Clueless?

[Steelworks End]

Anyroad, i submitted a cv last year when we were 'looking' for a commercial manager. I'm no Steve Jobs but i do have experience of managing teams, setting up processes and procedures, building relationships with companies and people and bringing in new business in excess of £100m. Didn't get a reply though, obviously

You're over-qualified for the job, Dave!

[Rob]

I think that in the post-1999 period, when the club was essentially run by volunteers for 15 years, the general amateurism of the website and commerical operations were more justifiable. This side of operations could have been much better, but equally nobody was necessarily expecting slick professionalism. At the very least, there was a convincing underlying explanation - the club did not have the resources to manage this stuff.

As a member, though, this was one of the core reasons that I felt that selling the club to Casson was a good decision. We were transferring the club from a group of people who could never maximize its potential to somebody who could. Barrow is now a professional operation, with the resources of one, and should be run as such. When we sold to Casson were told that his vision for Barrow was for a sustainable club, and the only way he'll ever see through on this promise is by modernizing this side of the club.

[finbar17]

What if sustainability was only going to be achieved once we'd found the people amongst us capable of sustaining that future post casson? Relax a little everybody's forgetting the reason we're all here. It will come in time we're still very much a semi-pro club with big money.

[Cringle]

There's never been a better moment for the phrase
"Rome wasn't built in a day".
Some of the comments on this forum are making me cringe to be honest and it's not fair on Mr Casson.
It's the most promising time ever to be a barrow fan and all this negativity getting a bit silly.
We've just been promoted as champions and before the champagne corks have been brushed off the changing room floor it's all doom and gloom and persistent moaning .
Get a grip guys and let's have some positive vibes .

[Jo am back]

There's never been a better moment for the phrase
"Rome wasn't built in a day".
Some of the comments on this forum are making me cringe to be honest and it's not fair on Mr Casson.
It's the most promising time ever to be a barrow fan and all this negativity getting a bit silly.
We've just been promoted as champions and before the champagne corks have been brushed off the changing room floor it's all doom and gloom and persistent moaning .
Get a grip guys and let's have some positive vibes .

Completly right,it's the same clowns every time,criticise everything, why can't they be happy at where the club is and see the positives.

[The Real Slim Azza]

We are hiring out skyscrapers in London in an aim to launch the national brand that is Barrow AFC. Yet the club can't get the simplest of things right. We are now paying players as full time professionals yet off the pitch we are very much Amateur at best.

Rome wasn't built in a day,In thousands of years from now there will still be people defending the club and they will still be awaiting an email reply from the club about the possibility of booking 25 people for the hospitality package for the visit of Worcester.

Standard boring defence of the club again and again from the happy clappers who see no wrong in anything. Everything is just fine , no need to nip anything in the bud just forget about it and pretend like its not happening.

Oh dear.

Lets try and remain positive about how the commercial side of the club is still terrible and is on its arse .Lets be positive about how the club are turning away money and are shutting up to fans year after year. Lets all beam out some fake positivity to try and plaster over whats going wrong with the club and hope that it all works out.

[The Real Slim Azza]

Second, I think we all need to take a second and actually thank a former member of this forum for all this. Without him actually going against popular opinion and not sitting back, almost all of this would not have been highlighted or put on a platform so that changes can potentially happen! Far too many willing to sit back and happy clap whilst the club falls apart and fails basics. We are non-league and as supporters, have a big influence on this club. Without voicing what is wrong whilst looking in, change can never happen on the inside. We are their customers!

+1

Thanks for the support guys.

I know other find it annoying and frustrating. If they countered the furstration I provide them towards the club then maybe some things would be getting done.

I received another email from Steve Casson late yesterday ( after emailing him 3 times over the last 2 days) and he said he had ' recieved in full" my email and went onto say the following


" We welcome any and all suggestions on how to improve fan experience, but it becomes a bit ungainly to make a comprehensive reply to every suggestion"

I understand what hes saying but he hasn't even acknowledged even one of my suggestions. It feels like a huge:
" You know what mate , I can't be arsed with this. You are really interupting my dinner hour here"

I have replied to this email to see if he can put some time aside and have a chat with me in person about how some of my ideas and the ideas of others on this forum can be discussed. I really want to get something sorted. If he replies saying we can I wouldn't mind taking Ste Story with me to showcase his ideas and what he could do for the club.

If anyone wants any points raised at this potential meeting then PM me. It can be anything at all, fresh ideas, good and bad examples of how you feel the club have provided a service in the past, if youve been let down before, have the club done something good which you want to let them know about, if you are happy or not with the kits this year. Just general feedback really.


I highly doubt I'll get a reply but if it takes me another set of emails to get some sort a reply then Ill just persist. After all my persisting got us news on hospitality and news, pics and info on the shirts recently so i shall see how it goes.

[bluebird90]

There's never been a better moment for the phrase
"Rome wasn't built in a day".
Some of the comments on this forum are making me cringe to be honest and it's not fair on Mr Casson.
It's the most promising time ever to be a barrow fan and all this negativity getting a bit silly.
We've just been promoted as champions and before the champagne corks have been brushed off the changing room floor it's all doom and gloom and persistent moaning .
Get a grip guys and let's have some positive vibes .

Completly right,it's the same clowns every time,criticise everything, why can't they be happy at where the club is and see the positives.

There's never been a better moment for the phrase
"Rome wasn't built in a day".
Some of the comments on this forum are making me cringe to be honest and it's not fair on Mr Casson.
It's the most promising time ever to be a barrow fan and all this negativity getting a bit silly.
We've just been promoted as champions and before the champagne corks have been brushed off the changing room floor it's all doom and gloom and persistent moaning .
Get a grip guys and let's have some positive vibes .

All this.

When we look at the facts, you haven't got a clue what is going on inside the club.

How the club is run by Mr Casson, how long he takes to sort various parts of the business out, where he holds his meetings - is up to him, not you. The guy has made plenty of money running things his way for more years than you've been born, I very much doubt he needs your advice! - The same with his son, he knows far more about him than you ever will.

Too many people on here whinging about every little thing to do with the club. You've just been promoted, a new pitch put down, floodlights fixed, a sponsorship deal recognising local needs, a community initiative bought to promote the club, a community officer about to be put in place, the club giving trials to local lads...................I cant help think that if he'd put commercial aspects first, the same people would be whinging that he doesn't need the money and is grabbing.

Surely you've got better things to do than start ringing Fylde and Gainsborough and copying your emails onto a forum, right?............Then again.

[The Real Slim Azza]

Completly right,it's the same clowns every time,criticise everything, why can't they be happy at where the club is and see the positives.

There's never been a better moment for the phrase
"Rome wasn't built in a day".
Some of the comments on this forum are making me cringe to be honest and it's not fair on Mr Casson.
It's the most promising time ever to be a barrow fan and all this negativity getting a bit silly.
We've just been promoted as champions and before the champagne corks have been brushed off the changing room floor it's all doom and gloom and persistent moaning .
Get a grip guys and let's have some positive vibes .

All this.

When we look at the facts, you haven't got a clue what is going on inside the club.

Thats exactly the point!

No one ever knows whats going on. The club has shut up again over summer, theyve [SwearFilter] the shirts up yet again and they can't reply to emails and can't get the basics right. There are your facts right there. So look at them and decide if you think that is acceptable from a club who are aiming to raise the profile of Barrow AFC

I don't need to be inside the club or a business man turning over millions a year to notice that. I am a fan of Barrow AFC. If I want to point out things that I think are wrong with the club then I will and you won't stop me from doing so. If you don't like the fact that I do I suggest you don't read my posts. Its just as negative complaining about it via your posts.

I am as passionate about making sure we as fans get the information we want and most of all the service us fans and lets not forget potential future fans receive.
You can't ignore the club needs a shake up commercially. I know you think there is no blame with the club ever hence your massive defence of the club everytime someone questions it but you can't say that the club is performing anywhere near average off the pitch.

If I want to email other clubs to support my claims then I will and there isnt a thing in the world you can do about it.

[walney rock]

Ive haven't been so excited about the start of a season for a long long time but its just a real shame all this commercial and hospice event bullshit is really spoiling it! It all needs sorting ASAP

[bluebird90]

There is plenty going on off the pitch though, look at the community initiative for example and the fact that they are currently putting someone in place to advance that, look at the ground repairs. Whether these are more important than the commercial side, whether or not these go hand in hand with the commercial side is all a matter of opinion and its their opinion that counts. They have said they will improve things and these will happen when they feel the time is right - not when you or I do.

I don't think anyone is denying that it needs a 'shake up' on the commercial side but they aren't going to change everything over one summer, its up to them as to what they prioritise first. For all we know Casson could be targeting higher end companies for hospitality this season - looking for long term investment and benefits - they certainly have the contacts - YOU just don't know and I don't think any of this really needs publicising. Most people aren't that bothered as long as the clubs is progressing long term (see first sentence before saying its not).

Do you really think that replying late to an email, or making a (very small) error on a name, or releasing shirts a bit late will have an impact on the grand scheme of things? Will people stop going? Will people not buy the shirt?... I doubt it.

As fans, I think the 'need to know everything' attitude needs to disappear. Around 1000 people currently attend matches, now if a large proportion of that were complaining or attendances were dwindling then alarm bells might start ringing, but they aren't.

As for the persistent comments about the happy clappers and defending the club... Maybe its just a sense of positivism, optimism and REALITY.

[Lancaster Branch]

As fans, I think the 'need to know everything' attitude needs to disappear. Around 1000 people currently attend matches, now if a large proportion of that were complaining or attendances were dwindling then alarm bells might start ringing, but they aren't.

That's a good point - when it comes down to it, it's a privately owned company. There doesn't NEED to be anything in the public domain at all.

[Steeley]

Poor mans Fleetwood, thats all we are.

Lets just keep quiet, go to games and wear our XXXL shirts like good fans.

[The Real Slim Azza]

There is plenty going on off the pitch though, look at the community initiative for example and the fact that they are currently putting someone in place to advance that, look at the ground repairs. Whether these are more important than the commercial side, whether or not these go hand in hand with the commercial side is all a matter of opinion and its their opinion that counts. They have said they will improve things and these will happen when they feel the time is right - not when you or I do.

I don't think anyone is denying that it needs a 'shake up' on the commercial side but they aren't going to change everything over one summer, its up to them as to what they prioritise first. For all we know Casson could be targeting higher end companies for hospitality this season - looking for long term investment and benefits - they certainly have the contacts - YOU just don't know and I don't think any of this really needs publicising. Most people aren't that bothered as long as the clubs is progressing long term (see first sentence before saying its not).

Do you really think that replying late to an email, or making a (very small) error on a name, or releasing shirts a bit late will have an impact on the grand scheme of things? Will people stop going? Will people not buy the shirt?... I doubt it.

As fans, I think the 'need to know everything' attitude needs to disappear. Around 1000 people currently attend matches, now if a large proportion of that were complaining or attendances were dwindling then alarm bells might start ringing, but they aren't.

As for the persistent comments about the happy clappers and defending the club... Maybe its just a sense of positivism, optimism and REALITY.

The club have put a job description up on the main site and theyve redone the pitch and you call that long term progression?

If that be the case then I guess theres no need for fans or the trust. Hell even this forum can go. Ste close this forum. Barrow AFC isn't a members club now so we can't do anything at the club or for the club so we arnt allowed discussions on anything Barrow AFC.

We should just go to games , keep quiet , not discuss anything and just give our money to the club.

All those lads boycotting games for Leitchy , dont worry about it. Its not your decision to make its in hand with the club . Let the club get on with it. The commercial shake up can just happen when it wants. If the club can be arsed they might sort it out.

Meanwhile lets just spend loads of money and hope all goes well.


The point about replying to emails and getting names wrong. Of course it will have an impact on things! Are you that blind in defending the club that you cannot see that poor customer service will effect the club? That twitter post about new shirts, 3 people enquired about kids sizes and there was no reply. Thats 3 people who could just as easily think "ah well ill just leave it then and support man utd because its easier"
The fans are the soul of the club. If the club messes them about and keeps them uninformed theyll soon [SwearFilter] off elsewhere. Competition for fans is hard enough at the moment and if the club comtinues to act unprofessional as it has been then we will be knackered. Youll have to shove the long term plan up your bonus pipe.


You even admit the club needs sorting out commercially! FOR [SwearFilter] SAKE ! HELLO BLUEBIRD 90 ! IS THERE ANYONE HOME ?! HOW MANY FINGERS AM I HOLDING UP?
The clubs doing [SwearFilter] all about it ! its obvious! so something has to be said and I am saying it


You seem smart. I just think someone at the clubs brainwashed you or something.

[HenneysKnee]

To be fair if my Dad bought a football club i'd want a job there, it's the admitting your out of your depth and asking for help that's hard