Jul 20
With the constant bombarding of negative life events around the World – Brexit, Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Turkey etc – what a refreshing change in seeing a politician who merely wanted to celebrate his own Country’s Euro success. Watch Mário Centeno turning up to the Eurozone meeting in Brussels. See: http://www.newstalk.com/WATCH:-Portugals-finance-minister-shows-up-to-Eurozone-meeting-in-football-scarf
It will take a while to realize the full implications of #Brexit. Not everyone will agree with my musings, but I seek to at least get it off my chest.
I was undecided at first, but decided to understand the facts. I decided to vote Remain from a somewhat selfish perspective seeing that my motives were protectionism and crystal ball gazing (at least on the probability of predictions!), as to that I felt best for my Family and Businesses.
As an educated marketer, I read and read and saw reasoning in the economic reports, one after another that suggested, “you gotta be in it, to win it” – at least in respect of financial stability for our once great Nation.
I could recite a Library but just read. Ask me if I was so wrong to believe:
“BREXIT: the impact on the UK and the EU” (Global Counsel, 2015); “Should We Stay or Should We Go? The economic consequences of leaving the EU” (London School of Economics, 2015); “Annual Health Check of the U.K. economy and periodic report on the financial sector “ (IMF, 2016); and “Quarterly Inflation Report” (Bank of England, 2016) etc.
So on economic grounds and potential avoidance of a recession, I was in the IN club.
The blue and yellow map representing votes cast in the EU Referendum, whilst reminding me of Fenerbache, showed that for the populous, we now are officially a ‘Broken Britain’. The people have voted but have they voted on facts? Is it just hearts rather than heads? I do wonder were the relative pros and cons really explained. I feel not, just a circus of lies and misinformation especially from LEAVE. The campaign showed untruth after untruth yet this didn’t derail the wagons of Farage et al. With my personal interests in Turkey – some communication from that divide came close to racism – and was at the very least scaremongering around immigration and/or islamophobia.
Whilst, I must stand up for the principles my Grandad, Bill Stores, taught me: “never fall out about politics or religion” there is the odd contact for their views and so called ideology that I have no desire to face in the immediate future. I do have a ‘gut feel’ – no more than that – that a ‘Gentleman’s agreement with Turkey’ may have been tabled to try and assist with accession. This related to NATO and use of bases in Southern Turkey and the recent trafficking of refugees from Turkey to Greek Isles. Maybe this relationship has faltered also – and it will be interesting, if right, to see the fallout from any such beliefs especially in relations between UK and Turkey.
Britain is broken. Either that or like lemmings our citizens have simply followed the ‘redtops’ whether they read the dailies coming out in favour or not of the European Union. The UK population voted OUT – although in fact as I always said #tooclosetocall – only just over half did in percentage terms! The disengagement with the way things are, be that poverty lines, discrimination or UK politics undoubtedly contributed. So were people always voting in the EU debate or in fact something else? Voters voted against the advice of the Leaders of their traditional political parties except for in corners like Scotland, who in turn will no doubt pursue a claim for independence as its’ people wanted to stay in the EU.
The people spoke, as is the point of a referendum – and Europe must fear others will follow suit. Maybe, Denmark again or Netherlands? The demographics apart from geographical territory make an interesting read. The younger appear in the same camp as me, but the elder age-bands voted for a swift exit.
What do I believe are immediate implications regarding Turkey? The first input I felt was a good rationale response from Turkey’s Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim: “The EU should reconsider its vision” in the wake of Britain’s impending exit, be that 24 months away. President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan may have been less calm depending on risks of promises not coming to fruition?
What, if any are potential repercussions in the world of sport where, I and ACROBAT | FCSM trade? If you take the EPL, in 2015-2016, 432 European players were registered to play with our clubs. Don’t expect them to be shipped out but future transfers can expect to be impacted. By 2017-2018, any new incoming players will not have an automatic right to live and work in the UK. Europeans could then be subject to the same immigration rules and regulations as non-EU players.
In the sport of the oval ball, rugby, repercussions are likely to be less severe. Unlike in football, there are not as many players of European origin represented in the Premiership as its NGB, the RFU, has had protocol for a while encouraging the clubs to ‘Buy British’ with English qualified players actively encouraged through financial incentives.
I fear for households like mine – and indeed many others. I fear for SMEs and larger corporates alike. I fear for public sector (including higher education) and funding regimes. I just fear for the ‘unknown’ we now enter – as I strongly believe the debating and voting was a misleading marketing agenda from both sides – and people got confused and caught up in the web of lies.
Of course, the threat if in-migration and terrorism is a serious threat. So, we’ll now have more control of our borders. Will we? Let’s wait and see. Immigration has benefits and my children would not have been cared for by midwifery and consultants without skilled labour from overseas taking jobs that our indigenous population weren’t able to fill.
My people don’t disappoint me. Everyone has free speech in our Nation. What upsets me is the ineptitude in the marketing and communication in facts. Yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing, yet, with just a little more co-ordination, people would have been better equipped to give their most objective opinions. Just a few percentages’ swing would have meant that the grass we know to have been continued to be played upon. Whereas, I have severe reservations that by Brexit the ‘grass will be greener’. I’ve not heard much yet on this subject, but won’t be the slightest bit surprised if this is the final straw to some citizens – and another motivation to ‘brain drain’.
Of course, as our branding at ACROBAT | FCSM constantly shouts: “you have to learn the rules of the game, and then you have to play better than anyone else!” So rant over, and we’ll just try and get on with it in the best interest of my Family, Businesses and Clients – both in the UK, Turkey……and Europe.
My only consolation is that I know my immediate people, in near proximity, are still on the same wavelength. Proud of you Manchester and Stockport folk that saw fit to vote Remain and oppose the trend seen across the Country .
“Over and out” and back to watching the Euro 2016. My next holiday is in Gibraltar 🙂
Adrian Stores is CEO at ACROBAT | FCSM: Award winning MARKETING, FUNDRAISING & SPONSORSHIP consultancy | specialism sports and leisure | UK & TURKEY www.acrobatfcsm.com
I’m not in any position of being ‘in the know’ but decided to share this post as I thoroughly enjoyed working with this Club, FC United of Manchester. I brought some funding its way – and when on the Stockport County Co-operative Board, collaborated on joint fundraising. I have to say in my time (including taking Robin Pye to Turkey as a Speaker at our FC Sports Marketing Conference) I found, the Club, Robin and the out-going General Manager, Andy Walsh, to be sound examples that many a club, could, and in my view, should, look to replicate in several ways.
Recent descriptions of alleged turmoil have surrounded this article. Robin has recently written an authoritative response, and I felt on balance, this blog could air it to add to the debate.
“Daniel Taylor’s article about FC United of Manchester (How the togetherness turned into disharmony) gives a comprehensive overview of the internal disputes and debates the club has been having since the move into our new ground at Broadhurst Park.
His article includes an accurate presentation of various criticisms about decisions the club has made in recent months and I agree with some of those criticisms.
However, his article is fundamentally flawed because it does not get to grips at all with the fact that our club is a democratically-run fans-owned club and does not ask the obvious questions about how the democratic processes in the club are being used to make decisions about how the club is run.
Taylor describes FC United as ‘a club built on togetherness and shared principles’ which has ‘been undermined by the kind of infighting that could never have seemed imaginable’. Actually, it is a club built on democracy and as Taylor will understand when he looks at other democratic organisations and societies, that means that disagreements (infighting, he calls it) will occur.
Taylor describes John-Paul O’Neill, as ‘the man credited with setting up the club in 2005’. Again, this suggests that he hasn’t fully understood what FC United is. O’Neill, was of course, an early proponent of a fans-owned club for Manchester United fans, he may even be the earliest proponent of it, but our club is a fans-owned club. It can’t be set up by one person. It can only be set up by lots of people.
Because he does not ask any questions about actual votes that have been taken in actual meetings, Taylor resorts to reporting that ‘an internet poll shows 84% of supporters … have no confidence in the board appointing the right person as Walsh’s successor’. I am presuming this is an internet poll hosted by a website where many people post abusive messages about other people who cannot find the time or the motivation to respond. It indicates nothing.
Not asking any questions about democratic decisions that the club’s owner-members have taken does not stop Taylor from quoting ‘club founder’ O’Neill who says, “There is a fundamental deficit in democracy, transparency and accountability between the club and its members.” What exactly this deficit is, Taylor cannot explain. Neither is there any indication throughout the article about the outcome of the votes we have taken on many of the issues he discusses. So if there is a deficit in democracy and transparency, Taylor’s journalism does not address it.
For example, in his discussion about our ill-fated ‘Code of Conduct’, Taylor writes ‘questions were asked about the reaction if the Glazers had done the same at Old Trafford’. What a shame he did not actually tell his readers that when the Code of Conduct came in for heavy criticism on our members’ forum (quite rightly, in my opinion, it was a stupid document), our democratically-elected Board members promptly withdrew it. The question I would ask is what would happen if the fans of a privately owned football ‘club’ were to oppose a proposed code of conduct on an internet forum. Unfortunately, the answer is of course, very likely, nothing.
Keen to include all the issues that have spilled out into our members’ forum over the last few months, Taylor tells us that ‘the people running the club have recommended Peter Thwaites, the voluntary HR official who puts contracts in place, inserts a confidentiality agreement for the new programme editor’. The ‘people running the club’? This can only mean our democratically-elected Board members or the club employees they hold to account. These are club employees who are in the main also members and, therefore, owners of the club.
And right there is the real dilemma that Peter was asked to help the club to address. What rules do we need so that people who are employed by the club don’t abuse the additional power and knowledge that gives them when they participate in democratic debates within the club? One approach to this could be the approach taken by trade unions, local authorities and the civil service in this country – if you are paid by the club you keep quiet in democratic discussions about the club.
And there is the clue as to why Andy Walsh has resigned. Is he about to get involved in our debates? What does he want to say? That is the story that was sitting under Taylor’s nose the whole time.”
A well written piece – which you can make your own judgments on. I have to admit to a wry smile at the appointment of David Boyle in the article and irony. Would be a shame if the turmoil isn’t resolved swiftly and I say that even though FCUM is a rival of my “County”.
This Month sees the launch of a dedicated sports and leisure crowdfunding site by FC Sports Marketing LTD based in Cheadle Village. Its brain child is Adrian Stores who said: “Crowdscrum (the new platform) evolved from a conceptualisation that we sought to create, whereby we represent campaigns where a ground swell of support would pursue a particular appeal – a ‘crowd’; and that momentum would gather pace from a concerted push towards the overall figure necessary to fulfill the ambitions of any project, the ‘scrum’. So the concept is easy to grasp, and a rugby or sports theme seemed the perfect match.”
Stores led the successful crowdfunding campaign for the Stockport Metro Swimming Club that we reported on before. He was a Founder Director of Stockport Sports Trust and has spent the last thirty years in marketing and fundraising in sports.
There are a myriad of crowd funding websites on the worldwide web, both in the UK and overseas. Mr Stores further comments: “As with our two businesses, we expect that our core clientele will be the United Kingdom and Turkey.” On launch Stockport projects includes: Manchester Rugby Club under 10s based in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport Volleyball Club and two cyclists, Father and Son traveling to the Great Wall of China. More details: www.crowdscrum.co.uk
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