NOTES FROM MEETING - *Members read this 1st*

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

*NB - Responses and comments to the below (especially where marked and where a separate thread is started) are needed from all members who did not attend the meeting.

Notes from meeting of 20/05/04 in The Oak Wine Bar and Brasserie, Grosvenor Road, West Belfast

Introduction - This brainstorming was designed to function as a scoping meeting to examine the key issues behind the forthcoming ……. Nah, only joking, it was a chance for a few drinks with birthday boy and NI Hibs stalwart Ned Kelly, while discussing a few things about the supporters’ club at the same time.

Attending - Northern Ireland Hibby (Secretary/ Diplomat), Ned Kelly (Man About Town) and Garry (Chief Negotiator). AWOL - Fizzure (Pace Drinker). Apologies - U What?, Raymond, Scoobie, Nev.

1, Garry has been working on a website which pays tribute to the Famous Five. It can be found at www.blackcatco.co.uk/famousfive. *Could everyone please have a look and leave their comments in the separate thread*. The site will have a new web address soon and will be linked to the www.nihibs.com site.

NIH is looking into setting up a link with the Former Players Association and any facility it has for people to make donations. Garry quite rightly pointed out that NI Hibs should be doing everything possible to support this very, very worth cause (“Eddie Turnbull wasn’t going home to a £50,000 a week salary when we met him”).

2, So far it looks like the Turnbull presentation will be held at the end of the year and will involve us travelling over, taking Eddie and Tom Wright out for a meal after a game and then making a presentation of a trophy in the Hibs Club. If they will allow it we would like to make the presentation on the pitch at ER, NIH will look into this as well as update Mr Turnbull and ask his views. (*Comments on separate thread please*)

3, It was decided that we should start a new system for funding trips to Scotland. A bank account will be set up into which each person should pass £10 per month by standing order. Then, when we are booking travel to Scotland as a group, NIH can draw on whatever amount members have each put in to pay for their travel and tickets. (*Pl ease add your comments to the separate thread*, if everyone is happy I will set the account up).

This would mean that NIH could only use £30 for a person if that is all they have paid in, this would not be a ‘pool’ of money and it should not be used for people to draw against unless they are travelling with other members.

This money, with the agreement each time of all members involves, can also be used to pay for things like the Turnbull trophy. It can also go towards buying season tickets for schools (as we did last year and as, led by Garry, members are keen to continue) as well as possible donations to the Hibs Youth Benefit Scheme. Garry said he believes that Hibs are losing some of their support at absolute ground level (in the schools) and we should play our part in trying to regain this support before the Old Firm do first.

4, NIH asked Hibs about doing an interview with Colin Murdoch for www.nihibs.com, he was told that someone would get back to him but no one would. Another, and last, attempt will be made at this by NIH.

5, A section on Cannon Hannan is to be added to the www.nihibs.com website when it is finished. It is only right that we honour a great man.

6, A nicknames thread has been set up on the forum (ie, Garry is Chief Negotiator, Fizzure is Pace Drinker etc). (Could everyone have a go and see if we can come up with some more).

7, NI Hibs still needs a new banner. The material is very easy to get and have stitched. We need to find someone who can stitch in and/or make the lettering and design. (*Could everyone see if they can make any progress on this and see the discussion in the separate thread*).

8, New merchandise has been designed and added to the NI Hibs merchandise range thanks to Scooby (probably the best designer in the world). Everyone have a look please by clicking on the button on the NI Hibs site.

9, The article mentioning NI Hibs has been printed in the Irish News. The text is printed in a separate thread.

10, Two schemes have been started up by Hibs and by the Supporters’ Association. The official one involves paying £30 per year and getting benefits like free access to reserve games etc. The Supporters’ Association one involves paying £10 per month into a season tickets draw with the money being used to buy a plastic pitch for ER.

It was decided that neither schemes are suitable for NI Hibs funds at the moment (as the Turnbull presentation, travel and donations to kids schemes are a priority). Members can donate to their schemes on their own if they wish.

11, One last time - everyone is to use this forum as often as possible. Get involved in the topics and start new discussions. If everyone does not use this the forum it is worthless and a waste of the time put into it by those who do not post.

NIH has warned that he may not organise the Turnbull presentation if he doesn’t feel he is getting any support from members in this way. The presentation is too big an honour for the supporters’ club, as well as being of great personal importance to some members, for us to be embarrassed by a lack of support nearer the time.

12, The planned visit of Erin Hibs visit to Belfast will now be held later in the year. The lads will be very welcome and we look forward to hosting them in our fine city!

13, Our trip to Ballingarry is still a possibility, perhaps for later in the year. (*Can everyone use the separate thread to say if they want to go and when would suit*).

14, A city guide to Edinburgh and Belfast is to be added to the nihibs.com site. It will list individual venues (such as The Oak, the Hibs Club, the Cabbage and Ribs, the Iona) and places of interest and a few lines about each. (*Could everyone add any items they want to be added in the separate thread*)

15, A new member recently contacted the club but we have not heard from him recently. Members stressed that he would be very welcome and hoped he would join us for a meeting/session (see next item) or a trip to ER.

16, Members based in Belfast plan to meet on the last Thursday of every month in The Oak bar, Grosvenor Road, Belfast at 7.30pm for lively debate and livelier drinking (there’s live music from 9.30pm) . This will make it easier for members in Derry and Ballymena to plan in advance to attend.

17, That is all. Remember: Stay away from the Dark Side. They may have 50,000 seater stadiums but you can’t buy your soul back!

Ends …

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

We had another meeting on Saturday past and, aside from deciding that I'm under the thumb, here's what we discussed:

1, More new merchandise is on the way but the range will have a bit of twist this time. Will let everyone know when it is finished. Will be available through www.nihibs.com as usual.

2, I've found out that we can put a listing in the 'Soccer Briefs' section of the Irish News before we head over to games. This is a free service (as opposed to a back page advert) and I'll be doing this in future.

3, Next games in Edinburgh: At least two people/possibly three are heading over to the game at Swinecastle on October 23rd. We'll be aiming for a game in Glasgow in the new year with the idea being that we could get a good turnout of members from Ballymena, L'derry, new members etc. as this fixture suits people who do not want to stay overnight in Scotland.

4, The new Cannon Hannan section of the website is now finished and online.

5, Myself, IAteJT and Ned are going to start contributing into a monthly savings fund from which future travel/tickets etc will be paid for. We've talked/posted on the forum about this at length, and everyone has had a chance to join, but the bottom line is that all future tickets/travel will be paid in advance, including by those who do not subscribe to this system. Also, the fund will be used to pay for the former player presentation and those who do not donate to the fund will be expected to add their contribution towards the trophy etc. before attending this event.

6, The former player presentation will be booked and a date confirmed once enough money is in the NI Hibs fund to pay for all costs in advance (ie, I'm not bank-rolling it).

7, An email has been sent to Nick Colgan wishing him all the best at his new club. A true gent who deserves our support.

8, It has been decided, from an excellent suggestion by Ned, that we should hold some kind of event to mark Hibs' anniversary each year on August 6. I'll put it in the diary and we can look at this again next year.

Cheers,

NIH

[I Ate JamTarts]

Regarding point 8, we will just count last sat as a better late than never effort.

Hibernian Go Bragh

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

Good call - by the way, by the way...

I've started a new section in the forum called 'Belfast, Belfast Wonderful Town'. It's a guide to pubs and eating places in Belfast.

Could you and everyone add your own listings to the thread and I'll update the original post. Ta.

NIH