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General Category => Altrincham FC First Team => Topic started by: AFC SLO on October 16, 2017, 01:28:49 PM
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I am reproducing in full the statement that I was sent by Bill Waterson regarding the above games. This centres mainly around the requests and suggestions I received from fans as to how to combat such incidents going forward.
"This note is based on discussions over several weeks between Mike Reeves, Supporters Liaison Officer and myself, Bill Waterson, Director after feedback from the fan base on the home fixtures against Stafford Rangers and Coalville Town. The issues raised in this note were discussed at length by the board at our last board meeting on 20th September.
The fans had suggested that all games start with complete segregation of the ground, with the Community Sports Hall partitioned to allow access from the road only for away fans. The lifting of segregation would be lifted dependent on number of away fans and conditional on their behaviour.
The board in considering this question have decided not to follow this path as part of a regular game management strategy. We think it would be overkill for the vast majority of clubs visiting Moss Lane this season. However, we will adopt this strategy for those games which we believe may require segregation, and we know there will be some such games this season. We will work with the SLO to communicate to the fans which games we believe require us to start with segregation. We think this is a reasonable approach given our experience now of clubs such as Rushall Olympic and Whitby Town visiting the J Davidson Stadium. We also agree that partitioning the Community Sports Hall is a good idea should a situation similar to the visiting Leicester City fans at the Coalville game arise again.
The fans also asked for continuity and stability in stewarding, and the board completely agree that fan safety is our primary concern and this is non-negotiable. After the Stafford game, we have reviewed our existing Match Day Planning processes, which have been in place for quite some time and we acknowledge that we made a mistake on the opening day of the season. We intend to ensure that all parties – whether stewards, bar staff, turnstile operators or others are aware of any specific circumstances on any given match day. As part of this process we are overhauling to role of the Match Day Organiser to embed the lessons we have learnt.
In summary, we would like to thank the fans for the feedback, acknowledge we got it wrong for the Stafford game and recognise the value of a number of your suggestions. However we do feel it would be inappropriate to segregate every game as a matter of course. I would like to apologise for the length of time it has taken to produce this response and take full responsibility for the delay.
Bill Waterson"
Recognising the flaws in our matchday planning process is one thing, but continuing it is another. New blood is actively being sought for the Matchday Organiser role and I have received assurances that this won't just go to "a known face" or someone who necessarily has a close link to the board, as has happened before.
With recent developments in the changes in stewarding (of which I was unaware until I read the forum on Saturday evening), a fresh outlook and new impetus will be able to better the Matchday experience for all of our supporters.
If there are any more queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me, either by replying to this, sending myself a personal message or by emailing altrinchamfcslo@gmail.com
Thanks for your time, and apologies for the delay.
Mike.
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Nothing is going to retract from the fact that the statement is far too late, given we've had 6 home fixtures since, so i won't go on about it.
If the club have decided that segregation will only be applied when they see fit I would hope that they are going to have a process in place whereby segregation can be implemented at the last minute, i.e. 1430 on a Saturday where it becomes apparent there are fifty away fans drinking in the bar vociferously. We should be able to direct away fans to the segregated area of the ground.
Mike: Please can you have this point discussed and answered.
We seem to care far too much about visiting fans 'matchday experience' at the expense of home fans who are expected to pitch up and pay time and time again.
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Monsieur,
Thanks for your speedy response. I agree with you that such a procedure would be necessary and therefore needs to be defined.
With regards to your other point, we are actively working to improve the home fan match day experience and hopefully some evidence of this was provided by Non League Day.
I accept fully your point re the lateness of this statement and apologise for that
Bill
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So basically it's taken nearly 2 months to put out a statement that contains more or less what everyone knew it would!
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So basically it's taken nearly 2 months to put out a statement that contains more or less what everyone knew it would!
Did you really expect anything else ?
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So basically it's taken nearly 2 months to put out a statement that contains more or less what everyone knew it would!
Indeed - the majority of that statement could have been put out at 17:30 on the day of the Stafford game and it has probably done little or nothing to quell the bad feeling generated by these incidents.
I'm interested in "we made a mistake on the opening day of the season" - who exactly is "we" in this case? Some or all of the board, the safety officer, the stewards, all of the above? Were all parties in agreement?
All of us would like to think that our safety, rather than the prospect of earning a few extra quid over the bar, is the club's priority.
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One part says fan safety primary concern and this is non-negotiable.so I am taking it that tomorrow's game will have a new head steward and stewards who will all be qualified that is they will all have been trained in nvq ground safety.
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Lets move on
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Lets move on
+1
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Monsieur,
Thanks for your speedy response. I agree with you that such a procedure would be necessary and therefore needs to be defined.
With regards to your other point, we are actively working to improve the home fan match day experience and hopefully some evidence of this was provided by Non League Day.
I accept fully your point re the lateness of this statement and apologise for that
Bill
Thanks Bill, much appreciated
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Moving on......c'mon Alty!!!
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In summary, we would like to thank the fans for the feedback, acknowledge we got it wrong for the Stafford game and recognise the value of a number of your suggestions.
So, the Coalville Town game went swimmingly then?
Which individual actually sanctioned that invitation to those Leicester City fans?
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Monsieur,
Thanks for your speedy response. I agree with you that such a procedure would be necessary and therefore needs to be defined.
With regards to your other point, we are actively working to improve the home fan match day experience and hopefully some evidence of this was provided by Non League Day.
I accept fully your point re the lateness of this statement and apologise for that
Bill
The statement is poor, it nowhere near addresses what went wrong and doesn't even acknowledge the board got it wrong with the Coaville farce.
Also an apology for compromising fans safety should have been a minimum requirement - yet there is nothing of the sort. The only apology is for the lateness of the statement itself which is ridiculous
This statement treats the supporters with disdain, I'm surprised the SLO's have supported it
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In summary, we would like to thank the fans for the feedback, acknowledge we got it wrong for the Stafford game and recognise the value of a number of your suggestions.
So, the Coalville Town game went swimmingly then?
Which individual actually sanctioned that invitation to those Leicester City fans?
EXACTLY THIS.
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in getting behind the team now
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I'm 100% behind the team, but this continuing catalogue of gaffes by those responsible for running the club.has become tiresome.
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I'm 100% behind the team, but this continuing catalogue of gaffes by those responsible for running the club.has become tiresome.
And yet still they keep on coming....
From the club website:
SAFETY OFFICER
"The Board's statement regarding Louise Bowyer standing down as Safety Officer has been removed from this website at the request of Louise. The Club apologises if this statement caused her any upset".
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Brilliant, now we officially announce our daft goings on.
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in going to warrington now
Fixed it for you
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in going to warrington now
Fixed it for you
Wayno is going to Warrington? Who knew?
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in going to warrington now
Fixed it for you
Wayno is going to Warrington? Who knew?
mods it would appear my words are being edited and taken out of context can someone act quickly please
I of course understand a full and thorough investigation will need to take place first
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in going to warrington now
Fixed it for you
Wayno is going to Warrington? Who knew?
mods it would appear my words are being edited and taken out of context can someone act quickly please
I of course understand a full and thorough investigation will need to take place first
I'll come back to you in due course. In the meantime enjoy Christmas
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Lets move on
+1
im inclined to agree. Its dragged on and been a farce however im more interested in going to warrington now
Fixed it for you
Wayno is going to Warrington? Who knew?
mods it would appear my words are being edited and taken out of context can someone act quickly please
I of course understand a full and thorough investigation will need to take place first
Is Wayno's transfer to Warrington permanent, or just a loan ?
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Monsieur,
Thanks for your speedy response. I agree with you that such a procedure would be necessary and therefore needs to be defined.
With regards to your other point, we are actively working to improve the home fan match day experience and hopefully some evidence of this was provided by Non League Day.
I accept fully your point re the lateness of this statement and apologise for that
Bill
The statement is poor, it nowhere near addresses what went wrong and doesn't even acknowledge the board got it wrong with the Coaville farce.
Also an apology for compromising fans safety should have been a minimum requirement - yet there is nothing of the sort. The only apology is for the lateness of the statement itself which is ridiculous
This statement treats the supporters with disdain, I'm surprised the SLO's have supported it
If you genuinely believe that Jamie, then nothing I say will make you change your mind.
It's amusing that you seem to have an issue with how I act as an SLO, but haven't spoken to me, messaged me or emailed me to put forward your point of view.
You have a clear lack of understanding of the role (as does the majority of the board at the minute), but as this is a Supporters Direct and Football Supporters Federation initiative, I am receiving support from them.
This was not a club idea, and my role is to be communicative, not a firefighter.
I will pressure the club into listening to the fans, and until things change I will make it as uncomfortable as possible for those that choose not to listen, as was evidenced by my hour long discussion with the chairman after the recent Nantwich game.
Communicaion doesn't mean agreement, so please don't mistake me for a Rowley apologiser.