From:
[email protected]
Subject: Re: Malta Trip
Date: 2 November 2005 00:34:49 GMT
To:
[email protected]
I am in receipt of your email and comments regarding the cancelled trip to Malta, and presume that you have seen the explanation by the Club on the website on 31 October.
There is no doubt that the cancellation is extremely unfortunate for all concerned, not least for supporters like yourselves who are understandably upset and annoyed.
I can assure you that the Club does appreciate your situation but, equally, we do not feel responsible for the trip being aborted.
The Club were invited to spend a few days training in Malta by the Maltese Tourist Association and various companies were engaged to organise the official supporters trip.
It being International week Neil Warnock intended to use the opportunity to give the team some warm weather training and a midweek friendly fixture.
The late cancellation was as much a surprise to United as it was to you and has meant Neil having to rethink team plans for next week.
The Club was never in a situation to guarantee that the tour would go ahead, but accepted it in the same good faith that you did when it was arranged.
There was nothing to be gained by the Club accepting the trip - and offering the official supporters package - if there were any feelings of doubt in the first place.
We are always happy to see our loyal supporters who travel to watch the team in faraway places, and appreciate the efforts they make in doing so.
But whilst independent travellers enjoy the advantage of choice, cost, duration etc, they inevitably lose the benefits enjoyed by those who choose
the official package, in this instance a refund of monies paid.
During the pre-season tour to China some independent Blades supporters were unable to see all the games owing to the schedule being changed after
they had made their own arrangements - again this was not in United’s control.
This is not meant to be a hard sell for official travel packages, but I hope you will recognise that our responsibility surely rests solely with supporters who take up that option.
Finally, from reading some postings on the website chatroom, it would appear that some independent travellers have decided to cancel their bookings
and been charged a cancellation fee which they feel is a worthwhile option, whilst others are intending to still go to Malta as arranged.
Whichever course you take I sincerely hope that something positive does come from it and that you will continue supporting the Club.
Regards
Andy Pack,
Media Manager,
Sheffield United FC.
(T) 0870 442 8834
(M) 07968 118 278
(F) 0870 787 3345
(E)
[email protected]
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