Should we start our own Supporters Group to Replace STAR???

[Reading4eva]

After that farce, I think many people would be with me on this

[Turns8]

No poll?...in for the page 1 before it gets deleted though

[Royal Lady]

A rival group wouldn't replace STAR - but it would be foolish to dismiss the idea completely imo, fwiw. Hth.

[pea]

I'd like to know what your mate who gives you all the transfer rumours thinks about this first before making a judgement

[TBM]

Or we could just sign up and do everything we can to "ruin the relationship between them and the club" - you know things like not hitting the like button on the facebook page when a story appears informing us the new kit is on sale in the megastore OR we take food and drink on the supporters coach for the trip up to Sunderland OR we mention to the team board that we play our home games at the Madejski Stadium etc etc

[RFCUK]

Really don't understand the gripe people have with STAR.

I was fortunate enough to go to any game I wanted to last season, which included Birmingham away, even though I live in Manchester. I've met Brian & Nigel at the team hotel the night before a game and chatted away freely for a couple of hours, and was even offered free tickets..nIf I could make it down to the Megastore, I would receive 10% off of a purchase (£4 off a shirt isn't that bad, and it's almost half the joining fee for STAR)..

What exactly are people wanting from a Supports Trust?

Is it a case they are doing:

a) Everything wrong
b) Absolutely nothing as they never ask every single fans opinion of something
c) They aren't actively involved enough (which leads to..
d) What should they be doing?

[melonhead]

A rival group wouldn't replace STAR - but it would be foolish to dismiss the idea completely imo, fwiw. Hth.

i dismiss this idea completely

[TBM]

Really don't understand the gripe people have with STAR.

Acts like this (below) is probably why

Well I for one will not be renewing...I wouldn't normally discuss the content of a PM, but I've had no response to my reply since I sent it 3 days ago, and need to vent spleen...

I had a PM on Friday from STAR, effectively telling me that the situation was my fault, apparently I should have known about the history of these events without needing to be told. It was also made clear that the club and Brian personally are "very upset" - again, the implication being that my actions, and my actions alone have upset them, and STAR now have a lot to do to repair the relationship.

Finally I was told that STAR have nothing against me "because you have shown remorse" - again the implication is that all this is my fault.

What I object to is the fact that STAR seem to want to lay all responsibility at my door for this, and take no responsibility whatsoever themselves. As I've said repeatedly, if we'd been told the forum was "between these four walls" I'd have honoured that...

I don't believe for a minute that Brian is genuinely "very upset" - I'm sure he has far more important things to worry about, but I'll be meeting him in a couple of weeks, so I'll ask and apologise if necessary - let's hope STAR are telling the truth or they'll look very silly...

[HoneyRoastHoax]

They arrange coaches, which is great if you live in Reading. They send an email 3 times a year (woopee) you get is it 10 royalty pointsand you get 10% off your first purchase from the megastore.

You can then attend these meetings whereby they have made everyone else feel like its them and us.

If it were me running star I would use hobnob properly,

1. Start a threat telling us all there is going to be a meeting, would you like to come? Its £10 if you do but you get X X X benefits.

2. Is there any issues you would like bringing to the attention of the club? I will record them and try and ask them.

3. After the meeting I would be on hobnob with an answer to our questions and a short write up.

The information is not secret to star as the difference between them and us is £10. There is nothing that Cyrpry told us that is breaking news/damaging to the club. This could of been a real bridge builder between the two of us. I for one would of appreicated the information and thought what good eggs star were. Instead...

[Royal Biscuitman]

There's no reason why having more than one group won't work and no reason why fans can not be a member of both.

[Royal Lady]

I am willing to bet that the club would not want to have anything to do with a supporter group that might be a tad more questioning/less accepting of some of the stuff that comes out of the club on occasion - therefore, they will only deal with STAR because STAR don't ask the awkward questions etc, they suck up to the club - they always appear to have done.

[From Despair To Where?]

My only contact with Star was an e-mail or pm (can't remember which) asking for information about joining their Northern section of STAR as I was soon moving to Yorkshire.

That was nearly 7 years ago and I'm still waiting for a response.

[Geekins]

Or we could just sign up and do everything we can to "ruin the relationship between them and the club" - you know things like not hitting the like button on the facebook page when a story appears informing us the new kit is on sale in the megastore OR we take food and drink on the supporters coach for the trip up to Sunderland OR we mention to the team board that we play our home games at the Madejski Stadium etc etc

That's now made us doomed! Thanks TBM

[Caskeys Lovechild]

With you there RL. Various departments of RFC dislike being challenged intensely. It is unfortunately, part of a wider problem in Football, which seems to be that football clubs do not regard supporters as customers - hence the lack of customer service, etc.

In my experience the departments most adverse to questioning include:

*Stewarding/Chief Stewards (which is still an absolute farce IMO)
*Press and PR - Seriously - the bloke who is responsible for this would break down in tears if someone actually asked him a cutting question about the way the department operates.
*Ticket office.

I was a STAR member in its first year. I was a member of the Supporters Club before that. These days, I'm not even remotely involved, because frankly, they do nothing to make the experience of being an RFC supporter any better. They capitulate at the first sight of a counter argument from the club, and typify the attitude that "it's always been like that, so that's how it's staying." That attitude, is one that gets on my wick the most - both in RFC world, and in business in general. The fact that something has been setup in a certain way, is NOT a reason for it not to be changed to something better.

I would be happy to join and help with any organisation designed to keep RFC in line, and in touch with its CUSTOMERS, and make the experience of supporting Reading FC better one. Something which STAR fail to do completely.

[Silver Fox]

After that farce, I think many people would be with me on this

HArd to be with you when you don't say whether you're for or against the proposition

[Royal Lady]

After that farce, I think many people would be with me on this

HArd to be with you when you don't say whether you're for or against the proposition

Good point!

[Zaretsky]

I would be happy to join and help with any organisation designed to keep RFC in line, and in touch with its CUSTOMERS, and make the experience of supporting Reading FC better one. Something which STAR fail to do completely.

I disagree that it's a lack of 'customer' service - they treat their customers exactly as any business would that maintains a monopoly over a product. Treat them as supporters, fans, partners, citizens, stakeholders (or even one day shareholders - heaven forbid!) and you have a different set of priorities and responsibilities coming into play.

See the club as a business with a product to sell (and profit as its main motivation) and it will behave as a business with a product to sell.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Really don't understand the gripe people have with STAR.

Acts like this (below) is probably why

Well I for one will not be renewing...I wouldn't normally discuss the content of a PM, but I've had no response to my reply since I sent it 3 days ago, and need to vent spleen...

I had a PM on Friday from STAR, effectively telling me that the situation was my fault, apparently I should have known about the history of these events without needing to be told. It was also made clear that the club and Brian personally are "very upset" - again, the implication being that my actions, and my actions alone have upset them, and STAR now have a lot to do to repair the relationship.

Finally I was told that STAR have nothing against me "because you have shown remorse" - again the implication is that all this is my fault.

What I object to is the fact that STAR seem to want to lay all responsibility at my door for this, and take no responsibility whatsoever themselves. As I've said repeatedly, if we'd been told the forum was "between these four walls" I'd have honoured that...

I don't believe for a minute that Brian is genuinely "very upset" - I'm sure he has far more important things to worry about, but I'll be meeting him in a couple of weeks, so I'll ask and apologise if necessary - let's hope STAR are telling the truth or they'll look very silly...

STAR do usually say something about the Forum being for "these four walls only" at the start - if they don't do this and someone gets "ahead of the game" then IMO they can't really blame anyone other than themselves, as how are people meant to know if they're not told, it could be someone's first visit after all...

[Royal Biscuitman]

Or we could just sign up and do everything we can to "ruin the relationship between them and the club" - you know things like not hitting the like button on the facebook page when a story appears informing us the new kit is on sale in the megastore OR we take food and drink on the supporters coach for the trip up to Sunderland OR we mention to the team board that we play our home games at the Madejski Stadium etc etc

Why destroy positives?

The relationship between STAR and the club is strong, as are the lines of communication and these can be used for the benefit of supporters so there is nothing to be gained by anyone by destroying this, However the relationship between STAR and the supporters needs fixing & fast and perhaps a realignment of STAR so that the supporters are the focus of the supporters trust & perhaps more importantly, are seen to be the focus.

Likewise the travel, why sabotage the relationship between STAR and Horseman (or whoever provides coaches these days) as this is a valuable service to many fans.

As for facebook likes/not clicking like.... meh.

If a new organisation is required, it is to represent the views of the fans and communicate these to the club and to feed back to the fans the response from the club - basically, it's all about communications. In addition to this, it can provide communications between fans - those with a problem and those who may be able to solve the problem or to bring fans together. This is all something that should be on the STAR remit and should be the focus..... maybe it is, but again communication is key.

[TBM]

Or we could just sign up and do everything we can to "ruin the relationship between them and the club" - you know things like not hitting the like button on the facebook page when a story appears informing us the new kit is on sale in the megastore OR we take food and drink on the supporters coach for the trip up to Sunderland OR we mention to the team board that we play our home games at the Madejski Stadium etc etc

Why destroy positives?

The relationship between STAR and the club is strong, as are the lines of communication and these can be used for the benefit of supporters so there is nothing to be gained by anyone by destroying this, However the relationship between STAR and the supporters needs fixing & fast and perhaps a realignment of STAR so that the supporters are the focus of the supporters trust & perhaps more importantly, are seen to be the focus.

Likewise the travel, why sabotage the relationship between STAR and Horseman (or whoever provides coaches these days) as this is a valuable service to many fans.

As for facebook likes/not clicking like.... meh.

If a new organisation is required, it is to represent the views of the fans and communicate these to the club and to feed back to the fans the response from the club - basically, it's all about communications. In addition to this, it can provide communications between fans - those with a problem and those who may be able to solve the problem or to bring fans together. This is all something that should be on the STAR remit and should be the focus..... maybe it is, but again communication is key.

Yeah, i wasn't actually being serious