Kyle Haynes to Worcester City?

I'm sure you can all put the dots together on who it was, but essentially we were in contact with a player before we 'technically' could. It happens in football all the time, but irrespective you ain't meant to do it. People where rightly or wrongly told of this, and proceeded to tell people. Before long, it was (fairly) common knowledge. The club could have got in a lot of trouble.

From conversations with Andy, I think this was the turning point. Unfortunately, the further we go up the pyramid the more tactile the board need to be about what get's blurted and what doesn't.

Yes, technically the members own the club. However, I haven't got the foggiest on how accountable the board are. Nor, I doubt do 99% of the forum. On paper we 'own' the club. However in practice we don't quite. Or at least, don't call the shots. It isn't fan ownership like we see at FCUM for example, when it was set up for the fans by the fans, if you get what I mean?

That isn't to say that the club keep everything from us, that's utterly ludicrous to suggest. Two examples of this for me, personally. 1) On the coach home from Hitchin last day of the season, a rather 'Jolly' Andy told me there was categorically no chance of Luke making the Chesham game. Another example was this season, once again a jolly Andy-(Is there a connection here?! )-disclosed the general gist of the redevelopments, as well as other info. That's OUR Chairman telling a kid information about the club. If that isn't proof I don't know what is.

Stour isn't what it used to be. Some of us will like it, some of it won't. However this hyperbole that the club is a secret club isn't true. After all, there's a Q&A tomorrow folks.

glassboypaul wrote:Also I don't think I've ever learnt anything new from the official club announcements. They tend to lag far behind other clubs and internet forums in my experience.

I wondered if you might be able to give a specific example (or examples) of where you feel this has been the case, Paul?

More to the point, clubs cannot announce a signing until the legalities are sorted. I's dotted T's crossed etc etc. We all knew Rowey WAS signing. However until he does the club cannot vocalise it.

Just another pop at TRM for the sake of it.

Jack wrote:More to the point, clubs cannot announce a signing until the legalities are sorted. I's dotted T's crossed etc etc. We all knew Rowey WAS signing. However until he does the club cannot vocalise it.

Just another pop at TRM for the sake of it.

Maybe so but we were talking about the old "Seven day approach" Jack.

I knew last week that Worcester had put seven days in for one of our players but heres the crucial bit,i didn't know who so i didn't post anything about it.

I know from what i was told by others after Saturday's match that there was the inevitable speculation going around with strong rumours ( Andy Hill ) that it was Knighty.

I dug for more info and was told that although the person i was talking to knew which player it was that he wasn't able to tell me at that time but he would once Stour had been informed officially.

At the point Stour knew i posted on here.

That seems pretty fair to me but some at the club obviously think not,seeing as this is a "fan's forum" and is "unofficial" AND no rules are being broken i don't see the problem,this is hardly "Watergate" is it!?

It's regularly written in the Stourbridge News and Express and Dingle that we or another club have put seven days in for a player so why is such an issue being made of it by people involved with the club on here?

This has no reflection on Kyle Haynes at all,if he goes he will go with best wishes from fan's and nobody will blame him for taking a step up,if he stays everyone will say what a "good egg" he is for being loyal.

The club will have known before me that seven days was in for Kyle,maybe our "media machine" should have put a quick post to that effect on Twitter or the website,either way,it's hardly world shattering news.

A sense of perspective wouldn't come amiss sometimes.

Devil's Advocate wrote:

Jack wrote:More to the point, clubs cannot announce a signing until the legalities are sorted. I's dotted T's crossed etc etc. We all knew Rowey WAS signing. However until he does the club cannot vocalise it.

Just another pop at TRM for the sake of it.

Maybe so but we were talking about the old "Seven day approach" Jack.

I knew last week that Worcester had put seven days in for one of our players but heres the crucial bit,i didn't know who so i didn't post anything about it.

I know from what i was told by others after Saturday's match that there was the inevitable speculation going around with strong rumours ( Andy Hill  ) that it was Knighty.

I dug for more info and was told that although the person i was talking to knew which player it was that he wasn't able to tell me at that time but he would once Stour had been informed officially.

At the point Stour knew i posted on here.

That seems pretty fair to me but some at the club obviously think not,seeing as this is a "fan's forum" and is "unofficial" AND no rules are being broken i don't see the problem,this is hardly "Watergate" is it!?

It's regularly written in the Stourbridge News and Express and Dingle that we or another club have put seven days in for a player so why is such an issue being made of it by people involved with the club on here?

This has no reflection on Kyle Haynes at all,if he goes he will go with best wishes from fan's and nobody will blame him for taking a step up,if he stays everyone will say what a "good egg" he is for being loyal.

The club will have known before me that seven days was in for Kyle,maybe our "media machine" should have put a quick post to that effect on Twitter or the website,either way,it's hardly world shattering news.

A sense of perspective wouldn't come amiss sometimes.

Hear hear! Nothing more needs to be added to that. We could go on and on and on but what good good will it do? To be honest, I totally give up on here and with the club in general. There is so much to say and talk about but now I feel the thought police will be on us like a ton of bricks if anything gets mentioned that doesn't toe the line with the thoughts of the powers that be. This is no way to run a football club, especially a club like Stourbridge where support is already at a premium!

I've got a feeling the club would now rather have a crowd on matchdays consisting of drinkers who don't really give a monkeys about the club or the football. People who wont be interested or have an opinion on the club,won't comment on the forum, just who will turn up, pay their tenners, then another £20 each at the bar getting wrecked. I've seen the change taking place. This type of 'support' is spending more money than those who go to watch the football and REALLY support the club. They also aren't going to upset the apple cart either are they? They won't question the goings on at the club or question dubious decisions or ideas. Just my opinion of course.

By the way, the West Brom forum has been manic all day with transfer speculation. Lets hope to god that the powers that be at the Albion don't get too upset and start calling for silence over some of us speculating on who might be coming and going.

There is talk about Albion signing Townsend and Lennon from Spurs. Lets hope Jeremy Peace or Daniel Levy the Spurs chairman don't get any of their mafia to start issuing the posters with threats for leaking such sensitive information.

Anyway,as I said,I just give up with it all, I wont be bothering to post on here any further and doubt I'll ever go to watch Stour again so I'll wish all of you all the best. The club will soon be happy and get their wish when everybody else decides they've had enough too and the forum is gone for good. Take care all.

I give up. Now I am accused of having a pop at a club official, when I clearly hadn't been blaming anyone. WHY are people still talking about when/whether the club should make announcements. This debate started because the club wanted to tell the fans what we could and couldn't post on the forum based on what we had heard on the grapevine! Which is exactly what the forum is for!

I always buy a programme because often it's the first time I hear news such as fixture re-arrangements and so on. That's not a pop at anyone - I was merely making the point that not everyone at the club knows everything that is going on - richard / TRM shouldn't be expected to know every fixture change - but the programme editor is likely to. Therefore, if someone knows on here that a fixture is rearranged, I often know before it appears on Twitter or the website.

That's a fact of life and a reflection that everyone is a volunteer and not a full time worker, it is not a pop at anyone! I give up completely. Any kind of comment that could be taken as being negative is interpreted as a pop on here. Nath and DA are slated for no reason.

For the record, Paul, I wasn't having a "pop" at you, and whilst I might or might not have thought you were having a pop at me, it really doesn't upset me if you were.

I asked if you could let me have examples of specific times when you felt the club's communication had been lacking for genuine reasons of wanting to see if we could improve things.

Can I also mention that I am not and never have been a club official... and bloody well wouldn't want to be!

It's like a f*****g soap opera on here

Let's remember that much as there's plenty of debate here on occasions, there's probably a dozen or so regular posters out of 500 regular matchgoers. Whatever we say is irrelevant in the greater scheme of things and whatever we think isn't in any way representative of a typical crowd.

glassboypaul wrote:I always buy a programme because often it's the first time I hear news such as fixture re-arrangements and so on. That's not a pop at anyone - I was merely making the point that not everyone at the club knows everything that is going on - richard / TRM shouldn't be expected to know every fixture change - but the programme editor is likely to. Therefore, if someone knows on here that a fixture is rearranged, I often know before it appears on Twitter or the website.

Since you raise the subject of fixtures, Paul, this is how it works (with apologies for stating the bleedin' obvious)...

League and League Cup fixtures are arranged and re-arranged by the League - this is unlike the SL who leave re-arrangements up to the club secretaries.

FA Cup and Trophy ties are usually on fixed dates, subject to being moved to Fridays or Sundays occasionally, so tend not to need "arranging" as such.

County Cup ties are arranged between the secretaries of the two clubs.

Any re-arrangement, either by the League or by our secretary, is emailed to everybody at the club, including Nigel (programme editor and website) and me (website and twitter) as soon as it has been confirmed. This is part of a procedure in place so that all relevant people know of re-arrangements as soon as possible. It's necessary because there is catering to sort out, sponsors to inform, etc. It may be that the re-arrangement is only at very short notice so it's important to do it quickly.

I can't be 100% certain but I am as sure as I can be that every re-arrangement this season has been announced on the website the same day as it has been confirmed. They have all DEFINITELY been announced via twitter the same day. No fixture re-arrangement has been in the programme before being announced on the website and twitter.

NB. The fixture LIST on the website is actually out of our control. It's done centrally by the League and/or Pitchero themselves. This is the same for all clubs with Pitchero websites. As far as League fixtures are concerned they are often updated on the fixture list before the club is formally advised by the League! County Cup ties are sometimes a little slow to be uploaded, I grant you.

Have I missed something or have things been said off-forum ? I always enjoy reading our forum on a daily basis and, to me, it offers what it should do ie open discussion by those of us who take a close interest in SFC. I see that Clive (as in Eades ? ) has passed a few comments but I don't construe them as being a ''threat'' of an embargo or ban being placed on certain subjects.

If contributors want to discuss gossip and rumour ad nauseam, then so be it. Although such comments create interest, I personally prefer to deal with facts and, like any stakeholder in a company, do not expect to be told absolutely everything that goes on behind the scenes eg who's chasing our players and what players we are chasing etc etc.

Our Board is running the club on behalf of the owners ie the members of which I am one. The Directors do not own SFC. If any member is unhappy with any Board official, then he/she should try and get enough support to force the necessary vote at either an EGM or at the AGM.

Based on experience, whenever I have asked questions to the Directors or officials, I have found most of them, but not all admittedly, to be approachable and keen to answer. At the December open meeting, I thought that questions were answered in an open manner and none were avoided. Just for the record Nath, DA was not told to ''stay silent''.

I can't understand all the sarcasm and criticism that is being levelled at the ''proper official channels'' and ''the powers that be.'' With these open meetings now being held monthly, what more can our Board do to be transparent ?

Finally, a note to Nath. I do hope your ''farewell'' is just a fit of pique. I quite often don't agree with your opinions and sentiments but your contributions are usually thought-provoking !

TRM wrote:

glassboypaul wrote:I always buy a programme because often it's the first time I hear news such as fixture re-arrangements and so on. That's not a pop at anyone - I was merely making the point that not everyone at the club knows everything that is going on - richard / TRM shouldn't be expected to know every fixture change - but the programme editor is likely to. Therefore, if someone knows on here that a fixture is rearranged, I often know before it appears on Twitter or the website.

Since you raise the subject of fixtures, Paul, this is how it works (with apologies for stating the bleedin' obvious)...

League and League Cup fixtures are arranged and re-arranged by the League - this is unlike the SL who leave re-arrangements up to the club secretaries.

FA Cup and Trophy ties are usually on fixed dates, subject to being moved to Fridays or Sundays occasionally, so tend not to need "arranging" as such.

County Cup ties are arranged between the secretaries of the two clubs.

Any re-arrangement, either by the League or by our secretary, is emailed to everybody at the club, including Nigel (programme editor and website) and me (website and twitter) as soon as it has been confirmed. This is part of a procedure in place so that all relevant people know of re-arrangements as soon as possible. It's necessary because there is catering to sort out, sponsors to inform, etc. It may be that the re-arrangement is only at very short notice so it's important to do it quickly.

I can't be 100% certain but I am as sure as I can be that every re-arrangement this season has been announced on the website the same day as it has been confirmed. They have all DEFINITELY been announced via twitter the same day. No fixture re-arrangement has been in the programme before being announced on the website and twitter.

NB. The fixture LIST on the website is actually out of our control. It's done centrally by the League and/or Pitchero themselves. This is the same for all clubs with Pitchero websites. As far as League fixtures are concerned they are often updated on the fixture list before the club is formally advised by the League! County Cup ties are sometimes a little slow to be uploaded, I grant you.

It's crazy we don't have control of our own website content. I wondered why the Fixtures & Results listing is so poor - just to have fixtures as 'League' or 'Cup'....ridiculous.

There is absolutely no mention of fixture re-arrangements in the last couple of months from what I can see on the website news items, so I can assure you the programme is most people's first port of call when it comes to news. I think 'Twatter' is mostly used by the younger generation...

Paul........updates regarding re-arranged matches can be seen on the Twitter feed on the clubs website home page. I guess from your comments that you are not on Twatter and neither am I, but you can still follow the comments and read updates etc, it actually makes interesting reading.

Nice to see some kind of sanity being expressed by jack, redpike ( good post sir !) & TRM.
Debate and opinions.....yes,   sarcasm ......no thanks,

glassboypaul wrote:It's crazy we don't have control of our own website content. I wondered why the Fixtures & Results listing is so poor - just to have fixtures as 'League' or 'Cup'....ridiculous.

As I said, it's the same for all Pitchero-run websites. It's out of our control.

glassboypaul wrote:There is absolutely no mention of fixture re-arrangements in the last couple of months from what I can see on the website news items, so I can assure you the programme is most people's first port of call when it comes to news. I think 'Twatter' is mostly used by the younger generation...

News items often get deleted if they have lost a certain immediate "relevance", otherwise the website gets very clogged up. An example of this is the Match Previews I do, which I then "over-type" to produce the report after every game - the "Preview" is then lost for ever! Fixture changes may have been deleted, or it's possible they weren't put on. I know the Blyth "cancellation", for example (28th Dec) was put on the website but it isn't there now.

The most recent changes - arrangements of the home games v Stamford and Ilkeston - look like they weren't posted as a news item, an oversight for which I shall go and hang myself the moment I have finished posting this...

In any case the first port of call for somebody looking for fixtures is the fixture list page. They're all present and correct there.

EDIT - The other option, of course, is to "build" our own website and have it exactly how we want it with every single tiny little thing completely under our own control. The thing is, that costs an awful lot of money and takes an awful lot of time to set up and maintain. In contrast, Pitchero do just about all the set-up and maintenance for you, and (crucially) sort out any glitches that crop up as part of the service. Pitchero websites are not everybody's cup of tea. You mention the "league" and "Cup" thing on the fixture page which is one example of where they might be considered to fall short. But they are a very cost-effective way of having a good (or good enough) website for relatively little cost and effort.

Now, where did I leave that rope...

This is an example of badly run messed up no brain supporters. You start a thread about a lovely bloke average fullback who wants to move on into "I'm never going to Stourbridge again" to the Websites shit. "where's my Rope"

village wrote:This is an example of badly run messed up no brain supporters. You start a thread about a lovely bloke average fullback who wants to move on into "I'm never going to Stourbridge again" to the Websites shit. "where's my Rope"

I think you will find it was actually the club secretary's comments that moved the thread onto that. Go and crawl back under whatever stone you came from. Twat.

Now Now Nathan. I might be a Twat but I'm a nice Twat. Not falling out with anyone. just speaking Truth. Thought you were done with Stourbridge anyway

village wrote:Now Now Nathan. I might be a Twat but I'm a nice Twat. Not falling out with anyone. just speaking Truth. Thought you were done with Stourbridge anyway

No, it's not the truth though is it? I know every supporter who posts on here and regardless of if they are people I agree with or occasionally don't, what I do know is that they are all highly intelligent people who actually care about the club. Nobody is ever insulting, abusive or personal in what they have to say. Why you feel the need to be I just don't know.

Yes I am done with Stourbridge Football Club but that doesn't stop me wanting to defend myself and everybody on here from you're nasty,unjustified abuse.

You're obviously close to the management being as you were obviously there at training night tonight. Everyone on here will be aware of that too. It just makes your actions even more laughable.

I am not going to sink to his or her level by returning abuse back but please can the admin - Jack - ban this wind up merchant ASAP?

glassboypaul wrote:I am not going to sink to his or her level by returning abuse back but please can the admin - Jack - ban this wind up merchant ASAP?

That's exactly what and who it is Paul, a wind up merchant. Planted on here to try to get such a response from us, trying to get us to retaliate,for us to get abusive back and therefore get the forum shut down. Can see the hidden agenda a mile away. No coincidence that they registered 3 days after Clive. They state they were at training night tonight so that again narrows it down a bit doesn't it. The whole thing stinks.

glassboypaul wrote:I am not going to sink to his or her level by returning abuse back but please can the admin - Jack - ban this wind up merchant ASAP?

Paul,

Me and a few of the other guys are pretty sure there's an agenda here with some of these newer posters.

There's no real secret of the fact that those running the club hold this forum in utter contempt,it wouldn't be a great surprise if this is being lead from that direction and that they are trying to get people to "rise to the bait" so that pressure can be put to bare to get it closed down.

I don't always agree with young Jack's post's but having spent good time in his company i do greatly respect him,he's a good lad and for one of such a young age to have the balls to start this forum and live with the flack he receives at times because of it i respect him even more.

I have nothing at all to do with this forum in terms of running or managing it,it's a thankless task,i think Jack would second that but IF pressure comes to bare OR he feels it's just becoming too much hassle and he has to close it then without question,another "unofficial forum" will be up and running within days.

It's high time on here that people were allowed to state their view's without someone with links to the club in an official or looser capacity then coming on here and slagging them off or telling them what they should/shouldn't comment on and telling them to…."Brain mouth opening before engage!" as i was told on here the other day by someone in a very official capacity at the club who thinks that because they wear the club tracksuit and carry a clipboard at games has the right to speak to any fan in that way.

If the hierarchy hate the forum so much then it's simple,in their parlance i'd politely suggest,

Nose,out,keep,your!

I'm fed up with the "Thought police" approach at Amblecote,we are fan's,we are going to moan,it comes with the territory so if you can't handle it don't read the forum,it's not rocket science.

I've been coming to watch for over 40 years now,if i live another 30 years i'd bet my @ss i'll be watching way after they've decided to go elsewhere or do something different.

Please stop telling us how to think and please let people comment without slagging off their personal thought's,it's not much to ask.

I seriously can't believe that the club would be bothered about this forum. I expect they are frustrated with, in my opinion, some of the crap that people come out with, but I can't believe they would get someone to register and come up with the stuff village has posted.

I completely agree that the club shouldn't influence what is posted on here. However, from a distance, I have only seen one instance of this, by Clive a couple of days ago, which I thought was completely wrong of him to do. I would hope he regrets it.

Apart from that though I haven't seen anyone else trying to influence the forum. I'm sure someone will throw TRM's comments before the first open evening into the mix - in my opinion he was just trying to make the open evening more productive than trying to influence what people would ask.

Can't we just move on now - it's painful reading all the negativity on here every day.

Obviously as Admin I can see email addresses of newly signed up members. I can 100% state that 'Village' is NOT a member of the board. I cannot say anymore than that, and will not say anymore to any posters on this forum.

I went to the meeting last night not a lot said that we didn't already know but I believe I counted only four people there and I know three of them so I have no idea who the other person was anyway not to worry

PhilC wrote:I seriously can't believe that the club would be bothered about this forum.  I expect they are frustrated with, in my opinion, some of the crap that people come out with, but I can't believe they would get someone to register and come up with the stuff village has posted.

I completely agree that the club shouldn't influence what is posted on here.  However, from a distance, I have only seen one instance of this, by Clive a couple of days ago, which I thought was completely wrong of him to do.  I would hope he regrets it.

Apart from that though I haven't seen anyone else trying to influence the forum.  I'm sure someone will throw TRM's comments before the first open evening into the mix - in my opinion he was just trying to make the open evening more productive than trying to influence what people would ask.

Can't we just move on now - it's painful reading all the negativity on here every day.

You would be amazed Phil, you really would. I know who this Village character is, and yes, he IS associated with the management/secretary. Whether or not he has gone on the forum as a result of discussions between them all in order to stir things up and get reactions or just off his own back in defence of them, I'm not sure. Either way, it is pretty sad and pathetic that the club appear to be bothered about a dozen articulate blokes having a laugh and a bit of banter on an UNOFFICIAL internet forum.