Fans Forum - Thursday 15th June

[saltcellar]

em I assume is Evening Mail and not Emma Athersmith.

[The Real Slim Azza]

I will refrain for accusing you of being negative and some points may be valid to a point?

I think and hope Thursday will be an opportunity for PC to open up and maybe admit that his original 5 year plan was far too optimistic..

Should we be worrying just yet? I don't think so.. I do believe that Coxy does have the backing and we will have a squad to compete with. We have many players on contract, something we have not been able to say for years! That's great business sense imo. Players will come and go but if we get something for a change rather than sod all then that's an improvement!
Yes, crappy jobs have had to be be done that nobody seems to care about or physically see as an improvement but it is progress..
Who would have thought that we would actually be getting new lights? not under the keens (bless their cotton socks) BUT its actually happening.. another necessity and another step in the right way..
The pitch.. WE actually have a team who is dedicated to continual pitch improvement, to say oh its just seeded and nowt to be happy about is pretty low.. There has been a lot of prep, levelling, screening etc done to hopefully give us a pitch to die for? so to have this team on board is another plus..??
Marketing Is improving, maybe not as fast as we want but its happening.. I/We see much more via social media than I have ever known.. em is a waste of time, the bay wouldn't be my choice.. so social media is the way forward and anyone with half a brain would realise this.. I hate tech but even I have to embrace this. another plus?
Wil we be moving from our current home? I doubt it.. is it so bad? I don't think so (that's my opinion) do we want a sole less plastic place? I don't, do we need an all seater 20k capacity shit can? NO.. Yeswe want a roof, yes we would like to see the crossbar removed and developed... will it happen? I hope so, will it be next week? I doubt it? but lack of physical activity does not mean nowts happening.. when the lights go down, it will maybe give us a chance to re visit how the HS could be developed? to do the lights and ground in one hit would be too far even for the deepest of pockets!

Yes PC is a wealthy bloke, yes he has said things that we have all clung on too.. but he is probably now looking and being sensible! I just hope that people would realise that we ARE in a better place, we ARE going forward and tings WILL improve... Its OUR club and we all have to take some ownership and responsibility by getting involved, turning up, supporting, getting behind PC and stop the barriers and brick walls..

Staying away and continuously slating the place and maybe getting a tad too personal is NOT the way to be.. Chin up a former member of this forum, don't revolt! and swarthmoor aint that great.. I used to grace them fields many moons ago

I agree with much of what you have to say (except the swarthmoor part! )

The club simply can't move forward with the current set up off the pitch. I think deep down everyone realises that its more reactive than it is pro active down there. Even then the reactions are slow, poor constructed and rare. What have the fans seen that indicates things will improve in the future? Some maintenance work?

The club is in a better place than it has been before but I think that feeling evolves from how bad things actually got to over the years. Not much has changed off the pitch to give fans hope of a brighter future. Essentially its being run as badly as it was but now just with more money to spend. Its even more a reason to properly prepare for the future and involve the fans in things considering what they've had to endure previously. There are many supporters that have great ideas but the club either don't seem interested or won't act upon them and open up to discuss them.
This has been a 10th life to a cat and it needs to be done carefully and properly by the right people who know what it takes to run a football club to make it self sustainable.

This money that is being injected into the club is a golden ticket, it should be used wisely and not just on the lottery/hope of going up in the play offs then seeing what happens IF and when the club ever go up. This cash won't be around forever and even if by some miracle it was didn't Barrow fans hate Fleetwood and FGR for being bankrolled at one point? FGR lost millions every year and only just got up by winning in the play offs by beating a side who have spent a lot as well, this league isn't easy to get out of.

If stadium plans are going to come into effect when the club reaches football league then fans may never see them.

The clubs future needs to be built properly. You wouldn't build a ship, then launch it in the hope it doesn't sink and then work out how its going to stay afloat afterwards.

[olbarrafancumbak]

em I assume is Evening Mail and not Emma Athersmith.

Correct! Emma imo is doing a grand job, same as Georgia.

[olbarrafancumbak]

I will refrain for accusing you of being negative and some points may be valid to a point?

I think and hope Thursday will be an opportunity for PC to open up and maybe admit that his original 5 year plan was far too optimistic..

Should we be worrying just yet? I don't think so.. I do believe that Coxy does have the backing and we will have a squad to compete with. We have many players on contract, something we have not been able to say for years! That's great business sense imo. Players will come and go but if we get something for a change rather than sod all then that's an improvement!
Yes, crappy jobs have had to be be done that nobody seems to care about or physically see as an improvement but it is progress..
Who would have thought that we would actually be getting new lights? not under the keens (bless their cotton socks) BUT its actually happening.. another necessity and another step in the right way..
The pitch.. WE actually have a team who is dedicated to continual pitch improvement, to say oh its just seeded and nowt to be happy about is pretty low.. There has been a lot of prep, levelling, screening etc done to hopefully give us a pitch to die for? so to have this team on board is another plus..??
Marketing Is improving, maybe not as fast as we want but its happening.. I/We see much more via social media than I have ever known.. em is a waste of time, the bay wouldn't be my choice.. so social media is the way forward and anyone with half a brain would realise this.. I hate tech but even I have to embrace this. another plus?
Wil we be moving from our current home? I doubt it.. is it so bad? I don't think so (that's my opinion) do we want a sole less plastic place? I don't, do we need an all seater 20k capacity shit can? NO.. Yeswe want a roof, yes we would like to see the crossbar removed and developed... will it happen? I hope so, will it be next week? I doubt it? but lack of physical activity does not mean nowts happening.. when the lights go down, it will maybe give us a chance to re visit how the HS could be developed? to do the lights and ground in one hit would be too far even for the deepest of pockets!

Yes PC is a wealthy bloke, yes he has said things that we have all clung on too.. but he is probably now looking and being sensible! I just hope that people would realise that we ARE in a better place, we ARE going forward and tings WILL improve... Its OUR club and we all have to take some ownership and responsibility by getting involved, turning up, supporting, getting behind PC and stop the barriers and brick walls..

Staying away and continuously slating the place and maybe getting a tad too personal is NOT the way to be.. Chin up a former member of this forum, don't revolt! and swarthmoor aint that great.. I used to grace them fields many moons ago

I agree with much of what you have to say (except the swarthmoor part! )

The club simply can't move forward with the current set up off the pitch. I think deep down everyone realises that its more reactive than it is pro active down there. Even then the reactions are slow, poor constructed and rare. What have the fans seen that indicates things will improve in the future? Some maintenance work?

The club is in a better place than it has been before but I think that feeling evolves from how bad things actually got to over the years. Not much has changed off the pitch to give fans hope of a brighter future. Essentially its being run as badly as it was but now just with more money to spend. Its even more a reason to properly prepare for the future and involve the fans in things considering what they've had to endure previously. There are many supporters that have great ideas but the club either don't seem interested or won't act upon them and open up to discuss them.
This has been a 10th life to a cat and it needs to be done carefully and properly by the right people who know what it takes to run a football club to make it self sustainable.

This money that is being injected into the club is a golden ticket, it should be used wisely and not just on the lottery/hope of going up in the play offs then seeing what happens IF and when the club ever go up. This cash won't be around forever and even if by some miracle it was didn't Barrow fans hate Fleetwood and FGR for being bankrolled at one point? FGR lost millions every year and only just got up by winning in the play offs by beating a side who have spent a lot as well, this league isn't easy to get out of.

If stadium plans are going to come into effect when the club reaches football league then fans may never see them.

The clubs future needs to be built properly. You wouldn't build a ship, then launch it in the hope it doesn't sink and then work out how its going to stay afloat afterwards.

I'm taking it that you will be there on Thursday putting your concerns across?

Being a keyboard warrior is one thing but can be misunderstood and points can lost in translation.. be good for you to maybe talk face to face and maybe alleviate your concerns?

[The Real Slim Azza]

I agree with much of what you have to say (except the swarthmoor part! )

The club simply can't move forward with the current set up off the pitch. I think deep down everyone realises that its more reactive than it is pro active down there. Even then the reactions are slow, poor constructed and rare. What have the fans seen that indicates things will improve in the future? Some maintenance work?

The club is in a better place than it has been before but I think that feeling evolves from how bad things actually got to over the years. Not much has changed off the pitch to give fans hope of a brighter future. Essentially its being run as badly as it was but now just with more money to spend. Its even more a reason to properly prepare for the future and involve the fans in things considering what they've had to endure previously. There are many supporters that have great ideas but the club either don't seem interested or won't act upon them and open up to discuss them.
This has been a 10th life to a cat and it needs to be done carefully and properly by the right people who know what it takes to run a football club to make it self sustainable.

This money that is being injected into the club is a golden ticket, it should be used wisely and not just on the lottery/hope of going up in the play offs then seeing what happens IF and when the club ever go up. This cash won't be around forever and even if by some miracle it was didn't Barrow fans hate Fleetwood and FGR for being bankrolled at one point? FGR lost millions every year and only just got up by winning in the play offs by beating a side who have spent a lot as well, this league isn't easy to get out of.

If stadium plans are going to come into effect when the club reaches football league then fans may never see them.

The clubs future needs to be built properly. You wouldn't build a ship, then launch it in the hope it doesn't sink and then work out how its going to stay afloat afterwards.

I'm taking it that you will be there on Thursday putting your concerns across?

Being a keyboard warrior is one thing but can be misunderstood and points can lost in translation.. be good for you to maybe talk face to face and maybe alleviate your concerns?

I won't be there.

[DaveP]

Why don't you see perhaps via social media ie independent of this forum and the club whether you can attract interest to set up an independent fans supporters group or the like who could pool their ideas and then present them to the club as a body and not just an individual. You have lots of good ideas which sometimes unfortunately rub people up the wrong way or simply aren't quite as easy to do within the constraints of business reality. This does not in any way restrict the merit of the points it just sometimes isn't quite as doable as might at first seem.

I recall some time ago you were to meet with the owner and I'm not really sure what the outcome was although I would guess it didn't make much progress. I'd hate your enthusiasm and good ideas to be lost in stupid point scoring on this forum (all parties to this are equally to blame although a former member of this forum does push peoples buttons). Give it a try you never know you may reel in much more support than you think.

[The Real Slim Azza]

Why don't you see perhaps via social media ie independent of this forum and the club whether you can attract interest to set up an independent fans supporters group or the like who could pool their ideas and then present them to the club as a body and not just an individual. You have lots of good ideas which sometimes unfortunately rub people up the wrong way or simply aren't quite as easy to do within the constraints of business reality. This does not in any way restrict the merit of the points it just sometimes isn't quite as doable as might at first seem.

I recall some time ago you were to meet with the owner and I'm not really sure what the outcome was although I would guess it didn't make much progress. I'd hate your enthusiasm and good ideas to be lost in stupid point scoring on this forum (all parties to this are equally to blame although a former member of this forum does push peoples buttons). Give it a try you never know you may reel in much more support than you think.

Fair points all across that post Dave. Hard to disagree with any of it.

Previous meetings have been a waste of time for both parties I think. The only one that changed things was the social media talk set up by SO1990 which saw an increase in social media activity and the employment of 2 social media apprentices which was a suggestion thrown up at the meeting.

I remember meeting AS in the club shop and he agreed with me that not ordering any polo shirts in was a big mistake and that was being rectified with polos being ready for the next few weeks. Then months later we were introduced to the fruit of the loom bigbadgemistakepolos which were universally laughed at. I said PL were garbage and that most fans don't like the quality and that the club were being ripped off paying £90 for a player issue shirt which in my estimation cost around £15 - £17 to produce at best, the replicas even lower! probably around £5 at best. The reply was along the lines of "well i know a lot of mothers out there who would disagree with you" . So again a waste of time.

Im having a minimum of a season off from the club. Its not the club I fell for when I was in my early teens. Its a shame as on the pitch its a great time to be around but I'll be sticking to not visiting HS this season (even if a big 3rd round tie is booked in) .

Id just like to be proved wrong but I just can't see it happening. Ill still be coming on here as I enjoy the discussion and entertainment. The fans should know what the club needs but unfortunately I don't think the club has the first idea and it simply cannot keep living off bank transfers.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

A pitch being re seeded isn't really worth throwing a party over. The floodlights seem to have a strange delay on them at the moment, its all gone quiet with them. Apart from that its just been a few touch up jobs here and there . These jobs need to be done and yeah they probably cost a lot of money and cause a few headaches but the fans want to know where the future of the club lies. Whats the plan for the club over the next 5 years? Where will the football be played? and what is in places the make sure its all achieved.

On the pitch is fine, its good. Whats happening on the pitch can only really be measured a season at a time. With most of the already small squad departing/gone it means a whole new squad has to be put together. Could easily be a mid table just as they could be league champions. The club now has a very good manager in charge who has great connections and knows exactly what he is doing. The Owner however, has basically fired open the gates to him moving on to bigger clubs as long as that club pays (keep and eye around November/December when the sackings start flooding out and the managers contract runs down).

Off the pitch the club is run from thousands of miles away and from people Ive spoken to it appears that initiative and creativity are stifled and actively discouraged . In the owners absence the clubs is left in the hands of friends and family instead of people who have worked in the football league and know how to run a football club to the penny.

Its all a bit stale at the moment and you have to worry with regards the lack of progress off the pitch. Theres only so long things can be put off and marked down as learning curves before the shit moves closer to the spinning blades.

I will refrain for accusing you of being negative and some points may be valid to a point?

I think and hope Thursday will be an opportunity for PC to open up and maybe admit that his original 5 year plan was far too optimistic..

Should we be worrying just yet? I don't think so.. I do believe that Coxy does have the backing and we will have a squad to compete with. We have many players on contract, something we have not been able to say for years! That's great business sense imo. Players will come and go but if we get something for a change rather than sod all then that's an improvement!
Yes, crappy jobs have had to be be done that nobody seems to care about or physically see as an improvement but it is progress..
Who would have thought that we would actually be getting new lights? not under the keens (bless their cotton socks) BUT its actually happening.. another necessity and another step in the right way..
The pitch.. WE actually have a team who is dedicated to continual pitch improvement, to say oh its just seeded and nowt to be happy about is pretty low.. There has been a lot of prep, levelling, screening etc done to hopefully give us a pitch to die for? so to have this team on board is another plus..??
Marketing Is improving, maybe not as fast as we want but its happening.. I/We see much more via social media than I have ever known.. em is a waste of time, the bay wouldn't be my choice.. so social media is the way forward and anyone with half a brain would realise this.. I hate tech but even I have to embrace this. another plus?
Wil we be moving from our current home? I doubt it.. is it so bad? I don't think so (that's my opinion) do we want a sole less plastic place? I don't, do we need an all seater 20k capacity shit can? NO.. Yeswe want a roof, yes we would like to see the crossbar removed and developed... will it happen? I hope so, will it be next week? I doubt it? but lack of physical activity does not mean nowts happening.. when the lights go down, it will maybe give us a chance to re visit how the HS could be developed? to do the lights and ground in one hit would be too far even for the deepest of pockets!

Yes PC is a wealthy bloke, yes he has said things that we have all clung on too.. but he is probably now looking and being sensible! I just hope that people would realise that we ARE in a better place, we ARE going forward and tings WILL improve... Its OUR club and we all have to take some ownership and responsibility by getting involved, turning up, supporting, getting behind PC and stop the barriers and brick walls..

Staying away and continuously slating the place and maybe getting a tad too personal is NOT the way to be.. Chin up a former member of this forum, don't revolt! and swarthmoor aint that great.. I used to grace them fields many moons ago

YES! The ground is appalling! YES! We do need an all seater new stadium (leave the Holker End terraced).
You, I, and others have probably got used to the shambles that is Holker Street over the years.
But if we are going to attract NEW fans and in particular YOUNG NEW fans a new stadium is NEEDED.
ONE of the reasons we're known as a tin-pot club is due to the condition of Holker Street.

[spirit of 1990]

I've spoken with Matt Dodd and hopefully we'll be showing the last seasons highlights video that was originally planned to show at the EOSD/awards evening at some point on Thursday evening. It's just the timing we're trying to arrange, the highlights last the best part of an hour, so we could possibly show them from 6:00pm (before the three Pauls start answering questions from the floor). The other option is to show half before the Q&A (so 6:30pm) then the remainder after.

I'll post what the plan is ASAP.

[John_Bucks]

I've spoken with Matt Dodd and hopefully we'll be showing the last seasons highlights video that was originally planned to show at the EOSD/awards evening at some point on Thursday evening. It's just the timing we're trying to arrange, the highlights last the best part of an hour, so we could possibly show them from 6:00pm (before the three Pauls start answering questions from the floor). The other option is to show half before the Q&A (so 6:30pm) then the remainder after.

I'll post what the plan is ASAP.

Mildly off topic but if we have the footage for a best bits of the season could this not produced on a DVD for sale at the end of a season? I'd certainly buy one and at an hour in length would be well worth the money I reckon.

[Bigfathoss]

An hour for a highlights reel? That's not highlights! A Chelsea or Man City highlights reel would only be a max of 10 minutes. How do we get nearly an hour??

[spirit of 1990]

An hour for a highlights reel? That's not highlights! A Chelsea or Man City highlights reel would only be a max of 10 minutes. How do we get nearly an hour??

Sorry, I should've explained a bit more. It's not all football highlights, there are interviews with Coxy and some players I think. Apparently there are some behind the scenes [SwearFilter] about as well.

I only saw a brief snippet of it just before the EOSD, but it does look pretty good.

[Bigfathoss]

That sounds cool. Thanks for the update.

[HenneysKnee]

Will that be going on YouTube after the event? Sounds good

[DaveC]

I won't be there myself I'm afraid, would love to see it streamed or Tubed though if poss?