Embattled Carlton board threatens to cancel membership of 82-year-old grandfather for ‘aggressive’ AGM questions

A shattered elderly Carlton member has accused the club’s board of deploying oppressive tactics to silence critics after it threatened to cancel his membership because of an “aggressive” line of questioning at the club’s AGM.

The Carlton board has threatened to cancel the membership of an 82-year-old grandfather for his “aggressive” line of questioning at the club’s annual general meeting in February.

Blues member Joe Cutrona, a leader of the Carlton One group that rolled president John Elliott 23 years ago, revealed he was issued with a formal warning for allegedly making other attendees “feel unsafe” and “generally – in concert with others – disrupting the running of the meeting”.

But a shattered Cutrona, who vehemently denies the claims, has accused the “undemocratic” and “unaccountable” Blues board of deploying oppressive tactics to silence critics.

Joe Cutrona and James Latsonis are Carlton supporters that want to see change at the football club. Picture: Wayne Taylor

“I’m a 69-year-old member and an 82-year-old grandfather. Carlton has been my life. I have been attending Carlton games rain, hail or shine since I was 12 years old,” Cutrona said.

In a letter sent by the Blues in March, Cutrona was told that “members must … respect all decisions made by the club even if they disagree with them”.

Cutrona’s friend, 39-year Blues member Jim Latsonis, has been handed a three-year suspension for allegedly using “obscene language” and threatening “physical violence against club representatives” at the AGM.

But in a return letter to the club, Latsonis said the claims against him were “totally incorrect, false and mischievous”.

In regards to the alleged threats of violence, Latsonis said he was defending himself against a person behind him “who continually touched and man-handled me without my consent and aggressively invaded my personal space by speaking into my ears words to the effect that I will be thrown out”.

Cutrona said the pair had decided to go public to expose the methods used on members who dare to ask questions about the direction of the club.

Letter from Carlton to Joe Cutrona

“The allegations were not properly investigated or dealt with by way of procedural fairness and natural justice,” he claimed.

“And if they can treat a 69-year-old member and a 38-year member like this with false and unproven allegations, they can do it to anyone. The board is incompetent and a disgrace.

“They are trying to stop members asking legitimate and accountable questions about the management of the club. They are using the vehicle of disciplinary action as a means to control member rights to speak and be heard. They are an undemocratic board.

“The club promotes the ‘respect’ program. So why doesn’t the board show the same respect for all members, rather than handing out this unaccountable treatment?

“It’s high time for the Carlton board to be held fully accountable by way of a board spill and an extraordinary general meeting to remove them.”

READ: WHO’S REALLY TO BLAME FOR THE CHAOS AT CARLTON?

The Blues said in a statement on Tuesday: “The Carlton Football Club does not tolerate behaviour that threatens the safety and wellbeing of others in any environment.

“Every voting member has the right to attend club events and in particular the annual general meeting expecting to be able to participate and ask questions in an environment that is free from aggression and unbecoming behaviour.

“The club has made that clear directly to the individuals involved relating to this particular matter.

“Necessary action has been taken as a result, and the matter is now closed.”

The fans believe Michael Voss is a victim of Carlton’s culture. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Pressure is building on Michael Voss, but Cutrona said the senior coach was the latest victim of a “messiah” culture that had torched the careers of Denis Pagan, Mick Malthouse, Steven Icke, Brett Ratten, Andrew Russell and Stephen Silvagni.

“The board never takes the responsibility for their own appointments and when these good football people fail through no fault of their own – they are scapegoated and the board never takes the blame,” he said.

“Carlton is now a business club and not a football club, where people join the club coteries to transact business and football is a secondary issue.

“The Carlton board has never been representative of its members, but solely representative of the rich family benefactors and corporate backers of the club. Carlton members know who they are.

“The situation has been made worse by the club’s nominations committee, which is an undemocratic and unrepresentative committee which blocks normal members from being elected to the board.

“The nominations committee keeps the Carlton board as a closed shop. In fact, all current members of the board have never been appointed by a formal, balloted election of the members, but were all appointed by quiet invitation of the board.”

Graham Wright will soon take the reins from Brian Cook. Pictures: Carlton FC

But Cutrano said he fully supported incoming Blues chief executive Graham Wright.

“We have faith in Graham Wright making the right decisions to fix the football department in respect of recruitment, list management and player development,” he said.

“This should include the removal of (football boss) Brad Lloyd, (recruiting manager) Michael Agresta and (list manager) Nick Austin. However, any rebuild initiated by Graham Wright will fail, unless this board is removed.”

Cutrona and Latsonis were both involved with the ‘Carlton One’ ticket that removed the Elliott board after the 2002 salary cap debacle.

“All I wanted was the club to be successful again,” Cutrona said. “I believe that I was right at the time to remove the Elliott board then, and I believe it’s time to remove the current board now.

“I have witnessed eight premierships and Jim has witnessed five premierships. It is embarrassing and shameful for any Carlton supporter who is under 30 years of age, as they have seen no premierships, but five wooden spoons.”