Some skinny Minnie was lowered through the holes with a hoover to get rid of any dust and years old cig papers I would imagine.
Thanks to all who went for the summaries. Sounds like no news. The CEO has probably misjudged the feelings of the fans if he can't understand why people are withdrawing support. The owners are unwilling to speak to their customers but still want our money.
I'm in total agreement with this. Thank you to those who have posted what was said at the meeting. Appreciated.
But just because he's said one line about 11,000, that isn't enough evidence to conclude he's not at least trying to address fundamental issues.
No. Did I say he was following the quote I gave or did I just use it as an example? I think on this one your constant cynicism and negativity towards the CEO is a bit over the top. In other areas it might be valid, but it feels misplaced in this particular moment.
What is wrong with you at the minute? Is everything ok because every comment is a pop at some one who makes a perfectly acceptable and reasoned post. I just asked you a question given you said you were there for some of it. I expected a civil response so we could have a discussion. If you can't be civil, just don't bother.
Fair enough you were in the room. It was the comment someone posted saying he couldn't understand why someone would stop coming after so many years. I think he needs to flip that and say how bad must things be if someone just stops coming after so many years.
Absolutely fine. Is it ok to point out when you think someone is being too negative towards an individual and their role? I'd say the same if someone was criticising a player and isn't anything personal. You've taken some giant leaps in this thread alone to try and put a negative spin on an aspirational comment of wanting to sell 11,000 tickets. Very civil in my mind and not every comment is a pop at someone.
And therein lies the problem. I think we should resume where you don't speak to me again. You've had numerous attempts and you always have to resort to attacking people. It's a real real shame. I genuinely mean that.
Where have I attacked anyone? Disagreeing with a perspective that is being repeated across multiple threads isn't attacking anyone. I completely understand the negativity towards the owners. Even towards Khaled, more for some of the comms than actions being honest. But he's criticised at every turn with some people, and I think it's perfectly civil to point that out as being a touch over the top. I should know considering the repeated jibes I've had since the turn of the year for refusing to be as negative as others.
Can you expand on that please @Gally? So he gave the impression that he does understand the feelings of the fans but he doesn't understand why they don't want to renew? If that is the case, did he add to that?
Tell you what.... have a chat with me in PM. If you genuinely want to find a level, engage with me there. I'm not getting into a back and forth on here in the open, others don't need to see that, and it solves nothing, plus, everyone has the right to give views on a thread which is really important without it going off on a tangent. And if you don't want to, that's absolutely fine too. It's up to you.
I listened to this bit. It felt to me like a request for information, giving someone the floor to explain how the feelings towards the owners could force them to turn their back on the club after 40/50 years. It was him listening. I took it as him probing in a really respectful way, and to my point earlier trying to see if there could be a change in mentality in the long run, where you support those who run the club, work at the club, support the club, and play for the club, regardless of who the names above the door were. So to speak and in a nutshell. Almost asking if all the memories and support you've given the club over the decades really does get taken away because of the ownership group. You can't try to overcome something without fully understanding what the motivations are behind it.
I think he's right. You've taken a comment, that from memory, was alluding to his aspirations about what could be achieved at the club, and targets he discussed when he first met the fans in the Garrison and used it to attack him suggesting that he needs his CFO to keep him in check. Totally out of context and not at all perfectly reasoned. You are hell-bent on battering him with something that isn't even the reality of what he was saying. He was talking about Barnsley's potential not necessarily about what we will sell for next season. He talked about going to other grounds with bigger crowds and coming home in the car and thinking this could be the same at Barnsley. He talked about eventually having sell-out season tickets (16K also mentioned at the Garrison). It was a comment about the potential of the club. It was the fact that if we set ourselves high targets we can achieve more. I don't think there was anything that suggested he isn't aware that he has a challenge retaining season ticket holders.
This is actually quite a clever tactic of the owners to distance themselves from the club. By having Khaled, on the face of it, a personable passionate guy running the club, they can take all the blame whilst he attempts to foster the relationship with the fans that its not him and he needs support to prosper. He's got a tough gig on his hands and his media statements all point to someone with passion but not always realistic. Despite all the rhetoric the issue is going to come down to hard cash. Without any injection from the owners or further debt, the future of the club hangs in the balance. Even if all 16,000 tickets were to be sold that is only incremental income of just over £1.5m on this year. The losses and the need to repay the debt put a massive question mark over the financial viability of BFC.