Fans Page EDP??

[Ray 111]

The EDP have announced in today''s paper that in the countdown to the season finale a page each week has been handed over to four fans, these fans will take it in turns to write a weekly column.

Very interesting and I applaud the idea, however I am a little concerned by the ages of the fans, 36, 33, 22 & 20.

Nothing wrong with being young of course, we were all young once, but what about a fan to represent those of us in 40''s, 50''s, 60''s, 70''s, etc.

IMO an opportunity lost, an opportunity to give a voice to all age groups.

Ageist, I suspect not, just a lack of forethought and insight? ,

[CANARYKING 637]

Anybody know the age of the youngest and oldest season ticket holder ? My guess is 4 and 88 anybody got the correct answers ?

[Woodman 92]

Yep, I don''t remember the EDP inviting people to ''apply'' to be the voice of the fans.  Mates of the journos probably... saves the rest of them having to come up with a story when there isn''t anything else to say in the endless 3 days before the next game.

I''m not suggesting they aren''t big fans, but a 20 or 22 year old won''t have been through what the rest of us have - like the penalty shoot out in Cardiff, ''that'' night in Munich, Robert Chase''s ''promise'' not to sell Chris Sutton, Bruce''s header to send us to the Milk Cup final, Fashanu''s volley v Liverpool...

[The Phantom 0]

Lets not condemn then before they have even written an article. The articles should be about the present and future and not ancient history.

[Ray 111]

After some quick research I found the following;

"Women and BME''s (black and minirity ethnic) are the population groups that are increasingly coming to Premier League matches. A poll of almost 40,000 Premier League match attenders carried out by Populus has found that of the 2.3m attendances by people who have begun going to Premier League football in the last five years, 800,000 (33 per cent) of them are females and 400,000 (16%) are BME''s." This was the 2008/9 season.

Furthermore, in 2013 I found a stat that stated the average of a football fan was 41.

Fully appreciateing within a group of 4 it is almost impossible to fairly represent all sectors, I do think there could have been a bit more diversity within the group.

[Ray 111]

Daupinoise,

No one is condemning them, I''m sure they are four good men and true and their articles could be brilliant. The point is with age comes experience and potentially a different point of view. Not suggesting anyone should write about ancient history, the whole point is, I assume, that they write about the upcoming charge to the top.

[Duncan Edwards 2,231]

They asked for volunteers on Twitter, these chaps are the ones that responded and got chosen.

Fair play to them and with regard to age diversity, I''ve no idea if anybody older put their name forward - they can only pick from the pool available after all.

I post blogs and am 36 but I don''t think what I write particularly alienates fans of different generations, if it does then I''d like to know!

Give them a chance, I know Jon Punt and he''s a decent chap that talks sense; I''m looking forward to seeing what he, and the other guys, has to say.

[Ray 111]

Hi Paul,

Asking for volunteers on twitter probably reduced the number of, shall we say, more senior fans, who would have been aware of it, although surely some would have been. I for one would certainly be happy to write (aged 59) and have indeed offered to do so recently (via direct email).

As I said earlier, I''m sure the guys (and you) will/do write very well, that is not in question, it''s just that a more diverse ''selection'' may bring more to the party, impossible to quantify or qualify of course.

The point of my OP is that more thought could have been put into the selection so it reflected the fan base more accurately.

I shall of course look forward to reading their insights.

Where can we read your blogs?

[Duncan Edwards 2,231]

Ray,

 

Re: The Twitter Appeal - I agree, perhaps not the way to draw in the widest and most diverse of responses but certainly the quickest way to get one.

 

There''s a certain keenness to utilise Social Media and Twitter is the one that is probably most "on trend" at the moment.

 

If you want to put yourself through it, there is a link to my latest blog on this thread:

 

http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/3228637/ShowPost.aspx

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Ray"]I am a little concerned by the ages of the fans, 36, 33, 22 & 20.IMO an opportunity lost, an opportunity to give a voice to all age groups.[/quote]The EDP already have Robin Sainty (who''s in his late fifties I believe) writing for them and as far as I know, is not a paid journo, simply a fan just like you and me.I''m not sure about others they have listed on their website like David Powles and Melissa Rudd but surely all the journo''s are City fans. Whether any of them give us "a voice" is another matter. Archant need to keep on good terms with the club and therefore are highly unlikely to print anything they feel is contentious.At the end of the day, anything these people write are simply their own views and opinions and written with hindsight. As an example, how many journo''s/ bloggers suggested appointing Alex Neil as manager BEFORE it was announced we were interested in him?In my opinion, the best source of info, breaking news, real debate and pure passion can be found right here on this quaint little old forum and where EVERY fan has a voice.

[Duncan Edwards 2,231]

Quite right Lapps.

It''s all reactionary. I expect the club keep a close eye on what is published too.

I''d have thought Robin Sainty was a fair bit older than that Lapps - I think it''s an old photo that they use in the paper...

[chicken 0]

I sort of resent the sentiment of the OP. Younger people cannot represent the feelings of the older people. 36 is that far appart from a 40/41 year old?I like to think that I think like an adult human, not like an early 30 something. That I am capable of sharing the same mindset as someone much older. In fact I have several friends that are 20 ish years my senior. The age gap is not something I take much notice about. Much as with friends that are a 7 years younger than me, we share some views and not others. But I find age is not the main factor in that.Maybe they shouldn''t have sought volunteers on twitter - but that is one of the key ways that companies are reaching out to their customers now and the ''media'' are using more and more ways of communicating.Personally, I don''t use twitter a lot. I do go on it every now and then and it''s nice to see things like Nathan Redmond tweeting about a TV show I enjoy as well  (Game of Thrones) - it helps to remind us that those footballers are human as well.My suggestion - give these chaps a chance before you pull the rug out from underneath them and go on about ages. I know plenty of retired folk who are still young at heart, use twitter, are active and wouldn''t consider their age to make them any different to anyone else in any great way.

[lake district canary 4,531]

So they invited people from twitter??   In my experience people who are on twitter are also on facebook, email loads, are prolific on message boards, spend vast amount of time on the internet and text uncontrollably - therefore, on top of that, twitter is a time consuming, addictive and unhealthy pastime and anyone who spends a lot of time on twitter is bound to be minus brain cells and ability to think for themselves because of that and all the other media they use.  

Why not put an ad in the paper as well as on social media, inviting people to send in pieces by email as part of a competition, the reward being column space, opening it to everyone and ensuring a top quality end product?   If they had four slots they could have had four age groups as well, thus ensuring a balance across the age range. Whatever the qualities of different ages, any writer about football, be

they 12 or 72 has an opinion worth hearing.  In the interest of balance, a 15, 35, 55 and 75 age range would have been a better spread

of ages to get a wide range of  real fan input to the paper.    Four fans 20-36 selected from twitter on the face of it is a token gesture.

[BigFish 1,986]

Do people really still get their football insights from the EDP of all places in this day and age?

[STAN 29]

Look at all you lot getting jealous, deary me.

LDC, you say anybody who uses Twitter reguarly is bound to be minus brain cells and the ability to think for themselves? What a statement, how the hell have you come to that conclusion?

You sound like a bitter old man.

[Lewis Esquire 0]

Why do the ''older'' fans need a page in a newspaper to whinge about the current plight of the club and what used to be? That''s what you all sit on the pinkun for.

Younger fans are more enthusiastic and less ''That''s not how they did it in my day... etc''.

Michael Bailey appears to be under 35, and is a breath of fresh of air when it comes to NCFC opinions, views and write-ups. His show 3-up-front is actually a good watch too.

Give the young guns a chance. Rather than writing them off before they''ve begun you old negative whingers!

[Ray 111]

Chicken,

I think you are missing the point. Younger people (in general) are more in touch with younger issues and vice versa. However you cannot have 70 years worth of life''s experiences until you are 70, so will not have lived through all that life, and football, has thrown at you for those 70 years.

No-one is pulling the rug, as I''ve already said I''m sure their writings will be interesting and informative, it would just have been more approriate to have had a more diverse age spread, the older you are, typically the wiser you are (doesn''t always follow I agree).

As someone in his 50''s I love to hear the point of view of the younger generations as I do the older generations, as I do male and female and from different cultures and one thing I can promise you is that they are diverse.

My OP was not to knock those that had been selected but more to suggest that the EDP could have spread the net a little wider in terms of diversity.

Anyone who has passed thier driving test is allowed to drive on our roads, it doesn''t make them all equal when it comes to being a safe driver, why is it do you think that insurance companies charge youngsters more? A rhetorical question, the answer is because those with more experiennce tend to drive more safely, based on their experience, they have a diiferent view on things.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="STAN"]Look at all you lot getting jealous, deary me.

LDC, you say anybody who uses Twitter reguarly is bound to be minus brain cells and the ability to think for themselves? What a statement, how the hell have you come to that conclusion?

You sound like a bitter old man.[/quote]

That''s me, although I''m not that bitter and not that old [:)] .   Regarding twitter,  I believe socially it does more harm than good, that''s all. 

[Matt Juler 148]

Why was I not asked?

[Ray 111]

Lewis,

Please read the posts, no-one has said no youngsters, no -one is whinging, what has been said is a representative mix.

Based on the content of your post I can but assume which age group you fall into, and if correct this sort of makes my point.

Re your did it "in my day" comment, well the younger you are the less ''my days'' you have! You have also made a massive assumption about enthusiasm, it may just be that ''older'' fans do things differently, may be they don''t invade pitches and swing of cross bars, not to say we didn''t when we were younger of course!

[Lord Horn Returns 0]

[quote user="lake district canary"]So they invited people from twitter??   In my experience people who are on twitter are also on facebook, email loads, are prolific on message boards, spend vast amount of time on the internet and text uncontrollably - therefore, on top of that, twitter is a time consuming, addictive and unhealthy pastime and anyone who spends a lot of time on twitter is bound to be minus brain cells and ability to think for themselves because of that and all the other media they use.  

Why not put an ad in the paper as well as on social media, inviting people to send in pieces by email as part of a competition, the reward being column space, opening it to everyone and ensuring a top quality end product?   If they had four slots they could have had four age groups as well, thus ensuring a balance across the age range. Whatever the qualities of different ages, any writer about football, be

they 12 or 72 has an opinion worth hearing.  In the interest of balance, a 15, 35, 55 and 75 age range would have been a better spread

of ages to get a wide range of  real fan input to the paper.    Four fans 20-36 selected from twitter on the face of it is a token gesture.

[/quote]

Assumptions, assumptions - I''m on Twitter but hardly use any other social media (and am certainly not on Facebook).  For what it''s worth I''m 59 and in my 50th season of watching Norwich.  Good luck to the ''young guns who are taking part in this.  We used Fanzines in our day to express our views but times move on.  Looking forward to seeing their views. 

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Lord Horn Returns"][quote user="lake district canary"]So they invited people from twitter??   In my experience people who are on twitter are also on facebook, email loads, are prolific on message boards, spend vast amount of time on the internet and text uncontrollably - therefore, on top of that, twitter is a time consuming, addictive and unhealthy pastime and anyone who spends a lot of time on twitter is bound to be minus brain cells and ability to think for themselves because of that and all the other media they use. Why not put an ad in the paper as well as on social media, inviting people to send in pieces by email as part of a competition, the reward being column space, opening it to everyone and ensuring a top quality end product?   If they had four slots they could have had four age groups as well, thus ensuring a balance across the age range. Whatever the qualities of different ages, any writer about football, be

they 12 or 72 has an opinion worth hearing.  In the interest of balance, a 15, 35, 55 and 75 age range would have been a better spread

of ages to get a wide range of  real fan input to the paper.    Four fans 20-36 selected from twitter on the face of it is a token gesture.

[/quote]Assumptions, assumptions - I''m on Twitter but hardly use any other social media (and am certainly not on Facebook).  For what it''s worth I''m 59 and in my 50th season of watching Norwich.  Good luck to the ''young guns who are taking part in this.  We used Fanzines in our day to express our views but times move on.  Looking forward to seeing their views. 

[/quote]

Fair do''s guv.  Still think twitter is socially divisive, never reliable in terms of authenticity of content and sometimes just plain abusive, but that''s just my opinion.   I''ve no objections to younger people at all, btw, its just the use of twitter to promote column inches in a newspaper I find a little odd.  Maybe they are hoping to attract new customers by it, I don''t know.  Regardless, not everyone is on twitter and it should not be assumed by companies that twitter is the be all and end all in terms of them contacting people.  The regular internet is there and so is the real newspaper, so if column inches are available for fans, why not advertise across all outlets? 

[Lewis Esquire 0]

Ray, your response couldn''t any more ''mature'' and boring... no one wants to read that...

[STAN 29]

LDC, surely that can be said about all social media websites though? Or even the Pinkun forum, or just the internet as a whole?

Personally I find you rather contradictive, how can a regular user of this forum belittle Twitter users?

In reality I fail to see why any NCFC fan who uses the internet wouldn''t have a Twitter account.

I mean perhaps Archant should''ve sent a car around the UK doing an hourly broadcast over CB Radio, just to be on the safe side.

[chicken 0]

[quote user="Ray"]Chicken,

I think you are missing the point. Younger people (in general) are more in touch with younger issues and vice versa. However you cannot have 70 years worth of life''s experiences until you are 70, so will not have lived through all that life, and football, has thrown at you for those 70 years.

No-one is pulling the rug, as I''ve already said I''m sure their writings will be interesting and informative, it would just have been more approriate to have had a more diverse age spread, the older you are, typically the wiser you are (doesn''t always follow I agree).

As someone in his 50''s I love to hear the point of view of the younger generations as I do the older generations, as I do male and female and from different cultures and one thing I can promise you is that they are diverse.

My OP was not to knock those that had been selected but more to suggest that the EDP could have spread the net a little wider in terms of diversity.

Anyone who has passed thier driving test is allowed to drive on our roads, it doesn''t make them all equal when it comes to being a safe driver, why is it do you think that insurance companies charge youngsters more? A rhetorical question, the answer is because those with more experiennce tend to drive more safely, based on their experience, they have a diiferent view on things.[/quote]For what it''s worth I wouldn''t use the insurance example as an argument.Several studies have shown that insurance prices only reflect the liklihood of someone that age claiming on it. And they often have little choice, not being able to cover £300 damages etc. Where as people who have worked for more years understand that paying the £300 now will save them in the long run and tend to sort things out without insurers.And to be honest, although you are trying desperately not to be, you still throwing up "age comparisons".You say you have to live 70 years to have 70 years worth of life experience. Again, that is quite frankly rubbish. I know some folk in their 50''s/60''s who have never ventured further than resorts in Spain. I also know people of my age who have ventured to Vietnam/Thailand to work in orphanages in some incredibly deprived areas.It''s not about quantity, it''s not even about quality, it''s about relevance. When it comes to football, pretty much everyone''s view is as relevent as anothers after watching a game.As I said before, it has absolutely nothing to do with age. They are not allowed to age descriminate anyway, and they have picked some fans, at a guess, without actually knowing what their ages were before they picked them.

[Ray 111]

Lewis,

You said;

"Ray, your response couldn''t any more ''mature'' and boring... no one wants to read that... "

Two things Lewis, you did and bothered to reply to it and perhaps the fact you can''t string a sentence together says it all, plus of course the tone of your reply!

[The Phantom 0]

Re LDC comments where is Morty when you need him!

[STAN 29]

I completely agree with chicken. I know 70 year olds who are about as cultured as a Turkey Twizzler.

If the column was purely on Norwich City History I would understand peoples reservations, but its not, thus making age completely irrelevant.

[Ray 111]

Stan,

I agree that age is completely irrelevant but that''s not to say a mix of age, gender, etc may have brought more to the overall purpose of the idea. Afterall, the Carrow Rd crowd does not consist of all under 36 year old males.

[Crabbycanary3 994]

Whoa guys, hold back on the testosterone!

This is not a thread about older better than younger, or vice versa, it''s just a request for a more wider age differential than 16 years! I think that is a fair request. Ray isn''t looking to take Archant to Court, just an observation