Right, lets get this started now. Whatever comes of it, we can form some kind of loose coalition, agree to support each other, keep ourselves informed of whats up, and try and move forward together. The odd meet up perhaps (I'll probably go to Ashton gate a couple of times this year, and I've been meaning to visit the John Charles Stadium in Swansea too.) the odd article in fanzines, a bit of campaigning and cross support.

So, clockwise from west Wales; Swansea, Cardiff, Merthyr, Newport, Cheltenham, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Bath City, Exeter, Yeovil, Exeter, Torquay and Plymouth fans, lets start something. Doesnt matter whether you support those teams, or are just based in that town/city

My email is jat_moore@yahoo.co.uk. Please email me and we can see where we go from here. Even if not much happens, lets try and get a formal group together, even if it only serves to make SUSD more relevent on a regional level.

cheers

Happy to help, I've pm'd you letting you know my thoughts. I think iots a good idea.

Count me in,

Support bristol city and live in bristol.

Any News?

Have sent a email,

Count me in as well of course.

Sorry thread escaped my eyes for a couple of days. Tho we really need some Bristol Rovers fans here to lead an assault on their new ground, and contact the club, because there still could be a slight chance of leaving seats out at one end maybe?

Given the incredible atmosphere in that Bass Terrace I can't imagine many Rovers fans actually looking forward to being raped into the plastic.

Their new ground wont happen anyway, it will be delayed for another year.

They seem happy with seats though, that have never had a all seater ground so they dont know what it is like.

How are we getting on with this?

thus far I've received one email. I've got a few ideas, so if everyone could email me at the address above, I'll send something out, even if its only to 5/6 people that is better than one.

cheers

We're working on a way to email all our members (6,000+) plus, so as soon as we're able, we'll get an email out about this initiative.

I'm still keen to set this up and get it started.

Can anyone please email me your email addresses (or to Amanda if you'd prefer-hope thats okay Amanda) and I'll try and get the ball rolling when I get home from holidays.

So far, I'll only be emailing one other person!

Cheers James,
Ive jsut emailed you.

James - or anybody else while he is on holiday...

Why not post on Rivals and Vitals websites (or any others) for these clubs, plus see if they've got supporter groups you could contact?

I'd do so myself, but really don't have the time to take on anything new..

Torquay is my 2nd team (family come from there) and I usually get to see them a few times each season.

I'm not aware of anyone on the forum or active in SUSD from Torquay (although there was some interest on their now defunct forum when the campaign started & a few joined up as SUSD members), so I'm happy to act as contact for Torquay if no one else offers.

I've joined the TUST supporters trust this week so there may be opportunities there.

If you guys get a meeting up and running myself or another FSF type would be glad to come along and help.

Been away for a while but naturally I will be fully behind this intiative. I'm going to send you out an Email after this post with my details.

On the subject of coming to AG this season, get in contact with me when you know which game and you'll be welcome to come in the East End with me and sample some of the atmosphere we have worked hard to get back in to AG...

Right so far we have

James : Team Unknown to me

Nick The Jack : Swansea

The__mayster : Bristol City

timbo-b-o-a : Bath City

Peter SUSD : Torquay(ish)

chalky : Bristol City

Mark Longden (Or Other) : Willing to attend meetings,

Its a start!!!

We could really do with a Bristol Rovers fan as well. Could any of you City fans persuade one to help there.

I think there is a Rovers fan who has posted on here before under the name of K Stand. I have started to PM City fans who I think may be interested in joining a City SUSD group and the result has been positive so far. I have urged people to sign up to the forum so hopefully we will see some new members posting...

Thing is with rovers, its too late. If the ground does go ahead, which i personally dont think it will, the plans have already been drawn up.

Bristol Rovers or any club for that matter wouldnt change the plans around at this late stage however much you beg and pled with them.

The rovers fans that i know seem to think seating down will be fine, and loverly. Ive told them what to expect but they dont think it will be like that.

I can't see how they can be happy with leaving their home terrace. They will see a significantly poorer atmosphere and miss it. If they are happy with it, it won't last for more than a season, once the hoony moon period has gone we might see a few of them signing up to the campaign...

I have just typed up a little artitlce thing, i will send it to the city fanzine and a few other things to see if they will include it.

You should send it to the new fanzine "3lions and a Robin". I had North Street ask me if I wanted to write an article in that fanzine....

Right, should be in the october issue of 3 Lions And A Robin.

Have also asked the fanzine One Team In Bristol if they will put it in, also have wrote to the Bristol Evening Post and Western Daily Press to ask if they will put it in there letters part.

well done lads keep it up.

Hello all,

Thanks to everyone who emailed me. It looks like someone earlier in the thread has provided an update of a few people on here who support teams in Wales and the West. Below are a few ideas of mine for how we could take the group South Wales and West (SWAW) forward

1: Letters, Letters, Letters. Personally I'm a big fan, I think they work, I think they can be very powerful, and if polite enough they prompt a reply from people. I've written probably a dozen in the last year regarding Standing at football, and I want to keep this up.

Ideas for letters are: The clubs (when it's a good atmosphere due to standing congratulatge them on the tolerance of the stewards, when it's poor complain, explain that you and friends are now less likely to attend etc), The FLA, MPs, Local press, fanzines, Councillors (in my experience in work, councillors take a pride in issues that affect their wards, and while standing at football doesnt come under their jurisdiction it can be valuable to have them on board) Premier League, FA, Football League. Local and national press are important too. Make them aware of the problem, make them aware theres a story here that isnt going away. They may reply on a slow news week.

2. Welsh Assembly Government (WAG): I admit this is one that only affects people living in Wales, but I've heard good things emanating from the WAG about standing, and there could be a route to go down. I will be contacting the relevant AM soon to make him/her aware of the issue, ask his/her views, the potential for a change in guidance in Welsh grounds under the Government of Wales Act 2006

3. Leafleting outside grounds. I think this is more of an issue if/when problems arise with stewards. I know leaflets have been done by SUSD members.

4. Other govt departments. Those interested in architecture, retention of traditional culture, social cohesion etc.

5. Official/unofficial supporters club. Ask their opinions, if they'd like to get involved. Even if it only leads to it being an agenda item at a meeting, it'll raise awareness for SUSD.

6. Support each other. Refer to the S.Wales & West group. It makes, and gives the impression of)SUSD being more organised. If you think there is an issue in Plymouth that could do with the support of someone in Swansea then we can do this, by writing letters in support etc.

7. Regular newsletter highlighting developments in the SWAW region. This could be bi-monthly, A4 in size, handed out in fanzines from Plymouth to Pontypridd, left in pubs, whatever.

Basically, I imagine this group can be a loose, informal group that we can share letters with and work together on issues that affect us on a more local level. In addition, lets be sociable about it. I will probably go to Ashton Gate this year, so why not meet for a beer before a game? Likewise when Swansea visit Bristol etc. Just an idea, but lets see where it goes.

I dont want to be leader here, I just want a loose coalition of people in this part of the UK that are interested in this issue. My email is at the top of the thread. I will email people and I ask you all if it's okay to share your email addresses with each other.

In the meantime, once I've written my next load of letters I will post them here, and hopefully everyone else will do the same.

Any ideas, suggestions post 'em here.

Thanks/Diolch.

James

Like your thinking, James! If you put something together for me, I'll get it on the Vitals websites.

If you need a hand with anything, give us a shout and either us or the FSF will be able to help.

Top stuff James, I have just bought a little booklet today in which I plan to make notes on everything SUSD, I want to get hold of everyone's details in the SWAW group. Did you get my email by the way?

I have send out about half a dozen PM's to people I have seen post on City's main forum who I felt would be likely to support our campaign. I have had all positive responses but I don't think any (apart from maybe 1) has actually signed up to the forum....

I might see if I can put a flyer on every seat of the EE before a game, that would be good publicity. By the way, can someone post a copy of a flyer they may have sent out?

Cheers, Chalky.

(Keep up the hard work James).

Thats brilliant stuff James

Manny

James,

You have e-mail.

I would be willing to attend some meetings although I am already fully committed to the FSF and cardiff City Supporters Club, However I may well be able to persuade some of my colleagues from Cardiff to attend.

No problem in helping to try and get this off the ground with yourselves if you want?

We (FSF) are holding a police forum at Ashton Gate on the 20th September in the evening which senior police officers will be there to answer our questions, also some of us who went to moscow With Wales will be passing on our experiences to the South West England supporters who travel out there in October.

Perhaps we could get together then and start something up?

What do you think?

I'm off to Slovakia from Monday to Thursday next week but if you are interested my mobile number is 07814 779441

I might attend that meeting then if it is free and there is an open invitation.
I can see it making my blood boil though if we are going to be patronised as to the dangers of standing or swearing etc. Will the meeting with the police be that unbearable?

Im in also

Suggested points of discussion, in no particular order!

1. Making contact with rival clubs and seeing if you can work together.

2. Arranging meetings with your clubs. I can get an FSF rep to attend.

3. The possiblity of organising a yellow card protest. This involves printing off fliers onto yellow paper instructing people to hold them up as the players come out and do their shaking hand routine. Concentrate on distributing them at the turnstiles of the stand where people are most inclined to stand.

4. Trying to get your local MP more involved in lobbying the Minister of Sport.

5. Getting your local papers to run articles. Let them know you are meeting.

6. Getting your clubs supporter reps on board to see what they are prepared to do to help.

Should be enough to be getting on with! :rolleyes:

orite lads?

just saying you can count me in!


since we moved from the vetch, the atmousphear has gone! and at the liberty the stewards are p****s. they wont let us do anything!


Bring back standing

:D

I'm sending a letter to my AM (and also to Gerry Sutcliffe MP) this week. I'm also going to sign that petition thing asking Bristol City to allow their loud speaker, or whatever it is in the ground.

Small steps, but progress nonetheless.

Good to see a fellow Jack on here. Your not the only one who hates the Liberty. Hell on earth has been achieved. And the Vetch, well, heaven. I would like to have some kid of protest soon and the yellow card protest is a good idea. Please keep checking out the site, the more jacks the better.

well ill get a load to sign up, ill spread the word in the gillingham game about this site and stuff. i bet every signle person on the east would rather be in the vetch than the lib!

i broke into the vetch in may this year to see it one last time! brought tears to my eyes seeing the north bank, the place is still in better condition than ninian park though!

I might have watched that on youtube. Did you go up to the press box and do some dodgy singing? Anyway, are you a season ticket holder? Do many way games?

If you stay on here and keep postting hopefully we can get enough Swansea fans to make a good protest. Iplan on trying to get a meeting with Huw Jenkins sometime about the possibility of a singing section. As I say keep posting then hopefully we can start to get home games enjoyable again.

It really annoys me when the clubs asks the fans to sing up and get behind the team, but then tell us to sit down, and in one case be quiet.

i know, and when i do stand up, im blocking a families view. well to be honest, if families want a better view, go and sit in the FAMILY stand! in the gillingham game, i could tell a lot that the atmousphear has gone up. but not enough, not as good as the north bank. plus the stewards are just getting any oppurtunity to have a go at us! this is what you should do mate, if a steward is walking up to tell you to sit down, shout out: STAND UP, IF YOU HATE CARDIFF!