Fans' Forum - Thursday 8th May

[TheLawnMowerMan]

Entry is free to STAR members.

and for non STAR members?

Just a tenner Forbes - and you get all the other benefits of membership at the same time

Given that this is the final event of the season, a full £10 to join just for this meeting seems to be a blocker to signing up new members.
How about £10 including next season as well?

[Scrappy]

Or perhaps charge £11 for next Thursday and next season. I'd definatelly be up for paying a small fee extra on next year's price to pay for it.

[TheLawnMowerMan]

Will renewals be possible on the night?
Much more preferable than match days for me.

[Dirk Gently]

The way forward i to have rolling renewals - i.e. pay ten pounds and get a year's membership from that date.

But that would make renewals a nightmare for a voluntary organisation, and may also not be possible under STAR's constitution.

[RoyalBlue]

The way forward i to have rolling renewals - i.e. pay ten pounds and get a year's membership from that date.

But that would make renewals a nightmare for a voluntary organisation, and may also not be possible under STAR's constitution.

Any chance that BBCRB can record and broadcast the forum?

BBC Radio London provide coverage of the Charlton fans forums (and I believe some of the other London club's forums).

[RoyalBlue]

Steve

Why are we in this current mess on the pitch, is it your fault or the players?

Steve

What do you make of the Chairman's announcement this week that there will be major investment in the team this summer, if we stay up?

Could the timing have been better?

If he answers that candidly, I would wager he's not intending to be our manager next season!!

[TheLawnMowerMan]

The way forward i to have rolling renewals - i.e. pay ten pounds and get a year's membership from that date.

But that would make renewals a nightmare for a voluntary organisation, and may also not be possible under STAR's constitution.

Rule 11 concerning membership is as follows:

The Society Board will decide and issue a form of application for membership. Members are to pay an annual
subscription of £10 (£5 for over 65s) or such other reasonable sum as the Society Board shall decide, the first
payment to be made at the time of application for membership. The sum of £1 from the first payment shall be
applied to purchase a share in the Society.

Seems like plenty of scope (if you ask me) for a reduced 2007-2008 membership in conjunction with next years fees for late joiners.

[Barry the bird boggler]

The way forward i to have rolling renewals - i.e. pay ten pounds and get a year's membership from that date.

But that would make renewals a nightmare for a voluntary organisation, and may also not be possible under STAR's constitution.

Any chance that BBCRB can record and broadcast the forum?

BBC Radio London provide coverage of the Charlton fans forums (and I believe some of the other London club's forums).

That won't happen as SC would not be as open and candid as he has been at other forums.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Here's a question I'd like to see asked of Mr Coppell,

How badly has Nicky Shorey's season been affected by the speculation surrounding his future. He's looked a shaddow of his former self and it would appear from the outside that he's lost the desire needed to perform since his rumoured move didn't happen.

In contrast Steve Sidwell was excellent last season even though he knew his future was going to be elsewhere. Do you think he could've maintained his standards in this seasons side as he did last season?


Cheers

[RoyalBlue]

The way forward i to have rolling renewals - i.e. pay ten pounds and get a year's membership from that date.

But that would make renewals a nightmare for a voluntary organisation, and may also not be possible under STAR's constitution.

Any chance that BBCRB can record and broadcast the forum?

BBC Radio London provide coverage of the Charlton fans forums (and I believe some of the other London club's forums).

That won't happen as SC would not be as open and candid as he has been at other forums.

And why shouldn't he be? It's not as though his previous comments have been made in a forum where everyone has been sworn to secrecy. Or were the reports that came out of previous forums all fabricated?!

Anyway, I very much doubt that Coppell is that worried about losing his job.

[STAR Liaison]

Seems like plenty of scope (if you ask me) for a reduced 2007-2008 membership in conjunction with next years fees for late joiners.

There is may well be scope but until STAR has sufficient volunteers to take the burden, we will keep with a season long membership year so that we can get a gang together to process the renewals. You are asking a great deal of the volunteer who currently maintains the membership register to work on a rolling year and we have made a policy decision at the moment that we will not make concessions to those who could have joined in July but decided to wait until May to do so. It is the same for someone who wanted to join for the coach to Wigan - they had to pay the full rate and so the same applies to those who just want to come to the Fans Forum.

We are open to ideas but not to creating more work for the few who currently take the burden so bring forward your ideas and with them the manpower to carry them out please

[STAR Liaison]

And why shouldn't he be? It's not as though his previous comments have been made in a forum where everyone has been sworn to secrecy. Or were the reports that came out of previous forums all fabricated?!

Anyway, I very much doubt that Coppell is that worried about losing his job.

He has said that he does not want players to be there as he would not be as candid - it is not so much the fact that what he says has to be secret but that he (like so so many on here) finds it harder to be candid when in the presence of those he is talking about.

Besides Steve's request to be on his own, STAR does not want to get into the business of broadcasting the forum as then it would just become like any phone-in, whereas it has a different feel to it and it is also a real benefit of being a member of STAR. If you think it should be broadcast then ask BBRB to organise it but it would be a different experience and much more likely to be cliche ridden. STAR (and RFSC before it) has always had a policy of no press and even Reading World does not get an invitation.

[Forbury Lion]

He has said that he does not want players to be there as he would not be as candid - it is not so much the fact that what he says has to be secret but that he (like so so many on here) finds it harder to be candid when in the presence of those he is talking about.

So no point asking him for his views on the fans then

[RoyalBlue]

And why shouldn't he be? It's not as though his previous comments have been made in a forum where everyone has been sworn to secrecy. Or were the reports that came out of previous forums all fabricated?!

Anyway, I very much doubt that Coppell is that worried about losing his job.

He has said that he does not want players to be there as he would not be as candid - it is not so much the fact that what he says has to be secret but that he (like so so many on here) finds it harder to be candid when in the presence of those he is talking about.

Besides Steve's request to be on his own, STAR does not want to get into the business of broadcasting the forum as then it would just become like any phone-in, whereas it has a different feel to it and it is also a real benefit of being a member of STAR. If you think it should be broadcast then ask BBRB to organise it but it would be a different experience and much more likely to be cliche ridden. STAR (and RFSC before it) has always had a policy of no press and even Reading World does not get an invitation.

So he finds it hard to be candid when in the presence of those he is talking about?! Maybe then there is some truth in what Fae said about disciplinaries being conducted by letter. If I had a manager who I felt was happy to be candid when I was not around but unable to be so when I was, I would be less than happy with his people management qualities.

I can't see how broadcasting it would make if become like a phone in! I'm not suggesting that he answers phonecalls!!

If you are worried that broadcasting it would dilute the benefit of being a member of STAR, a) record it for broadcast at a later date b) ask BBCRB for a fee for providing coverage (mind you RFC will probably be in the queue ahead of you when it comes to that!).

[TheLawnMowerMan]

Seems like plenty of scope (if you ask me) for a reduced 2007-2008 membership in conjunction with next years fees for late joiners.

There is may well be scope but until STAR has sufficient volunteers to take the burden, we will keep with a season long membership year so that we can get a gang together to process the renewals. You are asking a great deal of the volunteer who currently maintains the membership register to work on a rolling year and we have made a policy decision at the moment that we will not make concessions to those who could have joined in July but decided to wait until May to do so. It is the same for someone who wanted to join for the coach to Wigan - they had to pay the full rate and so the same applies to those who just want to come to the Fans Forum.

We are open to ideas but not to creating more work for the few who currently take the burden so bring forward your ideas and with them the manpower to carry them out please

No skin off my nose (I'm a STAR member already), but you're missing a great opportunity to expand the membership and get money in the bank early. I didn't mention a rolling membership (which I agree is a non-starter).
You could take money for next season now from anyone who wanted to renew and £13 (e.g.) for new memberships for next season, but including the Forum tonight.

[The 17 Bus]

STAR is not there to raise or make money tho, surely every Reading fan knows about it, therefore it is up to them if they decide to join. Yet every time thewre is a STAR fans forum we get folks suggesting things, as SL says get involved if you care that much.

[TheLawnMowerMan]

Yet every time thewre is a STAR fans forum we get folks suggesting things

Don't worry - I won't bother in future.

[Platypuss]

Anyone able to relay any choice morsels from last night?

[The 17 Bus]

There seems to be a deafening silence as usual.

[STAR Voice]

It was specifically asked that what Sir Steve said last night isn't posted or released until after Sunday in case any journo gets hold of any bits and misinterprets them. For anyone who was there, just a reminder to please respect this.

Suffice to say that he Sir Steve was his usual honest and loquacious self - and it must be about the only occasion in football history when the manager of a team facing imminent relegation gets a unanimous standing ovation when he meets the fans.