Maroon and White Army Facebook Page to organise home game stuff

[ManlyArmy]

Hi there you legendary Manly Fans

There is a new Facebook page called 'Manly's Maroon and White Army'. The page has been created to provide you supporters with Game-Day info (Ticketing and Transport Details, Supporter meet ups plus other stuff). Link to page: http://www.facebook.com/maroonandwhitearmy
If you could give us a like and share our page around with other Manly Fans would be greatly appreciated.

We also plan to do a Supporter Walk/March to home games and eventually some Sydney away games singing and making some noise. At the moment the Home marches will start at either The Leagues Club or Warringah Mall. For these marches to work, we will need quite a few people to join in. If you are willing to join in, comment below or post on the Facebook Page Wall.

Cameron, Founding Member.

 

[Larissa]

Sounds great Cameron!

May I suggest the supporter walk start at the Leagues Club? It would be great if we could support them by promoting them as the place to meet up and head to the game together from.

If there is anything the Club can do to support the group, please feel free to get in touch.

Cheers & Go Manly!

Larissa

 

[Dan]

may I also suggest that you promote both the Silvertails site, facebook page and the same for the Manly Sea Eagles?

 

[globaleagle]

may I also suggest that you promote both the Silvertails site, facebook page and the same for the Manly Sea Eagles?

Agreed. *seeing how long it takes*

 

[eagles2win]

Think they will Dan notice they've plugged the MWTS's page a bit in the past.

If I was a little closer would join the nutters (Brisvegas at the moment)

 

[Dan]

Think they will Dan notice they've plugged the MWTS's page a bit in the past.

If I was a little closer would join the nutters (Brisvegas at the moment)

I am sure he will, we don't generally allow promotion of other sites on here, particularly as we have paid advertising placements, so it was more a friend nudge than anything

 

[vidmar]

Love the enthusiasm Cameron and great to see the plans.

That said - it is pretty much what the MWTS have been doing for many years now?

There are supporters busses available (from the Leagues Club) to all metropolitan away games - plus Newcastle and Woolongong if we play there, there is a MWTS forum on this site that gives info on where to meet pre-game and in the ground as well as shared tips on travel, cheap flights, accomodation and other plans to make travelling to games as easy as possible.

We even have our very own travel agent (Ambassador Holidays) - owned and operated by Mark from Brisbane who has already run trips for us to all the interstate venues (Townsville, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast and Brisbane) as well as internationally to 2 world club challenges in the UK and several trips to Auckland for games agains the Warriors.

Mark has a database of over 2,500 Manly fans who receive info on trips.

We have a good working relationship with the club who are very supportive of our efforts and we have representation at Football Club board level.

We even get help with match tickets (so we can sit a large group together) and MWTS gear via the club

Our first get together of the season in Brisbane will see David Perry meet with the group.

Others in attendance will include Ken Arthurson and Kerry Sibraa (The club patrons) as well as representatives from Quantum, the Chairman and several board members of the Football Club as well as several fromer players - all who will be available for chats with the fans in attendance.

Please PM me your details or email me at [email protected] and let's talk as happy to integrate the two rather than re-invent something that is already there?

 

[eagles2win]

From my impression vid they want to apply what the mwts do to home games.

Often thought why it isn't done at Brookie.

 

[ManlyArmy]

Vidmar, I am aware of MWTS. They are aware of us and support what we are trying to do. We share their page on ours. Ours is mainly for home games. And if we expand to away Sydney games, we will try and work with MWTS.

I have come in contact with someone from the club and they have said that if all goes well and no negative things happen during the march, they will promote the march.

Cameron

 

[Mals]

I am all for this at home games especially. If it leads to more vocal support for Manly at Brookie this can only be a good thing. Just got to be careful that there is self policing within the "Army" & any anti-social behaviour is stamped out quickly.

 

[lsz]

Cameron to be fair you should credit where you get the content from...

 

[Hamster Huey]

Love the enthusiasm Cameron and great to see the plans.

That said - it is pretty much what the MWTS have been doing for many years now?

There are supporters busses available (from the Leagues Club) to all metropolitan away games - plus Newcastle and Woolongong if we play there, there is a MWTS forum on this site that gives info on where to meet pre-game and in the ground as well as shared tips on travel, cheap flights, accomodation and other plans to make travelling to games as easy as possible.

We even have our very own travel agent (Ambassador Holidays) - owned and operated by Mark from Brisbane who has already run trips for us to all the interstate venues (Townsville, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast and Brisbane) as well as internationally to 2 world club challenges in the UK and several trips to Auckland for games agains the Warriors.

Mark has a database of over 2,500 Manly fans who receive info on trips.

We have a good working relationship with the club who are very supportive of our efforts and we have representation at Football Club board level.

We even get help with match tickets (so we can sit a large group together) and MWTS gear via the club

Our first get together of the season in Brisbane will see David Perry meet with the group.

Others in attendance will include Ken Arthurson and Kerry Sibraa (The club patrons) as well as representatives from Quantum, the Chairman and several board members of the Football Club as well as several fromer players - all who will be available for chats with the fans in attendance.

Please PM me your details or email me at [email protected] and let's talk as happy to integrate the two rather than re-invent something that is already there?

I think what this indicates is that the influence and knowledge of the other supporter groups is extremely limited. The average Manly fan on the street is largely ignorant to the likes of the MWTS or what the club provides. Hell, a huge chunk do not even know (or bother) with the online outlets such as Silvertails or the club site.

If anything, Cameron's actions is probably more likely to garner higher interest through Facebook as a 'generic' group of people, as opposed to a sense of formal organisation.

The key is to turn all these elements into a 'community' which allows people to feel like they are supporting the Sea Eagles without feeling like they need to involve themselves in a clique.

For example, the MWTS is a fantastic concept but it is not everyones cup of tea on gameday. For people to spruik that it is the 'only way' to watch the game at away grounds is not going to embrace those that may like the idea of meeting up before/after, but have a preference to not sit amongst the group during the match.

If in the end Cameron's idea sees a new group develop at Brookie on game day or expand to the away games, then it should be welcomed and liaised with to compliment the clubs efforts, whether it is through the Official channels or MWTS commercial operations.

 

[Fluffy]

Do you have to march in step?

Dont recommend doing that drunk

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

March from pub to pub to club to pub to club to ground

 

[Shoe1]

As admiral of the maroon and white navy, I call on boat owners to motor or sail up curl curl lagoon to reub hudson oval and then march to the ground on game day.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Welcome Manly Army.

Cameron did make contact with me early in the piece, and in reality his "army" has little impact on the MWTS group and what we do, so in my opinion good luck with you getting people together and the more passion we get at games the better!!

For home games most MWTS members sit (or stand) where ever they want anyway. They most certainly gather at the club (and other venues) pre game but there's no "formal structure" for home games as far as this group is concerned, we are named the MWTS for good reason!!

As Vidmar has suggested there are however formal structures for all away games, the supporter buses and gathering points for Sydney (Newcastle and Canberra) games and the packages I put on for the away games at Townsville / Brisbane / Gold Coast / Melbourne and New Zealand, which I might add people can take advantage of or not as suits them best!!

It was never our intention to try and do this for Brookvale, hence the name "Travelling".

Yes HH, the MWTS packages are not the "only options" for people to attend away games, we simply put these on to get people together and provide a service where it might be needed (ie transport to and from games). I, and many others, beleive the atmosphere in the midst of the MWTS is second to none...however many would prefer Cat 1 seats, by themselves and that is perfectly fine....our square peg does not fit in every hole!!

I think we do pretty well in bringing supporters together, I started this group in 2005 after I attended a Bronco's game up here and saw hundreds of fans...all sitting in various parts of the stadium. NOW when we attend away games there's a 'wall of noise' coming from one area and I'd like to think that I (and the other admins including Vid) have been a part of that happening. It's not all about "building a huge business for me" (you would in fact be amazed at how little I make out of the domestic packages) it was created to mainly get people together.

All I would ask of Cameron (and I am sure he's fine with that) is that we don't try and have "competing groups", after all the idea is to have fun and support the mighty Manly Sea Eagles!!

GO MANLY

 

[ManlyArmy]

Hi Mark,

My intentions are not to copy or compete with anyone. I am looking to make a group of passionate supporters for home games to participate in some activities. I would like to work with you at some stage in getting more Manly fans to away Sydney games if that ok with you mate.

To all,

I have spoken to a few people on here who are wanting to help me out with getting things going. A person from the club has said that they will help out if everything goes good with the pre-game marches and stuff.

If anyone has any suggestions or if you would like to help out with the organisation, just send me a PM.

Thanks for your support guys, Cameron.

Cameron

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Not a worry Cameron, compete wasn't perhaps the best word, just wanted to make sure we are all on the same page as such!!

And I am the first to admit the MWTS has never been about a "supporter army" at home games, it was (and is) all about getting the limited amount of people who travel to away games to join in together to have the most impact, and only if they want to.

If the Maroon and White Army can help that cause then we'd welcome that with open arms.

---

Oh and whilst plugging Facebook pages

http://www.facebook.com/mwts40nil

 

[Hamster Huey]

Yes HH, the MWTS packages are not the "only options" for people to attend away games, we simply put these on to get people together and provide a service where it might be needed (ie transport to and from games). I, and many others, beleive the atmosphere in the midst of the MWTS is second to none...however many would prefer Cat 1 seats, by themselves and that is perfectly fine....our square peg does not fit in every hole!!

G'day Mark. I find it a little disparaging to write off non-involvement with such a dismissive comment on great seats and/or sitting on your own is a reason not to blend with the away bays.

If I'm travelling alone I have used the MWTS option to get amongst it, but for the majority of cases the games are in locations that I have mates in. There are many like me in this situation, or with a family in tow, that simply prefer a more calmer view of the game, whilst still enjoying the away bay antics from a distance.

Everybody has their own ideas on what gameday experience is 'second to none' and my point was that the club needs to recognise and work with this, and not rely on one basket to put their eggs in to draw on that support.

My view is that due to the nature of 'supporter groups', it doesn't take long for a cliche to develop and stymie it's growth. Some outsiders will come in and embrace the nature of this group after that point, while some will get the sense that it isn't for them and cut it away.

A good example is that the whole away-bay concept appears to outsiders to be a MWTS concept. No doubt your efforts have seen this area grow in patronage, but it isn't going to get any bigger without further, outside influences. But those elements will baulk at working with it if they get the impression of it being all about the MWTS!!!

 

[Duff]

I'm all for anti social behaviour but if we travel in a too well organised and public group it's far too easy to be recognised by the authorities.
A more guerilla style campaign aimed at opposition hot-spots is needed.