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Messages - Signor_Maresca

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1
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Albion Tackle Crowd Behaviour
« on: February 07, 2024, 03:31:03 PM »
Haven’t posted on here for ages but feel the need to post my account of what happened Saturday. It’s been playing on my mind so I wanted to share what I saw and heard.

I have a season ticket in the Halfords lane stand with my daughter,front row where everything happened.

Bacuna was warming up right by us,nothing was said(at least I didn’t hear anything) and he never reacted to anything.

He comes on and within a few minutes he is looking directly at the section I’m in,not just a glance a proper scowling stare. Bloke behind me shouted”what the #### you looking at” so people noticed how he was looking over. Bacuna just smiled and ran off. Looking back was he looking for someone or just trying to get a reaction ? Was something said before the flashpoint ?

We go 1 up.

The ball then comes into our section, Bacuna runs to the cone and picks another ball up to take a quick throw in. In the meantime someone has thrown the ball back down from the stand and it goes on the pitch. The ref stops the game because there’s two balls on the pitch.

Bacuna then kicks the ball back in to the crowd. Deliberately. I wouldn’t say he blasted the ball but he put power in it. Shouting abuse at the section where I sit and throws his arms out, the ball goes right by the person Bacuna points out to the officials later on.

Obviously then people stand up and shout abuse back at him. I never once heard anything racial,Bacuna didn’t react to anything and the game continued. I never heard anything racial and nobody in the area reacted to anything that was said.

Short time after the ball comes right by us. I’ve got the ball in my hand. Albion have a throw in. I’m standing up with my arm out streched with the ball in my hand. Conor Townsend is walking towards me. Bacuna is looking directly at me. I can see him getting agitated because I’ve got the ball and Townsend is taking his time to take the throw in. A blues player runs to the cone and throws the spare ball to Townsend, Townsend lets that ball go past him and that’s when I throw the ball in Townsends direction. I didn’t hear anything racial shouted at this moment.

This is when Bacuna runs to the ref. We honestly thought he had gone to the ref because I had held the ball for a few seconds. The ref sort of waves him away at first. That’s when security comes over and Bacuna is describing someone in a hat with goggles on. Bacuna is pointing in our direction

The security guy then walks past us and goes to a man 7 seats down from me on the same row. The man in question had 2 children with him. I’ve never seen this man before as most people in that section are season ticket holders The family sitting next to him is an Asian family that are season ticket holders. Directly in front of him is a steward who is also Asian. Probably standing 3 yards in front of him

Me and my daughter leave on 95 minutes and we hear the man accused is refusing to give his details ( apparently gave them at the end of the game , along with other people in that area )

Through the whole few minutes of this happening I never heard anything racial shouted. If I had of I would have pointed it out myself. As would the other people in the area. A lot of kids and families sit there.

The man accused had his children with him and if something was shouted racial then someone would have heard it. Especially the young Asian family sitting next to him or the steward standing infront of him.

Thats my account of what happened anyway. If something racial was shouted then the culprit deserves locking up and never let in a football stadium again. Did I hear anything racial, did I see anyone react around me as if something was shouted racial, No I didn’t.

I’m interested to see what everyone around me says about the whole incident at the Cardiff game. The people around me are regulars. The steward who was standing in front of the accused is a regular in that spot.  People who were a lot closer to the accused than Bacuna was. So I’m really keen to have those conversations at the next game.

Let’s just see how the investigation goes, if something racial was shouted then it’s something I didn’t hear.

Spoke to two chaps after the game who sit seemingly very close you and they said exactly the same as this, verbatim. I'd be interested to hear what those others who sit around you say when you see them at the Cardiff match.

2
General Football & Sports / Re: Ron Gourlay - CEO
« on: May 18, 2023, 02:30:49 PM »
Shame we don't have the Ipswich Town CEO - seems to be doing a decent job and is from West Bromwich I believe.

Yup. Mark Ashton, he was with us as an executive for many years. Furthermore Ipswich are now owned by American's who expressed an interest in purchasing the club off Lai a couple of years ago but were rebuffed.  During that process they were guided by Mike O'Leary (now the Ipswich chairman) who was a director at the Albion for many years and up until he got the Ipswich gig was a home season ticket holder in the East Stand. What could have been eh 

3
Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat
« on: April 07, 2023, 01:32:58 PM »
Anyone got a stream?

4
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: The Athletic
« on: February 24, 2023, 01:58:17 PM »
I think the Athletic has some fantastic footballing writers but I can’t say I was a fan of Elias.   Indeed I was so disappointed with his writing that I didn’t renew my subscription until they offered it me for a £1 a month.  Many of his articles ended abruptly and never really dug into crux of things despite the medium allowing him the opportunity to do so.  He churned out a good article when Bruce was sacked and also a recent one with Gourlay but they were the exception not the norm.

In my opinion this is a wider issue with our local media, we haven’t been blessed with decent journalists for a while.  I like Joe Chapman but the clunky; pop-up happy nature of the Birmingham Mail website makes reading his articles rather arduous.  Just look at who has done the unearthing of our murky ownership structure and dodgy loans for the last two years...  most of the heavy lifting has been carried out by Goldberg and Lepowski via their podcast - not the local written press who have been pretty sluggish on the issue.

5
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Action For Albion/ Potential Takeover
« on: October 28, 2022, 11:43:43 PM »
Why would I want to hurt my club in the pocket when it is already struggling.

I'm all for a pressure or protest group but boycotting merchandise, sponsors etc is the wrong way to go about it.

6
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Battle of the Legends: Brunt vs Mozza
« on: September 06, 2022, 04:41:49 PM »
Hope there is a good turnout for this, I know a few weeks ago only 6,000 tickets had been sold, although I imagine many will buy tickets a week or two before the actual game. We have never really turned out for testimonial games, I remember games for Burgess and Raven were only attended by a few thousand, was quite embarrassing.  Even Super Bob's only attracted 16,000.  Lets hope this one won't be such an occasion, especially as proceeds will be going to the Foundation and not topping up pension pots.

7
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ian Pearce
« on: September 02, 2022, 03:22:24 PM »
Since he has been at the club our recruitment has been dismal.  I heard him on a podcast a few years ago (before he joined us) and he did not strike me as a professional person, might be unfair to judge him in such an environment but detailing 90's lads banter stories just didn't sit right knowing he had such an important position within our club. That he refuses to be interviewed by local media/press also doesn't sit right. 

8
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Wba financial report 2021-22
« on: July 05, 2022, 04:11:07 PM »
The more I think about The Hawthorns being an 'asset of community value', the more of a no brainer it looks. If you think about West Brom as a place, what other 'assets of community value' could remotely be considered? Not a lot. If you did a word association with 'West Brom' across the country, 99% would associate it with the football club. 

Pity there isn't a building like Craven Cottage which is listed as a historic building. You couldn't really argue that the Halfords was an architectural wonder, but as I understand it, the ACV designation doesn't just depend on architectural merit.  Its also about cultural value, and also if you view the whole site, there is something iconic about The Hawthorns, which makes it unlike any other stadium.

Oxford United's supporters trust safeguarded their stadium via this route.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/16387843.oxvox-renew-kassam-stadium-asset-community-value-status/

9
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Wba financial report 2021-22
« on: July 05, 2022, 02:59:26 PM »
I'm hoping the local media run a story on this in the coming days, if the allegations are true it is really concerning. Derby got into the mess they are in after selling their ground, the same goes for Sheff Wednesday.
As in that pathetic cheerleader Masi. I doubt it very much, he played down the academy stuff last week and then doubled down even when it became clear there were serious issues.  Worst Albion journalist we've had on our patch.

10
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Cianole Nguepissi (U23) signs.
« on: February 17, 2022, 12:58:42 PM »
I think this was the lad who was at Birmingham, not sure why he left or was let go..

11
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Albion podcasts
« on: February 17, 2022, 12:54:38 PM »
The Liquidator podcast is head and shoulders above any Albion podcast and I highly recommend it.  They are very fair and reasoned in what they say but don't shy away from having an actual opinion.  They have also done more investigative work involving the complex web of ownership at the club than any local journalist has attempted.  I've tried the Express and Star pod but it's total dross; favourite crisp flavours and awful patter about holiday allowances.  The main part of scrutiny comes in the form of Masi saying how lovely he thinks certain managers are. Awful.

12
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Reyes Cleary
« on: December 09, 2021, 01:21:21 PM »
You don't have to have a professional contract to play first team football.  You can only sign professional terms aged 17 but that doesn't mean you have to have one to play.  For example Izzy Brown played for our first team aged 16 and without a professional contract.

I could be completely wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if the club have decided not to promote him because they have got wind that he won't be signing.  Although he looks like he has great potential what is the point in us showcasing that potential if he isn't going to sign or at least until he does actually sign.

I know Joseph Masi said recently that the club are hopeful he will sign but this is the same journalist who said Ferguson and Edwards were on the verge of new deals.  The man is clueless.

13
General Football & Sports / Re: Robert Snodgrass
« on: December 03, 2021, 07:51:15 PM »
Bad back or not, he isn't playing for us again unless the manager goes.

14
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Luke Dowling
« on: June 16, 2021, 02:43:07 PM »
Hopcroft should pipe down.  Maybe he isn't whiter than white, especially when it comes to matters of young players leaving for foreign shores only to end up locally 6 months later.

15
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Manager Thread
« on: June 09, 2021, 04:10:32 PM »
Wagner is such an underwhelming choice.  I’ve never known such a plethora of competent managers being available at the same time and seemingly within our grasp yet somehow we’ve still managed to balls it up.  I remember the summer of 2019 it seemed to take us an age to appoint someone, there was just hardly anyone of note free and then the club surprised us by appointing Bilic out of the blue.  This time we have been spoilt for choice; one of the most successful managers in the country over the last 10 years was keen to join, while other younger managers who have already cut their teeth elsewhere were ready to make a splash.  Yet we end up with Wagner because our owner is such a precious feeble hermit he is worried that the new man may talk out of turn. 

After relegation this is just disheartening.  I was hoping for an appointment that would galvanise the club and supporters.  Lai meddled before with the Dean Smith / Darren Moore conundrum, you would have thought he would have learnt from that experience.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we are going back cap in hand to Wilder in 6 months. 

16
General Football & Sports / Re: Sam Allardyce
« on: February 06, 2021, 05:40:07 PM »
Who wasn’t saying anything about Bilic...and which league did we tear up?

I was quite vocal about the poor performances last season, quite vocal about the lack of a Plan B....

I’ve been vocal about how poor we’ve been since Jan until Bilic left.

You can’t bring yourself to blame Bilic for any of the poor recruitment can you? He tells the DOF where we are lacking and they go out and get those players

There has been a few occasions where a player has been brought possibly by the DOF for the future or for some kind of resale. But the majority are Bilic’s signings.

Just a shame he didn’t want a decent CDM or a decent striker. Instead we are overloaded with wingers or wide forwards...

It's well documented that Bilic wanted a defensive midfielder in the summer and to say he just gives a list of positions that need filling to the DOF who then goes out and buys the players required is pretty simplistic and incorrect.

17
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: The Board
« on: December 18, 2020, 12:04:16 PM »
For someone with a rather patchy history Luke Dowling has managed to seize alot of control on this football club.

18
General Football & Sports / Re: Sam Allardyce
« on: December 16, 2020, 10:17:11 PM »
Does Allardyce still not speak to the BBC after Panoroma nearly stung him for corruption back in 2006?  Then there was the Telegraph allegations... He has quite the catologue really. And some people don't understand why some fans don't want him anywhere near the club.

19
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Manager/Head coach
« on: December 16, 2020, 12:07:26 AM »
At least Goldberg and Lepkowski will be happy now
True. They always add the caveat that they aren't calling for his head after seemingly relishing the opportunity in slating him for 15 minutes. Least they can now concentrate on the enthralling Bomber statue exposé

20
General Football & Sports / Re: Slaven Bilic
« on: December 15, 2020, 11:48:12 PM »
The whole leaking of this story minutes after a valiant performance just shows what a bunch of snivelling toe rags we have running the club at the moment. Regardless of people's opinions on the dismissal, Slav deserves more respect than this.

21
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Manager/Head coach
« on: December 15, 2020, 11:44:01 PM »
Pearson - the best of a bad bunch.

Can't see Fat Sam coming, he'd want to be paid handsomely and have a substantial budget in January. 

Mark Hughes is the most tediously dour manager in Premier League history, can you imagine going from Slav to that.

22
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Filip Krovinovic (back at Benfica)
« on: September 16, 2020, 09:39:54 AM »
I trust Bilic so if he wants him back then that's good enough for me but if I'm honest I just don't see it with Krov.  Likable chap and tidy enough footballer but just doesn't effect games enough and for the figures quoted not worth that type of money.

23
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Branislav Ivanovic signs for WBA
« on: September 16, 2020, 09:34:25 AM »
Could be great, could be awful.  All dependent on how much he has left in the tank.  Hopefully another Lescott (first season) and not an Andy Townsend.

24
General Football & Sports / Re: Romaine Sawyers
« on: September 14, 2020, 03:57:30 PM »
Just absolutely wrong.
What is Livermore good at?

25
West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mark Jenkins
« on: August 03, 2020, 03:48:52 PM »
If he speaks perfect English then great. Someone told me who works in the Foundation that he doesn't - but I stand corrected if he was educated in the UK like you say.

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