[Archived] Fans Forum pre-meet

[Mike Graham]

Good to see the disabled mini bus is on the agenda (seriously). This has been a life line to a number of Rovers fans who otherwise who find access to away games a challenge to say the least. Good luck on this one.

[Parsonblue]

Good to see the disabled mini bus is on the agenda (seriously). This has been a life line to a number of Rovers fans who otherwise who find access to away games a challenge to say the least. Good luck on this one.

Completely agree pb. The state of the mini bus has been a disgrace for some time and hopefully, if we have £8 million for a new centre-forward and can pay him £35,000 a week, we can surely find the money to allow disabled fans to get to away matches in relative comfort.

[mark1875]

Hi Mark. Yesterday evening we held the agenda-setting meeting at Ewood. As per usual the agenda has to be agreed with the club to ensure any required staff members are available, but to give you a taste a couple of the items up for discussion include ... Replacing/repairing the Disabled Club minibus .... Arrangements for the Burnley game at Turf Moor .... Hardy perennials such as Season Ticket sales and Sponsorship are also on the list. For yesterday's meeting two new people accepted the open invitation to sit in on and contribute to the discussions.

The full meeting with the club is next Tuesday.

A full list of the current membership of the forum can be found as an inclusion in the minutes for the last meeting .... available via the official Rovers website .... Fans/Fans Forum.

Hope this helps.

Good Stuff

I am glad the disabled supporters bus is on the agenda, we was behind it at Ipswich the other week and i commented to someone that it really could do with an update, lets up there is some progress on that.

I'll check on the website.

thanks

[Tom]

Good stuff

Things like bringing up and discussing the disabled supporters mini bus and the like shows there is and in my opinion always will be a place for the FF

Could someone ask what happened with some season tickets and why a lot of us had to queue up for paper tickets for two games

[only2garners]

Good stuff

Things like bringing up and discussing the disabled supporters mini bus and the like shows there is and in my opinion always will be a place for the FF

Could someone ask what happened with some season tickets and why a lot of us had to queue up for paper tickets for two games

I will ask Tom. I've not been on here that much recently - do you know how big a problem this was last week?

[Tom]

I know it affected me and there was quite the queue at the pick up point which I think led to quite a few missing kick off v hull

[mark1875]

Fans forum minutes now available

http://www.rovers.co.uk/documents/ff-minutes-4-9-12195-361012.pdf

[AndyNeil]

The minutes from the meeting are now for everybody to read on our Facebook page >> www.facebook.com/roversfansforum

[SouthAussieRover]

Is there some sort of completion going on between you two?

[mark1875]

Must say i am quite disappointed in this extract:

AB expressed some concern that the club management were favouring

contact with other supporters’ groups rather than the well established

Forum.

We all know what this refers to and the fact is a group who represents thousands of members has every right to be communicating their members concerns with the football clubs administration. We have had one meeting with Derek Shaw and Paul Agnew, which our local MP attended (second one due imminently), we have had 2 meetings with Shebby Singh (third one penned in) and brought him to the open floor meeting for the wider support base.

This is the level of communication we are at with the club, this is because we actively seek it. Is the suggestion now that this should be denied? or down-scaled? and as a result, the thousands of members the group has, should suffer because of it?

I am sure we could go in ourselves and list the number of reasons why we should be the group they communicate with and list reasons why we are better placed than others, however we don't and you won't find it in our minutes, because it has no relevance and is uncalled for.

If we are now wanting exclusive rights or we claim to have some sort of divine right to be 'the one' then its bitterly disappointing.

This post is not simply to have a go, I would genuinely like some clarification on both the relevance and the purpose of this point please?

[AndyNeil]

Is there some sort of completion going on between you two?

SAR - I presume you mean competition? No competition, just that we both happen to post the link at the same time...

Must say i am quite disappointed in this extract:

AB expressed some concern that the club management were favouring

contact with other supporters’ groups rather than the well established

Forum.

We all know what this refers to and the fact is a group who represents thousands of members has every right to be communicating their members concerns with the football clubs administration. We have had one meeting with Derek Shaw and Paul Agnew, which our local MP attended (second one due imminently), we have had 2 meetings with Shebby Singh (third one penned in) and brought him to the open floor meeting for the wider support base.

This is the level of communication we are at with the club, this is because we actively seek it. Is the suggestion now that this should be denied? or down-scaled? and as a result, the thousands of members the group has, should suffer because of it?

I am sure we could go in ourselves and list the number of reasons why we should be the group they communicate with and list reasons why we are better placed than others, however we don't and you won't find it in our minutes, because it has no relevance and is uncalled for.

If we are now wanting exclusive rights or we claim to have some sort of divine right to be 'the one' then its bitterly disappointing.

This post is not simply to have a go, I would genuinely like some clarification on both the relevance and the purpose of this point please?

Mark, as you are aware the FF members don't always hold the same view on every issue/topic and without wishing to state the obvious, I'd suggest you ask AB directly as this (IMO) seems to be a Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group issue, rather than a FF/BRFC Action Group issue...

[PAFELL]

Must say i am quite disappointed in this extract:

AB expressed some concern that the club management were favouring

contact with other supporters’ groups rather than the well established

Forum.

We all know what this refers to and the fact is a group who represents thousands of members has every right to be communicating their members concerns with the football clubs administration. We have had one meeting with Derek Shaw and Paul Agnew, which our local MP attended (second one due imminently), we have had 2 meetings with Shebby Singh (third one penned in) and brought him to the open floor meeting for the wider support base.

This is the level of communication we are at with the club, this is because we actively seek it. Is the suggestion now that this should be denied? or down-scaled? and as a result, the thousands of members the group has, should suffer because of it?

I am sure we could go in ourselves and list the number of reasons why we should be the group they communicate with and list reasons why we are better placed than others, however we don't and you won't find it in our minutes, because it has no relevance and is uncalled for.

If we are now wanting exclusive rights or we claim to have some sort of divine right to be 'the one' then its bitterly disappointing.

This post is not simply to have a go, I would genuinely like some clarification on both the relevance and the purpose of this point please?

I suppose it could be said that the FF represent all the supporters. By that it matters not what group or not, fans are part of. Whereas the action group is only for its members. To read the FF minutes as an example you have never had to be a member of them. whereas to read minutes of other groups, you have to sign up as a member. Which I am not happy to do for any group.

[OJRovers]

Agnew always comes out and says 'we need to rebuild trust wit the fans' but what exactly are they doing?

As far as I can see all the effort is being made by the FF and BRAG to set up these meetings etc, the club have done nothing bar the SS thing at King George's Hall which was subsequently scorned upon by Kean, Agnew etc.

[PAFELL]

Agnew always comes out and says 'we need to rebuild trust wit the fans' but what exactly are they doing?

As far as I can see all the effort is being made by the FF and BRAG to set up these meetings etc, the club have done nothing bar the SS thing at King George's Hall which was subsequently scorned upon by Kean, Agnew etc.

Was that not done by the action group? Not by the club.

[OJRovers]

Yeah, I guess I meant that at lest shebby turned up to represent the club.

Kean has done nothing to even hint at an apology to fans, yet they expect people to come and pay money to support him. Some of us can still remember Wigan last year.

[John]

More waffle from Agnew and I sense some people suddenly believe he can be competent at a job - also, remember he is very pally with Kean for a start...

We are yet to see any strong actions, in my view, which suggests we are being run properly/normally.

[mark1875]

SAR - I presume you mean competition? No competition, just that we both happen to post the link at the same time...

Mark, as you are aware the FF members don't always hold the same view on every issue/topic and without wishing to state the obvious, I'd suggest you ask AB directly as this (IMO) seems to be a Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group issue, rather than a FF/BRFC Action Group issue...

Hang on, so now you are saying that an issue between the Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group (i don't see any Action Group members posting publicly stuff such as 'Ewood blues out') in addition to this it was people who traveled by Ewood Blues who were chanting "Action Group Out" at MK Dons, so i would suggest its a one way issue personally rather than an issue between the two.

However, This was clearly a fans forum meeting and he was clearly representing the fans forum, therefore it is not an Ewood Blues issue, as this is a fans forum issue, raised by a fans forum representative, in a fans forum meeting, no? or is the fans forum now providing platforms for individuals to try and derail other groups, due to personal opinions?

that is what i seek clarity on

[SouthAussieRover]

Fat finger problem at this end Fernhurst lol

However I reckon I should leave you and the BRAG fellow to carry on arguing.

[mark1875]

I suppose it could be said that the FF represent all the supporters. By that it matters not what group or not, fans are part of. Whereas the action group is only for its members. To read the FF minutes as an example you have never had to be a member of them. whereas to read minutes of other groups, you have to sign up as a member. Which I am not happy to do for any group.

This is incorrect. You can sign up to the website to read the minutes, this does not make you a member of the BRFC Action Group, for you to become a member, we require your consent, website membership and membership are two separate things.

Was that not done by the action group? Not by the club.

Yes this was an Action Group event, organised between ourselves and Shebby Singh, with nobody else at the club being involved.

[glen9mullan]

SAR - I presume you mean competition? No competition, just that we both happen to post the link at the same time...

Mark, as you are aware the FF members don't always hold the same view on every issue/topic and without wishing to state the obvious, I'd suggest you ask AB directly as this (IMO) seems to be a Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group issue, rather than a FF/BRFC Action Group issue...

SAR - I presume you mean competition? No competition, just that we both happen to post the link at the same time...

Mark, as you are aware the FF members don't always hold the same view on every issue/topic and without wishing to state the obvious, I'd suggest you ask AB directly as this (IMO) seems to be a Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group issue, rather than a FF/BRFC Action Group issue...

Firstly a good set of minutes with some good content on lots of issues, especially the third strip, how bizarre its limited numbers for a multi million pound enterprise.

On the point of supporter groups, I must admit I agree with Mark, discussing other groups in meetings is counter-productive and it makes no reference to Ewood Blues, but gives a unified message that the Fans Forum do not like the club discussing problems with other groups. These minutes after all are penned by the Fans Forum, With the secretary of the FF Also being the secretary of the BRST I do feel this was a little un-called for. I'm sure when John Waring goes into these meetings he goes in wearing his Fans Forum hat and not that of the BRST, as it should be.

There is little point having United supporter meetings, if people are gonna go into meetings with the club and try and kick other entities in the nuts.

We have many opinions across the board through our members, and also committee. Everything we do goes to vote, and not always do the committee agree on some things, but we always go with a majority decision. Any minutes released would always be in agreement with the whole committee.

Groups have to work together for the good of supporter base, and the long term goal.

This is not the first time minutes have come out like this as Mays, had to be ammended when the FF took the liberty of naming me as an individual within them, rather than the group as a elected voice.

[Ste B]

Any member of the fans forum is entitled to raise their issues, it does not mean that the forum endorsed that point. are you saying we should have just left it off the minutes ?

[AndyNeil]

Hang on, so now you are saying that an issue between the Ewood Blues/BRFC Action Group (i don't see any Action Group members posting publicly stuff such as 'Ewood blues out') in addition to this it was people who traveled by Ewood Blues who were chanting "Action Group Out" at MK Dons, so i would suggest its a one way issue personally rather than an issue between the two.

However, This was clearly a fans forum meeting and he was clearly representing the fans forum, therefore it is not an Ewood Blues issue, as this is a fans forum issue, raised by a fans forum representative, in a fans forum meeting, no? or is the fans forum now providing platforms for individuals to try and derail other groups, due to personal opinions?

that is what i seek clarity on

of course the FF isn't a platform "for individuals to try and derail other groups, due to personal opinions". I tried to answer a reasonable point you raised with (what I thought) was a reasonable response...

[mark1875]

Any member of the fans forum is entitled to raise their issues, it does not mean that the forum endorsed that point. are you saying we should have just left it off the minutes ?

No i am not suggesting that, what i am seeking clarity on is why would an individual of the Fans Forum, use a Fans Forum meeting to try and encourage the club to stop/scale down dialogue with an active group representing supporters who are in dialogue with the club and making progress? His one and only contribution to these set of minutes, in my opinion are disruptive to what all groups are trying to achieve.

And what is the Fans Forum's collective stance on 1) the point raised and 2) the need for it to be raised in this meeting?

As i said we could all go in to meetings with the club, concentrating on putting down other groups, however some of us are more interested in uniting supporters!

As Glen said, what is the point in the meeting on Friday, if groups (the Fans Forum, or it's committee representation at least) are going to stake claims over others during meetings with the club?

of course the FF isn't a platform "for individuals to try and derail other groups, due to personal opinions".

But this is exactly what happened in that extract? so what is the fans forum opinion on this being allowed to happen during their meetings?

[glen9mullan]

Any member of the fans forum is entitled to raise their issues, it does not mean that the forum endorsed that point. are you saying we should have just left it off the minutes ?

Competely yes, as it just pours fuel over a fire that does not need a drink. I was under the impression any sort of committee should have a united front, and this is the point of pre-meets. If individuals have issues, then there is other ways of bringing this points up, either as an individual through the correct channels, I.e contact the supporter liaison officer Lynsey Talbot, or Set up a meeting as an individual or a group whichever the point is related to.

The fact this is the first point discussed in the Fans Forum meeting after the apologies, just appears as people have more interest in their own stock rather than addressing the million other issues supporters have.

I can't see how this point being raised is in the best interest of supporters or indeed helps with the current situation at the club. Many things are discussed in these meetings which do not make the minutes as you are aware. So can only see this point being minuted as a bigger issue, and its one we will now raise ourselves in the 2 meetings we have coming up

[Ray-Von]

The most pleasing thing to come out of the minutes was the suggestion regarding the "Bruno" merchandise! Full marks to the member who put that forward! (Glenn?)