Prince Monolulu
Everything in Moderation
In a nutshell, yes.
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Paul Barber: The final (current) instalment: Catering, Finances and Supporter Dialogue
- Thread starter Bozza
- Start date
In a nutshell, yes.
Mellor 3 Ward 4
Well-known member
What a load of drivel
Well there is the question. An ability to communicate and write articulate column inches does not make one an excellent leader.
Besides, the catering is sub-contracted, so he can only 'feed back' issues and threaten penalties etc. Leadership is an entirely different question altogether.
RexCathedra
Aurea Mediocritas
Archer and Bellotti. They'll never not be what 'football management' means for a large segment of the fan base.
Once whipped, twice wary.
Not until everyone who remembers those days dies off.
Unbelievable c**p.
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,199
I am pleased that Paul Barber is doing his best in the face of a pretty much impossible challenge.
The bottom line for most football families is that it is simply all too expensive. It is extremely depressing that what the club needs now is not more loyal fans, or louder fans, but richer ones.
The bottom line for most football families is that it is simply all too expensive. It is extremely depressing that what the club needs now is not more loyal fans, or louder fans, but richer ones.
Worthingite
Sexy Pete... :D
Are you on drugs?? Just asking like.
Dan Aitch
New member
- May 31, 2013
- 2,287
It must be so hard to think that you speak sense enough for everyone to agree with you when, in reality, you have done nothing but prove that you are an ill-informed, clueless idiot.
Mustafa - get a life, get a job, get a better angle, get a sense of reality... or go away.
Mustafa - get a life, get a job, get a better angle, get a sense of reality... or go away.
brightonrock
Dodgy Hamstrings
- Jan 1, 2008
- 2,482
I cannot get my head around the people who moan so frequently that PB feels the need to answer their shyte. They want money saved to spend on better players, but irrationally hate the man whose job it is to do just that. They want the more "personal" touch of the tinpot Withdean days, but deride as corporate and uncaring the multiple in-depth responses from the very man who should have better things to do than have to answer to keyboard warriors 24/7. They want homemade, high quality premium local food and drink, but they want it cheaper than mass produced nonsense.
There are problems in various places, of course. The catering isn't perfect, no. We don't win every game, no. But the people who complain the loudest seem to be those who will never be pleased. This culture of "me" has gotten weird around the Albion the last few years. Booing every exciting but frustrating loss/draw under SH is a perfect example - I bet the vast majority are the ones claiming under OG they'd rather lose 5-4 than grind out 1-0s or 1-1s. Lo and behold, they get the free flowing end to end football they apparently craved and now that's not good enough either. IMO Barber earns his money and more, just having the patience to reply to the same misinformation and ignorance, over and over and over. I would definitely have caved by now and told somebody to just F off.
There are problems in various places, of course. The catering isn't perfect, no. We don't win every game, no. But the people who complain the loudest seem to be those who will never be pleased. This culture of "me" has gotten weird around the Albion the last few years. Booing every exciting but frustrating loss/draw under SH is a perfect example - I bet the vast majority are the ones claiming under OG they'd rather lose 5-4 than grind out 1-0s or 1-1s. Lo and behold, they get the free flowing end to end football they apparently craved and now that's not good enough either. IMO Barber earns his money and more, just having the patience to reply to the same misinformation and ignorance, over and over and over. I would definitely have caved by now and told somebody to just F off.
Am I the only one that is annoyed that PB is pandering to the whinges of a very small minority of fans. I would rather he spent his time working to raise revenues and reduce costs as he has done for the last couple of years!
Barham's tash
Well-known member
As someone that knew of PB and the work he did at Tottenham via a mutual acquaintance (and an Arsenal fan to boot) before he was even linked with the role at the Albion I am constantly nothing but pleasantly surprised about how everything I was told about him before was true.
In the short time he as been at the club we've grown tremendously on and off the pitch and it's in no small part due to his impact. As any CEO will find the decisions to be made will upset, alienate, disenchant, please and or create indifference to the population they're targeted at be it players, administrative staff, part time staff, or fans/customers alike and the man does it with such good grace, no shortage of patience and a tremendous respect for the club we were, the club we've become and the vision of the club that he and the board share for the future is astounding.
We're a fickle bunch football fans - bet if we were averaging 3 goals a game and top of the league by five points 95% of the gripes on here would disappear - none more so than the Albion faithful who've endured what seemed like an endless wrestle to win back our club, then the ground and now when the club arguably needs us most some are encouraging the majority of others to be spendthrift and miserly.
Can any of us say that we would prefer to be sat at Withdean paying c£24 a match without a roof, no access to an ale or two, and less choice than a Welsh fish and chip shop for catering than what we have at our disposal at the Amex?
The trouble for many of us I suppose is that we live in one of if not the best part of the UK, we on average are probably among the most affluent population of football supporters in the country and we have access to so many other things to spend our money on that we have an embarrassment of riches which inevitably makes some of more picky than others. So what if it takes an additional five minutes to get served, or that the hot dogs don't come with onions, or perhaps the pies are cooked for 3 minutes longer than some of us would like.
As Norman would say we've come a long long way together, through the hard times and the rain, so why don't we actually bloody celebrate things for the way they are instead of constantly sniping or moaning all the time?
Perhaps if we focused more on what was happening on the pitch and got back to doing what supporters do best then maybe collectively we'd all be in a better place? Just a thought.
In the short time he as been at the club we've grown tremendously on and off the pitch and it's in no small part due to his impact. As any CEO will find the decisions to be made will upset, alienate, disenchant, please and or create indifference to the population they're targeted at be it players, administrative staff, part time staff, or fans/customers alike and the man does it with such good grace, no shortage of patience and a tremendous respect for the club we were, the club we've become and the vision of the club that he and the board share for the future is astounding.
We're a fickle bunch football fans - bet if we were averaging 3 goals a game and top of the league by five points 95% of the gripes on here would disappear - none more so than the Albion faithful who've endured what seemed like an endless wrestle to win back our club, then the ground and now when the club arguably needs us most some are encouraging the majority of others to be spendthrift and miserly.
Can any of us say that we would prefer to be sat at Withdean paying c£24 a match without a roof, no access to an ale or two, and less choice than a Welsh fish and chip shop for catering than what we have at our disposal at the Amex?
The trouble for many of us I suppose is that we live in one of if not the best part of the UK, we on average are probably among the most affluent population of football supporters in the country and we have access to so many other things to spend our money on that we have an embarrassment of riches which inevitably makes some of more picky than others. So what if it takes an additional five minutes to get served, or that the hot dogs don't come with onions, or perhaps the pies are cooked for 3 minutes longer than some of us would like.
As Norman would say we've come a long long way together, through the hard times and the rain, so why don't we actually bloody celebrate things for the way they are instead of constantly sniping or moaning all the time?
Perhaps if we focused more on what was happening on the pitch and got back to doing what supporters do best then maybe collectively we'd all be in a better place? Just a thought.
atfc village
Well-known member
Some of you don't know how lucky you are with the facillites you have
We have Burgers down in The Skrill at£4 a pop that frankly i wouldn't wipe off my shoe.Walk into any Caff in Brighton within 15 minute walk of Brighton Station and you'll pick up a decent meal for £5 ,so take your pick.Having seen Brighton at The Goldstone,Withdean and Gillingham you now have a Stadium that many envy yet people still moan.
We have Burgers down in The Skrill at£4 a pop that frankly i wouldn't wipe off my shoe.Walk into any Caff in Brighton within 15 minute walk of Brighton Station and you'll pick up a decent meal for £5 ,so take your pick.Having seen Brighton at The Goldstone,Withdean and Gillingham you now have a Stadium that many envy yet people still moan.
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Like your dreary politics all of the above is not in the real world....
Going by the moaning directed at the catering I would suggest a a war of nutrition...
Diego Napier
Well-known member
- Mar 27, 2010
- 4,416
Come on mate really? There are people dying out there!!!
Kosh
'The' Yaztromo
Considering the time taken to reply, the time taken to be considered and as transparent as possible - well I'm delighted we have a gent like Mr Barber fighting to keep our club in a state of healthy liquidity. I'm sure he's aware that the majority of NSC followers/contributors are sane and perfectly reasonable, and has offered said individuals a riposte to some genuine concerns that they/we have as customers/fans. Working as I do, for a large utilities company, this kind of open communication and responsive style is something a multitude of persons at director level or similar could learn an awful lot from.
Many thanks for the information, and for being brave enough to put on record some - unpalatable maybe, but facts nonetheless.
Albion.
Kosh
Many thanks for the information, and for being brave enough to put on record some - unpalatable maybe, but facts nonetheless.
Albion.
Kosh
It's not a question of 'getting a grip'. Football is no longer about just going to the match. We are more than just fans now, we are customers as well; or to put it more bluntly in modern jargon - units to be monetised. Getting the price right of the add-ons (catering, replica shirts, etc) is a major part of running a modern football club, just as much as having a state-of-the art stadium.
My own view (fwiw and I accept I am only one individual) is that as far as the catering is concerned the club hit the fans with a double whammy of high prices and shit service; and I've not even mentioned the cramped conditions, plastic 'glasses' and no disposable cutlery/plates. I know others have different views (hi there DKM!).
EDIT: Just want to add a big 'thanks' to PB for engaging with us though.
fat old seagull
New member
I wish I had time to sit around all day typing stuff on NSC.
FFS.... The whingers complaining we are kept in the dark, and now we aren't PB is getting stick for using NSC as a portal to explain issues we haven't considered. He must surely be thinking he can't win..... I would be!