Supporters Communications Manager

[Jim Chimmerney]

Hmmm, the power of the forums eh

http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~2263732,00.html

 

[Linz]

Copy Pasta for the clickless:

Sheffield United's Chief Executive Trevor Birch has made a unique signing for the Club, appointing Richard Batho as Supporters Communications Manager to liaise between the club and its supporters.

A follower of the Blades for more than 40 years, Richard is a former member of the Blades Independent Fans Association and has a background in local government. His role will primarily focus on meeting supporters and listening to their opinions on the club, liaising with them on club developments and investigating the possibility of developing fans' advisory groups which will shadow club operational functions eg retail, ticketing and communications.

Chief Executive Trevor Birch said, "Our fans are our biggest asset and this club has to value their opinions. I felt it was important to appoint a true blade in a Supporter Liaison role and there is no bigger Blade than Richard. He is truly passionate for this club and will work with us on an initial six month consultancy basis to allow us to work more closely with our fanbase".

Our fans are our lifeblood and I want to develop a more interactive relationship with them. Richard will liaise directly with various fan groups on a regular basis whilst other senior members of our day to day management team will also be available on a more frequent basis for fans to meet, including new manager Micky Adams and Academy Manager John Pemberton."

Swallownest resident, Richard Batho, is naturally delighted to have landed a key role with his beloved club, saying:

"I, like many fans, have a deep passion for this club and believe I can really help it move forward. In the next few weeks I will be working with colleagues at Sheffield United to understand their various roles, whilst also arranging meetings with supporters so I can explain the vision Trevor Birch has for the club. One of the first ideas I have is for fans to meet new Head of Operations, Dave McCarthy, so they can discuss all aspects of the stadium and their match day experience".

"Ultimately, I hope to put in place fans' advisory groups so that supporters can work closely as active partners with many aspects of the running of the club. The supporters are really keen to be involved in a positive future for the Blades, and I think a coordinated, organised body of supporters will be a unique feature amongst English football clubs."

Richard will be available for all fans and they are welcome to contact him on 0871 995 1899 or email [email protected]

When we say that what you are saying on here is being read, there's a fair chance that it's Richard doing the reading

I hope he's ready to take all your ideas on board tonight in his first BIFF meeting as club representative

 

[Nick Jansky]

The man who wore Captain Blade's head outside Wembley at the Play Off final with Palace!!!!

Richard is a thoroughly top guy who will be a great liaison with the fans. Dood move by United.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Copy Pasta for the clickless:



When we say that what you are saying on here is being read, there's a fair chance that it's Richard doing the reading

I hope he's ready to take all your ideas on board tonight in his first BIFF meeting as club representative

Does this mean that Birch will not be attending the BIFF meetings?

 

[Linz]

Richard is a thoroughly top guy who will be a great liaison with the fans. Good move by United.

We certainly have Richard to thank for keeping us as a site in the loop. Not mentioned is the fact that he's refused to work away matches

I have to say that the news has been received less enthusiastically elsewhere...

 

[Nick Jansky]

I have to say that the news has been received less enthusiastically elsewhere...

Well, that's all quite cheap & cretinous.

Richard has been a good mate for many years, and one thing I can guarantee is that he is certainly not a yes man. I am sure that Mike McDonald, amongst many others, will attest to that.

Would love to see some of those retards say stuff like that to his face though.......

 

[beightonblade]

Hey Richard ..... if yer read this and care fook Tom Hark off ! PLEASE.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Not surprising that it'll be received cynically by many.

I guess the 1st item on the agenda will be ST pricing as it can only be 6 weeks or so before details are announced. Amongst other things, I suspect that's one major one Birch will want feedback on.

 

[WeltonBlade]

Hey Richard ..... if yer read this and care fook Tom Hark off ! PLEASE.

 

[Linz]

Does this mean that Birch will not be attending the BIFF meetings?

Birch never has attended BIFF meetings. Members of BIFF were invited to a meeting with Trevor Birch after the accounts were published but this was an unscheduled and very last minute thing.

Simon Argall (Operations Director) was the main club attendee at BIFF meetings along with John Garrett (corporate bits) and Emma Wylie (ticket office). Argall's replacement (former Sheffield FC manager) Dave McCarthy and Batho will be there tonight.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Birch never has attended BIFF meetings. Members of BIFF were invited to a meeting with Trevor Birch after the accounts were published but this was an unscheduled and very last minute thing.

Simon Argall (Operations Director) was the main club attendee at BIFF meetings along with John Garrett (corporate bits) and Emma Wylie (ticket office). Argall's replacement (former Sheffield FC manager) Dave McCarthy and Batho will be there tonight.

Cheers

 

[lenners]

Promising appointment if the intentions are genuine.
Monsieur Batho, it's all about season tickets maintenant.
You need to move quickly - how about placing direct messages on both this site and t'other one asking for potential initiatives to shift 'em?
Cannae hang about mind...

 

[Rattly Noise]

This is great news. I suppose time will only tell how effective he's going to be, but for me it's a really positive step forward. Good to be able to praise the club for once.

I think we need to be realistic as to how much he'll actually be able to achieve though. As much as we like to comment on the team choices, it'll always be the manager who picks the team (or otherwise what's the point of having one). So that aside, what sort of things do people think we will be able to influence?

 

[Linz]

You need to move quickly - how about placing direct messages on both this site and t'other one asking for potential initiatives to shift 'em?

I think your thread has pre-empted any message about season tickets.

It'll be printed off and passed on.

 

[lenners]

This is great news. I suppose time will only tell how effective he's going to be, but for me it's a really positive step forward. Good to be able to praise the club for once.

I think we need to be realistic as to how much he'll actually be able to achieve though. As much as we like to comment on the team choices, it'll always be the manager who picks the team (or otherwise what's he point of having one). So that aside, what sort of things do people think we will be able to influence?

If he can't influence ticketing prices and initiatives by giving the club genuine food for thought about how they can re-engage with supporters, there's no point in him doing it.

---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------

I think your thread has pre-empted any message about season tickets.

It'll be printed off and passed on.

Still think it would be a good idea for Mr Batho to stamp his own identity on the issue by asking us direct on here Linz - a first way of communicating direct with fans.

 

[bartman]

We certainly have Richard to thank for keeping us as a site in the loop. Not mentioned is the fact that he's refused to work away matches

I have to say that the news has been received less enthusiastically elsewhere...

typical reponse from some of the people on that site...i did laugh though at the comment Someone that knows feck all about what we want fighting our corner

What 'corner' are they fighting out ? ' Stamp feet' and 'toys out of pram' brigade methinks. Hope the position works for all supporters and that Richard won't be released from from his 6 months consultancy if the club don't like negative feedback and fans challenging processes

 

[raul]

"Supporters Communications Manager" can mean two things

a) Representing the fans to the board
b) Representing the board to the fans

Good luck Richard/Kofi Annan....

 

[Wards]

Where is the 'less enthusiastic response' stemming from? BladesMad?

If so, I hope he takes it with a pinch of salt - most people on there think they represent the fan base in it's entirety.

 

[Linz]

I think the problem with some people is that they don't see the worth in being civil to people in order to try and change things.

Supporters who aren't butting heads with the club and rabble-rousing are just written off as "yes men" rather than people who can put their opinions across civilly to try and form working relationships with people. There's such a thing as choosing your fights.

A Supporter Liaison is there to act as a funnel... gathering information from as wide a source as possible and channelling it to the people who can make a difference. That includes meeting with fans in person, reading online material, emails and all the rest. As far as we go, it means that if anything interesting comes up on here, we'll flag it up to Richard.

---------- Post added at 03:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:42 PM ----------

Where is the 'less enthusiastic response' stemming from? BladesMad?

See my URL on the "elsewhere" of that post...

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Well I'd like to borrow a tin hat if anyone's got one.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Poor bloke will no doubt be expected to read Bladesmad as part of his job.

---------- Post added at 03:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:50 PM ----------

See my URL on the "elsewhere" of that post...

You used a URL shortener, which i for one never click on (And certainly never from my work computer...)

 

[bricktop]

Well, Blades Mad is a cess pool sancturary for the witless, retarded and brainless.

One thing he could do is register on here and make it known who he is, and engage with fans using this method of communication.

 

[beightonblade]

No need for this appointment when the gates were high ! ............ too little tooooooo late !

Fook Tom Hark off and i'll buy yer a pint Richard .....and feight yer corner !

 

[Wards]

I'd missed the link on Linz' post due to my colour blindness and the fact it looked like any other part of the post

 

[bartman]

Well, Blades Mad is a cess pool sancturary for the witless, retarded and brainless.

.

I wish you wouldn't sit on the fence,Brownie

 

[raul]

Ho ho ho Brownstuff, why don't you go and lick arse outside the Moorfoot and drink Smoothflow with Breadbrain

One of his best mates is on there Barty.

 

[SwissBlade]

As Beighton says, when the gates were high, nobody was moaning, but rather than knock this appointment, United should be praised (initially at least) for recognising that there is a problem.

I think its great that the club are appointing such a person, however it does go to show that the gulf between fans and club is now massive. Put simply United have lost touch with what us fans want, how, when and where this happened has been discussed (and will continue to be discussed) forever, so I don't want to make that point.

As usual with things like this and BIFF, I'll approach this with caution. Richard has a job to do and from the comments on this thread, he has credentials.

However, all of that means nothing if things aren't acted upon. You also have to question how representative these forums (BIFF, Bladesmad, S24SU, the various supporters clubs and previously BIFA) are of Uniteds fanbase.

Reading the other thread on what improvements could we implement, Quick fixes like getting rid of Tom Hark would be a start.

Others like improving the catering should also be a good move.

Cleaning up the ground is another.

Improvements to Ticketing, again should be pushed through.

But are these really major improvements which justify having a man who listens to the fans?

Didn't we listen to our fans before and put in a singing section with songs like Dale Cavese? Didn't we have a bring a flag day? These worked well didn't they?

Is this just going to be a step further away from communicating with the right people at the club.

Will Richard now be the man that the fans speak to, but he then has to go through several levels himself before he actually speaks to the right person in the club.

Only time will tell, I guess, but lets hope he's backed by United to do his job and we start to get improvements for the fans that have major gripes.

 

[bartman]

I also want to get rid of Tom Hark. However,on Saturday when Ward put that penalty away, it looked like over half the United fans in the ground (including G&H block) were bouncing up and down to it. Maybe we aren't representative.

 

[beightonblade]

I also want to get rid of Tom Hark. However,on Saturday when Ward put that penalty away, it looked like over half the United fans in the ground (including G&H block) were bouncing up and down to it. Maybe we aren't representative.

don't talk daft 90% of the 30,000 er i mean 25,000 sorry 19,000 oh hang on 14,000 Blades at BDTBL want rid ! its fooking embarassin, mind yer so is a lot more at BDTBL !

 

[DP8789]

The flag day was a joke swiss, who had time to go the lane have their flag certified - i certainly didnt.

The singing was a great idea, and something i would like too see implemented in each stand rather than one section.

I have always thought a red and white day would be a good idea, try and encourage everyone in the ground to wear their colours and make the lane a sea of red and white, preferably on a nice summer fixture when they know the gates will be half decent.

one thing i would like too see, is the signs that are outside the entrance next to hotel and stuck on the kop (the ones that are statements of our history), made into proper signs rather than plastic sheets.

overall i think this is a great idea but feel that alot of the blades who he needs to connect with are already lost, attendances have been poor by our recent standards and season tickets are down on last year. best of luck to the bloke, but maybe too little too late.