It did look like an ambush to an outsider all right - but needless to say we'd defer to local knowledge.Chalky wrote:"as the people at the agm are regulars at the agm every year"
I'm a regular reader of this site and do not post but I have to take umbrage with the above comment. This was a complete and utter ambush, There were lads at the AGM that you would never see at a Rhode match never mind an AGM !
A couple of other points I'd like to make.
- There was an unwritten rule so to speak that the Rhode manager went unopposed at the AGM if he decided he wanted to continue in the role. This was the case for all managers whether they had won or not won that years championship.
- This was completely divided the village which is really sad, the decision by Pat Daly and his cronies will be divisive and will cost the club in the long term by the loss of players, volunteers and lotto money.
- Gerry Hickey didn’t deserve to be treated this way, he has conducted himself with honour throughout this whole saga and deserved another crack after bringing the Senior, League and U21 titles back to the village this year.
Just to pick up on these points - only paid up members can vote at an AGM. Anyone can attend and it's up to the chairman who can speak, but voting rights are strictly for paid members only. I doubt that lads paid Rhode GAA money back in the spring just for the right to vote for Pat Daly and never went to a match in the meantime.
Sadly, your point about divisiveness in the club is all too true. Certainly if I was a player or a volunteer happy with the way things are being done, I'd be slow to take up the yoke and get cracking again in 2013 after a decision like this.
I'm not a big fan of "unwritten rules" though. Such traditions and customs can get both manipulated and abused, as may have happened in this case.
As an aside, welcome to the board chalky - always good to have new contributors.