does STAR do a good enough job for reading fans?

[STAR Liaison]

Starliaison you have an email about the online SHAMBLES that is the ticket booking system on 17.09 v Doncaster Rovers..I look forward to your response

Received thanks, I will see what the club make of it. The last meeting they were pleased with the system but still making adjustments. From what I heard from the club I was surprised at your mail and as a season ticket holder not a problem I face often. I will let you know the response.

[STAR Liaison]

thanks star for replying i just think fans would appreciate it if you guys made what you do a bit more public. i know you guys loathe hobnob and its trolls but your section of the forum has been more or less a ghost town for the past 2-3 years. why not merge it with club policies? you guys are busy but it wouldnt hurt to be a bit more proactive when tackling issues that have been cropping up since the madejski was opened. sitting on your hands until someone sends a formal complaint comes across as dispassionate imo.

personally, judging something by many people show up to a forum (in regard to the steward forum) is a bit inaccurate.. im sure if you had a meeting when the 39 game issue was brought up no one would have bothered.. even if you scheduled a forum about the state of the club currently no one would show up unless some celebs like murty were present. i understand you need to pick your battles but maybe tackling the minor issues like the backpanel on the shirts would be a good start.. then work your wake up to the postgame traffic issue.

As far as the presence on here is concerned my work does not mean I am constantly on the internet let alone on HNA so I come and look when I have the time. Unforunately I am the only one with a STAR name at the moment although we thought we had sorted a load more names for STAR Board members with Graham we have the problem many have of getting authorised

We do have a more active website now and so we tend to use that rather than HNA for our news.

As far as judging the response from how many turn up - can you suggest a better way? After all if the stewarding mattered enough it is not making much of an effort to come along. We get plenty along for all the other forums we organise but the stewarding has always been dire, I think of the four or five I have organised you there have been a total of about 20 bothered, and although several on here say that it is not worth it because you won't change them I found that more of those 20 found that they understood why the stewards acted as they did and were less confrontational about it.

What exactly is your post game traffic issue? Is it on RFC property or on the public highway? Please let me have an email of the problems at info@star-reading.org

[Red]

Unforunately I am the only one with a STAR name at the moment

Off the top of my head we also have:
Sarah Star
Starfish
Custard Cream

[Hoop Blah]

Unforunately I am the only one with a STAR name at the moment

Off the top of my head we also have:
Sarah Star
Starfish
Custard Cream

With starliaison being the 'official voice of STAR' on their boards can I suggest you share the log in details so that more than one person can share the STAR news.

This forum is, outside of the stadium itself, the largest single community of RFC fans and even if you don't like it it's where issues effecting the fans STAR was set up to represent are discussed (at length). If STAR are an organisation that really want to represent the fans then I'd say you need to review your stakeholder engagement. The people posting on here are your most vocal stakeholders.

[Red]

Unforunately I am the only one with a STAR name at the moment

Off the top of my head we also have:
Sarah Star
Starfish
Custard Cream

With starliaison being the 'official voice of STAR' on their boards can I suggest you share the log in details so that more than one person can share the STAR news.

This forum is, outside of the stadium itself, the largest single community of RFC fans and even if you don't like it it's where issues effecting the fans STAR was set up to represent are discussed (at length). If STAR are an organisation that really want to represent the fans then I'd say you need to review your stakeholder engagement. The people posting on here are your most vocal stakeholders.

Good post.

The cynics among us will be saying they don't like a forum where the freedom to express an opinion contrary to their own is allowed. Most people on here realise the trolls are two a penny, but there are also some very good points raised for discussion - perhaps by those that cannot attend the forums in person. At best it's a wasted opportunity and at worst it's plain arrogant to ignore these.

[Fox Talbot]

it would be interesting to know the numbers and the cross-over of STAR members and HNA contributors.

I'd imagine 95%+ of STAR members are regular match-goers, no idea about HNA. STAR may have a figure for how many (%) of thier members post on HNA.

I get the feeling the number of regular HNA contributors has fallen faster than RFC gates / STAR membership since the halcyon days of 2007 so I'm not altogether convinced about Red's argument here - simply due to the shortage of facts.

[Red]

With the greatest of respect Fox Talbot that's exactly the kind of arrogance I'm talking about.

"You're not proper fans so we don't value your opinion"

Everyone on here must have been at some point, if they don't attend games regularly now then maybe it's because they're unhappy with how the club is run. If STAR can't help with this then where else can these fans turn?

Or even if they're happy enough going to one or two matches a season, why does this somehow invalidate their opinion?

It's the "I'm a better fan than you" attitude that really grates with me. Is there a prerequisite that you must attend a certain number of games to lobby or be a member of STAR?

[Red]

Sorry to double post but that's really wound me up.

If the attitude is that only those who have season tickets and attend all the fans forums are worthy of having views worth listening to, aren't you in danger of alienating a new generation of fans? Talk about self serving - this current STAR lot sound worse than our politicians!

Supporting a team should not be about an elite core, both RFC (and I'd hope STAR) should be doing all they can do encourage less frequent and new supporters to the club.

Finally - I think you're wrong anyway Fox Talbot. To suggest the majority of posters on an RFC forum do not attend games is ridiculous. We're not here for the pretty pictures.

[Fox Talbot]

Sorry to double post but that's really wound me up.

If the attitude is that only those who have season tickets and attend all the fans forums are worthy of having views worth listening to, aren't you in danger of alienating a new generation of fans? Talk about self serving - this current STAR lot sound worse than our politicians!

Supporting a team should not be about an elite core, both RFC (and I'd hope STAR) should be doing all they can do encourage less frequent and new supporters to the club.

Finally - I think you're wrong anyway Fox Talbot. To suggest the majority of posters on an RFC forum do not attend games is ridiculous. We're not here for the pretty pictures.

Mm, I think the charge of arrogance is harsh. My post is simply posing a number of questions the answers to which would aid the discussion. I do not suggest the majority of posters don't attend games - I simply don't know the proportion - and ask.

To expand on the point star-liaison makes - that they can't really act on behalf of / represent non-directed, anonymous calls for action from HNA or elsewhere on the web - there is often 'talk' but no 'action' to back it up in terms of people turning up to do stuff / take part in meetings etc. You need a bit more 'reality' to work with - the club will challenge you, 'whose are these views?' 'Oh some vocal stakeholders off the internet'. But the opportunity is open to all fans - incl non-members - even with Fans Forums - I expect they would accept written questions sent ahead from people who can't make the meeting.

[Red]

Mm, I think the charge of arrogance is harsh.

Quite possibly, apologies. Like I said I was a bit wound up.

To expand on the point star-liaison makes - that they can't really act on behalf of / represent non-directed, anonymous calls for action from HNA or elsewhere on the web - there is often 'talk' but no 'action' to back it up in terms of people turning up to do stuff / take part in meetings etc.

That's completely fair. I don't really expect every post on here to be presented to Sir JM personally, but dismissing or ignorning them doesn't quite seem fair either. Why not a comment along the lines of either we agree or we don't, and a mention if they do of if they've had other correspondence on the matter.

The persistent claim is lack of time, and I do sympathise with this, I assume everyone (bar the salaried chairperson) of STAR are unpaid volunteers. But I have to agree with Hoop Blah that Stakeholder management is important, maybe they should appeal to find someone who does have a couple of hours free a week to go on the forums (potential volunteers could well be reading this thread now)

[floyd__streete]

I assume everyone (bar the salaried chairperson) of STAR are unpaid volunteers.

I assume you are being ironic here, but just in case you aren't I am quite certain that the STAR chairperson doesn't take a salary . 2000-odd members paying a tenner, it go would all have to go on the chairperson's wages in that case

[SpaceCruiser]

Anyway, interesting that Floyd has such a beef against STAR. I wonder how many STAR members/non-members have a beef about their forums being inaccessible? Especially for those who live far away (they've stopped doing those transcribations) and those who are hard of hearing. I'd filled in the STAR survey and mentioned that they could improve those forums to make it easier for those with problems to be able to follow what is being said. No doubt my comments will be met with a resounding silence as I think not many people care about the deaf, eh!

STAR still does transcriptions - they are in the Reading Matter for members rather than available for all. We would be interested how we could make the forum better for the hard of hearing given that we are volunteers and not a large organisation - your survey comment did not suggest how this could be done. TBF we have not yet finished the analysis of the survey (volunteer time again) but if you have an idea about how we could make the forum more accessible let me know on info@star-reading.org

Thanks for replying, I can understand your comment about the difference between a large organisation and unpaid volunteers - sadly I can't think of any ideas at the moment. I'll get back to you when I do though.

[STAR Liaison]

I assume everyone (bar the salaried chairperson) of STAR are unpaid volunteers. But I have to agree with Hoop Blah that Stakeholder management is important, maybe they should appeal to find someone who does have a couple of hours free a week to go on the forums (potential volunteers could well be reading this thread now)

As STAR chairman I can assure you that my salary is zero, and as for a volunteer to watch the forum - is that an offer?

[STAR Liaison]

To expand on the point star-liaison makes - that they can't really act on behalf of / represent non-directed, anonymous calls for action from HNA or elsewhere on the web - there is often 'talk' but no 'action' to back it up in terms of people turning up to do stuff / take part in meetings etc. You need a bit more 'reality' to work with - the club will challenge you, 'whose are these views?' 'Oh some vocal stakeholders off the internet'. But the opportunity is open to all fans - incl non-members - even with Fans Forums - I expect they would accept written questions sent ahead from people who can't make the meeting.

Thank you for listening and putting the point better than I did.

[STAR Liaison]

If the attitude is that only those who have season tickets and attend all the fans forums are worthy of having views worth listening to, aren't you in danger of alienating a new generation of fans? Talk about self serving - this current STAR lot sound worse than our politicians!

Supporting a team should not be about an elite core, both RFC (and I'd hope STAR) should be doing all they can do encourage less frequent and new supporters to the club.

Finally - I think you're wrong anyway Fox Talbot. To suggest the majority of posters on an RFC forum do not attend games is ridiculous. We're not here for the pretty pictures.

There is nothing I have said that means we only work for an elite core - we work for those who contact us whoever they are. Why do you think we only talk to season ticket holders? I think that shows your misconception of what STAR does along with your comment about the salareid chairman. Maybe you should join and find out.

I am sure you are aware that there is a lot on here that is, to say the least, tongue in cheek. That is why we could waste a lot of the limited time we have following red herrings. Is it so much harder to send an email than post something on here? I would like Reading fans to be active for their club but if even writing an email is too much effort then I am sorry I don't see why I should devote time to it either.

[STAR Liaison]

Unforunately I am the only one with a STAR name at the moment

Off the top of my head we also have:
Sarah Star
Starfish
Custard Cream

With starliaison being the 'official voice of STAR' on their boards can I suggest you share the log in details so that more than one person can share the STAR news.

This forum is, outside of the stadium itself, the largest single community of RFC fans and even if you don't like it it's where issues effecting the fans STAR was set up to represent are discussed (at length). If STAR are an organisation that really want to represent the fans then I'd say you need to review your stakeholder engagement. The people posting on here are your most vocal stakeholders.

I did think about passing on the log in details but I thought giving more people their own log in was better. I will have to nag Graham again - or threaten to take away his Services to Reading Supporters award

This may be the most vocal arena, but as in my post above it is also an area for a lot of (deliberate?) inaccuracies, and that, along with the need to get the club to take the complaint seriously, is why we ask for a specific complaint to us. And after all there are people at the club who read this board so if posting here was enough .....

My earlier post gave me 2 mails to take to the next management meeting, they may not result in all the changes requested but at least we can raise it.

[STAR Liaison]

it would be interesting to know the numbers and the cross-over of STAR members and HNA contributors.

I'd imagine 95%+ of STAR members are regular match-goers, no idea about HNA. STAR may have a figure for how many (%) of thier members post on HNA.

I get the feeling the number of regular HNA contributors has fallen faster than RFC gates / STAR membership since the halcyon days of 2007 so I'm not altogether convinced about Red's argument here - simply due to the shortage of facts.

From the latest survey (both members and non-members) 70% come on here several times a month or more - but we didn't ask if they post. Given the number of posters/number of members it could be any proportion actually post.

STAR membership in the first year in the PL really grew but since then it has been really quite stable and similar to the pre PL days, so you may well be right that most STAR members (apart from the exiles) are regular match goers.

[Red]

To answer your point about why post on here instead of send an email starliason - surely an open forum where others can share their experiences has it's benefits?

There might be an issue that someone else brings up that you can add comment to, but which you wouldn't have bothered to raise yourself.

Also answering posts on here will be read by a greater audience than replying to emails, many of which I'm guessing make similar points. It could save you time. Noone is suggesting you need to reply to every "red" herring (won't take that personally )

[Svlad Cjelli]

To answer your point about why post on here instead of send an email starliason - surely an open forum where others can share their experiences has it's benefits?

There might be an issue that someone else brings up that you can add comment to, but which you wouldn't have bothered to raise yourself.

Also answering posts on here will be read by a greater audience than replying to emails, many of which I'm guessing make similar points. It could save you time. Noone is suggesting you need to reply to every "red" herring (won't take that personally )

But how do they identify what are red herrings (or wind-ups) from genuine issues?

Someone sending an email in their own name has far more credibility in what they're saying than someone on a message board hiding behind an alias.

[Red]

But how do they identify what are red herrings (or wind-ups) from genuine issues?

I would hope Svlad, that they would use their common sense.