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Pompey out of touch with the fans? I think not!

Many people have voiced concerns about the direction the club is taking - not the moves forward, how can you question that, you would be one ungrateful swine if you were! - and maybe the gap between fans and the club itself is growing larger all the time and we are merely 'numbers' these days...

However any lingering doubts - and I too must admit that I have had a few doubts over the past few years that we were maybe not as important as we once were - were put to bed on Tuesday when not one, but two club officials took time from their schedules, and trust me guys these are busy men, particularly with the cup final coming up not to mention season tickets to be sorted and so on and so on, to meet with me.

The meeting was regarding building up stronger ties with Vital Pompey and Portsmouth Football Club, with the meeting proving very fruitful, and it will be beneficial believe me - and I would like to think for both parties, as this site is becoming huge guys!

What made this meeting all the more fantastic for me was the fact that they both came to me, they said they would meet me at a designated place in Cosham - where I am actually staying this week - and they spent 30-45 minutes with me discussing this and that. One had to leave as he was called back into a meeting but the other stayed for a while after.

From my point of view, I must confess that I was very nervous at first and maybe did not get everything across that I might have wanted to but they were very approachable and have told me that I can approach them anytime and there are a few possible ideas that could be put into practice down the line, in the not to distant future - in the meantime though a link-up seems as though it is going to be put in place and an official affiliation between Vital Pompey and Portsmouth Football Club should be happening.

I would like to say thanks again to the guys that met me - out of courtesy to them I will not mention names - I must admit that I cannot believe that they did and I never thought I would see the day when officials from Pompey would arrange a meeting with me, but I was delighted that they did and I must also admit immensely proud as it is another indication of how far this site has come, and without blowing my own trumpet, how the amount of hard work and effort I have put in since becoming 'the landlord' has been worth it...

How many other senior members of their staff at other premier league clubs would meet up with a fan, at their designated meeting place these days? To say 'not many at all' would not be an unjust assessment. Hopefully with these contacts in place we can all start to gain a greater understanding of what happens at the club, on and off the field and just how much is being done to make us into a truly professionally run club capable of competing with the very best on and off the pitch.

One regret I have though... I foolishly turned down a pint, why did I turn down a pint, muppet!

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco

Writer: pompeyrug

Date:Wednesday May 14 2008

Time: 6:00PM

Your Comments

As a so-called "goodtime" fan, I feel I am able to give my first impression of Portsmouth Football Club - as it was only 8 months ago that I went anywhere near them. As a middle aged lady with, I suppose you would call him, an elderly husband, I deliberated for about a year on whether to go to the matches or not. When I finally plucked up the courage to go and buy a ticket, I imagined a nice warm office and a chair to sit on. I thought I would have someone to discuss the various levels of season tickets available, the whys and wherefores of buying weekly, where best to sit (given the age of my husband), I thought I might get a starter pack of information, the best time to arrive, parking information etc., etc. WHAT A SHOCK I GOT! I could not believe the Ticket Windows. It was August and the rain was sheeting down almost horizontally. I queued for half an hour with other people who were unsuitably dressed and got absolutely soaked through. I needn't tell you how much help I got from the ticket office staff or their attitude. It was appalling. I bought a ticket for myself for the Bolton match, but never got to see it cos I thought all matches started at three 0 clock and I never bothered to read the ticket. First I knew was when I was coming back from Chichester at 2.30 and turned the radio on to hear that Portsmouth were leading 1-0 to Bolton...... Pompey have gone up in my estimation over the way they have handled the Cup Final Tickets, but I feel they still have a long way to go to impress me. I think the Players making a concerted effort to acknowledge the fans at the end of the match would be a good start. Also, it is such a shame that the first impression many people get of Pompey is the dreaded Ticket Office - those girls really need to go to Charm School. The friendliest people I have come across are you guys, who have made me very welcome and at least we have a laugh or a rant or whatever. Sorry to go on...

Gandor

Ah Ticket office.....'nuff said, though there are notable exceptions, Elaine being one, though she is hardly "front of house". Well done Rug, must admit I'd forgotton about this. I'm lookinf forward to learning what the tie up woth PFC might involve. I certainly hope it is positive for both sides.

UKTony

I notice you didn't turn down my pint Sunday tho!!!! Ha Ha

pentonpompey

Great stuff Rug, goes to show that (as chix always says) this IS the BEST pompey fan site on the net!

pompey4me

Good onyer Rug keep up the good work.

pompeyyong

Well done Rug, keep our flag flying. Hvaing done 30 years + of watching Pompey in all 4 divisions (Time for a medal, there can't be that many of us) yes we are making progress, like you couldn't imagine 7 years ago, let alone any further back. Yes we need the ground & training facilities & I believe they will come, eventually. We can moan about anything & everything in life but stop, think & enjoy what we have incase one day the wonderful bubble bursts. No offence Gandor, you story could be about in any club in the world. Sadly!

storagematt

Storagematt - I'm sure you are right. But up until now, I've led a very sheltered life! By the by, well done Rug for the article, I have just seen some others you have just posted, you must be wearing your fingers to the bones.

Gandor

My experience with the online store has disappointed me and I would have to agree with Gandor about the lackof basic manners. I don't think Pompey management are out of touch with the supporters re the thoughts on the club/players etc in general. The do leave something to be desired about relaying what they are doing, through interviews and press statements, which we have all agreed have been confusing at times. Where I do think they have lost it with the supporters are the things outside of actual football and Gandor, myself and others have pointed out in the posts to this article. A football match is about the whole experience and not just the game. How many people like Gandor have been treated the same way and never come back. Quite a few I expect. I will think twice about wasting my time and money trying to buy online fron the shop again. I have yet to receive even an acknowledgement from them of my emails.

frattonaussie

Rug understand your exuberance, but what is their motive? Remember Vital's strengh is its independance.

007

Well done Rug. Good point raised by 007 though - please make sure they don't try to censor the site - it could be one of the last bastions of democracy!!!

NinjaTim

You turned down a pint so they couldn't get you drunk and get you to sign the site away... ;-) You'll never take our freedom!

stooH

They will never censor me - nor do I believe would they want do. Sound like great news though that we are seen as something that little bit different. Rug has contributed a lot in a short time and we should all thank him for that.

eastneydave

Gandor sorry I missed you on Sunday. When I got to the Milton Arms I was told that a woman came in and shocked Chix because he didn't know you were a woman (guess I should have told hom!) you collected your T shirts and then ran out the door. That was a story told by someone not a member here but surely they are overdramatising? Chix is not attractive but hardly terrifying!

eastneydave

I think Pompey took 2 steps back in their relationships between themselves and the fans, but have now made 3 forward, so i like to think the value of the fan has been realised, and the club is now going to keep the steps in the roight direction. As for original reply reference the ticket office etc, i bet it was a shock to stand at a window, but this is football unfortunately, and a reality at most clubs. As for Staff and charm school.... yes that could be improved, for me Lynn is the best person there, always willing to hewlp and listen. [Edited by rug]

Midge

007 and anyone else with any doubts, this site will not be cencored, they were keen to point out themselves that this isnt what they want to do they just want to be closer ties with the fans again, and what better way than to use site like this - they clearly recognise quality, and know that this is one of the biggest and best their is...
more promotional material will be used, but in all fairness i do this anyway, however it simply means i will not need to re-write in my way, as i can just use what they use as ive been given this permission.
such things as 'speculation' regarding players and management means i can now go to the club for possible comment, so rather than fueling the speculation i can get an official line from the club to use, clearly - and i mean this in the nicest possible of ways - regardless the club will deny whatever it is, but at least it will come from the club direct now... transfer speculation and gossip will still happen, but the fctual content of information 'should' now increase even more than it currently is.
as for the drink, i have been told to get in touch again next week and we'll catch up after ourr cup win - bad news is i have to go home on sunday, so i will have to take a rain check until i next visit - the club are very keen to keep close ties with me and the site tho, which means the world to me, but as said they are not looking to censor anyone - nor will they.

pompeyrug

sorry Midge, your comment had to be edited alittle mate - this is my own doing no one elses - i just say this as we were talking about being 'censored', no one is making me do this it just had to be done... perhaps you are right, but we cannot make accusations like that without any factual proof, even if we say we have it - not being funny at all.

pompeyrug

Rug, I did not mention censorship, that was eastneydave. My continuing concern is loss of independance. Pompey Football Club will have an input into Vital and all its associated discussion Forums, I am unhappy with that. Things will not be the same, we will have to lock our doors at night.

007

things will be the same, i can assure you and everyone else of that - things that couldnt be said before still will not be able to, those that could still will - an official association with portsmouth football club will only make us bigger and better im sure, and once ideas discussed are put into action we should see this first hand...

pompeyrug

Rug, do any other vital sites have this type of direct link to their club? If so, perhaps any of us with doubts could go look at that site to see how/if it is affected?? Can you tell us if there are any?

pompey4me

i think vital sheffield wednesday is the official kit sponsers of tommy spur (one of there better players)

pompeycarpet

The club still has some way to go in it's off pitch proffesionalism, particulalrly when you look in relation to our peers (not pier) that has to be recognised; it is the way you move forward. I'm guessing the club association is a way of them having some image and information release management into the unregulated fan base like guest articles, news etc. In return we get more involved; incl commercially. It's a compliment to the site members and Rug's management as it means the club recognise the site as a stable reasoned place to be, if not no way would they risk it.

russellm

Would be nice to do interviews etc with the players and staff and perhaps a regular column such as some do for the national and local press. I agree with russellm (nice to hear from you again we have missed you) on the image thing and I am certain we can do a lot to help the club.

eastneydave

Eastneydave - Sorry I missed you as well - I didn't know who I was talking to on Sunday apart from Chix, I'd only been there two minutes before I'd dropped myself in it - thought it best to make my exit! Went to the ticket office to get my ticket and was going to go back to the pub, but never did. Might see you all in Wembley before the match if I can find any of you.

Gandor

villa have official links to the club and they are one of the biggest vital sites - fans sites fullstop - that there is, so it doesnt do any harm having official ties does it... quite the opposite!

pompeyrug

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