The general consensus is that it is not, as shown by the response of the hardcore support still attending matches. There have been calls for boycotts, which some have undertaken, but this I believe does not benefit the club at this stage. Mr Petty, for his own reasons, has declared his intentions of reducing the spiralling wage bill immediately, based on business decisions and not taking into account the football needs of the club.
While there is the talk of up to three consortiums having discussions in the background, with certain people involved in more than one, there is a short-term need for action to delay any decimation of the squad.
The club, under its previous owner has stated, that an average crowd of 5,000 would achieve breakeven. We are currently hovering around the 3,000 mark, and the financial situation is worsening, giving more ammunition and credence to Mr Petty’s actions. How many of us know someone who for his or her own reasons are not attending the Vetch. How many attended the games in groups of 5 and there are now 3 etc. We play Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday, as the joke goes that’s two teams, surely now is the time to have two crowds there. We need to double the crowd from 3,000 to 6,000 that means that for everyone going we need another person.
Sounds that simple, there are 4 days to badger, cajole or even blackmail the floating support to give it one more chance. The effect of this will be threefold, it will show that there is funds available on a day-to-day basis to pay the players wages. It will show the players that the support is still there, and will show the consortiums that support will return to the Vetch under better circumstances.
Apathy currently rules, where is the Welsh passion and the pride of the City of Swansea. Businesses, and Swansea City Football Club is a business, have made decisions that have affected many. We as individuals could not buy steel, we could not buy enough coal to keep local industry thriving. With the Swans we CAN make that difference, how many of us were taken to the Vetch for the first time by our fathers, or mothers in some cases.
We are at a critical point in the history of the club, I can take my sons, this could be lost to the next generation. Don’t forget Scarborough, Hereford, Southport, Workington, Doncaster, Chester and lately Barnet. Look closer to home, look at Newport County, it’s a long way back if we lose our League status.
There are many ordinary people working to save our club, the Trust has organised the show of dissatisfaction, by means of marches and meetings etc, it has given people the chance to vent their feelings. We must try and buy time for all the initiatives to come to fruition. Demonstrations and threats will in my opinion not achieve that.
Money talks, as I have already said Mr Petty has based his actions on his own business requirements, we have to respond and match his actions in a business way. Take away the immediate need for his actions, he must be made to realise he cannot make money out of our club. If he then continues with his actions, he should be asked to publicly state the reasons why he is doing so, instead of going down the route of a controlled transition period, where everyone can see the objectives of the short/medium and long term plan.
Current actions by the club do not match the words that there is a long-term successful future for the club. The League and the PFA have made the club fully aware of their legal responsibility as far as players contracts are concerned, this in itself cannot eliminate the stress the players must feel, which continues through to their performances on the pitch.
So its back to the main theme of this message, now is the time to stand up and be counted, there may well be no second chance. The fact that you are reading this shows that you care, take the next step, get more people down the Vetch, show Mr Petty we will not lye down, show the consortium we have a club worth investing in, show the country the Pride we have in our football club. We have seen our club at the top of the football league, we have seen them at Wembley, lets see them achieve 100 years as a League Club.
There can’t be a major town or city in Britain that does not have an active Swans fan. We have fans from all continents of the globe, we may not be a Premiership club, but the City of Swansea deserves better, a successful club can aid the regeneration of the area. Do it now, no future regrets, the time is now, don ’t let apathy win.
BE PROUD TO BE A SWAN