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THE SAM MORSHEAD COLUMN: Ignorance is not bliss
           
           


  THERE’S a line that has to be drawn between balanced criticism and downright ignorance.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/10575615.THE_SAM_MORSHEAD_COLUMN__Ignorance_is_not_bliss/?ref=rss
           
           
           

I am increasingly of the opinion that plenty of money and good communication did not equate to good business sense under the last regime, so am hoping, by that logic, little money and poor communication will equate to good business sense under the new one.

In the Bizarro universe of Swindon Town that might well turn out to be the case.

Makes perfect sense - we are in good hands.

Just read that piece by Sam in today's paper, one of the best pieces of journalism that Sam has written in my opinion.  Unfortunately, those people out there (and on here!) who have already made their minds up will not be swayed an inch!!

I don't agree with his column in its entirety, I'm not apologising for that if your comment was aimed at me (I posted on thisis today).

Its a two way street, the board need time and trust, but at the same time I feel they need to explain a few key things that have gone on since the business plan meetings. Silence breeds rumour and doesn't promote trust.

I've been a loyal Swindon supporter since 1985.. I guess somebody as young as Sam doesn't quite appreciate what we've had to endure as STFC fans over the years. We can hardly be blamed for getting a little excited when a board with money took over the club. The term "spoilt" is unfair to say the least.

I haven't been Jed's biggest fan. But I think he's slowly winning people over. The Harley signing didn't do him any harm. To say people won't change their minds is absurd. Jed just needs to deliver... And there where Sam's article is more accurate, communication with the fans is the first step.

Great piece by Sam, and I agree with it on the most part.  I have not been convinced by the new board, but have not been vocal about it on purpose.  I have given them the benefit of the doubt and hope that they will grow into becoming a better run group, everyone has got to learn.

No doubt their communication has been very poor, and the lack of responses about day to day issues that have been coming up has not been good, breeding speculation and (in some cases) poisonous rumours, which hopefully they will learn to nip in the bud before they get out of hand.

Of the recent issues, like the concerts, I feel sorry for them.  I don't think the problems are all of their making, but lack of response to the numerous stories about them has bred the rumour factory again and given the doubters plenty of ammunition to lay into the the only targets that are accessable to them.

I do think that a lot of their issues could be resolved by communicating the right things, and learning to stay quiet about the things that the fanbase shouldn't know about.  It's a thin line and hopefully one that the new board will learn.

Unfortunately they will be judged on the new manager and the team over the coming season, so they might get slated no matter what they do.  One thing they should take from the previous board though, if nothing else, is what and how to communicate better.

I'm quite happy to be one of those who don't trust the new board one bit. I'm quite happy to get a fair amount of stick for holding that view. They might well win me around but I've seen nothing from them so far to change that opinion....and yes it is opinion. I have no hard facts, just an opinion based on my life experiences.
There are a number of things I'm not happy about and I'm sure the fact I have concerns won't stop Jed / Lee sleeping at night or carrying on with running the club.
I'll be there again this season and I'll get behind the team.
Time will tell whether I'm right or wrong and like most of the naysayers, I hope I'm wrong and on this board apologising for being a tool. I would get no satisfaction from being right.

I think they've had a decent amount of leeway....no pitch protests, no "orange" protests...and as far as I can tell, no real criticism of the *austerity package.  Just an understandable and healthy desire to discover things like who the Board consists, what happened to the mystery investors...and why we've lost a manager in the crucial pre-season period.

* by this I mean the overview, that costs had to come down....the nuts and bolts of how the policy is done has received some criticism ie the Spurs link.

Not aimed at anybody in particular Batch, and definitely not you in person!!  It just seems to me that some people will not accept that the days of Black and the Italian twat are over - probably never to return - and we have to accept that with the exception of an unknown - now deceased - buyer the only people prepared to take us on were this present lot, and we have to get on with it whether we like it or not!!  The alternative to them didn't exist, so why do people still slate them?

I think most people understand the financials although Jed didn't help himself by saying budgets would remain the same and then after season ticket sales had maxed, saying budgets would be drastically reduced. Before this we had the "NDA". Then we had his monosyllabic answers to the questions put by the Trust / Supporters Club whilst waxing lyrical on Twitter - even offering a contract to a fake Caddis.
Enter Lee Power who looks as though he entered the game well before anything went public and the Spurs link. Whilst it looks like Murell did a good job with the business presentations there was also the storming of the adver offices and the pissed up episode home v Bury - although was this Hooper?
We've heard jack shit from Power on the area that really matters to most supporters - what is going on on the pitch. The Spurs link irritates the fuck out of me but might not if I had it explained to me, although it was good to hear that Shah apparently has a say in who comes in and who goes. Why did KMac leave - the statement from the club had bullshit write all over it
We get the excuses that they are all new to this - Power isn't as he has been in football most of his life and in director roles previously.
The Adver excluded from Portugal was an own goal as is putting Sam under an embargo while letting BBC break news.
If it looks like a rat and it acts like a rat then its probably a rat.

Oh OK, FWIW I really don't mind people rubbishing my views as I've been wrong more than right on football, just as long as they do it directly. This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, but here/FB/Twitter posts that start "some people need to" and "our fans are mongs" seem completely pointless. Name them and why or shut up!

Agree with what you say though, except to say just because they are currently the only show in town doesn't mean they should be immune to (constructive) criticism. And yes not all criticism has been constructive recently.

Sams a good writer in my opinion.

I don't always agree with what he writes but i give him this, he works hard and best of all he takes any stick he gets on the chin.

Abuse is a very strong word,i think the new board have had to put up with fans venting there feelings in strong words for sure....but abuse...nope, not for me.

To be fair there has been quite a bit of what I'd call abuse aimed directly at Jed via twitter. And a reasonable amount of ass kissing and everything inbetween!

True Batch,i dont count Twitter...lots of idiots on there(including me)....a proper footy forum is the place to judge what the feelings are towards the new regime....and i think the TEF is a fair place in general.
Sometimes things take time,i mean the Newcastle owner was slaughtered for years....gets a pretty softer ride these days.

Randomly, the Newcastle owner crossed my mind today when a friend mentioned about Bates leaving Leeds and the "Red Bull Elland Road Stadium" thing.  I think the treatment of him is a pretty good example of the thankless task of being owner of a football club, now being experienced by Jed.  In particular, the grief he got for having the audacity of trying to introduce a new revenue stream (yes, I realise he owned Sports Direct but I gather the intention was to let it go to another company wants an interested party came forward).  Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Pretty much exactly where I am.

I dont trust or rate them and time will tell...

I predict a bottom 6 finish

I will eat humble pie willingly if we become a side with promotion aspirations. Like Flash heart I will admit to being a dick..

We are pot less and at the moment rudderless with no manager and the season starts next week

SO....keep on telling me it's all going to be ok......

Not been a fan of the board from day one - IMHO they took a punt on the club expecting promotion and by using Ward/Miller they showed how cheap they were going to be.
The turnover in directors has shown they have little finance, the appointment of Power at last gives someone with some football knowledge from the pitch up to boardroom level.
I thought the Kmac experiment was doomed from the off but was prepared to give him the benefit of starting a season with his own team - and we all know how that turned out.
Less than a week till the season kicks off and we are managerless, according to reports from Portugal the team are bonding well - well what about all the players left behind ? I cant see any of them moving before season kicks off so they are going to be hanging around feeling on the outside.
I hope they get to go out on loan for everyones sake.

Am prepared to give the board some time but patience is wearing thin tbh.
A bit of communication/transparency wouldnt go amiss.

I for one am deffo not looking forward to this season as it stands, although I am prepared to be proved wrong
Lower half of the table for me unless the spurs boys come good
Harley signing has given me a lil more optimism and maybe another decent signing might help raise the gloom

I think the managers appointment will show how prepared this board are to take the club forward rather than tread water

I'm past caring

Because results are going okay. I guarantee that if and when Newcastle struggle next season the knives will be back out for Ashley. The hatred for that bloke is never far from the surface, they're putting up with him presently. Like I say I have a feeling that will all change next season. Could be wrong, time will tell.

If the board want us to take them seriously and give them a break then they should appoint Tisdale and sign 3/4 more players including some decent experienced ones to prove they are serious about going for promotion this season.

No disrespect but I wouldn't be happy with Cooper/Ferdinand/Any has been manager getting the job.

Tisdale for me, failing that maybe Hartley? I don't want someone from Spurs or some has been looking to make a quick buck, plus Tisdale is a very loyal manager, the 2nd longest serving manager in football behind Wenger.

Their appointment and what other players we sign between now and the end of August will show everything.

If things go bad they can expect to lose a hell of a lot of season ticket holders next season because I know people who renewed for this season who wouldn't have knowing what a shambles it has been the last few weeks and the sudden disappearance of KMac, selling and releasing our best players i.e Collins/Ferry/Flint etc.

Where's the money going? We sold Flint for a good amount and Collins and have released a lot of players from the wage bill plus all the season ticket money and we haven't spent a penny on players, just being loaned a whole team from Spurs instead!!! Says it all really!

STFCFORLIFE - the problem is the wages were still 500K over where they need to be. We have shifted Collins and brought in matey from Brighton (presumably cheaper) but they are still going to be running high. I don't think we'll see the signings we want to see until the other outcasts are shifted - which may be January/next season :(

But I share your thoughts on manager/not sure about the approach we have taken to backfill the positions of the departed. As I've said before, filling in with Spurs kiddies is fine provided we have autonomy. We may not see much change to the squad yet for the reasons above, but long term the new man needs to be his own man and free to build his own squad and pick his own players.

Obviously this is a personal opinion.

I thought we paid £100k for Byrne, which was a bit bizarre.

I'm not a fan of the current board by any stretch of the imagination, but that's an eminently absurd criticism to level at them given the circumstances of the time and the fact they only persisted with them for a couple of games before appointing a permanent manager.

My bad, forgot about that one.

Esp as he was out of contract
Either Spurs offered him something just to get some cash or its a roundabout way of paying for all the spurs buys/loans

Does seem odd as we supposed to be keeping it tight

Personally if he as a good season I think we will get that back and then some if he moves on

Not as I see it
Those two game ( a loss to the bottom team in the league and a draw with Preston ) both at home set the tone for the rest of the season.
I know its not a quick job appointing a manager but using those two was a hasty/cheap option

Admittedly they are not rushing into this next appointment but a little more haste might be prudent in light of the date

If its Cooper then just drives home my point more
Cheapest option

Ward/Miller was a necessity, you can't appoint someone overnight. At the time it seemed very odd that Bodin didn't get the nod. But now we know how and why his time at STFC came to an end it wasn't as strange as it seemed.

Not a big fan of things as they stand, but I can't see much choice on that one.

so, to paraphrase, they're damned if they do, and damned if they don't? seems reasonable.

Pretty much.

Not at all
How you get that ?

Cooper isnt an option IMHO
Needs someone can do the job not get it just cos he is there ( same applied to Ward/Miller )

The clock is ticking on this seasons kick off - if Power is the DoF and responsible for signings/tactics etc etc then say so
As usual its the not knowing which is becoming the norm under this board

Apologies if posted elsewhere but the reaction on Twitter to that Swindon lad's 'bullet' joke about Jed's a little over top isn't it?  Just a joke, never thought we'd get to the position where the UK's sense of humour was tamed to such an extent, we used to laugh at anything, now the majority seem to get offended about nothing.

So what would you have preferred?

Appointing someone immediately and risk it being too hasty?

Yes I saw that, it's the same few who have been offended by any comments that aren't pro Jed. Wanting to contact the police and a ban from the CG where a few of their suggestions.

They look a bunch of complete wankers, especially as it's a joke from the 'family friendly' American Office. Offended by a mainstream American comedy, what has this nation come to?

The lad's handled himself well to be fair. Sam M's response was ever so knobjockey-like though.

As I said before, the public like a mass outrage regardless of context. You think that's bad, you should have seen the cyclists get their lycra in a twist over a comment made by a local publican about running them down. I full apology and explanation that the comment was for some triathlete friends followed, but nobody was listening by then or didn't believe him. He probably has literally suffered in the real world from loss of trade based off a backlash to a stupid 'joke'

That said, a large number of people seem to think saying things on twitter doesn't count. There is a piece on the BBC saying that the women who campaigned to have women put onto bank notes has been threatened with rape. Not nice.

Saw the rape thing, bang out of order, that should be acted on.

Also saw the publican comments and the 'outrage' that followed. Ridiculous, it was just a comment, shouldn't affect his business, problem is people think everything being tweeted is serious. Lighten up twitterati.

IMHO AND only IMHO if we hadnt lost/drawn those Ward/Miller games they would have stayed on

I think Kmac was a hasty appointment because of those results

To a certain extent they were put in an unwinnable position with Dick anio walking out but that was already made aware to them before they took over he was going
IIRC he was persuaded to stay on another week till he thought the deal would be done and embargo lifted

As said previously will give them some time in a fresh season to see how it pans out
Whatever happens they arent going anywhere so what I or anyone else thinks is irrelevant

The thing is the very same few were pissing their pants & applauding Jed when he called a Town fan a " Ginger fuck " selective memory perhaps.

Craig Lyrus put it best.

Craig Lyus ‏@AdverSportCraig 26 Jul
Appalled by THAT tweet to Jed. I mean, what sort of low-life idiot quotes the AMERICAN version of the office? Shameful.

Ha ha, brilliant tweet.

I saw someone retweet an account called "Swindon Cunt Watch" which just appears to be candid photos of random people in Swindon town centre captioned with some unimaginative insults. The anonymity the internet provides really does bring out the shittiest parts of people, doesn't it?

Fucking brilliant! The facebook page was taken down after about 15 hours. Glad the twitter one is still going.

how did I get that? you complained that they appointed the last one too quick and suggested they ought to hurry up this time. that anomaly aside, your views do appear to be quite reasonable and balanced so i'll let you off ;)

Don't you have to be familiar with American Office to know that though? I'm not, for one, so wouldn't have been aware there was a reference being made and might have assumed it was a threat. (NB haven't seen the offending tweet so apologies if this was made clear or if the point in some other way doesn't apply)

The tweet referenced being in a room with Hitler and Bin Laden - and Jed, it read as a joke, okay so he didn't position it as 'this is from The Office' but it was obviously a light hearted dig.

Jan, sorry you feel I looked like knob jockey. Obviously I don't go out of the way to adopt that image. I wasn't aware of the context of the tweet as I - and many it appears - haven't seen the show. Therefore it's pretty obvious I'd be appalled by the notion that someone would say something like that. Not sure how that is a knob jockey reaction. He explained to me how it was meant to come across and I retweeted his explanation. Twitter can be a minefield like that... context just doesn't come into it. I understand now that it was a joke but for many at the time it didn't appear that way. If you'd seen it, without having heard it on TV before, how would you have reacted?

I wasn't aware of the reference myself but did not take it seriously at all.

It clearly was not a threat. At least it was not from somebody who is a threat. Just some kid jumping on the 'we hate Jed' bandwagon trying to be funny and, probably, hoping for a lot of support and a few RTs.

Fair enough. There's a reason I've largely steered clear of twitter :)

Sam, I just think your reaction unfortunately highlights how far we've gone down the let's all get offended first then look into the comment after.

Your tweet which was talking about you saw a tweet about how low people can stoop (words to the effect of) was a complete over reaction. The lad made a joke, actually no he didn't he borrowed a joke, and your first reaction was to proclaim your disgust instead of investigating.

In truth I didn't know it was from The Office to start, but as it was based on being in a room with Hitler and OBL my instincts led me to believe it was a jovial dig so I took it in the spirit it was intended, a joke.

For the purposes of the record I use knob jockey in the spirit as used by the randy Bear on Leigh Francis' C4 programme, just a light hearted insult. Which is pretty tame in comparison to some of the things said on here.

Don't apologise to him Sam, threaten him with an obscure reference from a crap telly show. See how he likes it! :)

That'd be great.  I've already decided if Sam replies with a well thought out response I'll probably just lay down the Bill Hicks' heckler line

'Frrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebbbbbbbbbbbbiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrdddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

It is Saturday night, can't get to heavy about this kind of thing!

I've never heard of the saying or programme before either but only took it as a kid acting up. A direct threat to Jed life? Not in a million years.

Appreciate what you're saying but my natural reaction to it was different. That's just a human nature thing and the difference in reactions shows how dangerous Twitter can be. I don't mind the knob jockey thing, I've been called much worse, I just think Twitter is a way of self-publicising your thoughts and therefore you have to think about what you tweet. I gave the guy a platform to explain himself and I think most now understand it was intended as a joke, whether or not they agree with the way it's put across.

any danger of someone pasting it here? i've no idea what you're all on about.

What would we do without you?

Whatever you were doing before I arrived, I guess.

DMR turning into Dost.  He'll be posting Moosehead's address next.

 :D