THE BOMBER

So, in case you didn’t know, I’m a fan of the Essendon Football Club.

I use to be a member, many years ago, but since moving to the country, it’s not realistic for me to pay that much and have to travel so far.  Sure, I can get a country membership, but I can’t be fucked with it.  I’ve other things I would prefer to spend my money on (like cookbooks) than an EFC membership, to be honest.

I became a Bomber fan because I was simply brainwashed by my best friend, Marika.  There’s no other explanation for it.  I was lost in the ALF supporters wilderness; not attached to any particular club… not all that interested, really… then I was introduced to the might red and black.

The rest is history.

Marika is a generational supporter.  Her family has passed down the love of the game, and of the EFC, through the generations, and it’s simply a part of Marika’s cellular makeup.  There’s no other way to describe it.

She has been a financial member of the EFC for well over 20 years.  She has supported the club, through good times and bad, by attending functions, purchasing merchandise, sponsoring players, working at membership drives (where she was spat at by feral Collingwood supporters), and of course; going to matches

Her loyalty to the club is unquestionable, and her passion for the game fierce.  However, that loyalty has been seriously tested this week.

Before I continue this story, let me share with you a post that Marika put up on her wall last week.

‘EFC i will no longer stick up for you..... you really are a pathetic, 3rd rate run footy club!!! Issues EVERY friggen year with my membership but now onto my 3rd replacement membership card for 2012 which this time turns up and it’s a bloody concession membership!!! I haven't been a concession member for 18 years cockheads!!! So no doubt tomorrow my incorrect membership wont get me in!!!! get ready for a friggen mouthful tomorrow night at the membership tent....well perhaps not a mouthful but you WILL listen to my length grievances you crap crap footy club....EFC your the new Richmond!’

Pretty self-explanatory, really?  Marika has had some issues with her membership renewal, and from what I understand, has continually addressed those issues with the club, to no avail.

So, she’s had a rant on Facebook.  Big deal.  Most people have done that from time to time, haven’t they?  I sure as shit have.

Bet those people haven’t received a direct phone call from the Manager of the Membership Department of the Essendon Football Club because of it.

Yep.  You read right.

The Manager of the Membership Department called Marika.  Personally.

Now, you would imagine that this person would be most apologetic about the situation; concerned for Marika’s state of upset, and keen to resolve the issues that she’s been banging on about for years.  That would be the normal process, wouldn’t it? 

Wrong.

The Manager of the Membership Department of the Essendon Football Club rang Marika and gave her a mouthful.

Yep.  You read right.  A mouthful.

She went through Marika like a dose of salts, reprimanding her for airing her grievances through ‘social media’, and using profanities and foul language (I didn’t think ‘cockhead’ and ‘friggin’ were that bad, to be honest… I’m sure she could have said much worse). 

She accused Marika of being defamatory, and said that she should have called her directly to discuss the issues. 

When Marika tried to defend herself, which in all honesty, would have been quite hard because she was completely blindsided; when she tried to explain that she hadn’t used profanities, that she had contacted the club on numerous occasions, and had given them many chances to fix and resolve these issues, she was shouted down, and told to ‘focus’.

Marika was shown complete and utter disrespect, and treated like a child. 

No; ‘child’ is incorrect. 

Marika was treated like an inconvenience.

By a woman who was the Manager of a Membership Department of a major AFL club, and who should have known better.

This woman made it quite clear that she was completely disinterested in Marika’s connection and history with the club (and her years of service in the very department that she managed), and how expendable Marika’s membership was.

What better way to solve a problem, than to eliminate it completely.

‘Maybe a membership with the Essendon Football Club is not for you.’ She said.

‘Are you telling me that you don’t want me as a member?’ Marika asked.

‘I’m saying that maybe a membership with Essendon is not for you.’

20 years of loyalty.  20 years of blood, sweat, tears and love meant nothing.  Can you imagine the pain those words would have caused her?  I can, because I know her well.  Trust me when I say that it would have felt like this woman just reached into Marika’s chest and ripped out her heart.

And one must ask why?

Out of this incident, two questions were raised for me.

Question 1:   Who in God’s name gave this woman the right to behave in a manner so unprofessional?  Who rings a financial member of any organisation and speaks to them in such a way?  Who treats another human being like that?  This woman is a representative of the club that Marika pays money to, yet she has bullied, belittled and threatened Marika in such a horrendous way.

Without the 40,000 people like Marika, where would a club like Essendon be?  Oh that’s right: they have corporate sponsorship to carry them through.   I forgot about that.  They don’t need members anymore, do they?

One can only assume that her intention was to ‘get rid’ of Marika and her membership, therein solving the problem once and for all.

Question 2:   How did they find out? How did they know that Marika put up that post? 

This is the question that struck me as soon as M started telling me this story.  How the fuck did they know that she had written that about them?

Marika became so upset and paranoid, because she simply thought that ‘big brother’ must have been watching her every fucken post.  How else could they know?

Simple.  One of her friends told them.

This is where this whole story get’s really interesting. 

You see, through all good intentions, one of Marika’s friends read her post, rang the club and complained.  Complained about what?  Their mismanagement of his friends’ membership.  He rang to complain to the club about their performance, and to fix it.

Fucken fail.

At some point, this woman has decided to take a swing at the problem, and smash it out of the park.  Would be helpful if you knew how to play ball in the first place.

Personally, I am absolutely disgusted that a person holding such and important public relations position, handled herself in such a poor manner.  To ring up a member and treat her so disrespectfully is simply disgraceful.

One would wonder why she is even in that position at all.  Obviously, she can’t manage her department because they keep stuffing up the memberships (and I’m sure Marika is not alone here).  Nor can she manage herself if she thinks this is how you treat your bread and butter; the backbone of the club.

I’m thinking that perhaps the ‘Membership Manager’ is not her station in life.

*sigh

Somehow, I don’t believe I’ve heard the last of this matter. 

Some of these Essendon fans have a mighty loud roar.

Peace out.