Phil Cleary calls on Richmond to delay plans on the VFL Tigers' future (H-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Cleary calls on Richmond to delay plans on the VFL Tigers' future

    Cody Winnell
    From: Leader
    June 24, 2012 8:14PM


COBURG Football Club life member Phil Cleary has called on Richmond Football Club to delay any plans to ditch its alignment with the northern suburbs VFL Tigers for another 12 months.

Speaking after a media report on Thursday suggested the VFL Tigers could cease to operate in that league from next year due to their financial situation, the Coburg premiership coach and former player said Richmond ending its 11-year alignment with the 121-year-old local club would present a hope for traditionalists.

"On the one hand it's extremely disappointing but on the other hand it gives you a sense of hope," Cleary told Leader.

"The truth is alignments are always going to be fragile and leave the AFL side with the more power.

"I've got no axe to grind with Richmond but Coburg is not the Coburg Tigers, Coburg is the Coburg Lions (the club's former VFA name) and that's the way it should always remain."

Cleary has called on Moreland Council to ensure Coburg's survival should its alignment with Richmond fall over and is asking Richmond to hold off pulling the pin for at least 12 months to give supporters like him a chance to develop a business model that can see the local team flourish.

"The first challenge is for Moreland Council to pump money into its main footy ground and the second is for Coburg to explore bringing EDFL club West Coburg into Coburg City Oval," Cleary said.

"Instead of building a new venue in Moreland if West could move to City Oval then maybe they could co-exist at the ground and build a really big, strong local football entity.

"It would create pathways for local kids and become a strong, local domestic side that would certainly have a strong membership behind it."

Cleary said the strongest VFL clubs had the backing of pokies and highlighted the fact Coburg wasn't reliant on gaming money.

"This is something that needs to be promoted," Cleary said.

"That Coburg is a non-gaming club, but it needs to find a revenue stream and that's where local businesses and council have to come on board."

Coburg general manager Jake McCauley declined to comment and Richmond Football Club was unavailable for comment.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/localfooty/cleary-calls-on-richmond-to-delay-plans-on-the-vfl-tigers-future/story-fn53khop-1226406989276

[Tigeritis™©®]

Yes I agree with Phil.
They should be the coburg lions and Richmond should be the tigers with a black jumper and a yellow sash.
End of discussion.

[Phil Mrakov]

End the alliance now!

[Judge Roughneck]

Fo clearly u gimp

[Rodgerramjet]

End the alliance now!

+ 1000

[JVT]

They should be the coburg lions and Richmond should be the tigers with a black jumper and a yellow sash.

Perfectly said.

End the alliance as soon as we (RFC) are in the financial position to do so (hopefully for 2013, but would think we have 1 more year left with them). I have no interest in watching Coburg play and it has never sat right with me that we have our players running around in their jumpers. 

I'd happily pay a little more on top of my current membership to gain access to Richmond VFL games. There are a lot of costs associated with fielding our own side, but there are also a lot more opportunities to bring in some cash due to it (sponsors, merchandise, gate takings from Punt Rd home games). 

[cub]

Why do people wait until the second foot is half in the grave before they act or start to beg in this case! Coburg have been screwed for years and if not for us would of been gone by now!!!

[dwaino]

Wants the handouts from RFC yet wants to remain known as Coburg Lions? Eff off. I don't have an axe to grind with Coburg or Cleary.. But I support the RFC.

[Gracie]

Yeah prop them up for another 12 months which also gives us time to properly structure and fund our own reserves side.

[cub]

Yeah prop them up for another 12 months which also gives us time to properly structure and fund our own reserves side.

  Suits both

[Dubstep Dookie]

Stuff off Phylum

[bojangles17]

Phil cleary youve cooked the goose that laid the golden egg mate. You can have the bleedin lions, nut do us a favour and go it alone, cap in hand to the local community...we're over it...good luck

[Gigantor]

I usually have alot of time for phil,but i reckon he's being a tad one sided here.if it wasnt for RFC coburg FC would be but a distant memory now and  on the city oval would be a large housing estate.

[Gigantor]

damn i wish our finances would enable the club to play games at punt road.Its overwhelming that this is what the membership and supporter base wants and ASAP

[tony_montana]

Would everyone pay an extra tenner on an average adult membership in order for the club to go at it alone sooner rather than later? Take it to the peeps tigers, I for one would be happy to pay a bit extra to help bridge the financial gap