[Football] Dialogue with the club

[brighton_tom]

In a football world full of disliked owners, proposed super leagues, high ticket prices, and loyalty points schemes im interested to know how we as fans of BHAFC maintain a dialogue with the owners/directors of our club to help keep them on the right track with all the big and small decisions (& praise them for their good work)? Like every other we are a fanbase full of opinions and desires for how the club should be run, so im interested to know what options we have or could initiate to keep an open dialogue with Tony, Paul Barber and co. We have the fans forum events which are great, but can feel limited when the answer to an important question is kept to one short soundbite rather than a continued discussion. Genuinely interested to know peoples thoughts on this and if you think the club or we as fans could be doing more, or do we just trust Tony knows what he doing?

 

[schmunk]

can feel limited when the answer to an important question is kept to one short soundbite

You want something from the Club longer than a short soundbite...?

paul.barber@bhafc.co.uk

 

[Swansman]

I'm sure any club out there would be curious to know about matchday experience etc. Topics like "why isnt Darwin Nunez, Matt Derbyshire and Jonathan Calleri the front trio?" things are probably less interesting.

 

[Lower West Stander]

Short soundbite from Barber?

Come on....

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Go on, admit it, you're linked to 'Blue Legion' ?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

You want something from the Club longer than a short soundbite...?

paul.barber@bhafc.co.uk

The man can, will, and indeed does, talk for England.

I'd kill for one of those framed shirts on his office wall by the way.

 

[dazzer6666]

Go on, admit it, you're linked to 'Blue Legion' ?

Heck of a coincidence if not........

 

[brighton_tom]

I'm sure any club out there would be curious to know about matchday experience etc. Topics like "why isnt Darwin Nunez, Matt Derbyshire and Jonathan Calleri the front trio?" things are probably less interesting.

This was in the area I was thinking about, what options do we as fans have to give our opinion on the things that directly affect us? Like matchday issues and suggestions for improving the stadium/concourses. I have no experience of directly emailing PB, is he keen for fan dialogue in this manner? Or do we have more suitable options?

 

[nickbrighton]

In a football world full of disliked owners, proposed super leagues, high ticket prices, and loyalty points schemes im interested to know how we as fans of BHAFC maintain a dialogue with the owners/directors of our club to help keep them on the right track with all the big and small decisions (& praise them for their good work)? Like every other we are a fanbase full of opinions and desires for how the club should be run, so im interested to know what options we have or could initiate to keep an open dialogue with Tony, Paul Barber and co. We have the fans forum events which are great, but can feel limited when the answer to an important question is kept to one short soundbite rather than a continued discussion. Genuinely interested to know peoples thoughts on this and if you think the club or we as fans could be doing more, or do we just trust Tony knows what he doing?

Whenever I see a post like this I wonder why fans of clubs think that the owners of a private company should or could "be kept on the right track with decisions big and small"

Whether we like it or not, the club is owned by an individual who can (within the rules of the FA and EPL) do what he wants, when he wants .

There is a lot of bollocks talked about Newcastle fans "getting their club back" when in reality they have no more say now than they did 2 months ago

We are extremely lucky to have an owner who actually cares about the fans, and probably does more to involve them than any other, but as for us fans "keeping them on the right track" is just wishful thinking

The only influence fans have is by going or not going and to be honest the likleyhood of getting enough fans not going in sufficient numbers to affect anything is vanishingly small. I doubt any single decision (especially big ones) have been influenced by the fans since Tony took over

What decisions have been made that we as fans have had any bearing on the outcome in the past decade? Bottle tops, flasks, bags, Player signings, managerial appointments, kits, or even what pies?

The club occasionally canvasses the supporter base with surveys, keeps a dialogue with certain supporter groups (Bozza and NSC for example) but we really are kidding ourselves if we think this is anything more than PR and a useful tool for disseminating information

Fans played a huge part in saving the club, that is without question but those days are long gone. Just ask Newcastle fans what difference they actually made in the end

 

[grubbyhands]

You have obviously never Emailed Paul Barber? I received a very swift and detailed response to a query within 24 hours. We,as fans, are very lucky to have such an approachable CEO. I reckon if you contacted our Tony the response would be equally detailed and quick.

 

[brighton_tom]

Go on, admit it, you're linked to 'Blue Legion' ?

Absolutely not

 

[Mackenzie]

This was in the area I was thinking about, what options do we as fans have to give our opinion on the things that directly affect us? Like matchday issues and suggestions for improving the stadium/concourses. I have no experience of directly emailing PB, is he keen for fan dialogue in this manner? Or do we have more suitable options?

You can email him and get a detailed reply, within minutes, of why the club is right. He communicates well even if you don’t like the replies.

 

[Lower West Stander]

This was in the area I was thinking about, what options do we as fans have to give our opinion on the things that directly affect us? Like matchday issues and suggestions for improving the stadium/concourses. I have no experience of directly emailing PB, is he keen for fan dialogue in this manner? Or do we have more suitable options?

He's very good at replying but in my experience has no empathy with fans.

Issues such as matchday parking and TVs in the concourse, tend to be met with an I'm right, you're wrong response. With a lot of words.....

Aware others may disagree!

 

[studio150]

Lobbying transfers from Westminster to NSC

 

[brighton_tom]

Whenever I see a post like this I wonder why fans of clubs think that the owners of a private company should or could "be kept on the right track with decisions big and small"

Whether we like it or not, the club is owned by an individual who can (within the rules of the FA and EPL) do what he wants, when he wants .

There is a lot of bollocks talked about Newcastle fans "getting their club back" when in reality they have no more say now than they did 2 months ago

We are extremely lucky to have an owner who actually cares about the fans, and probably does more to involve them than any other, but as for us fans "keeping them on the right track" is just wishful thinking

The only influence fans have is by going or not going and to be honest the likleyhood of getting enough fans not going in sufficient numbers to affect anything is vanishingly small. I doubt any single decision (especially big ones) have been influenced by the fans since Tony took over

What decisions have been made that we as fans have had any bearing on the outcome in the past decade? Bottle tops, flasks, bags, Player signings, managerial appointments, kits, or even what pies?

The club occasionally canvasses the supporter base with surveys, keeps a dialogue with certain supporter groups (Bozza and NSC for example) but we really are kidding ourselves if we think this is anything more than PR and a useful tool for disseminating information

Fans played a huge part in saving the club, that is without question but those days are long gone. Just ask Newcastle fans what difference they actually made in the end

I agree that as a company BHAFC dont have to listen to us, but as you say we are very lucky to be owned by someone that clearly does value the fans and I was intrigued to know what options we have to keep that healthy relationship.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Would love to see some examples of Barber listening to supporters and acting accordingly as a result.

He's exceptional at communicating on behalf of the Board (the Board, haha, as if half the fanbase know who's on it other than Tony and Barbs), but not at listening, unless he can work out a way to make a few quid or a positive PR opportunity.

To his credit, I'd be surprised if a Board member at any other club in the 92 engages as much as Barber. But that doesn't mean we have any say in the way the club is run. As far as I can see, we don't.



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[Goldstone1976]

I agree that as a company BHAFC dont have to listen to us, but as you say we are very lucky to be owned by someone that clearly does value the fans and I was intrigued to know what options we have to keep that healthy relationship.

Other than regular fans’ forums at the AMEX and regionally, occasional fans’ forums in a pub/hotel near an away ground hosted by the Chairman, regular attendance at some regional fans’ group such as Seagulls over London (and others) by various senior club employees, being able to chat to the Chairman on train trips to and from away games, a.CEO who responds promptly and fully to any email sent to him, informative emails sent to fans on a regular basis, good programmes, good content on the website and other social media outlets, regular communication with the owner of the club’s largest online fans’ forum and obvious regular review of the content thereon, and the provision of a well-staffed fan helpline, you mean?

I dunno, I can’t think of a method of communication that could be used that isn’t already. I don’t agree with every decision the club makes, of course, but I do feel fully informed and communicated with. No business I have dealings with, professionally or personally, comes remotely close to the Albion in terms of how well they communicate with me. No other business I deal with has a CEO who is remotely as responsive as #BarberOut - he’s remarkable.

It ain’t bust, and doesn’t need fixing, imo.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Whenever I see a post like this I wonder why fans of clubs think that the owners of a private company should or could "be kept on the right track with decisions big and small"

Whether we like it or not, the club is owned by an individual who can (within the rules of the FA and EPL) do what he wants, when he wants .

There is a lot of bollocks talked about Newcastle fans "getting their club back" when in reality they have no more say now than they did 2 months ago

We are extremely lucky to have an owner who actually cares about the fans, and probably does more to involve them than any other, but as for us fans "keeping them on the right track" is just wishful thinking

The only influence fans have is by going or not going and to be honest the likleyhood of getting enough fans not going in sufficient numbers to affect anything is vanishingly small. I doubt any single decision (especially big ones) have been influenced by the fans since Tony took over

What decisions have been made that we as fans have had any bearing on the outcome in the past decade? Bottle tops, flasks, bags, Player signings, managerial appointments, kits, or even what pies?

The club occasionally canvasses the supporter base with surveys, keeps a dialogue with certain supporter groups (Bozza and NSC for example) but we really are kidding ourselves if we think this is anything more than PR and a useful tool for disseminating information

Fans played a huge part in saving the club, that is without question but those days are long gone. Just ask Newcastle fans what difference they actually made in the end

Nail on head

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Taybha]

You simply call The Seagull Line on 08500858 for up to the minute information such as why Dr Martens must be a maximum of 10 holes and no dart lobbing at opposing fans, plus if you're very lucky the result of last week's game.

 

[schmunk]

I can’t think of a method of communication that could be used that isn’t already.