Pre-season friendlies

Kernow Yellow · Post by **Kernow Yellow** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:55 am

&quotBaboo&quot wrote:I for one would never have boycotted an Oxford v franchise competitive game.

What about a Franchise vs Oxford game though (ie where Franchise are the only people benefitting financially from your presence)?

Baboo · Post by **Baboo** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:44 pm

&quotKernow Yellow&quot wrote:
&quotBaboo&quot wrote:I for one would never have boycotted an Oxford v franchise competitive game.
What about a Franchise vs Oxford game though (ie where Franchise are the only people benefitting financially from your presence)?

I would go but wouldn't feel good about it. I would not spend a penny more than it cost me to get in. I would do my best to persuade others not to buy programmes, food inside the ground etc etc.

Joey's Toe · Post by **Joey's Toe** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:48 pm

Scab! The correct answer is that you would instead go and watch an AFC Wimbledon home game.

theox · Post by **theox** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:14 pm

MK Dons (now) have as much right to play pre-season friendlies as any one else so I doubt Kelvin (or whoever) felt that they were dancing with the devil when it was arranged.

I never go to home friendlies so I won't be going. I reserve my pre-season cash for the away friendlies at the local clubs so it looks like I'll be heading to Brackley and Thame this year.

Baboo · Post by **Baboo** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:17 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:Scab! The correct answer is that you would instead go and watch an AFC Wimbledon home game.

I know. I feel so ashamed. I would of course wear my Franchise football, never forgive, never forget t-shirt.

Joey's Toe · Post by **Joey's Toe** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:21 pm

&quotMK Dons (now) have as much right to play pre-season friendlies as any one else&quot

How do you work that out? Because their league place has been officially recognised by the FA, despite them gaining it in an immoral and dubious fashion?

By the same argument, you would recognise Robert Mugabe as a legitimate head of state, presumably? Or accept that it is morally right for Vodafone to pay next-to-no income tax in the UK? Both have bent the rules in their favour, a la Franchise.

IMHO, if something is wrong and immoral, it remains so in perpetuity. Unless Franchise willingly give their league place to AFC Wimbledon, they will always be an illegitimate football club.

theox · Post by **theox** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:43 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:&quotMK Dons (now) have as much right to play pre-season friendlies as any one else&quot

How do you work that out? Because their league place has been officially recognised by the FA, despite them gaining it in an immoral and dubious fashion?

By the same argument, you would recognise Robert Mugabe as a legitimate head of state, presumably? Or accept that it is morally right for Vodafone to pay next-to-no income tax in the UK? Both have bent the rules in their favour, a la Franchise.

IMHO, if something is wrong and immoral, it remains so in perpetuity. Unless Franchise willingly give their league place to AFC Wimbledon, they will always be an illegitimate football club.

I think we already did this one to death on the other thread although with slightly more proportionality (is that a word?!).

I look forward to seeing your picket line (from other pre-season thread) on the news. Oh wait, I forgot, you will only feel strongly enough to do that if you have some mates to back you up....

Joey's Toe · Post by **Joey's Toe** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:49 pm

Fair point - there should be a sense of proportion to all of this, and it is only football after all. But in footballing terms, Franchise are the lowest of the low, and it is disappointing that our club would choose to play them. We can't control what the fixture list throws up - but to voluntarily play such a controversial team suggests that someone at the club really wasn't exercising much discretion.

As for the picket - well, hopefully others will feel sufficiently strongly. If not, I'll hope that AFC Wimbledon have a home friendly the same day so I can go and watch a morally 'clean' side instead.

Hog · Post by **Hog** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:00 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:
As for the picket - well, hopefully others will feel sufficiently strongly. If not, I'll hope that AFC Wimbledon have a home friendly the same day so I can go and watch a morally 'clean' side instead.

Would you really go to all that bother?

Joey's Toe · Post by **Joey's Toe** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:04 pm

&quotWould you really go to all that bother?&quot

Yes, because there's a principle at stake and I feel strongly about it. I'm amazed that more people don't feel the same way. Maybe it's an empathy thing - I keep thinking how I would feel if our club was relocated miles away from its community, without a thought for the impact that would have on the fans.

SmileyMan · Post by **SmileyMan** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:18 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:&quotWould you really go to all that bother?&quot

Yes, because there's a principle at stake and I feel strongly about it. I'm amazed that more people don't feel the same way. Maybe it's an empathy thing - I keep thinking how I would feel if our club was relocated miles away from its community, without a thought for the impact that would have on the fans.

After all, think of all those Wimbledon fans who have kept up the pressure on the FA to give us back our chance at European football after it was stolen by Liverpool.

Oh wait...

theox · Post by **theox** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:19 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:&quotWould you really go to all that bother?&quot

Yes, because there's a principle at stake and I feel strongly about it. I'm amazed that more people don't feel the same way. Maybe it's an empathy thing - I keep thinking how I would feel if our club was relocated miles away from its community, without a thought for the impact that would have on the fans.

I think 99% of us will agree that the franchise of football clubs and allowing clubs to get a free ride into the football league is unacceptable.

The problem now is that the anger is directed towards MK Dons, and even more incorrectly, it's now reasonably long standing fans. These things are the result of the injustice, innocent entities really. They are not the big bad wolf who will eat your children....

By all means, be angry about it but direct that passion towards the FA and the owners of MK that made it happen. However, it's reasonably likely that none of the people who did this will be at the friendly.

Joey's Toe · Post by **Joey's Toe** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:28 pm

TheOx - disagree about Franchise fans being blameless. They chose to switch their allegiences to a plastic club with no history rather than support any of the more deserving non-league sides that had played in their area for years. To me, they are complicit in what happened.

SmileyMan - I don't think the two are analogous. And surely even you must be just a tiny bit impressed by what AFC Wimbledon have achieved.

theox · Post by **theox** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:36 pm

&quotJoey's Toe&quot wrote:TheOx - disagree about Franchise fans being blameless. They chose to switch their allegiences to a plastic club with no history rather than support any of the more deserving non-league sides that had played in their area for years. To me, they are complicit in what happened.

SmileyMan - I don't think the two are analogous. And surely even you must be just a tiny bit impressed by what AFC Wimbledon have achieved.

If we were having this discussion 10 years ago then I would have agreed with you partly (although let's face it, league football is always going to be a more attractive proposition then lower non-league stuff) but anyone who has supported a club home and away for a few years is ok by me.

Baboo · Post by **Baboo** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:37 pm

[quote=&quottheox&quot... but anyone who has supported a club home and away for a few years is ok by me.[/quote]

So, just for arguements sake .... MK Dons (spit spit) win promotion next season and the season after and 100s of Oxford fans then decide they would rather watch premiership football than footie at whatever level we are then at. They then support franchise home and away for a few (2? 3?) years, then we're all ok with that are we?

And on the subject of away support - TV pictures don't actually show huge passionate hordes following franchise do they?

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Pre-season friendlies

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