Fans Forum

[Alexander Litvinenko]

the club and star can do nothing about fans passing on what's said to their friends. nothing is said that can be damaging to the club (certainly not in the handful i've been to), it's just a star power trip.

See the comment in the thread on this in the STAR forum.

People can't be stopped saying what they like, you're right, but it's self-defeating, because the more that people report on what's said, the less interesting stuff will be said in future ones, and they'll all become just like stage-managed pr events. And what's said won't damage the club, but a manager's honest opinion on players (both his own and other clubs') for instance, won't damage anyone, but may well be the sort of thing he'd not want to get out.

Clearly by limiting the comments to only be heard from a section of the fan base who belong to STAR, they are giving STAR members preference over every other fan - if that's not "grading" I don't know what is. And Melonhead, I've already been advised by Dirk that the club would have nothing to do with an alternative group to STAR - probably because I wouldn't be kissing the club's arse at every given opportunity!

I can't really believe that you're visualising this in such a cock-eyed way. How is this, conceptually, any different to Al Murray appearing at the Hexagon, and limiting his jokes and routines to only those people who've bought tickets for the show?

[Royal Lady]

Because Al Murray has lots of shows at lots of different venues to enable far reaching fans to see his shows. If someone wanted to, they could repeat word for word what jokes he performed and very often there is a DVD released from one of the live shows. So it's completely different to the manager of a football club speaking to fans on only occasion.

[maffff]

I want a FF DVD.

[sandman]

the club and star can do nothing about fans passing on what's said to their friends. nothing is said that can be damaging to the club (certainly not in the handful i've been to), it's just a star power trip.

See the comment in the thread on this in the STAR forum.

People can't be stopped saying what they like, you're right, but it's self-defeating, because the more that people report on what's said, the less interesting stuff will be said in future ones, and they'll all become just like stage-managed pr events. And what's said won't damage the club, but a manager's honest opinion on players (both his own and other clubs') for instance, won't damage anyone, but may well be the sort of thing he'd not want to get out.

But don't you think that's wrong? Why should paying £10 a year to STAR make you a better fan than anyone else and privvy to anything the Manager has to say, rather than those of us who have paid, literally, THOUSANDS of pounds to RFC over the years in tickets, season tickets, merchandise? You could, quite literally, pay £10 to get to these forums and not even attend any games or anything - how is that "fair" to all supporters? This is one of the reasons I want to stand for STAR, but if I need 10 other STAR members to validate my application, I can't see me getting very far, when my MO is to make STAR all about the supporters and NOT for a few hundred supporters to think they're better than everyone else and certainly NOT to suck up to the club. I'll try and stand if I know I have people backing me, I'm looking at YOU Woodcote et al. So please let me know before the nominations have to be in.

I'll back you RL. STAR from what I've seen of it is exactly as you describe it and it needs changing.

I'd back her as well, mainly to stop her from going on and on about STAR every time an FF is announced. Pretty sure there would be a pretty quick discovery that all the changes suggested are a lot harder to instigate than she thinks they are.

In all honesty I think that is one of the main reasons why she won't actually stand because once the reality kicks in there will be nowhere to hide.

[Royal Lady]

Not at all - I'm prepared to stand, though I doubt I'll get elected - it will be an uphill struggle in any case trying to persuade the current board members that they are there for the SUPPORTERS - I'm not interested in kissing anyone's arse I'm afraid. I believe a large number of people have only joined STAR for the travel in any case. I also believe that if STAR members were asked, a lot of them would rather that STAR stood for the Supporter and were there for them, should supporters want a voice against the club at any particular time - I hope that time never comes, but I also doubt that, if it did, STAR would be vociferous against the club. I suppose if that day ever came, someone like me could form a group then.

I know it's not an easy job and they give up a lot of their time, I just don't believe that they channel things in quite the right way.

For example, what is wrong with repeating what Adkins says in a Fan's Forum in a match day programme? And for those who say he wouldn't be so outspoken or whatever, I still don't believe that anyone is completely unguarded when speaking at these things and any manager, for example, who dissed a player at the club would be most unprofessional. So what do we expect to hear? Well, I'd suggest they could tell us a little bit about players they are after (no names need to be given) - whether they believe they have enough money to get in who they wish to get in, etc - and I don't believe any of that needs to be "in camera" and away from the prying ears/eyes of our fan base, wherever they may reside and how ever long they may have been a supporter. Soz. But that's how I feel. If no-one else agrees with me, that's their prerogative and would show me that I'm in the minority - but I have spoken to a fair few fans over the years and I do believe there are like minded fans out there who do agree with me. I'm just trying to give them a voice.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Everyone has a voice. They just have to exercise it.

[Kingsley Junior]

Why does paying a tenner for STAR earn me the right to hear things paying £375 for a season ticket doesn't? I can't make Forums that start at 7pm due to work; I can just about make midweek 8pm kick offs for games as it is. Can we have a special season ticket holder forum where I'm privy to things other fans aren't because I've opted to stump up cash?

[Royal Lady]

Everyone has a voice. They just have to exercise it.

It seems some are now..and don't forget that STAR board took the decision not to interact on here with HNA also.

[Cypry]

In defence of STAR I think some haven't quite grasped the nub of the Fans Forum...

It seems to me it's not so much an opportunity for the manager to spill his guts, but an opportunity for STAR members to ask questions directly to the manager, and have them answered in a reasonably up front and honest way....

The other night Adkins was directly asked why Jobi is captain (from someone who made it obvious they thought he shouldn't be), why we offloaded Ian Harte, and whether Pog was worth 60k a week, amongst other things.....

All were answered (apprarently) honestly, and with some conviction, however none of the answers were surprising to me.....


Seems to me that some on here are never happy unless they're moaning about STAR, or Anton, or the stewards, or the club generally....

[Royal Lady]

If that's a dig at me - I'll bite. I merely express my opinion on things - stewards seemed to be better last season, but if there's a problem, like the way the ambulance was parked, I'll tell RFC and it gets moved. If I'm still cautious about Anton,I'll say so and if I change my mind, I'll say so. STAR have been a real bugbear of mine over last few years - I'm expressing my opinion - soz.

[Royal Lady]

Oh and yes the fan's Forum is about questions. Questions that THIS board has been contacted about in the past, asking for our input. But if a nobber asked a question and wasn't a STAR member, they'd never find out the answer!

[Para Handy]

Tbh, as usual, you come across as whinging because there is something going on that you don't know about and you feel you should know about everything.
Nothing (it seems) is stopping you beefing about things. You're moaning to the club about stuff, you're moaning on here. Why do you need STAR?

I'm not a massive fan of STAR but I really can't understand your problem with them. They have a membership, they arrange events that their members have paid for through subscriptions. Why do you feel you have the right to know what goes on at those events without having contributed anything?

Nothing is stopping you either joining STAR or setting up your own fans organisation if you feel STAR aren't meeting your expectations.

I feel you need to get on TV/Radio more often to express what "us" fans are thinking.

Feel free to ping Schards on the house intranet so he can tell me how hateful I am. Lolz.

[Yellowcoat]

Well said PH.

[Royal Lady]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you're equally entitled to yours, tho part of what you have said is totally inaccurate with regard to what you think I may have "complained" about. Yellow coat is a knob tho. HTH.

[Yellowcoat]

Wish I had not deleted what I first wrote now. Still keep on moaning at least it gives you a purpose in life.

[Maguire]

Tbh, as usual, you come across as whinging because there is something going on that you don't know about and you feel you should know about everything. Nothing (it seems) is stopping you beefing about things. You're moaning to the club about stuff, you're moaning on here. Why do you need STAR?

I'm not a massive fan of STAR but I really can't understand your problem with them. They have a membership, they arrange events that their members have paid for through subscriptions. Why do you feel you have the right to know what goes on at those events without having contributed anything?

Nothing is stopping you either joining STAR or setting up your own fans organisation if you feel STAR aren't meeting your expectations

Bang on Para.

I would sum up my own feelings thus:

The only thing worse than spending your evening listening to Nigel Adkins babble on about football is getting the arse because somebody else spent their evening listening to Nigel Adkins babble on about football.

[Para Handy]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you're equally entitled to yours, tho part of what you have said is totally inaccurate with regard to what you think I may have "complained" about. Yellow coat is a knob tho. HTH.

Your magnanimity knows no bounds. Which bit is inaccurate?

[P!ssed Off]

As someone who's never travelled to a match by coach, the only time STAR becomes even remotely relevant is for these silly fan forum things that I've no massive interest in anyway.

Nevermind changing STAR from within, just try to forget (not hard) that they even exist.

[Royal Lady]

The daft thing is, I'm not bothered myself about Fan's Forum - if I wanted to go, I could easily go - I'm merely talking about the unfairness of it for other people, as I see it. But I won't be shut up by a bloke who reckons he used to be a steward and who never has an opinion himself but, instead, prefers to have a dig at me, nor by someone who is so obviously rattled by me from a jokey comment in the past that he can't help himself but try, and fail, to put me down. Bit of bullying behaviour I'd call it.

[Hoop Blah]

I'm not a massive fan of STAR but I really can't understand your problem with them. They have a membership, they arrange events that their members have paid for through subscriptions. Why do you feel you have the right to know what goes on at those events without having contributed anything?

The issue with STAR, for my money, isn't their exclusive events and travel, that's fine, but they are supposed to be a body to represent and fight for the supporter base as a whole. Due to their cliquey and subservient nature I think they've become too close to the club and no longer represent the fan base as a whole which is one of their stated aims.

Their inability and apparent lack of motivation to engage with the wider fan base just reinforces that opinion/perception IMO.