Rebel Aberdeen fans to stage Pittodrie demo calling for Jimmy Calderwood's head

[Kowalski]

From the Retard...

 

Rebel Aberdeen fans to stage Pittodrie demo calling for Jimmy Calderwood's head

Apr 8 2009 By Neil Cameron

 

A GROUP of Aberdeen fans will demonstrate at Pittodrie after Saturday's clash with Inverness to demand the sacking of Jimmy Calderwood.

 

Organisers yesterday claimed 100 supporters will gather outside the main door regardless of the result.

 

One of the leaders, Brian MacRae, revealed the campaign is to be called JMG, Jimmy Must Go.

 

Neither Aberdeen or Calderwood himself would comment and other Dons supporters' groups admitted they were not happy with the club's position but revealed they would not back what they insisted was a clearly personal demonstration.

 

However, MacRae reckons most fans fear the club face years in the wilderness unless Calderwood, who has been in charge for five seasons, moves on.

 

He said: "Losing to Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup was the catalyst for this but it wasn't the only result.

 

"You can add losing to Queen's Park and Queen of the South.

 

"But really it is the league form that has angered supporters. The results have not been good enough and some of the performances have been terrible.

 

"We want Jimmy out. The guy is well past his shelf-life at Aberdeen.

 

"All sorts of fan groups are behind this. We are fed up with the club being happy to be put alongside Hearts and Dundee United at best rather than go beyond them.

 

"It's coming up on 15 years since we won a trophy and nine since we were last in a final at Hampden.

 

"The guys supporting us are 100 per cent for a change of manager. It doesn't matter what happens against Inverness."

 

Meanwhile, Jamie Langfield insisted Aberdeen must secure a Europa League place to save their season. There is massive pressure on the Dons to clinch third or fourth place in the SPL to ensure a return to Europe.

 

Langfield, who has been tipped by Calderwood to take over from banned keeper Allan McGregor in the Scotland squad, said: "We let a lot of people down with the cup defeat by Dunfermline, especially our fans. But they are still turning out in numbers to cheer us on and we are grateful for that.

 

"It is vital we show them just what this team can do to repay them and make up for the loss in the cup. That means securing a top-six place against Inverness then pushing on to qualify for Europe.

 

"There are critics gathering round the club but getting a result against Inverness is not about silencing them. There are two games left before the split and we must win to ensure a top-six spot then we can kick on and go for third place.

 

"Hearts have a seven-point lead which is a big gap but we still believe they can be caught. We overhauled a 12-point deficit on Dundee United last season to claim fourth place."

 

 

Meanwhile Aberdeen have taken Belgian defender Pieter Collen on trial from Dutch second division side Cambuur.

 

The former Feyenoord player is out of contract at the end of the season and has been playing alongside former Dons midfielder Jeffrey deVisscher at Cambuur.

 

Calderwood is desperate to strengthen his backline as Scott Severin is leaving, Lee Mair has yet to accept a new deal and Javan Vidal is due to return to Manchester City.

[baggy89]

From the Retard...

 

 

In what sense? 

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

 

Did I miss where Seve said he was definitely leaving? Anyway, Brian, you do not have the backing of all sorts of fans groups you idiot, just deluded cunts that are members of said groups who think this little bolus of trumpets will achieve anything positive.

[westenddon]

To set the record straight -

 

I actually said that to the guy, that the protestors were a mixture of guys who were possibly members of various supporters groups and it seems to have caused a bit of confusion somewhere along the line.

 

Rest of the article is pretty much spot on though.

 

 

[Kowalski]

Rest of the article is pretty much spot on though.

 

Surely Hearts have a far bigger wage budget than us?

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

 

Yes, confusion, that's what caused it.

[westenddon]

Surely Hearts have a far bigger wage budget than us?

 

We should be aiming to be above them and aiming to make Aberdeen the team to finish above if teams want Europe. IMO the minimum effort performances and soundbites from the club would back up my opinion.

 

At the end of the day, people are going to make up their own minds up as to whether what was written by the DR was what I actually said - judging by some it'll depend on whether it fits their opinion of the protest rather than my own personal integrity.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Did I miss where Seve said he was definitely leaving?

 

News to me too.

 

Welcome news at that.

[BigAl]

In what sense? 

 

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "be careful what you wish for"

Reckon this will probably get the publicity the protester so crave for their cause, but really struggling to think of a single source that will do anything other than rip the piss out of the whole thing.

 

Are you now the official spoke person/ media contact for the campaign then Brian  Will you putting forward a balanced view on this or just the rebel side.

 

 

[Harcus]

Funny how the article is full of Brian's not very well thought out sound bites.

 

Yep, he's been made to look like a bit of a cunt.

[Superstar Tradesman]

[capitalsharpie]

News to me too.

 

Welcome news at that.

 

If thats the case, should he be stripped of the Captaincy?

[baggy89]

To set the record straight -

 

I actually said that to the guy, that the protestors were a mixture of guys who were possibly members of various supporters groups and it seems to have caused a bit of confusion somewhere along the line.

 

Rest of the article is pretty much spot on though.

 

 

 

Did you learn nothing from your EE experience?

 

TBF it looks like the Record guy has been pretty fair. I assume whoever is reporting on the game on Saturday will have a look round after. So for your sake I hope that a fair number turn up, otherwise I'd expect a hard time on Monday.

 

You have to be pretty sharp to deal with the media, much easier to be a journalist than to deal with them. They're paid to take a viewpoint and destroy any argument to the contrary.

 

Fair play for having go, it's just I can see it ending in some extremely red faces come Monday morning. I can't help think that these articles have done your cause more harm than good as people try to distance themselves from what is potentially an extremely embarrassing situation for the majority of the Aberdeen support.

[westenddon]

Are you now the official spoke person/ media contact for the campaign then Brian  Will you putting forward a balanced view on this or just the rebel side.

 

Not specifically Al, I fired off a few emails Monday morning to get a bit of publicity for the protest and it's gone from there. Plus I can deal with the inevitable internet sweary words from those who didn't agree with our point of view.

 

Come Saturday I'll just be another guy protesting and not the ringleader however.

 

We will be presenting our point of view, although I'd hope what has been said will also spark a bit of debate and get others to put across the alternative point of view.

[Mentorred]

I wonder will the police spotters be videoing the protest as is common practive at demos these days. If so, expect to be on police watch lists and be getting your phone tapped shortly! 

 

 

Also prepare to be hit with a baton and pushed to the ground.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

By putting across the alternative point of view do you mean protesting about the protest? Or simply by means that rational folks do, contacting the club directly and encouraging others to do the same. If you are so satisfied that your perspective is the one predominantly held then that shouldn't be difficult, rather than a divisive, moronic, attention seeking piece of nonsense that contributes nothing positive to your own argument, never mind the club.

[Penfold]

I'm in no way a "JIG'er". I cringe at what the guy says in the media and am as puzzled as most by many of his tactical changes. I just don't see what replacing him with another manager will bring the club apart from additional costs and at best, a few months of anticipation until fans are calling the new appointment is as "imcompetant" as any of the other appointments in the last 20 years.

 

So we'll maybe finish a few places below last season but to go crying "he's taken as far as he can", "we're going backwards" is premature. Look at 05/06 where we finished 6th and look at what we did the following season. Which club in the SPL has made progress on the field season on season?

 

Queen of the South, Queens Park, Dunfermline all keep being mentioned as reasons for him to go but in my eyes those games are not representitive of Jimmy's time here. You could swing right to the other side and look at the wins at Parkhead, Tynecastle (which we hadnt done for donkeys years) and the home form vs Rangers. The true representation of Jimmy's time is somewhere in the middle of all of this.

 

What AFC needs is European qualification on a regular basis. We've all seen what affect the Uefa Cup run had on our finances and if we could acheive that a couple of seasons in a row we would be in a financial position to push for "the next level". Until that time, fighting for the Uefa Cup spots is where AFC will be year on year, and that's where we are right now.

 

If there was a manager around who I thought would be interested in the Aberdeen job, and who would do a better job than Calderwood then I could understand fans wanting him replaced. I just don't see who there is out there.

[Kowalski]

I'm in no way a "JIG'er". I cringe at what the guy says in the media and am as puzzled as most by many of his tactical changes. I just don't see what replacing him with another manager will bring the club apart from additional costs and at best, a few months of anticipation until fans are calling the new appointment is as "imcompetant" as any of the other appointments in the last 20 years.

 

So we'll maybe finish a few places below last season but to go crying "he's taken as far as he can", "we're going backwards" is premature. Look at 05/06 where we finished 6th and look at what we did the following season. Which club in the SPL has made progress on the field season on season?

 

Queen of the South, Queens Park, Dunfermline all keep being mentioned as reasons for him to go but in my eyes those games are not representitive of Jimmy's time here. You could swing right to the other side and look at the wins at Parkhead, Tynecastle (which we hadnt done for donkeys years) and the home form vs Rangers. The true representation of Jimmy's time is somewhere in the middle of all of this.

 

What AFC needs is European qualification on a regular basis. We've all seen what affect the Uefa Cup run had on our finances and if we could acheive that a couple of seasons in a row we would be in a financial position to push for "the next level". Until that time, fighting for the Uefa Cup spots is where AFC will be year on year, and that's where we are right now.

 

If there was a manager around who I thought would be interested in the Aberdeen job, and who would do a better job than Calderwood then I could understand fans wanting him replaced. I just don't see who there is out there.

 

Spot on, have a +1 

Sums it up nicely for me.

[RDU_64]

Whilst understanding the reasons behind this protest, yet also thinking that the timing is horribly wrong, it is very badly organised, badly portrayed to the media and reflects very badly on the rest of the Dons fans when quotes like this come out -

 

"All sorts of fan groups are behind this.

 

"The guys supporting us are 100 per cent for a change of manager. It doesn't matter what happens against Inverness."

 

If Aberdeen win on Saturday, and this protest begins, I will walk past with my head down, carrying with me a little bit of shame to be tarred with the same brush as these protesters.

[Superstar Tradesman]

So many people seem to be agreeing with this well penned and well thought out statement.  This is the sort of post that should be making its way to the press or sent to Pittodrie.

 

Instead we get:

 

Uz are gettin it!  JMG!  WMG!  Protest at 2pm, nah make it 4.45pm, we'll show yooz!  Bring a mate whoos up for it.  And a tooter-ooh to make sum noize.  JMG!  WMG!

 

Then they wonder why nobody wants to join them. 

[wee toon red]

I'm in no way a "JIG'er". I cringe at what the guy says in the media and am as puzzled as most by many of his tactical changes. I just don't see what replacing him with another manager will bring the club apart from additional costs and at best, a few months of anticipation until fans are calling the new appointment is as "imcompetant" as any of the other appointments in the last 20 years.

 

So we'll maybe finish a few places below last season but to go crying "he's taken as far as he can", "we're going backwards" is premature. Look at 05/06 where we finished 6th and look at what we did the following season. Which club in the SPL has made progress on the field season on season?

 

Queen of the South, Queens Park, Dunfermline all keep being mentioned as reasons for him to go but in my eyes those games are not representitive of Jimmy's time here. You could swing right to the other side and look at the wins at Parkhead, Tynecastle (which we hadnt done for donkeys years) and the home form vs Rangers. The true representation of Jimmy's time is somewhere in the middle of all of this.

 

What AFC needs is European qualification on a regular basis. We've all seen what affect the Uefa Cup run had on our finances and if we could acheive that a couple of seasons in a row we would be in a financial position to push for "the next level". Until that time, fighting for the Uefa Cup spots is where AFC will be year on year, and that's where we are right now.

 

If there was a manager around who I thought would be interested in the Aberdeen job, and who would do a better job than Calderwood then I could understand fans wanting him replaced. I just don't see who there is out there.

 

For about a week after the Dunfermline game I was firmly in the JMG camp - still wouldn't be attending this protest mind you - but now that another week or so has passed and I've had time to have a good think about it this post sums my feelings up.

[Ajja]

So many people seem to be agreeing with this well penned and well thought out statement.  This is the sort of post that should be making its way to the press or sent to Pittodrie.

 

Instead we get:

 

Uz are gettin it!  JMG!  WMG!  Protest at 2pm, nah make it 4.45pm, we'll show yooz!  Bring a mate whoos up for it.  And a tooter-ooh to make sum noize.  JMG!  WMG!

 

Then they wonder why nobody wants to join them.   

 

 

 

Lets give it a go then. With all the self-congratulatory behaviour that goes on here (of which I am part) about our sensible, thought out position maybe we should make a statement to the press or the club which represents our view. We can even claim that we are representative of a 'significant element of the support'....there must be dozens of us on here who share similar views 

 

I also think that Penfolds post is an excellent summary of my own feelings

[Ajja]

Well, just copy it into an email and stick yer name on the end of it... although - maybe better to stick someone elses name on it in case the Evening Express makes up loads of shite!

 

If you know anything of me and my opinions its that I have a few of my own words I like to express from time to time (to take nothing away from an excellent post). If I wrote to a paper about this, I'd say what I want to say and it would take me too fucking long to do it.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I'm going against the tide here now it seems, but I'm still a JMG-er!! Does that mean I have to get a Bosman to KKK? 

[BobbyBiscuit]

It just means you have less class.

 

Less class than I used to... still more than you.