Meetings with SK/RM

[Firestorm]

. I myself cover most of the younger fans.

Thank you Mr Saville

 

[LennySUFC]

Cracking idea however a child to young would not benefit!

However I'm 18, been watching the blues since I was 7, surely someone with my background would benefit more than a child?

 

[Beefy]

A Junior Forum is a great idea so long as it's well promoted and attended.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I hope any junior forum will help kids understand that the over use of the C and F words by certain "fans" is not normal or acceptable or funny or condoned by the majority of fans, I would like stewards to have quiet words of advice to the (not few enough) small number of people whose only form of expression revolves in using those words. Racism is on its slow way out, homophobia needs work against and so does foul and abusive behavior.

 

[Jam_Man]

I hope any junior forum will help kids understand that the over use of the C and F words by certain "fans" is not normal or acceptable or funny or condoned by the majority of fans, I would like stewards to have quiet words of advice to the (not few enough) small number of people whose only form of expression revolves in using those words. Racism is on its slow way out, homophobia needs work against and so does foul and abusive behavior.

You silly ****ing **** :smile:

I have heard a young fellow swearing his head off in the Family enclosure before, sitting next to his dad. Thats one area when it should be stamped on as its where we are trying to bring through new fans and many wont bring 5 or 6 year olds if that happens regularly.

 

[Jam_Man]

My thoughts on that? While I think it's a good idea in theory, I'm not sure how it would work in practice, with both adults and children. Children may not understand much of what is said and would then likely become bored, and I think most of us know what happens when a child gets bored.

If any young Shrimpers want to ask questions, and are members of the Southend Junior Shrimpers, then I would be more than happy to arrange a forum for THEM, I think if it was their Q&A it would be approached differently and different things would be discussed.

Membership of the SJS costs just £10, regardless of their age, and lasts until they're 16. From the membership, one person is selected each month to present the Player of the Month award. Membership forms available via this link http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/n_images/client/membership/sjs-12.pdf

Makes a great Christmas present for the young Blues in your families!!! :winking:

I didnt realise there was such a thing.

Im actually quite surprised the club dont run a junior shrimpers themselves. I know the likes of Arsenal have Junior Gunners so would have though the club would have been keen to do it themselves?

Id certainly sign my kids up and for an annual membership if they could get posters/badges etc.

The trust one does look decent enough with a one off payment, but if I signed up my 5 year old what does he get apart from the initial goodie bag ? Obviously a tenner isnt going to get him sent stuff for 11 years ?

 

[Perth Bambi]

Whatever happened to junior blues. I remember getting my free birthday ticket and a scarf and hat every year when I was a kid.

 

[united we stand]

DWB, it's BECAUSE I work with children that I know that to be true. Get anyone under 12 in and they'd be fidgeting within 10 minutes.

Ken, a Junior Forum would still be doable, certainly in one of the suites at the club.

Kay
I understand what you are saying on your posts on this thread , but please do not tar all kids with the same brush . My 13 year old son would be offended by your comments if he read this thread . and he would have been equally offended when he was 11.

 

[griblet]

Membership of the SJS costs just £10, regardless of their age, and lasts until they're 16. From the membership, one person is selected each month to present the Player of the Month award. Membership forms available via this link http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/n_images/client/membership/sjs-12.pdf

This highlights a typical failing of the club- COMMUNICATION. Myself and my (11 yr old) son have a season ticket - my son has joined the (old?) free junior blues I think twice in the last few years (second time beacuse they lost the first details) and is also a member of Southend United's own youth development squad - So our details should be well known to the club and we attended the last few 'Meet the blues' days (wasn't that a prime opportunity to promote this?)- BUT this is the first time he or I have ever heard about this new SJS....

 

[Beefy]

This highlights a typical failing of the club- COMMUNICATION. Myself and my (11 yr old) son have a season ticket - my son has joined the (old?) free junior blues I think twice in the last few years (second time beacuse they lost the first details) and is also a member of Southend United's own youth development squad - So our details should be well known to the club and we attended the last few 'Meet the blues' days (wasn't that a prime opportunity to promote this?)- BUT this is the first time he or I have ever heard about this new SJS....

Is the SJS not run through and by the Trust though, and not the Club?

 

[Jam_Man]

Indeed it is.

I wasnt aware of it until today, but its a Trust membership.

The club should really run one for its own benefit.

 

[Jam_Man]

Kay
I understand what you are saying on your posts on this thread , but please do not tar all kids with the same brush . My 13 year old son would be offended by your comments if he read this thread . and he would have been equally offended when he was 11.

My kids wouldnt be offended, they would have been fidgeting and lost concentration long before they could be offended.

OBL is right most young kids have the attention span of a goldfish, unless they are playing a video game or watching TV then they are locked on for hours :)

Thats why any interaction with them needs to be tailored for their age group.

 

[OldBlueLady]

This highlights a typical failing of the club- COMMUNICATION. Myself and my (11 yr old) son have a season ticket - my son has joined the (old?) free junior blues I think twice in the last few years (second time beacuse they lost the first details) and is also a member of Southend United's own youth development squad - So our details should be well known to the club and we attended the last few 'Meet the blues' days (wasn't that a prime opportunity to promote this?)- BUT this is the first time he or I have ever heard about this new SJS....

The SJS is not new, my son is 20 and he was a member himself from the age of about 10 or 11. I've been the co-ordinator of it for the last 3 or 4 years.

I didnt realise there was such a thing.

Im actually quite surprised the club dont run a junior shrimpers themselves. I know the likes of Arsenal have Junior Gunners so would have though the club would have been keen to do it themselves?

Id certainly sign my kids up and for an annual membership if they could get posters/badges etc.

The trust one does look decent enough with a one off payment, but if I signed up my 5 year old what does he get apart from the initial goodie bag ? Obviously a tenner isnt going to get him sent stuff for 11 years ?

The biggest plus that they get is the opportunity to spend the day at Boots and Laces (at the moment) for a training session run by the club. Very few of our membership ever take this up, in fact the last one we arranged this for was the 11 year old son of a poster on here who died suddenly. The club were were great with him, he played table tennis with Matt Paterson (when he was still part of the set up), Graham Coughlin and Paul spent a lot of time talking with him, he spent time with Ricky's youth team as well and had lunch with them all.

They obviously get the opportunity to present PotM trophies and the SJS PotY one, their names are read out at the ground when they do them, and appear on the Trust website and FB feeds. They get a newsletter every other month....from me! I have a Q&A session with Freddy lined up for my next newsletter, we've done them before with several other players, and they get the chance to enter competitions and things. Membership forms were available at MTBD on the Trust's stand, I'm staggered so many seem not to know about it.

We used to send a birthday card to members from the club years ago, and that's something I'd like to bring back. so, for your £10, I'd say it's pretty worth the outlay.

 

[onceknownasrab]

The SJS is not new, my son is 20 and he was a member himself from the age of about 10 or 11. I've been the co-ordinator of it for the last 3 or 4 years.



The biggest plus that they get is the opportunity to spend the day at Boots and Laces (at the moment) for a training session run by the club. Very few of our membership ever take this up, in fact the last one we arranged this for was the 11 year old son of a poster on here who died suddenly. The club were were great with him, he played table tennis with Matt Paterson (when he was still part of the set up), Graham Coughlin and Paul spent a lot of time talking with him, he spent time with Ricky's youth team as well and had lunch with them all.

They obviously get the opportunity to present PotM trophies and the SJS PotY one, their names are read out at the ground when they do them, and appear on the Trust website and FB feeds. They get a newsletter every other month....from me! I have a Q&A session with Freddy lined up for my next newsletter, we've done them before with several other players, and they get the chance to enter competitions and things. Membership forms were available at MTBD on the Trust's stand, I'm staggered so many seem not to know about it.

We used to send a birthday card to members from the club years ago, and that's something I'd like to bring back. so, for your £10, I'd say it's pretty worth the outlay.

Just out of interest OBL, from your perspective, what more can be done to make SJS known, what more can be done for/with the members and does the club do enough to promote it? Maybe you feel it is fine as is, I have no idea, just wondering.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Just out of interest OBL, from your perspective, what more can be done to make SJS known, what more can be done for/with the members and does the club do enough to promote it? Maybe you feel it is fine as is, I have no idea, just wondering.

The Trust gets good support from the club in matchday programmes. Maybe it would be a good idea to focus one of those programmes on attracting junior membership, but even talking about it on here today has raised the profile.

 

[Jam_Man]

The SJS is not new, my son is 20 and he was a member himself from the age of about 10 or 11. I've been the co-ordinator of it for the last 3 or 4 years.



The biggest plus that they get is the opportunity to spend the day at Boots and Laces (at the moment) for a training session run by the club. Very few of our membership ever take this up, in fact the last one we arranged this for was the 11 year old son of a poster on here who died suddenly. The club were were great with him, he played table tennis with Matt Paterson (when he was still part of the set up), Graham Coughlin and Paul spent a lot of time talking with him, he spent time with Ricky's youth team as well and had lunch with them all.

They obviously get the opportunity to present PotM trophies and the SJS PotY one, their names are read out at the ground when they do them, and appear on the Trust website and FB feeds. They get a newsletter every other month....from me! I have a Q&A session with Freddy lined up for my next newsletter, we've done them before with several other players, and they get the chance to enter competitions and things. Membership forms were available at MTBD on the Trust's stand, I'm staggered so many seem not to know about it.

We used to send a birthday card to members from the club years ago, and that's something I'd like to bring back. so, for your £10, I'd say it's pretty worth the outlay.

Not criticising OBL, a tenner for 10 years is a good deal. Would say you may need to publicise it a bit as wasnt aware of it myself.

I do think the club could be doing an official one though, Id be happy to sign my kids up for an annual membership.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Not criticising OBL, a tenner for 10 years is a good deal. Would say you may need to publicise it a bit as wasnt aware of it myself.

I do think the club could be doing an official one though, Id be happy to sign my kids up for an annual membership.

Hold my hands up to that one, I should have sorted out a poster to go into local schools this Autumn, but what with a wedding and all, I've just not got round to it.

I take your point though, and do agree. Like I said earlier, Junior Blues was still going, which is the club's baby but I don't think they're promoting it at all. Vast untapped area and a trick missed.

 

[Jam_Man]

Yep if it was a tenner or so they would get £20 instantly from me.

A poster/badge goodie bag would go down well, plus maybe a fixture list they could fill out the scores on or something.

 

[TrueBlue]

Yep if it was a tenner or so they would get £20 instantly from me.

A poster/badge goodie bag would go down well, plus maybe a fixture list they could fill out the scores on or something.

and a picture of me I nominate this one.....

 

[OldBlueLady]

and a picture of me I nominate this one.....

View attachment 1994

At least you are fully clothed in this!