Fans Forum

[Alexander Litvinenko]

I don't see how it's "unfair." It's not an official Reading FC organised event, in fact that's precisely the point of it and that's what makes it different.

The second it becomes open to everyone, and is reported, broadcast or published, then it immediately loses that quality and it becomes just another stage-managed, RFC PR department event where everyone dishes out bland platitudes.

But because it's a private event, to a limited audience, it isn't that - it *is* more relaxed and more informal, and much more honest. You don't always get revealing things said as such, but you get a real context of things - and the way things are said, or not said, often reveals a lot, but not in a way that would be accurately reflected in a published account.

It would only be "unfair" if that audience was pre-selected or closed, but it's not - all you have to do is spend £10 to join the Supporters' Trust, for which attending these functions is one of the benefits.

As a postscript, it's mildly amusing that the people who seem to be the fiercest critics of such things, who seem to have the strongest ideas about what they should/shouldn't be, are the very people who've never been to one....

[Royal Lady]

But the whole point is, many STAR supporters can't attend and have to rely on it being reported at a later date - so are you saying that the written report they get is a watered down version? What if every member of STAR turned up, hypothetically speaking, would it be the same open talking then?

[Royal Lady]

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....

So, when he was asked about Jobi, you all knew he'd prob be dropped to bench and Morrison made captain did you, what with the manager being so open when asked about Jobi and everything? Cool!

[One8Seven1]

Pay your membership like we have and find out for yourself!

[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....

So, when he was asked about Jobi, you all knew he'd prob be dropped to bench and Morrison made captain did you, what with the manager being so open when asked about Jobi and everything? Cool!

No, he said Jobi was a great leader, a model professional, and important around the team, but he did also say that he wanted to give others leadership roles, and singled out Morrisson as one of those who he'd being giving a bigger role. He indicated we might have a club captain (Jobi), and a captain on the pitch, with the armband changing hands from time to time....not far off what happened today, I'm sure you'll agree???

So yes, he was being open, and I hope you feel a bit silly now!!!!!

[Para Handy]

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.

Lolz. Yeah, sorry for being annoyed by your "jokey comment" when I posted about someone close to me dying. I would have said your comment was offensive and inappropriate myself. It's kind of quite irrelevant though. Unlike your husband, who appears to be chasing me around, I've little interest in pursuing vendettas on here. I just find your constant posts about STAR churlish, childish and patronising. HTFH. Report me for bullying to one of you m8s like dizzy eh! Or just delete the message as Moderator 5

[Para Handy]

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.

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I think it's a mistake on STAR's part not to engage on HNA. I can see why they don't due to the abuse, but I agree it's a mistake.

What makes me laugh though, is most of the critics appear not to be STAR members yet all think they should be representing the "wider fanbase". Erm, there's a simple answer to that

I don't use STAR Travel, my m8's and I prefer to travel by train to away games when we go. For that reason STAR is probably irrelevant for me. However, I respect what they try to do within the confines of what they can do (which probably isn't much). I don't really care whether they're cliquey or not. They're doing what they want to do supporting Reading. I've no problem with that. The opportunity is there for people to change within or start their own organisation.

[Yellowcoat]

Well said again PH!

[Alexander Litvinenko]

But the whole point is, many STAR supporters can't attend and have to rely on it being reported at a later date

That's life. It's impossible to organise an event that caters for everyone's availability.

- so are you saying that the written report they get is a watered down version?

A written account will never adequately reflect the subtleties, nuances, context, body-language and non-verbal leakage of being there.

What if every member of STAR turned up, hypothetically speaking, would it be the same open talking then?

The limiting factor is the size of the room, but up to that point, yes. Why not?

Let's turn this round. In that face of such a tirade of criticism, how would you actually do it? Your task is to put together an event that offers something more interesting and more revealing than a bland, stage-managed club-organised PR-event. How would you do it?

[AthleticoSpizz]

I always treat football as a bit of fun.

STAR have been brilliant for that over many years. I am assuming that they do not recieve payment/wages for their efforts.

Some of you just need to get back to the grass roots that attracted you to the game in the first place.

Out


(decent post replies btw AL)

[Whore Jackie]

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.

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I think it's a mistake on STAR's part not to engage on HNA. I can see why they don't due to the abuse, but I agree it's a mistake.

What makes me laugh though, is most of the critics appear not to be STAR members yet all think they should be representing the "wider fanbase". Erm, there's a simple answer to that

I don't use STAR Travel, my m8's and I prefer to travel by train to away games when we go. For that reason STAR is probably irrelevant for me. However, I respect what they try to do within the confines of what they can do (which probably isn't much). I don't really care whether they're cliquey or not. They're doing what they want to do supporting Reading. I've no problem with that. The opportunity is there for people to change within or start their own organisation.

Spot on (again) Para.

[Fox Talbot]

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?

If the football club or you / your season ticket holding non-STAR members are prepared to organise it of course you can.

I don't quite see why STAR are getting so much grief over this and the football club get none. It's absolutely in RFC's remit to organise anything they want on these lines - or indeed do nothing and stay schtum.

STAR and before them the Supporters Club took the initiative to get these forums organised - on negotiated terms with the club - so it's fair enough they should play it the way they feel works for them.

It's doesn't stop anyone else having a go.

[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.

Lolz. Yeah, sorry for being annoyed by your "jokey comment" when I posted about someone close to me dying. I would have said your comment was offensive and inappropriate myself. It's kind of quite irrelevant though. Unlike your husband, who appears to be chasing me around, I've little interest in pursuing vendettas on here. I just find your constant posts about STAR churlish, childish and patronising. HTFH. Report me for bullying to one of you m8s like dizzy eh! Or just delete the message as Moderator 5

I was talking more of the fact that I jokingly suggested you were seeing another nobber and you took great umbrage about it, but I can fully understand why. You have every interest in pursuing vendettas on here, as you constantly show when responding to me. Not sure what reporting to you dizzy would do, he's not the owner of this site. I have nothing else to say to you. Thanks for your previous interest.

[Royal Lady]

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....

So, when he was asked about Jobi, you all knew he'd prob be dropped to bench and Morrison made captain did you, what with the manager being so open when asked about Jobi and everything? Cool!

No, he said Jobi was a great leader, a model professional, and important around the team, but he did also say that he wanted to give others leadership roles, and singled out Morrisson as one of those who he'd being giving a bigger role. He indicated we might have a club captain (Jobi), and a captain on the pitch, with the armband changing hands from time to time....not far off what happened today, I'm sure you'll agree???

So yes, he was being open, and I hope you feel a bit silly now!!!!!

Pretty strange to be condoning chopping and changing the captain though, wouldn't you agree? It would certainly have an unsettling effect on the team and I, for one, would not be in favour of it. And the first game of the season, he drops Jobi and makes Morrison captain, despite Guthrie being Vice Captain - ok - clear as mud for me. I'll bow to your knowledge from the Fan's Forum!

[Green]

What makes me laugh though, is most of the critics appear not to be STAR members yet all think they should be representing the "wider fanbase". Erm, there's a simple answer to that

Sorry to be a pcunt but you're gonna have to spell that one out to us (me).

[Royal Rother]

Join STAR?

[The Rouge]

What makes me laugh though, is most of the critics appear not to be STAR members yet all think they should be representing the "wider fanbase". Erm, there's a simple answer to that

Yeah, its like all these people who criticise the government. Why don't they just become prime minister?

[Schards#2]

Jeez, is Para Handy still crying about me with every post?

It's almost as though my pointing out his permanent state of angryness hit a nerve.

[Para Handy]

Join STAR?

Yep, that's what I was implying.

[Para Handy]

What makes me laugh though, is most of the critics appear not to be STAR members yet all think they should be representing the "wider fanbase". Erm, there's a simple answer to that

Yeah, its like all these people who criticise the government. Why don't they just become prime minister?

Wow. That's a pretty bloody stupid analogy don't you think. In retrospect....?