Brent is a disgrace

I think I understand exactly where Knecht is coming from on this one.

I've been to one fan fest. It didn't feel much like a Nuremburg rally in favour of all things Brentian to me and the two GT guys were pleasantness itself personified. A pint and a pasty, in the warm and dry and only a short toddle to the ground afterwards for only a fiver? What's not to like?

I have no grumbles about that aspect of it at all and it was a great opportunity to catch up with a few people I know who do go regularly and for an exile it is an obvious rendezvous point that needs little organisation or thought aforehand. As a pro-Argyle pre-Argyle social event it functions perfectly which is why they have been such a success. What was really odd was that some people went to the fan fest and not the actual game itself and the logic behind that completely escapes me but it takes all sorts and it's up to them.

What I didn't think much of was the act. Cheeky and affable as they were reading out a page of jokes obviously printed off sickipaedia and playing a few You Tube videos just didn't do it for me. It seemed lazy. There's obviously an audience for it, and them, though because my mates and I were told off by one of the punters for talking when they were on ("Shut up. I want to hear the act.").

I can see why people go, and there's no reason I can think of why they should not, but it isn't for me.

Which is pretty much what Knecht was saying If I read him right.

Back in the day I decided they weren't for me and have never been to one. Mark Russell kindly invited me to come along and see for myself after we'd exchanged a couple of PM's but I declined. I won't decry anybody whose bag it is, good luck to them and the original GT's are above reproach as far as I'm concerned. I was chatting with my accountant the other day, who also does the GT's. Any questions that have been raised over the money trail have only been because of the enthusiasm to get things cracking and get money flowing to the staff. But, hey, that's why you have an accountant to make sure things are all above board and correctly presented.

The one observation I would make is just because somebody is an Argyle fan is not an automatic endorsement that I would like them (or them me) and we should be of like mind.

End of the day the Fan Fest's have been an outstanding success....Should have been done years ago.They are what fans want pre match not some stupid girlie things dancing around.

greensleeves wrote:

End of the day the Fan Fest's have been an outstanding success....Should have been done years ago.They are what fans want pre match not some stupid girlie things dancing around.

Correction. They are what a couple hundred of (mostly the same) fans want. They aren't queuing round the block to get in.

Rickler wrote:

Chemical Ali wrote:

Postey appears to be pushing for those on the PASB to make their votes known on the release of the support statement. It's quite obvious where it is going to go and that one of the groups which make up the PASB will be attacked for their stance. Anti statements regarding this supporter's body are starting to crop up again on pasoti, from the usual suspects- an attack is imminent.

No doubt you are talking about the AFT 'element' within the Pasb?

Then good!

The AFT should welcome the attention and make as much light of the differences that they have with the 'official voice' of the Pasb, and at the same time shout out aloud the concerns they feel the fans have, that because of the Pasb, are not being addressed, or being taken seriously by James Brent or PCC.

The AFT are quickly headed towards complete 'political' irrelevance and without that civic niche, they will be nothing more than a supporters club hosting film nights etc.

As a personal opinion...   I would say the "senior Greens" are much more 'active' and hold more sway than the AFT - which is a sorry state of affairs.

The 'Working Group' stuff was great, but since then...  I feel the AFT really dropped the ball when they had the chance to harness the disillusionment of so many fans concerning the HHP development and just let the chance go.  Webb would have been chomping on the bit.

If the AFT are not going to be 'political', than what is their point?

Totally agree. The Trust has been pretty defeatist and useless since Brent's response to the WG paper. The only time it has come out and said anything was to deny rumours IJN was clearly spreading about them with malicious intentions. All this absolute nonsense about film nights abd photo competitions when an issue like tomorrow has been building up for months. Where has the consultation been, where is the representation, the lobbying, the input? Instead it has been totally bullied by Newell, become so terrified to be seen as anti that they occupy a central and inoffensive stance, and IJN is laughing because he just neutralised the stand's potentially most formidable opposition - something he could't even do to the FoCP.

You have to seriously question the purpose of the Trust after their inactivity on the stand issue - a 50/50 split and those against have had noone shouting their corner and the Trust shouting nothing.

Charlie Wood wrote:

The one observation I would make is just because somebody is an Argyle fan is not an automatic endorsement that I would like them (or them me) and we should be of like mind.

Summarises everything that's gone on since the club went into admin.

ejh wrote:

Rickler wrote:

Chemical Ali wrote:

Postey appears to be pushing for those on the PASB to make their votes known on the release of the support statement. It's quite obvious where it is going to go and that one of the groups which make up the PASB will be attacked for their stance. Anti statements regarding this supporter's body are starting to crop up again on pasoti, from the usual suspects- an attack is imminent.

No doubt you are talking about the AFT 'element' within the Pasb?

Then good!

The AFT should welcome the attention and make as much light of the differences that they have with the 'official voice' of the Pasb, and at the same time shout out aloud the concerns they feel the fans have, that because of the Pasb, are not being addressed, or being taken seriously by James Brent or PCC.

The AFT are quickly headed towards complete 'political' irrelevance and without that civic niche, they will be nothing more than a supporters club hosting film nights etc.

As a personal opinion...   I would say the "senior Greens" are much more 'active' and hold more sway than the AFT - which is a sorry state of affairs.

The 'Working Group' stuff was great, but since then...  I feel the AFT really dropped the ball when they had the chance to harness the disillusionment of so many fans concerning the HHP development and just let the chance go.  Webb would have been chomping on the bit.

If the AFT are not going to be 'political', than what is their point?

Totally agree. The Trust has been pretty defeatist and useless since Brent's response to the WG paper. The only time it has come out and said anything was to deny rumours IJN was clearly spreading about them with malicious intentions. All this absolute nonsense about film nights abd photo competitions when an issue like tomorrow has been building up for months. Where has the consultation been, where is the representation, the lobbying, the input? Instead it has been totally bullied by Newell, become so terrified to be seen as anti that they occupy a central and inoffensive stance, and IJN is laughing because he just neutralised the stand's potentially most formidable opposition - something he could't even do to the FoCP.

You have to seriously question the purpose of the Trust after their inactivity on the stand issue - a 50/50 split and those against have had noone shouting their corner and the Trust shouting nothing.

Unfortunately I agree with you here EJH. I'm a big AFT supporter but I'm disappointed that they seem to have folded tamely on the HHP plans since Brent dismissed the WG plans, and because Ed Shillabeer has put his name to the statement of support.

I understand that the AFT has to support the majority of it's members and I would've liked to have seen them lobby the members and ask their views on it all. A chance missed I think, especially as a few of the more high profile pro-Brent everything fans have publicly stated that they no longer wanted to be Trust members.