Ric Flair Live & Direct on BSLB Podcast

[Dan]

On 20/04/2026 at 13:58, AKCJ said:

I've heard your story before. The depths to which King Power are willing to travel to get rid of genuine supporters is staggering and I suspect that even many KPFC fans would struggle to argue against you.

 

While I don't know you, I'd guess you'd be a 25-40 year old man with a long history of following the club everywhere and King Power were happy to see the back of you because they got a snotty email from either Crystal Palace or the Met Police about a minor disturbance. Again, I don't know for sure but if you are in that age bracket then you're the region of having young kids that you'd be about to pass the torch down to. The ease and speed at which King Power are turning away fans in that bracket is terrifying.

 

Hopefully when this lot have ****ed off the new ownership would welcome you back with open arms and the club can start having a proper relationship with the supporters again.

I've been pretty public about it and I did think I would have some backlash but I've actually had basically nothing - even somebody on here who particularly seems to have it in for me was sympathetic.

 

32 years old so pretty much bang on there.

 

It's quite a tough distinction to make for me because I don't think it's like... instruction from the very Top to have me banned (although who the **** knows at this point). But I think the bans that me and the others got were a symptom of the rot as much as anything. My point is I'm unsure if it would be overturned with new ownership and I'm unsure if there is really any precedent for anything like that. After all it's a club ban rather than an FBO.

 

The current ownership have no incentive to unban me because I genuinely am not going to that ground again or giving them any money until they have cleared off.

[Dan]

Also - I'd be intrigued to know if anything happened to those involved in that video at Sheffield United this season. You know where there is actual first hand evidence of wrongdoing. I'm not calling for those involved to be banned necessarily, but I'd find it very interesting if they weren't. That would suggest blatant bias that you could only possibly link to their allegiance to the ownership. They were doing it 'for' the regime so it's fair game.

[AKCJ]

8 hours ago, Dan said:

I've been pretty public about it and I did think I would have some backlash but I've actually had basically nothing - even somebody on here who particularly seems to have it in for me was sympathetic.

 

32 years old so pretty much bang on there.

 

It's quite a tough distinction to make for me because I don't think it's like... instruction from the very Top to have me banned (although who the **** knows at this point). But I think the bans that me and the others got were a symptom of the rot as much as anything. My point is I'm unsure if it would be overturned with new ownership and I'm unsure if there is really any precedent for anything like that. After all it's a club ban rather than an FBO.

 

The current ownership have no incentive to unban me because I genuinely am not going to that ground again or giving them any money until they have cleared off.

The owner sets the culture. This is clearly seen as acceptable behaviour from club officials.

 

As you say, Top isn't the one who would have said "Ban Dan" but someone that Top employs was.

 

I can't imagine that club bans are common enough for very senior people at the club to not know about them.

[SemperEadem]

8 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

The owner sets the culture. This is clearly seen as acceptable behaviour from club officials.

 

As you say, Top isn't the one who would have said "Ban Dan" but someone that Top employs was.

 

I can't imagine that club bans are common enough for very senior people at the club to not know about them.

I know first hand the Comms Director and ex Opps Director were involved in mine.

Edited 23 April by SemperEadem

[Sol thewall Bamba]

9 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

The owner sets the culture. This is clearly seen as acceptable behaviour from club officials.

 

As you say, Top isn't the one who would have said "Ban Dan" but someone that Top employs was.

 

I can't imagine that club bans are common enough for very senior people at the club to not know about them.

The owner hasn't said ban XYZ no, but as you said the owner sets the culture to say "we want a more family friendly atmosphere to extract more money from people, so do what you can to influence that over the next decade and a half" and then the people below him feel empowered to do so.

 

When was the last time that they did something to attract people in the bracket you outlined above? And before someone says safe standing, they were told to do that by the SGSA, I'd have put good money on them never doing it if they didn't have to.

[AKCJ]

36 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

The owner hasn't said ban XYZ no, but as you said the owner sets the culture to say "we want a more family friendly atmosphere to extract more money from people, so do what you can to influence that over the next decade and a half" and then the people below him feel empowered to do so.

 

When was the last time that they did something to attract people in the bracket you outlined above? And before someone says safe standing, they were told to do that by the SGSA, I'd have put good money on them never doing it if they didn't have to.

Exactly.

 

It's all coming from the top, doesn't matter if he doesn't explicitly say it because he sets the culture and his minions follow suit.

 

I'm a 32 year old man without kids and I feel like I'm never incentivised to go and support the team. A can of warm Chang once a season is about the only incentive offered to me. I feel like if I were to be caught up in some mild misbehaviour in a similar way to @Dan that they'd have absolutely no qualms in getting shot of me too.

[AKCJ]

46 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

I know first hand the Comms Director and ex Opps Director were involved in mine.

and I'm sure that they will have reported that to Aiyawatt.

[Stadt]

49 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

and I'm sure that they will have reported that to Aiyawatt.

I think the opposite, they don't report very much at all because Top isn't interested in hearing about minutiae, he's barely interested in hearing about the finances.

 

Instead it's the ops director (the new one seems ok in fairness), head of security and the comms director that carefully stage manage the club to crack down on any dissent as not to upset their tiny weeny boss. I wrote a scathing article and excerpts made it into the Athletic (since deleted - it was all correct) and a few friends met the club, they were incensed that their boss was insulted. They were genuinely weirdly emotional about it.

 

 

[Lionator]

Am I right in thinking that at one point the police were giving people positive references and saying no harm was caused, and the club still banned people? 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

South East Asian culture in terms of power can be quite dictatorial and authoritarian, and what’s been said recently in this thread speaks to that I think.

 

Remember when the portrait of the King of Thailand was paraded around the pitch? I perhaps discounted it at the time as we’d had success, but in hindsight and what’s gone on since, and reading these stories, it really does reinforce this cult of the personality / brainwashing that is also associated with dictatorial and authoritarian regimes. Really really odd and actually quite troubling.

[CL Fox]

47 minutes ago, Stadt said:

I think the opposite, they don't report very much at all because Top isn't interested in hearing about minutiae, he's barely interested in hearing about the finances.

 

Instead it's the ops director (the new one seems ok in fairness), head of security and the comms director that carefully stage manage the club to crack down on any dissent as not to upset their tiny weeny boss. I wrote a scathing article and excerpts made it into the Athletic (since deleted - it was all correct) and a few friends met the club, they were incensed that their boss was insulted. They were genuinely weirdly emotional about it.

 

 

A lot of people at the club just keep stuff away from him. It's a really odd culture.

[Sly]

Just catching up on this now. 

 

I’ve got to @Ric Flair rant!!! I hope you’re okay. 
 

I’m now so far past this point; I’ve disconnect from

the club and feel numb to it. 

[Dan]

5 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

The owner hasn't said ban XYZ no, but as you said the owner sets the culture to say "we want a more family friendly atmosphere to extract more money from people, so do what you can to influence that over the next decade and a half" and then the people below him feel empowered to do so.

 

When was the last time that they did something to attract people in the bracket you outlined above? And before someone says safe standing, they were told to do that by the SGSA, I'd have put good money on them never doing it if they didn't have to.

To which they did the most predictably half arsed, tickbox job they could've done as well.

 

I fully expected to get banned at some point. It was 2022/23 where they took the anti-fan sentiment to a new level with some bans to people of my sort of ilk. I seem to remember someone getting a ban for tweeting about Rudkin & Whelan being ****s - in the midst of a relegation battle. This was also the period of time where they introduced the ticket spot checks at away games. Where they chose to inconvenience people during an already crap time, despite it being something they're guilty of doing themselves. I know of somebody who was selected at least four times (the odds of this would be well in the thousands) as well so again, clearly, this was personal and not 'random'.

 

Like I said earlier, listen to the bloke after me as well. It's not the same thing but it was another example of anti-fan sentiment they have. It's one thing to do this to people anyway if you assume there are thousands ready to replace them, but the fact they do this when it's clearly no longer the case. They're a dreadful, dreadful club with their fans now. It's not even a tough decision for me to not want to hand over money for that crap.

 

They've broken my habit and cycle a bit. It will not take a lot for me going forward to save my money and keep doing what I'm doing now even if I have the alternative option. I'd also say I'm likelier for one off games to go to away games anyway than home.

[CosbehFox]

4 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

South East Asian culture in terms of power can be quite dictatorial and authoritarian, and what’s been said recently in this thread speaks to that I think.

 

Remember when the portrait of the King of Thailand was paraded around the pitch? I perhaps discounted it at the time as we’d had success, but in hindsight and what’s gone on since, and reading these stories, it really does reinforce this cult of the personality / brainwashing that is also associated with dictatorial and authoritarian regimes. Really really odd and actually quite troubling.

You have to look Asian football owners to notice the pattern. Wolves, Blackburn, Wednesday, Cardiff, used to be Reading, used to be Birmingham. 
 

Gamblers and never want to give up 

[Mickyblueeyes]

Sometimes I think I’m too angry and brutal when I come on here for a rant or two. Then I hear @Ric Flair on this pod and realise I’m not angry enough. 
 

a request from me. Get Guy Branston back on. Make him tell us Rudkin is best in the business again. Please

[GLC]

Not sure you’ll record a pod before Sunday, so I want to wish you all the luck in the world @Ric Flairfor Sunday. 
 

I have no doubt you’ll smash it and then you can enjoy some mysterious cheap meats from Aldi. 
 

 

[Ric Flair]

8 hours ago, GLC said:

Not sure you’ll record a pod before Sunday, so I want to wish you all the luck in the world @Ric Flairfor Sunday. 
 

I have no doubt you’ll smash it and then you can enjoy some mysterious cheap meats from Aldi. 
 

 

Cheers mate

[Claudio Fannieri]

Yeah good luck @Ric Flair go smash it pal 👊🏼

[Katy]

We’re all behind you, Ric. Good luck pal 💪🏻

[BakerLCFC]

 

Jordan's on here discussing Leicester's failure. Rob Tanner as well

[Suzie the Fox]

Really good episode (again). Well done to everyone who steps up and goes on the pod, i really am liking this part.. listening to other fans perceptions of our current decline. (Especially since i suck so hard at guessing the footballers name - only got it once LOL) 

 

I'm not a podcast fan too much but i do look forward to BSLB every week, keep up the good work, you guys are saying what most of us are feeling. Its very rare i disagree with anything. Especially the rants, you can tell it comes from the heart.

 

@DanWhat the club did to ban you is inexcusable and i would be gutted if it was me. Its a shame we can't just pick another club to support when we are wronged with the one we have. Sadly being a football supporter doesnt quite work like that. 

 

Good luck at the weekend @Ric Flair

[Dan]

2 hours ago, Suzie the Fox said:

Really good episode (again). Well done to everyone who steps up and goes on the pod, i really am liking this part.. listening to other fans perceptions of our current decline. (Especially since i suck so hard at guessing the footballers name - only got it once LOL) 

 

I'm not a podcast fan too much but i do look forward to BSLB every week, keep up the good work, you guys are saying what most of us are feeling. Its very rare i disagree with anything. Especially the rants, you can tell it comes from the heart.

 

@DanWhat the club did to ban you is inexcusable and i would be gutted if it was me. Its a shame we can't just pick another club to support when we are wronged with the one we have. Sadly being a football supporter doesnt quite work like that. 

 

Good luck at the weekend @Ric Flair

Yeah I really have been in a strange position. A mate did point out what would I have done about this if they'd done it in say, August 2016 - and I found it hard to answer. But I also think this is a symptom of the rot and it simply wouldn't have happened back then.

[Les-TA-Jon]

I'm out of the loop - what did @Dan do and what did the club do in response? 

 

And are fans really getting bans for stuff they post on social media? 

[Dan]

1 hour ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

I'm out of the loop - what did @Dan do and what did the club do in response? 

 

And are fans really getting bans for stuff they post on social media? 

Got a year ban for being in the vicinity of a smoke bomb, with no proof I'd done it, despite no previous track record. So literally a ban for existing. Appealed it and upheld.

 

Got it extended a year ago for trying to go to a game. I'll own up to that one. Then again I shouldn't have been banned so ultimately, still mostly their fault. In hindsight this was a great decision as I'd have had to have watched most of the 2025/26 season.

 

Got it extended by another year back in January for something posted on social media.

 

The fact they've completely crashed and burned on the pitch is quite funny to me tbh. Quite self-assuring.

[Les-TA-Jon]

3 minutes ago, Dan said:

Got a year ban for being in the vicinity of a smoke bomb, with no proof I'd done it, despite no previous track record. So literally a ban for existing. Appealed it and upheld.

 

Got it extended a year ago for trying to go to a game. I'll own up to that one. Then again I shouldn't have been banned so ultimately, still mostly their fault. In hindsight this was a great decision as I'd have had to have watched most of the 2025/26 season.

 

Got it extended by another year back in January for something posted on social media.

 

The fact they've completely crashed and burned on the pitch is quite funny to me tbh. Quite self-assuring.

So is that  3 year ban in total then? Getting banned for a social media posting is crazy (although I don't know what you posted or where)