[baggiejohn]

Meanwhile there is such a lack of info from the club re new signings.
No one is saying much about anything are they,its this lack of connection with the fans,it does bother me,what do you guys think?

I totally agree with the lack of coms & connection with fans comment.  The official site is, in my opinion, poor & gives next to nothing away in terms  club news & the birmingham mail, express and star are clearly given very little info from the club to use, so is mostly speculation.
I have felt for many years that the club miss a real opportunity with the o/s & could use it to connect more with the fans, but it seems To be the bare minimum most of the time.
Mrs Manc Baggie is a life long man city fan & as a result I get to hear, whether I want to or not!, a lot about them. Even way before the money arrived, they were better connected with their fans. Spend a few minutes on their o/s & you get a flavour of how much more open & connected they seem to be. Up until last season, extended match highlights were available to view free of charge for every game on their o/s, whilst we have to subscribe to albion player.
Whilst relative wealth plays some part, its the difference in club cultures I am trying to hi-light as an area we could & in my opinion, should be trying to improve upon, starting with the o/s.

I think you'll find the club are doing a lot to explore ways of re-engaging the fans, not the least of which is the Albion Assembly. The big problem is not what to disclose, but how to disclose it. Not everybody has access to social media, & even if they do, not everybody uses it. Take this forum for example, probably the biggest WBA forum in the world, & yet it only has 3157 members out of an average gate of 25,000, plus at least as many more, who are interested, but don't or can't get to games.

[MarkW]

I think I've said this before but my line of work involves helping companies like WBA better connect with their fans. We even tried to contact them to do some work but they never replied

[baggiejohn]

I think I've said this before but my line of work involves helping companies like WBA better connect with their fans. We even tried to contact them to do some work but they never replied

Perhaps you need to do some networking Mark?

[divinewind]

What did we do for news before social media?

There was a mate in my class at school in the 60's, whose dad was a businessman and played golf with Albion and Wolves players.
I got to know what was going on at both clubs a day or so before it went public in the E&S.
I have to agree with Manc Baggie,the relationship between the club and the fans is very poor,we are always the last to know,whereas Wolves fans knew about their takeover a few weeks ago, and it WILL happen.
I doubt ours will,same old every season.
Why should they tell us anyway,we only finance the club.

[PsalmXXIII]

Meanwhile there is such a lack of info from the club re new signings.
No one is saying much about anything are they,its this lack of connection with the fans,it does bother me,what do you guys think?

I totally agree with the lack of coms & connection with fans comment.  The official site is, in my opinion, poor & gives next to nothing away in terms  club news & the birmingham mail, express and star are clearly given very little info from the club to use, so is mostly speculation.
I have felt for many years that the club miss a real opportunity with the o/s & could use it to connect more with the fans, but it seems To be the bare minimum most of the time.
Mrs Manc Baggie is a life long man city fan & as a result I get to hear, whether I want to or not!, a lot about them. Even way before the money arrived, they were better connected with their fans. Spend a few minutes on their o/s & you get a flavour of how much more open & connected they seem to be. Up until last season, extended match highlights were available to view free of charge for every game on their o/s, whilst we have to subscribe to albion player.
Whilst relative wealth plays some part, its the difference in club cultures I am trying to hi-light as an area we could & in my opinion, should be trying to improve upon, starting with the o/s.

I've never understood the anger at us not shouting things from the roof tops. I just don't see what the issue is.

Consider this: We announce we are making a move for a player. Other clubs, media outlets, etc then know about it. If the player is worth buying, you can bet your house that someone will be able to offer him better terms than us. Keeping our approaches low-key got us Odemwingie, Rondon, Evans, etc. We very very rarely win battles for players when competing with other clubs. 1-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they made an approach for a player, fans get excited, player doesn't sign. Fans are mad and criticise the club. In many, many cases this will not be the clubs fault and down to ridiculous wage/agent fees requested by the player. The club then has to deal with the fallout of failing to sign a player, all because they put it out in the open. It's not in the clubs interest to have the fans criticise them for circumstances out their control, just because they thought they'd throw out a tidbit of info first. 2-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they're 'monitoring' a player, not even in talks with them, the fans don't like said player and spout off on Social Media about the disappointment of such news. Fans threaten to return season tickets (it happened over a bloody kit for goodness sake, and McClean), the club has to deal with the fallout. 3-0 for keeping quiet.

I just don't get it. If you can't disconnect the notion that no news means nothing is happening, I have nothing for you. If you just want us to start making media announcements like a big swinging dong competition so we look good, I can message you a random outlandish transfer rumour every day if you like?

I'd MUCH rather we keep our cards close to our chest than the idiots that run clubs that say anything to appease fans. Look at West Ham - 'We are going to sign a big name striker, maybe Lacazette' - great precedent to set when you do neither. They'll be judged on their ridiculous statement, their unfounded confidence and then lack the ability to do the deal. It has absolutely nothing to do with the wealth of the clubs - it's the outward appearance and ego that has everything to do with it. Man City are a big club with lots of money, who can sign anyone they want, and a lot of media eyes are on them. OF COURSE they'll want to flex their financial muscles by being seen to go for the best players in the world. How the hell do Albion do that? Imagine if we said we wanted to sign Lacazette or Pogba or Ronaldo? Nobody would believe it, we'd look deluded and our own, and other teams fans would think we'd lost the plot.

People need to disassociate themselves with having to know absolutely everything going on, at all times, everywhere. We aren't going to sign players if we have to compete with other clubs, so that's why we don't announce transfers til they're done. The club comes off SO much better by not being seen to miss out on deals, not making outlandish statements of intent and not putting itself in the firing line unnecessarily.

[PsalmXXIII]

There was a mate in my class at school in the 60's, whose dad was a businessman and played golf with Albion and Wolves players.
I got to know what was going on at both clubs a day or so before it went public in the E&S.
I have to agree with Manc Baggie,the relationship between the club and the fans is very poor,we are always the last to know,whereas Wolves fans knew about their takeover a few weeks ago, and it WILL happen.
I doubt ours will,same old every season.
Why should they tell us anyway,we only finance the club.

We don't finance the club. The Premier League finance the club. We could play every single game from here on out behind closed doors, shut the club shop, don't sell any programmes, refreshments, and merchandise, and we'll make £100m next year.

[baggiejohn]

I've never understood the anger at us not shouting things from the roof tops. I just don't see what the issue is.

Consider this: We announce we are making a move for a player. Other clubs, media outlets, etc then know about it. If the player is worth buying, you can bet your house that someone will be able to offer him better terms than us. Keeping our approaches low-key got us Odemwingie, Rondon, Evans, etc. We very very rarely win battles for players when competing with other clubs. 1-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they made an approach for a player, fans get excited, player doesn't sign. Fans are mad and criticise the club. In many, many cases this will not be the clubs fault and down to ridiculous wage/agent fees requested by the player. The club then has to deal with the fallout of failing to sign a player, all because they put it out in the open. It's not in the clubs interest to have the fans criticise them for circumstances out their control, just because they thought they'd throw out a tidbit of info first. 2-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they're 'monitoring' a player, not even in talks with them, the fans don't like said player and spout off on Social Media about the disappointment of such news. Fans threaten to return season tickets (it happened over a bloody kit for goodness sake, and McClean), the club has to deal with the fallout. 3-0 for keeping quiet.

I just don't get it. If you can't disconnect the notion that no news means nothing is happening, I have nothing for you. If you just want us to start making media announcements like a big swinging dong competition so we look good, I can message you a random outlandish transfer rumour every day if you like?

I'd MUCH rather we keep our cards close to our chest than the idiots that run clubs that say anything to appease fans. Look at West Ham - 'We are going to sign a big name striker, maybe Lacazette' - great precedent to set when you do neither. They'll be judged on their ridiculous statement, their unfounded confidence and then lack the ability to do the deal. It has absolutely nothing to do with the wealth of the clubs - it's the outward appearance and ego that has everything to do with it. Man City are a big club with lots of money, who can sign anyone they want, and a lot of media eyes are on them. OF COURSE they'll want to flex their financial muscles by being seen to go for the best players in the world. How the hell do Albion do that? Imagine if we said we wanted to sign Lacazette or Pogba or Ronaldo? Nobody would believe it, we'd look deluded and our own, and other teams fans would think we'd lost the plot.

People need to disassociate themselves with having to know absolutely everything going on, at all times, everywhere. We aren't going to sign players if we have to compete with other clubs, so that's why we don't announce transfers til they're done. The club comes off SO much better by not being seen to miss out on deals, not making outlandish statements of intent and not putting itself in the firing line unnecessarily.

I agree with everything you've said, but I did hear on the grapevine, that we might be making a bid for Aaron Ramsey, apparently James Chester convinced him that the meals in our training ground restaurant were better than Arsenal's.

[smethwickw]

Consider this: We announce we are making a move for a player. Other clubs, media outlets, etc then know about it. If the player is worth buying, you can bet your house that someone will be able to offer him better terms than us. Keeping our approaches low-key got us Odemwingie, Rondon, Evans, etc. We very very rarely win battles for players when competing with other clubs. 1-0 to keeping quiet.

I very much doubt it works like that. If a player is available then every man and his dog will know about it. I hardly think managers and chairman are keeping an eye on the internet to see which players are moving. Their agents will be touting them all over the place trying to get the best deal. I suspect we got the 3 players you mention because we were the best or only option available to them at the time.

[Hunnington Baggie]

There was a mate in my class at school in the 60's, whose dad was a businessman and played golf with Albion and Wolves players.
I got to know what was going on at both clubs a day or so before it went public in the E&S.
I have to agree with Manc Baggie,the relationship between the club and the fans is very poor,we are always the last to know,whereas Wolves fans knew about their takeover a few weeks ago, and it WILL happen.
I doubt ours will,same old every season.
Why should they tell us anyway,we only finance the club.

far as I can tell Wolves the club have said nothing about a buyer in any capacity. The Club has said just as much as ours have.

[MarkW]

Perhaps you need to do some networking Mark?

We contacted Adrian Wright (Head of Sales and Marketing), Martin Swain (Director of Communications) and possibly Paul Bradbury (Head of Retail) too via LinkedIn. When we didn't hear anything, we posted example outputs to the club urging them to talk to us.

Never mind, we work with other Premier League clubs, I'm sure the club knows what it's doing....

[divinewind]

far as I can tell Wolves the club have said nothing about a buyer in any capacity. The Club has said just as much as ours have.

Well Kenny Jackett has said he won't be part of the new owners plans,it doesn't get much more obvious than that.
The good news is they are keeping Moxey.

[baggiejohn]

We contacted Adrian Wright (Head of Sales and Marketing), Martin Swain (Director of Communications) and possibly Paul Bradbury (Head of Retail) too via LinkedIn. When we didn't hear anything, we posted example outputs to the club urging them to talk to us.

Never mind, we work with other Premier League clubs, I'm sure the club knows what it's doing....

I'll pm you

[WBArgo]

I don't think it would be sensible for the club to say anything whilst negotiations are in place, perhaps legally they're not allowed to anyway.
It's a rock and a hard place. If you leak even the smallest amount of info out that a takeover is happening, then the fans start to get excited and can be cynical if it falls through (which many takeovers of this size happen to do so). Yet if you stay quiet it also creates unrest as the fans feel ignored that nothing is being said.

[Manc Baggie]

I've never understood the anger at us not shouting things from the roof tops. I just don't see what the issue is.

Consider this: We announce we are making a move for a player. Other clubs, media outlets, etc then know about it. If the player is worth buying, you can bet your house that someone will be able to offer him better terms than us. Keeping our approaches low-key got us Odemwingie, Rondon, Evans, etc. We very very rarely win battles for players when competing with other clubs. 1-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they made an approach for a player, fans get excited, player doesn't sign. Fans are mad and criticise the club. In many, many cases this will not be the clubs fault and down to ridiculous wage/agent fees requested by the player. The club then has to deal with the fallout of failing to sign a player, all because they put it out in the open. It's not in the clubs interest to have the fans criticise them for circumstances out their control, just because they thought they'd throw out a tidbit of info first. 2-0 to keeping quiet.

The club announces they're 'monitoring' a player, not even in talks with them, the fans don't like said player and spout off on Social Media about the disappointment of such news. Fans threaten to return season tickets (it happened over a bloody kit for goodness sake, and McClean), the club has to deal with the fallout. 3-0 for keeping quiet.

I just don't get it. If you can't disconnect the notion that no news means nothing is happening, I have nothing for you. If you just want us to start making media announcements like a big swinging dong competition so we look good, I can message you a random outlandish transfer rumour every day if you like?

I'd MUCH rather we keep our cards close to our chest than the idiots that run clubs that say anything to appease fans. Look at West Ham - 'We are going to sign a big name striker, maybe Lacazette' - great precedent to set when you do neither. They'll be judged on their ridiculous statement, their unfounded confidence and then lack the ability to do the deal. It has absolutely nothing to do with the wealth of the clubs - it's the outward appearance and ego that has everything to do with it. Man City are a big club with lots of money, who can sign anyone they want, and a lot of media eyes are on them. OF COURSE they'll want to flex their financial muscles by being seen to go for the best players in the world. How the hell do Albion do that? Imagine if we said we wanted to sign Lacazette or Pogba or Ronaldo? Nobody would believe it, we'd look deluded and our own, and other teams fans would think we'd lost the plot.

People need to disassociate themselves with having to know absolutely everything going on, at all times, everywhere. We aren't going to sign players if we have to compete with other clubs, so that's why we don't announce transfers til they're done. The club comes off SO much better by not being seen to miss out on deals, not making outlandish statements of intent and not putting itself in the firing line unnecessarily.

Hello PsalmXXIII, I am certainly not angry & agree that we as a smaller club have to quite rightly cut our cloth & associated transfer policy accordingly & I am in no way suggesting we should be / can compete with richer clubs in relation to transfers. Neither have I suggested anything related to making outlandish claims etc. The national media generally do enough of that already. I fully endorse keeping our transfer cards close to our chest.
My point was & remains, that the culture of the club is in my opinion rather closed in relation to engaging our fans & was only using Man City as an example of the more open engaging culture from that club towards its fans, as thanks to my missus, I am aware of the positive difference between the clubs in this regard. One example is that we could & in my opinion should have more free to view content on the o/s regarding match highlights, player interviews, opinion pieces & behind the scenes content. As you have quite correctly pointed out in your follow up post, the fans are not needed to finance the club, so why not make the Albion player free?
Due to Mrs Manc Baggie having severe health problems & no longer being able to go to games or even operate a keyboard anymore, I have consequently spent a lot of time on the Man City o/s over recent seasons to inform her of what is happening at her club & I can honestly say that they are light years ahead of us. I know they have recently remodelled their o/s, so will be interesting to see what changes.
There will always be more news & day to day content about our club which would be of interest to our fans & which would make us feel more connected to our club & help to raise our profile to the wider media in a more positive way. What is needed, is a change of attitude & emphasis by the club to be thinking what can we do for our fans, instead of what can our fans give us & making more effort with o/s would, in my opinion, be a good place to start.

[Hayward1984]

I don't see the link between the club detailing every working behind the scenes and the fans?

We don't need to know anything until it is done and dusted. It seems crazy to suggest otherwise!

It's been said a hundred times this summer that after last years embarrassing about turn at the 11th hour that it's no surprise it's very quiet.

Word on the grapevine is that JP is talking about selling the club. Ultimately he has a price and probably doesn't want to just flog it to any old nutter. At some point he will find a suitable buyer weather it be at his price or later at a reduced price.

Ultimately the way things are going in world football it probably won't make a great deal of difference except we may become slightly more fluid in the transfer market.

The moaning from some Albion fans on social media is quite frankly embarrassing.

[divinewind]

Personally i think nothing is being said because nothing is happening. Parties have probably checked us out,saw the askingprice but have said, thanks but no thanks.
I am pretty sure that the billionaire who is taking over the dingles would have had a look at us first.
Premiership club,no debt. What could have possibly put him off?

[kc56wba]

Personally i think nothing is being said because nothing is happening. Parties have probably checked us out,saw the askingprice but have said, thanks but no thanks.
I am pretty sure that the billionaire who is taking over the dingles would have had a look at us first.
Premiership club,no debt. What could have possibly put him off?

Moaning Fans   

[divinewind]

Moaning Fans   

Christ, he wouldn't have gone for the Dingles then.

[Albionic]

Personally i think nothing is being said because nothing is happening. Parties have probably checked us out,saw the askingprice but have said, thanks but no thanks.
I am pretty sure that the billionaire who is taking over the dingles would have had a look at us first.
Premiership club,no debt. What could have possibly put him off?

Sandwell air traffic control wouldn't give his chopper clearance.    Fnar, Fnar !!!

[VVVAlbion]

Personally i think nothing is being said because nothing is happening. Parties have probably checked us out,saw the askingprice but have said, thanks but no thanks.
I am pretty sure that the billionaire who is taking over the dingles would have had a look at us first.
Premiership club,no debt. What could have possibly put him off?

If they would rather shop a Lidl ....

[Mister AT]

Exclusive: @WBA have agreed to sell club to a Chinese group.The deal will be completed around September once due diligence is completed #WBA

It's from the well known Indy guy on Twitter who tends to get 80% of deals before the media.

[telford baggie]

Exclusive: @WBA have agreed to sell club to a Chinese group.The deal will be completed around September once due diligence is completed #WBA

It's from the well known Indy guy on Twitter who tends to get 80% of deals before the media.

even if thats true he will be running a championship club as we wont have time to sign anyone

[tommcneill]

I doubt we are worth 4 times more than them Tom. Morgan spent quite a bit on their ground, all the new owners have to spend on is the squad. They went for £40m, and like it or not they are a club with a great history. I would value us at £80m but no more. To be honest i am not sure i would really want a filthy rich Chinaman running us,with no knowledge of our history and heritage. But Peace has said he has taken us as far as he can,i just want something sorted out sooner rather than later and not have this circus every bloody summer window.

We are worth an awful lot more than 80m in my opinion

Throw in the TV deal, assets of the club and you have a club worth at least 120-130 if not more

[LiamTheBaggie]

Exclusive: @WBA have agreed to sell club to a Chinese group.The deal will be completed around September once due diligence is completed #WBA

It's from the well known Indy guy on Twitter who tends to get 80% of deals before the media.

He doesn't. He makes it up as he goes along.

[sooty2]

It as been sold just got to wait now until the club is ready to make it public 👍