Clearing snow at the training ground

[Ian Royal]

I think the assumption that fans haven't got jobs, mortages and families to deal with without being sniggered at by our overpaid stars as we clear their pitch - ought to be sufficient reason Ian. On the other hand the hotel and call centre has plenty of willing paid for hands that could help.

I think the assumption that all of our fans are employed, work during the day and would feel insulted by being asked to lend a hand is blinkered and offensive.

[STAR Voice]

I think the assumption that fans haven't got jobs, mortages and families to deal with without being sniggered at by our overpaid stars as we clear their pitch - ought to be sufficient reason Ian. On the other hand the hotel and call centre has plenty of willing paid for hands that could help.

I think only a paranoid or someone with a persecution complex could reasonably jump to a conclusion like that, tbh. The club were looking for a handful of people who might be prepared to assist if required - simple as that. No-one being asked to take time off work or leave their family or anything like that, but the chances of half a dozen people out of a core fanbase of about 15,000 being free and willing to help seems a reasonable one to me.

So I think that assumption, or the suggestion that the players would snigger at anyone helping them out, says more about you (and HNA?) than anyone else, tbf.

As with everything, if you can't do it or don't like the idea, that's fine - as there are people who are free and who would like to come forward and help.

[zummerset]

Actually I got interrupted and couldn't finish. The point is (and I do a lot of voluntary work aside from a full time job) that a commercial operation is different from a voluntary one. If you are all amateurs or volunteers then being asked to help and pitching is is part of your commitment or covenant to the organisation. So I will open the bar at our club, run events mow pitches and mark lines without complaint. But if as a commercially run organisation you ask me for £25 a ticket, charge through the nose for drinks and food, market me merchandise until the cows come home and then ask me to clear snow (that has mostly melted) from a pitch (when the club have an indoor training centre) and lots of healthy young staff (players/ coaches etc) available that are too precious to shovel snow then that is taking the piss.

Someone earlier asked what would be the consequences of Federici putting his back out shovelling snow - if one of your helpers did - would the club cover their wages? Of course not. If you told me that RFC hasn't got a bean and needs people to volunteer to open the club for Saturday then I would be there but that isn't the case.

Oh and STAR thanks for the psychobable analysis - I won't get too worried.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Why didn't the club ask on the official site, and if they asked STAR, why is it not on the STAR site as well as on here, what they really wanted was the lazy pratts who spend all day on here to po along and help for free.

Doesn't really matter now as I assume it is flooded and training will be cancelled anyway.

[working class hero]

STAR bowing down to the club's every whim yet again

Yes, I can see why you're quite so outraged here. It's utterly unreasonable that when the football clubs asks STAR to pass a message onto supporters they do exactly that.

It was an OK request.
However, bearing in mind that the folk who were available are likely to be unemployed [and technically if you are doing a freebie your benefit is at risk] it would have been good to advertise some sweeteners:

Free transport to the ground [and hopefully home again!]
Free drinks and a meal when finished
Free match ticket
Chance to meet the players

By all means do what the Club ask - but try to negotiate a deal first.

[Silver Fox]

Portsmouth gave out free tickets to their snow-shovelling volunteers and, by all reports, they are even harder up than RFC!

Portsmouth are so skint they were desperate to get Saturday's game on to get some gate money in, a few tickets would have been a small price to pay, how did it work out for them anyway?

[TFF]

Has the snow gone yet?

That team needs to train.

[TheMaraudingDog]

By all means do what the Club ask - but try to negotiate a deal first.

STAR negoti8 with the club?

LOL

[prostak]

Ahh, the Royals. Mes que un club, no?