Thank you sooo much Mr.Barber for all you are doing for our club!

[Icy Gull]

Thank this man? thank him?

We've got some of the highest ticket prices in the country, escalating transport costs, unavoidable booking fees, expensive food and drink, costs a fortune to be a mascot, membership schemes left right and centre - thats not SAVING 8.5m like you claim, that's squeezing every last drop of revenue out of a fanbase to continue this accelerated push to the riches of the premier league, which, if we ever get there, will result in even bigger hikes in prices for us mere mortals. We're spending all this money so the club can employ an ever increasing band of first-team players on massive wages. Here's an idea, rather than employing three first-team goalies and signing every centre-midfielder that moves, lets stop charging fans for anything that moves, stop attacking the soul of this club and instead address FFP in the manner it was intended by playing the likes of Dunk, Ince, March and JFC, one of whom may actually turn out to be the next Walcott, Bale or Zaha if actually given a bloody chance to develop in the first team.

and breathe...

Strange post there KG, as a massive fan of Poyet's who would have seen us go to the wall to fund his ambition

 

[Surf's Up]

Strange post there KG, as a massive fan of Poyet's who would have seen us go to the wall to fund his ambition

also completely and conveniently omitting any reference to TB

 

[AZ Gull]

Thank this man? thank him?

We've got some of the highest ticket prices in the country, escalating transport costs, unavoidable booking fees, expensive food and drink, costs a fortune to be a mascot, membership schemes left right and centre - thats not SAVING 8.5m like you claim, that's squeezing every last drop of revenue out of a fanbase to continue this accelerated push to the riches of the premier league, which, if we ever get there, will result in even bigger hikes in prices for us mere mortals. We're spending all this money so the club can employ an ever increasing band of first-team players on massive wages. Here's an idea, rather than employing three first-team goalies and signing every centre-midfielder that moves, lets stop charging fans for anything that moves, stop attacking the soul of this club and instead address FFP in the manner it was intended by playing the likes of Dunk, Ince, March and JFC, one of whom may actually turn out to be the next Walcott, Bale or Zaha if actually given a bloody chance to develop in the first team.

and breathe...

Is it Barber making those decisions then?

Or (at least last season) should you be blaming Mr Gus golden-bollocks Poyet?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Strange post there KG, as a massive fan of Poyet's who would have seen us go to the wall to fund his ambition

It really isn't contradictory and we've had this argument about Poyet and budgets elsewhere. We didn't agree then But if you like I believe Gus was the best manager for us under the budget constraints we had, which he pointed out on many an occasion.

also completely and conveniently omitting any reference to TB

You can read my rant as a rant against Bloom as well if you like.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Is it Barber making those decisions then?

Or (at least last season) should you be blaming Mr Gus golden-bollocks Poyet?

No, that's TB making the decision on playing budgets. Poyet is a manager, they spend what they're given. They ALL ask for more. Nothing strange about that. Gus missed out on many targets because of budget and still got us to fourth playing delightful football. But do you really want another Poyet thread?

Anyone, instead of flinging blame around, let us debate the crux of the mater, do we as fans want to be spending every last pound in the hunt for the promised land, or do we want an affordable and community club to support. Actually I think there was a thread on exactly that some weeks ago, so perhaps lets just return to praising Barber for answering our emails. (fobbed me off he did, but at least I got a nice polite, prompt reply )

 

[dougdeep]

So Tony BLOOM grows the club and Paul BARBER makes cuts.

Does Adam FRANKS work in the mailroom?

LOL!!!!!11!

What's lol about it?

 

[Brightonia]

Bloom out

Dick TIGHT back??

 

[Black Rod]

I can't help but think that Martin Perry would have considered the fans and the clubs values incomparably more than PB seems to be in doing so.

But surely that was half the trouble with how we ended up racking up such big losses? Don't get me wrong, Martin Perry has done more for this club than anybody, but was he really the man to maximise the vast potential we possessed after moving into The Amex?

The clubs values were to the local community. Brilliant, except when it means severely underselling your marketing potential. A local jobs firm on the front of the shirt and an Italian restaurant on the back have since been replaced with a worldwide global corporation. Take the lounge sponsorships as well - before, a somewhat local feel which would mean not raising a great deal of revenue. Now we have the likes of Heineken coming in.

Even little things, like Brighton branded pie boxes (eat pie, chuck away - what's the point in a fancy box?) and Amex branded water were in a way designed to make the fans feel special. Like we were above the cheapness of other clubs and that the fans meant something.

I'd love to know how much money we are saving by having bog standard pie boxes and water that you can buy from the cash and carry for 20p a bottle.

 

[ewe2]

So let me get this straight. I am running a business,and losing a lot of money.i employ a person to help control this situation,because sooner or later i will go bust.I cannot see what the issue is here. ( I will coincide that player wages are far too high for the revenue they generate at this level )

 

[Icy Gull]

It really isn't contradictory and we've had this argument about Poyet and budgets elsewhere. We didn't agree then But if you like I believe Gus was the best manager for us under the budget constraints we had, which he pointed out on many an occasion.



You can read my rant as a rant against Bloom as well if you like.

But wasn't the falling out brought about because of budget constraints

 

[Westdene Wonder]

It is obvious that our chairmans pockets are not as full as they were,having spent a huge amount on the club he has had to bring in somebody to control the financial situation and i am sure the changes being brought in have been agreed with the chairman.
I would urge caution on schemes increasing costs of food & drink supporters are able to spend their cash elsewhere and the bus arrangements should be as per last season, fans are far from happy on this subject.

 

[Sheebo]

A few weeks ago l started a similar thread on here entitled 'Thank you sooo much GUS for all you have done for our club!, because l think overall he did a fantastic job. Just remember when he came to the Albion we were 21st in League One. Three and a half years later when he left, we damn nearly made it to the promised land of the Premier League!. That has to be progress by anyone's standards.

Well this a a new one for the benefit of Paul Barber. Just remember folks that Mr.Barber is here to do a job, a hugely unpopular job with the vast majority of supporters. He has been employed by Lord Sir Tony to try and save this club £8.5 million a year, and in an attempt to do this, virtually any decision he makes isn't going to go down well with us fans.

All l'm saying is, lets try to give the guy a bit of a break, much of the flak he receives on here is unwarranted and quite personal. I've had the good fortune to meet Paul a couple of times at social functions, he likes his pint of Harveys, and like us, is l think at heart, just another football fan. And just think, if he is successful, and any of that £8.5 million is ploughed back into the playing budget, then we can afford to sign one or two classy new players each season.

Afraid that's not at all what he's been employed to do. It's more like bring the 8.5mil loss down to about 5 / 5.5mil to meet financial fair play fyi

 

[Shirty]

I will coincide that player wages are far too high for the revenue they generate at this level )

.

Indeed, I think most people would agree that the best way to balance the books is to reduce the wage roll of the playing staff. The problem with that is that we end up with an uncompetitive team, get relegated and are then faced with even harsher financial constraints due to the decreased income. Until all clubs across Europe agree some sort of wage cap any club below the big few will always struggle to compete whilst operating on a financially prudent basis.

 

[fat old seagull]

He has been very responsive to any questions I have sent by email - more so than the customer services.

A difficult job and I don't agree with all his decisions but I get the impression we are behind other championship clubs. I hope we retain our community and family friendly feel but is it possible in the corporate world we are heading towards?

Put me down for all of that too. Anyone in managment in these times will know all about budgeting, profit and loss etc (excluding bankers of course). It would be virtually impossible for Paul to be popular with fans until folk can see the benefits of his employment, I have to be honest I also worry that in his haste to get things right he doesn't properly consider the Club as a family. But just as Oscar needs time so does he. There's not many who walk into employment and are an instant success.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

To be fair, his brief was always likely to get him into some areas that were likely to be unpopular with the fans. I'm sure he has thick enough skin to realise that.

This

I'm sure he's paid handsomely to be the johnny-in-the-stocks having all our brickbats thrown at him, but no doubt sleeps well at night. Some people are just carniverous when faced with flak, and eat it all up no sweat. I'm sure he's only human, but with a tinge of ho-hum life goes on about him

 

[lighthouse]

Put me down for all of that too. Anyone in managment in these times will know all about budgeting, profit and loss etc (excluding bankers of course). It would be virtually impossible for Paul to be popular with fans until folk can see the benefits of his employment, I have to be honest I also worry that in his haste to get things right he doesn't properly consider the Club as a family. But just as Oscar needs time so does he. There's not many who walk into employment and are an instant success.

Fair shout. It is likely the case that if at this stage he was popular with the fans then he wouldn't be doing his job properly.

People may not like the answers he gives but he does seem incredibly accessible to the average fan.

 

[severnside gull]

I have met him a few times and liked him and a couple of dealings when I needed help he was fantastic. Answers every email positively and quickly - I swear the guy never sleeps.

Tries his damndest to communicate with fans openly and fully - not always helped by the infrastructure he inherited I suspect. Certainly someone I would happy have on my side and not against me.
Also the only boardroom member not to have missed a single game home or away since appointed.

 

[severnside gull]

Firmly in the "give the guy a break" camp. Errors made surr. But then who hasnt?
The attempts at character assassination on here are frankly shameful.

 

[Brightonia]

Firmly in the "give the guy a break" camp. Errors made surr. But then who hasnt?
The attempts at character assassination on here are frankly shameful.

Sure he's a nice bloke and to be fair I'm positive he has the clubs best interests at heart and is actually doing all he can to help us!

 

[supaseagull]

Paul Barber eats children and drowns kittens.