Fans Advisory Board

Since its formation, the FAB group has faced challenges regarding the best way of developing an effective communication process with BFC fans.
This has been frustrating. Apologies from us to you. As a new group, at times its felt like we're in a dark room and can't find the light switch.
Hopefully, we've now hot to the stage where we can now find some momentum. There has been recent progress as a result of the club putting our contact details on the club website. This gives supporters the opportunity to email issues directly to the FAB group.
In addition to the personal contact FAB members have with their fellow supporters, issues can also be registered with us on "X." on the FAB site.
In an attempt to further improve dialogue between BFC and its fanbase we will now use the BBS Forum as another vehicle for getting in touch with the FAB to take issues to the Club.
So, to that end, if any of you have any issues/comments/suggestions you would like to raise for us to take forward, please register them on here.
We will pick them up and whilst we might not be able to respond as quickly as you'd like, or, sometimes with the answers that you'd like, what we can promise is that we'll get them raised in our meetings with the Club.
We have an opportunity to forge an improved relationship with our club and we shouldn't waste it.
We understand that there are gripes and groans out there because we feel them too. We just want to try and make things better.
Whilst I'm sure we'll encounter some cynicism and sarcasm in response to this, wouldn't it be great if something good came out of it?
Next FAB meeting on Wednesday, 16th October.
We're all ears.

 

How are you proposing reporting back to the fan base? Do you have a website? (X, Facebook, this BBS are not platforms accessed by all fans)

 

Can you not hold some kind of online decision / risk register with comments on updates included.

 

I can't personally speak with any authority on the most effective way of speaking to the masses through social media. That being the case, I can't answer your question directly right now.
However Gally from the BBS is a FAB member and he has the knowledge which can go some way to answering your question. There are also others in the group who will be able to contribute on this.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
We don't have a website yet, but, a good idea.
I'll take that and the bigger question of feedback into Wednesday's meeting.
It is recognised that not all fans access information through X, the BBS or Facebook.

 

Gally and I met the other day and he is currently developing something similar to your suggestion.
Thanks.

 

As Marc says this FAB is a more than just a discussion forum. Reporting issues to the club to try get a response to fans imo with concerns and ideas to make it a more accessible and welcoming experience for those especially experiencing difficulties in getting responses individually via the club. Although obviously some issues need immediate attention. Eg ticketing.

Asking when are the present board going to leave. Team affairs etc are not in the remit of The FAB
This meeting may cover some sensible questions. But immature comments are a main reason I wont be attending. Get shut of those. And hopefully a fruitful evening will emerge.

 

My suggestion would be to publish everything on your own website. Use social media by all means, including this BBS, but use it to inform people you have updated the website. So, for example, you receive a response from Neerav: publish that on your website and publish a link to that article on whichever social media you feel appropriate. Then you have just one source of your truth that is available to everyone rather than just to those who use social media platforms.

 

Can I just ask, how does it differ from the supporters trust?

 

Hi Marc
Thanks for your suggestions, guidance and support.
1.Terms of Reference:
We have ToR. We'll publish.
2.Website:
You may have seen that Jay has also mentioned this. Gally will be our "go to" guy in progressing this. As said earlier, I'll get it on the Agenda for Wednesday. Any specific advice you have would be welcomed.
3.Ideas:
All comments noted! We are very much aware of the need to filter.
4. Do what you say you will:
This should be our mantra. I completely agree with your comments here. Unless we do, we fail
It's time for the momentum we've lost to be re-surfaced.
5. Positivity:
Again, I'm in total agreement with your comments and I know the rest of the Group are determined to make this work.
Thanks again.

 

Individuals have been elected to different sections of the fanbase. Leaving responsibility not falling on just 2 or 3. The trust have members on the FAB. Each section should when sorted, allow questions to be put to the relevant rep. Eg Martin Wilson (disabilites) The FAB then will get together and discuss what and what may not be put forward. As I say, a lot of questions (mischievous) will be outside their remit.
Let's be honest things like "will we be looking to sign new players in the next window" will get stock answers that we or most of us will know the reply. As would be the case at any club.

 

Can I also add. The FAB was set up under the present regime. And it was pretty obvious from an encounter (in hindsight) over a long standing issue. The response I got to my question was met with disdain from myself. It then, I'm guessing, was imo not passed on from the previous regime. Khaled. Started last november just resolved. So I reckon a new slate should be on the table until proved otherwise.

 

Pigeon definitely not budgie

 

I think it's worth reminding people that this FAB is nothing new. Back in 2014 the club established a Fan Engagement Group. I believe it was instigated by some sort of supporter federation at the time, and BFC were one of a number of clubs to set one up. However, it wasn't mandatory. Anyway, I know some folk off this forum did join the group. @funnyfella23 for one. @Gally another. This group attended many meetings at Oakwell down the years. I believe all of Patrick Cryne, Linton Brown, Gauthier Ganaye, Dane Murphy, Khaled El-Ahmad and Julie Anne Quay attended at least one. You only need to type Fan Engagement Group or Fan Engagement Forum into the BBS search function to see a host of references going back a decade.

Back end of last year, all clubs in England were mandated by their respective league to set up official groups, hence the FAB. It was following the Crouch review of football governance, initiated by the DCMS. If you type Fan Advisory Board into a search engine, you'll notice results from every club in the country pointing you to their own FAB. So in essence, something that was already in place at most clubs was made law, and here we are.

My issue with this FAB is a simple one. Transparency. It has been going on for the best part of 2024, people have been appointed (I see Gally is again on board) and meetings held. At the outset, fans were told that minutes would be shared. I haven't seen any. That isn't me complaining on a personal level. I don't particularly want to know anything that ever comes out of such meetings. I'm more interested in the stuff that happens on the pitch. And trust me, when that's going well, the rest follows. But I'm just one person. I've no doubt that plenty of fans would like to know what's happening at these meetings.

BFC has an Urban Zoo website. It's the same platform as Aston Villa's. See THIS LINK and you'll note it's completely possible to have notes/minutes from each meeting on a FAB section of the website. Indeed, BFC do have a FAB section on the website. HERE. And, whilst it's missing notes/minutes from meetings, it arguably looks better than Villa's FAB page because it's got lovely little photos of the FAB members and a statement from each alongside an email address. That's superb stuff. So yeah, that's my one issue with the BFC FAB. Produce minutes from the meetings on that web page and then fans know what's being discussed, raised and addressed (or otherwise).

Without such transparency, you end up with the sort of threads seen on here recently.

I hope this isn't taken as me digging anyone out, as that's not the intention. I know what it's like to work in football, and I know how hard people work behind the scenes. I also know quite a few people on the FAB. Good guys, again, with best intentions. Just sharing my opinion as a supporter!

 

Thanks Whitey. Your constructive comments and suggestions are appreciated.
I'm old enough to remember the *** and I recognise the Club has had to re-establishh an Advisory Group.
A key factor here is that we just don't end up paying lip service to the process.
Your comments re transparency are bang on.
We must change that.

 

Why not inform through this forum for a start, most true fans are on here

 

One for the forum meeting. Not necessarily the FAB.
Are the club concerned. As are all the Efl clubs with Skys takeover of the game. And the ludicrous international breaks/interference.
The season will be 3.5 months old when we next play a home game with a Saturday 3pm ko. Only the 3rd game this season.
9 weeks between the last and the next. Scandalous. Something has to be done. Or the game will be lost to the armchair fans. What are their views.

 

We will post more on here but as others have said we need to utilise other social media "vehicles" also.

 

But every one isn't on social media such as Facebook . Me for one

 

That's fully recognised Ringo.
We will post on here and use other "outlets".
There are thousands of fans who don't engage with rhe BBS and we need to think about them also.