Ladies and gentlemen, I didn't find the forum particularly encouraging last night. Here's my take on it. I would be very interested to hear yours.
NOTHING funny happened on the way to the forum at Edgbaston last night.
But something very strange occurred as soon as it started. All 500 or so people present disappeared into a time warp.
On July 27, 2006, a supporters forum at Edgbaston attracted hundreds of Warwickshire members grumpy about their team's poor form, most of all a horrible capitulation at Scarborough.
They were assured by chief executive Colin Povey and director of cricket Mark Greatbatch that nobody was under any illusions about the situation and everybody was working ever so hard to turn things round.
Fast forward to September 6, 2007. Spooky. Hundreds of supporters, identically grumpy, were given identical assurances.
Unsurprisingly, few were placated by what they heard. But still the panel - Povey, Greatbatch and skipper Darren Maddy, along with Dennis Amiss in a lets-get-this-over-with-as-quickly-as possibly compere role - got off lightly.
Supporters forums are unwieldy beasts. For every one probing, weighty question from the floor, three tangential ones get in the way of what most people want to discuss. Probably 95 per cent of members present last night want Greatbatch out but there was no direct question to him, Povey or cricket committee chairman John Claughton (pressganged on to the panel late on) about his future.
Instead, other details were explored. Nobody asked if it was acceptable that, for much of the last two months, day-in and day-out, Warwickshire's cricket has been woefully sub-standard. But the lack of tank-tops in the club shop was lamented, as was the early-season failure to get the clocks right. And, of course, that old chestnut - parking. Warwickshire stand on the threshold of a humiliating double relegation but what about parking at the Constance Road end?
All valid concerns for members who pay their dues, of course. But last night they helped the panel off the hook.
Not that the audience failed to land any blows. Claughton got a rough ride. He looked startled to be "invited" up by Amiss and immediately undermined everything he has ever said or will ever say in his current role by insisting it was his "duty" to offer public support to the coach and players.
Duty? That's something you do, irrespective of merits, isn't it? On those grounds, if the Bears lose every game without collecting a single bonus point next season, Claughton will still offer support.
Back to the deja vu. Just like July '06, Povey and Greatbatch responded to questions with strained courtesy. The reaction from the floor was less-than-friendly. "Resign," cried a voice (re. Greatbatch). "Big girl," hollered another (re. Claughton). "Shambles," said another. "Garbage". "It's a fiasco." "Mr Povey hasn't got a clue about cricket."
Trouble was, it was all, as is the nature of forums, too disparate, achieving nothing bar, perhaps, convincing the panel of the depth of members' feelings. After graciously allowing the audience an extension beyond the ludicrously early originally-intended finishing time of 8.15pm, Amiss wrapped it up.
Ah well - see you next summer. Same cast, same script.
