Selling Best Players

[phil]

If the board want the gates to improve then they need to make an effort to advistise the games and not expect the fans to do their work for them.

But as a members club isnt it encumbent upon us all to promote the club and help to improve things not just the BOD?

Yes the BOD have made this very difficult in the past but are slowly opening things up and opportunities are being made available. Even so there is no reason why people cant do things for themselves to help out, like Adam's scorecast, Dave C's posters advertising games, Spiritof1990 getting the gates done, vast numbers of members of this forum chipping in for the shorts sponsorship draw etc etc.

The BOD cannot do everything, this is something even they are starting to realise, everybody who supports and cares about this club should be taking some responsibilty for helping it to continue to exist, be that attending games, encouraging others to come along, buying a programme, merchandise, anything at all they can manage through location, finances or desire to help out.

Those that just want to turn up and watch the football, thats fine too, but these people IN MY PERSONAL OPINION are the ones that want everything on a plate but dont want to put the effort in to help achieve it, and the ones I have the least time for when it comes to listening to their arguements.

I think you are about right there Rich, just one thing I'd add is, whilst I agree the BOD cannot do everything the gulf between fans and BOD has to close with openness and honesty, that in turn would have more peeps helping out in whatever small ways possible as imo they would feel much more valued and part of the club, in a way its about giving "ownership" back to the fans and members, with ownership comes personal feelings of responsibility surely?

[mally]

Please don't take this the wrong way but I feel that what I have said in the past regarding the two main sporting clubs in this town was borne out in the Brian Keen interview.I know that in all probability I will get stick for mentioning them but I feel I must because,if that radio cumbria interview had been about the raiders in any way shape or form their wouldn't have been any 'apathy' whatsoever,as I have previously said-there has always been a lot more sympathy in this town for them than there has been for us-non more so than at this particular moment in time,ok they are doing alright in a micky mouse league but I still don't hear at work,for example, the negative comments and feedback about them that I get about the soccer.Is it,or could it be that they promote their-selves well-send out the right positive messages!,is there something that we could learn from them maybe,I really don't know.One thing is for sure though,the column that Mr Nutter pens every week in the Evening Mail is an absolute load of drivel-in my opinion-but at least its penned by an integral part of the backroom staff at craven park and that's who people will take notice of.To me one of the biggest factors to the 'apathy surrounding us at the moment is the fact that we don't have a weekly Tony Keen column in the Mail anymore.Don't get me wrong.I am certainly not having a go at Flynny,hes a smashing lad,but I certainly think that we should have,once again,a club director penning a weekly article in the Mail of the same vein as Tony Keen did.Hell fire,if I am wrong or nobody agrees than so be it-I will always be there come hell or high water.But,as most people on here say,the club has to promote itself more,break the silence and go back to what it used to do quite well and communicate with us,the ones that will always be there and,more importantly,the ones that are not there.

[SKIPPER]

The big question is 'why are fans not coming ?'. Well,if I had a shop with dirty broken windows and cheap tat on the shelves would I expect people to flock through the door ? HS could have been spruced up through the summer with volunteers at minimal cost. But the BOD are looking at the bigger picture 'Why do anything IF we could get the nod for re-development. A very blinkered view.We can only speculate on players missed out on but its a fairly wide rumour that Seddon,Clancy and Lloyd all turned us down for clubs in lower leagues while we shop at Poundland.We signed NINE players on varying contracts yet only two of them (Hunter and Rowe) have established themselves. Flynn and Harvey are injured. Hessey after a good start apparently took ill in training and has now been dropped to the bench without explanation. Onuora is a mystery but one hopes this isn't yet another of Bayles 'frozen-out' scenarios.Hoskin and Cole have been released altogether (panic signings) and Mukendi has been sent out on loan a move that historically is one step from release.Without the loanees we would be looking at a squad not much changed from the one that finished last season so miserably. Was this supposed to get the fans excited ?
Finally on the subject of the RC interview,not BK but the initial street job. What lazy reporting. Obviously just interviewed the first 3-4 people they came to without establishing any interest past or present. The bloke interviewed who said' Didn't know they were professional. Should get locals in. They cost nothing and can play Saturday and Sunday. I used to '. Now that was the sort of apathetic ill-informed tripe at the heart of the problem. The answer? Who knows.

[frankums]

According to Radio Cumbria this morning, Brian Keen is alleged to have said "that Barrow will have to sell their best players if gates do not improve"
Full interview on Radio Cumbria at 8-15 this morning.

How does that fit with Bayles "The funds were there to get a new player and on Friday we chased probably four strikers that we wanted"?

[ant]

I think one of the most harmful remarks in recent times that has hurt us as a club is this.Just as i was leaving work this morning a pal asked me if i was going to the match tonight as i told him id booked a night off.after telling him i was going to the game he asked me why i bother as its well known that the club would prefer to drop a league.That remark from the club chairman has grown out of all proportion.And is now regarded as the club preference to many who im sure see it as wasting money to go to HS.that,s what i hear regularly.It,s true.

[Van Der Nipper]

According to Radio Cumbria this morning, Brian Keen is alleged to have said "that Barrow will have to sell their best players if gates do not improve"
Full interview on Radio Cumbria at 8-15 this morning.

How does that fit with Bayles "The funds were there to get a new player and on Friday we chased probably four strikers that we wanted"?

It's a one in one out basis at the moment,we offered big Obi out on loan and circulated his name but no one wanted him,and a few more weeks of gates of 700odd and we will have no choice but to release players that is where Brian is coming from.

[mally]

"The ones that I have the least time for when listening to their arguments","the ones that want everything on a plate".Yeah,your personal opinion and a downright arrogant and blinkered opinion as well.There's a lot of blokes that can only just about scrape enough money together to go to Holker Street-but they bloodywell do manage it,with a struggle,and when the games over they go back to worrying about their jobs etc,money to feed the kids and pay their mortgages.That's where most peoples 'effort' goes mate,you wanna get in the real world.

[ant]

How does that fit with Bayles "The funds were there to get a new player and on Friday we chased probably four strikers that we wanted"?

It's a one in one out basis at the moment,we offered big Obi out on loan and circulated his name but no one wanted him,and a few more weeks of gates of 700odd and we will have no choice but to release players that is where Brian is coming from.

If we have a few more weeks of 700odd Bayliss will be gone mate.And if he cant select a winning team from the players HE brought in then there can be no arguments. Instead of threatening fans with player releases it will be time to grow them and realise that fans stay away from a poor side when moneys tight.What ever happens its been a shambles from pre season.Now were talking about 2 strikers brought in a matter of weeks ago going out on loan. See you at game tonight mike.

[Van Der Nipper]

It's a one in one out basis at the moment,we offered big Obi out on loan and circulated his name but no one wanted him,and a few more weeks of gates of 700odd and we will have no choice but to release players that is where Brian is coming from.

If we have a few more weeks of 700odd Bayliss will be gone mate.And if he cant select a winning team from the players HE brought in then there can be no arguments. Instead of threatening fans with player releases it will be time to grow them and realise that fans stay away from a poor side when moneys tight.What ever happens its been a shambles from pre season.Now were talking about 2 strikers brought in a matter of weeks ago going out on loan. See you at game tonight mike.

Mike? i have been called some names in my time but never Mike

[Reg]

Some people seem to have equated BK stating simple economics with some kind of blackmail attempt.

I asked TK at the meeting last week what were the contingency plans for continued sub 1000 attendances and he eventually conceded that if attendances remained low, we would have to release players. He said that he'd hoped we would have enough points early on which would allow us to thin the squad out later when we were safe but this unexpected poor start has obviously putter a spanner in those works.

Shipping players out is the only thing that makes any sense should gates remain around the 800 or less mark.

[ant]

If we have a few more weeks of 700odd Bayliss will be gone mate.And if he cant select a winning team from the players HE brought in then there can be no arguments. Instead of threatening fans with player releases it will be time to grow them and realise that fans stay away from a poor side when moneys tight.What ever happens its been a shambles from pre season.Now were talking about 2 strikers brought in a matter of weeks ago going out on loan. See you at game tonight mike.

Mike? i have been called some names in my time but never Mike

obviously not referring to you.

[Steeley]

Ahh so its the fans fault now I see. Maybe if the club got their finger out of their arse over the summer there might have been a more positive opinion of the club and bigger attendances.
Db has put together a pretty shite side too, releasing better players than the ones brought in, throw in a few panic signings and the token 'frozen out' player and its looking grim.

[sempre contigo]

If the board want the gates to improve then they need to make an effort to advistise the games and not expect the fans to do their work for them.

But as a members club isnt it encumbent upon us all to promote the club and help to improve things not just the BOD?

Yes the BOD have made this very difficult in the past but are slowly opening things up and opportunities are being made available. Even so there is no reason why people cant do things for themselves to help out, like Adam's scorecast, Dave C's posters advertising games, Spiritof1990 getting the gates done, vast numbers of members of this forum chipping in for the shorts sponsorship draw etc etc.

The BOD cannot do everything, this is something even they are starting to realise, everybody who supports and cares about this club should be taking some responsibilty for helping it to continue to exist, be that attending games, encouraging others to come along, buying a programme, merchandise, anything at all they can manage through location, finances or desire to help out.

Those that just want to turn up and watch the football, thats fine too, but these people IN MY PERSONAL OPINION are the ones that want everything on a plate but dont want to put the effort in to help achieve it, and the ones I have the least time for when it comes to listening to their arguements.

Agreed.. good post

[Paul]

If the board want the gates to improve then they need to make an effort to advistise the games and not expect the fans to do their work for them.

But as a members club isnt it encumbent upon us all to promote the club and help to improve things not just the BOD?

Yes the BOD have made this very difficult in the past but are slowly opening things up and opportunities are being made available. Even so there is no reason why people cant do things for themselves to help out, like Adam's scorecast, Dave C's posters advertising games, Spiritof1990 getting the gates done, vast numbers of members of this forum chipping in for the shorts sponsorship draw etc etc.

The BOD cannot do everything, this is something even they are starting to realise, everybody who supports and cares about this club should be taking some responsibilty for helping it to continue to exist, be that attending games, encouraging others to come along, buying a programme, merchandise, anything at all they can manage through location, finances or desire to help out.

Those that just want to turn up and watch the football, thats fine too, but these people IN MY PERSONAL OPINION are the ones that want everything on a plate but dont want to put the effort in to help achieve it, and the ones I have the least time for when it comes to listening to their arguements.

So, in your "personal opinion" I've not been putting the effort in for 30 years now. Get a grip man, what an insult. We all support in various ways - money through the turnstile being the most important at the moment wouldn't you agree. Don't start slagging off the loyal fans.

[patrickstarfish]

"we are a business at the end and the football is just a small part"

And that, right there... Is one of the main reasons why i have stopped attending.
Started watching Barrow about 8-10 years ago, til nearly every home game and few away about 4 years ago... Why? Cos' I was bored with Sky football, all the business, all the inside stuff, the money... Football always came last. But at Barrow, you turned up and had a crack with your mates and tbh the football the last 5 years has been great, true spirit. But i don't like the way the club has been throwing itself the last few years. Over and over they say 'Family club' ect... The one last taste of anti-modern football WANTS modern football and that for me is the downfall. Barrow is, always has been and always will be a rough arse working-class town... And thats brilliant, it truly is! Makes it what it is. If they cater towards that (As they have done in the past!) then people will want it. £14 doesn't just buy you the football now, it buys you the rumours and business news and more... Don't want that. I understand Barrow is a members club, but Joe public doesn't care about that (If he actually knows).