No Oppo Supporters CAS hands down guilty verdict - Players appealing - Dank shot - no opposition - (cont in pt.2)

[Bombermania]

I just sent this to the Club. I feel it best summarises my thoughts on the matter.

---

ATTN: Mr Paul Little - Re: James Hird

Dear Mr Little,

It is with a sense of futility that I write this email, because the Club's actions since February 5, 2013 indicate a complete lack of respect for or deference to the wishes of members. However the James Hird I grew up idolising would never have let something as important to him as this is to me lie without doing what he could, so it is out of respect to him that I send this now. I don't expect a reply, because as far as I'm concerned, as a 17-year member (a member since I was 5 years old), I'm viewed by the Club as nothing more than a faceless $50 donation to pay for whatever the latest settlement to protect the AFL's interests is.

Nonetheless, here goes...

It is with great concern that I note the frankly ludicrous speculation around James Hird's future on the back of his decision to exercise his inalienable right to defend himself and his players in our legal system. It is with even greater concern that I note the downright embarrassing lack of a position which the club has taken in regard to James' future. As far as I'm concerned, some values are non-negotiable. One is the principle of innocence until proof of guilt. Another is the right of every individual to defend themselves from accusations they believe to be erroneous. Another is loyalty to those who have earnt it. My strong belief is that the likely termination of James' contract on Monday is in direct contradiction of all three of those values. I find it incredibly difficult to reconcile actions which so brazenly contradict my personal belief system with continued financial support (thousands of dollars a year) of what can only be described as an organisation lacking in values and principles.

Since February 5, 2013, James is the only person involved in this debacle whose actions have shown a consistency of principles and a firm belief in natural justice. This is in stark contrast to the actions of the Club in the same period. I won't speak to some of the disastrous and crippling decisions made by your immediate predecessor, decisions which have been more damaging to the club than anything Stephen Dank and Dean Robinson could ever have done, but in your relatively short tenure as Chairman, we have become a Club where the following are examples of normal and expected behaviour:

• Failure to reveal the truth about "Sarah", the fraud whom the AFL commissioned to falsely play the role of a player's mother, besmirching the Club's name irreparably
• Threatening to show the sort of courage of which all members could be proud by taking the AFL's illegal dealings to court, then meekly surrendering
• Accepting penalties commensurate with wilful and systematic drug cheating without a single player being charged, let alone found guilty
• Wilfully and knowingly misleading members during the 2013 season in order to ensure continued financial support before removing the players' and fans' right to a finals appearance
• Bullying James Hird into accepting penalties he believed to be groundless and inherently unfair, denying him natural justice
• Deeming a legal challenge to determine the legality or otherwise of the ASADA joint investigation to be a justifiable use of members' money (especially at a time when the Club is actively pressuring members into donating significant sums of money to the Club), yet deeming a continuation of that very same legal action to be a sackable offence

These are not behaviours consistent with the value system I believed the Club to have, nor are they behaviours of a Board which any member can have confidence in, especially enough confidence to determine James Hird's future.

Conversely, I believe in the same time period, James would have only three significant regrets:

• Trusting his close friend, your predecessor;
• Trusting the advice of the AFL-planted rat Elizabeth Lukin on the morning of February 5, 2013; and
• Not standing up for himself in late August 2013, instead deferring to the Club's wishes (note: loyalty) and circling yes on a piece of paper, too emotional to even speak

James is a man of the utmost integrity, a man who has proven that time and again, most notably with his refusal to let expediency become more important than justice. Meanwhile the actions of the Board are suggestive of nothing more than a desire to comply with the insidious and often illegal actions of the AFL Commission. For a Board which has acted so rarely in the Club's best interests and so rarely in the interests of the members to whom they are answerable to presume they have a mandate to pass judgement on James' suitability would be a staggering decision guided by a complete lack of principles if it weren't so predictable.

I would be absolutely disgusted as a member if the results of the vote regarding James' future on Monday were not made public, including a complete list of which Director voted which way. For too long the members have been viewed as nothing more than an endless bank account for the Club, worthy of nothing more than another patronising video imploring us to support the Club (is record membership in spite of the complete capitulation of August 2013 not enough for you Mr Little?). It is time we were treated with the respect that we deserve. It is time we know exactly what each member of our Board stands for, going into an Extraordinary General Meeting (incidentally, the lack of communication regarding this has not been overlooked) and an Annual General Meeting before the end of the year. It is time for the Board to have the courage of its convictions. The courage James is showing.

As I said at the outset, I do not expect a genuine response to this email because I know how I'm viewed by the Club: $50 here and $50 there. I have no doubt it will be added to a long list of emails which receive no more than a cursory glance and a generic and patronising response, but know this, Mr Little: I have been a member of this Club since I was 5 years old. Membership year on year has been a non-negotiable. I was always exceedingly proud to support a Club of the calibre of the Essendon Football Club. A club that since the days of Kevin Sheedy, in the (paraphrased) words of Kevin Sheedy, has been about its people. Today however, I was embarrassed. For the first time in my life, embarrassed to be an Essendon fan. Embarrassed to support an organisation so lacking in principles, principles which I hold so important in my life. For 17 years membership of the EFC has been an important part of my life. Today I consider an 18th year unlikely. The only benefit I can see to continuing as a member is to retain voting rights for the next three months. For that to be the case is perhaps the greatest shame in this Club's history.

I implore you, Mr Little, please, for the sake of this great Club, do the principled thing. Do the just thing. Do what James would do.

Kind regards,
<name redacted>
<membership number redacted>

Ben, it will be interesting what the club's response is.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Ben, it will be interesting what the club's response is.

It will be an interesting 5 or so days. It feels like the club is making a sales pitch to 20,000 people.

 

[Stopher]

Without a doubt the most ridiculous thing I've ever read in my life.

What is wrong with you people ffs...

Ever in your life, eh? Turn it up.

Quite clearly you've never read anything from The Age, Herald Sun, or even the bastion of truth that is AFL.com.au.

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Ben, it will be interesting what the club's response is.

I remember when I wrote a long winded spiel to the club about how they treated the umpire and Goodes booing saga. Didn't even get the obligatory "Thank you for the message, we will pass it on to the relevant parties." Basically showed how much they gave a stuff about their supporters' opinion.

 

[Coldacre]

i like it!

 

[rines]

I used to be proud of my club. Now I'm embarrassed.

Wrote something similar earlier. I have defender this club for two years with a fierce loyalty and because I believed my club stood for something.

Last night has left me hollow. Hollow to the core. For the first time over this whole saga, I feel truly embarrassed to be part of this shambolic organisation.

To watch two individual hi-jack the players greatest night, to further an AFL agenda made me sick. To watch at they continue to waiver in their support of Hird and watch him be torn down by jackals in the media. I'm stunned and shocked.

And now the man has to endure four more days of torture before the board has the guts to tell the supporters what Caro and her mates already know?

I may disagree with you about the merits of the appeal, but at no point should this be an excuse to sack a club champion forced into a 12 month exile already to 'save' the players.

This club has truly lost its way, and not because of a safe, legal and DR approve supplement program.. but because of our lack of conviction, loyalty and courage. One bad decision is followed by one woeful decision. They have got almost nothing write in 16 months and last night was yet another example of the 3 monkey act we have become so used to.

 

[rines]

It will be an interesting 5 or so days. It feels like the club is making a sales pitch to 20,000 people.

So you got that feeling last night too??

Just felt like I was being 'prepared' for Bomber to be my saviour.. to 'unite' behind my new coach and 'believe' in this club being great again.

Again we gag Hird and keep him in the shadows so we can parade our 'preferred choice'...

some words keep floating to my mind "isolate Hird"... hmmmm.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Personally I'd say if you're only now embarrassed by the EFC... well, you've got a greater threshold than myself. That ship has well and truly sailed... years ago.

 

[The Dustbin]

Without a doubt the most ridiculous thing I've ever read in my life.

What is wrong with you people ffs...

Why? Because this is another person standing up for what they believe is right and what is wrong.

 

[Bombertastic]

Wrote something similar earlier. I have defender this club for two years with a fierce loyalty and because I believed my club stood for something.

Last night has left me hollow. Hollow to the core. For the first time over this whole saga, I feel truly embarrassed to be part of this shambolic organisation.

To watch two individual hi-jack the players greatest night, to further an AFL agenda made me sick. To watch at they continue to waiver in their support of Hird and watch him be torn down by jackals in the media. I'm stunned and shocked.

And now the man has to endure four more days of torture before the board has the guts to tell the supporters what Caro and her mates already know?

I may disagree with you about the merits of the appeal, but at no point should this be an excuse to sack a club champion forced into a 12 month exile already to 'save' the players.

This club has truly lost its way, and not because of a safe, legal and DR approve supplement program.. but because of our lack of conviction, loyalty and courage. One bad decision is followed by one woeful decision. They have got almost nothing write in 16 months and last night was yet another example of the 3 monkey act we have become so used to.

Totally agree but enough is enough and sooner or later James has to take responsibility for his part in it all. And by that I mean this 2 year circus.

 

[The Speaker]

I think we need to ban the phrase 'take responsibility', because it tends to begin or end something that makes no sense.

 

[Bombertastic]

I think we need to ban the phrase 'take responsibility', because it tends to begin or end something that makes no sense.

This board is cleary too Hird biased in all this. The lack of objective discussion stinks the place up.

 

[The Speaker]

This board is cleary too Hird biased in all this. The lack of objective discussion stinks the place up.

You're not going to find 'objective discussion' across the board in too many places. Not here, not on the main board, not on the HTB, and not on Bay 13.

 

[Bombertastic]

You're not going to find 'objective discussion' across the board in too many places. Not here, not on the main board, not on the HTB, and not on Bay 13.

I know. Just stating the fact.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

This board is cleary too Hird biased in all this. The lack of objective discussion stinks the place up.

Spare me. "Objective" seems to have evolved to mean nothing but demonising Hird and sucking Bomber off. "Objective" means "agrees with me".

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I really can't believe people are looking for principles in the AFL.

Seriously.

Principles.

AFL.

You have to be joking.

 

[ghostdog]

ABC reporting that the club has settled with Robinson.

 

[ghostdog]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-02/essendon-bombers-settle-with-former-fitness-boss/5787158

 

[The Speaker]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-02/essendon-bombers-settle-with-former-fitness-boss/5787158

you get a payout, and you get a payout

everyone gets a payout

 

[Keystone agony]

So what is the exact result if Hirdy wins the appeal?

 

[Andronicus]

Not sure if I feel worse about it now or when the governance issues were being bandied about.

 

[Xyle01]

The whole "responsibility" component was thrown out the window as soon as the board extended his contract after forcing him to accept penalties from the AFL.

If the club believed he was responsible for things they should have acted then. That window has now passed and Hird served his time for the AFL.

If indeed ASADA are free to pursue the SCNs regardless of the appeal then what exactly does the board have to lose? This could be a win win scenario for the club as it gives them two fronts on which victory may be achieved.

Most anti-Hird Essendon supporters, whom I dare say are still a minority, are more advocating Hird's removal because they are Thompson fans.

Unlike many others I was not impressed by this season and felt we did not perform as well as 2013, nor do I believe that Bomber has the potential or capacity to be the longterm fixture at the club that James Hird could be.

 

[Stopher]

ABC reporting that the club has settled with Robinson.

yeah, nice to see that not sacking him for financial reasons has worked a ******* treat, hasn't it, David?

 

[KGBeast]

I don't care if Hird or Thompson or stupid Terry Wallace is coach next year. I just want to know the truth. For a person who has been painted as the devil Hird seems to be the only one who wants everything laid bare out in the open. I wish him all the best in his struggle.

 

[dnbassador]

in a article in herald sun

The only person with a busier horn was Valerie — the receptionist — swatting away call after call from concerned members demanding to know what was going on.

“Don’t believe the media,” she echoed until about 2pm, when her shift ended.

“Wait for a club statement. We all feel for the players.”