An interview with Paul Barber

[Herr Tubthumper]

Around 2/3rds of my iPod Touch came from Limewire

Someone has to pay for this you know.

 

[Beach Hut]

I know you don't, and I never said you did. I said you took a wage from what is a disgusting self serving industry. Feel free to grizzle about the groovy gang again now that I've presented "the facts", you tiresome dullard.

Why do you hate being in the groovy gang and resort to insults ?

 

[Northstandite]

So you reckon the price of the actual season ticket will go up (i.e. regardless of travel subsidy)?


I would have thought increasing the subsidy we currently pay for travel to at least 90% would be a sufficient enough hike.

Yes.

That it is completely impractical for there to be ticket checking at Falmer, as would be required, during the peak travel times. It would be dangerous. It would only take 3 or 4 fans to reach the ticket check together, to not have tickets, for a very dangerous crush to take place.

There are undoubtedly some who lose out due to a compulsory travel charge to all supporters but they will be relatively few and far between across the entire supporter base. I feel for those who, for example, pay for a University space, travel with a carful, yet only receive a single person rebate. I have absolutely no sympathy for those who travel the country in First Class year round for nothing but a small benefit-in-kind tax hit who then moan about a relatively trivial charge that helps support the football club they profess to love.

Exactly.

The travel cost to a car parker for example is microscopic in the big picture of running a rather expensive car, and insisting on driving to the stadium.

The admin costs of doing this any other way would be vast.

As for the cyclists argument. How many out of 26,000 always cycle to the Amex?

 

[Simster]

There is a multitude of you who just go mental when anyone dares to question or challenge anything the club do which could be wrong.

Remember the West Ham ticket shambles, guess what happened ?

Enough people complained and the club introduced finally a proper loyalty scheme and finally the pathetic AMS scheme was disbanded as proved pointless and outdated.

I BACKED you on that!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I don't work for a train company but facts don't interest you.

FFS. Stop splitting hairs. You work for the industry.

 

[Beach Hut]

Someone has to pay for this you know.

Like who ?

The music industry ripped off everyone for decades with grossly overcharged CDs as proved in the USA as much cheaper. The fact that sub-companies set up bootleg companies to sell live music at affordable prices exposed the whole sham of this.

 

[Beach Hut]

FFS. Stop splitting hairs. You work for the industry.

Yes for some of my job but I am not a direct rail employee that you all tell me I am

 

[Simster]

Why do you hate being in the groovy gang and resort to insults ?

I didn't. To recap;

- you posted about 10 times on this thread moaning about the travel situation
- when I posted, it was to say I had shadenfreude over train people whinging about paying 4 poxy quid a fortnight
- you accused me of being in the groovy gang, purely because I don't back your position

I have since called you a dullard, because you haven't stopped prattling on about the groovy gang. You're exactly the same as another well known NSCer who can't take criticism.

 

[Sheebo]

Bollox to that the minority are costing the majority - fairness and transparency it isn't

Agree completely. Those who travel by coach to games do get paid a subsidy from the club of about £2 per game, per person.

You would think something could be sorted out for those who have rail season tickets or bus passes along the lines of sending in a photocopy of your pass etc with your season ticket application.

We sort our own coach at 8 quid per game (on a coach ST). I accept its difficult to divide up who uses public transport etc and 30 is bearable but annoying, as we're paying for nothing we use. 60 pounds would really take the loss imo. I appreciate it's difficult for the club to prove who's using trains etc but it is a tad unfair on those who don't use public transport...

 

[Buzzer]

Is this Groovy Gang the same one as the shadowy group who Uncle Spielberg claims exists to thwart his NSC polls? If so, then you better add me as well. I'll wear the badge at lodge meetings but I'm f***ed if I'm wearing a replica shirt with my name on the back.

Thinking about it, with a name like the Groovy Gang, we would be more like the Hair Bear Bunch. I can go for that.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The music industry ripped off everyone for decades with grossly overcharged CDs as proved in the USA as much cheaper. The fact that sub-companies set up bootleg companies to sell live music at affordable prices exposed the whole sham of this.

So this gave you the right to steal music did it? Whether you though music was over priced or not is irrelevant.

 

[El Presidente]

The voice of reason on all things rail-related. I'm hoping that one of the rail companies sees sense and employs him to do the tannoy announcements at London Bridge.

Worth the price of a Brighton to London season ticket by itself. :BowsDown:

 

[Simster]

Is this Groovy Gang the same one as the shadowy group who Uncle Spielberg claims exists to thwart his NSC polls? If so, then you better add me as well. I'll wear the badge at lodge meetings but I'm f***ed if I'm wearing a replica shirt with my name on the back.

Thinking about it, with a name like the Groovy Gang, we would be more like the Hair Bear Bunch. I can go for that.

Welcome Buzzer. Anyway we can blame [MENTION=11956]bushy[/MENTION] for this groovy gang moniker - he invented it. [MENTION=38]Beach Hut[/MENTION] has just stolen it.

 

[Buzzer]

Worth the price of a Brighton to London season ticket by itself. :BowsDown:

This was a particularly poignant montage, it's simple yet brilliant and captures perfectly his feelings (hope he doesn't mind me posting this):

 

[JCL666]

Welcome Buzzer. Anyway we can blame [MENTION=11956]bushy[/MENTION] for this groovy gang moniker - he invented it. [MENTION=38]Beach Hut[/MENTION] has just stolen it.

That's what I thought.

Groovy Gang membership = person who doesn't blame everything on immigration or doesn't rant about the good old days when white english people ruled the world

 

[8ace]

I proud to say I'm one of the cunts not in the groovy gang. It's hardly f***ing news that this year's increase is only about a third of what it costs the club is it. Anyway I had to pay this levy for 10 years at Withdean despite never using the travel vouchers then.

 

[Bozza]

Yes for some of my job but I am not a direct rail employee that you all tell me I am

No, we "all" haven't. I'm well aware that the incredibly fortuitous benefit you have is due to your employment past not present, as you've mentioned it enough times.

In the same way I know you and your family receive travel worth many, many thousands of pounds - probably well in excess of £10,000 per year - and all for the cost of a small tax charge.

Of all those impacted by the Albion's travel policy, you should be one of those who thinks "I'm bloody lucky in getting what I do, so I'll not begrudge them it." However, as has also been revealed by your numerous postings on here, you're clearly a complete tight-arse and give very little to the club on top of your season ticket spend so, in fact, you do begrudge the transport policy being supported by the entire fanbase.

You're also too short-sighted to understand that if there were not an ultra-easy travel system, at point of use, then there would be no Amex. It really is as simple as that. But, go on, you carp on about the 60p per week it's costing you whilst, at the same time, you consume many hundreds of pounds of free travel per week. You sad, sad hypocritical little man.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I think everyone paying a small subsidy is the fairest and most practical way.

I don't have to pay for trasport costs but any money the club has to spend on this issue is less money for elsewhere.

 

[Albion Dan]

Yes.

That it is completely impractical for there to be ticket checking at Falmer, as would be required, during the peak travel times. It would be dangerous. It would only take 3 or 4 fans to reach the ticket check together, to not have tickets, for a very dangerous crush to take place.

But if the club drop the voucher scheme what will Southern do? It would be their responsibility to make sure people boarding have tickets or to take the commercial risk that they are losing money. All southern stations are gated arent they so the risk is minimal anyway.

 

[Buzzer]

But if the club drop the voucher scheme what will Southern do? It would be their responsibility to make sure people boarding have tickets or to take the commercial risk that they are losing money. All southern stations are gated arent they so the risk is minimal anyway.

Do the same as the rail and tube companies do at countless other grounds - open the gates and just accept that a large proportion won't be paying for it. Have you ever tried to get a tube after seeing the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea...even Millwall.