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March 2010

Last month has seen our site continue to grow in size from 35 to 46 pages. As we indicated last month, we intended to add site content pertaining to the media and have done so, in particular with regard to BBC coverage of Scottish football. These pages can be viewed via the Become Involved link on our What You Can Do page or by using the site search facility and entering BBC.

Visitor growth is slow but the trend is continually upwards, but still nowhere near as high as we would like, so please keep these email referrals going.

This month we received a congratulatory email from one site visitor on our anti SFA Chief Executive, Gordon Smith, campaign. For the avoidance of doubt, this site does not condone or advocate any action of a personalised nature against individuals. The examples and suggestions on this site are aimed at helping people articulate their concerns in a more productive manner, and in a way that does not resort to insult. The section of our site that the site visitor referred to has been amended accordingly.

This month has seen widely publicised incidents where certain individuals have acted in an inappropriate manner, albeit fuelled by frustration at the lack of success their clubs have had in recent months. The use of abuse to make a point simply serves to strengthen the belief by those who do not support Scottish football, that attending matches is not a suitable environment in which to spend their time. Furthermore, people are more and more reluctant to take their children, girlfriends or wives to football matches only to have them exposed to this sort of behaviour.

With the current SFA position of not promoting the watching of football by youngsters and the lack of overall strategy aimed at upping match attendances Scottish football continues to act in a manner that in actual fact has the opposite effect. All these factors contribute to the ever decreasing numbers and far from addressing this, decision after decision by those involved in running the game, simply add to the pressures that are driving down attendances.

With falling attendances, the game needs a more positive image and it is up to everyone to fight the bad influences wherever they are. In the current financial gloom this unlikely without real leadership, and that won’t happen unless people apply pressure wherever possible.

It is important that this message and the wider message of the site is directed at those who could contribute more to helping Scottish football but who currently don’t. You may not fall into this category but will no doubt know of people that do. If you do not have the time to get other people more interested, then encourage them to visit this site and read the sections you think they will get most benefit from.

There are many dedicated people throughout football but the rest of us cannot allow them to continue carrying the burden so it’s up to you to help where you can.

Next Steps

This month we hope to add pages specifically for club chairmen and will be challenging them to question their own management performance.