Randy Lerner "State of Aston Villa" Statement

[German James]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

How ridiculous! Hasn't the club just been out in Hong Kong? Was that because we couldn't find anyone else to play, or a marketing exercise designed to raise our profile in Asia? I am jealous of anyone who can get to every game (I manage about three a season plus any others that coincide with me coming back to Blighty for a visit), but a "State of The Villa" statement is relevant to everybody with an interest in the club, not just those with a season ticket.

[villa_oldie]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

How ridiculous! Hasn't the club just been out in Hong Kong? Was that because we couldn't find anyone else to play, or a marketing exercise designed to raise our profile in Asia? I am jealous of anyone who can get to every game (I manage about three a season plus any others that coincide with me coming back to Blighty for a visit), but a "State of The Villa" statement is relevant to everybody with an interest in the club, not just those with a season ticket.

My point being...

Someone who lives 1000 miles away and can't get to games - what difference does it make to Aston Villa what their opinion is and their thoughts on the club?
Does it matter to your employers what someone who logs on to a website every day thinks of their company?? No.

All I'm saying is (and this is the bit where people don't like to hear the truth / the state of the world) unless you financially back something or make your interest in a company / football club / charity, whatever - worth its while. Why would and why should they give a shed on your opinion?

[Percy McCarthy]

 
[/quote]

Just an extention to Chris's prediction.

Expected responses to Randy's speech may be "talk is cheap" (as in Chris's post) or "don't tell me, show me" (as in my post). I put my post in quotation marks hoping to make it clear.

That was all.

Fair enough. Toronto confused me.

[German James]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

How ridiculous! Hasn't the club just been out in Hong Kong? Was that because we couldn't find anyone else to play, or a marketing exercise designed to raise our profile in Asia? I am jealous of anyone who can get to every game (I manage about three a season plus any others that coincide with me coming back to Blighty for a visit), but a "State of The Villa" statement is relevant to everybody with an interest in the club, not just those with a season ticket.

My point being...

Someone who lives 1000 miles away and can't get to games - what difference does it make to Aston Villa what their opinion is and their thoughts on the club?
Does it matter to your employers what someone who logs on to a website every day thinks of their company?? No.

All I'm saying is (and this is the bit where people don't like to hear the truth / the state of the world) unless you financially back something or make your interest in a company / football club / charity, whatever - worth its while. Why would and why should they give a shed on your opinion?

I do take your point, businesses do not give a flying fuck about anyone who doesn't give them money, why would they? But this isn't the annual accounts, it's a bit of PR from our silent benefactor. It will be a pep-talk, or an announcement that he's selling up and will cost him nowt, so why not make it on the OS? It won't really matter because someone will have copied and pasted it within 20 seconds of receving it!

[villa_oldie]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

How ridiculous! Hasn't the club just been out in Hong Kong? Was that because we couldn't find anyone else to play, or a marketing exercise designed to raise our profile in Asia? I am jealous of anyone who can get to every game (I manage about three a season plus any others that coincide with me coming back to Blighty for a visit), but a "State of The Villa" statement is relevant to everybody with an interest in the club, not just those with a season ticket.

My point being...

Someone who lives 1000 miles away and can't get to games - what difference does it make to Aston Villa what their opinion is and their thoughts on the club?
Does it matter to your employers what someone who logs on to a website every day thinks of their company?? No.

All I'm saying is (and this is the bit where people don't like to hear the truth / the state of the world) unless you financially back something or make your interest in a company / football club / charity, whatever - worth its while. Why would and why should they give a shed on your opinion?

I do take your point, businesses do not give a flying fuck about anyone who doesn't give them money, why would they? But this isn't the annual accounts, it's a bit of PR from our silent benefactor. It will be a pep-talk, or an announcement that he's selling up and will cost him nowt, so why not make it on the OS? It won't really matter because someone will have copied and pasted it within 20 seconds of receving it!

That being the case, what does it matter? You'll be reading what it says within a minute anyway.

Everyone seems to think they have a right to know the goings on behind the scenes at every little juncture of life in this era.

Not one club reveals or has top directors directly interacting with its supporters like the administration of our great establishment... Not one!
We've got an ex-general for christs sake who speaks to us.
So the benefactor is 'camera shy' - so what, its his porogative. He put £67mil into buying this club, and has spent a total of near on £200mil since 2006. That's more in 5 years than we've EVER spent.

This clubs in a lot better shape than it's been since pre-WWI. Some of you lot really need to take a step back and stop knocking RAL for the sake of it.

Fans have options - put up or shut up. Buy the shirt or don't. Go to games, or don't. Simple.

[Concrete John]

I suppose it's a matter of 'interest' against 'vested interest'.  Those that go and punp money into the club are the latter, but those who don't/can't for whatever reason are the former.  It's only right that the club recognises this.  Plus, as I said above, it's difficult for them to communicate directly with larger following.

The whole 'better fan than you' thing gets brought up from time to time on here, but usually in the vein of "You weren't there so how does your opinion count?"  That's wrong as no one opinion is more valid than any other, whether it be a Villa ST holder, a Villa fan who doesn't go or a neutral observer.  That's not what this is, as anyone can voice their opinion on the contents of the letter, but rather the club wanting to reach out to it's fans/customers and get a message to them. 

Now, this could be done on the website, but how is that any different to any other press release or interview?  I think they're trying to communicate more personally with the fanbase and this is the only way that can be done, even if it does put some people's noses out of joint.
   

[Villa'Zawg]

...
That being the case, what does it matter? You'll be reading what it says within a minute anyway.

Everyone seems to think they have a right to know the goings on behind the scenes at every little juncture of life in this era.

Not one club reveals or has top directors directly interacting with its supporters like the administration of our great establishment... Not one!
We've got an ex-general for christs sake who speaks to us.
So the benefactor is 'camera shy' - so what, its his porogative. He put £67mil into buying this club, and has spent a total of near on £200mil since 2006. That's more in 5 years than we've EVER spent.

This clubs in a lot better shape than it's been since pre-WWI. Some of you lot really need to take a step back and stop knocking RAL for the sake of it.

Fans have options - put up or shut up. Buy the shirt or don't. Go to games, or don't. Simple.

Are you confusing Aston Villa Football Club with Aston Villa Football Shop?

[Ad@m]

How ridiculous! Hasn't the club just been out in Hong Kong? Was that because we couldn't find anyone else to play, or a marketing exercise designed to raise our profile in Asia? I am jealous of anyone who can get to every game (I manage about three a season plus any others that coincide with me coming back to Blighty for a visit), but a "State of The Villa" statement is relevant to everybody with an interest in the club, not just those with a season ticket.

My point being...

Someone who lives 1000 miles away and can't get to games - what difference does it make to Aston Villa what their opinion is and their thoughts on the club?
Does it matter to your employers what someone who logs on to a website every day thinks of their company?? No.

All I'm saying is (and this is the bit where people don't like to hear the truth / the state of the world) unless you financially back something or make your interest in a company / football club / charity, whatever - worth its while. Why would and why should they give a shed on your opinion?

Again, like German James said, why has the club just been out to Hong Kong.  Just because someone doesn't have a season ticket doesn't mean they don't buy shirts, subscribe to AVFC, subscribe to Sky (indirect impact on the Villa through TV money), etc, etc.  I'm sure the club gets a considerable amount of money out of people who are not season ticket holders.

On top of that, if the club only ever cared about current season ticket holders and never tried to get new people interested in the club then we'd go bust eventually.  You can't just rely on Villa fans being born and supporting the club because their dad takes them when they have no choice.  The club has got to reach out to new fans.

So your attitude of "fuck em, they're 2nd rate fans anyway unless they've got a season ticket" is at best naive and at worst ridiculous.

[Somniloquism]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Next you will be wanting a statement sent to those who only go when they get a free ticket from somewhere. 

[Villa'Zawg]

I suppose it's a matter of 'interest' against 'vested interest'.  Those that go and punp money into the club are the latter, but those who don't/can't for whatever reason are the former.  It's only right that the club recognises this.  Plus, as I said above, it's difficult for them to communicate directly with larger following.

The whole 'better fan than you' thing gets brought up from time to time on here, but usually in the vein of "You weren't there so how does your opinion count?"  That's wrong as no one opinion is more valid than any other, whether it be a Villa ST holder, a Villa fan who doesn't go or a neutral observer.  That's not what this is, as anyone can voice their opinion on the contents of the letter, but rather the club wanting to reach out to it's fans/customers and get a message to them. 

Now, this could be done on the website, but how is that any different to any other press release or interview?  I think they're trying to communicate more personally with the fanbase and this is the only way that can be done, even if it does put some people's noses out of joint.
   

They send out millions of pieces of marketing to supporters who are not season ticket holders. He can of course choose to send a letter to season ticket holders but it isn't being done because he has no other choice.

[exigo]

It rather suggests that this statement isn't exactly going to be 'I've got brilliant news', because if it was, it would be sent out to everybody on their database as a marketing exercise to generate more season ticket sales.

[pauliewalnuts]

Suggesting season ticket holders are the ones the club should be most worried about carries a bit of sense. Like it or not, they're the ones whose money is most vital to the club.

However, it is absolute fucking nonsense to suggest they're the only ones who count.

What about people who do a game or two a season? It'd be nice to convert them into season ticket holders, too, but you're not going to have a chance if you act like they don't matter.

[damon loves JT]

Mat Kendrick on Twitter told me not to get too excited about it. Or I assume he did, I got bored half-way through his tweet and stopped reading

[taylorsworkrate]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

I'm sorry, but that is the most ridiculous post i've seen on this site.

I only managed to get to 5 games last season, due to my work commitments.(Strangely I have an aversion to being fired so I couldn't dig my heels in).

Say if we are playing Manure / Chelsea, and the game is sold out.  A guy tries a little to late to buy tickets for the match and is therefore unable to go.  He either watches the game on TV or listens to it on the radio.  Is his opinion of the game not as valid as those lucky enough to obtain tickets.

[Ad@m]

So those of us who can't afford an ST / work on some matchdays / are under the thumb and not allowed to go to every game are not important then?

Quite frankly - yes.

A football clubs lifeblood whether you like it or not are season ticket holders (and shareholders). These are the people who do (exactly what the word means) "support" their club. Not sitting behind a computer moaning and whaling about why they aren't as good as Man Utd, but actually putting £££ into the club. Because that's all that matters.

It's like the voting system - if you don't vote, you've got no right to complain.

I'm sorry, but that is the most ridiculous post i've seen on this site.

There's some stiff competition for that crown!!!!