Forum

[rudemedic]

The comments made by Mr. Owen could be construed as being overly aggressive or patronising but from what I've read on this post a few more people might have turned up if they had known about it.

 

When will anyone learn that if they want to advertise something to do with the club to not just limit themselves to Oldham based media (the Chron, the Advertsier- which i hardly know exists- and local supermarkets). Its fine to concentrate the majority of your adverts in Oldham but does anyone know how hard it is to get a copy of the Chron outside of Oldham (and I'm not just talking from the perspective of an exile either). I know newsagents where its easier to get a foreign language paper than it is to get the Chron. As for the local supermarkets its not like there isn't a Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's in other local areas, oh wait there is. I can only speculate as to the location of Oldham fans but i'd wager that around half of the people who go regularly live outside the borough of Oldham. Just look at the location of the mods from here only 2 live in the borough of Oldham and the most active poster (Diego) lives in Burton.

 

I don't know if there is some sort of agreement that the club (or a club based function) won't advertise in Rochdale or Bury, and Bury and Rochdale won't advertise in Oldham but to advertise in any of the local papers based outside of Oldham can't be that expensive and quite often the readers find it quicker to get to Boundary Park than Spotland or Gigg Lane (I know i would from my parents house in Heywood). Or why not advertise in the MEN which is probably the best read regional paper outside of London (and is free to buy).

 

It seems to me that the marketing department at Latics think their job is 3/4 done when they sell out all the sponsership. Marketing is not rocket science but our club seem to be relatively poor at it.

 

Plus, did I see that the organisers of this forum don't have access to the internet? In that case don't you think its about time we got some people who do. I know its a case of finding people with the time but this reflects badly on the club, as although it wasn't an official club function it was based about it and some senior people were the main guests.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Rudemdic, the fans forum was arranged, organised and promoted by the Oldham Athletic Supporters Association and not the club itself. Just reading your posts suggest you were thinking it was mainly the clubs doing.

 

And the OASA seems to be made up by a couple of old folk who don't believe in computers and rely on posters, shout-outs on the wireless and smoke signals to get their message across the borough.

[Yard Dog]

Bradford have a far bigger fanbase than what we do, if we did what Bradford have done it wouldn't do a lot for sales, the owners could offer a free car and the numbers would probably not go up that much!

 

I would agree that Bradford have a far bigger fanbase than Oldham....that's why they get 13,000 willing to pay the reduced price and, in my opinion, we would get 7,000. And, if we don't get 7,000 pledges then it doesn't happen and ST prices revert back to the normal price as would have happened at Bradford if they didn't reach the pledge target figure. I can't see what is to be lost from trying.

[losesome]

I did go but only found out about it on Saturday. However when i wanted to find out what time it started i looked in the previous 2 programmes and on the web site and there was absolutley no mention of it.

Barry - one of the questions i put in to Ian Cheeseman was why it didn't get better publicity !!! but it didnt get asked and i forgot to bring it up again.

I asked as many questions as i could think of on various things that had puzzled me this year and i feel i got very honest answers from the panel. It certainly blew away a lot of the miths and rumours about various things.

To those who didn't go then i think you would certainly have a different view of the club if you did. I think the overall impression i had when i left was that i not only now understand the various problems associated with running a club like latics but also you get honest answers to questions about things like "ricketts" / Bradford tickets etc. that you would never know about.

I think next time there must be more publicity about future meetings and hopefully all the doubters and moaners will turn up with relevant questions and see the problems encountered.

I came away feeling a lot better about the future of OAFC and one of the biggest problems we have is the apathy of the local public. In terms of financial standing i think it would surprise a lot to know how we stand compared with all the other clubs in league one and two.

Roll on next season and hopefully a successful team will see MUCH improved gates that the club owners deserve.

Edited April 1, 2008 by losesome

[rudemedic]

Rudemdic, the fans forum was arranged, organised and promoted by the Oldham Athletic Supporters Association and not the club itself. Just reading your posts suggest you were thinking it was mainly the clubs doing.

 

And the OASA seems to be made up by a couple of old folk who don't believe in computers and rely on posters, shout-outs on the wireless and smoke signals to get their message across the borough.

 

No I know it wasn't the clubs doing but my point about functions related to the club and their marketing is still valid and this was related to the club (even if not organised by it).

 

I'd guess OASA stands for Oldham Athletic Supporters Association (which sounds very official and has a hint of being sanctioned by the club about it). They obviously have enough clout with the club to get the people involved to turn up to this function (doesn't Eardley still live in Wales?) I'd guess they get some other benefits too but none of them can use the internet? I'm sorry but what with all the other supporters groups we have maybe its time they learnt how to use the internet (which is hardly brain surgery) or they disbanded and merged in with something else. If the meeting was that important then they'd have promoted it more (especially on here which is now the official club message board) which makes Mr. Owen's comments worse. (A point which has already been made)

[rudemedic]

Second only to Las Vegas as the best place for a quick wedding.

 

But with your driving style only about 45 mins away eh IC?

[MaskedOwl]

I didn't know wanythin about it either. Although i was working tonight anyway.

[jsslatic]

Fine M_OAFC has said Barry Owen is not on the OASA committee or what have you, but he's come on and made a comment which has patronised most people on here and was an undoubted dig at a group of people who knew little about it. It's clear, pretty much everyone who's said why they couldn't go has said it was because they didn't know about it, for whatever reason. The fact that it wasn't publicised very well is perfectly valid...Stu Vose should have put it on the fishal and there should have been a post on here on the day in capital letters saying 'FANS FORUM TONIGHT'.

 

I'm annoyed with Barry Owen as he has come on here and left a little one liner having a go at the fans, and then scarpered. He hasn't posted anything in the 24 hours since he made the comment, just lit the touchpaper and buggered off. I've always felt sorry for him when people had a go at him, in my view unjustly (but let's not go into all that again) on JKL, but I'm disappointed that he's done it. If it had been a normal fan or perhaps even a wind-up merchant doing it then fine, it would have been annoying. Someone who is closely associated with the club doing it is bang out of order.

[Barryowen]

Sorry folks only just got ther chance to come back onto the site. Did not throw a one liner in to get at anyone at all.

 

I am sorry if anyone has been offended by what I considered was a mere observation and not a criticism

 

This was a joint venture by the two organisations and I thank those that organised it for their efforts.

 

I believed that the event had been publicised sufficiently through the press, tannoy and other means but clearly we have failed you on this occasion.

 

Perhaps more should have been done closer to the date and that observation will be taken on board.

 

Please be assured of my best intentions in this matter.

 

Barry

[jsslatic]

Sorry folks only just got ther chance to come back onto the site. Did not throw a one liner in to get at anyone at all.

 

I am sorry if anyone has been offended by what I considered was a mere observation and not a criticism

 

This was a joint venture by the two organisations and I thank those that organised it for their efforts.

 

I believed that the event had been publicised sufficiently through the press, tannoy and other means but clearly we have failed you on this occasion.

 

Perhaps more should have been done closer to the date and that observation will be taken on board.

 

Please be assured of my best intentions in this matter.

 

Barry

 

Thank you Barry for replying.

 

If there's one thing to learn from this, it's that the methods used to get the word out didn't work. As has been showed by M_OAFC, the club did publicise it...but bearing in mind that the main way in which I think most fans get their OAFC news is on the Fishal and on the main Latics forum on OWTB, the two main avenues to reach the fans were not used effectively, which is a shame because it is clear that many would have liked to have gone (I know I would) and have missed their chance.

 

Hopefully, as you said, the observations have been taken on board and the next forum will thus be better attended.

[edhunteruk]

Thank you Barry for replying.

 

If there's one thing to learn from this, it's that the methods used to get the word out didn't work. As has been showed by M_OAFC, the club did publicise it...but bearing in mind that the main way in which I think most fans get their OAFC news is on the Fishal and on the main Latics forum on OWTB, the two main avenues to reach the fans were not used effectively, which is a shame because it is clear that many would have liked to have gone (I know I would) and have missed their chance.

 

Hopefully, as you said, the observations have been taken on board and the next forum will thus be better attended.

i found out about it on sunday as my parents are members at the chaddy reform club(staunch labour club by the way)but unfortunately couldnt attend due to organised family commitments.

 

just a shame it wasnt hammered on the day to get people there,these things are usually good evenings......

[beag_teeets]

It was not at Royton Conservative Club, it was at a social club about half a mile from the ground with no political affiliation.

 

It was never suggested that only OASA members could attend. Admission for members was a little cheaper that's all.

 

Thank you for clearing this up, I had a look at Saturday's programme last night and couldn't find any information in there about the forum nor could I find it on the official site or on the Bison's site so am now very confused. I am 99.99992% certain that wherever it was that I read about the forum it stated that it was at the Con club and that it was an OASA event. Granted it didn't say it was exclusively for OASA members but without the "non-members welcome" I thought it was an event I couldn't go to. Having been to all the fans forums since the one with Talbot, the majority of the questions I put to Ronald McMoore forming the basis of Yarwood's Tuesday night column in the bison I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to attend this one.

 

However, as I can't find the piece about the forum anywhere now I can not verify and facts and can only presume that this whole forum was in fact a figment of our collective imagination, how this thread has got to 5 pages discussing something that didn't exist is beyond me.

 

But whilst we are on the subject I think it would be a good idea if representatives of the club were to set aside a few hours one evening to have a public meeting, a forum if you will, that fans could attend and ask questions on all matters relating to the club. Whilst too many cooks do spoil the broth if this event could be co-organised by the various supporters groups, associations and bodies such as OASA, the Trust, OWTB, ISZ who all have the best interests of the club at heart then I am sure a decent turn out could be arranged as has been seen with recent gatherings away from BP by Latics fans such as the Council chamber in Oldham or the rally/march.

[Guest M_OAFC]

if you are in contact with the main organisers of the event, could you pass them a message from me? I'd suggest the next time they are planning such an evening that they exploit more avenues than the old-fashioned traditional ways to ensure the turn out meets their expectations.

 

Thanks for the very constructive reply and next time I see one of them I will certainly wander over and mention the above, I couldn't agree with you more on that particular matter.

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Thanks for the very constructive reply and next time I see one of them I will certainly wander over and mention the above, I couldn't agree with you more on that particular matter.

 

Then again, maybe the, at times, vehement level of criticism against them and others on this thread by a bunch of anonymous "usernames" may explain why some people prefer to live a life of limited technology.

[real]

Then again, maybe the, at times, vehement level of criticism against them and others on this thread by a bunch of anonymous "usernames" may explain why some people prefer to live a life of limited technology.

 

 

I re-read the OPs first post and then re-read it again and again. I can't understand how people have managed to take such great offence at it. Seems more like people reading something into it that they want to see.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I re-read the OPs first post and then re-read it again and again. I can't understand how people have managed to take such great offence at it. Seems more like people reading something into it that they want to see.

 

Well, plain text is often misinterpreted as the 'tone' of something. If it's not particularly worded well, it can sound completely different to one person as it does another.

 

From my perspective, I knew the post originator, and I also know his position (as Trust and an OAFC director), so I basically interpreted it as him sniping at fans for not showing up. To somone else I can see why it may look like a harmless question. So, if someone else, your average Joe for example, had put the same comment it would be interpreted maybe differently, as that person isn't likely to be a trust or OAFC official and is actually just querying on why the low turn out.

 

After all this, it's quite obvious should the OASA hold another of these type of events, they may need to work just that teeny bit harder to make sure the turn out is going to be better. If they just do the same again I'm afraid it'll just be another 30 or 40 people popping along.

[Inspiral_Carpet]

I re-read the OPs first post and then re-read it again and again. I can't understand how people have managed to take such great offence at it. Seems more like people reading something into it that they want to see.

 

I think Barry is used to having his words (occasionally deliberately) misunderstood but to be honest, by posting, he's probably ensured the next such Forum will be the best publicised and best attended of all time! Every cloud and all that so fair play to him and I know he won't be hurt by the comments directed at him.

 

My main point though was about the criticism thrown at the people behind OASA (who I assume don't use this Board) and people like M_OAFC who was simply trying to explain the situation. He then gets pilloried by a bunch of anonymous "outraged" posters.

 

I know M_OAFC (as I know Frankly_Mr_Shankly) and know them to be great lads who enjoy banter both on and off Messageboards and so it will be water off a duck's back to them. Others may find it offensive. Some (presumably like those running OASA) seemingly prefer face to face conversation and because of human nature, that makes confrontation/ criticism/ ridicule less likely.

 

I can understand therefore why some may choose to avoid Messageboards/ Facebook etc as it just doesn't fit in with their lifestyle. The rest of us though just love a good argument over an apparently inert comment!

[beag_teeets]

The rest of us though just love a good argument over an apparently inert comment!

 

No we don't.

[Inspiral_Carpet]

No we don't.

 

Sorry but you are going to have to pay for another half and hour if you want to carry on with this argument.

 

[garcon]

It occasionally appears that a number of groups that should have basically the same aims end up ... perhaps not competing but not working with each other as they might to the benefit of all. I know it's not intentional, but it is sometimes the way it seems.

 

It's too easy to criticise with hindsight, but when I saw Barry's post my first reaction was, 'damn, I might've gone to that if I'd known!' followed by a vague memory of having read about it a couple of weeks or so earlier.

 

(By the way, I saw Barry's post as no more than an honest observation of the turnout being a disappointing indication of fans' interest in the club)

 

Whether an event is led by OASA, the Trust, OWTB or anyone else, let's use every means available to us to publicise it in future!

[boundaryblue80]

I think Barry is used to having his words (occasionally deliberately) misunderstood but to be honest, by posting, he's probably ensured the next such Forum will be the best publicised and best attended of all time! Every cloud and all that so fair play to him and I know he won't be hurt by the comments directed at him.

 

My main point though was about the criticism thrown at the people behind OASA (who I assume don't use this Board) and people like M_OAFC who was simply trying to explain the situation. He then gets pilloried by a bunch of anonymous "outraged" posters.

 

With Barry, it's his continual (altho less so these days, thankfully) foot in mouth disease which riles. Take his original comment how you want.....for me, the biggest disappointment is at the club rather than OASA. I'm sure they used every means they could to promote it, but history (like the fact the posters at BP change once a season, so no-one looks at them) means they've been disadvantaged in promoting it.

 

The simple fact is though that in previous years, the very same Forum has had widespread publicity and a half decent turnout.....including it being on the OS and I'd guess (wasn't a poster on here until last summer) on here. The OS will be the most successful point of advertisement, as past years Forums prove. Infact......not only did the OS promote it last year.....they actually streamed live audio from it!!! So why's the club not gone to even part of the effort of it this time? For it not to have been advertised on the OS on Monday morning was a joke....be it Stu Vose's fault or someone elses. Either Stu has to hold his hand up to say he forgot or say that he wasn't asked to do it....And if that's the case, it then breeds the cynical view that maybe the club just wanted the forum to pass as quickly as possible. Without much notice. Well it worked....if that is the case!

Edited April 2, 2008 by boundaryblue80

[Inspiral_Carpet]

With Barry, it's his continual (altho less so these days, thankfully) foot in mouth disease which riles. Take his original comment how you want.....for me, the biggest disappointment is at the club rather than OASA. I'm sure they used every means they could to promote it, but history (like the fact the posters at BP change once a season, so no-one looks at them) means they've been disadvantaged in promoting it.

 

The simple fact is though that in previous years, the very same Forum has had widespread publicity and a half decent turnout.....including it being on the OS and I'd guess (wasn't a poster on here until last summer) on here. The OS will be the most successful point of advertisement, as past years Forums prove. Infact......not only did the OS promote it last year.....they actually streamed live audio from it!!! So why's the club not gone to even part of the effort of it this time? For it not to have been advertised on the OS on Monday morning was a joke....be it Stu Vose's fault or someone elses. Either Stu has to hold his hand up to say he forgot or say that he wasn't asked to do it....And if that's the case, it then breeds the cynical view that maybe the club just wanted the forum to pass as quickly as possible. Without much notice. Well it worked....if that is the case!

 

I think the problem here is that the Forums in the past have been run by different Groups. As an example, OWTB organised the Pie and Peas one in the Cornerflag Suite while others (including last year's) have been arranged by the Club. Consequently, depending on who has organised them, there will be different levels and types of communication.

 

This one was purely down to OASA and internet vehicles like OWTB; ISZ and The Official Site will only publicise what they are asked to do. Personally, I'm amazed more wasn't said on here about it but as I was unable to go, I guess the lack of news about it didn't register with me. Like I say, I'm gob-smacked that nobody picked up on it on the day since it was such an important event.

 

Bearing in mind the vast amount of rumour and speculation recently, if I'd have been organising this (or you for that matter), then I'd be sure that the attendance would have been well into 3 figures. But then again, do people just want to discuss things anonymously on a Messageboard or actually go along to air their views and have their points addressed factually by those in charge? I do wonder sometimes.

 

I really don't buy the conspiracy theory about the Club wanting to keep it quiet. While I wasn't there, I understand that difficult questions were honestly answered with none being side-stepped. If they didn't want to answer questions, then they wouldn't attend the Forums in the first place - or alternatively would send junior members of staff who wouldn't be in a position to answer questions as opposed to one of the Owners; The Chief Exec etc.

 

In other words, the Club appear to treat these things seriously and are honest about it. As can be seen from this thread, some parts of the wider communication about the event leave a lot to be desired but it is unfair to point the finger at anyone other than OASA in that regard.

 

Like I say, things will only get communicated if the Organisers ask for them to be publicised.

[boundaryblue80]

I think the problem here is that the Forums in the past have been run by different Groups. As an example, OWTB organised the Pie and Peas one in the Cornerflag Suite while others (including last year's) have been arranged by the Club. Consequently, depending on who has organised them, there will be different levels and types of communication.

 

This one was purely down to OASA and internet vehicles like OWTB; ISZ and The Official Site will only publicise what they are asked to do. Personally, I'm amazed more wasn't said on here about it but as I was unable to go, I guess the lack of news about it didn't register with me. Like I say, I'm gob-smacked that nobody picked up on it on the day since it was such an important event.

 

Bearing in mind the vast amount of rumour and speculation recently, if I'd have been organising this (or you for that matter), then I'd be sure that the attendance would have been well into 3 figures. But then again, do people just want to discuss things anonymously on a Messageboard or actually go along to air their views and have their points addressed factually by those in charge? I do wonder sometimes.

 

I really don't buy the conspiracy theory about the Club wanting to keep it quiet. While I wasn't there, I understand that difficult questions were honestly answered with none being side-stepped. If they didn't want to answer questions, then they wouldn't attend the Forums in the first place - or alternatively would send junior members of staff who wouldn't be in a position to answer questions as opposed to one of the Owners; The Chief Exec etc.

 

In other words, the Club appear to treat these things seriously and are honest about it. As can be seen from this thread, some parts of the wider communication about the event leave a lot to be desired but it is unfair to point the finger at anyone other than OASA in that regard.

 

Like I say, things will only get communicated if the Organisers ask for them to be publicised.

Fair reply. But I would just like to add on about the Clubs role in all this IMO....ok, it's not on them to publicise but even though our figures are dwindling to the 3000s and TTA will undoubtedly feeling quietly despondent about the situation over lost fans, there's still a hardcore that really cares about the club and worry at the lack of promoting of the club. This smacks of it....it's a two-way thing to sit down with people that matter....for us, that being TTA and for TTA, that being us. The ones that are still there and keeping the faith. I'd like to think it's in their interest to talk to us as much as it is ours to talk to them and thus would promote such nights like Mondays forum to the hilt. Alas, especially on this occassion, it seems not and that's the thing concerning me most lately.

[jataal07]

sorry, know its an old topic but are there any minutes from the meeting?

[Inspiral_Carpet]

sorry, know its an old topic but are there any minutes from the meeting?

 

As soon as the Organisers find a Quill and some parchment, they'll be onto it in a flash.