To me it depends what regions the “other fans” they are trying to keep onside.

If they mean other areas like the Blue Mountains and Baulkham hills which are in close enough proximity to a Western Sydney team but from places who wouldn’t want to be branded West Sydney then that’s ok.

If it’s the Northern Suburbs then I feel they are spreading themselves too thin and risk appealing to no one.

Despite any misplaced marketing strategies they may have if they play all their games at Parramatta they will be more of a West Sydney team than anything by far. After all no one considers the Mariners a Canberra team and they actually played 2 a league matches there.

Edit: Could also be them doing a bit of a Robin Hood while they are fund raising, a lot of the $$$ in Sydney comes fromt he east and north. Once the intial capital is secured hopefully they ditch this misguided effort to appeal to North Sydney folk. Though Epping isn't that far from Parramatta.


Edited by Andyroo: 12/1/2010 11:41:56 AM

Edited by Andyroo: 12/1/2010 11:44:55 AM

Edited by Andyroo: 12/1/2010 11:45:25 AM

Thanks for being specific

Honestly, I'm surprised they don't ask players, coaches and officials to post regularly on forums (or twitter :P). It'd be one hell of a way to earn fandom.

Imagine (for example) if John Van't Schip came on this thread and actually acknowledged the support, or clarified a few issues (such as the goddamn badge delay). I bet he'd score himself ten or so instant supporters. These would then tell others, who may or may not do the same.

Such an opportunity to earn fandom, and it's free!

Edited by notveryclever: 12/1/2010 12:40:25 PM

That's a good idea. Be accessible, up-front, frank and honest, people respond to that.

Problem is, just about everything can cause bother these days.

There are two big Sunderland forums on the net - the SMB (Sunderland Message Board) and the BCC (Black Cat Chat). Darren Bent recently stated on Twitter that he regularly reads the SMB, the BCC is currently in uproar!

For the record - the SMB is a lot busier, but the average age of posters appears to be about 15, the BCC is a lot more grown up (and quieter)!

He has posted some stuff of the Heart website, saying what he's up to, what he wants to achieve etc. They also have a survey up at the moment asking about exactly this sort of stuff, so if you care, go to http://www.melbourneheartsyn.com/ and click the link.

No worries Benjamin, however I was talking about footy mascots.
I like Heart as an identifier.
I'm pretty sure you said on a previous post you were 100% certain that they were to be called Heart. That doesn't leave alot of probability for error. :lol:

To answer the first question : I was not in Australia and didn't have the chance to keep in touch with Victory or the A-league for that matter.
2nd: I have been impressed by their signings and announcements.
3rd: They have touched my Heart o:)

Nix have it with Tony Pignata

Sorry Double post :oops:

Edited by jollyrodger: 12/1/2010 01:49:39 PM

As interesting and relevant to the A-league as this conversation is, shouldn't all of this talk of Western Sydney etc be on a different thread?

This is supposed to be the Melbourne Heart Supporters thread.

We were comparing MH strategy with WS's. But point taken.

I think it's time to focus back in on the Heart.

Got any chant ideas... here's some that might/might not work.
"He is young, he is mean, he looks like wolverine - Heffernan, Heffernan!"

"Thompson, There's only one Thompson, there's only one Thompson"

"We're Red, We're White, We're gonna win tonight!"

please add some more...

Where did you come from? Is that you Peter?

A newby to FFT. But gunna be a Heart fan.
I got my reasons.

Keen to build some chants so we can make some noise in the Rectangle (surely that stadium is inevitable).

I suggested that they make John V, and John D. more accessible via Twitter in their recent survey on the Heart Syn. website.

Make the suggestion! The more people who make the same suggestion, the more likely it is going to happen.

Oh, I thought your name might have been Peter Sidwell. Welcome quichefc.

What are your reasons for supporting Heart?

Well for one I've met JvS and JD... but my decision to join predates that.

I've been dissatisfied with MV for years. Poor community involvement, they've had 5 years head start on Heart and have done very little to win over hearts and minds. They've just assumed that as a one team town they'd get support.

I'm also keen to have another reason to argue with my ManUre and Victory supporting mate.

I think community engagement is the key. Do you have any idea how Heart will go tackle this issue in order to build its supporter base?

Well that's the $million question.

The team naming comp was obviosly a first step, but that appears to have backfired as in all probability it'll be the name they chose themselves (which I like - bettert han the other 3 on offer in the HS comp. I did prefer Melb City but that's because I hate the fact that Geoff Lord want's us to be a suburban club). No I don't go for Man City/Stoke/Cardiff/Leicester etc.

They will have to develop a playing roster and get those players engagedin the community a lot more than Victory.

Furthermore, and most importantly they need to establish strong community partners that will positively position their club and differentiate it from the other Melbourne team. Link up with organisations and community leaders that people have a positive affiliation with.

They can't afford to just hope people will join.

They know they have to do this so that's what they will do... how well they do it will determine whether they get 8k or 18k supporters. Melbourne is a town that buys sporting memberships and in the new stadium (same seat each week) they will have an advantage.

](*,) please no [-o<

Ok, so maybe they won't... I don't really care. I just thought of a couple to begin debate. I just hope that all our chants are not all 'hate and hostility'. Like Sing or Fuck off!

The victory fans have stuff all that supports the team. Their loudest chant (North/South) has nothing to do with their players... and after that the only decent chant is 'jump for'.

The Northern Terrace, is about discipline, though we lack it in later times.
Its about making noise.
Singing "Where red, where white, where gonna win tonight", is not going to make your team win more frequantly, then if we sing, "Ale, Ale, Ale, Melbourne, Ale, For the city, By the Yarra, We are Melbourne, all the way".

In the end of the day, players react to sound, not words. Do you think Archie gets put off his game when people sing "Archie Thompson, Your a Wanker"?
Because he wouldnt.

If 2,000 people are screaming at the top of there voice, the players will react to it exactly the same, as if they were singing some short little tune you made up while your dreaming.
Think about it sunshine.

Thanks for the wise advice...

The fans just need something catchy that 'everyone' can sing along too... not just a small 'elite'. Some of the best chants are short... although I agree mine were shit. I just thought of them to stir debate...

Just hope more people would get cracking on thinking of more chants... I think it would be great to go to Victory's last home match in red and white and announce ourselves!

I thought about it for the last match before Christmas (in maybe santa suits) but we still don't have a confirmed identity.

Theres nothing to wrong with those chants. There not top notch. But ey' what can yah do.
Please dont come to our games. :-& [-x

I'm sure the Heart fans will just be able to rip off some of Hearts (Scotland) chants but replace Hibs with Victory/Merrick/Muscat ;)

http://home.wanadoo.nl/maarten.geluk/songs/hearts.html

](*,) British Style Chants]](*,)

Firstly to Jonnycomelately: Cheers for the understanding. Looking back I can see you were comparing strategies between Heart and WS.

On the note of crowd chants. I think the Heart chant will need drums, or at least something resembling a heart. Repetitive and loud like the beating of a Heart, that rises in cresendo when in attack.

Kind of like "Boooom....Boooom....Boooom....Boooom, then BOOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM, then BOOM!..BOOM!..BOOM!..BOOM! with BOOM!.BOOM!.BOOM!.BOOM! (think jungle drums)followed by a "Meeeelbourne Heaaaaaaaart" low and slow(resembling the liverpool chant)

Thrilling and terrifying.

Edited by jollyrodger: 12/1/2010 10:52:32 PM

Edited by jollyrodger: 12/1/2010 10:54:34 PM

Edited by jollyrodger: 12/1/2010 10:56:11 PM

How bout you leave |Melbourne| out of your chants.

It would be much appreciated.
ciao.

Nah mate, we will have every right to have it included as you guys do....

There's a new team in town, the quicker you get used to it, the better your life will feel.

Melbourne Heart FC. Get used to it, we have arrived. ;) :p