I also have not posted for a long time on here as I try to bite my tongue as far as things at Cougars are concerned after I voiced my concerns last year and have been verbally attacked and threats made towards my friends and family by people connected to the board of directors last season when I simply said that people needed to stand up to the mark or walk away, but I feel I need to speak out after yesterday.
It breaks my heart to see the downward spiral this club is in. Its like a whirlpool and building up speed and momentum as each week passes.
The time for changes in now. These changes need to start from the top and right the way down. I am not asking for anyone to go in particular, what I am saying is it needs running correctly. The ground should be manned every day. Season tickets should be sold from an office, from behind a desk. Away travel should be able to be booked there too, along with private parties, functions, weddings etc. Club merchandise should be available to order, collect and buy.
The ground needs cleaning. Rubbish needs to be removed. Bin liners of glass bottles, food waste and toilet rubbish should not left in the car park. Its a disgrace, an embarrassment and totally uninspiring to anyone coming to use the ground, whether that be players before training/game, fans coming to support the team, or people coming to book the bars for a venue. I will happily give up a Wednesday during the day to help with tidying the ground, but I will not do it without the directors getting me the tools, paint bin bags required first. I could also do a Saturday too.
The bars are looking better in certain areas, the chairs are tidy, tables fine and its not as dark in the hall of fame since the walls were painted cream, but the available drinks is shocking. How can people stay behind and spend money over the bar when there is nothing to buy. Players and people left yesterday due to not having the alcohol of choice available. On a Saturday evening when the club advertised on Facebook, bring your ladies for a valentines day treat and there was two thirds of the bar pumps empty. The bars need to be a place people want to stay, have a drink with mates and enjoy a great beer. We are in Keighley - one of the best places around to get real ale with loads of microbreweries within the town and nearby town of Skipton. The bar should have food such as pie and peas, chip butties, sausage sandwiches available to fans after a game, not just during it. Whatever the players have for tea, make extra and sell it in the bar for £1.50, don't over price as people with food will stay for beer.
I then think around 45 mins after a game there should be events or bands on to keep people there, but these need to be well advertised and suitable for all. Race nights, Beetle drives, Bingo, live bands. Its not hard and its not rocket science, if the club looks after the fans, then the fans will stay and bring more with them.
The team needs a good shake up too. The team yesterday was a mixture of young, old and too old, but as Dean Hanger proved, if the mindset is correct age is not a barrier. The fact that one of our own young players who hurt his shoulder at the same time as when Paul March scored his great dummy try in the first half, was shouted at by Handforth and told "To get the Fook up and out of the way" or very near to that, which was heard on the terracing by the fans is just appalling and totally inappropriate. He is a rugby player and if he is injured, hurt, then that is what he is, rugby players do not fake pain and fellow team mates should help, aid and inspire each other. Then the discipline is horrendous, I totally agree we should not take things from other players, we should not be pushed around on the field and the players should not be dominated by other teams, but they is a difference in being physical and in being stupid, idiotic thugs, and at times yesterday the players were more like thugs. Our most senior, experienced players should not be sin binned and red carded. At this rate the club will be spending more money paying players fines then their wages.
I have offered my time, and skills to this club time and time again, and I will always be there to offer it again to help in ways which I can, I am happy to help clear the ground and prepare activities for children on a match day. I do believe that if everyone helps in a little simple way, then the club can pull itself back up and turn things around, but it needs to start quickly and people need to pull together not apart.

Hi Dreamer , it is not just about the friendlies , it is the whole picture.

Last season when I was posting comments about the same subject I was constantly berated by various members here , now most of them have
seen the same problem and are just as angry with the situation.
,
Let's not mince our words here , the club is at it's lowest ebb for years ,
We have been relegated to the league of doom with what looks like no chance of
getting out. So maybe Sundays appauling show of aggression and indicipline was
the straw that broke the camels back.

Do we want to keep watching crap rugby against carp teams with crap attendances or do we want better ?

Some interesting comments.

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18331352This Is Being Tried - Despite Critics,Cynics,and Those Against It[/url


[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2948224/Derby-s-success-term-no-swearing-policy-says-coach-Paul-Simpson.htmlProof In The Pudding?[/url

I can forgive poor commitment to the ball, self preservation, the odd missed pass, move gone wrong, defensive error, attacking error, comedy moment in friendly games. This is what they are for.

They are not an excuse for the other behavior and indiscipline.

It needs gripping quickly and dealing with before small crowds become no crowds or club.

I have been talking to 2 families who will not bring kids due to the language.

I am sure there are more.

Great Post Sam, couldn't agree with you more, yours and Rachel contribution and others like you to the club over the years has been invaluable, its what the Cougars were always about, a good family community based club. I was more than willing to give the BOD, time to find there feet. But they appear to have lost the fans, lost the ability to communicate with the ordinary fans, and basically lost there way. My advice to you Gary listen to the likes of Sam, Rachel and other's they have a lot to offer, there is more to the Cougars than just the sponsors bar, Sponsors like directors, coaches and players will come and go, but the fan on the terrace will still be there, yes we are few in numbers but we are still there.

Too right , involve the community ....