Meeting at SCFC with Tony Scholes today re Family

[northantsmike]

Very briefly – meeting was between Fans Forum, Tony Scholes and his team.
Salient points only

The intent of the club to make the Family Stand into a place that under 14’s can come, enjoy and not be subject to the more unsavoury side of things including language, threats, abuse is shared by the vast majority IMHO.
TS stated that this was the clubs intent and though in hindsight may have handled it slightly differently the overall outcome would be the same. He stated that he sympathized with the few families caught up in the timing but this would always be the case no matter when it was done. He changed the position with families having to move from the family area if the “under 14” was not present at night matches as the Club clearly saw they had made a mistake with that. He stated that if any family group needed a little time to think on the best place to go in the ground on a permanent basis – contact Chris and he will help in any way he can.
There is also a belief that the families who have to move for a day time fixture due to the under 14 not being with them have to pay the increase in ticket price. That is not so – the family may move to ANY area of the ground at NO increase in cost – for that match.
The club will steward the Family area as well as they can next season in order to maintain the area as suitable for the under 14’s and this will be aided if the valid supporters support the stewards with any actions that need to be taken.
Generally the Forum supports strongly the direction the club have taken in making the Family stand a good place for kids and though there were a number of details that the forum did not agree with the overall intent is clearly correct.
IF the Forum had had a member representing the Family stand when these discussions first took place about 3 weeks ago – I am sure there would have been subtle and different changes to the implementation which would have not created as much upset and concern. However – we did not.
The Forum would like to formally invite a member from the Family stand to join – indeed supporters from all areas of the ground would be very welcome both by the Forum and the club. Do not worry if you think you are “a little too outspoken” – you are not – the Forum membership make their points very clearly to the club and on the whole the points/discussions are well received.
Contact Tel at [e-mail]

[northantsmike]

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[robin1302]

how would they know if you are going without an under 14? would you be stopped by a steward at the turnstile? and if so... couldn't you just say the under 14 has already gone in and that you just had to nip back to the car for example ???

[Tunner]

due to work committments i sometimes have to travel to ground a lot later than my lad will i now not get in ?? it's far safer for him to wait in the stadium. ??? ???

[BoothenenderGaz]

I go with my cousin and his young lad

Does this mean that because there are two adults and 1 child that we will not be admitted?

[northantsmike]

Hi
BG. 2 adults are allowed with one child so no issue.

KS.Tunner
No idea and will pass the question to Chris but certainly if you choose to go in together and make arrangements to meet outside - there will be no issue. You are right on the safety aspect and I would think if you have a "favourite turnstile" then if your lad goes in, tells the operator that you "tunner" would be coming through in 30 minutes (whatever) then they will be sensible. Remember that for the night matches (work committments) you would be allowed in anyway.

[BoothenenderGaz]

Cheers Mike

Will there be any problems with us turning up at different times

i.e. I usually get there before him so I wont be going through the turnstiles with my cousin and his lad, I will be going through on my own?

[northantsmike]

Impossible to answer BG
The fact that you have a ticket for the area means that "theoretically" you are eligable to be there. However the turnstile guys have no way of knowing if it is your ticket. The only way you will have "NO" trouble is meet up outside and all go in together. The only other way I can imagine is all go together through one turnstile and explain to the operator that sometimes you will all not turn up together. Then whoever is first remind him that the others will be following.
You can imagine a scenario like that is difficult for the turnstile guys and you may end up with stewards asking you to prove that the ticket is yours and was part of "that group". If you are all together - no issue.
If I had your scenario to encounter each game I would have something to make it simple. Like a photo of all three Season Tickets (legible) which would show yours and their book numbers. The operator will then know which book number to expect if the other two go in first. I am sure you can think of something better.

[BoothenenderGaz]

Thanks once again mike.

I have an ID card so I may have to resort to taking it to home games with me as well as away!!!!

I know of several others around me in the family stand who have similar problems and a couple of people said that this, coupled with the parking problems they have encountered since the council sold off part of the car park to Audi, will unfortunately mean that they will not be renewing there tickets even if we go up.

I can see why Stoke have done it, change is never easy to implement. I can see it being a ball ache for folk at first to get used to, but at the end of the day, even if I have to pay more and go to a different area then I will still be going due to my love of the club.

Unfortunately it is alienating some of the supporters the cut price season ticket offer a couple of years ago attracted and this may be the excuse those need along with the hefty rise (even though they are still very good value) not to renew

[northantsmike]

Cheers BG
Pity about your friends not renewing but we all have to make up our own minds on things. Pricing - a personal opinion ! I think is pretty good - yes we argued and were supported in keeping the 2008/9 at the level you have seen and I think that """when""" we get to the premier at Colchester the match day ticket prices will show what a great deal this early bird is. (No they have not decided on Match Day prices yet - just guessing - ) The amount of complaints that the club (and Forum) received these past couple of seasons about "individuals and groups" in the Family Stand - you would not believe and frankly something had to be done. I do nopt agree with all the changes or the detail of them but I do with the vast majority.
Car Parking ----- only an idiot would try to justify it - yes - there are many a club who have as bad and some worse but I do not attend there 23+ games a year so do not care when I travel away - but I have to admit since the club do not own the land around and cannot control Sir Stans Way - it is a big issue and I know they work hard on it.
For next season I know there will be at least the same perhaps more "spaces" but that does not help the flow. There is a big intent to put a tunnel from the Harvester to Delilahs and that WILL improve traffic flow - I have watched cars held stationary for nearly 20 minutes whilst supporters cross the road there. (Not for August though is it !!!!) Premiership - bigger gates - more traffic - I do not know how to do the maths any better. The Forum are always on the clubs back on it - the club are always in discussion with Police and companies around the ground for compromise. Right turn only from the South Carparks - one suggestion but who knows. One way traffic between 4:50 and 5:20 for example is up to the police and Pets World etc - the club have zero say in that.
Anyway - so much to chat about -
I do not know your circumstances BG - but if you fancy seeing what working with the Forum is like - come and talk with us and join us on a meeting as observer if you like - that is how I started on it.
Yes that £199 Season ticket - that was stupidity and frankly was an insider who convinced the then Owners - he would "fill the ground" at that price - I think the increase from the previous year was less than 1000 and the club have been recovering ever since.
Some supporters think increases pay for transfer fees - Well take this new season - average increase £50 - say 10,000 ( increase of 2,000) season tickets - that is £500,000 more income - yes about 1/10th of what Uncle Peter has splashed out this year. Good job we have Uncle Peter - and you know what - he is a great bloke to sit and talk football with and I do not think he will rest until we are settled in the Premiership.

[BoothenenderGaz]

Thanks once again for the reply.

I would be very interested in seeing what the forum is like, if you email me details to [e-mail] I will let you know if I can make the next meeting.

I empathise with the club re: the parking situation. The only thing they can do is take reactive measures rather than proactive due to the nature of the fact that they do not own the land, or indeed control the highways!

One point that I made when talking to someone about the recent developments with the family stand was regarding the location of the family stand itself.

The behaviour of some of the people in there is appaling and I can see why the club wants to take action against such individuals who seek to shout and swear in front of minors.

The nature of where the family stand is located means that the majority of the swearing that I hear on a game to game basis is from away fans due to the vacinity of the stand in relation to the away fans.

One idea the club could employ is to cordon off a section of the away stand either side, keeping away supporters effectively in the center of the stand. This obviously will not be the case if the allocation has been sold.

Every game most away fans shout abuse and make gestures throughout the match, not as a collective "song" but individuals. The location of the police by the tunnel means that most fans out to shout and swear make there way over to by the scoreboard so they are out of sight from the police and then the abuse starts.

I'm not saying that our fans are blameless as idiots in the family stand at the front often retaliate and decide to stand up occasionaly and shout or make gestures back.

There are two fundamental differences though. Stewards in the family stand will often warn people about there behaviour but I do not see that happening in the away stand. The most I see is stewards asking people to sit down occasionally

Maybe the club could consider the re-loaction of the family stand to somewhere more central in the Seddon stand or inbetween the Seddon Stand and the Boothen End in the corner

There is nothing that says family more than coming out of the gates at full time and immediately being greeted with the abuse between home and away fans shouting through the dividing fence. This was also the location of the trouble at the Birmingham cup match

If the stand were relocated then this would not be a factor. Either that or the club could lock the away fans in until the area has been cleared.

Like I say I would be very interested in joining the Fans forum to help to contribute to there good work and maybe offer a perspective from the Family Stand.