Dictatorial Villa?

[Chris Smith]

Mr Lerner certainly doesn't like criticism does he?

Does anyone?

This has been handled so poorly. I think it is only right that if a group wants to formally affiliate then there has to be a set of standards and guidelines that they adhere to but the wording used is completely over the top and I can understand why it rankles. The silly thing is that it could so easily have been avoided if a little more intelligence had been applied to the drafting.

Several years ago I was involved in a group at my then place of work tasked with drawing up employee conduct guidelines. The document we we were presented with as a starter was pulled apart in minutes as unenforceable. What we eventually ended up with said pretty much the same thing but in much broader terms. This then went to the Union who passed it back without comment.

[Clampy]

So some of the clubs haven't signed up?
What a mess.

I was told yesterday that 7 haven't signed up.

[cheltenhamlion]

Two pretty heavily populated ones haven't as I understand it. Gloucestershire and Sutton.

[Ron Manager]

For gods sake  there must be someone with basic common sense working for the club. This would be so easy to sort out. Invite those who have not signed up to a meeting at Villa Park (or The Holte Hotel) and sort it out round a table. Everybody needs to be reasonable we have enough problems as it is.

[David_Nab]

These are the ones removed according to the Mail

Branches removed include Sutton Coldfield, Pheasey, North Walsall, Cannock, Stafford, Swindon and Wilts, Gloucester and Somerset.

[dave.woodhall]

Mr Lerner certainly doesn't like criticism does he?

Like him or not, Howard Hodgson had the same when he voiced his opinion.

I doubt that Mr Lerner had anything to do with either of them.

[Clampy]

These are the ones removed according to the Mail

Branches removed include Sutton Coldfield, Pheasey, North Walsall, Cannock, Stafford, Swindon and Wilts, Gloucester and Somerset.

I've seen Pheasey Lions around on my travels and they're well supported so that's a shame.

Anyway, have they actually been removed or not just yet signed? I presume there's a deadline of some sort.

[Dave Cooper please]

Have the chairmen of these clubs made the decision not to sign or did they canvass their members? After all, that's a lot of Villa fans now without an official Lions Club because of what may have been a rather...err...dictatorial decision by one person not to sign up.

[pauliewalnuts]

Have the chairmen of these clubs made the decision not to sign or did they canvass their members? After all, that's a lot of Villa fans now without an official Lions Club because of what may have been a rather...err...dictatorial decision by one person not to sign up.

However, it is the head of the Lions Club who is subjecting his personal internet activity to scrutiny, so maybe it's more onerous for them than the other members?

[pauliewalnuts]

This has been handled so poorly. I think it is only right that if a group wants to formally affiliate then there has to be a set of standards and guidelines that they adhere to but the wording used is completely over the top and I can understand why it rankles. The silly thing is that it could so easily have been avoided if a little more intelligence had been applied to the drafting.

Absolutely agree with this.

[Malandro]

If it had been one, it could be pushed aside. Not seven! Should hold their hands up and say they got it wrong

[CJ]

Excuse my ignorance but how many Lions Clubs are there? If the OS is saying the vast majority have signed up, but on here 7 haven't, I presume the total number must be quite high?

[dave.woodhall]

Excuse my ignorance but how many Lions Clubs are there? If the OS is saying the vast majority have signed up, but on here 7 haven't, I presume the total number must be quite high?

I was told last night by one of the rebels that there were around 200 but 60-odd were basically defunct (not his words). So around 95 per cent of the active ones signed.

[CJ]

Cheers Dave - puts it into perspective

[Lee]

Excuse my ignorance but how many Lions Clubs are there? If the OS is saying the vast majority have signed up, but on here 7 haven't, I presume the total number must be quite high?

I was told last night by one of the rebels that there were around 200 but 60-odd were basically defunct (not his words). So around 95 per cent of the active ones signed.

Speaking to one of the steering committee over the weekend away, they were all consulted (but not very well by the look of it).  Some clubs decided to go with it, others didn't. I saw Alan Perrins get some nasty stick on Facebook yesterday. Whatever your thoughts on him, he has raised the profile of the Supporters Clubs in recent years. He doesn't deserve that kind of abuse.

I think that there is  a lot of six of one and half a dozen of the other here with both sides having valid points. There has been a bit of individual abuse that has been directed at certain individuals, that I think was the reasoning behind the clubs main criticism point.

Villa PR has scored an own goal with this issue, that could have been nipped in the bud much earlier. This is not a recent thing and I know for a fact that this was bubbling up from at least May this year.  When people like John Holder, Steve Gough and Mark Goodwin get marginalised, when it could well have been avoided, it is a bit sad to say the least.