I go in the Pools lounge for a pint before and after the home games. Whilst esconced in there after the Orient game, two things struck me and i would like your opinions on them.

1. I thought the ref and the 'officials' had a stinking fookin mare of a game on Saturday. What i did see however was that all three of them came into the lounge for a swifty (possibly topping up from Saturday morning's heavy sesh judging by the performances), and were collared by a couple of fans as they made their way to the bar. Rather than fobbing them off (a la Swarbrick et al) all three of them stopped and chatted and looked like they were explaining their decisions. All three Pools fans seemed a little irate at first, but were answered fully and directly. Not condoning what i thought was a poor refereeing performance, but at least they were willing to face the music. Unless they're pissheads or summat

2. The Pools Lounge is an absolutely prime site for players to do some PR work. We see the usual suspects come in week in week out for a half and to pick up wives and kids, but a lot of the miserable damned bounders just walk through and nash off. What i'm not suggesting is a love-in or slanging match between players and fans, but fer fook's sake how much of a commitment of time and effort is it for them to come in, have an orange juice and sign some autographs ? we've always quite enjoyed some of the trappings of being a smaller club, but i think they're missing an opportunity here. Hearts and Minds is the phrase coming to mind. Now i know the intelligentsia on here will waddle up and scream in my face "But they should be doing it on the pitch etc etc", and you're right. But if people get the chance to speak to some of our players, perhaps we might not have so much of the shitty negative view of half of them that some people 'appear' to have. it obviously takes some buy-in from the fans not just to call people, but it might halp foster a bit more of an atmosphere. or it might be a stupid fookin unworkable idea. just a thought, like

cos that's just plain creepy

Its not a bad thing for an official to answer the fans good for them.

This is Chip and Porter in a different guise..


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=u3YUlcyPXLo

Eh, you're a right card you chip!

On point: 1. I think the referee just had an off day to be honest. He's been reasonably ok when he's reffed us before. So well played to him for explaining his decisions. I would love someone such as Mike Pike to come in the Pools Bar for a little chat shall we say.

2. Spot on. There's a lot of questions about whether the players are committed (we all know that the likes of Humphreys and the ones that have been with us a while all are) but with the newer ones a bond hasn't been made between fans and players. Theirs not that unity between players and fans as their was when Clarke, Tinks, Williams, Westwood, Dimi, Henderson were here. The fans knew that they'd give it their best and some fans are questioning why we can play so well against Leeds and Leyton (away when they were top) in the tough matches but play nowhere near as good when they're not and perhaps we can say some of them play well in those matches to put themselves in the transfer window so they can move onto bigger things. They need to do a PR campaign of some sort and get that TRUST back.

best bloke at the club for talking to the fans at any time is Michael Barron either going in or coming out
worst in my experience is Willy Boland head down wont even look at the kids waiting for autographs

agree. i had him particularly in mind. he's on a decent wedge at a tidy club at a decent level, when he could have been plying his trade at wrexham or somewhere. i think the miserable damned bounder owes us for brighton anyway !!

it doesn't take a lot of effort, does it. stop, have a half and chat to the people paying his waes for ten minutes.

you would have thought that the top brass would have all that sorted
i know we do plenty round the schools but the young fans at the game seem to miss out from some of their dare i say it idols

The times i have been in the Lounge after a match I have noticed that there are usually about 4 or 5 players who call in the rest just seem to go straight to the car park and drive off

Maybe WB is shy.

could be

Bless.

Willie is a nice guy so I believe.

He does take time out, this is Willie posing from what I'm lead to believe is Cardiff's version of Lord Smyth.

yeha he looks as if he ready to dash off

come to think of it Smythe has gat a femine way about him