The future for SEO/B&G

[markymark]

After the abuse received and witnessed yesterday I don't think that the abusers have respect for anything and/or anyone, regardless as to how clear the message or the strategy is delivered.

 

That is a taste of your own then for all those emails you send and encourage others to do.

[jjvale_03]

The only idiots are those who think that customers not wanting to go to a place of business because they aren't happy with it is the customers fault.

 

When the unsatisfied customers are in a massive minority then I think it is justifiable that they are largely ignored. I'd rather keep the next generation of fans on side, the one's who proudly wore their new away tops yesterday and turned up in force to support the club. The youth are the future, SEO is finished.

[Utch]

I warned against SEO many months ago, some time in April I believe it was. My warnings were, of course, ignored. That is the main failings of this movement in my opinion. Discussion on the best way to go about it has been ignored. People have been so narrow minded in their direction, and I can understand that, but they assume any criticism has got to come from a pro-boarder.

 

It looks to me like there has been a complete lack of rational thinking. I might be wrong, that's just the impression I get from here. I know there have been meetings but how much value added quality wasearnt from them?

 

If this movement is to continue then it requires a lot more planning, a lot more organisation and a lot more listening.

[valetillidye]

That is a taste of your own then for all those emails you send and encourage others to do.

 

I doubt that they were abusive

[MarkB2]

I warned against SEO many months ago, some time in April I believe it was. My warnings were, of course, ignored. That is the main failings of this movement in my opinion. Discussion on the best way to go about it has been ignored. People have been so narrow minded in their direction, and I can understand that, but they assume any criticism has got to come from a pro-boarder.

 

It looks to me like there has been a complete lack of rational thinking. I might be wrong, that's just the impression I get from here. I know there have been meetings but how much value added quality wasearnt from them?

 

If this movement is to continue then it requires a lot more planning, a lot more organisation and a lot more listening.

 

Come on then, say something worth listening to, as you appear to have all the answers.

 

How do you remove a regime that will not listen, negotiate, invest, etc etc?

 

If the customer base is really ok with all of this, then God help us all. You have to hope that the team does well this season, or all hell will break loose as feelings are being temporarily kept under control as it is the beginning of the season.

 

A point yesterday does not solve anything, regardless of what some might be arguing at the moment. You seem not to think meetings are the answer. Nor do you think that direct action is the answer.

 

What is the best way to go then?

[Twitters]

When the unsatisfied customers are in a massive minority then I think it is justifiable that they are largely ignored. I'd rather keep the next generation of fans on side, the one's who proudly wore their new away tops yesterday and turned up in force to support the club. The youth are the future, SEO is finished.

 

10% is still a five figure loss and no company can afford that. Ignoring any lost customers is commercial suicide.

[Guest Tony Dyche]

I warned against SEO many months ago, some time in April I believe it was. My warnings were, of course, ignored. That is the main failings of this movement in my opinion. Discussion on the best way to go about it has been ignored. People have been so narrow minded in their direction, and I can understand that, but they assume any criticism has got to come from a pro-boarder.

 

It looks to me like there has been a complete lack of rational thinking. I might be wrong, that's just the impression I get from here. I know there have been meetings but how much value added quality wasearnt from them?

 

If this movement is to continue then it requires a lot more planning, a lot more organisation and a lot more listening.[/quote]

 

Is the key in my opinion.

[Mr Carter]

On the patented AVIM scale of -10 to +10 board love/hate, SEO has positioned the protest movement at -9 or -10. Quite predictably, this has alienated the majority of fans, who are "anti board" rather than "pro board", but far less extreme, say -3. I have posted this before, nothing new here (except now SEO might listen).

 

SEO is a huge mistake. Its is a very very bad strategy, illogical and a failure. You have wasted a massive opportunity to unite the fanbase behind a movement for change. Whoever dreamt it up as a campaign is an idiot.

 

Now what? Do you continue with a failed strategy, even though you know it is doomed to failure, is anti change (by its results, not its intentions) and anti port vale? Or do you come out and say you got it wrong, and get back supporting the club whilst trying to reposition the protest movement more towards the middle ground (say -3/-4 on the AVIM scale)?

 

How do you know its a failed strategy? I know of 4 people who did not bother to go yesterday,the apathy will get stronger the colder and wetter it gets.

[valiant]

I've been going Vale for donkeys years before most of you on here were probably born and even when us fans have been treated like s*it and had awful teams, boards, terrible managers etc.

 

Very rarely have I ever seen big protests against the club, usually 10 people at most. These Black and gold/SEO protests have been some the biggest in the clubs history.

 

Vale fans generally won't protest no matter how bad it gets. I guess we're too nice/soft. Even if in a couple of years time we're in the conference you still won't see big protests against the board. You never will at Vale I can tell you that from years of experience.

[Utch]

Come on then, say something worth listening to, as you appear to have all the answers.

 

How do you remove a regime that will not listen, negotiate, invest, etc etc?

 

If the customer base is really ok with all of this, then God help us all. You have to hope that the team does well this season, or all hell will break loose as feelings are being temporarily kept under control as it is the beginning of the season.

 

A point yesterday does not solve anything, regardless of what some might be arguing at the moment. You seem not to think meetings are the answer. Nor do you think that direct action is the answer.

 

What is the best way to go then?

 

They will, you just need to go about it in the right way. Remove Mo from the situation completely at the start. The smaller shareholders buy up small amounts, increase their own stakeholding. Mark Sims offers to buy 24.9% in writing and goes public with his offer. They will not reject that. They have no grounds to rejecting it. Every offer so far has provided them with a way out. One offer of 24.9% from a person they have invited many times in the past to invest does not give them a way out. The only possible way out is the fact he has yet to accept his Directoship, they will question his commitment. He should accept that immediately.

 

What you then have is Mark Sims on 24.9%, Robbie Williams on whatever he'll be on (it will go down when Mark invests, but you should not in any circumstances make that relationship public) and many smaller shareholders in support of that totalling x%. You'll win any vote you want then, including inviting Mo to invest 24.9%. You're then in a position where you can change the articles and get rid of whoever you want.

 

Going in all guns blazing from the start with the Dream Team of Mo and Mark telling the world about how they were going to get rid of everyone in the boardroom was not the right way to go about it. Boycotting was not the right way to go about it. They will never be forced out by the minority.

[Utch]

10% is still a five figure loss and no company can afford that. Ignoring any lost customers is commercial suicide.

 

Myth .

[shanghai al]

How do you know its a failed strategy? I know of 4 people who did not bother to go yesterday,the apathy will get stronger the colder and wetter it gets.

 

no it wont.... the cold and wet will keep them away not seo or b&g .....:(

[Jacko51]

They will, you just need to go about it in the right way. Remove Mo from the situation completely at the start. The smaller shareholders buy up small amounts, increase their own stakeholding. Mark Sims offers to buy 24.9% in writing and goes public with his offer. They will not reject that. They have no grounds to rejecting it. Every offer so far has provided them with a way out. One offer of 24.9% from a person they have invited many times in the past to invest does not give them a way out. The only possible way out is the fact he has yet to accept his Directoship, they will question his commitment. He should accept that immediately.

 

What you then have is Mark Sims on 24.9%, Robbie Williams on whatever he'll be on (it will go down when Mark invests, but you should not in any circumstances make that relationship public) and many smaller shareholders in support of that totalling x%. You'll win any vote you want then, including inviting Mo to invest 24.9%. You're then in a position where you can change the articles and get rid of whoever you want.

 

Going in all guns blazing from the start with the Dream Team of Mo and Mark telling the world about how they were going to get rid of everyone in the boardroom was not the right way to go about it. Boycotting was not the right way to go about it. They will never be forced out by the minority.

 

The Mo and Mark investment of 24.9% was as a result of an invitation from Mr Bratt for Mo to invest 24.9%, ie to stick within the rules. This he did, and more to the point, he got someone else to stick within the rules as well and they still told them both to do one.

 

I agree that what you propose is ideal. I don't believe that the Board as it existed at the time would have accepted it.

 

Are you saying that the problem with the Mo/Mark bid was that they were too honest?

[Utch]

 

Is the key in my opinion.

 

I agree. So many concerns have been ignored, so many different ideas have been passed off and people have been accused of being pro-board (or Glenn!) because they have a different way of thinking. Change can still be achieved but not the way it's being handled right now.

[bennymole]

boycotting is the only option that has been made available by the boards stance