Aston Villa fans' group in call to join protest against Alex Mcleish

[hawkeye]

I symathise with the protest but I think the timing is wrong, as many have said on here, if you waited till the last game I think a lot more would join in, the only thing that will have an impact will be ST sales.

[ozzjim]

How many supporter protests have ever worked?

From my memory in the last 10-15 years, once the fans stop backing the manager and start calling for his head it is not that long before they get the boot. That is all that is happening, and right now quite rightly. If I was doing an equivalently bad job in my workplace I would be being performance managed to dismissal by now. Clubs need to put clauses into contract about league positions and failing to garner certain number of points to allow sacking without stupid amounts of compensation being paid to multi millionaires and their agents. If that is the only think stopping us giving him the boot then be more stringent in the way that you structure the contract in the first place. For all the money the clubs have and don't have, it amazes me how lax they are in basic contract management structure and skill.

[eastie]

i remember doug saying "its not the chairman who sacks the manager , its the fans"-  once the protests start to really be noticed then one would hope the chairman takes action but sadly in our case we have a chairman/owner who is absent.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

i remember doug saying "its not the chairman who sacks the manager , its the fans"-  once the protests start to really be noticed then one would hope the chairman takes action but sadly in our case we have a chairman/owner who is absent.

There lies the difference.
Not only is he not around, but supporters of his American football team will tell you how adept he is at burying his head in the sand.

[Clampy]

People need to understand that Lerner will not sack Eck, regardless...we simply can't afford to; it won't happen. 

Another way of looking at it is, can we afford not to?

[JUAN PABLO]

I can see some supporter running over to the bench , ripping up his season ticket and throwing it on the floor in front of McLeish . Probably on the last home game thou

[cheltenhamlion]

They would do well to rip up a season ticket. Its made of plastic.

[Risso]

How many supporter protests have ever worked?

From my memory in the last 10-15 years, once the fans stop backing the manager and start calling for his head it is not that long before they get the boot. That is all that is happening, and right now quite rightly. If I was doing an equivalently bad job in my workplace I would be being performance managed to dismissal by now. Clubs need to put clauses into contract about league positions and failing to garner certain number of points to allow sacking without stupid amounts of compensation being paid to multi millionaires and their agents. If that is the only think stopping us giving him the boot then be more stringent in the way that you structure the contract in the first place. For all the money the clubs have and don't have, it amazes me how lax they are in basic contract management structure and skill.

It really depends on what you mean by "worked".  Nobody's ever going to come out and admit that they were influenced by a supporters' demonstration, but as a way of letting the owner know what they think of his dire managerial appointment, it's an effective means.

[ktvillan]

No matter what I say on here, I just know that I'll end up eating a balti pie watching the 45 protesters dance around with their homemade 'McLeish out!' placards.

As much as I think we need to get rid of Big Feck to move the club forwards, I'm firmly in the group that thinks these things are best left to the summer. For the next few months we need to get behind the team to ensure we're playing Premier League football next year. Once we've guaranteed that, I'll happily get involved in these shenanigans.

How difficult is that to understand?

Well I don't get it.  I don't understand why people think you can't both get behind the team and protest about the manager and the owner.  They aren't mutually exclusive.  Especially if protests are outside the ground before and after the game.  What effect is that going to have on our performances and results,  and how?   And what are you going to do in the Summer exactly? 

[andyh]

I think it's interesting how this thread has developed since the last time a protest was planned.
Then, the organiser's  and potential protesters were called wankers and all sorts. We has subsequent threads called 'not in my name' and all sorts of indignation.
Now, I don't think the protest will have an effect or that there will there be a great turnout, but the attitude on here does seem to have 'mellowed' towards it.

[ktvillan]

Plenty of protests have had an effect.   I witnessed some of the Norwich "Chase out" protests years ago, which eventually forced him out.  Our own fans even achieved something by protesting once upon a time. 

[Drummond]

They would do well to rip up a season ticket. Its made of plastic.

It would be fun to watch.....

Altenratively, take the season ticket and cut it up into pieces in front of the bench. Which wouldn't be so funny.

[JUAN PABLO]

They would do well to rip up a season ticket. Its made of plastic.

They would do well to rip up a season ticket. Its made of plastic.

bit like the team then

[MarkM]

If we get to the summer and are still in the PL then the heat will go off the club.

Apart from some pre season friendly games there will be little to attract any crowd / protest.

Thus we can assume that provided we don't go down then the manager will still be in place for the start of next season. How long he stays in place after the start of next season is anyone's guess.

I suppose it will come down to what the board think is acceptable for Aston Villa, is it mid - lower table / mid table or mid - upper table [I think we can discount a top 6 finish] one thing is certian the expectations of the support will not be the same as the board.

I have been in the no point in protesting camp, but I think that the last two seasons have been awful, both as far as the manager / team / performances and the running of the club has gone, so I have no issue with people who want to protest.

I think the owner needs to have a long look at how he has handled things and decide where we are going, I also think he needs to focus more on Aston Villa if we are going to have any chance of moving forward

[MonsXI]

People saying protests work, using the redscouse protests about Hodgson was it down to the protests or his record as manager? Most protests about managers coincide with poor form so it's difficult to tell if the protest or the results get the manager axed.

A big problem now is if Randy has been taking note of Venkys and Blackburn they basically ignored the fans and Kean has seemingly turn the ship around.

I personally don't want Mcleish but don't seeing that protesting is the right way to go, I can understand people wanting to do something but is this a case of doing something because they cant think of a better idea?