Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:44 am  

Stand-Offish wrote:

sanjunien wrote:

[quote="Stand-Offish"

It's like booking a holiday, once you've decided on it you've got to pay for it and you invariably go.


agreed but it's ok until the travel company goes bust and isn't covered by ABTA then you are stuck up the creek without a paddle !

Is that a sensible analogy to the Paul Cooke situation?
A travel company going bust is outside the holiday maker's control.
The travel company is the middleman.
There is no middleman with Paul Cooke, we aren't paying an agent the money.

If we get the money together we get Paul Cooke (assuming he still wants to come, and even if he doesn't we still have our money).
If he comes, he will be an employee and subject to employment rights, like sick pay if he gets injured. He will be responsible for his performance and behaviour as well. It's a gamble we will have to take that he will remain fit. Perhaps the last bit is what you were alluding to.

as long as it doesn't help to bring down the club...

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:51 am  

sanjunien wrote:

Stand-Offish wrote:

sanjunien wrote:

[quote="Stand-Offish"

It's like booking a holiday, once you've decided on it you've got to pay for it and you invariably go.


agreed but it's ok until the travel company goes bust and isn't covered by ABTA then you are stuck up the creek without a paddle !

Is that a sensible analogy to the Paul Cooke situation?
A travel company going bust is outside the holiday maker's control.
The travel company is the middleman.
There is no middleman with Paul Cooke, we aren't paying an agent the money.

If we get the money together we get Paul Cooke (assuming he still wants to come, and even if he doesn't we still have our money).
If he comes, he will be an employee and subject to employment rights, like sick pay if he gets injured. He will be responsible for his performance and behaviour as well. It's a gamble we will have to take that he will remain fit. Perhaps the last bit is what you were alluding to.

as long as it doesn't help to bring down the club...

I don't think it will. But it is a cause for concern.
I think the fans are big-hearted enough to pay if it goes tits-up.
But if it does go tits-up and Paul gets injured for a lengthy period, I think it won't be an experiment that will be repeated.
Fingers crossed.

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:49 am  

I don't think we should look at this as just for funding Paul Cooke. It needs to be an ongoing fund to enable us to continue to build our squad. It doesn't need everyone to pay loads of money but i feel if we get more people contributing 'something' it will increase the bond between the club and supporters.

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:01 pm  

rupert bear wrote:

I don't think we should look at this as just for funding Paul Cooke. It needs to be an ongoing fund to enable us to continue to build our squad. It doesn't need everyone to pay loads of money but i feel if we get more people contributing 'something' it will increase the bond between the club and supporters.

I am looking on it as just that, funding for Paul Cooke alone for one year, in the first instance.
When the year is up, it's reassessment time.

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:24 pm  

I very much agree with Rupert that we should see the Squad Builder as an on-going thing and not just a Paul Cooke fund, although it's success over the next 12 months will probably be judged on whether Paul Cooke does the business for us on the field.

I think it definitely builds a better bond between fans and club. Coupled with the better communications that we've seen of late, I hope the trend continues.

The club needs to get some facility set up on their website for online sign-ups to the Squad Builder as soon as possible. I would imagine they're working on it.

[Wanderer]

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:28 pm  

Double Movement wrote:

Of course it's not a competition. Every single contribution regardless of size is a step nearer to achieving our goal. No one should feel bad if they can't contribute either as our pockets ultimately determine what we can and can't do.

Agreed. Every contribution will push us closer to the target.

[Wanderer]

Re: The Dons Need YOU! : Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:37 pm  

sanjunien wrote:

i'm willing to send over something in terms of a lump sum which would be more practical for me but it could only be about £100 or so working out at about over the season @ £2 per week
not much but if it would help in someway ?

Merci Peter ...

Cordialement.

Re: The Dons Need YOU! / Funding of Paul Cooke signing : Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:45 pm  

Please visit http://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/a ... hp?id=6646 to download the form. Thanks for your patience on the matter.

Please visit http://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/a ... hp?id=6646 to download the form. Thanks for your patience on the matter.

Re: The Dons Need YOU! / Funding of Paul Cooke signing : Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:17 pm  

This whole squadbuilder could be a great step forwards for the club. If the loyal fans we have now can generate the added finance to boost the squad and hopefully in turn improve the on pitch product, it should in turn increase the gates and half time draw sales etc plus more squadbuilder members, we are on the brink of a new era if only....

Re: The Dons Need YOU! / Funding of Paul Cooke signing : Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:32 pm  

rupert bear wrote:

This whole squadbuilder could be a great step forwards for the club. If the loyal fans we have now can generate the added finance to boost the squad and hopefully in turn improve the on pitch product, it should in turn increase the gates and half time draw sales etc plus more squadbuilder members, we are on the brink of a new era if only....

Don't get carried away rupert.
Let's just look to see if this is a success shall we before we commit to something else?

All the fans of the Dons should share any future burden, not just a 100 or so.
There are lots of people who would be happy for you to stump up and not contribute an extra penny themselves.

The best way of funding the club is to get the admission prices right (along with maximising sponsors) and balance the books so that all fans pay.
Then if people want to do extra and contribute to the squadbuilder, that's up to them.

I shan't be one of them however, since I don't think it is the right way to proceed, except in exceptional circumstances like this Paul Cooke one.

I do applaud those that want to do more than their fair share however.
So good luck to you.