Birch

[alex]

Just can't be arsed. Know what I mean?

 

[Feriol]

Just can't be arsed. Know what I mean?

No idea.

 

[alex]

Nice.

 

[BOB HAZELL]

I think the concern is over the apparent and ongoing move away from a club which welcomes strong bonds with supporters and that liaison is valued and serviced through the employment of people like Peter Jones and Alan Birchenall and towards a club where the unseen money men do alright and the fans are valued only really as a revenue generating source.

I don't necessarily even agree that getting him off the wageroll is good business from the club in a purely financial sense, but even if it is, doing something which is a little bit better from the club in a from a 'head' point of view, probably does not justify ripping out its heart, or put differently, a bit of its soul, its identity.

Just my thoughts on it. I see it as a bigger things than one man losing his job - its part of the transition our club is going through. Faceless and corporate makes sense on paper in a lot of ways and in a lot of situations in the business world, but in the entertainment/service/sport industry (and LCFC finds itself in all of these and more) sometimes having a bit of a personality, a likeable profile, a hook or a soul is worth more.

Most sense I've read on here on a long time.

 

[David Gwilliam]

Before going to my main point it is clear the Mercury report is substantially true. If it was not then the club woukld have denied it. It may even be that the Mercury informed the club of the gist of what it was writing in order to get a reaction.


Some of the comments are very ungracious. A loyal servant of the club is about to be sacked. Posts that sneer or find this humourous reflect badly on the person making them.

I get the impression that the negative people are more interested in being churlish than finding out what Birch does. In the hope that I am wrong on this I will put down some of the things I believe the Birch has been doing.

Part of his job seems to be as follows:
he is most likely to be the person who meets visitors to the training ground and sometimes the stadium and shows them round:
he works with organized groups wanting to visit the Walkers
he does a lot of work with the disabled supporters
he arranges the logistics of half time what groups will be taking part who will be interviewed etc
he does work over the sending of shirts, autograph sessions etc
he will be the person meeting foreign visitor he will be responsible for arranging hospital visits and players going into the community

I cannot swear to the accuracy of this and would guess that there are occasions that clash and jobs that overlap.

 

[Filthy Rich]

Before going to my main point it is clear the Mercury report is substantially true. If it was not then the club woukld have denied it. It may even be that the Mercury informed the club of the gist of what it was writing in order to get a reaction.


Some of the comments are very ungracious. A loyal servant of the club is about to be sacked. Posts that sneer or find this humourous reflect badly on the person making them.

I get the impression that the negative people are more interested in being churlish than finding out what Birch does. In the hope that I am wrong on this I will put down some of the things I believe the Birch has been doing.

Part of his job seems to be as follows:
he is most likely to be the person who meets visitors to the training ground and sometimes the stadium and shows them round:
he works with organized groups wanting to visit the Walkers
he does a lot of work with the disabled supporters
he arranges the logistics of half time what groups will be taking part who will be interviewed etc
he does work over the sending of shirts, autograph sessions etc
he will be the person meeting foreign visitor he will be responsible for arranging hospital visits and players going into the community

I cannot swear to the accuracy of this and would guess that there are occasions that clash and jobs that overlap.

To that I would also add that he probably makes sure that new players, especially those from abroad, are looked after and made to feel at home. While I don't know that for sure, hopefully someone fulfills that role and I can't see any one more suited than the Birch.

 

[David Gwilliam]

Birch should have been sacked for constantly blowing his whistle down the microphone at almost every home game last year.

I think the club could get someone more family friendly really. Birch spent a lot of his time perving on any girl within 100 yards of him.
Plus his pre-match on pitch pep talks...come on.

I made a deliberate decision to use my own name on posts and that if I made a post that I had reason to be ashamed of my head would be above the parapet.

Other people use pen-names and this I absolutely respect. I have sparred with Macky, Kingy , Blue Maniac and others and often wondered affectionately what lay behind the pen name. For the first time I believe a poster should have had the integrity to include his/her proper name in a post.

I do not know whether FoxFan goes to games. All I can say is that his allegations seem to me squalid. Since I sit near the dugout I get a good view of the Birch and the comments seem to me to be without foundation. I am not a lawyer but I would have also thought they were libellous. When someone makes specific allegations about a named person it seems to me they should have the integrity to put their name in the post and not hide behind anonymity.

 

[Lako42]

I don't know what that involves, as far as i can tell he doesn't do anything we will miss.

Maybe you should look into what Birch actually does before spouting off and alerting everyone to your ignorance on the subject.

 

[alex]

Perhaps the spin has got me too, but is this not a case of not wanting to employ Alan Birchenall past his retirement age? I believe Lee Hooseywooseypants is claiming this is the case no?

If this is anything else, then I think it's poor, unless of course Paulo doesn't want him around.

 

[Siouxsie]

I think the club could get someone more family friendly really. Birch spent a lot of his time perving on any girl within 100 yards of him.

Really? And you have evidence to substantiate this claim?

Having met the Birch on a number of occassions I have nothing but respect for the guy, in particular with regards to his charity work undertaken either in a personal capacity or as a representative of the club.
I have certainly never experienced any "perving".


Maybe he is behind the times in these days of slick PR, but to me he is part of what gives LCFC its character, in the same way as the post horn gallop.

If he is being removed for pure business reasons rather than due to normal retirement then it saddens me.

 

[cazlcfc]

Really? And you have evidence to substantiate this claim?

Having met the Birch on a number of occassions I have nothing but respect for the guy, in particular with regards to his charity work undertaken either in a personal capacity or as a representative of the club.
I have certainly never experienced any "perving".


Maybe he is behind the times in these days of slick PR, but to me he is part of what gives LCFC its character, in the same way as the post horn gallop.

If he is being removed for pure business reasons rather than due to normal retirement then it saddens me.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I have sparred with Macky, Kingy , Blue Maniac and others and often wondered affectionately what lay behind the pen name.

With my posting style I think it's best nobody knows my real name.

 

[cazlcfc]

With my posting style I think it's best nobody knows my real name.

:icon_lol:

 

[Redditch Fox]

Personally, I'm with those that find his public address style cringeworthy. But on the otherhand I appreciate that he has done sterling work for charities over a long time.

I remember Birchenall as a footballer. He had a gift for making the most of limited talents, successfully converted himself from being a striker to a midfielder and made himself a part of City sides which were far beyond the level of where we are today. He's pretty good too at promoting himself as well promoting the good causes that he has adopted.

I guess that his role at The Walkers is very important to him and its sad for him that its being brought to an end - but the issue is hardly amongst the important at the moment.

 

[Matt_B]

Personally, I'm with those that find his public address style cringeworthy. But on the otherhand I appreciate that he has done sterling work for charities over a long time.

I remember Birchenall as a footballer. He had a gift for making the most of limited talents, successfully converted himself from being a striker to a midfielder and made himself a part of City sides which were far beyond the level of where we are today. He's pretty good too at promoting himself as well promoting the good causes that he has adopted.

I guess that his role at The Walkers is very important to him and its sad for him that its being brought to an end - but the issue is hardly amongst the important at the moment.

I came into this thread seeing you had posted last and expected something moaning at the club, so I apologise for my preconception. A good post, and one that sums up how I feel I guess.

 

[Redditch Fox]

I came into this thread seeing you had posted last and expected something moaning at the club, so I apologise for my preconception. A good post, and one that sums up how I feel I guess.

Thanks, but you have nothing to apologise for - I think we are going into this season under-strength compared with last season, and fear that I will justify your expectations on the moaning front.

 

[SJN-Fox]

I guess that his role at The Walkers is very important to him and its sad for him that its being brought to an end - but the issue is hardly amongst the important at the moment.

I disagree. Maybe his retirement in itself is not important to a lot of people, however, looking at it in tandem with other things, the departure of Peter Jones ... an excellent interface between the fans and the club on all manner of issues, the cutting back of services from the ticket office (if true) ... the callback/email facility, and now the removal of someone who has so many links with the fans and the community, is just one more step along the road. Leicester City has long been famed and highly regarded as a family club with a great spirit and a fantastic set of fans valued by the club, with access to people to talk to about issues you have. It seems that progress is now turning it into just another corporate entity whereby the fans are simply another revenue stream along with hiring out The Great Hall.

That's what makes it important.

 

[Matt_B]

I disagree. Maybe his retirement in itself is not important to a lot of people, however, looking at it in tandem with other things, the departure of Peter Jones ... an excellent interface between the fans and the club on all manner of issues, the cutting back of services from the ticket office (if true) ... the callback/email facility, and now the removal of someone who has so many links with the fans and the community, is just one more step along the road. Leicester City has long been famed and highly regarded as a family club with a great spirit and a fantastic set of fans valued by the club, with access to people to talk to about issues you have. It seems that progress is now turning it into just another corporate entity whereby the fans are simply another revenue stream along with hiring out The Great Hall.

That's what makes it important.

I can't say as I've missed Peter Jones if I'm honest.

 

[Matt_B]

Someone is distributing posters to away fans at Palace.

This is getting ridiculous now.

 

[Babylon]

Really? And you have evidence to substantiate this claim?

I worked at the club for a short while about 13 years ago, around the time Mace was here and the time O'Neil came in.

I know a few people working there felt a bit uncomfortable around him, the reasons for that I don't know. Maybe his sense of humour was a bit close to the bone.

I've stated before on here that he wasn't my cup of tea. He's obviously very outgoing and it just grated on me a bit.