Melbourne Heart FC buy out - Man City, Melbourne City FC, etc.

[tigerou812]

I think we need to look at these changes beyond our current perceptions. In 5-10 years down the track, it is likely that the majority of us will be thankful that such an opportunity came along. Not only will it bring growth and success to the club, but it will benefit the entire league. If we really want the sport to take the next step in Australia, we need this kind of foreign investment. From my perspective, soccer in Australia has been somewhat stagnant at the professional level for quite some time now. These are the kind of investments that will put us on the map and expand the sport throughout the country.

 

I agree that standing by your principles is important, but Melbourne Heart was far from an established identity. If change was to occur, it's better that it has in the early stages of the club's existence. I'm not sure that MHFC would have been sustainable for the long-term given the previous set-up and club management. At the very least now, MCFC will ensure that we are competitive and expanding the club. The fact that they've kept the red and white to a degree provides for a 'transition' as opposed to cleaning the slate entirely and starting from scratch. Hopefully that aspect is preserved indefinitely.

 

Whether people decide to stay on or not is entirely up to them, but I'm stoked for what lies ahead.

Ran out of likes. So LIKE

Edited June 6, 2014 by tigerou812

[Torn Asunder]

Scott Munn was on SEN yesterday and on the changes he said something along the lines that it signifies "the end of the beginning"

[benderz]

I think we need to look at these changes beyond our current perceptions. In 5-10 years down the track, it is likely that the majority of us will be thankful that such an opportunity came along. Not only will it bring growth and success to the club, but it will benefit the entire league. If we really want the sport to take the next step in Australia, we need this kind of foreign investment. From my perspective, soccer in Australia has been somewhat stagnant at the professional level for quite some time now. These are the kind of investments that will put us on the map and expand the sport throughout the country.

 

I agree that standing by your principles is important, but Melbourne Heart was far from an established identity. If change was to occur, it's better that it has in the early stages of the club's existence. I'm not sure that MHFC would have been sustainable for the long-term given the previous set-up and club management. At the very least now, MCFC will ensure that we are competitive and expanding the club. The fact that they've kept the red and white to a degree provides for a 'transition' as opposed to cleaning the slate entirely and starting from scratch. Hopefully that aspect is preserved indefinitely.

 

Whether people decide to stay on or not is entirely up to them, but I'm stoked for what lies ahead.

 

Indeed. I feel its a new chapter in the history of the club rather than starting something completely new. I support this club for reasons other than the colours and the name, but if you support the club primarily for the colours, name, owners etc or whatever reason, then I suppose you cant be blamed for leaving.

 

I like the colours, the name change and the new emblem so I have already renewed my membership. Rather than continually re-stating why I am still a member, reading the same or opposite of why people are not signing I will just leave this thread. Trying to change someones opinion when they dont want it changed is a waste of time. People have made up their minds and I hope to see them at next seasons game, or at the Imp for some WC matches.

[Alexxandro]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

[TOPCAT]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

 

Give it up mate. What's done is done. Either follow the new club or leave.

Edited June 6, 2014 by TOPCAT

[SF33]

It doesn't really matter, John. There were a handful of City fans who weren't content when we were taken over. The ones who couldn't cope left and now support some other club. The ones who stayed got to see us become the dominant force in English football.

 

10 years or 100, it doesn't matter. The sheikh will make Melbourne City the strongest A-League club. That may sound arrogant, but it's the truth. For every supporter who leaves, many more will join.

 

 

You're absolutely spot on with the last sentence and I'm confident regarding your sentiments of Melbourne City becoming the strongest A-League club very soon. Apparently, we are already the favourites to win the league for next year. Most of us have accepted the changes. Not perfect, but maybe a 7.5/10.  I don't think any of us Heart people mean any direct disrespect with some of the more aggressive comments directed towards these arguments and most of us would be quite happy that people in the UK are actually taking an interest in the new Melbourne siblings. With all due respect to john68, his argument has been made many, many times. I'm sure it's meant to be respectful. But for the contributors to this forum, most of whom have sat through four years of being an utter laughingstock, the red and white stripes mean something. To many, they probably mean everything. This is nothing against Manchester City, but I'll be wearing red and white to every home game I attend from here on. No matter how successful the club becomes, that will be a badge of honour to those who stuck in when times were tough.

 

We simply don't care how it went for EPL clubs when they were pretty much park teams 120 years ago. Melbourne Heart may have been a relative minnow on a global scale today, but it was still one of the nine biggest clubs in this country. It's unrealistic to try to compare a change of colours for a professional club in the current day to changing colours in the 19th century, when reasons like 'it was cheaper to dye the fabric in the new colour' would suffice. It's not quite like asking City to switch to red and white at home, but it's somewhere in the middle.

 

I think overall, most 2013/14 Heart members would have been happy with the email that the club sent out yesterday, regarding the changes. But it's more than reasonable for some supporters of the club to wish that we could have kept the stripes at home. The more I think about it, the more I realise a red stripe on the new home kit (alongside the two blue stripes) should have been an absolute must...to leave that off again makes us (again) feel like a bit of an afterthought, like we don't matter. Would City have considered making that addition to its third kit for the next EPL season? Would they consider wearing a red/white striped kit for an away game against somebody like Everton or Chelsea as a nod to its Melbourne brother? Those are the sort of things that will make us feel like we actually matter and, as far as I'm concerned, they're a small gesture, compared to the overhaul that we (for the most part) have accepted with good grace.

 

Like I said, most of us were reasonably happy with the announcements from yesterday. And for people who had never heard of the club until the purchase was made to come here (of all places) and suggest that we should basically just get over not having the red and white at home, whether you realise it or not, feels like you're rubbing our noses in it.

Edited June 6, 2014 by SF33

[jw1739]

Nicely put.

 

Overall IMO a lot can still be done as it all settles down. The fans can still put forward ideas such as replacing that dark blue stripe on the home kit with a red stripe,  Manchester City using our red-and-white stripes for an away game (brilliant idea!) and saying why, and if we ever get to have a real match against ManC or NYC at AAMI then having us play in our heritage kit.

 

I was going to give them 8/10 for the changes, so I'm happy with your 7.5/10. Surely the way forward is to build on that rather than throw the baby out with the bathwater?

[kingofhearts]

 

Must comment again. Can't believe people would actually stop supporting MCFC/MHFC. So people were happy to see us hovering at the bottom half of the table and even last only to keep the colours/name? How is the club any different now to what it was prior to the takeover? People were creaming in their pants when they heard of the takeover and now will abandon the club? You must realise a change is inevitable when new management comes in otherwise it will just be like nothing has changed! I understand most would've liked to keep the name/colours and held up signs (as I did too) but the changes will not influence my decision. Buying my memberships as I have since day 1.

Wait and watch them crawl back once we suceed, seen it happen before and wouldnt be surprised to see it again

 

Pretty naive thing to say, if success is what these people who are dropping off were looking for why would've they supported us in the first place?

 

The fact is that this is the the 1st of many steps into turning into mini man city. The CFG had an opportunity to do the right thing to win the heart fans, when they were denied changing the home shirt into sky blue and yet they were so hung up in getting blue on to the shirts that we now have this disgusting white top with two blue stripes down it. If people think this will be the permanent home top think again, it might take 5 or 10 years but it is just a matter of time before we will be playing in sky blue and the red and white will be forgotten.

 

The red and white away top is just a way to suck some of you people in, and the logo? It honestly just looks like they have shoved so much Melbourne shit into it that i was surprised the yarra river and flinders street station weren't in there. 'Oh but it has the Melbourne flag on it' Honestly how many people on here even knew what the Melbourne flag looked like before this logo was released? What does the Melbourne flag honestly mean to most people? Jack shit i'd imagine. But who cares cause the logo will change in a couple years just like the colours, but whatever each to their own. Btw isn't this what the Melbourne flag looks like anyway?

They couldn't even get the emblems right lol.

 

Just looking at some of the comments from different outlets about the changes i've seen, these new 'supporters' that are jumping on are pretty diehard. Let me show you some comments i've gathered from the net:

 

'Can i just buy a 10 game membership just to see David Villa play?'

'Were going to be successful for the first time ever and some of you people are jumping off? LOL can't please everyone'

'Richest club in the league bitchesss!'

 

Are these really the people you want to build a supporter base around? If yarraside doesn't continue, can you imagine these people running active area? It won't exist if the team loses a couple of games in a row. They've lost a lot of committed supporters as shown on here for bandwagoners. Good luck with that CFG.

 

Absolutely shattered.

[Deeming]

Melbourne City just posted to FB explaining the New badge but for some reason instead of saying Melbourne Heart in reference to the MH aspects of the badge they say "the club that would become Melbourne City FC"? Why not just say Melbourne Heart?

It's actions like this that give mixed messages on their care of club identity and history

[kingofhearts]

Melbourne City just posted to FB explaining the New badge but for some reason instead of saying Melbourne Heart in reference to the MH aspects of the badge they say "the club that would become Melbourne City FC"? Why not just say Melbourne Heart?

It's actions like this that give mixed messages on their care of club identity and history

They don't care. They cared about us so much that they were going to make us play in sky blue, if not for the FFA being so Sydney centric we'd be running around in sky blue.

[belaguttman]

I'm approaching this at 2 levels:

MCFC is a franchise not a club, I'll be a STH to watch good football, I'm sure that it'll be consistently more entertaining than we've seen in the last 4 seasons.

 

It does feel like we've been colonised and this brings some inevitable loss of identity. Winning without identity is not everything. Identity of course does and will evolve, as I've said the loyalty counter has been reset to zero because of the nature of this colonisation, but it'll evolve in time. Any reader of history or resident of the UK though will understand that the colonised eventually colonise their masters.

[yampy]

Good balanced views from you as we have come to expect Hedaik. Maybe I am protesting in vain and I will be left with no club to support, maybe I should stop sulking and grow up now I'm in my forties! Likewise I don't blame anyone for being excited about the future and I can fully understand why people are looking forward to a successful future. Its not easy to even think of walking away from something that has been so fantastic (not on the field) for the last 4 years, we have done a fair bit of work with the community department and have been to every home game for the last 3 years +, which isn't always easy from Portarlington, we usually miss most of the first half of the evening games and its a nightmare with childcare.

I'm under a lot of pressure from friends in Geelong to change my mind since my post, even getting asked when the Bellarine City banner will be made up. Will be doing some hard thinking, if I change my mind, you will know by the banner.

[InMyHeart]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

Move on then, get off the site, I'm sure the future will be 'just fine'

 

We don't need you

[Baresi]

 

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

Move on then, get off the site, I'm sure the future will be 'just fine'

 

We don't need you

 

No need for that, mate.

[belaguttman]

 

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

Move on then, get off the site, I'm sure the future will be 'just fine'

 

We don't need you

 

We all support our team for our own reasons and have our own relationship to the franchise

[Murfy1]

I maybe should of posted my post in the '2014/15 Nike Kits' thread in this thread.

 

 

The concerns of kingofhearts are exactly right. How can we be sure that in a few years time or a bit longer that this club won't become a mini Man City? How can we trust this club? Especially after they mislead us about the kits and club colours before, saying they'd make "well-supported" decisions, with "any decisions" about club identity being "guided" by club traditions, and the supporters "passion for the red and white"?

 

The new club have a lot of work to do. And now, how they treated supporters between the takeover on Jan 23 to yesterday can never be undone. They can maybe try to "make up for it", but they can never undo how they treated supporters, and the legitimate sense of betrayal many supporters (like myself) feel.

 

 

I think what's needed now is clarity and confirmation about the club kits going forward. If there was clarity and confirmation that the kits unveiled yesterday ARE the club's kits going forward, then I reckon that would do a lot of good, and it would make supporters like myself more likely to get behind the club.

 

Also, for the record, I think there were 3 main outcomes about the kits and club colours that were contemplated:

 

A). We would have a sky blue home kit, and maybe a red and white away kit (or maybe they were even going to chuck the red and white kit out altogether)

 

B ). We would have a red and white home kit, and maybe a sky blue away kit (or another kit that Man City would want)

 

C). We would get another home kit, a 'compromise kit' (e.g. white), and maybe an away kit with red on it

 

 

 

We didn't get what we wanted with B. Man City didn't get what they wanted with A. And the end result was C (although it unfortunately took circumstances to force C to come about). C is very open to interpretation, and you can pretty much view it as either a win or a loss for Man City, and either a win or a loss for a supporters. People will inevitably feel differently about such an ambiguous and compromised outcome.

 

 

I think the best thing now is for the club to confirm is that C is the outcome they'll stick with. It maybe won't be easy for the club to convince people, after the convoluted and difficult process it took for us to reach our current outcome. But that's the club's problem, and they have to deal with it, and I reckon they can convince people and get their messages across if they try hard enough.

 

 

All up, I think the outcome, with a home kit with white shirts, shorts and socks with blue trim, and a red and white away kit, can be as Scott Munn said they wanted, a pretty impressive balance between the old and the new (I don't doubt that it was very hard to reach a good outcome that has compromises for both sides). But I'm not sold yet, as I'm not sure about the future and I don't trust this club, because of how they have behaved since the takeover. So it's now on the club to say what it's about and to try and honestly build trust, and then whatever will be will be.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Murfy1

[Embee]

Good balanced views from you as we have come to expect Hedaik. Maybe I am protesting in vain and I will be left with no club to support, maybe I should stop sulking and grow up now I'm in my forties! Likewise I don't blame anyone for being excited about the future and I can fully understand why people are looking forward to a successful future. Its not easy to even think of walking away from something that has been so fantastic (not on the field) for the last 4 years, we have done a fair bit of work with the community department and have been to every home game for the last 3 years +, which isn't always easy from Portarlington, we usually miss most of the first half of the evening games and its a nightmare with childcare.

I'm under a lot of pressure from friends in Geelong to change my mind since my post, even getting asked when the Bellarine City banner will be made up. Will be doing some hard thinking, if I change my mind, you will know by the banner.

I don't know you personally mate but I for one hope to see the banner up next season.

[Embee]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing.

Move on then, get off the site, I'm sure the future will be 'just fine'

We don't need you

I'd say it's that attitude we don't need mate, that was uncalled for.

[Baresi]

Good balanced views from you as we have come to expect Hedaik. Maybe I am protesting in vain and I will be left with no club to support, maybe I should stop sulking and grow up now I'm in my forties! Likewise I don't blame anyone for being excited about the future and I can fully understand why people are looking forward to a successful future. Its not easy to even think of walking away from something that has been so fantastic (not on the field) for the last 4 years, we have done a fair bit of work with the community department and have been to every home game for the last 3 years +, which isn't always easy from Portarlington, we usually miss most of the first half of the evening games and its a nightmare with childcare.

I'm under a lot of pressure from friends in Geelong to change my mind since my post, even getting asked when the Bellarine City banner will be made up. Will be doing some hard thinking, if I change my mind, you will know by the banner.

No need for a Bellarine City banner; the Bellarine Heart one is just fine!

The club may have changed name and colours; that doesn't mean the supporters have to.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Baresi

[Nate]

 

Good balanced views from you as we have come to expect Hedaik. Maybe I am protesting in vain and I will be left with no club to support, maybe I should stop sulking and grow up now I'm in my forties! Likewise I don't blame anyone for being excited about the future and I can fully understand why people are looking forward to a successful future. Its not easy to even think of walking away from something that has been so fantastic (not on the field) for the last 4 years, we have done a fair bit of work with the community department and have been to every home game for the last 3 years +, which isn't always easy from Portarlington, we usually miss most of the first half of the evening games and its a nightmare with childcare.

I'm under a lot of pressure from friends in Geelong to change my mind since my post, even getting asked when the Bellarine City banner will be made up. Will be doing some hard thinking, if I change my mind, you will know by the banner.

No need for a Bellarine City banner; the Bellarine Heart one is just fine!

The club may have changed name and colours; that doesn't mean the supporters have to.

 

100% agree

 

The more Heart/red and white flags, banners and gear I see next season, the better 

[xXJawsaXx]

 

 

Good balanced views from you as we have come to expect Hedaik. Maybe I am protesting in vain and I will be left with no club to support, maybe I should stop sulking and grow up now I'm in my forties! Likewise I don't blame anyone for being excited about the future and I can fully understand why people are looking forward to a successful future. Its not easy to even think of walking away from something that has been so fantastic (not on the field) for the last 4 years, we have done a fair bit of work with the community department and have been to every home game for the last 3 years +, which isn't always easy from Portarlington, we usually miss most of the first half of the evening games and its a nightmare with childcare.

I'm under a lot of pressure from friends in Geelong to change my mind since my post, even getting asked when the Bellarine City banner will be made up. Will be doing some hard thinking, if I change my mind, you will know by the banner.

No need for a Bellarine City banner; the Bellarine Heart one is just fine!

The club may have changed name and colours; that doesn't mean the supporters have to.

 

100% agree

 

The more Heart/red and white flags, banners and gear I see next season, the better 

 

Yup, even though the name has changed to City, the club will always be 'Heart' to me

[Murfy1]

Existing Melbourne City takes Heart to task

 

Alana Schetzer 

 

Published: June 6, 2014 - 5:55PM

 

 

A western suburbs soccer club is preparing to seek an injunction against the A-League’s Melbourne Heart changing its name to Melbourne City - the same name the suburban club has played under since 1991.

 

South Kingsville’s Melbourne City Football Club has engaged trademark experts Cooper Mills lawyers to deal with the name clash.

 

‘‘We will try and prevent them using it,’’ club spokesman Claudio Paz said.

 

Melbourne Heart said on Thursday it had changed its name to Melbourne City and introduced a blue and white home game uniform.

 

The suburban club, part of Football Federation Victoria, is registered as an incorporated association in Victoria and claims to have been established in 1991. It fields teams in seniors, reserves and juniors.

 

Management denies it has done a deal with the A-League club and is determined to maintain its identity.

 

“We will continue to be Melbourne City FC and we will fight to keep the identity of the club,'' the club said in a statement. "We can assure everyone that this matter is currently being looked after by our legal department.”

 

Melbourne Heart changed its name after English Premier League heavyweight Manchester City, which is owned by Abu Dhabi royalty and billionaire Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, paid $12 million for the club. A consortium led by New Zealand entrepreneur and Melbourne Storm owner Bart Campbell was also part of the deal.

 

Almost immediately, plans began to change the club’s name and colours to bring it into line with Manchester City and fellow stable club New York City.

 

Following the high-profile sale, the A-League club and the suburban club both applied to  Intellectual Property Australia to register the name.The A-League team has applied to trademark hundreds of merchandise items, including clothing, scarves and mobile phone and computer accessories.

 

Neither club has received approval of their application.

 

Julius Ross, a spokesman for the A-League club, said: ''We made it very clear to the other Melbourne City that we have no intention of threatening their identity or restricting their ability to operate as they currently do. The two clubs are very different and can happily co-exist.''

 

Paz said management of the suburban club was ‘‘in shock’’ when they learnt of the name change on Thursday. He rejected Ross’ claims that the name change would not affect it.

"We believe ourselves at some point we could have the opportunity to grow and join the national premier league and ... I find it hard to believe the two names can co-exist,'' he said.

 

 

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/existing-melbourne-city-takes-heart-to-task-20140606-zs091.html

 

 

I reckon they think there's a really big payday at the end of this for them if they kick up a fuss. I think they're mistaken.

[Baresi]

They don't have any rights to the name, so I don't think they can get much from it.

[heartofthecity]

Nice to see our City isn't trying to take the other City's identity but why can I see them pushing until they get stripped of it anyway?

[jw1739]

 

I think the best thing now is for the club to confirm is that C is the outcome they'll stick with. It maybe won't be easy for the club to convince people, after the convoluted and difficult process it took for us to reach our current outcome. But that's the club's problem, and they have to deal with it, and I reckon they can convince people and get their messages across if they try hard enough.

 

Murf, I just can't believe that you would expect any football club or franchise to make the sort of binding commitment you refer to. No organization can be expected to say that it will never change this or that into the future. Circumstances change.

 

You're just going round in circles on this issue. I know it's important to you, but you're just hurting yourself in the process. A decision has been made. You don't have to make your decision this minute, but sooner or later you're going to have to either go with it or go without it.

[sheepdog]

Drama queens everywhere.

So many lols in this thread the last couple of days im loving it.

Its a shame the level headed comments get washed away in the tidal wave of unnecessary personal agendas, constant sulking and name calling.

If I wanted to read/listen to childish bullshit I would actually turn and have a conversation with my missus.

Who gives a fuck what the next man thinks, I sure as hell dont.

[Murfy1]

 

 

I think the best thing now is for the club to confirm is that C is the outcome they'll stick with. It maybe won't be easy for the club to convince people, after the convoluted and difficult process it took for us to reach our current outcome. But that's the club's problem, and they have to deal with it, and I reckon they can convince people and get their messages across if they try hard enough.

 

Murf, I just can't believe that you would expect any football club or franchise to make the sort of binding commitment you refer to. No organization can be expected to say that it will never change this or that into the future. Circumstances change.

 

You're just going round in circles on this issue. I know it's important to you, but you're just hurting yourself in the process. A decision has been made. You don't have to make your decision this minute, but sooner or later you're going to have to either go with it or go without it.

 

 

In this situation I think it's pretty safe to say that circumstances won't change. Man City can have the club keep its white home jersey, for years and years and year, for the foreseeable future, if they choose to stick with it.

 

The only way the kit will realistically change is if Man City want to change the home skit from white to sky blue (circumstances will have to change to allow that, of course, but it'll completely be a Man City decision if they make the home kit sky blue). And If that happens I'll almost certainly stop supporting the club. Then this club would be a Mini-Man City, and I'd feel stupid for having given this new club my money and support.

 

It's annoying because you and others are right, that Man City and this club very likely won't make it clear whether they plan on keeping (or ditching) the current kits. Actually, I can't think of any clear promise or statement about the future Man City have made (and kept).

 

 

Anyway, I've spoken my piece about the situation. I don't think this club has done as much as it could to bring Melbourne Heart supporters with it, and I can unfortunately see many supporters leaving as a consequence. All up, it's been a shame how things have panned out since the takeover.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Murfy1

[Shahanga]

I was very disappointed that they foisted a Man City 3rd kit on us at home "simply to show they could".  it reeked of the arrogance and contempt for Heart supporters we have seen since day one of the Man City arrival.  

 

Having said that though there are a couple of other things to think about:

• despite their best efforts we have thankfully not been clothed in the hated sky blue of NSW (their colours since 1857)
• Although we might be in despair at the conduct of the new board, its important to remember that many of us often despaired at the conduct of the Sidwell era board.  As a fan you don't have to be fully aligned with the club's owners to continue to be a supporter. 

So whilst I'm not over the moon, I guess I'm still a supporter.  As to Season Tickets, I'll wait and see how I feel closer to the season start.  Can confirm though that if I attend I will continue to wear my Heart jersey and scarf and will NOT be buying the 3rd kit of a foreign club.

[carpiste]

top retort. Most sensible thing I`ve read here for a while.

[Sash]

 

The home strip is still a hand me down Man City shirt. There's nothing of our club on it. They can't possibly say with a straight face that 'the home kit combines the white of the original kit...' It's bollocks. Just like the crap they keep feeding people about 'consulting with members'. I can't believe they even mentioned that survey in their email. Personally, I'd rather a sky blue shirt with a red and white stripe as it would be our shirt, not a Man City shirt, and would retain something of our colours.

 

But even more important than the colours is the disregard of supporters. Yes we don't 'own' the club, but good clubs actually listen to their supporters and make them feel like they hold an important place in the club - like the fan forums WSW held to decide what their club would look and feel like. I'll go to matches but it just doesn't feel like my club now. For me, it's a sad day.

 

And I hope Melboune City keep fighting to keep their name.

 

Re the bolded bit - I hope they do as well, and maybe learn how to spell whilst you're at it...

 

All jokes aside I really don't understand why you're so bitter - it's almost as if unless they did everything your way then you wouldn't be happy. I reckon no matter what they did you would find some gripe about it. Which is fair enough I suppose but not exactly a mature and measured response in regard to the situation.

 

You claim that the strip is a hand me down Man City strip and I can can definitely see why, however it is white and it was a predominant color of your previous home shirt, which by the way is is now your away shirt. To claim there are no links at all is extremely disingenuous. 

 

You don't know who they consulted, but just because you weren't consulted it means they mustn't have done anything.

 

You also confuse listening with doing exactly what you want them to. Just because they haven't done exactly what you've desired they mustn't have listened. I reckon they probably have listened, taken it on board, considered what feedback they have received and then presented this as a compromise. At it's core it's a name change, a logo change to something that is a more traditional crest and not the cringey bullshit the A League is known for, which retains the original colors and includes the Melbourne crest, and a move from the home to an away shirt and a new home shirt that is 90% one of the original colors. Ah yeah and David Villa and more to come. 

 

I've lurked on this forum for a good few months and I've seen a heap of comments about protecting identity but also a lot of other comments about changing the culture of the club. The same thing happened at City. Look up Typical City to get a vibe about what was the City identity pre-takeover. Winning the league one year and then getting relegated the next despite scoring the most number of goals in the division. Winning Cups for cock ups best sums it up. You could argue that 'typical city' was an intrinsic part of our identity. However success on and off the pitch has engendered a new identity. Success and typical city cannot live hand in hand. I think it's every fans dream to have a successful team - and success on and off the pitch will shape your identity.

 

I will admit that i'm not a Heart fan, however I am excited about what this will mean for football in Australia. Football has always been a poorer cousin to the other codes. This is such a great opportunity for football in Australia full stop. Great new facilities leveraging off the expertise at a global level. Hopefully this will start the process of lifting the standing of the game by the bootstraps. And with league and union in a bit of a disastrous state at the minute, now is the perfect time to strike. This can result in football becoming the second biggest code in the country (don't think it will be able to dent the AFL). Yet much like the story of Australia's football history and like typical city there have been so many instances in the not to distant past of the code shooting itself in the foot. We know the coverage for the A League is still not supportive, someone bringing a flare into a game will be reported as being 'hooliganism gone wild' whereas the countless drunk idiots who beat the shit out of eachother at league and union matches barely get a mention. This is a chance to start correcting that. If people objectively looked at the greater good that City's involvement with Heart would bring to football in Australia, they would be tearing down the roadblocks rather than erecting them.

 

Put the self interest aside for the good of the game in the country and then they might actually start going places.

 

Are you fucking serious?

 

Your club has changed the name, badge, colours, and home shirt of my club and I'm the one not prepared to compromise? As my post said, I just want some red and white on our shirt, even combined with the sky blue of our owners. The shirt has absolutely nothing on it to suggest that Melbourne Heart ever existed, while away kits can be easily changed and mean very little. What's to stop City from changing the away strip in a couple of years time? Then the makeover to mini Man City will be totally complete.

 

Nearly as bad as having another club change everything about my club is having their supporters come here to tell me how I should feel about it. So fuck off.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Sash

[Heart_fan]

I love the current Melb City State League clubs drive, but damn good luck when you are trying to make the following statements in that article:

 

"We believe ourselves at some point we could have the opportunity to grow and join the national premier league and ... I find it hard to believe the two names can co-exist,''

 

I've heard of optimistic but thats insanity. Been around since 1991 with no real drive to be anything big until now, playing in the lower state leagues and making that kind of statement seems to just illustrate how they were unprepared and only now see an opportunity to get more.

 

If CFG are willing to co-exist with them, it just makes it even more likely that that club is just trying to get thoe most out of this as possible Judging from the Herald Sun article today it seems that CFG have even offered to give them coaching and equipment support as part of their grassroots development program, but have ruled out paying for the name.

 

Maybe the solution to stop any confusion is to call one of the clubs AFC (Association Football Club), which will help seperate the brands, even if in a minimal sense.

 

I dont know anything about Trademark law, but one would hope that the FFA and CFG would have triple checked its legal rights to the name before taking these steps.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Heart_fan

[Alexxandro]

 

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

Move on then, get off the site, I'm sure the future will be 'just fine'

 

We don't need you

 

I find it strange that a few people seem to have misinterpreted my post as somehow being anti-city. I was actually just reacting to the fact that some people keep arguing that Heart would have died if City hadn't bought us. I would have made my point no matter what my feelings on the matter for the sake of logic. 

 

I personally can't deny that I'm excited about being one of the strongest teams in the comp with players like Villa. I feel like a bit of a sell out because I am sad we are losing the Red and White home kit. But if anything I blame our old owners for making us easy pickings. 

 

I am on board the City express train- always have been. 

 

But I totally respect anyone who is not. 

 

The fact is I don't know if I think the old owners were any better than the new owners in terms of giving a shit about Heart's Red and White identity. I reckon they would have changed the kit colours in an instant if some marketing guy told them it was a good idea. 

 

Okay rant over. 

Edited June 6, 2014 by Alexxandro

[Alexxandro]

 

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing. 

 

Give it up mate. What's done is done. Either follow the new club or leave.

 

I'm gonna pm you my seat number and we are going to sort this out like real men. 

 

 

 

Actually scratch that I'm actually quite cowardly when it comes to physical violence. 

[Kiro Kompiro]

For many of our supporters the colors have significance beyond Melbourne Heart.  In fact I know this to be THE reason that they started to support Heart.

 

Who says you have to give them up?  What's stopping any of us who want to rocking up in red and white, Yarraside in Red and White, flags in red and white?  If that pisses off the owners, who cares?

[Kiro Kompiro]

I was very disappointed that they foisted a Man City 3rd kit on us at home "simply to show they could".  it reeked of the arrogance and contempt for Heart supporters we have seen since day one of the Man City arrival.  

 

 

I don't think that's why they did it.  i think they did because it was the last available way that they could still stamp their identity on to a club they had bought.

 

Agree with everything else.  Always been my plan to wear my red and white, not to purchase a membership (x3) and see if I feel any attachment after a few games.  If not the A-league can get fucked-so can Foxtel for that matter.

[Heart_fan]

People will still wear red and white, as its a part of the crest and the shirts. If some want to wear blue, all good. They are all colours of the club.

 

Lets get over the colours please and look forward. The constant whining about it gets tiring.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Heart_fan

[TOPCAT]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing.

Give it up mate. What's done is done. Either follow the new club or leave.

I'm gonna pm you my seat number and we are going to sort this out like real men.

Actually scratch that I'm actually quite cowardly when it comes to physical violence. Good move

Edited June 6, 2014 by TOPCAT

[Boffins]

This has been said many times before... but Heart were going just fine. They were breaking even and really just needed some good players and better training facilities. We didn't need one of the richest clubs in the world to buy us we just needed someone or a group to buy who actually gave a shit and weren't just treating Heart as a little financial play thing.

Give it up mate. What's done is done. Either follow the new club or leave.

I'm gonna pm you my seat number and we are going to sort this out like real men.

Actually scratch that I'm actually quite cowardly when it comes to physical violence. Good move

Great move

[Kiro Kompiro]

People will still wear red and white, as its a part of the crest and the shirts. If some want to wear blue, all good. They are all colours of the club.

 

Lets get over the colours please and look forward. The constant whining about it gets tiring.

 

 

Ever been dumped by a girl who was the best piece of ass that you were ever gonna have?

 

Well, this is nothing like that.

 

This is like dating her shy and awkward sister, supporting through her struggle to get out of her sisters shadow, holding back because you know when it does happen it'll be something really special, only for some bastard in a Lambo to come along end up having his way with her, and her then saying you can still be friends and that nothing has changed.

[M13]

Lots of posts in this thread telling everyone what they prefer or what´s best for themselves... Few posts discussing what´s best for the club itself