Tag Archives: active

Podcast

The Jetstream Podcast – 2021 W-League Special

Dr Emma (@Synapse101) is joined by Hype Girl (@bjsplatface) from @ActiveJets & @NewcastleJetsFC coach Ash Wilson to talk about the @WLeague season

The ladies get together via Zoom to discuss everything to do with the Newcastle Jets and the W-League, including the opening round loss to the Wanderers and the games ahead this season.

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Squadron

STATEMENT: The Squadron Withdrawing From Active Support

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The Squadron FSC Inc advise, effective immediately we are ceasing involvement with active support. The FFA’s mandated restrictions & conditions applied to all active groups in the A-League have had a devastating impact on the levels of active support growth at Jets fixtures.

These restrictions included:
• Zero free movement allowed into and out of active support areas
• Dedicated active support area with defined entry/exit points that were manned at all times by security personnel
• Excessive police & security scrutiny & strategies on the active support area over many seasons. We always aimed to work co-operatively & proactively, the response was consistently adversarial and aggressive
• Restricting of active support single game ticket online sales to individual adult tickets only and requirements of capturing private information, making online or ticket window purchases slow and complicated 

We have persevered to make things work within the rules for years, moved locations twice to try to rebuild numbers and have worked with the club on different initiatives. It is clear that the FFA restrictions are insurmountable in keeping officially sanctioned active support alive in Newcastle.

The growth of the NCL group since January in Bay 1 (a General Admission area with no entry restrictions) we believe showed that if the restrictions could be lifted on the Southern Hill, then active support might be able to recover. We were informed that being the “official active support group” meant we had to abide by the FFA mandated conditions or lose status and active support privileges. It’s hoped that by standing aside as an official active support group, an organic growth of unaffiliated groups such as the NCL can continue so that matchday atmosphere is what we had always envisaged – loud and parochial.

As a consequence of ending our involvement in active support, The Squadron will refocus its efforts as a supporters club. This means we will still aim be involved in non-matchday activities:

  • Selling Merchandise to fund…
  • Interstate away tours & organising away game pubs
  • NSW Away Coaches
  • Newyhelps charity drive
  • Promotion of Premier Hotel for prematch and away games
  • Financially supporting newcastlefootball.net supporters forum & website and The Jetstream (podcast, TV and fanzine)
  • Tifo displays at selected games (subject to club agreement)
  • Lobbying the club on behalf of supporters via the Members Advisory Group (subject to club agreement)
  • Lobbying other stakeholders on behalf of supporters via social media & direct communication
  • Communicating relevant information to supporters and public via website and social media channels.
  • Supporting the efforts of other Jets fans to build a strong and vibrant supporter culture in Newcastle.

In the off season, The Squadron will hold an AGM to elect the committee and plan for next seasons non-matchday activities. If you’d like to be involved or have your opinions heard please come along.

We were able to accomplish a great deal in 12 seasons:

  • Two of the biggest tifos in the A-League to date – the Big Gold Banner for the 2008 Grand Final & NEWCASTLE drop down tifo in 2011
  • A fleet of buses in 2008 organised in a few days for supporters to travel to Allianz Stadium for the Grand Final
  • At one stage we were the third largest supporter group in the League
  • Raised $3500 in our first ever Newyhelps charity fundraising drive in 2015, raising money for families staying at Ronald McDonald House to attend Jets games and Sam’s Fund for SUDEP in memory of Squadron member Sam Taylor
  • Successfully lobbying the club and stadium to allow 1.5mx1m banners & flags into the stadium without having to be part of active support
  • Multiple interstate away trips
  • Liaising with away stadiums on behalf of supporters to ensure entry for banners & equipment
  • Countless small, medium and large flags, fence banners and tifo displays over 12 seasons

Lastly, we would like to thank everyone who ever joined in The Squadron, helped out making and deploying tifo, came up with a chant, jumped on the mega, helped out with drumming, waved a flag, served on the committee or simply joined in the chants and songs. Sincerely, thank you. We also thank all those at the club who helped us over the years.

From the glory days in the first four seasons to the rebuilding attempts in the later seasons – it was a hell of a ride.

Never Tear Us Apart

News, Squadron

SQUADRON: Active Support Update

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Recently, many of you would have seen a decline in numbers in The Squadron and the emergence of a new group on the southern terrace who call themselves NCL. We realise that this situation has created a lot of confusion for people, so we would like to clear a few things up.

According to FFA guidelines an active support group must meet the following basic requirements:

– They must be in an enclosed, ticketed area (not General Admission, for example).
– Security must check all ticket holders.

We have and still do strongly oppose the strict enforcement of these rules because we believe it is against the spirit of free and spontaneous active support. However, they are the rules the FFA applies to all clubs and as long as the Jets are in the A-League they have to abide by them.

There can only be one designated active supporter area, and for us that is the seats on Southern Hill behind the goals.

On Tuesday afternoon we had a meeting with the club and NCL about the future of active support for the Jets.

For the record, we are more than happy to (1) combine with NCL to allow both groups to leverage numbers and experience for a united and better active support or (2) step aside and allow for NCL to become the main active support group.

Regrettably, and contrary to previous statements from NCL, they do not wish to become the official supporter group and abide by the previously mentioned restrictions. NCL also made it clear that they do not wish to work with The Squadron or even take over the current active support on the Southern Hill.

While we accept and have always defended the right for people to support the team how they want but we understand there are safety concerns that the stadium and the Jets must manage including the location of active support groups.

We encourage anyone and everyone to form a united front in supporting the team. The Squadron name was never meant to describe a specific group of supporters, it instead applies to all Jets supporters. Wherever you are in the stadium, we want everyone to be united in lifting the team and letting everyone know they are in Newcastle.

See you all in the stands!