FAO Alan Smith

[Blackheath Blade]

Kind of you mate, but it was actually deliberate to illustrate the idea that the guy is something of a nonentity.

Soz Pinchy. He sounded as though he'd been on the John Smiths.

 

[Jon Bon]

One question though,what would those voting 'no',to him returning to football ,have Ched Evans do for a living after release?

They'd probably have him signing for Barnsley and firing them to promotion instead of us.

 

[JOEYDEE]

They'd probably have him signing for Barnsley and firing them to promotion instead of us.

Exactly ! So he may as well be here then 'to continue his rehabilatation' !

 

[itsinyerblood]

Ah yes I am sure a woman who hates men and the transgendered community (going on what she says on twitter) provided a well balanced view.

Clearly they have not read this forum much if they think most Blades would welcome Evans back.

My view about JH is that she's an opportunist, and this is meat and drink to her.

Alan Smith has, somehow, been projected into a spotlight about a topic he's ill-equipped to discuss. Hatchet was too media savvy, and able to counter each point, while he came across as someone who was way out of his depth.

 

[Foxy]

Nice from the radio 2 guy....'football fans can be pretty vile to people..say about the colour of someone's skin'...

Yep, heard that earlier.

Don't you know football fans are deservedly open to all manner of accusations, the scumbags?

Because I'm a football fan, I'm clearly a racist, rape apologist. I deserve filming by police everywhere I go and should be treated with suspicion and like a second class citizen.

Unless of course I don't "look like one" (come on lads, check the seasons worth of digital video of me looking miserable at a rectangle of grass you've got!) because I'm wearing attire suitable to an earlier press conference... When that happens I'm protected by the boys in blue, who wouldn't want me to walk onto a platform [derogatory voice] "full of football fans".

 

[Linz]

Can't we start a poll on here ?

Already done in one of the general forums a few days ago.

 

[JOEYDEE]

Already done in one of the general forums a few days ago.

Oh! ok I'll av a look,why on a general forum tho ? Does it not warrant a bit more attention ...?

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Just listened to the interview, the guy didn't put our club in a very good light that's for sure, but I understood his message that not all of the 60,000 petitioners are blades fans and that Evans conviction cost us promotion. Should have kept it short and simple, he did go off rails a bit.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Oh! ok I'll av a look,why on a general forum tho ? Does it not warrant a bit more attention ...?

Mostly because I didn't want to clutter up general blades chat with yet another ched thread

 

[CG Blade]

Unfortunately just got into the car and put 5 live on when the interview was just about to start. It was the most cringeworthy interview I have ever heard about my football team. Sorry Mr Smith. But you should not have given this interview on behalf of United supporters, but only on your own behalf, and then in perhaps a coherent manner. The football club has has enough ridicule over the last few years, you in my opinion have just added fuel to the fire.

Ah well on the bright side we start our unbeaten 45 league game run tomorrow

 

[Esablade]

Yep, heard that earlier.

Don't you know football fans are deservedly open to all manner of accusations, the scumbags?

Because I'm a football fan, I'm clearly a racist, rape apologist. I deserve filming by police everywhere I go and should be treated with suspicion and like a second class citizen.

Unless of course I don't "look like one" (come on lads, check the seasons worth of digital video of me looking miserable at a rectangle of grass you've got!) because I'm wearing attire suitable to an earlier press conference... When that happens I'm protected by the boys in blue, who wouldn't want me to walk onto a platform [derogatory voice] "full of football fans".

If you are a 'football fan' attending a game then you are a 'potential criminal' and will be treated accordingly.
In the last 30 years all kind of laws have been passed to enforce this view including the criminal justice act, section 27 of the violent crime reduction act, dealing specifically with potential 'alcohol-related disorder' and perhaps my favourite, Section 60 of the Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 which enables police constables to "Stop and search in anticipation of violence"

Nice.

 

[Sirius]

Unfortunately just got into the car and put 5 live on when the interview was just about to start. It was the most cringeworthy interview I have ever heard about my football team. Sorry Mr Smith. But you should not have given this interview on behalf of United supporters, but only on your own behalf, and then in perhaps a coherent manner. The football club has has enough ridicule over the last few years, you in my opinion have just added fuel to the fire.

Ah well on the bright side we start our unbeaten 45 league game run tomorrow

Has anyone seen Alan. Smith and. Brian the. Blade in the same room? Just asking

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Unfortunately, with the club intent on responding to these stories with silence every time they pop up, the media will go to any incoherent idiot for a view to fill the void. Wouldn't surprise me if he was the 'unnamed club source' that gave the "royal approval" quote back in April.

Why should the club comment, not employed by the club, nowt to do with them.

 

[Silent Blade]

Regarding the Ched situation SUFC are in a lose-lose situation. There will be a big uproar whether we sign him or not

 

[bartman]

Can't we start a poll on here ?
We seem to have a good general cross section of views .of all ages and backgrounds .
Lets see what S24SU comes up with now,although,a lot of what of what has been brought up by the BBC has been around for months now,on various sites.
One question though,what would those voting 'no',to him returning to football ,have Ched Evans do for a living after release?

Ched can do what he wants including play football. I just don't want him playing for the club I support

 

[alcoblade]

Why should the club comment, not employed by the club, nowt to do with them.

They could kill the speculation and say they aren't signing him. That would be the sensible thing to do. Unless, of course, they are..............

UTB

 

[JJ Sefton]

The next time you open your trap, please expressly state that you don't, in fact, speak on my behalf.

Just a "I purport to speak for all United fans... Except Linz who thinks I should shut up" would do.

Ta in advance.

EDIT: I'd consider every like as a "count me out" too.

What is his role? Officially, I mean?

 

[Linz]

What is his role? Officially, I mean?

He is the secretary of the Kiveton Branch of the official supporters club and he is on the supporters' club exec board apparently.

 

[Gavlar]

Regarding the Ched situation SUFC are in a lose-lose situation. There will be a big uproar whether we sign him or not

Exactly, tho this is one of the arguments thats been used for re-signing him. Not that it's my view.

 

[Rodders]

He is the secretary of the Kiveton Branch of the official supporters club and he is on the supporters' club exec board apparently.

I kind of feel for the guy actually; this has caught everyone out unexpectedly and I wouldn't exactly think the branches of the Supporter Clubs would be briefing their members on handling the media. He's just an everyday Joe who's been asked to appear on all these radio shows etc - without stereotyping too much, he's also of an age where he may possibly have less forward-thinking views on rape and women in general, though I may be being incredibly unfair there.
Maybe he's been left a bit high and dry with the lack of actual comment from the Club, as he's put himself forward on these, what is he meant/allowed to say? (though in hindsight he shouldn't be on the shows in the first place, but such is life). It seems like there's a bit of a lack of singing from the same song-sheet, though I accept this has come around incredibly quickly and caught everyone out.

 

[Darren]

I kind of feel for the guy actually; this has caught everyone out unexpectedly and I wouldn't exactly think the branches of the Supporter Clubs would be briefing their members on handling the media. He's just an everyday Joe who's been asked to appear on all these radio shows etc - without stereotyping too much, he's also of an age where he may possibly have less forward-thinking views on rape and women in general, though I may be being incredibly unfair there.
Maybe he's been left a bit high and dry with the lack of actual comment from the Club, as he's put himself forward on these, what is he meant/allowed to say? (though in hindsight he shouldn't be on the shows in the first place, but such is life). It seems like there's a bit of a lack of singing from the same song-sheet, though I accept this has come around incredibly quickly and caught everyone out.

He could have refused to be interviewed.

 

[Rodders]

He could have refused to be interviewed.

You're right, he could - but he just seems like an average pensioner who probably might not have realised what this would snowball into, and started spouting crap. Even though his interviews have been embarrassingly cringe-worthy I guess my post was to express some element of sympathy for him as there's no real hymn sheet to sing from as it were.

 

[Mad Mick]

I think the word naive springs to mind.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

I kind of feel for the guy actually; this has caught everyone out unexpectedly and I wouldn't exactly think the branches of the Supporter Clubs would be briefing their members on handling the media. He's just an everyday Joe who's been asked to appear on all these radio shows etc - without stereotyping too much, he's also of an age where he may possibly have less forward-thinking views on rape and women in general, though I may be being incredibly unfair there.
Maybe he's been left a bit high and dry with the lack of actual comment from the Club, as he's put himself forward on these, what is he meant/allowed to say? (though in hindsight he shouldn't be on the shows in the first place, but such is life). It seems like there's a bit of a lack of singing from the same song-sheet, though I accept this has come around incredibly quickly and caught everyone out.

As said, he could have refused to be interviewed, or he could have staed explicitly that he did not represent the views of SUFC supporters.

The line that 'Ched owes the club something because we spent £3m on him' is copper bottomed bollocks.

 

[Linz]

I kind of feel for the guy actually; this has caught everyone out unexpectedly and I wouldn't exactly think the branches of the Supporter Clubs would be briefing their members on handling the media. He's just an everyday Joe who's been asked to appear on all these radio shows etc - without stereotyping too much, he's also of an age where he may possibly have less forward-thinking views on rape and women in general, though I may be being incredibly unfair there.
Maybe he's been left a bit high and dry with the lack of actual comment from the Club, as he's put himself forward on these, what is he meant/allowed to say? (though in hindsight he shouldn't be on the shows in the first place, but such is life). It seems like there's a bit of a lack of singing from the same song-sheet, though I accept this has come around incredibly quickly and caught everyone out.

There was an exec meeting of the Supporters group the other day and more than one person had mentioned beforehand that they had been contacted for comment but politely declined. It shouldn't have been beyond the realms of possibility that the SC members thought to coordinate their response and if they couldn't, make it clear that if anyone wished to talk to the media, they did so off their own back and represented only their views - not the views of the SC or the views of the fanbase as a whole.

I think this is the crux of the issue. Not that someone broke cover - that's up to them. But the fact that they have represented themselves as some sort of elected spokesperson for the fanbase.

No one will have coerced him to comment. He obviously thought it was a good idea.

That's up to him, but speaking on behalf of everyone shouldn't be something that's up to him.

 

[Rodders]

As said, he could have refused to be interviewed, or he could have staed explicitly that he did not represent the views of SUFC supporters.

The line that 'Ched owes the club something because we spent £3m on him' is copper bottomed bollocks.

I think the actual line was something about he should be allowed to return to football purely because United spent £3m on him...

I agree he shouldn't have been on in the first place, but that I just feel for him as he was clearly out of his depth, and it seemed like he probably wasn't expecting to be invited on multiple national radio stations - but they probably though they struck gold as he was able to spout such effortless crap

 

[Darren]

You're right, he could - but he just seems like an average pensioner who probably might not have realised what this would snowball into, and started spouting crap. Even though his interviews have been embarrassingly cringe-worthy I guess my post was to express some element of sympathy for him as there's no real hymn sheet to sing from as it were.

Indeed, he's probabl a bit thick and thought it would be great to get his voice on the radio, having no idea they would have him for breakfast.

To paraphrase Pinchy what we need is some United fan with legal training and a grasp of sexual politics and who spends half his like talking with radical feminists....

 

[Rodders]

There was an exec meeting of the Supporters group the other day and more than one person had mentioned beforehand that they had been contacted for comment but politely declined. It shouldn't have been beyond the realms of possibility that the SC members thought to coordinate their response and if they couldn't, make it clear that if anyone wished to talk to the media, they did so off their own back and represented only their views - not the views of the SC or the views of the fanbase as a whole.

I think this is the crux of the issue. Not that someone broke cover - that's up to them. But the fact that they have represented themselves as some sort of elected spokesperson for the fanbase.

No one will have coerced him to comment. He obviously thought it was a good idea.

That's up to him, but speaking on behalf of everyone shouldn't be something that's up to him.

Totally agree he's at fault for getting in too deep. If there were meetings, did they also discuss what was to be said in the case of people speaking to the media?
Like I said above I don't want to be critical as this has blown up out of nothing, but it was quite embarrassing when he was saying that Ched is definitely signing in October and the Club wanted it hushed up until then - surely if this is an open secret among the SC Exec people, then they should all be toeing the same party line?
No doubt he's been a tool, but just thought on such an issue there'd be a bit of a consensus on what info is released (or not released).

 

[Linz]

Totally agree he's at fault for getting in too deep. If there were meetings, did they also discuss what was to be said in the case of people speaking to the media?

No idea... not party to the SC meetings and minutes aren't made available.

 

[Darthblade]

Indeed, he's probabl a bit thick and thought it would be great to get his voice on the radio, having no idea they would have him for breakfast.

To paraphrase Pinchy what we need is some United fan with legal training and a grasp of sexual politics and who spends half his like talking with radical feminists....

Who on earth would want to waste their time and breath talking to a radical feminist !!! Whatever her opinion is on anything, I can almost guarantee that most people would disagree with her. I would have liked to be interviewed with her JUST to wind her up !!
UTB & FTP