End of an era or dawn for change?

[black kettle]

There appears to be strong indications coming out of the Barbel Society Facebook page that Steve Pope might be about to throw the towel in at the forth coming AGM after spending the last 20 years as the BS chairman. All founding members of the BS have been invited to attend the AGM free of charge. Does barbel angling feel that more will rejoin/join the BS after Steve Pope is gone or will the BS continue to go into further decline?

Regards,

BK.

 

[laguna]

The further decline that you speak of is nothing other than a transition from what once was a subscribed members only forum to an ever-evolving social medium on another platform full of argumentative individuals. Keeping law on order on there is extremely tiresome and time consuming and for what reward?

I only have one issue, and that is the lost opportunity over the years to educate and campaign against stocking barbel in stillwater. Mind you, if the poll on another site is anything to go by then its little wonder its not being pursued... as much as 90% think its okay to stock ponds such as the lack of education/lack of river anglers that would otherwise not see one.

Steve has laid the foundation and has devoted 20 years of his time. Bobby still has the enthusiasm and youth on his side, perhaps he will stand?

 

[Titus]

From the lack of response on here I'm guessing nobody actually gives a damn.

The society was started initially to provide a platform to raise awareness of the theft of wild river barbel being stolen in order to stock stillwaters which it was very successful at.

Since then it has been a bit like a ship adrift with no ultimate destination.

If the rumours of a change at the helm are true then perhaps the first thing the new captain will need to put in place is an itinerary for the cruise or in simple terms (and because the nautical metaphor is being stretched to breaking point) a new set of goals behind which the membership can unite.

I bet we see a familiar face stepping up to the vacant President post though and my guess is nothing will change.

 

[flightliner]

From the lack of response on here I'm guessing nobody actually gives a damn.

Me for one. I know little of the organisation other than what I read on here and its all so negative.All a bit sad really. If I were to become interested in joining a Barbel oriented group of anglers I would look elsewhere.

 

[bobbyb]

Hiya gents,

Coooor, 10 out of 10 for effort Lee, you aint arf getting around these forums with this. I'll post the same reply.

I think you may have the wrong end of the stick there Lee. Happens quite a lot on Facebook, probably why so many knickers get twisted during debate. Better than watching TV these days.
Founding members have been invited to the show as a celebration...something to do with 20 YEARS of the BS...quite an achievement, and still going strong. Some would say the invites are a nice thing to do, of course, some won't. C'est la vie.
The 'announcements' at the show will mainly consist of how The Barbel Society plans to thrive over the the next 20 years!
The junior section will be up and running again before we know it, younger faces involved all round too, many people helping out with R&C at a regional and national level, management structure changes to come, thriving regions, etc etc etc. The wheels are already in motion.
People can say it won't last much longer and that's fine. In return I would say that's a fart in the wind though and beg to differ. Someone will have to eat their words at some point and a tenner says it isn't me. It's got to be around 10 years that the usual suspects have been saying the BS won't last now. I would think its a sensible time to give that one up.
Anyhow, with all this going on, I know Steve will be around to see it all through. I live down the road from him you see and we spend a lot of time together. We skip round the valleys whistling The Society theme tune quite alot. His Welsh has become quite good, for a cockney. The bloke has dedicated a third of his life to The Barbel Society, considering how old he is that's a lot. It's safe to assume he's going nowhere. He's not a daft man, he instigated the move for change. The rest of us have come up with a blueprint. We'll all be taking it forward as one, big, happy, lovely team. It's a crying shame some want The Barbel Society to fail. It's all fuel for the fire to thrive though. Along with our passion for fishing, the barbel and its environment, you'll unfortunetly be seeing a lot more of The Barbel Society.....and that Steve Pope chap.

 

[Titus]

Ha, a familiar pattern is starting to emerge.

Unsubstantiated rumours are followed by fervent denials and assertions that all is well from the current leader of the band who plays on with a merry tune while the passengers are kept in the dark.

Meanwhile the Captain stands aloof on the bridge in complete denial watching the unfolding drama being played out on the decks below.

It's like Groundhog day to those who have been around longer than five minutes but entertaining nonetheless.

 

[Ray Wood 1]

Ha, a familiar pattern is starting to emerge.

Unsubstantiated rumours are followed by fervent denials and assertions that all is well from the current leader of the band who plays on with a merry tune while the passengers are kept in the dark.

Meanwhile the Captain stands aloof on the bridge in complete denial watching the unfolding drama being played out on the decks below.

It's like Groundhog day to those who have been around longer than five minutes but entertaining nonetheless.

Ade,
Quite right we have seen this pattern time and time again over the past twenty years. It is my understanding though from a reliable source that the BS decline is an undeniable fact.

There will always be some willing to blow the bugle to rally an ever decreasing troupe.

Regards
Ray

 

[bobbyb]

Fully respect your views chaps, we can bang our heads off the wall all day long claiming the opposite is the truth. Not my cup of tea, I'll let the next few seasons do the talking. Have a nice week, enjoy the sunshine.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Afal a gellyg

I'm sorry Bobby but what you are trying to do with Steve is wrong.
It just doesn't work.

See above for example.

 

[bobbyb]

Hiya Graham,

How are you? Thanks for talking at the regional the other day. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I said I would leave it there but as I've just had a good walk on the Teme and spotted a few barbel feeding, I'm in a good mood. It is the close season after all, not much better to do, let's debate.

The mistake you've made there is that you think it's what I'm doing with Steve. From the off you've forgotton there is a team behind all this. We're working as one solid unit. The right people are in the right place. Especially with the new additions to the committee just recently (await official announcement) we're already looking pretty spunky. All this talk of failure and repetition just leaves me grinning like a Cheshire Cat. I don't mind a bit of cannon fodder. I'm sure there is much more to come. Its good to talk it out and get people's views. We can use some of it to help push forward.

Use the past as an example for why it won't work you say? You are aware it's the 20th anniversary this year aren't you?

The journey we're about to embark on will be a good one. Simple as that really. I'm sure you'll disagree but I'd much prefere it if people like yourself joined in the adventure. Not 'I'm not doing it because of this has happened in the past'. Rubbish. Get stuck in and make a difference. If not, cool. Tight lines. I wish you all the best.

Cheers

Bobby.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Bobby.
You totally mis understood my message.


I thought you were teaching cockney Steve how to speak Welsh?


Btw.

Cockney speak eg. Apples and Pears is rhyming slang for
Stairs. As I said, doesn't work in Taffy talk.

XG

 

[Ray Wood 1]

Bobby.

I thought you were teaching cockney Steve how to speak Welsh?

Graham,
Someone from Tottenham is hardly a cockney my china plate SP would more likley be speaking more akin to TOWIE "oh shutup" methinks

Regards
Ray

 

[bobbyb]

ah I missed that bit! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. My bad!

My screen must've cut the top off. Yup. Agreed I thought you were referring to above posts. I've obviously been off the pop for too long, does funny things to a man.

 

[Titus]

Bobby (whoever you are) I only posted what I did because I can't believe people like yourself are still falling for the same old shell game.

I'm sure your motivation is the 'protection of the species' though from what is unclear these days as the biggest threat to barbel are probably the same ones which are threatening all river species from the humble phytoplankton through all the fishes to the mammalian predators, ie human beings and our reliance on fresh water and our insistence on still using the rivers as open sewers when it suits us.
The society, in fact all single species groups, by it's very existence is not good for fishing, the environment as a whole and barbel in particular as by definition (it is the barbel 'only' society) is a divisive influence on angling at a time when all anglers should be uniting under a common banner for the greater good.

Like I said I'm sure your motives are pure but like all those who have occupied that position before you, you have become blinded by the sunlight shining out of the backside of the bloke you are looking up to.

Steve, like all narcissists, is a very affable bloke and very easy to get along with, but, never forget, the only thing he really cares about is Steve Pope and his place in the angling world, I know this from experience mate as I was once on track to be where you are now, before I saw the error of my ways that is and retreated back into the shadows where it's possible to see clearly what is really going on

 

[bobbyb]

I'm just another angler Ade. Like yourself. Nobody special Do you actually believe all fishermen will ever unite as one? Have you seen what we all fall out about? Good luck with that one.

The worry for our aquatic life is a whole new debate.

As with Steve, I like the bloke...admire him? Come on, he listens to Bruce Springsteen for crying out loud. I'm a Prince and Human League type bloke.

 

[tonybull]

Steve, like all narcissists, is a very affable bloke and very easy to get along with, but, never forget, the only thing he really cares about is Steve Pope and his place in the angling world

At last somebody says it how it is, and one person I spoke to the other week on one of my club waters who is a BS member, said fair play to him if being the BS Chairman helps him along in life.

I won't be rejoining nor will my mate, I look after number 1 as well

 

[jasonbean1]

Narcissistic leader, new spunk in the ranks.....

 

[black kettle]

Hi Ade,

You said;

"Bobby (whoever you are) I only posted what I did because I can't believe people like yourself are still falling for the same old shell game.

I'm sure your motivation is the 'protection of the species' though from what is unclear these days as the biggest threat to barbel are probably the same ones which are threatening all river species from the humble phytoplankton through all the fishes to the mammalian predators, ie human beings and our reliance on fresh water and our insistence on still using the rivers as open sewers when it suits us.
The society, in fact all single species groups, by it's very existence is not good for fishing, the environment as a whole and barbel in particular as by definition (it is the barbel 'only' society) is a divisive influence on angling at a time when all anglers should be uniting under a common banner for the greater good.

Like I said I'm sure your motives are pure but like all those who have occupied that position before you, you have become blinded by the sunlight shining out of the backside of the bloke you are looking up to.

Steve, like all narcissists, is a very affable bloke and very easy to get along with, but, never forget, the only thing he really cares about is Steve Pope and his place in the angling world, I know this from experience mate as I was once on track to be where you are now, before I saw the error of my ways that is and retreated back into the shadows where it's possible to see clearly what is really going on"

That was nearly as funny as Severn Stoke Ade. You have to hand it to Steve Pope, he keeps on plucking the plucky followers out of his top hat in an almost constant procession. I am puzzled slightly though. Loads of rhetoric from guys like Bobby about what it is they are going to do, but never any explanation of exactly what that is going to be? Of course we have heard all of this before from many many other devotees who all eventually lost the will to carry the banner or beat the drum. Like all the others no doubt Bobby means well and will throw a lot of effort into trying to turn the BS around. Big job though akin to undertaking a complete overall of a jet engine with a bicycle pump.

Regards,

BK.

 

[bobbyb]

All a bit odd crossing forum platforms Lee. I'll leave it with my BFW post. It's been a pleasure gentlemen. I'll let the work done by the team do the talking.

All the best.

Toodle pip.

 

[Judas Priest]

Bobby good luck with the " new" ideas to rejuvenate the BS, and especially the junior section. I for one could never understand why the BS let it disappear as it used to be really lively, well attended and one of the most popular sections amongst the adult membership as seen by tackle raised and volunteers for every day and fund raiser organised.


Ah now I remember. Certain members of the committee ( who are still there) thought it a waste of time and energy even though it cost the BS not one penny and those same committee members had so very very little input into it.