Tea/coffee and late 1901 ticket - Paul Barber reply and then another Paul Barber reply

[Icy Gull]

That in itself is an indication of the club's warped attitude to 1901'ers. Corporates are like children. Rightly or wrongly, they expect a bit of pampering for their big bucks outlay. They certainly don't expect to have to form a scrum for the last bit of milk.

The milk was always served on wobbly tables. I think this was deliberate by catering staff as a laugh. How hard is it to get a non wobbly table,

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The milk was always served on wobbly tables. I think this was deliberate by catering staff as a laugh. How hard is it to get a non wobbly table,

To nick [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION]'s most excellent construct...

"We have removed non wobbly tables as a free offering after it scored low on members' overall feedback in terms of importance. Historically this service was provided free of charge by the club, but was never part of the original 1901 Club package. "

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Exactly right. I'm not a 1901-er and on the face of it it's a pathetic complaint, but it's the principle. We all know the club is losing money and we accept that it has to make whatever savings it can, but Mr Barber does occasionally sound as if he should be working for SASTA the way these changes are announced. As with the Seven Stars bar row earlier the club need to be more honest and up-front when announcing these measures instead of hiding behind weasle-words, trying to justify the changes with faux market research, and probably worse: announcing them ex post facto.. We CAN take the honesty Paul, try us. After all, what was that slogan again? #Together?.

If Barber does genuinely listen and act on surveys/feedback then he will see exactly how this has been received and address the issue correctly.

Also, this "we're losing x million" line is starting to grate. 1) Barber voted to increase the FFP limit. 2) Whilst greatful to an extent its the clubs choice to pay players eye-watering and life-changing sums.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Seems that the club should have just upped the cost of 1901 by £5 a month at renewal and retained the tea.

Would have saved all the grief.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

If Barber does genuinely listen and act on surveys/feedback then he will see exactly how this has been received and address the issue correctly.

Also, this "we're losing x million" line is starting to grate. 1) Barber voted to increase the FFP limit. 2) Whilst greatful to an extent its the clubs choice to pay players eye-watering and life-changing sums.

The losing of £18 million a year possibly 'grates' with Tony more.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The losing of £18 million a year possibly 'grates' with Tony more.

Possibly. But it's the financial model the club have chosen. And it's a model I'm starting to support less.

 

[Giraffe]

Have heard from one 1901er who has gone back home to check if he has received his ticket during his lunch hour to find they tried to deliver but the package didn't fit in the letterbox so has now been delivered to the post office from which he can only collect from 9am tomorrow. Useful. He only needs the card which is a normal season ticket size but because it is packaged in a flippin great elaborate box which he will chuck it has failed to deliver.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Have heard from one 1901er who has gone back home to check if he has received his ticket during his lunch hour to find they tried to deliver but the package didn't fit in the letterbox so has now been delivered to the post office from which he can only collect from 9am tomorrow. Useful. He only needs the card which is a normal season ticket size but because it is packaged in a flippin great elaborate box which he will chuck it has failed to deliver.

The club have messed up badly with the 1901 tickets. No reason they couldn't have been sent out a week earlier.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The club have messed up badly with the 1901 tickets. No reason they couldn't have been sent out a week earlier.

You'd have lost it if it was sent a week earlier.

 

[Nixonator]

Possibly. But it's the financial model the club have chosen. And it's a model I'm starting to support less.

On the back of the horrible season we just had?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Possibly. But it's the financial model the club have chosen. And it's a model I'm starting to support less.

This is the crux of the matter IMHO. TB, as a lifelong Albion fan, probably let his heart rule his head on this one occasion in his business life. And total and utter respect for that, because we're all reaping the benefits. But if the business model is unsustainable, as it appears to be without getting promoted to the Premier League, then that's hardly our fault. And this death-by-a-thousand-cuts of mini-savings won't make a blind bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. Much like DK had to hand over to TB on financial grounds, maybe TB now or at some point has to handover so somebody with deeper pockets. Either that or he has to suck it up. Sorry, but that seems to be the harsh reality of the situation.

 

[Nixonator]

This is the crux of the matter IMHO. TB, as a lifelong Albion fan, probably let his heart rule his head on this one occasion in his business life. And total and utter respect for that, because we're all reaping the benefits. But if the business model is unsustainable, as it appears to be without getting promoted to the Premier League, then that's hardly our fault. And this death-by-a-thousand-cuts of mini-savings won't make a blind bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. Much like DK had to hand over to TB on financial grounds, maybe TB now or at some point has to handover so somebody with deeper pockets. Either that or he has to suck it up.

We only need to get there once and we're on the gravy train, and I think we'll make the most of it.

At which stage, all these announced monthly/annual losses will seem somewhat insignificant in the scheme of things.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Have heard from one 1901er who has gone back home to check if he has received his ticket during his lunch hour to find they tried to deliver but the package didn't fit in the letterbox so has now been delivered to the post office from which he can only collect from 9am tomorrow. Useful. He only needs the card which is a normal season ticket size but because it is packaged in a flippin great elaborate box which he will chuck it has failed to deliver.

Same here. And aren't the Royal Mail stupid? They have given me a piece of card that I can't redeem until tomorrow. I will get ponies and butterflies in my mind and lose it by tomorrow - do they know nothing?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We only need to get there once and we're on the gravy train, and I think we'll make the most of it.

At which stage, all these announced monthly/annual losses will seem somewhat insignificant in the scheme of things.

For sure, but depends how long TB keeps his nerve before folding his hand. Seem to recall the year 2027 being bandied about as a potential breakpoint on TB's commitment. But that's ten years down the line. This is a horribly difficult league to get out of - as we already know.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

You'd have lost it if it was sent a week earlier.

True.

I expect they will be sending out replacement tickets on a match by match basis.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

 

[El Presidente]

It's an expensive hobby!

El Pres, I don't know if you have the answer but are the club tied to the travel subsidy for 'ever'?

I'm not sure. Suspect the deal was for a number of years and will be renegotiated at some point in the future.

 

[El Presidente]

This is the crux of the matter IMHO. TB, as a lifelong Albion fan, probably let his heart rule his head on this one occasion in his business life. And total and utter respect for that, because we're all reaping the benefits. But if the business model is unsustainable, as it appears to be without getting promoted to the Premier League, then that's hardly our fault. And this death-by-a-thousand-cuts of mini-savings won't make a blind bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. Much like DK had to hand over to TB on financial grounds, maybe TB now or at some point has to handover so somebody with deeper pockets. Either that or he has to suck it up. Sorry, but that seems to be the harsh reality of the situation.

TB has put more money into Championship level football than any chairman in the history of the game.

 

[El Presidente]

Possibly. But it's the financial model the club have chosen. And it's a model I'm starting to support less.

Which begs the question. Which model would you support more? I suspect that many fans would not be happy if the club pursued a break even model in this league as it would involve selling Dunk, March, Stephens, Kayal and Knockaert.

The football last year was excellent IMO. We had a poor month and were one goal from promotion.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

TB has put more money into Championship level football than any chairman in the history of the game.

Never said he hadn't