Club History Port Adelaide FC est. 1870 in Black and White

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So Michelle posted this:
"So over this bullshit. The club doesn't give a rats arse about any supporters other than the old Magpies faithful, you know, the ones who don't show up to games when they are losing? Port Magpies have always been fairweather supporters. The ones who can't even fill Alberton on game days anymore, that place used to be packed, standing room only. When I became a member of the Power they were two teams, two clubs. AFL at Alberton and SANFL trained at Ethelton and had new offices on Port Road. When I got the email asking for my opinion on the "One Club" i really don't know why I bothered filling it in....no one listened...I'll continue to support the Power but I don't know if I can continue to support them financially anymore. It's just a joke"

I responded with this:
"Michelle, that's great and all, but with such an uninformed opinion on display, I'm not sure that anyone would care if you change allegiances."

Michelle:
"And why is it uninformed Isaac? You obviously have a problem with reading because I didn't say anything about changing allegiances. Judging by your photo, I've been going to the footy a lot longer than you and you were probably in nappies when the Power were formed."

Me:
"Not sure what my age has to do with anything, Michelle. I'll have you know that the Port Adelaide Football Club is firmly ingrained in my family history. My great-grandfather - Horace Hoare - played for the club, and was one of the men acknowledged by the club on ANZAC Day this year. My grandfather played junior football for Port Adelaide and several other family members represented the club (incuding Dave Gill, a legend of the club, a five-time premiership player). To imply that I know little about our great club, or our great code is simply foolish on your part.

Why is what you said uninformed?

"The club doesn't give a rats arse about any supporters other than the old Magpies faithful," Beyond ridiculous, not sure this requires further explanation...

"You know, the ones who don't show up to games when they are losing? Port Magpies have always been fairweather supporters. The ones who can't even fill Alberton on game days anymore, that place used to be packed, standing room only." Not that I think your point is valid, in any way, but it is typical of almost any sporting club's supporter base to drop off when they aren't performing well. An example of this is the average attendance to SANFL games these days, compared to when the SANFL was in direct competition with the VFL. Now that the SANFL is a second-rate competition, the crowds have severely decreased.

"When I became a member of the Power they were two teams, two clubs. AFL at Alberton and SANFL trained at Ethelton and had new offices on Port Road." This may be true, but that doesn't mean that it was right. The splitting up of the club was a poor marketing decision, and one that has been rectified in recent years. Fortunately, the option to be a 'Power' member is no longer available. We - Magpies and Power supporters alike - plain and simple, are Port Adelaide members.

"When I got the email asking for my opinion on the "One Club" i really don't know why I bothered filling it in....no one listened..." If the opinion you conveyed to the club on the 'One Club' matter is anything like the bile you've been spouting on here, I can tell you why no one listened.

"I don't know if I can continue to support them financially anymore." If you were serious with the above opinions, then quite simply, don't. Don't continue to financially support the PAFC anymore. I personally think that it would be no great loss.

Oh, and do I still have reading problems?"

I shouldn't waste so much time on such stupid people. :(

Great smackdown, but if I could pick up one point ... the splitting of the club was not a marketing decision, but a move forced on Port Adelaide by the other SANFL clubs. RussellEbertHandball has previously cited this 2002 document put out by the club explaining the licence bid - below is the relevant section:

5. Negotiations with SANFL Directors and Commission re Magpies in the SANFL

- SANFL clubs lodged letters of concerns relating to the Magpies continued involvement in the SANFL following the entry of the PAFC into the AFL. These letters to the SANFL Commission strongly pushed the below points:-
--- The Magpies should not remain in the SANFL competition thereby enabling a reduction to 8 teams.
--- No joint administration facilities should occur.
--- The Magpies should not train at Alberton.
--- There should be no joint sponsorship and membership arrangements between the Magpies and the Power.
--- There be no common employees or Directors in both clubs.
--- Licence Club profit share tendered by the PAFC to the Magpies at 15% was too high.
--- The Magpies would have an advantage in recruiting players if linked with the Power.
--- The AFL facilities should not be accessible to the Magpies.
--- There should be no financial links, loans or any funding between the Magpies and the AFL club.

- The Port Adelaide Board in 1995 obtained legal opinions on the power of SANFL league Directors to expel the Magpies from the competition and were ready to defend this issue. The SANFL Commission was supportive of the PAFC remaining in the SANFL competition.

- During 2 months of negotiations and various SANFL Directors meetings, certain conditions were imposed in the sub-licence agreement that was signed on 26 November 1996. These included:-
--- No promotion or joint membership packages with the Magpies SANFL club.
--- No joint fundraising activities.
--- Any proposed joint activities between the SANFL club and the AFL club must be approved by the SANFL Commission.

- Separate resolutions of the SANFL Directors further imposed:-
--- The Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club must not train at Alberton.
--- The Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club must not operate administration from Alberton Oval.
 
One last bit of clarification from the 2002 document, Port Adelaide wanted the Magpies to remain in the SANFL run as an independent club but with strong links to the AFL club:

The Port Adelaide Football Club lodged its tender document on 14 September 1994 and addressed the below issues that impacted on the SANFL competition and the Magpies.

--- The PAFC promoted strongly the idea of promotional zones with 4 SANFL clubs attached to each of the Crows and Port Adelaide.
--- The tender document strongly supported the continuation of the Magpies in the SANFL competition.
--- As part of the tender the Outback Odyssey would be run by the AFL club.
--- There was acknowledgement that to maximise the success of the Magpies it should operate as a separate organisation to the AFL club.
--- The document encouraged and promoted cross membership packages between the Magpies and the AFL club.
--- The PAFC tender document did not support nor agree to the pre-condition of a merger to create 8 SANFL teams was fundamental to the granting of the licence.


The conditions in the SANFL tender document specified applicants had to include how the SANFL competition would be reduced to 8 teams. Port Adelaide disputed this and won.
 

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