Offside Set

GweedsOSS · Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 551 Location: Northcote

As you know the humble OSS is the only 'group' I ever been involved in to support Melbourne Victory.

The only information I discern about what other groups are feeling is through the dark side, and maybe this gives me an incorrect view of what may be happening.

Anyway, is something happening amongst the Norther Terrace groups? Is the BWB still the biggest group? Is the NT still fairly cohesive, or is it fragmenting?

The reason why I ask is because it seems to me that this HEM business has had a major impact on the NT. It seems to me that it was a bit the stroke that broke the camel's back and that while previously there has been some attempt to create a cohesive group maybe now is all falling apart.

There seems to be plenty of disillusionment amongst many in this area that negotiations has got them anywhere, and as a consequence any 'wannabee hooligan' may feel to be more free to do silly things (such as flares as we saw last night).

I also don't know what Cafu means by this (posted on the Dark Side)

kelep · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 20

ok i will answer the questions you have posed in this thread.

currently bwb is not the biggest group member wise but still has the most influence (its hard to tell as of late though because most issues within the north terrace have all had unanimous decisions.)

I believe that the north terrace as a group of people has become light years stronger than previous and that can only increase the "mentality" and the unity amongst us. Though as of late it may seem that we as a group have become lazy in our supporting of the team and the way we decide to support may harm the club. The fact of the matter is the North terrace is sick of the club's spin doctors dangling a carrot in our face to try subdue us and make us like boring afl cheersquads. Everytime we have believed their promises something bad has happened..

Look at the protests last season. When the club promised drums and a mega to be allowed in if we returned to level 1 a group decided to take that option up. We all know how that turned out. It has now forced a young boy to be scared of coming to the football and is reluctant to attend anymore.
Another example of this was the last match of the season, we returned down to level 1 only for us to be given no rights and for security to be down our throats again and in the end caused a fight between a spectator and a security guard.
Along came the north terrace banner which took over 12 hours to complete with 15+ people working on it. Telstra dome and the club made us bring the banner into the venue a day in advance so they could hang it how they wanted so there are no "issues" that day. When security went to take the banner down, it was missing, and they didn't bother to report it to the relevant authorities or people. This lost alot of trust between us and for most was the final straw. For some people like myself, that banner was apart of our soul, it was the name we had for ourselves and our people. The thing that kept us together was stolen and now there is a possibility that a rival group have the banner and are making a mockery out of us.

The next issue on the agenda is the home end membership. Sure the club cannot get rid of it and we accept that, but why did they have to use our name which we created and which we have "ownership" of and sell it out. The beauty of football is that people from every colour, race, religion, social status ect can come together and support their team. The fact that they have put a price on our name is ridiculous. what about those fans who don't want to buy a membership or simply cannot afford it, they are stuck. And sure there is the argument of the guest pass system but really why should someone have to go to all that trouble and possibly headaches inside the ground when wanting to sit next to a mate but cant because some prawn sanga eaters are in the seat next to him? Its just not possible.

Fans in the north terrace cannot be bothered supporting. We want to support OUR WAY and not have to be told how to by anyone other than ourselves.

in responce to cafu's quote.

the club rang cafu for no reason. They had given us a deadline like they did by the south end. They said to us let us know by the date. The fact that the club had not contacted 1 of the 5 possible people who's number or email they have is beyond me. Do they honestly expect a man who is on the outer to be able to hurry us? Sure he has worked tirelessly for our campaign and in the past has given us extremely good advice, but i think at this point in his life he should settle down and watch the game without having to put up with the headaches that we have to put up with.

GweedsOSS · Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 551 Location: Northcote

Thanks kelep. I appreciate your response. I sort of felt those were the main issues but you clarified them.
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