[Albion] Swansman "vs." Paul Barber

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Brian Fantana

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
7,281
In the field
Jesus wept. What an absolute cockwomble. It’s the oddest thing I’ve ever read on NSC, and that is REALLY saying something. I actually fear for his mental well-being, because it’s unbelievably odd.
 






darkwolf666

Well-known member
Nov 8, 2015
7,576
Sittingbourne, Kent
I’m not defending Swansman for one nano second, but I believe, though could be wrong, that the reference to heavy handed stewarding probably refers to flask and bottletopgate.. which many on here do think is heavy handed, though not the stewards fault - they are just obeying orders like the........... Kafka / Catch 22 or something!

Clearly the tit has got himself banned, so can’t back up my assertion. The rest is drivel, pure and simple!
 




One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
21,754
Worthing
Who the hell are you? Who the hell turns up to a club, full of people who have been members for decades and decades, and decides unilaterally to act as a spokesman for these people. It's just weird.

I'd put it down as an elaborate windup if you weren't so knowledgeable about Swansea. Wind it in eh?

This......


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Jan 30, 2008
31,981
Someone said that Paul Barber generally replies to emails, so I sent him a wall of text that I won't post here as a few here would be offended.

I explained I'm an outsider who has never visited Brighton and thanked him and the club for the good job they're (seemingly) doing, and then I brought up some "commonly mentioned issues" that I've noticed around here. I am a curious person and wanted to try how easy it is to communicate with the club.

Few hours later - response from Barber! I dont know if this is interesting or if theres any perspectives from Barber that could be considered new or unexpected, but here it is - a summarizedversion of my "suggestions" and the responses from Barber.

Many supporters feel that "Ring of Fire" is perhaps not the best pre-match music
Barber: "we review our match day build-up and music choices before every season. It doesn’t just have to work for fans in the stadium, it has to work with our players and coaches’ requirements too, and also fit with strict timings determined by the Premier League and its broadcast partners. I agree that it is time to re-fresh it soon, and I’m sure that will happen in the summer ahead of our 10th anniversary season at the Amex."

Many supporters feel the stewarding is a bit rough and could loosen up a little
Barber: "our stewarding isn’t “harsh” at all. In fact, it is rated as amongst the very best in the Premier League. We will not tolerate any kind of abusive or discriminatory behaviour - and I’m afraid that won’t change. With a very tiny percentage of our fans represented on social media, it’s very mis-leading indeed to use it to judge our stewarding or anything else about the club. I suspect your opinion will be very different after visiting."

Some supporters feel a bit worried about expressing their enthusiasm to the fullest while at the AMEX
Barber:"in excess of 27,000 Brighton fans at the Amex for each home game have plenty of opportunity and freedom to generate a great atmosphere at the stadium, as they have done on many occasions since we opened in 2011. Sometimes that atmosphere comes from the team’s performance, other times it is the atmosphere generated by the fans that inspires the team’s performance. It is always a 2-way street".

The aforementioned sometimes occuring perceptions doesnt matter much now now but if the football side to it starts failing, there could be friction between the club and its fans if stewarding etc. remains harsh, and the risk of a future possible "anti-fan" image could damage the club
Barber: "having won “best fan experience” in the Premier League for each of our first two seasons playing at this level, we are a very long way from a reputation as an “anti-fan club” – to be frank, I have never heard such rubbish! The true “vast majority” of fans are, according to fan surveys – which are completed by many thousands of fans each season and after each home match – are very happy with the club’s stewarding."

Some people - actually maybe only me - feel that while you are a great communicator, occurances of language like "we are proud to treat our fans as customers" is a bit alienating - it is as if your church or your wife would call you "a customer" rather than a believer or husband.
Barber: thank you for your feedback on communication. I’m afraid it’s impossible to please everyone all the time in this job! The vast majority of our fans want to be recognised as “fans” and treated as “customers”. That is how our staff are expected to think - and act. We are a growing football club, a developing business, and a significant community asset. We therefore communicate with multiple stakeholders all the time.

Great to see him reply, I'm guessing that in about 19 of the other PL clubs it would be pretty hard to get any type of thought through answer, especially not after just a few hours.
sure to ruffle a few feathers , lets face it "CUSTOMERS" stinks
regards
DF
 


LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
"Some supporters feel that..."
"Many supporters think that..."

...and all gleaned from the odd post here and there on NSC, which is a tiny, tiny representation of the overall fanbase of BHA.

An inane boxset of rambling questions that nobody (other than the OP) wanted or needed an answer to. Utter drivel, and a complete waste of time for all involved. Its to Barber's credit that he even carried on reading past the first question, but its also mildly depressing that he felt moved to actually bother replying.

Embarrassing.

Yes. If I were PB I think I'd have stopped reading at "I've never been to Brighton.....".

Four replies in, I was about to say that I've never seen a post that has unified NSC so much, especially supporting Barber. That never happens.

Then I had to go out and came back to 4 pages of the same............. It's some achievement for sure. :clap2:

WOW.

Having said that, I have always found Swansman to be a decent and amiable poster who A: Follows Potter B: Has acquired quite an affiliation to Brighton and C: Clearly smokes a bit too much weed.

He's hardly a Timmy, so let's not be too harsh eh?
 








PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
18,739
Hurst Green
I was away on business and sat in the hotel bar minding my own business passing the time chatting to the barman.

I had earlier audited the bar as it had our products (easy gain for my targets!). In walked this chap who ordered a pint and sat next to me. He started to chat to the barman and me, all very pleasant stuff. He then started on about the beer. About hour later he was still going on about brewing and how he was considered an expert in the field by his friends, yet worked in computers.

I corrected him on some finer points, he however refuted all I said and questioned most of what I said. The barman smiled at me, knowing what who I was and allowing this chap to dig an even bigger hole.

Eventually I made my excuses and left, but not before I placed a business card on the bar, in sight of this chap, but for the barman. My job tittle, Beer Quality Manager. His face was a picture.

Swanaman you weren't in Bristol around June 2019 were you?
 




vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Well firstly, Swansman, I’ve generally enjoyed your posts since you joined. You have good insight on into GPS philosophy, way of thinking and so on.

However this is really, really out of line.

You don’t have the right to represent HERE (the NSC), let alone Brighton supporters in general.

You haven’t followed our club for 5 minutes, and believe you already have the ear of the entire fan base.

1. You haven’t even been to a game

2. The fact you’ve not shown the entire dialogue is suspicious. Why abbreviate the conversation? What exactly did you say at the start?

3. Barber has way more important things to worry about then this inane dribble.

4. You do not have be right to represent the NSC

5. Even if you did, who made you the judge to decide which comments/questions “made the cut”? This enrages me as I and a good many here have recently been praising the long term attitude and the general unconditional support from the Albion faithful. You haven’t represented our views like, at all. And to cap things off you paraphrased our questions to suit your own angle. All this may influence Barbers opinion of the fans. This is borderline criminal.

6. You may have actually damaged the NSCs chances of getting Barber to contribute here.

7. You haven’t even been to a single game...

Only thing that is good about this is that I think Paul Barber had the measure of you fairly quickly, and shot down some of your “gathered opinions” quite assertively, whilst understanding the whole spectrum of the fan base.

I have a bit more respect for PB from that. For you less so.
 


armchairclubber

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2010
1,263
Bexhill
Had a brief thought I'd never heard such attention seeking pseudo journalism in my life but of course that's quite a regular occurrence on here.

Have a suspicion we may not be hearing from another of Timmys guises for a while
 


vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
And I have no affiliation but I’ve never seen any single issue with any of the stewards and I go to most home games. Maybe a scuffle outside last season vs. Palace. But nothing crazy.

Way to completely discredit the integrity of our stewards profession, to basically one of their upper management bosses as well. They have jobs on the line.
 




LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
Had a brief thought I'd never heard such attention seeking pseudo journalism in my life but of course that's quite a regular occurrence on here.

Have a suspicion we may not be hearing from another of Timmys guises for a while

It's not Timmy.

This lad can actually string a sentence togever wifout making numerour erras and blowing his own TRUMPET!!!!!!!?????
 




clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,470
It's not Timmy.

This lad can actually string a sentence togever wifout making numerour erras and blowing his own TRUMPET!!!!!!!?????
Technically I'd imagine it's quite difficult to string a sentence together and blow your own trumpet (or someone else's) at the same time.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
It's not Timmy.

This lad can actually string a sentence togever wifout making numerour erras and blowing his own TRUMPET!!!!!!!?????
Strewth - Timmy ( and 1 or 2 others ) are way more offensive than swansman.

Timmy was telling people a game was cancelled - for a joke - and bragged about booting someone off their bike. And there is the sorry tale about having all his posts deleted.
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,870
West west west Sussex
Yes. If I were PB I think I'd have stopped reading at "I've never been to Brighton.....".

Four replies in, I was about to say that I've never seen a post that has unified NSC so much, especially supporting Barber. That never happens.

Then I had to go out and came back to 4 pages of the same............. It's some achievement for sure. :clap2:

WOW.

Having said that, I have always found Swansman to be a decent and amiable poster who A: Follows Potter B: Has acquired quite an affiliation to Brighton and C: Clearly smokes a bit too much weed.

He's hardly a Timmy, so let's not be too harsh eh?
The backlash to the backlash begins. :lol:
 


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
18,739
Hurst Green
Yes. If I were PB I think I'd have stopped reading at "I've never been to Brighton.....".

Four replies in, I was about to say that I've never seen a post that has unified NSC so much, especially supporting Barber. That never happens.

Then I had to go out and came back to 4 pages of the same............. It's some achievement for sure. :clap2:

WOW.

Having said that, I have always found Swansman to be a decent and amiable poster who A: Follows Potter B: Has acquired quite an affiliation to Brighton and C: Clearly smokes a bit too much weed.

He's hardly a Timmy, so let's not be too harsh eh?

Too much hash though
 


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