|
|
Post by ahad43 on Jul 19, 2019 7:07:13 GMT
Would it be possible to get a list of questions together on here for those who can't attend the fans' forum?
|
|
|
|
Post by saintsdad on Jul 19, 2019 8:29:39 GMT
How much are tickets to the forum?
|
|
|
|
Post by Hatboy on Jul 19, 2019 19:00:33 GMT
No entrance e is free but the beer prices are going up and you have to buy 3 points in advance
|
|
|
|
Post by casper on Jul 19, 2019 19:41:06 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by lagerman on Jul 19, 2019 20:01:32 GMT
No entrance e is free but the beer prices are going up and you have to buy 3 points in advance Pints even, lol |
|
|
|
Post by saintsdad on Jul 19, 2019 20:38:13 GMT
Two days before the first game of the season, weeks and weeks after the ticket prices were first (finally) announced
|
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Jul 28, 2019 23:27:06 GMT
So excited for the away kit unveiling
|
|
|
|
Post by lagerman on Jul 29, 2019 20:47:52 GMT
I wonder how much it'll cost ?
|
|
|
|
Post by casper on Jul 29, 2019 21:25:27 GMT
I wonder how much it'll cost ? £18 per sleeve, £18 for the front, £18 for the back, £18 for the collar and if you want a number and name on the back, it's another £18 per letter/number. If your names is double barrelled, you'd better take out a mortgage ..... |
|
|
|
Post by lagerman on Jul 30, 2019 9:24:14 GMT
That cheap ?? Lol
|
|
|
|
Post by sideshowbob on Jul 30, 2019 10:45:07 GMT
Your such a wag! Guffaw! Guffaw!
|
|
albanian
Saints Reserve Team Player
Posts: 372
|
Post by albanian on Jul 30, 2019 11:17:37 GMT
Apparently Lawrence thinks there's only about six of us boycotting next season, which is why he hasn't been bothered enough to reply to the concerns of life long supporters. Hopefully the forum will be well attended, so he realises the scale of discontent. Even if you're still planning to attend home matches despite being unhappy about the price increases, it's important that the owners realise that this is a very unpopular move.
|
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Jul 30, 2019 11:46:30 GMT
Apparently Lawrence thinks there's only about six of us boycotting next season, which is why he hasn't been bothered enough to reply to the concerns of life long supporters If this is true it really does hammer home the idea he / the owners have surrounded themselves with yes-men. Did he not notice any of the social media backlash following the announcement? Comments on social media ever since? 99% of the posts about the subject on this forum?
Ridiculous. There should be a handbook entitled 'what to expect as a non-league football club owner' printed up and handed out to people because this whole shambles feels so out of touch with reality
|
|
|
|
Post by lagerman on Jul 30, 2019 13:56:43 GMT
The owners must have at least a little bit of an idea about how badly received their admission prices have been, social media reaches most people there days and there is no hiding from it.
I'm going to the forum too, and also hope there is a decent turn out and look forward to hearing whatever Q&A are said there.
I'd imagine there'll be some people who won't go to the forum, as it won't change anything I don't think, and of course the owners have already issued a statement explaining why they have done what they've done, but personally, l'd still like to hear what they have got to say.
|
|
albanian
Saints Reserve Team Player
Posts: 372
|
Post by albanian on Jul 30, 2019 14:43:08 GMT
I doubt the owners bother to trawl through replies to the club's social media output. A number of us have contacted them directly, but presumably not that many. The sad thing is that many people will just stop going, they're not interested in protesting or kicking up a fuss, they're just fed up with the club taking the p*ss out of them.
For me the most upsetting thing about all this, is the sheer contempt the owners have shown for us by not engaging with fan concerns.
The initial statement was pretty much non-existent. Lawrence waited a whole month to provide any further reasoning and even that was done through speaking to Herts Ad, rather than bothering to address the fans directly through an open letter. They've held off on a fans forum until 2 days before the season starts. I'll be there, but don't even know where to begin with my disgust with how this has been handled. We are fans not consumers, it really feel like our clubs been taken away from us. It would go a long way just to hear the club showing some understanding to our perspective. Most of us our realistic about the difficulties of financing a non-league club in an ancient ground.
|
|
hoofit
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 191 
|
Post by hoofit on Jul 30, 2019 16:45:23 GMT
Well, if you really want to have a lower league club with a lower budget, then I think you should let your feelings be known. I don't see why the owners should subsidise an unsustainable club for my benefit. Is there any alternative?
|
|
|
|
Post by sideshowbob on Jul 30, 2019 17:28:56 GMT
The only alternative is a consortium, with perhaps a chairman and maybe six to eight directors who put a certain amount in at the start of each season, thus spreading the cost evenly. Can't see any other way its far to costly for just two men.the new ground isn't likely to happen where ever its proposed! St Albans council are a waste of time.
|
|
|
|
Post by scottishsaint on Jul 30, 2019 18:01:00 GMT
Isn't this standard for a non league side?
|
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Jul 30, 2019 18:35:00 GMT
Well, if you really want to have a lower league club with a lower budget, then I think you should let your feelings be known. I don't see why the owners should subsidise an unsustainable club for my benefit. Is there any alternative? As I said on another thread 'Will someone tell Lawrence that 500 people paying £16.50 brings in a shedload less money than 750 people paying £15. £3,000 less in fact' Doesn't sound very sustainable to me, not to mention the wishy-washy reasons publicly given for the rise, plus the fact the owners have 'subsidised' the club since day one in the shape of loans, plus the fact no other club in the division has decided they need to put prices up to £18 (or even £16.50). I wonder why all the other club owners in the league are subsidising unsustainable clubs for their fans' benefits. If only all those fans were as honourable as you, hoofit |
|
albanian
Saints Reserve Team Player
Posts: 372
|
Post by albanian on Jul 30, 2019 19:11:17 GMT
Well, if you really want to have a lower league club with a lower budget, then I think you should let your feelings be known. I don't see why the owners should subsidise an unsustainable club for my benefit. Is there any alternative? No I don't think the owners should have to subsidize the club, but they should say they're pulling the plug rather than claiming it's to do with increasing costs. Yes prices haven't increased in five years, but crowds are up 50% in that time so revenue should be significantly more. Personally think that £18 is above the optimal price for this level and revenue will stagnate or possibly drop. I don't want to see the budget slashed, but it seems like the only logical solution if they want to stop the club running at a loss. |
|
|
|
Post by pitchsidesaint on Jul 30, 2019 20:17:32 GMT
That is the option to be fair. When put to me, price increase or budget cut then I'd pay a bit extra. £16/£16.50 I don't particularly have an issue with. £18 is a bit steep but I would hope the majority will pre-purchase
|
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Jul 30, 2019 20:33:38 GMT
How many non league clubs don't run at a loss?
|
|
albanian
Saints Reserve Team Player
Posts: 372
|
Post by albanian on Jul 31, 2019 8:35:12 GMT
That is the option to be fair. When put to me, price increase or budget cut then I'd pay a bit extra. £16/£16.50 I don't particularly have an issue with. £18 is a bit steep but I would hope the majority will pre-purchase I just think there's a limit on how much you can charge before it starts to have negative long term consequences. If you charge 20% more than any other club in the division and lose life long fans, is that a price worth paying? We also have an issue with converting teenage fans into adult fans. There's a dearth of supporters in their early to mid 20s, which isn't a huge problem in itself, but will increasingly become an issue if the price differential (between U16 and adult tickets) is not addressed. In terms of reducing the budget deficit: Have they made any attempt to get additional investors on board? Are they making any attempt to improve the fan experience at Clarence Park to help grow crowds? Why is the food still terrible?? How much are Watford paying us to use Clarence Park? If the answer is not much, has this been well negotiated? |
|
|
|
Post by Boomer on Jul 31, 2019 9:44:55 GMT
In terms of reducing the budget deficit: Have they made any attempt to get additional investors on board? Are they making any attempt to improve the fan experience at Clarence Park to help grow crowds? Why is the food still terrible?? How much are Watford paying us to use Clarence Park? If the answer is not much, has this been well negotiated? Tomorrow will be your opportunity to put all of those questions to the owner/s. |
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Aug 1, 2019 22:11:31 GMT
Anyone who was able to go tonight care to share their thoughts? Or is it still going on?!
|
|
|
|
Post by Boomer on Aug 1, 2019 23:05:40 GMT
Anyone who was able to go tonight care to share their thoughts? Or is it still going on?! You were there, weren't you? |
|
|
|
Post by saintolly on Aug 1, 2019 23:08:54 GMT
Anyone who was able to go tonight care to share their thoughts? Or is it still going on?! What was the outcome then AHAD? Owners reconsidering the prices? Luckily enough I only pay £13 to get into Billericay maybe you should come along too? |
|
|
|
Post by ahad43 on Aug 2, 2019 7:55:53 GMT
Err... no?
|
|
|
|
Post by saintsdad on Aug 2, 2019 7:56:43 GMT
Lawrence seemed to be genuinely surprised at the opposition to the pathetic decision to put the prices up so much. He continued to state that admission is £16.50, when it’s not. His answer to most questions was “let’s see how it goes” and on a number of occasions didn’t even provide an answer to very well thought out reasonable questions. However all through this time Leigh Page was nowhere to be seen but conveniently showed up just as Lawrence had finished. On a final point I did notice that the happy clappers didn’t have anything to say on the night and Lawrence probably now knows that quite a few more than six people strongly oppose the alienation of many supporters. Back the boycott. Spot on.
I found it almost fascinating. No-one seemed to have warned Lawrence / Leigh / Absent John that £16.50 / £18 was a bad idea when they decided upon it. No-one said alright, we want to go cashless but we shouldn't punish those who might want to pay on the gate, who might only decide to come to a game after 12pm on a Saturday. No-one suggested having a cashless trial - alright everyone, we want to go to contactless / cashless etc becasue the stewards are counting money long into the second half (an actual reason Lawrence mentioned last night). So this season please try and use your card / book tickets online etc and we'll see how that goes. That would help ease the burden on the turnstile operators, as if that actually has anything to do with anything.
No reason was given as to why those paying on the gate should be punished for doing so. Lawrence also said 'the great thing with the app is you can just buy a ticket, download it to your phone and scan it at the gate there and then - job done. Well no you can't Lawrence, you told us that you can pre-purchase a ticket up until 12pm, and gates open at 12.30pm.
Back the boycott.
|
|
|
|
Post by jj123 on Aug 2, 2019 7:58:57 GMT
A quick look at the Saints City Trust website this morning, and came across the below:
"1] To strengthen the bonds between St Albans City Football Club and the community which it serves and to represent the interests of the community in the running of the club.
2] To assist St Albans City Football Club through the donation of funds, items or time to specific projects agreed by the Trust board.
3] To provide the supporters of St Albans City Football Club with a forum to discuss and influence the activities of the football club.
4] To encourage the residents of St Albans to support St Albans City their local Football Club by promoting the Club and Trust in the community.
5] To forge links with other organisations such as Supporters Trusts , Football Direct, Football Supporters Federation, and to develop good relations with supporters of other football clubs.
6] To encourage and promote the principle of supporter representation on the board of any company owning or controlling St Albans City Football Club, and potentially investing in shares if appropriate opportunities arise.
7] To be a positive, open and broadly representative group, accessible and democratically run for all supporters of the club, regardless of their age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, race or religious beliefs."
I saw at least two Saints City Trust board members present last night, sat right at the front, and they said absolutely nothing. They didn't represent or stick up for the fan base what so ever in a public forum, this to me is absolutely shocking.
If they couldn't stand up and represent the supporters last night in a time when the supporters need to be heard then i'm afraid its time to go and let others take over who actually care.
|
|
