[Albion] Paul Barber "embarrassed" by our support

[NorthstandRacoon]

"Despite that warning, a small number of individuals, purporting to support our club, decided to fight each other and, later, fight with visiting supporters – all mindless behaviour which resulted in a number of injuries, ejections and arrests."

Maybe its because I'm in Sweden, didnt see that game against Pub United 247 years ago and only came here for the Potter, but I really struggle to see how Paul Barbers wishes not to have it like that is "cringeworthy" or "patronising".

Because you don't get it as you are never here and have a weird obsession with posting on the NSC board just because of a link to Potter. Barber is cringey at times, simple as that.

If he wants to care about something, he should care more about the fact he's pissing off loyal fans with his/premier leagues absurd scheme to charge us yet more money, just to share a ticket we've already f**king paid for.

 

[drew]

Because you don't get it as you are never here and have a weird obsession with posting on the NSC board just because of a link to Potter. Barber is cringey at times, simple as that.

If he wants to care about something, he should care more about the fact he's pissing off loyal fans with his/premier leagues absurd scheme to charge us yet more money, just to share a ticket we've already f**king paid for.

PB is not a lifelong BHA fan and never claims to be but he is probably the best administrator we've ever had. Whilst he doesn't get everything right I suspect most on here appreciate we are in a better place with him at the side of TB than others, particularly his predecesors.

 

[dazzer6666]

As if he’s witnessed shit from the comfort of the 1901 or Directors away box

Probably spends all day Sunday watching cctv footage of potential ‘besmirchers’ instead of spending time with his family. Never off duty

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Personally I find Barber’s comments cringeworthy.

He just wants a pantomime atmosphere mainly consisting of grasses imho, shame as I thought the customer was always right
Regards
DF

 

[bWize]

a lot of lads who go away don't bother with the home games

Certainly some truth in this. A lot of my mates and family feel the same about modern football in general. I will probably get slated for this but the Amex just feels over sanitised and corporate at times and puts a fair few off bothering. Seems the corporates and sponsors are held in a higher regard than the actual fans when push comes to shove. (same across the PL in general) I was a regular in the Goldstone Northstand from about 8 years old and although there was questionable chants and incidents I would take it all day long compared to the Rugby atmosphere at the Amex.

Was a season ticket holder for a few years at AMEX but I no longer really have no desire or urge to spend silly money to sit in silence with the odd drone of "Albiiiiiion" and everything including flasks and bottle tops under the microscope, with any type of genuine passion or support quickly shut down publicly by Paul Barber and crew. Not willing to pay £100 all in for a day out at the football to be essentially treated like a school kid. Many others don't either. If that makes me a "bad fan" then whatever.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

Certainly some truth in this. A lot of my mates and family feel the same about modern football in general. I will probably get slated for this but the Amex just feels over sanitised and corporate at times and puts a fair few off bothering. Seems the corporates and sponsors are held in a higher regard than the actual fans when push comes to shove. (same across the PL in general) I was a regular in the Goldstone Northstand from about 8 years old and although there was questionable chants and incidents I would take it all day long compared to the Rugby atmosphere at the Amex.

Was a season ticket holder for a few years at AMEX but I no longer really have no desire or urge to spend silly money to sit in silence with the odd drone of "Albiiiiiion" and everything including flasks and bottle tops under the microscope, with any type of genuine passion or support quickly shut down publicly by Paul Barber and crew. Not willing to pay £100 all in for a day out at the football to be essentially treated like a school kid. Many others don't either. If that makes me a "bad fan" then whatever.

Like what, what genuine passion or support has Barber and crew shut down?

I understand the annoyance over some of the perceived petty things, but it’s been a while now, get over it...

 

[pastafarian]

Tourists, day trippers with dual allegiances, Yesterday behind me was a student studying in Brighton, who supported Plymouth with two Geordies and an American who was too drunk to stay awake, and nearly slept the whole game, the Geordies celebrated their goal, and were told by someone a few rows back to sit the feck down and shut up, which they did in fairness.

In fairness ive lost count of the number of Albion away days over the years i have dozed off during the game after too many pre match beers, including a full on lie down and kip on the terraces,for pretty much the whole game, at one ground mid 80s
I can only see my problem becoming worse as i get older

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

In fairness ive lost count of the number of Albion away days over the years i have dozed off during the game after too many pre match beers, including a full on lie down and kip on the terraces,for pretty much the whole game, at one ground mid 80s
I can only see my problem becoming worse as i get older

Many years ago I travelled to Wrexham for the opening game of the season on a glorious August Saturday, one of our coach party imbibed a little too freely pre-match and fell asleep on the terraces, missed the whole game and got badly sunburnt. So you’re not alone!

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

PB is not a lifelong BHA fan and never claims to be but he is probably the best administrator we've ever had. Whilst he doesn't get everything right I suspect most on here appreciate we are in a better place with him at the side of TB than others, particularly his predecesors.

Never said we weren't. But his crap treatment of the fans and comments over a small incident just sums up why I feel he's out of touch.

 

[drew]

Never said we weren't. But his crap treatment of the fans and comments over a small incident just sums up why I feel he's out of touch.

You make it sound like he's criticising all fans when it was just the knobs.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Are you saying the club are killing the atmosphere or anyone trying to create one is not allowed? Must say since the Amex has been open and I’ve had my seat in the WSU I’ve never seen any steward involvement in the stands except the odd away fan sat up there. So I don’t really buy what you’re saying / implying.

Also the Amex thing is access to their lounge which is the corner seats in the east / south - it’s a new part of their sponsorship package. Again what’s the problem with this ?

So you don't think the Amex is a little too clinical/sterile at times? Not talking about WSU specifically, but the whole Amex experience. Its great to have a shiny home, but the lengths to which PB will go to create a so called safer place, is at times questionable. Bottle tops, flasks are only the tip of the iceberg.

No problem at all with the idea of letting 'less well heeled' fans experience a more upmarket day out, but this was not available/needed when the Amex opened. The club could fill the corporate space many times over. Now it seems a few of the less committed are no longer willing to cough up premium prices every week, leaving space open to others who may not be members of the 'prawn sandwich brigade' so otten. What I a m trying to put forward is that football has not always been about corporate, middle class values and that an atmosphere is usually created by folks who may have had a shandy or two rather than a glass of chablis. They also may indulge in ways to subvert bottle top bans too.

But PB sometimes lets his preference for high rolling 'customers' cloud his judgement when saying that some of the less genteel elements amongst our fans only 'purport to support' the club.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

The writing was on the wall when the clackers were introduced a cringe fest at best, as a earlier poster said people drifting away to be replaced by a target Barber audience its all very calculated .

Regards
DF

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

Many years ago I travelled to Wrexham for the opening game of the season on a glorious August Saturday, one of our coach party imbibed a little too freely pre-match and fell asleep on the terraces, missed the whole game and got badly sunburnt. So you’re not alone!

Back in 83 for the Cup Final replay we got a minibus up to Wembley and the obligitary crate of beer per person.
One of the lads got so pissed he missed the whole game as we left him asleep in the bus.

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[heathgate]

They have sniffer dogs for away fans at the Amex, wouldn't have thought it'd be too hard to have them for home fans too.

I saw them working outside Dicks Bar and ticket collection area on Saturday... approx 90 mins before ko

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[heathgate]

Fun Fact: There are (probably) no actual sniffer dogs at The Amex.

There’s less than 100 fully trained sniffer dogs in the UK and that covers drugs, explosives, money etc. The odds of one of them being at The Amex is next to none. They’re usually normal dogs and Police just look out for the idiots who see the dogs and power walk as far away from the pooches as possible.

There were two there on Sat.. seen with my own eyes.

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[Is it PotG?]

All part of the new matchday experience.

 

[heathgate]

The lack of atmosphere is surely down to what is happening on the pitch! If we spend most of the time playing the ball along the back and frequently back to the keeper then that's not conducive to getting the crowd going. It's catch 22, the players could do with the crowd getting behind them but the crowd need the players to inspire that.

Cripes, moaning about back passing?!!!... you are really living life on the edge... that topic is guaranteed to initiate a binfest. You are meant to grin and bear it when five sideways passes are followed by a back pass to Sanchez which he then hurriedly scoops to the nearest opposition player

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[One Teddy Maybank]

PB is not a lifelong BHA fan and never claims to be but he is probably the best administrator we've ever had. Whilst he doesn't get everything right I suspect most on here appreciate we are in a better place with him at the side of TB than others, particularly his predecesors.

Great post and spot on IMO.

 

[boik]

He just wants a pantomime atmosphere mainly consisting of grasses imho, shame as I thought the customer was always right
Regards
DF

Oh no he doesn't!!!

 

[Guinness Boy]

So you don't think the Amex is a little too clinical/sterile at times? Not talking about WSU specifically, but the whole Amex experience. Its great to have a shiny home, but the lengths to which PB will go to create a so called safer place, is at times questionable. Bottle tops, flasks are only the tip of the iceberg.

No problem at all with the idea of letting 'less well heeled' fans experience a more upmarket day out, but this was not available/needed when the Amex opened. The club could fill the corporate space many times over. Now it seems a few of the less committed are no longer willing to cough up premium prices every week, leaving space open to others who may not be members of the 'prawn sandwich brigade' so otten. What I a m trying to put forward is that football has not always been about corporate, middle class values and that an atmosphere is usually created by folks who may have had a shandy or two rather than a glass of chablis. They also may indulge in ways to subvert bottle top bans too.

But PB sometimes lets his preference for high rolling 'customers' cloud his judgement when saying that some of the less genteel elements amongst our fans only 'purport to support' the club.

PB doesn't just have the right to criticise fans who are fighting each other at the Amex - he has an obligation. I doubt even Millwall's owners say in their programme "carry on rucking lads, it's great for the atmosphere".

But as ever it's the tone that sets a lot of people off against him. He very often comes over as a humourless school teacher and here it's the line that you've picked out and I've highlighted.

Back in the late 80s and the 90s when I was going to pretty much every game, home and away, we all knew lads who would "get involved" at the first possible opportunity. But we knew them because they'd be part of the 200 strong Albion following at Stoke or Oldham or Sunderland or Stockport. They could name every player, who was top scorer, how we'd played last week, who was in form and who was shit. And I imagine today, if we look at some of those described as above, they will be in the "super fan" category in terms of loyalty points.