[Albion] Swansman "vs." Paul Barber

[Invicta]

Like this you mean:

Q: 25,000 football fans enter a stadium with 25,000 bottles of water.
How many bottles of water will have had their caps removed?

Why do you need to take a bottle of water in ? Can get it free inside.

 

[BN41Albion]

This thread is bonkers

 

[AmexRuislip]

Why do you need to take a bottle of water in ? Can get it free inside.

Well you learn something every day

 

[TottonSeagull]

Someone said that Paul Barber generally replies to emails, so I sent him a wall of text that I won't post here as a few here would be offended.

I explained I'm an outsider who has never visited Brighton and thanked him and the club for the good job they're (seemingly) doing, and then I brought up some "commonly mentioned issues" that I've noticed around here. I am a curious person and wanted to try how easy it is to communicate with the club.

Few hours later - response from Barber! I dont know if this is interesting or if theres any perspectives from Barber that could be considered new or unexpected, but here it is - a summarizedversion of my "suggestions" and the responses from Barber.

Many supporters feel that "Ring of Fire" is perhaps not the best pre-match music
Barber: "we review our match day build-up and music choices before every season. It doesn’t just have to work for fans in the stadium, it has to work with our players and coaches’ requirements too, and also fit with strict timings determined by the Premier League and its broadcast partners. I agree that it is time to re-fresh it soon, and I’m sure that will happen in the summer ahead of our 10th anniversary season at the Amex."

Many supporters feel the stewarding is a bit rough and could loosen up a little
Barber: "our stewarding isn’t “harsh” at all. In fact, it is rated as amongst the very best in the Premier League. We will not tolerate any kind of abusive or discriminatory behaviour - and I’m afraid that won’t change. With a very tiny percentage of our fans represented on social media, it’s very mis-leading indeed to use it to judge our stewarding or anything else about the club. I suspect your opinion will be very different after visiting."

Some supporters feel a bit worried about expressing their enthusiasm to the fullest while at the AMEX
Barber:"in excess of 27,000 Brighton fans at the Amex for each home game have plenty of opportunity and freedom to generate a great atmosphere at the stadium, as they have done on many occasions since we opened in 2011. Sometimes that atmosphere comes from the team’s performance, other times it is the atmosphere generated by the fans that inspires the team’s performance. It is always a 2-way street".

The aforementioned sometimes occuring perceptions doesnt matter much now now but if the football side to it starts failing, there could be friction between the club and its fans if stewarding etc. remains harsh, and the risk of a future possible "anti-fan" image could damage the club
Barber: "having won “best fan experience” in the Premier League for each of our first two seasons playing at this level, we are a very long way from a reputation as an “anti-fan club” – to be frank, I have never heard such rubbish! The true “vast majority” of fans are, according to fan surveys – which are completed by many thousands of fans each season and after each home match – are very happy with the club’s stewarding."

Some people - actually maybe only me - feel that while you are a great communicator, occurances of language like "we are proud to treat our fans as customers" is a bit alienating - it is as if your church or your wife would call you "a customer" rather than a believer or husband.
Barber: thank you for your feedback on communication. I’m afraid it’s impossible to please everyone all the time in this job! The vast majority of our fans want to be recognised as “fans” and treated as “customers”. That is how our staff are expected to think - and act. We are a growing football club, a developing business, and a significant community asset. We therefore communicate with multiple stakeholders all the time.

Great to see him reply, I'm guessing that in about 19 of the other PL clubs it would be pretty hard to get any type of thought through answer, especially not after just a few hours.

This, ladies and gentleman, is why ‘some supporter may feel’ the welsh are utter cock wombles!

As if Paul Barber has nothing better to do than answer ridiculous questions from some tool that has never been to the Amex!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This, ladies and gentleman, is why ‘some supporter may feel’ the welsh are utter cock wombles!

As if Paul Barber has nothing better to do than answer ridiculous questions from some tool that have never been to the Amex!

He’s Swedish.

 

[TottonSeagull]

He’s Swedish.

‘some supporters may feel’ that the Welsh and Swedes are utter cock wombles !

 

[The Man from Del Monte]

Paul Barber's wages, worked out on a 40 hour week and 20 minutes to read/reply, means that email cost the club about £150-200.

Was it worth it ?

Yes.

 

[NooBHA]

I'm with you.

Barber out, Swansman in!

I agree. I don't think it warranted being banned. Swansman posts well. He is knowledgeable. He articulates well. Especially for someone where English is his second language.

The only thing he really did wrong was post a personal email on a public forum in detail.

It's his personal email so he can do what he wants with it. But it also had personal views of the Club who probably hadn't anticipated their response would reach the Public Domain.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I agree. I don't think it warranted being banned. Swansman posts well. He is knowledgeable. He articulates well. Especially for someone where English is his second language.

The only thing he really did wrong was post a personal email on a public forum in detail.

It's his personal email so he can do what he wants with it. But it also had personal views of the Club who probably hadn't anticipated their response would reach the Public Domain.

Surely they must've noticed the legal jargon at the end of PB reply, about copyright etc.....

 

[NooBHA]

Surely they must've noticed the legal jargon at the end of PB reply, about copyright etc.....

I have never really read the disclaimer on Brighton's emails in any detail

 

[AmexRuislip]

I have never really read the disclaimer on Brighton's emails in any detail

I think it's the ususal legal thing about putting the views of the emailmin the public domain.

 

[NooBHA]

I think it's the ususal legal thing about putting the views of the emailmin the public domain.

Emails I receive from Football Clubs often have personal info so I am always aware that the contents need to be protected as they are Governed by GDPR.

Emails like the one that Swansman would have received. I am not sure that it would be governed by GDPR so although I think posting it here was ill advised. I don't think there is anything illegal in what he done

 

[AmexRuislip]

Emails I receive from Football Clubs often have personal info so I am always aware that the contents need to be protected as the are Governed by GDPR.

Emails like the one that Swansman would have received. I am not sure that it would be governed by GDPR so although I think posting it here was ill advised. I don't think there is anything illegal in what he done

Hows the gig attendance going?

 

[NooBHA]

Hows the gig attendance going?

Last one was Turin Brakes up in Colchester. This is busy time for me workwise but going to see The Jesus and Mary Chain in London in March. One of the Reid's I know well.

But the big one for me coming later as Squeeze have jus announced a UK Tour - YEEHAAA

 

[AmexRuislip]

Last one was Turin Brakes up in Colchester. This is busy time for me workwise but going to see The Jesus and Mary Chain in London in March. One of the Reid's I know well.

But the big one for me coming later as Squeeze have jus announced a UK Tour - YEEHAAA

Squeeze sounds great, funnily enough we saw Jools Holland at the Royal Albert Hall last month.
Bloody brilliant, especially watching JH left hand having a mind of its own and the great Gilson Lavis.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I'm not really getting the level of outrage expressed here. So the OP's actions may have been a little misjudged but do they really merit the level of mass condemnation that's being expressed on here?

I've seen some pretty unpalatable views expressed by certain posters in various threads over time which have quite rightly been condemned, but never to the the level that the OP's behaviour has and in most cases those unsavoury views weren't even punished with a ban. What the OP did wasn't remotely malicious or malignant so the way he is being ostracised in the manner he is makes me feel a little uncomfortable. All this talk of this thread unifying NSC is utter nonsence. I certainly don't want to feel unified with those posters who have expressed racist, islamaphobic or homophobic views or those who trivialise mental health issues, all of whom are still on here free to post their bile whenever they feel like it.

So [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] might be a little odd and his way of thinking and doing things doesn't align with what is considered normal but so what. From what little I know of him I think it's safe to say he's not a nasty person. I think a little perspective is called for. By all means call him out for what he's done if you don't agree with it but I think the general mass reaction is rather disproportionate.

The way this thread has developed brought to my mind this scene....

https://youtu.be/qLvGnro4Cgw

I've been feeling the same. The burning torches and pitchfork carrying mob attack has been pretty unsavoury. What a shame.

 

[NooBHA]

Squeeze sounds great, funnily enough we saw Jools Holland at the Royal Albert Hall last month.
Bloody brilliant, especially watching JH left hand having a mind of its own and the great Gilson Lavis.

Does Gilson still tour with them ? I hope he does. I'd like to see them as close to the original line up as possible. I know Jools won't but if he doesn't I hope Don's on keyboard.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Does Gilson still tour with them ? I hope he does. I'd like to see them as close to the original line up as possible. I know Hooks won't but if he doesn't I hope Don's on keyboard.

I'm not too sure, I think GL is totally with JH.

 

[NooBHA]

I'm not too sure, I think GL is totally with JH.

Pity I can check next month. One of their guitar technician s is coming back over to London so can ask him then

 

[PoG]

Never been to amex, raises issues about amex. Strange.