February once again was a very active month for the group. The team unfortunately has been very disappointing this season and many say that it may be our worst season in the last fifty years. We are currently 11 points behind the league leaders and have recently been knocked out of the cup competition by a disappointing (and slightly unlucky) display in the team away game in Limassol two weeks ago. in the first game in nicosia our team won by a narrow 2-1 and Gate 9 at that game was banned from using our normal terrace (North stand) as such we made our way into the East terrace, in the corner closest to our glorious North stand. Pictures from both game below.
Omonoia Futsal team (three times consecutive doubles winners) unfortunately is not up to standards as well this season, the only department that seems to be giving us some pleasure to watch is the volleyball team which is currently ranked first.
However the main actions this month for Gate 9 where not only confined to travelling to ALL home and away games but mainly we’ve had to fight a tough battle against club politics and mainly the dire economic state of our beloved club (brought about by the previous bad administration). This bad administration has brought the club to the brink of economic collapse, as we are currently owing little over an excess of 14 million Euro in old player debts, expenses and taxes; and UEFA fair-play criteria are slowly closing in at the end of March whereby the club needs to find a sum of around 3 Million to avoid penalisation (points reduction, ban from UEFA European competition, and transfer ban)!!! This truly will be a battle which Gate 9 will spearhead in order to yield the necessary funds needed to support our club and keep it in its rightful place; against all odds, and against all who are constantly fighting our club and are trying to push it ‘over the edge’ (The federation via unfair fines, some nationalist political forces which constantly are trying to hurt us, the police etc.) We are not worried though! :) We’ve been fighting against all these odds for so many decades and have not just survived but have succeeded, so we are more than prepared to face these foes!
Following bad team results, and strong supporter opposition (initiated by G9) the previous club administration announced its resignation in late January and announced pre-mature club elections the end of February. After this event, as with all big decisions, Gate 9 called open discussions amongst its members, normally held in our central fanclub, in order to take joint decisions with regards to what actions we would take. One such decision was to try and help new people come into the new club administration that would actually help to bring about new ideas, opinions, policy and management from the foundations of the club and upwards. this we believe would help facilitate necessary structural and management change within the ways in which the club is run and help us get out of the economic detriment.
Unfortunately the combination of candidates that Gate 9 had exhibited support for did not succeed to get elected on the 28th of Feb, but the difference in votes was narrower than it ever was before in the past therefore we are confident that with more young members joining the club structure as registered voters within the coming months, things will eventually change. The combination which did win however was one leaded by a former president of the club, Mr. Serafim. A man with whom we have had many open differences and disagreements in the past.
Despite this, the new club administration has offered to sit down and discuss with Gate 9 and seek ways to improve relations. We will sit down with them and talk, we will of course do whatever we can to help the club pass the Uefa fair play criteria of end of March BUT we WILL NOT in any way or case participate in joint actions or events with this President and his committee; the gap between our opinions is so large and our history forged with disagreements that we believe its is next to impossible to come to a common understanding.
Since many weeks we are doing the best we can in order to raise the necessary money to save the club and will not stop such action. Within that time we are also hosting various events but also actions, such as game nights at our local but even talks and discussion nights regarding Antiracism and theory of being Apolitical (whether this can actually be true or not). Gate 9 as always is involved in action on and off the terraces and will continue to do so; and as we do, we will continue to feed you our news.
Keep Supporting and Keep Strong Comrades!
