S.A.F.E. (Save Altrincham's Football Existence)- The Altrincham F.C. Supporters' Association
S.A.F.E. MEETING, 17 February 2001
If you are reading this page and are not already a SAFE Member, why not join up? It only costs £3 and as well as hearing from the Club's officials at first-hand at meetings such as this, receiving periodic newsletters and getting the chance to aid the Club in its financial plight, you also qualify for cheap travel to away games. Sign up at the SAFE cabin on any match day or write to SAFE c/o the Club at Moss Lane. As a member you also get the full news of meetings not just summaries such as this. About 40 fans were in attendance at yesterday's meeting in the Noel White Suite.
Mark Ward spoke first and thanked the fans for their support in these difficult times. He conceded that the current financial troubles had affected the players and that the loss of three left-sided players (Adams, Talbot and Ellison) had been a great blow. He gave details of our new French player, Gerard Leonard (see the squad page) and revealed that as Gerard was only acquired just before the Frickley game he had had to play in rubber-soled boots on a slippery surface!
Gerard had since performed well in midweek in training on the JJB Astroturf. Mark hopes to bring in another new striker by next Saturday. He later referred to his hopes of securing a loan of someone "not quite that young", very soon, but whether this was the above-mentioned striker or someone else was not clear. Mark confirmed that the only three players whose contracts extended to the end of next season were Stuart Coburn, Jason Gallagher and Danny Murphy.
Dickie Landon is likely to stay at Droylsden till the end of the season. Mark freely admitted that the Alty defence had been "a shambles" in the last few games. As for himself, the manager thought that next season would be his last as a player and he underlined the overall youthfulness of the first team. Despite the problems, Mark said he was enjoying the challenge of managing the side.
Mark commended George Heslop's Youth side and said that three or four of that side would be promoted to the Reserves. Of the young players already in the first team he singled out Ian Craney as a "special player".
Mario Daniel, at 16, was also a "tremendous talent" and other Youth players were likely to appear in the first team before the end of the season with the names of Paul Crowther and Levi Kennedy being mentioned as candidates. At the end of the meeting George encouraged fans to support the Youth team who play today (Sunday) against Rylands at Wythenshawe Town (behind Tesco's at Baguley) and on Monday at Ridgeway Road.
Mark confirmed that all players are fined by the Club if booked for dissent. He believed that both he and Steve Hawes were a booking away from suspension. (Mark went on to be booked in the match this weekend!). Our booking and other statistics are here.
Mark said he did not know what had happened in the alleged headbutting incident involving James Glendenning at Frickley. However, he did say that individual playing errors by his central defenders could not continue. Mark explained that at least one of his defenders was suffering a lack of confidence despite having great ability.
Mark Harris put on the record his thanks to the manager for his professionalism on the recent difficult period for the Club. He also said that Leicester's Colin Murphy had praised Mark's handling of the Kevin Ellison transfer. Later, Mark Eckersall, SAFE's Director, paid tribute to Mark Harris's tireless work for the Club and to the professional manner in which Board meetings were now held; these are now on a weekly basis.
SAFE is to run a Race Night (possibly on 28 April) and a Sponsored Walk. The walk is scheduled for 21 April (which is currently a fixture-less Saturday). Bucket collections had raised over £100 per game so far and would continue. It is also being planned to have a Player of the Year awards ceremony in the Noel White Suite near the end of the season. For approximately £5 fans would get a supper and some entertainment. A questionnaire may also be sent out to supporters for their views on SAFE activities.
Company Secretary, George Heslop, went through the SAFE Accounts. Amongst other contributions, SAFE continued to meet much of the cost of the team coach to away games.
Jacqui Forster gave a summary of the Exile group's activities. There were now thirty members in places as varied as York and Pakistan. The Exiles were sponsoring a match ball and had received donations for the Club from members. They still hoped for more offers of accommodation for visiting Exiles coming to Moss Lane for matches.
Gary Warrington's Moss Lane Mouth had raised over £70 from its last issue. The new issue (no.11) is now on sale for 50 pence (minimum).
New Director, Jeremy Pollitt was introduced. His duties will be primarily as a commercial manager for the Club. Bob Green was also welcomed, in absentia, as a new Director. Mark Harris paid official tribute to SAFE's fundraising activities and help for the Club. He said a "fighting fund" thermometer would be reinstalled at Moss Lane to show progress towards a realistic target of money to be raised. The bar would be used for events such as "An Evening With..." where players would be in attendance and a question and answer session would take place.
Also 1000 squares of the Moss Lane pitch would be put up for sponsorship at £5 a head. The Club is also taking up proposals to run a Virgins' Day for new supporters and a special initiative on Mothers' Day, when we have a Sunday home game. The "Kids for Free" scheme would continue and Bob Allan was already getting the Schools' Initiative off the ground. A family ticket might also be introduced and possibly marketed via McDonald's outlets; there may also be a family season ticket as well as a summer golf day and a sportsman's dinner on 5 April. It was explained that no new shares could be offered at present as all were already sold. However, current shareholders were to be approached about disposing of their shares for resale.
The bar would be exploited more with a "happy hour" after matches. Trafford MBC had confirmed that new road signs would include Altrincham FC's location and these would be erected once the local roadworks had been completed. It was confirmed that Angus Loughran (Statto) remained an Associate Director of the Club. The anonymous company which had stepped in to help fund the Club would be revealed shortly when its representative joined the Board. Other new Directors would also shortly be announced.
The former Chequers/ Richman's/ Ellington's night club at the Hale End of the ground is now classed as derelict as it cannot obtain a new licence as a night club.
Throughout the meeting a recurrent theme was the need to boost SAFE membership. Only c.270 current memberships are held; some of these are Family memberships, but even so there are many regular fans who are not members. Approximately 200 ex-members had been circulated but had yet to rejoin. ALL supporters are urged to join SAFE- it only costs £3 for adults and even less for pensioners and juniors.
For fuller details of SAFE and of SAFE Membership, please visit the Club Information page of this site.