NEW in depth interview with Paul Barber with a number of interesting NEW details

[Grombleton]

Really good and passionate article. It's good to show the runts that are whinging that he is human and he is only doing his job, no matter how unpalatable it may be.

Hopefully people will get off his back and let him do the job that he was implemented for; to ensure we are operationally viable and allow the club to push for the PL.

I think we're in good hands; a positive day for BHAFC today.

 

[Beach Hut]

Whatever the views modern football has changed entirely and the move from the constraints of Withdean to the Amex was always going to be hard for some to accept as everything would change, pricing structure and cost especially.

Sky, Santanta, BBC, ITV and BT have all poured billions into English football and some of the best players in the world play here now but at a cost to the fan and to the national game however finally the FA are waking up to this. It took a visionary person like Arsene Wenger to be employed to even understand the steak and chips with 4 pints is not what a professional sportsman should be eating and now this is understood.

I am so glad football has moved on despite the cost and people like Barber know what they are doing to take this club forward. Fortunately the dark days of going to an away game with a blade strapped to your inner arm have gone, the days of arriving in another city and having to leave the station in pairs and avoid "young spotters" who asked you the time to clock where you were from have gone. To be honest an away result was not getting a kicking not that long ago.

You have to either accept this new era of modern football or don't go, there is no way back.

 

[Butch Willykins]

I wonder if those bemoaning ticket price rises since 1996 are the same people who revel in how much the price of their house has risen in the same period.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Whatever the views modern football has changed entirely and the move from the constraints of Withdean to the Amex was always going to be hard for some to accept as everything would change, pricing structure and cost especially.

Sky, Santanta, BBC, ITV and BT have all poured billions into English football and some of the best players in the world play here now but at a cost to the fan and to the national game however finally the FA are waking up to this. It took a visionary person like Arsene Wenger to be employed to even understand the steak and chips with 4 pints is not what a professional sportsman should be eating and now this is understood.

I am so glad football has moved on despite the cost and people like Barber know what they are doing to take this club forward. Fortunately the dark days of going to an away game with a blade strapped to your inner arm have gone, the days of arriving in another city and having to leave the station in pairs and avoid "young spotters" who asked you the time to clock where you were from have gone. To be honest an away result was not getting a kicking not that long ago.

You have to either accept this new era of modern football or don't go, there is no way back.

I'm not sure what players' diets and the less overt nature of hooliganism have to do with Paul Barber.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Not really much to add to comments already made. Just wanted to register a pro-Barber attitude. Mr Bloom appointed him, in Tony we trust, - or I do, at least, and the recruitment process will have been very professional in order to find the right person.

 

[portslade seagull]

I give Barber credit with his interviews much better than previous regimes, think he is great for the club

 

[Creaky]

An admirable "interview" with PB and one that seems to have achieved its objective as far as the club's concerned and seems to have received the desired response. However if you actually analyse what he said, especially on the subject of the change in some travel arrangements, then it's a shame that some of the responses weren't followed up on.

Certainly his explanation of why these changes were necessary made perfect sense and he made the appropriate noises regarding the additional financial burden and inconvenience that some fans will incur together with expressions of sympathy but essentially saying it's a matter if take it or leave it.

Then there was the question of the method and timing of the announcement - specifically the "premature" announcement by the bus company was addressed thus, "It’s far from ideal for us when another organisation communicates news in a manner that fans do not like or at a time when the club isn’t ready to communicate further details", in other words as far as PB is concerned the "fault" lies with them with no explanation as to why the club wasn't ready to announce their plans.

Which brings us to the second point on this subject, the changes and the consequent financial implications being announced months after the sale of season tickets. PB addresses this by stating, "We could only review these services at the end of last season and through the summer by which time season tickets were already on sale".

Why?

Was this a failing by the club in not monitoring the transport arrangements or if they were monitoring them then why weren't the results "reviewed" prior to the end of the season?

PB says, "It wasn’t a deliberate attempt to mis-lead people", and I don't for one minute believe it was but the end result was still the same, some people were mislead and ultimate the responsibility for this must lie with the club. On the face of it, it appears disingenuous to claim, "The criticism I’ve read is therefore, in my opinion, very harsh on those people working hard behind the scenes at the club to improve services on supporters’ behalf in every aspect of what we do"

All in all an excellent exercise in public relations, appearing to answer a major criticism, expressing understanding and sympathy with those affected without offering any solutions, emphasising the hard work and dedication of company personnel and assurances that this work is all for the benefit of current and future customers.

I have a great deal of admiration for Mr Barber as a businessman but it would be nice to see him face an interview where his answers were challenged rather than accepted at face value.

 

[Winker]

On the subject of concerns, I have seen an early prediction of the journey times from the old pick up points for Specials to The Amex for fans using local buses this season instead of replacement Seagulls Travel.

They look very reasonable. Slightly longer but not hugely so. Be interesting to see the difference in return journeys home from The Amex because I imagine these will be key for people, particularly those perhaps with young children.

I used to catch the H bus from the Grenadier to the Amex, but as more people got to know about it the queue became longer and longer. The service then became more erratic as the first bus never turned up - presumably because it filled up somewhere else and went straight to the stadium, so we piled onto the next one that came by if there was room. If it wasn't full then the bus used to go round the houses via Hangleton, Withdean, Patcham etc. Coming home was even worse - by the time I managed to get out of the North Stand - why does it take so long? there were never any buses left, which meant a trudge back to the train station.

In the end I gave up the 'Special' buses and went back to using the sardine tins on tracks - at least they turn up on time and are still accessible at Portslade. Although pre-booking and paying extra for the new buses would guarantee a better service, it would be like travelling to an away game with fixed pick-up and return times. I'm afraid I'm sticking to the train service, for better or for worse...

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Good read, first time you see some frustration at comments being aimed at the club. It is a difficult job and one which is never going to make him popular but I am pleased he is here to ensure we survive and grow.

The rot set in when barber was signed up,he is a cancer within, the bloke is a ****

 

[Winker]

the rot set in when barber was signed up,he is a cancer within, the bloke is a ****

**** = star

 

[AZ Gull]

Yes agreed , it shouldn't do , likewise with the Official Supporters Club.

What on earth is the "Official Supporters Club"? Are you talking about the Supporters Club, which is totally independent of the football club? An organisation that does not (and never has) claimed to represent the views of all fans.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Well done Walt.

Well he sounds pretty riled up doesn't he, fair play for him taking on some of the criticism here but the answer is ultimately the same, FFP is here so fans must pay more to fund our assault on the prem. Makes a change on the pompey model I suppose. Still, the majority can afford it, the majority want to pay it, so while the economics works who can blame the club. Lets just hope it doesn't go tits up.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Very informative read Richie.

Mr Barber comes across as a thoroughly decent chap trying to a tough job, a job that will inevitably bring criticism. Not afraid to address fans' concerns, and not afraid to tell it like it is. I think it is great that he is aware/reads NSC, not because we are representative of all fans, but because we are small but real sounding board of Albion related opinions.

The one criticism that he perhaps should take note of is the all round dislike about the late announcement of the new travel arrangements. I completely understand that it takes time to finalise plans like these, but the club could and should of made fans aware that changes were afoot. Perhaps the real bad guys are B&H Buses who seemed to want to put the cat amongst the pigeons with their exclusive announcement.

Personally, I think TB has made a great choice of chief executive, and I for one will give PB the benefit of any doubt for the foreseeable future.

 

[APACHE]

Perhaps now those who had a go at the club over the way they handled Poyet during the summer will realise that we couldn't just let him work his wayout with a couple of million pay-off and most likely his change in attitude was due to the fact that the club had told him we must operate within the limits of FFP.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Excellent interview. Respect to Paul Barber.

 

[Seasider78]

Excellent work from the OP but key thing here is Paul Barber reiterating that he is merely implementing the boards strategy. It seems to suit some to demonise Barber as a one man wrecking ball rather than the mouthpiece of decisions taken by Tony and the board.

 

[Icy Gull]

The rot set in when barber was signed up,he is a cancer within, the bloke is a ****

Is there anything about the club that pleases you, you seem a very bitter man

 

[El Presidente]

The problem is not Paul Barber, it is player's wages.

In 1983, when the Albion were last in the top flight, the highest paid players in the COUNTRY were paid £70,000 a year. (Bonus point if you can name them). Since then inflation in the UK has increased prices by 290%, which would give an equivalent figure of £273,000 a year.

The highest paid player in the Premier League last season is on £13.6 million a year, and the average wage for a first team player is £1.4 million a year.

With oligarchs, middle eastern vanity projects and TV revenues around those wage levels are not going to come down, and so we end up paying as fans.

 

[trueblue]

Then there was the question of the method and timing of the announcement - specifically the "premature" announcement by the bus company was addressed thus, "It’s far from ideal for us when another organisation communicates news in a manner that fans do not like or at a time when the club isn’t ready to communicate further details", in other words as far as PB is concerned the "fault" lies with them with no explanation as to why the club wasn't ready to announce their plans.

Which brings us to the second point on this subject, the changes and the consequent financial implications being announced months after the sale of season tickets. PB addresses this by stating, "We could only review these services at the end of last season and through the summer by which time season tickets were already on sale".

Why?

I think the answers to those are fairly obvious though. It wasn't ready to announce the travel plans because it was still finalising the details of the new system. Unprofessional of B&H buses to make the announcement unilaterally considering the amount of work Albion puts their way.

As for reviewing transport plans earlier, the higher capacity was only in place for the final few games wasn't it? It would have been foolish to make major transport decisions based on outdated numbers.

 

[8ace]

In 1983, when the Albion were last in the top flight, the highest paid players in the COUNTRY were paid £70,000 a year. (Bonus point if you can name them).

Kenny Dalglish
Bryan Robson
Kevin Keegan
Glenn Hoddle
Graeme Souness