[Albion] Fan Advisory Board Representatives .

[Bozza]

I get that there's disappointment from some but we have to give it a go, be pleased this opportunity exists and get behind the representatives to support them in doing a great job for us all, tell them (politely) if we feel they missed something, and encourage them publicly and loudly when they speak for us. There's no point doing anything else, and like all good ideas I'm sure it'll iterate over time and in a few years it'll look different to how it does now.

Oh, absolutely - it's a great initiative from the club and, at the very least, we absolutely know the two gentlemen of this virtual parish will do a fine job.

The "where are the young people?" isn't even my gripe. As someone who largely avoids twitter I wasn't aware of any fallout on there about this. It was only the posts on this thread that brought it to my attention. Going back to "you don't know what you don't know" I didn't know the demographic profile of those standing (other than the two NSCers) so, by extension, I didn't know the ages of those who were successfully elected. I agree with the broad sentiment though - it does feel a shame that there isn't younger representation, but I'm not sure how that could have happened without the process allowing more expression from the candidates.

But, again, that's not to detract one jot from those who troubled to put themselves forward and now have the chance to be involved in dialogue with the club.

 

[rippleman]

What is the constitution of the FAB? Apologies if already posted I couldn't be doing reading every single post on this particular thread.

Most committee constitutions, standing orders etc have a provision to co-opt other members onto the committee. I would expect the FAB constitution to include this provision.

Therefore the answer to the lack of representation from younger fans is to co-opt Jack & Seb onto the FAB and jobs a good'un. Trebles and party hats all round.

 

[jackalbion]

After reading some of the further comments on here, I still don't think it was a perfect way of doing it, and I'm still slightly disappointed with the results. If as someone said I was to be co-opted on, I think that would destroy the point of a vote. The fan advisory board should not have been appointed, and this process was fine, but should have been better run in terms of making candidates known to people in the stadium, because all I saw from an awareness perspective from the club was one news article on the club site. It would be nice to see the results but I understand why they haven't shown the results. I tried my best to make people aware of the candidates, and I did have a good reaction, from not only people on twitter, but on Facebook, NSC, Instagram and at home and away games. Speaking to a lot of people of all ages at the Amex on Saturday they were disappointed I didn't get on the fan advisory board, but what most people said was very complimentary and I'm pleased I've at least made some people's season experience better. It was really nice to hear from some people that I bring some positivity to supporting Brighton.

I've been to so many different football clubs this season, as a neutral, and there were some really good things other clubs do which I thought I could help suggest. I met a fan from Ireland on Saturday, who has been to a few games this season, but has been introduced to the club through social media and it was great to see that his interactions with other young supporters encouraged him to attend a few games. Young people can really make a difference to the support of this club and already are.

I do feel its disappointing to not have young people on the board, but I'm sure Nigel and Ian would perfectly be able to represent the younger supporters. Sometimes in football it feels like the next generation of supporters are ignored. At Brighton this also sometimes comes to the front in that often the opinions of younger supporters are deemed to be a nonsense because they didn't go to the Withdean, Gillingham, Goldstone (I went to all 3 so I can say what I want), but this is either because they were either A) not born yet B) not having parents to take them and not able to go independently. I've been brought up as a Brighton fan, as my parents gave me the middle name Albion, as well as my dad even taking us on holiday to Florida to deliver Peter Ward a seat from the Goldstone Ground to Peter Ward. I've had a season ticket since 2001 when I was 5, and my dad and latter my mum took me every week to home games, and while I was the only Brighton fan at my school (In Hove) when we were at the Withdean, but the support has grown massively and I hold no resentment to the many thousands who now passionately support Brighton, as well as it giving the opportunity to go with my mates and have a few drinks. It would have been nice to see the representation of this demographic, as a huge part of the home and away support is that, who do spend a huge amount of their income on the club. The amount of people I've spoken to this season who are younger people, who seem to think the club don't care about them is incredibly high, and there must be a good solution to address this.

I hope they do make it so the fan advisory board can bring opinions forward, and that it isn't just to say they've consulted fans, because that's at least what I wanted to get out of it. I was interesting to read that Nigel said that the supporters club has no regular contact with the club, that was surprising, so that's great they are involved now.

More I wanted to say that I do really want it to be successful, and congratulate winners on getting on the board, I'm sure it's an honor for them. Some people on social media seemed very irate on my behalf, but I really am not irate at all, I really don't to be perceived as taking anything away from the winners, and annoyed certain people got on it. Will I try again in 2 years? Probably not, if there isn't a change in the way the candidates are displayed, I don't think there would be any further way for me to promote people to vote. Plus I'll be 27 then, and I don't think my opinions will really be relevant for someone who is 16-25 who is a student or a young person in their initial employment, by someone who will have left University almost 4 years ago at that point and been in full time employment for 4 years.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

The people elected to the FAB have been elected to represent the whole fanbase. All ages. All genders. Everyone.

They're not expected to turn up with all the answers on day one. Especially when we don't even know what the question is!

The initial meeting, as I understand it, will be an introductory one, and setting the parameters and the agenda.

Part of that will obviously be finding out what the club want to achieve AND what the fans hope to see come out of this initiative.

Bozza's post above sums it up brilliantly (as usual) but it's worth bearing in mind that there are thousands of Albion fans who, believe it or not, don't visit NSC nor do they use Twitter.

How are we to find out what their agenda is?
Who is representing them?
We all are.

Another thing to bear in mind is that there are unpopular things that we cannot change no matter how much squealing there is.

For example you are not allowed bottle tops at gigs, not just The Albion, so please let's not waste time insisting on things like that. Let's be realistic.

I believe there are things we can do to help improve your day out (and mine) and I'm looking forward to getting some quick wins which I'm sure we can do.

Hi there!

Totally take your point about a bottle tops perhaps not being that realistic, but perhaps a good opportunity for a FAB member to put forward some suggestions that might make people grumble a less about this. It was on here the other week that apparently there is a water fountain in the West Upper. Could there be a lot more of these made accessible in all areas of thr ground, perhaps? Could maybe there be more offers on soft drinks rather than price them at a premium which makes the whole thing look like a money grab? What about more recyclable cups at The Amex which maybe are a bit less likely to topple over if someone moves about in their row?

I'm not saying these are answers but a bit more engagement on possible solutions is what we don't have at the moment - the it's "a waste of time" debating it attitude is maybe part of the problem with some of the unpopular decisions.

Anyway - good luck in your new role!

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Bold Seagull]

After reading some of the further comments on here, I still don't think it was a perfect way of doing it, and I'm still slightly disappointed with the results. If as someone said I was to be co-opted on, I think that would destroy the point of a vote. The fan advisory board should not have been appointed, and this process was fine, but should have been better run in terms of making candidates known to people in the stadium, because all I saw from an awareness perspective from the club was one news article on the club site. It would be nice to see the results but I understand why they haven't shown the results. I tried my best to make people aware of the candidates, and I did have a good reaction, from not only people on twitter, but on Facebook, NSC, Instagram and at home and away games. Speaking to a lot of people of all ages at the Amex on Saturday they were disappointed I didn't get on the fan advisory board, but what most people said was very complimentary and I'm pleased I've at least made some people's season experience better. It was really nice to hear from some people that I bring some positivity to supporting Brighton.

I've been to so many different football clubs this season, as a neutral, and there were some really good things other clubs do which I thought I could help suggest. I met a fan from Ireland on Saturday, who has been to a few games this season, but has been introduced to the club through social media and it was great to see that his interactions with other young supporters encouraged him to attend a few games. Young people can really make a difference to the support of this club and already are.

I do feel its disappointing to not have young people on the board, but I'm sure Nigel and Ian would perfectly be able to represent the younger supporters. Sometimes in football it feels like the next generation of supporters are ignored. At Brighton this also sometimes comes to the front in that often the opinions of younger supporters are deemed to be a nonsense because they didn't go to the Withdean, Gillingham, Goldstone (I went to all 3 so I can say what I want), but this is either because they were either A) not born yet B) not having parents to take them and not able to go independently. I've been brought up as a Brighton fan, as my parents gave me the middle name Albion, as well as my dad even taking us on holiday to Florida to deliver Peter Ward a seat from the Goldstone Ground to Peter Ward. I've had a season ticket since 2001 when I was 5, and my dad and latter my mum took me every week to home games, and while I was the only Brighton fan at my school (In Hove) when we were at the Withdean, but the support has grown massively and I hold no resentment to the many thousands who now passionately support Brighton, as well as it giving the opportunity to go with my mates and have a few drinks. It would have been nice to see the representation of this demographic, as a huge part of the home and away support is that, who do spend a huge amount of their income on the club. The amount of people I've spoken to this season who are younger people, who seem to think the club don't care about them is incredibly high, and there must be a good solution to address this.

I hope they do make it so the fan advisory board can bring opinions forward, and that it isn't just to say they've consulted fans, because that's at least what I wanted to get out of it. I was interesting to read that Nigel said that the supporters club has no regular contact with the club, that was surprising, so that's great they are involved now.

More I wanted to say that I do really want it to be successful, and congratulate winners on getting on the board, I'm sure it's an honor for them. Some people on social media seemed very irate on my behalf, but I really am not irate at all, I really don't to be perceived as taking anything away from the winners, and annoyed certain people got on it. Will I try again in 2 years? Probably not, if there isn't a change in the way the candidates are displayed, I don't think there would be any further way for me to promote people to vote. Plus I'll be 27 then, and I don't think my opinions will really be relevant for someone who is 16-25 who is a student or a young person in their initial employment, by someone who will have left University almost 4 years ago at that point and been in full time employment for 4 years.

Now it's been formed we can see how it works.

I've been a school governor for 7 years and it's very rewarding, but each year we consider the constitution of the board, undertake a skills audit, and ensure we are getting a spread of representation. We have parent governors who are elected, and co-opted governors who are appointed to the board by the board based on a skill or experience they bring.

Perhaps this is something the board in it's infancy can look at; how to ensure diversity of age, sex, race, ability or whatever else is adequately represented. As an example, there is no reason a disabled fan couldn't be co-opted to the board as they would bring their experience of accessibility to the table adding an important viewpoint.

They'll have to see how it goes, but I would say how the board is constituted in future and how to ensure diversity of representation is very much an important agenda item for them, because the club has set up this process, but they as fans could set the next one.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

It doesn't necessarily follow that you become 'out of touch' if you are over 50, nor that you 'should be on gardening leave if you are over 60'.

It was a little pun, but I do believe the youth should be leading the way.

Haven't you got any hanging baskets to plant up

It’s supposed to be a representative group - a large proportion of our fanbase is under 20 and over 50.

Yes, I realise that, but the representives are all one end of that scale.
So it hasn't really achieved that goal,lMO.

 

[dazzer6666]

It was a little pun, but I do believe the youth should be leading the way.

Haven't you got any hanging baskets to plant up

Yes, I realise that, but the representives are all one end of that scale.
So it hasn't really achieved that goal,lMO.

I agree, but also imagine the younger candidates would have needed the ‘younger vote’ to get elected…….many of whom I suspect didn’t give much of a toss about the whole thing

 

[Deleted member 2719]

I agree, but also imagine the younger candidates would have needed the ‘younger vote’ to get elected…….many of whom I suspect didn’t give much of a toss about the whole thing

Are you suggesting that we have ageist voters! I seriously did not see anything about this until it was a done deal. I just wonder how many others didn't. So exactly how many votes were made
Who marketed this?

 

[Brian Fantana]

Are you suggesting that we have ageist voters! I seriously did not see anything about this until it was a done deal. I just wonder how many others didn't. So exactly how many votes were made
Who marketed this?

I asked the club to reveal how many votes were cast overall, but I’ve had no response. My slightly cynical suspicion is that they would probably release the overall figures if the number was large.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

I asked the club to reveal how many votes were cast overall, but I’ve had no response. My slightly cynical suspicion is that they would probably release the overall figures if the number was large.

That does seem a fair assumption, but disappointing they have not responded to you.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I have no idea if key decision makers like Paul Barber or Jenny Gower do this already, but if I were on the FAB I would suggest that a coupe of times a season they travel to and from the Amex and watch the game / experience the catering etc offer exactly as regular fans do.

So to be clear, PB would need to get to - and get away from - the Amex by train for a few matches. Plus use the P&R and the car parks reserved for supporters. Perhaps they already do this, but if they don't I would strongly recommend that they do if they are serious about understanding and attempting to resolve some of the issues supporters face on a frequent basis.

 

[dazzer6666]

Are you suggesting that we have ageist voters! I seriously did not see anything about this until it was a done deal. I just wonder how many others didn't. So exactly how many votes were made
Who marketed this?

Not at all…more that the younger fans (based on the small sample I see) don’t look at emails, aren’t on NSC and only follow nonsense stuff on Twitter, and given the actual voting wasn’t easy anyway (having to pick - people you’d never heard of - in every category) their lack of attention span would have made them give up before they’d finished voting anyway.

 

[portlock seagull]

Not at all…more that the younger fans (based on the small sample I see) don’t look at emails, aren’t on NSC and only follow nonsense stuff on Twitter, and given the actual voting wasn’t easy anyway (having to pick - people you’d never heard of - in every category) their lack of attention span would have made them give up before they’d finished voting anyway.

We have failed them but at the same time, feck ‘em. If can’t read something taking more than 3 seconds!

 

[Dave the hatosaurus]

There has been a lot of angst from some quarters about the lack of younger representatives on the FAB however i feel it is more likely that someone of a " certain age " is in a much better position to speak up for someone younger than vice versa . My reasoning here is quite simply that it must surely be easier to represent different age bands when you have actually lived through a lot of them and had experience of each . I wince now when i recall as a young man what i felt about old people because surprise surprise i now have more empathy having witnessed my much loved parents growing old and passing away and being very much the " wrong side " of 60 myself !
The truth is i voted having read what each person had written and trying my best to select those that appealed most whilst striving for some balance as well . To that respect one of the people i voted for was Sebastian Samrah because the combination of his statement and family history i felt meant that he would do a good job so was disappointed he was not selected but was pleased that three others in my personal selection were successful . Surely that is what voting is all about and i remember a teacher once telling me that those who had not voted were in a poor position to criticise a result

 

[The_Viper]

Not at all…more that the younger fans (based on the small sample I see) don’t look at emails, aren’t on NSC and only follow nonsense stuff on Twitter, and given the actual voting wasn’t easy anyway (having to pick - people you’d never heard of - in every category) their lack of attention span would have made them give up before they’d finished voting anyway.

So the under 35 age group are coke addled violent hooligans and now too inattentive and dumb to conduct a simple vote, and people wonder why the youth don't have ANY faith in the board members to represent them? Jesus wept it's absolutely ridiculous.

 

[dazzer6666]

So the under 35 age group are coke addled violent hooligans and now too inattentive and dumb to conduct a simple vote, and people wonder why the youth don't have ANY faith in the board members to represent them? Jesus wept it's absolutely ridiculous.

The voting setup was a bit crap IMO - being forced to vote for someone you’d never heard of on the back of a couple of sentences ? Seems (including from comments on here) loads didn’t get an email either anyway

 

[Stat Brother]

The voting setup was a bit crap IMO - being forced to vote for someone you’d never heard of on the back of a couple of sentences ? Seems (including from comments on here) loads didn’t get an email either anyway

And if a load of coked up violent hooligans got voted in all us Horlicks Dodgers would be moaning we didn't receive an email.

That's democracy for you - cry about the result after doing nothing to impact it.

 

[amexer]

I have no idea if key decision makers like Paul Barber or Jenny Gower do this already, but if I were on the FAB I would suggest that a coupe of times a season they travel to and from the Amex and watch the game / experience the catering etc offer exactly as regular fans do.

So to be clear, PB would need to get to - and get away from - the Amex by train for a few matches. Plus use the P&R and the car parks reserved for supporters. Perhaps they already do this, but if they don't I would strongly recommend that they do if they are serious about understanding and attempting to resolve some of the issues supporters face on a frequent basis.

Am sure Barber has too many responsibilities on matchday. Hopefully already in place but certainly good idea for a members of staff to give a report to Barber on the experience of traveling from say Worthing Lewes Mid Sussex and Eastbourne in all modes of transport. to and from Amex

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

There has been a lot of angst from some quarters about the lack of younger representatives on the FAB however i feel it is more likely that someone of a " certain age " is in a much better position to speak up for someone younger than vice versa . My reasoning here is quite simply that it must surely be easier to represent different age bands when you have actually lived through a lot of them and had experience of each . I wince now when i recall as a young man what i felt about old people because surprise surprise i now have more empathy having witnessed my much loved parents growing old and passing away and being very much the " wrong side " of 60 myself !
The truth is i voted having read what each person had written and trying my best to select those that appealed most whilst striving for some balance as well . To that respect one of the people i voted for was Sebastian Samrah because the combination of his statement and family history i felt meant that he would do a good job so was disappointed he was not selected but was pleased that three others in my personal selection were successful . Surely that is what voting is all about and i remember a teacher once telling me that those who had not voted were in a poor position to criticise a result

There are plenty of sensible, articulate and thoughtful young people around who would have been perfectly capable of making a decent contribution to all this. There are plenty of older people around whose prejudices would mean it would be to the detriment of all of us if they were involved…. And vice versa.

And that isn’t a comment on anyone who stood or has been elected. If they took it seriously enough to get involved, they’re probably ok. For my own part, I didn’t vote. I recognised a couple of surnames, but didn’t know enough about any of them to make a sensible decision….. and I’m not complaining about the process.

 

[Bombardier]

Not at all…more that the younger fans (based on the small sample I see) don’t look at emails, aren’t on NSC and only follow nonsense stuff on Twitter, and given the actual voting wasn’t easy anyway (having to pick - people you’d never heard of - in every category) their lack of attention span would have made them give up before they’d finished voting anyway.

Bit of a dickhead comment. Firstly, explain your perception of a younger fan? Teens? Early twenties? I know quite a few 'younger fans' who regularly attend both home and away and are fully engaged. Maybe your attention span is in question here!!