Paul Barber: his best and his worst decision to date - in your opinion.

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Herr Tubthumper

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Jul 11, 2003
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The Fatherland




Hotchilidog

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Jan 24, 2009
8,805
Is that all you think they do? Shame on you.

Obviously it isn't all they do, but their most visible work was the pre-match routine, which in my opinion was very good indeed. As you know I think Barber is a terrific asset for this club but I do think this is the one decision he has made which does not stand up to scrutiny. Barber has given his reasons for the decision, I will just have to take a different view on the matter.

Still, in all honesty, if this is the worst thing we can throw at Paul, then I think he is doing a pretty good job so far.
 


Brovion

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Jul 6, 2003
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Obviously it isn't all they do, but their most visible work was the pre-match routine, which in my opinion was very good indeed. As you know I think Barber is a terrific asset for this club but I do think this is the one decision he has made which does not stand up to scrutiny. Barber has given his reasons for the decision, I will just have to take a different view on the matter.

Still, in all honesty, if this is the worst thing we can throw at Paul, then I think he is doing a pretty good job so far.
Indeed. I was actually pleased to see the back of them as I don't like cheerleaders at football and they were, for me, the last reminder of the old amateur, cottage industry, lower-league club of the Withdean years. I accept I'm in a minority on this.

Apart from that I think closing down the NSC ticket exchange was tad heavy-handed but again not the end of the world. (And it's made no difference to my ability to attend matches without buying tickets through the club). Ticketing is something the club need to look at and I'll reserve my judgement on Mr Barber until the end of NEXT season when we'll be able to see the benefits (or otherwise) of the changes that he's instigating. If you want a mid-term score then I'd say he gets seven out of ten.
 


Biscuit

Native Creative
Jul 8, 2003
22,238
Brighton
He has explained by use of plain English.

What I suspect you mean is he hasn't given an explanation you want to hear.

Besides - the supposedly mythical, non-existent Gully's Girls will be sending a team to this week's REMF Quiz Night.

Well now there is no need to be so patronising about it, TLO. If he has given his explanation I've obviously missed it. To suggest that I confuse the answer I want to hear with the answers I have heard is insulting to my intelligence and quite frankly I'd expect better of you. I have absolutely no idea what your last line is about either - I'm talking about seeing Gully's Girls at the Amex on a match day, the fact that they carry on outside of this realm is beside the point.
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
Indeed. I was actually pleased to see the back of them as I don't like cheerleaders at football and they were, for me, the last reminder of the old amateur, cottage industry, lower-league club of the Withdean years. I accept I'm in a minority on this.

Apart from that I think closing down the NSC ticket exchange was tad heavy-handed but again not the end of the world. (And it's made no difference to my ability to attend matches without buying tickets through the club). Ticketing is something the club need to look at and I'll reserve my judgement on Mr Barber until the end of NEXT season when we'll be able to see the benefits (or otherwise) of the changes that he's instigating. If you want a mid-term score then I'd say he gets seven out of ten.

You may be in a minority but the large majority will be neutral and really won't care either way if Gully's Girls do their dance or not.
 




The Large One

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Jul 7, 2003
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Well now there is no need to be so patronising about it, TLO. If he has given his explanation I've obviously missed it. To suggest that I confuse the answer I want to hear with the answers I have heard is insulting to my intelligence and quite frankly I'd expect better of you. I have absolutely no idea what your last line is about either - I'm talking about seeing Gully's Girls at the Amex on a match day, the fact that they carry on outside of this realm is beside the point.

He's explained it on the radio, he's explained it in the match programme (which was debated on here time and again), he's stated it at fans' forums (which, again, are reported on here). I'm not sure how many more platforms he can explain it on.

Your original post was highly indignant, accusing him of being 'cagey and defensive', but when you're told he has explained the issues, you moan about being patronised. My point is - if you've missed the explanation, how can you accuse him of being 'cagey and defensive'? It doesn't make sense.

Whether you agree with his explanation is another issue.
 


He's explained it on the radio, he's explained it in the match programme (which was debated on here time and again), he's stated it at fans' forums (which, again, are reported on here). I'm not sure how many more platforms he can explain it on.

Your original post was highly indignant, accusing him of being 'cagey and defensive', but when you're told he has explained the issues, you moan about being patronised. My point is - if you've missed the explanation, how can you accuse him of being 'cagey and defensive'? It doesn't make sense.

Whether you agree with his explanation is another issue.

I don't suppose someone could post a link to his explanation could they?

I wouldn't know where to start to look for them.

Ta.
 


The Large One

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Jul 7, 2003
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I don't suppose someone could post a link to his explanation could they?

I wouldn't know where to start to look for them.

Ta.

Not sure what he said in the programme, but here's the transcript from The Albion Roar...

AR: Paul, what's the future of Gully's Girls? In fact, how many emails did you get about Gully's Girls?

PB: Not very many. (In fact, before he went on air, he said it was seven) This is another one of those debates which shouldn't really be a debate. First of all Gully's Girls were not axed. Secondly, they didn't really cost us anything, so it wasn't a cost-cutting measure. Thirdly, they still exist. Fourthly, their role's being expanded, and fifthly - if that's a word - we can expect to see the group expanded, a slightly different style, on the pitch at some stage in the future.


He went on to describe the grief the girls were getting from the stands, I'll transcribe that later.
 






Biscuit

Native Creative
Jul 8, 2003
22,238
Brighton
He's explained it on the radio, he's explained it in the match programme (which was debated on here time and again), he's stated it at fans' forums (which, again, are reported on here). I'm not sure how many more platforms he can explain it on.

Your original post was highly indignant, accusing him of being 'cagey and defensive', but when you're told he has explained the issues, you moan about being patronised. My point is - if you've missed the explanation, how can you accuse him of being 'cagey and defensive'? It doesn't make sense.

Whether you agree with his explanation is another issue.

I agree, another issue entirely, which is why I'm surprised you raised it in your initial post.

Let me put it simply, the explanation I heard was cagey and dismissive, I've since been informed by both you and [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] that there was a much better explanation at a later point. That's good enough for me. Mr Tubthumper also managed to update me on Barbers remarks and yet he was able to do it in a way that wasn't belittling.

I find you a thoughtful and intelligent contributor to NSC and I follow your posts with interest, however I wish you wouldn't be quite so patronisingly dismissive of other peoples opinions when they are the opposite to yours. Just a thought. This is meant to be a discussion, nothing more, and this is absolutely my last on the subject.
 


Brovion

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Jul 6, 2003
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You may be in a minority but the large majority will be neutral and really won't care either way if Gully's Girls do their dance or not.
Yeah, TBH that's probably my view as well; I certainly wasn't actively campaigning to have them removed on the grounds that cheerleaders are only one step away from goal music and if they came back tomorrow I wouldn't boycott the matches. Personally I don't understand why others are so worked up about it, but as was pointed out if that is the biggest stick that the fanbase can beat Mr Barber with then he's doing ok.
 




The Large One

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Jul 7, 2003
52,343
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I find you a thoughtful and intelligent contributor to NSC and I follow your posts with interest, however I wish you wouldn't be quite so patronisingly dismissive of other peoples opinions when they are the opposite to yours. Just a thought. This is meant to be a discussion, nothing more, and this is absolutely my last on the subject.

Can't say I've offered an opinion on him in this thread. In fact, I've stated more than once on this thread that I'm holding back on offering an opinion.

I don't go down the road of thinking which is his best or worst decision, or whether he's doing a good or bad job; I'm more thinking along the lines that he's 'doing his job'. I can see everyone's point of view - and by and large haven't commented on them (aside from to say I can't get excited about whether I'm called a 'fan' or a 'customer'). The only comments I've got are where people have not got something right - e.g. the contention that Gully's Girls have been got rid of when they haven't been. But that's not a comment on Barber himself.
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,913
Hove
Let's face it, Barber did the right thing moving the GG's away from the playing staff. Far too distracting.
 


Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
18,932
Worthing
He did explain it, in full, in the match day programme. His programme notes are on here as well.

Did he stop doing programme notes, or are they no longer made available on here, as they seem to stop in November.
 




CheeseRolls

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Jan 27, 2009
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Shoreham Beach
Is the appointment of the Linley Group anything other than temporary ? I was under the impression this was to go back out to tender.

I gnashed my teeth when Gullys Girls were introduced, but since have been really impressed with the over all effort. If I am honest though, I am mainly motivated by my deep seated abhorrence for street dancing.
 




Black Rod

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2013
949
It's not really Gully's Girls though is it? Sure, there are some girls on the pitch waving flags as the teams come out but the fact is that the vast majority of them apparently left over the decision to curb their weekly dance, they were renamed Gully's Group with a couple of blokes added to it, their uniforms have changed completely, they now do just street dance and their first performance since December on Saturday there was a total of four girls surrounded by a load of kids.

That is what I would call a massive rebrand with virtually everything about the old format changed - a bit like Wimbledon becoming MK Dons. Which to me, isn't the same club.
 


Back on topic:

Best: Keeping season ticket prices reasonable.

Worst: Pricing for the Newcastle game when on TV, if indeed it was his call.

As for Gully's Girls. couldn't give a shit, never seen them as I'm in the bar before the game and at half time spending my money on beer.
 








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