[Albion] The Fan Advisory Board Thread

[Brian Fantana]

DSA?

Disabled Supporters Association, I think.

 

[Talby]

Update from our meeting 29/01/24

The FAB discussed the following items

1. Fan Webinar – Gerry Brown outlined his thoughts on hosting a fan webinar. He and Jo Davis have a meeting with the club on 31 January to discuss timings, publicity content etc. Items for discussion will be polled using X and NSC. A possible date for the webinar will be Wednesday 21 February but this is provisional at this stage.
2. Items for discussion with the club – items for the agenda for a meeting to be held on Monday 5 February with the club were discussed. Gill Martin agreed to circulate a draft agenda to the club and FAB members. The agenda will centre on building good relationships, overcoming trust issues, recruitment and finding ways to forward the FAB’s strategic objectives.
3. The FAB have been invited to an FA meeting to discuss Fan Engagement issues. It was decided that Clive Steed will represent the FAB at the event as the Chair, Gill Martin, is unable to attend.
4. Gill Martin gave a quick update on the DSA launch. An article will be in the Palace programme and at least 30-40 people have shown interest in joining the DSA. The game where the DSA is formally launched is likely to be the Everton game on 24 February but again, this is provisional at this stage.
5. Jo Davis gave an update on progress made with the Women’s Game strategic objective. She has held initial discussions with Johnny Cantor regarding hosting a Fans Forum and she has also had discussions with Duncan Price from SheGulls. She feels some positive momentum is building.

What are the ‘trust issues’ that need to be overcome?

Ref the FA meeting re. Fan Engagement - have all Clubs signed up to this initiative in the same way?
Ie. Do BHAFC allow their FAB to be involved in decision making in areas that other clubs do?

Do other clubs choose who is and is not in the FAB?

Can the FA provide a clear mandate for FABs for clubs?

PB thinks we don’t need one (as per October 23 minutes) so it suggests the Club aren’t really supporting this initiative in a totally committed way.

Have there been new faces on the FAB? Have some of these faces not lasted too long? Rumours suggest they were removed from FAB by the Club.

 

[Brian Fantana]

What are the ‘trust issues’ that need to be overcome?

Ref the FA meeting re. Fan Engagement - have all Clubs signed up to this initiative in the same way?
Ie. Do BHAFC allow their FAB to be involved in decision making in areas that other clubs do?

Do other clubs choose who is and is not in the FAB?

Can the FA provide a clear mandate for FABs for clubs?

PB thinks we don’t need one (as per October 23 minutes) so it suggests the Club aren’t really supporting this initiative in a totally committed way.

Have there been new faces on the FAB? Have some of these faces not lasted too long? Rumours suggest they were removed from FAB by the Club.

I’m sure others will be better placed to answer, but there were recent additions to the FAB. In terms of previous members being removed, I believe this happened because those people broke the terms of the agreement for taking part. I think one person for instance took a photo at the training ground and published it, which has always been a no no.

 

[Talby]

I’m sure others will be better placed to answer, but there were recent additions to the FAB. In terms of previous members being removed, I believe this happened because those people broke the terms of the agreement for taking part. I think one person for instance took a photo at the training ground and published it, which has always been a no no.

Christ, what did they take a photo of? Team sheets for the next fixture??

 

[Brian Fantana]

Christ, what did they take a photo of? Team sheets for the next fixture??

That bit I don't know, my memory of it all is a bit hazy, but it was mentioned on social media at the time so I'm sure someone with a better recollection will come along!

 

[Hometownglory]

Does anybody know what changes FAB has managed implement? Am I right in thinking they were successful in getting a longer delay on the light in the disabled toilet?

Also, please can FAB insist binning off Hey Jude before kick off? No one sings to it except the away fans half the time.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Does anybody know what changes FAB has managed implement? Am I right in thinking they were successful in getting a longer delay on the light in the disabled toilet?

Also, please can FAB insist binning off Hey Jude before kick off? No one sings to it except the away fans half the time.

Are they any conflicts of interest on the Fab with Ritchie Reynolds or the wider fanzone team?

Jude out

 

[Barry Izbak]

What are the ‘trust issues’ that need to be overcome?

Ref the FA meeting re. Fan Engagement - have all Clubs signed up to this initiative in the same way?
Ie. Do BHAFC allow their FAB to be involved in decision making in areas that other clubs do?

Do other clubs choose who is and is not in the FAB?

Can the FA provide a clear mandate for FABs for clubs?

PB thinks we don’t need one (as per October 23 minutes) so it suggests the Club aren’t really supporting this initiative in a totally committed way.

Have there been new faces on the FAB? Have some of these faces not lasted too long? Rumours suggest they were removed from FAB by the Club.

To answer each point above in turn:

Trust - Members of the FAB don't always feel the club trusts the FAB with information that they should do, meaning we sometimes don't feel properly consulted.

Fan Engagement - We will find out at the FA meeting how many other clubs have signed up. Its unlikely to be all clubs.

FAB elsewhere - Different process at other clubs. Some are appointed by the club, we have a free vote on a shortlist produced by the FAB from fan applications.

FA mandate - The FA only requires clubs to have a FAB, but not on what they use it for. Its up to clubs, the FABs and the fans to make it work for them.

Club commitment - The club is told it has to have a FAB. But that said, they have committed staff time and resources to working with the FAB

New faces - Take a look at www.bhafc-fab.co.uk to see pen pictures of the people working on the FAB

Note, the process for recruiting five new members of the FAB for 2024-2026 will start soon. If you're interested contact the FAB and we can describe in detail what is involved. It would be great to get some of the regular contributors on here to put their hands up and get involved.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

That bit I don't know, my memory of it all is a bit hazy, but it was mentioned on social media at the time so I'm sure someone with a better recollection will come along!

The person concerned was posting on Nsc who had travelled and who was definitely dropped. I didn't see any photos of a team sheet because this was the day before a match.

Edit, Sorry nothing to do with FAB. The incident was ground staff at Lancing.
ignore.

 

[dazzer6666]

The person concerned was posting on Nsc who had travelled and who was definitely dropped. I didn't see any photos of a team sheet because this was the day before a match.

Right at the start wasn’t it (ie first time the FAB had met). It was hilarious - one of the pictures included the bloody great sign at Lancing saying ‘no pictures’

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Right at the start wasn’t it (ie first time the FAB had met). It was hilarious - one of the pictures included the bloody great sign at Lancing saying ‘no pictures’

I’m not sure. My post wasn’t about FAB.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Right at the start wasn’t it (ie first time the FAB had met). It was hilarious - one of the pictures included the bloody great sign at Lancing saying ‘no pictures’

The writing style of the individual involved was clearly a boast of look at me and my access, all be it for an hour, which I thought made it funnier

I’m not sure. My post wasn’t about FAB.

I think you’re thinking of the user (Gem) I think that used to supply the team sheet on here. Some ground staff got sacked shortly after this and he also coincidently stopped posting from memory

 

[Beach Hut]

One thing perhaps for FAB ?

When away tickets go on sale at 09:00 on whichever day I normally receive an email about 10 minutes after I have purchased them, would it not be better to send the email advising them on sale one hour earlier ?

 

[attila]

I honestly don't see the point of this exercise. A supporters' group needs to be organised from the bottom up, not the top down. It should be independent, organised in its own right and listened to by the club because it comes up with its own initiatives which have the backing of at least part of the fanbase as a whole - especially those in the North Stand who contribute most to the atmosphere. I'd have loved the next generation to continue BISA, which had 15 years of history behind it, but no one came forward and we'd done our bit, so that was that. The club is supremely well run and there is an argument that an independent group is unnecessary now. I still think it's a good idea, but that is for others far younger to decide. We in the 1997 Club are on a lilo in a sea of alright, as Nigel from Half Man Half Biscuit so eloquently puts it in 'Mathmatically Safe'.

 

[dazzer6666]

I honestly don't see the point of this exercise. A supporters' group needs to be organised from the bottom up, not the top down. It should be independent, organised in its own right and listened to by the club because it comes up with its own initiatives which have the backing of at least part of the fanbase as a whole - especially those in the North Stand who contribute most to the atmosphere. I'd have loved the next generation to continue BISA, which had 15 years of history behind it, but no one came forward and we'd done our bit, so that was that. The club is supremely well run and there is an argument that an independent group is unnecessary now. I still think it's a good idea, but that is for others far younger to decide. We in the 1997 Club are on a lilo in a sea of alright, as Nigel from Half Man Half Biscuit so eloquently puts it in 'Mathmatically Safe'.

Wasn’t the establishment of the FAB (to some degree at least) a box-ticking exercise ahead of the appointment of the regulator ?

 

[Stat Brother]

Christ, what did they take a photo of? Team sheets for the next fixture??

What does it matter?

"No photos" is a pretty simple instruction.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Wasn’t the establishment of the FAB (to some degree at least) a box-ticking exercise ahead of the appointment of the regulator ?

I would say so, yes.

What does it matter?

"No photos" is a pretty simple instruction.

Quite. I'm not sure I want the person representing me, box ticking or no box ticking, to be thicker than a submarine door.

 

[Brian Fantana]

My overriding opinion is that the if members of the FAB don’t feel like the club trust them with information they ‘should’, then that pretty well sums up the likely effectiveness of the group as a whole in terms of being to convince the club to make impactful changes.

The question I’d be asking is would the club have any interest in having a FAB were it not something that was essentially being mandated? If the answer is no, I really can’t see it being anything beyond a box-ticking exercise.

 

[dazzer6666]

My overriding opinion is that the if members of the FAB don’t feel like the club trust them with information they ‘should’, then that pretty well sums up the likely effectiveness of the group as a whole in terms of being to convince the club to make impactful changes.

The question I’d be asking is would the club have any interest in having a FAB were it not something that was essentially being mandated? If the answer is no, I really can’t see it being anything beyond a box-ticking exercise.

Afraid this is where I am, as cynical as it sounds. Reminds me a lot of ‘voice of the staff’ type groups big corporates are always setting up, alongside ‘satisfaction surveys’ to make people feel like they are being heard when the reality is they don’t truly give a xxxx.

 

[Guinness Boy]

My overriding opinion is that the if members of the FAB don’t feel like the club trust them with information they ‘should’, then that pretty well sums up the likely effectiveness of the group as a whole in terms of being to convince the club to make impactful changes.

What impactful changes would you like to see though?

The only issues at the Amex for me are transport and atmosphere, and they have been done to death on here and no one agrees. The club can't do anything about the trains, the best they can do is have a word with Southern about the filling up of the Lewes services, and have put on shuttle buses and extra Park and Ride whenever it's looked like there might be issues. The atmosphere probably either needs the away end moving, safe standing in the North, extending the North or moving people en masse to a 'singing section', probably more centrally. Moving the away end could mean existing STHs with good seats in the East being asked to move, and a further split of singers between North Stand and freed up seats in the South next to the away fans. We've rejected safe standing, can't easily extend the North (and would have a white elephant if relegated or even more transport issues) and everyone on NSC said it was appalling when Palace forcibly moved people to cater to the HF.

On a board which has been mostly appointed with diversity and inclusion in mind and seems to not care about younger fans I doubt that anyone on it particularly cares about the atmosphere or could agree on a single plan for it to take to PBOBE.