I've had a chat tonight with Ben Mansford..

Good work whitey

 

Good post Andy. Still find it amazing and slightly unprofessional that a CEO will go on record to one fan over the phone, but I can see why some would like that approach. Also, that's not your fault and good on you for getting him to chat.

I'm sure if Sheff Utd had offered double money for Alfie, he would have gone there. I never believe the line about players being impressed with facilities and turning down bigger offers etc. Ultimately, it boils down to money.

It's sad that Holgate could be leaving us, but not the club's fault if he does.

Also interesting how influential Cryne appears to be in the recruitment process. His money though...

You Reds.

 

Good work with the blog Dunno why he sees what Bradford are doing as risky. Nothing risky in our board telling the fanbase that how much our season pass costs will depend on how many sign up for one.

Would have liked to have heard from him about the under 21s shambles to see how much we are to blame and how much the FA.

 

Cheers Whitey very good.

 

Ben says he enjoys talking to me because I don't have an agenda. In his opinion, I'm a fairly balanced supporter who isn't trying to create a headline, isn't paid to stir the pot. He knows that over a thousand folk will end up reading my nonsense so it's just one - fairly unique - way to get messages out there. Me? I just want as much info about my club, out in the open, shared among us.

Others will see it differently, but it is what it is.


Enjoyed your trout poym earlier...

 

I meant to ask that. Meant to ask about Berry too. And other stuff. But it's hard even for me to get a word in with Ben.

 

I can't see the point of making fans pay £300 up front for a season ticket but offer them £150 back if a level is reached.
I do not have £300 but I do have £150. BFC could have had this £150 along with many other 150s from other fans who would have paid up front.
You will never sell 14000 or whatever figure by charging a high amount but offering a rebate later. Fans are not going to know where the flip they are.

 

Completely agree. Either charge £300 or £150, not both!

 

Thats the difficulty though, it's a real catch 22, if the club gamble at £150 and still get the same 6500 or only a few more, it knocks a big hole in our spending power on FFP.
It might pay to look at a sign up system with a deposit somewhere towards the end of the season, but prior to the Early Bird offer, if the numbers don't add up, the deposit could at least be taken off the price of the full season ticket. Have a good season and it may work,
if it's a poor season it'll probably be the same old diehards.

Thanks for the blog Andy, and thanks to BM too.

 

Thanks for that Whitey!

 

As regards communicating in this way, Whitey put up an article/interview on the commentators, which many (including the lads themselves) feel strongly about. A lot on here will have read it - so it's not unreasonable for Ben to respond, even if it's at Whitey's request/invitation. If it were a club statement or even an interview with a more formal media channel (Chron, RS, etc) I imagine Ben would have had to clothe it in clubspeak, and to have been more guarded. As it is, Whitey's report has Ben coming across in a more informal way. While certain areas still have to be off limits (e.g. the actual state of things with Mason) I think we get more info this way, and Ben has the safety net of being able to say "Ah, that was just Whitey's interpretation" if owt goes astray. It's a bit like the "sources close to the Prime Minister" approach - and more informative for it. Thanks Whitey - nice work!

 

Just a quick straw poll. Who subscribes to the Club Player feature / app... yes / no?


I'll go first

Yes

 

Still find it absolutely bizarre how the Chief Ex phones up a fan and talkes about transfers in and out of the club, announces his appointment as Director and discusses sacking Mat and Adam which they fuk ed up with and are now going try to smooth over.... not because they give a **** about them but because of fan uproar.

 

I have more time fo Mansford than most suits having said that some stuff I take with a pinch of salt. Nice to hear that the strategy we put forward last season is still the one we are sticking to in terms of recruitment.

 

Who gives a fu'ck who extracts the information from him as long as someone does, well done button moon head.

 

We seem to get more from Ben via Whitey than from the Supporters Liaison thingy. Plus Whitey wont dodge the difficult questions. Aren't we still waiting for the feedback from the Police meeting or did I miss that

 

Still concerning to me that we talk about Cryne and signings in the same breath. And I don't buy this cost cutting exercise either considering we're happy to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on lower league footballers.

Well done mate.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

This.

The club have got to take the gamble, not the fans.

After decades of generating a smaller income from their fan base than Barnsley due to smaller attendances, Bradford will now be generating a larger one. They've done this despite performing much worse than Barnsley on the field of play. They've done it by introducing a radical pricing policy. Not only will they be making more money now, they will be doing so for years to come as they've attracted a whole new fan base. They've managed all this with relatively little success on the field of play. Should they have a successful season and win promotion, they'll have another increase in season ticket holders which may well fill the ground. The good will they have generated amongst the fan base through this venture is immeasurable. They'll be selling merchandise and refreshments by the bucket load. The atmosphere at Valley Parade is now one of the best in the division, which only serves to attract even more fans.

We think it's all too risky. Fortune, as Bradford have shown, favours the brave. But if we're not prepared to offer what Bradford have done, please don't try a half arsed system that is doomed to failure. It'll generate ill-will and resentment on both sides and the inevitable conclusion the club will draw that the people of Barnsley are not prepared to support the club, even at such cheap prices, will not be appreciated. Offer the prices up front or not all.

 

Just a thought.

One of the issues is the time people have. It doesn't affect me cos for years I stick 25 or 30 quid into an online savings account each month and it's paid for come renewal time. (Just my situation an I appreciate everyone else may not be able to)

So kick the season off. Announce it as 150 next year. To be paid by season end. If we don't reach 14k or whatever then the deal ends. People who want a refund have one. People who want a ST at 300 (or whatever it is) have the early bird time for the remaining amount in the short time. No ifs or buts.

Then we will see the metal of everyone.

It's early so my brain might not have started but it's the best I can come up with for now.


Ps whitey. Cheers for the blog

 

If Ben Mansford is prepared to walk to Bradford and put himself in hospital by doing so, I've no problem with him giving interviews to one of the lads who made that walk with him. The more channels that are open between the club and the fan base, the better as far as I'm concerned. It's not like he's going to renege on his media obligations because he's spoken to Whitey. We get this as well as the interviews he gives to the press, not instead of.

I view this type of interview as somewhere between the "Tell us how great you are Ben and what a wonderful job you are doing" audioboom uploads from the club, and the obvious discomfort he was put through when Radio Sheffield conducted that excellent probing interview with him after the sacking of Wilson. Whitey will ask far tougher questions than the club are prepared to address, but Ben will be in a much better position to deal with them compared to when Radio Sheffield are recording him. It is propaganda, but as long as we all realise that, there's no harm done. We may not get the whole truth or even any of the truth to some of the questions asked, but Whitey will address many issues that the club reporter is not prepared to ask about and that Radio Sheffield may not think of. On some of these we'll get an answer.