Saints in Milne legal funds row

[Waltzing St Kilda]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/s ... 2yirw.html

Gee whiz ... former teammates are trying to help an old mate -- who, let's face it, will struggle to find high-paying employment in the future (and won't be finding any if he's convicted) -- and some unnamed "St Kilda coterie member" thinks this is a disgrace. And blabs to the press. Who are happy to find any reason to paint the club yet again as scandal-ridden.

And where's the presumption of innocence? Everyone in the article are talks about Milne as if he's obviously guilty.

If the "coterie member" actually exists, s/he represents the worst of St Kilda -- so-called supporters who are destroying the club from within.

[happy feet]

An absolute s*** story. Why should it be printed.

[Con Gorozidis]

Good intentions but probably a little ill conceived....

Not a real smart thing to do.

By the same token Im not sure why the coterie member felt the need to go to the media.
Once again amazing the players made this decision on their own without getting it cleared by the club.
Poor PR.

[whiskers3614]

5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?

[Con Gorozidis]

5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?

Its hard to fathom their mentality it must be said.
If they want to help they should pitch in or do something privately thats fine.
But publicly soliciting for funds in this manner is not bright at all.
Shows little insight. I assume a player asked some office staff for a mailing list and this was provided without legal clearance. So no ceo. No corporate leadership.

[whiskers3614]

5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?

Its hard to fathom their mentality it must be said.
If they want to help they should pitch in or do something privately thats fine.
But publicly soliciting for funds in this manner is not bright at all.
Shows little insight. I assume a player asked some office staff for a mailing list and this was provided without legal clearance. So no ceo. No corporate leadership.

Surprised they didn't ask Watters to contribute too.
After all the players(allegedly) do the hiring and firing of coaches!

[plugger66]

5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?

Maybe some players have already chipped in or maybe not. Nothing new in this. For years players on good wages tried to get footy trips paid for by have fund raising until clubs realised how poor that looked. Nearly every person wants a free lunch no matter what you earn and usually the more you earn the more free stuff you get. Good luck to them but im unsure this is a good move. Its a silly story but again it would exist if one of our supporters didnt contact someone. its like all the stuff Caro and Finey have gone with. Its coming from the club or in this case a supporter.

[saintspremiers]

5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?

Its hard to fathom their mentality it must be said.
If they want to help they should pitch in or do something privately thats fine.
But publicly soliciting for funds in this manner is not bright at all.
Shows little insight. I assume a player asked some office staff for a mailing list and this was provided without legal clearance. So no ceo. No corporate leadership.

Surprised they didn't ask Watters to contribute too.
After all the players(allegedly) do the hiring and firing of coaches!

Watters has got half a mil off the club for nothing. It's the least he could do.

It's a shame the players are more interested/motivated in helping Mr Milne and not our club that has bled money left right and centre over recent years but still provided them with a decent wage.

[thejiggingsaint]

Unbelievable.

[Eastern]

It shouldn't be too difficult to find who the COWARD is that ran to the media with this.

A REAL supporter who had issues with this would act through the club, NOT through the media !!

[philtee]

Pretty poor effort if it was a Halo member who has run to the media, and labelled the effort a "disgrace".
What did they expect?

[PADDLEPOP1001]

This story was put on a website on either Big Footy or Saintsational about 3 weeks ago !

[saintspremiers]

It shouldn't be too difficult to find who the COWARD is that ran to the media with this.

A REAL supporter who had issues with this would act through the club, NOT through the media !!

Depends on how much confidence that person has in how our club handles issues.

[dragit]

It shouldn't be too difficult to find who the COWARD is that ran to the media with this.

A REAL supporter who had issues with this would act through the club, NOT through the media !!

Depends on how much confidence that person has in how our club handles issues.

Only a complete moron could think that going to the media about this issue will benefit the club.

Unbelievable.

[saintbeth]

[quote="Con Gorozidis"][quote="whiskers3614"]5% of the top paid players' salaries should more than cover the legal bill.
Where do they get this sense of entitlement?[/quote]
Its hard to fathom their mentality it must be said.
If they want to help they should pitch in or do something privately thats fine.
But publicly soliciting for funds in this manner is not bright at all.
Shows little insight. I assume a player asked some office staff for a mailing list and this was provided without legal clearance. So no ceo. No corporate leadership.[/quote]


I am absolutely furious about this if it is true. The players should be ashamed of themselves. I can understand their concern for a friend (and I share their concern and have loved watching Milney play) but they could have;
1. approached the players association for assistance or
2. approached their own wallets (some of which are full from years of club payments)

This is NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR MEDIA, FUTURE SPONSERSHIP OR COTERIE MEMBERS, and is in my opinion, silly in the extreme. Bordering on stupidity. Eastern, I see your point about the coterie member going to the media, when they could have gone to the club first, but maybe they were as upset about it as I am. I have not believed, until now, all the stuff printed in the media about our 'disarray'. I am now starting to get the horrible feeling that there might be some truth in it. SKFC needs to come out and deny this or say, it was a mistake, or some such, immediately!!!!!!!!! If not WHY would any sponser look at us?

[Eastern]

It shouldn't be too difficult to find who the COWARD is that ran to the media with this.

A REAL supporter who had issues with this would act through the club, NOT through the media !!

Depends on how much confidence that person has in how our club handles issues.

If I may put up a counter argument;

Do you really think that any good outcomes can be achieved for anyone by running off to the media with stories like this? !!

[thejiggingsaint]

fair comment from saintbeth (IMHO) I'm not sure just how I would react if I was approached to help fund the Milne legal defence. Even allowing for the presumption of innocence, I'd be reluctant to contribute. This has nothing to do with the Footy club, really it hasn't, although there are many who WANT it to be so. The responsibility for the position Milne finds himself in, has to be (for a large part) with Milne. The alleged offence occurred at the home of a footballer, and the accused is a footballer. The link with St Kilda is just THAT! To go to the club sponsors/members/ coteries for assistance is a bad move (IMHO)

[dragit]

I am absolutely furious about this if it is true. The players should be ashamed of themselves. I can understand their concern for a friend (and I share their concern and have loved watching Milney play) but they could have;
1. approached the players association for assistance or
2. approached their own wallets (some of which are full from years of club payments)

This is NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR MEDIA, FUTURE SPONSERSHIP OR COTERIE MEMBERS, and is in my opinion, silly in the extreme. Bordering on stupidity. Eastern, I see your point about the coterie member going to the media, when they could have gone to the club first, but maybe they were as upset about it as I am. I have not believed, until now, all the stuff printed in the media about our 'disarray'. I am now starting to get the horrible feeling that there might be some truth in it. SKFC needs to come out and deny this or say, it was a mistake, or some such, immediately!!!!!!!!! If not WHY would any sponser look at us?

1. Milne isn't a registered player so is not part of the association

2. You are assuming that these players haven't already contributed money, but do you have any idea whatsoever?

The players are watching a good friend whom they consider to be innocent rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, he has a family to support and will no doubt lose his house without extra help. It was probably naive of them to approach club sponsors and coterie members for support, but I suggest the best answer for those who object would be "No, I will not contribute to this cause"

Save your fury for something worthwhile.

[saintspremiers]

fair comment from saintbeth (IMHO) I'm not sure just how I would react if I was approached to help fund the Milne legal defence. Even allowing for the presumption of innocence, I'd be reluctant to contribute. This has nothing to do with the Footy club, really it hasn't, although there are many who WANT it to be so. The responsibility for the position Milne finds himself in, has to be (for a large part) with Milne. The alleged offence occurred at the home of a footballer, and the accused is a footballer. The link with St Kilda is just THAT! To go to the club sponsors/members/ coteries for assistance is a bad move (IMHO)

I think it's fair to say the players run the club not the admin.

Sadly that appears the case.

[whiskers3614]

May be Watters was not the ogre painted by some.
Maybe he tried to explain to some of them how things are in the real world, and the poor darlings couldn't cope with it.
This episode much more than "dwarf-gate" shows me that concerns about "culture" aren't totally misplaced!

[joffaboy]

Not in the printed version. Even the rag that the sunday Age is couldn't bring itself to print this mindless tripe.

Apparently Milne isn't afforded the oportunity to defend himself according to the inference in this garbage piece

[mr six o'clock]

I carn't wait to read the story from the disgruntled essendon coterie member asked to contribute to there legal fund !

[whiskers3614]

Let's blame the media and point out other clubs misdeeds.

Much more comfortable than looking in the mirror!

[joffaboy]

Let's blame the media and point out other clubs misdeeds.

Much more comfortable than looking in the mirror!

For what whiskers?

I dont understand your inference. Are you suggesting that Milnes rape charge is a direct result of him being associated with the St.Kilda Football Club?

So we look in the mirror whiskers and what do we see? A footballer charged with a serious criminal offence with his friends attempting to raise money so he can defend himself.

Are you against someone having the right to defend themselves. Do you have something against his friends trying to help?

BTW just noticed it is on the front page of the Age. Only ever look at the sports section of the Sunday rag, so I gave it too much credit in my previous post.

Still whiskers I wouldn't mind an answer to your inference that Milnes rape charge is somehow associated with the organisation that is the STKFC.

[SemperFidelis]

Not in the printed version. Even the rag that the sunday Age is couldn't bring itself to print this mindless tripe.

Apparently Milne isn't afforded the oportunity to defend himself according to the inference in this garbage piece

I am sorry to say Joffa that if you were looking in the sport section, you may have overlooked the FRONT PAGE! Because, as we all know, a recycled Bigfooty story constitutes real news worthy of a front page guernsey ahead of, say, murder or world conflict.

I nearly choked on my Weetbix when I saw it. And then had to explain what it meant to my 7 year old who opened the paper and read it.