by Neil MacSorley
We believe that the rugby members of Cardiff Athletic Club (CAC) can be better represented on the board of Cardiff RFC Ltd. (CRFC). Fans should have a democratic say in the way the club goes forward, how it is marketed, where it plays its game, what kit is wears, how it raises money etc..
This is the time line of C2A's activities since 1st August this year when our campaign began.
Call To Arms (C2As) call a public meeting to discuss the situation at Cardiff Arms Park (CAP). More than 30 fans attend and setup an action committee. They then drew up a set of principles and targets and a timetable to accomplish reach these targets.
The SGM request signed by 32 CAC members is delivered to the CAC MC.
The 32 signatories receive a letter from the MC of CAC attempting to get them to withdraw their support for the SGM request. Unsurprisingly the attempt fails.
Call to Arms met with Jacqui Forster, a Development Officer with Supporters' Direct. Their aim is to help people "who wish to play a responsible part in the life of the rugby club they support" and they offer support, advice and information to groups of rugby supporters. We received advice that the rules governing CAC are archaic but not illegal and the structure of CAC really had no place in the management of a professional sporting organisation.
After failing in their attempt to sway the signatories away from calling an SGM, a letter is finally received from the Chairman Mr G B Warfield, raising a number of technicalities in the original letter requesting an SGM, he asked that a new motion be submitted!!!
After seeking expert advice on a new letter requesting an SGM, and collecting over 100 signatures supporting the request, C2As deliver the revised letter.
C2As receives a second rejection of the SGM request. This time the MC mistakenly believe the seconder is not a member of CAC despite being known personally by at least 2 of the MC!!!
In a further effort to postpone the inevitable, Mr Warfield seems to have failed to consult the rules of CAC and is now claiming that the request for an SGM should go to the members of the rugby section first, at their next AGM?
C2As regret the stance taken by these individuals in the face of the massive support for change. C2As have called (via the Cardiff on-line forum and by newsletter) another public meeting to take place at the Maesteg WPL game.
We now cannot help but reach the conclusion that the whole of the CAC MC has nothing but contempt for the overwhelming majority of the membership of CAC!