The Fans phone in, has it passed it's sell by date?

[BensGrandad]

My mother is 91 years old and always lsitened to the match report and the phone in after wards with Harty but only the other day she told me that she doesnt listen to it now as the people on it have no enthusiasm and do not appear to be Brighton supporters.

 

[Don Quixote]

Harty bum licked Micky Adams too much, he had to go.

 

[1066familyman]

That's it though. Harty had a way of winding you up yet you could not help liking him. It's all too comfortable now.

With Harty you felt a part of something. He constantly implored the good people of Sussex to " get behind The Albion ", and when kids came into my life and they were old enough to go to games, that's exactly what I did ( having previously been an armchair prem 'fan' and only listening to Albion games on the radio ). Harty is so obviously a proper fan with history that he always shared in such a way that made you somehow want to be a part of that history too. Most of the presenters today don't come across as fans at all, and they certainly don't inspire any passion.

If I had to choose, I'd go with Comedy Steve as the best alternative to Harty now.

 

[Beach Hut]

The truth was he was a fan the current lot are not, Mike Ward supports Arsenal and just wrote a book about supporting BHAFC.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

The truth was he was a fan the current lot are not, Mike Ward supports Arsenal and just wrote a book about supporting BHAFC.

Bollocks.

Ward gets a ridiculous amount of unfair criticism.
Yes, he was an Arsenal supporter, but decided to watch the Albion (by his own admission, at a time when they were attractive) and got the bug. He still goes week in week out now ten years later, paying to support the team. He's definitely a fan.

The problem is, Ward is not really a radio presenter. He's there because there isn't really anyone else for the job. He doesn't have the historical insight to Albion players and matches of old though, which is a shame. Richard Reynolds on the other hand IS a presenter - but not one that has any really passion about the Albion.

Comedy Steve is a great presenter, and evidently does follow the Albion - but you can tell from the (excellent) club podcasts that he has to do quite a bit of research beforehand, because he isn't really a regular at matches (which is understandable, when he makes a living from being a comic!) So his phone-in seems more of an entertaining radio show with callers.

Hart clearly has rubbed a few people up the wrong way over the years, but generally caters for the majority. He knows and loves the Albion, he can be controversial, he can be informative, and at times he can even be amusing. He can talk a good game, and he manages to ask callers the right questions. It is a crying shame that a minority who dislike him/the Lickergate farce has put him off doing the phone-in anymore.

Incidently, I heard Danny Baker make a similar window licker remark on one of his brilliant podcasts last season. Nobody complained, he certainly wasn't placed on gardening leave, and he still has a job now. He's learned from his mistakes and remodelled his show after previous sackings. He's not everyones cup of tea, but he still appeals to a big audience.

I wonder if Hart could be persuaded to do the same.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Does Alan from Haywards Heath still phone in while simultaneously attempting to get his frisky Jack Russell to stop from jumping up and nipping him in the scrotum?

 

[Giraffe]

Frankly it is now crap. Hart was the phone in for me. I could just about stomach it withput Mike Ward. The man is a complete tosser and doesn't seem to represent any views of a proper fan.

Bring back Ian Hart and save the phone in.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I dont understand why you say 'Get rid of the phone in'.So if they get rid of it -it ruins it for the people who like something to listen to on the way home.You obviously dont like it so dont listen anyway so what does it matter too you?.Will you just be happy to think its not on anymore?

 

[matthew]

its*

 

[Easy 10]

What has Mike Ward said that makes him a "complete tosser" ? Has he actually come out with something at some point that has got peoples backs up ? Cos I must have missed it.

Or is the bile directed at him on here primarily because he isn't a lifelong fan, and decided to switch from Arsenal to the Abion ? Hardly a hanging offence, and we'll certainly need a few more like him if we're not going to be visiting the biggest white elephant in Sussex next year.

 

[Spider]

What has Mike Ward said that makes him a "complete tosser" ? Has he actually come out with something at some point that has got peoples backs up ? Cos I must have missed it.

Or is the bile directed at him on here primarily because he isn't a lifelong fan, and decided to switch from Arsenal to the Abion ? Hardly a hanging offence, and we'll certainly need a few more like him if we're not going to be visiting the biggest white elephant in Sussex next year.

He's not a complete tosser but he is a terrible writer and the sort of person who is not only completely unfunny but also tries so hard to be funny it becomes agonising. I'm only basing this on his programe columns though! I honestly don't know who likes his column!

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Need new presenters.

 

[Trigger]

A DULLARD of a host will always make a DULL show, that is a simple fact.

I won't be tuning in for the rest of the season that's for sure, CRINGEWORTHY.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

There was one idiot (who wasnt at the game) who referred to Poyet as "the manager" - I HATE that - and was asking why Andy Whing (who according to him was player of the season LAST YEAR) who cant get a game - why did we also release Adam Virgo and Michel Kuipers.

Maybe because they are not that good anymore?

Has this idiot BEEN to any games recently? Maybe in the last TWO years? No. So they should say thanks for your point. NEXT.

 

[Lord Bamber]

There was one idiot (who wasnt at the game) who referred to Poyet as "the manager" - I HATE that - and was asking why Andy Whing (who according to him was player of the season LAST YEAR) who cant get a game - why did we also release Adam Virgo and Michel Kuipers.

Maybe because they are not that good anymore?

Has this idiot BEEN to any games recently? Maybe in the last TWO years? No. So they should say thanks for your point. NEXT.

I heard this guy, dont think he has been to a game for a while as he was indicating Poyet "The manager" didnt know what he was doing.

As was said earlier in this thread, any phone in thrives on the callers and what they say. If they are dull and boring, then the phone in becomes boring. If the decent callers stay away because the hosts are boring, then only the boring will phone in, repeat to 6.30 interupted too many times by rubbish texts.

 

[Billy the Fish]

What has Mike Ward said that makes him a "complete tosser" ? Has he actually come out with something at some point that has got peoples backs up ? Cos I must have missed it.

Said something in his program notes about the pal**e rivalry being stupid and that we shouldn't sing songs about them anymore. I think that coming from a JCL who probably didn't understand the rivalry, is what pissed people off.

 

[Jim D]

There was one idiot (who wasnt at the game) who referred to Poyet as "the manager" - I HATE that - and was asking why Andy Whing (who according to him was player of the season LAST YEAR) who cant get a game - why did we also release Adam Virgo and Michel Kuipers.

Maybe because they are not that good anymore?

Has this idiot BEEN to any games recently? Maybe in the last TWO years? No. So they should say thanks for your point. NEXT.

I heard this guy and was thinking it was a great call to start off with - lots of controvertial statements from someone who wasn't at the game. I'm sure Harty would have made a big play on this - 'let's hear from those at the game - do you agree with him? Should we have kept Kuipers, Virgo and Forster and should they have been playing today? Should Whing have been in the starting XI? Was it a penalty?' He would almost have demanded that people call in to defend Poyet or say what they thought.

Instead all we got was 'Thank you, now over to the travel........'

 

[public school boy]

It is always labeled as THE FANS PHONE IN so may be The BBC should ask the fans what they want, who should host the show, the format of the show and why hardly anyone bothers to call. Mike, John and Richard are all decent folk but lack the cutting edge but may be this is down to their bosses giving them boundries. It would be a great shame to lose the show but without a decent amount of callers the BBC will axe it.With regard to the match commentary, during last season's FA cup game against Aston Villa, why did the commentator try and adopt a midlands accent?

 

[The Oldman]

It is always labeled as THE FANS PHONE IN QUOTE]

Don't think it is being labelled as that this season. To be fair it was never a fan's phone in when Harty was in charge. It was Harty's and that made the difference. He set the agenda, often being a little wicked, and got folks backs up so they phoned in. He was also a master of the put down. Now it's all too polite.

 

[mickywilkins]

You all hide behind your keyboards bitching about the phone-in but 99% of you don't call. How can you blame anyone but yourselves? It shouldn't be about the presenters - it's about you.