[Bonnyman]

Paul Fisher, on Feb 23 2009, 10:08 PM, said:

Perhaps you should speak to your local MP I'm sure he would be delighted to hear your views on the subject of local facilities and more so what can be done about spare land etc etc.

dont worry i allready have,infact believe it or not they blamed it on the previous regime,the only thing i ever got out of queens parl leisure centre was verucas...filthy hole

[Paul Fisher]

bonnyman, on Feb 23 2009, 10:15 PM, said:

dont worry i allready have,infact believe it or not they blamed it on the previous regime,the only thing i ever got out of queens parl leisure centre was verucas...filthy hole

so you've spoken to the MP about the previous football facility at Queens Park Leisure Centre and they ie CBC have done something about it with a new football pitch.....problem solved isn't it.

Now onto your second point regarding land etc etc, there are grants to obtain where potential sports facilities are near to landfill sites perhaps you could set up your own football site and try to obtain a grant and do the football thing yourself.

lastly if you can't then its all Chesterfield FC's fault

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Mr.Spireite, on Feb 23 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

I wouldn't believe a word Geoff says anyway.............and many don't.

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but maybe the reaction to what was, after all, a pretty innocuous post speaks volumes.

There were issues that needed addressing on Sunday; it wasn't an ideal scenario; there were parents that were irritated and disgruntled, and there's no doubt lessons need to be learned going forward.

But GM's response was to deny any problems and put a positive spin on events.

Isn't that always the case at CFC, though?

[geoffmitchell]

MDCCCLXVI, on Feb 24 2009, 06:34 PM, said:

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but maybe the reaction to what was, after all, a pretty innocuous post speaks volumes.

There were issues that needed addressing on Sunday; it wasn't an ideal scenario; there were parents that were irritated and disgruntled, and there's no doubt lessons need to be learned going forward.

But GM's response was to deny any problems and put a positive spin on events.

Isn't that always the case at CFC, though?

No it isnt, and it wasn't in this case. A problem from 'sources unknown' was reported on here. I asked the organiser Mark Jules about the day and reported his response as it appeared that some misinformation was being put about.

If there were any teething problems when dealing with 156 youngsters at the trials, they are minute to the problems in previous years in getting the best players locally to trials. In previous years instead of getting additional recommendations from schools (as was the case this year) recommendations were sought from junior football teams and I hear it was like pulling teeth as some managers were reluctant to let their better players go. Some parents even complained that they did not even find out until later that the junior team manager had been approached and had sat on the request from CFC.

Even this year, it is alleged that one local junior team manager was overheard saying to a youngster, 'if you go and play for them (Centre of Excellence) you will never play for this team again.' This is meant to be grassroots football for developing youngsters with potential and the pursuit of medals and trophies in junior league football sometimes appears to be more about satisfying the egos of the adults that meeting the best interests of the individual young footballer.

As usual there is always another side to things.

[Mr.Spireite]

geoffmitchell, on Feb 25 2009, 10:38 AM, said:

No it isnt, and it wasn't in this case. A problem from 'sources unknown' was reported on here. I asked the organiser Mark Jules about the day and reported his response as it appeared that some misinformation was being put about.

If there were any teething problems when dealing with 156 youngsters at the trials, they are minute to the problems in previous years in getting the best players locally to trials. In previous years instead of getting additional recommendations from schools (as was the case this year) recommendations were sought from junior football teams and I hear it was like pulling teeth as some managers were reluctant to let their better players go. Some parents even complained that they did not even find out until later that the junior team manager had been approached and had sat on the request from CFC.

Even this year, it is alleged that one local junior team manager was overheard saying to a youngster, 'if you go and play for them (Centre of Excellence) you will never play for this team again.' This is meant to be grassroots football for developing youngsters with potential and the pursuit of medals and trophies in junior league football sometimes appears to be more about satisfying the egos of the adults that meeting the best interests of the individual young footballer.

As usual there is always another side to things.

I agree this IS a problem.

But it is not the problem that was initially highlighted.

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

geoffmitchell, on Feb 25 2009, 10:38 AM, said:

No it isnt, and it wasn't in this case. A problem from 'sources unknown' was reported on here. I asked the organiser Mark Jules about the day and reported his response as it appeared that some misinformation was being put about.

If there were any teething problems when dealing with 156 youngsters at the trials, they are minute to the problems in previous years in getting the best players locally to trials. In previous years instead of getting additional recommendations from schools (as was the case this year) recommendations were sought from junior football teams and I hear it was like pulling teeth as some managers were reluctant to let their better players go. Some parents even complained that they did not even find out until later that the junior team manager had been approached and had sat on the request from CFC.

Even this year, it is alleged that one local junior team manager was overheard saying to a youngster, 'if you go and play for them (Centre of Excellence) you will never play for this team again.' This is meant to be grassroots football for developing youngsters with potential and the pursuit of medals and trophies in junior league football sometimes appears to be more about satisfying the egos of the adults that meeting the best interests of the individual young footballer.

As usual there is always another side to things.

For what it's worth i think this is a fair post, Geoff.

Although i guess folk will have to make their own minds up about the general reaction of yourself/the Club to percieved problems.

But do you not agree that parents becoming irritated and disgruntled, as they most definitely were on Sunday, only fuels the negative attitudes to which you refer?

As i said previously, MJ, DB and Co have a difficult job to do within a tight budget, and i'm sure lessons have been, and will continue to be learned.

And i hope you/the Club learn the lesson of remembering your final sentence rather than simply denying any problems exist, too.

This post has been edited by MDCCCLXVI: 25 February 2009 - 08:40 PM

[dalekpete]

There have been long-term issues over involving the talented local youth within the Club.

At least we are trying to address these issues.

Football in the Community (now Chesterfield FC in the Community) was always primarily about social sport and future supporters. There was a decision recently to concentrate on the primary school aged children so as not to compete with the competitive level youth teams or the CoE.

Away from the Club there was always a confusion between the Community set-up and the Centre. While Andy's programme might push talented youngsters towards the Centre this was only a secondary benefit. As the Community side develops the remits should become clearer.

The Centre has always had a structure with some recent success but consistent links with the junior football clubs has been a problem. There does seem to be considerable goodwill and we need to take advantage.

As one who has been involved in party politics I would avoid the more decisive politics of junior football like the plague!