Robert Redman has not told the truth and I for one would not want my son or grandson playing in any team that had a person invovled in a high position who did this. Rob, you have done alot for the youth and i don't deny that, but you have let yourself down very badly this time and as for the other guy (who I cannot remember the name of) you should be ashamed of yourself, though if you are capable of the kind of thing you have done, I doubt you will be. The future however I am told is not so bleak as it seems that we have some of the players and parents wanting to be part of the club no matter what has been said and so it looks like we are all going to get a clean slate. I wish the parents and boys who have decided to go to MYFC the very best of luck and I hope you will still come to the club to our functions or to see the first team play and I am very sad that this all happened but I started this by saying that the club is bigger than all of us and I really do believe that! Its 12.20am now and I have to be up at 4.30am as we have a bootsale to run in the morning for the club. And thats for the whole club
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Post by thefriar on Jun 17, 2012 13:56:11 GMT
youthparent, to answer your question specifically. The thread posted on here on 31st May was the FIRST that anything was known about this by me or any commiteee member (except Robert Redman) at MTFC. Robert Redman subsequently telephoned me that evening to confirm what was going on. Also, while posting I pleased to say that there will be youth teams playing at MTFC next season.
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Post by youthparent on Jun 17, 2012 14:05:23 GMT
Thank you thefriar for answering my question most reports on here was stated Tues 12th June was the first time anyone was told. So it has been none for a couple of weeks prior to the meeting. That's good to hear you will be having teams next year at what age groups
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