Matters arising - Supporter forum meeting 07/11/13

[Linz]

Not minutes by any stretch of the imagination but a quick update to let you know what's going on.

* New supporter bar in Copthorne Hotel - provisionally called "Annie's Bar", this is due to open in the Yorkshire Suite upstairs in the Copthorne... possibly for the Gillingham match. It's going to be open to all home fans as well as away fans who are affiliated with their respective supporters' clubs. Prices are TBC. I think the vibe they're going for is a bit like the old social club.

* Drinks tokens - We've been asked to remind any supporters that like a drink on the Kop that the voucher scheme is still running to provide a quicker service at half time. For anyone not familiar, it works like interval drinks at the Lyceum. You buy your beer voucher before the game and at half time, go to a dedicated kiosk to pick your drink up.

* Safe standing - This has been raised again. The Club did meet with the safe standing organisation for a demo and did research into the possibility of how standing would work in the ground. To get standing on the Kop to meet the guidelines, the capacity would have to reduce to just under 4000. The Club felt that regardless of practicalities, it was a non-starter with our Safety Advisory Group in Sheffield, after what happened across the city back when standing was a thing.

* Cover for the facilities in the Kop - Compass are responsible for the kiosks. It would be up to them to sort it.

* Sheffield United Disabled Supporters - They invite supporters to the 16th Anniversary dinner on 20th January in Woodhouse. We'll pass on a message to Janet Ireland if anyone is interested.

Also, SUDS are running a pre-match cafe for every home game in the meeting rooms at St Mary's church to raise funds for their trips and events. All supporters are welcome but there's no booze.

* Meet the Manager - General consensus was that there would be no value in doing a general Meet the Manager event at this stage. It is on the agenda but for some undefined point in the future.

* 125 Years Events - A programme of friendlies, events and celebrations is being planned. More news when things are being set in stone.

* Fan Engagement - some talk of how to engage with fans who don't have access to the internet. Talk of producing a printed newsletter... but it doesn't really concern you lot by definition!

* Legends Events - Passed on the feedback from on here that the evenings were well received. John says thanks and that more events will be planned in the new year.

* Student tickets - Passed on to John. He's asked that I email him full details and he'll query again with Emma Wylie.

* Queues on upper tier for food - Passed on to John. There's a new manager at Compass who is going to be brought to the table and be given feedback (whether he likes it or not!) at some point in the near future. This point about properly anticipating crowd numbers will be raised.

* Next meeting - 19th December - please add any issues you'd like raising in this forum and in particular, any comments regarding the catering services inside the ground for when the chappy from Compass is brought in. We'll hopefully be able to feed back on the points raised at this meeting.

Cheers.

 

[diplomat]

Thanks Linz

 

[SotonBlade]

Nice to see what's being discussed, thanks Linz

 

[Kenilworth]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Standing on the Kop would reduce capacity to 4,000? - What a complete piss take!
Are they going to ring fence individuals with a 2 metre exclusion zone around each person?

They won't consider it because of what happened in S6 - another piss take - that was completely different to how people would get access and exit the Shoreham. Leppings Lane was, and still is a shit hole and SY plod came out of said orifice.

Not happy


Want our Shoreham back!

 

[shorehamview]

What's with all the ticket offers? As stated in the shout box, it looks like all the offers are aimed at anyone other than season ticket holders. This generally comes across as a massive "fuck you, we've already got your money" to those of us with season tickets. The bring a friend for free offer doesn't actually offer a season ticket holder anything, it just gets someone else in for nowt.

There's no wonder the number of season tickets sold has dropped - the team gets shitter by the year and the club just sees us as a cash cow. What are they going to do to remedy this? My suspicion is they are going to do nothing, as they've already got the money and don't give two fucks.

 

[shorehamview]

And when are Macron going to get the elbow? How about a decent kit supplier, like Adidas perhaps? We don't need the few bob Macron bring now that badly, do we?

 

[Linz]

They won't consider it because of what happened in S6 - another piss take - that was completely different to how people would get access and exit the Shoreham. Leppings Lane was, and still is a shit hole and SY plod came out of said orifice.

Not happy


Want our Shoreham back!

You'd be banging your head against a brickwall with our SAG. If you want to write to them, I'll get you a contact.

 

[Foxy]

And when are Macron going to get the elbow? How about a decent kit supplier, like Adidas perhaps? We don't need the few bob Macron bring now that badly, do we?

All I can currently say is that the Macron deal we previously signed up to is coming to an end.

Standing on the Kop would reduce capacity to 4,000? - What a complete piss take!
Are they going to ring fence individuals with a 2 metre exclusion zone around each person?

In all cases where safe standing is considered, there are restrictions as to what has to be in place and there is absolutely no chance even if safe standing ever breaks through in this country that it'll be anything like the standing we had.

What was the capacity of the Kop before it became all seater? I'd hazard a guess the downgrade in capacity was similar if not worse percentage wise.

They won't consider it because of what happened in S6 - another piss take - that was completely different to how people would get access and exit the Shoreham. Leppings Lane was, and still is a shit hole and SY plod came out of said orifice.

Not happy

As the hint suggests, the local area, like it or not has the history hanging over it and always will do. It's even more pertinent at the moment following the enquiry and current investigations (I can see a lot more on the horizon for SWFC). This means, that even if other areas manage some form of break through on safe standing, I'd be utterly astounded if our local SAG and the council would allow anything to change. Regardless of the difference in grounds, facilities and plans, it still remains.

People at the club are willing to listen (evidenced by looking into it in the first place) and will continue to monitor the situation, but whatever their thoughts, anything has to get the green light by the local authorities.

Safe Standing has been on the agenda for a decade or so, only fairly recently have I heard of official positive responses from any UK clubs - even then, it's a long way for even getting a trial, never mind proper adoption.

It's not an SUFC problem, it's a British football problem.

 

[Kenilworth]

It just saddens me that we will never recapture the sprit of collective support that you had from a full Shoreham singing at the top of its voice.

It was about 10-12k I believe.
Used to love the surges when we were close to a goal or scored. It's so sedate these days. Lost a lot of the excitement and entertainment value.

It wasn't about standing. It was about incompetent people and a stupidly constructed cage.

 

[diplomat]

What was the capacity of the Kop before it became all seater? I'd hazard a guess the downgrade in capacity was similar if not worse percentage wise.

I remember it being around 19,000. However I think this was also when the ground stated capacity was 49,000. (Mid eighties - source? probably from Panini sticker albums) After Hillsborough capacity dropped to about 35,000 but I don't know what the kop was. I remember being on it prior to being a seated area and I think the authorities were reducing the capacity on their by 20% each year as an incentive to modernize.

 

[boo radley]

Thanks Linz.
I take it they'll inform you as and when any Q is answered in full?

 

[alcoblade]

There's no wonder the number of season tickets sold has dropped

I think dropping 2 divisions and being shite is a small factor too.



UTB

 

[shorehamview]

I think dropping 2 divisions and being shite is a small factor too.



UTB

I did mention the team getting shitter....

There's no wonder the number of season tickets sold has dropped - the team gets shitter by the year ....

 

[alcoblade]

I did mention the team getting shitter....

You did, but the gist was linking falling season ticket sales with ticketing policy. I would argue that our season ticket sales and overall attendance are really good considering everything else we put up with. That's because of ticketing policy and not in spite of it.

UTB

 

[mattbianco1]

Is the Annie's bar open then yet ? Linz ?

 

[SwissBlade]

It just saddens me that we will never recapture the sprit of collective support that you had from a full Shoreham singing at the top of its voice.

It was about 10-12k I believe.
Used to love the surges when we were close to a goal or scored. It's so sedate these days. Lost a lot of the excitement and entertainment value.

It wasn't about standing. It was about incompetent people and a stupidly constructed cage.

Yeah it was about standing, cages and incompetent people - that includes police, ground management, FA and fans.

 

[Kenilworth]

Yeah it was about standing, cages and incompetent people - that includes police, ground management, FA and fans.

Not the standing though, Swizzers. Plenty of occasions where nobody died at matches for a 100 or more years before that covering millions of fans standing at games. Only occasions loss of life occurred (Scotland barriers collapsed and Belgium - crumbling stadium) were where stadium was decrepit.

Seating came in as a politically motivated means of controlling the hoolies - not as a means of safety per se - that's just how it was dressed up. Clubs liked it as they could charge more. Remember - the fans got all the blame by the police and the media in the immediate aftermath of the Swillsboro' debacle.

If there was a stand full of seats with a cage in front of it (and no exits, a la Hillsborough) and a fire took hold then the slaughter would be just as bad as if it was all standing - it's the cage that was at fault and the stupidity of the authorities pushing everyone down one single funnel right near kick off time.

 

[SwissBlade]

Not the standing though, Swizzers. Plenty of occasions where nobody died at matches for a 100 or more years before that covering millions of fans standing at games. Only occasions loss of life occurred (Scotland barriers collapsed and Belgium - crumbling stadium) were where stadium was decrepit.

Seating came in as a politically motivated means of controlling the hoolies - not as a means of safety per se - that's just how it was dressed up. Clubs liked it as they could charge more. Remember - the fans got all the blame by the police and the media in the immediate aftermath of the Swillsboro' debacle.

If there was a stand full of seats with a cage in front of it (and no exits, a la Hillsborough) and a fire took hold then the slaughter would be just as bad as if it was all standing - it's the cage that was at fault and the stupidity of the authorities pushing everyone down one single funnel right near kick off time.

I think it's going back to the dark ages to bring back standing at the lane, for safety because of over capacity, hooligans or whatever, football is generally safer now and the removal of standing has contributed greatly to that.

 

[Kenilworth]

I think it's going back to the dark ages to bring back standing at the lane, for safety because of over capacity, hooligans or whatever, football is generally safer now and the removal of standing has contributed greatly to that.

I can understand where you are coming from - although I am sure you enjoyed standing at Exeter last time I saw you but I still believe football has lost a lot of atmosphere because of the lack of standing - the congregation of people who want to chant and sing together doesn't happen as readily with all seater.

...and it's much colder sitting

I just miss the kop and the singing and the surges and the excitement of it all - it's all too sedate these days.
Not ready for my bath chair, blanket and flask of tea, yet Swizzers.

 

[Kenilworth]

I think it's going back to the dark ages to bring back standing at the lane, for safety because of over capacity, hooligans or whatever, football is generally safer now and the removal of standing has contributed greatly to that.

I can understand where you are coming from - although I am sure you enjoyed standing at Exeter last time I saw you but I still believe football has lost a lot of atmosphere because of the lack of standing - the congregation of people who want to chant and sing together doesn't happen as readily with all seater.

...and it's much colder sitting

I just miss the kop and the singing and the surges and the excitement of it all - it's all too sedate these days.
Not ready for my bath chair, blanket and flask of tea, yet Swizzers.

 

[Sirius]

It just saddens me that we will never recapture the sprit of collective support that you had from a full Shoreham singing at the top of its voice.

It was about 10-12k I believe.
Used to love the surges when we were close to a goal or scored. It's so sedate these days. Lost a lot of the excitement and entertainment value.

It wasn't about standing. It was about incompetent people and a stupidly constructed cage.

From the age of 8 or so, I was in the sway. It was part and parcel of growing up on the Shoreham.
As in so many aspects, life it has been denied us by Nanny State You are right, the cage was the problem in many stadia. I was in crowds that led to fans spilling over a low wall onto the perimeter. Whoever thought that animal cages would alleviate t he problem, had never been to an important game or had not thought through the disastrous consequences that could, and did arise. As an afterthought. What was the legislation that led to this folly . and who sanctioned it?

 

[United Aren't Back.]

And when are Macron going to get the elbow? How about a decent kit supplier, like Adidas perhaps? We don't need the few bob Macron bring now that badly, do we?

Macron are rubbish, the netto of the kit world.