Istanbul CL Final chaos | City Matters statement (p 133)

[GaudinoMotors]

What’s your point lol. Get some coffee in you and make a better attempt of going keyboard warrior lol

Sarcasm isn't for everyone.

 

[Tbilisi]

It doesn’t surprise me that the club haven’t bothered to say anything.

I got a lovely email off them today telling me my direct debit had been cancelled (not sure why as I hadn’t cancelled it) and they had suspended my ST and would be cancelling it if u didn’t pay up within ...2 weeks but with zero option to pay online. The tone of their email left a sour taste when I’ve been going for 45 years.

Who is in charge of supporter communication?

Sebastian Farquar.....hes not right keen on football.

 

[East Level 2]

I’d like to see the clubs RA compared to the reality.

If by "RA" you mean risk assessment then I'll guess the club were told where the stadium fanzone would be and shown the fucking huge area where coaches would be waiting to ferry us back to the city centre and the two airports. They wouldn't have any idea about the traffic chaos or the flawed logistics that said club flights could be schedules to return just over three hours after the final whistle (assuming no extra-time).
The risk assessment should have screamed "NO FUCKING CHANCE", and fans could have been warned, however the game would not have been moved. City are guilty of no spotting potential problems and warning fans, but the utter chaos is down to UEFA and the Turkish authorities.

 

[Any1aBlue]

On this occasion the silence from our club has been deafening!!
Those who travelled to the game have massively been let down by the organisations on both sides.
Without us fans there would be no Manchester City FC.
Really not sure they care! Feel undervalued as a supporter right now.

That’s actually a good point. I don’t recall any mention of the fans by the club whatsoever. Taken for granted ow?

 

[edinburgh123]

This forum is slowing off understandably. Sorry to ask - does anyone know if we have sent any official letter to the club on behalf of fans? Or if not - could we chip in and put an advert in Manchester Evening News asking them to comment expressing our concerns as a fan base? Wouldn't cost much - and although no bugger reads it, it would get traction. It worked for Mancini when he left - made national news

 

[Son of Merv]

Did 1894 make any comment? I would think they would be seeking a boycott of the Super Cup, or something...

 

[Vic]

My account went to City Matters, MEN, and the club (who are expecting City Matters to reflect the stories). I hope Alex isn't overburdened, but

Thanks. I was just about to share on here. If anyone on here doesn’t have Twitter or doesn’t want to email, feel free to send me a private message or reply to this. I’ll also be going back over this thread to save people replying twice.

 

[Alex - Not City Matters]

My account went to City Matters, MEN, and the club (who are expecting City Matters to reflect the stories). I hope Alex isn't overburdened, but

Thanks for tagging me - I have meant to come on and post an update.

It has been a chaotic few weeks. I finished the initial draft of the report two weeks ago yesterday - it runs to around 40 pages. I tidied that up by the time I went on holiday to Bavaria for a wedding on the Thursday (only returned to the UK on Sunday). I have received feedback on the draft from a number of people, including Gary James, and it should be ready to go imminently.

The plan is to submit it to the club, who will include it as part of their submission to UEFA.

I am hopeful that I will be able to share it with everyone - I will see what the club have to say, but my view is that it should be shared.

In the meantime, I also attended a meeting with Andy Burnham before I went away. He is very keen to help where possible, but also does not want to tread on the club's toes - his office want to see a version of the report once published.

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

Thanks for tagging me - I have meant to come on and post an update.

It has been a chaotic few weeks. I finished the initial draft of the report two weeks ago yesterday - it runs to around 40 pages. I tidied that up by the time I went on holiday to Bavaria for a wedding on the Thursday (only returned to the UK on Sunday). I have received feedback on the draft from a number of people, including Gary James, and it should be ready to go imminently.

The plan is to submit it to the club, who will include it as part of their submission to UEFA.

I am hopeful that I will be able to share it with everyone - I will see what the club have to say, but my view is that it should be shared.

In the meantime, I also attended a meeting with Andy Burnham before I went away. He is very keen to help where possible, but also does not want to tread on the club's toes - his office want to see a version of the report once published.

Thanks for the update, do you or any of the City Matters Group have any idea why the club have been silent about the whole issue. Not even an acknowledgment of the issues faced by thousands.

 

[Alex - Not City Matters]

Thanks for the update, do you or any of the City Matters Group have any idea why the club have been silent about the whole issue. Not even an acknowledgment of the issues faced by thousands.

Speaking for myself, I don't. I know that they have been compiling fan's experiences themselves, but the lack of public backing is extremely disappointing - particularly when this seems to be a pretty much cut and dry issue.

One of my recommendations covers this exact point.

 

[Edghill OG]

Speaking for myself, I don't. I know that they have been compiling fan's experiences themselves, but the lack of public backing is extremely disappointing - particularly when this seems to be a pretty much cut and dry issue.

One of my recommendations covers this exact point.

Cheers for all your work Alex. This is something that the club should have been doing off their own back. Whilst you say they are now compiling fan's experiences it's clearly half-hearted as they haven't even been asking for them. Barely anybody on here knew they were doing anything. The one person that said the club were doing something was almost ridiculed due to everybody's lack of awareness.

They'd rather keep on good terms with UEFA after all the FFP and ESL shenanigans than be concerned about the welfare of their own fans. Quite sickening actually.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

This forum is slowing off understandably. Sorry to ask - does anyone know if we have sent any official letter to the club on behalf of fans? Or if not - could we chip in and put an advert in Manchester Evening News asking them to comment expressing our concerns as a fan base? Wouldn't cost much - and although no bugger reads it, it would get traction. It worked for Mancini when he left - made national news

Good idea. I’ll chip in.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Cheers for all your work Alex. This is something that the club should have been doing off their own back. Whilst you say they are now compiling fan's experiences it's clearly half-hearted as they haven't even been asking for them. Barely anybody on here knew they were doing anything. The one person that said the club were doing something was almost ridiculed due to everybody's lack of awareness.

They'd rather keep on good terms with UEFA after all the FFP and ESL shenanigans than be concerned about the welfare of their own fans. Quite sickening actually.

You can do both. Communicating with your fans is not equivalent to pissing UEFA off.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Speaking for myself, I don't. I know that they have been compiling fan's experiences themselves, but the lack of public backing is extremely disappointing - particularly when this seems to be a pretty much cut and dry issue.

One of my recommendations covers this exact point.

As you and I both know only too well Alex, communication is the biggest bug-bear we have on City Matters. Do you ever get feedback on how the Fan Experience programme is going? How can you run a credible FX programme like that without actively involving fans or their representatives?

 

[GaudinoMotors]

As you and I both know only too well Alex, communication is the biggest bug-bear we have on City Matters. Do you ever get feedback on how the Fan Experience programme is going? How can you run a credible FX programme like that without actively involving fans or their representatives?

Search me - scampers off to look up "FX".

 

[Son of Merv]

Search me - scampers off to look up "FX".

Fan Experience...

 

[TinFoilHat]

I'll forgive UEFA for this one as long as the next 5 finals we get to they get their shit right.

I expect the obligatory tube strike for Wembley which won't be in their control. However for the 2025 final In Munich they'd better get it spot on.

 

[City Mike 1969]

It doesn’t surprise me that the club haven’t bothered to say anything.

I got a lovely email off them today telling me my direct debit had been cancelled (not sure why as I hadn’t cancelled it) and they had suspended my ST and would be cancelling it if u didn’t pay up within 2 weeks but with zero option to pay online. The tone of their email left a sour taste when I’ve been going for 45 years.

Who is in charge of supporter communication?

I had a similar situation last season... received an email from the club stating they'd 'been unable' to collect the D Drs on the 3 season tickets I pay for - on the day before the Arsenal game at the Etihad.

I didn't see the email til the next morning - when reading it I noticed it stated that if I hadn't made a payment before the match to not bother turning up - all 3 season tickets would be cancelled, all associated loyalty points would be removed and all associated cup schemes would be removed - no payment options or links in the email.

I was livid - the debits should have gone out around the first of the month and hadn't - the D Drs were still in place and funds were available in my payment account - they stated they'd also tried to take the funds on 'or around' the 15th - at which point all the same points remained (funds available D Dr intact) - and this was the first I'd heard about it (yes, I should pay more attention to my bank account - but thats a job I do once a month, at the end of the month).

...2 hours 46 mins in a queue on the phone to make a manual payment was the outcome.

 

[City Mike 1969]

Good idea. I’ll chip in.

I will too

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

I had a similar situation last season... received an email from the club stating they'd 'been unable' to collect the D Drs on the 3 season tickets I pay for - on the day before the Arsenal game at the Etihad.

I didn't see the email til the next morning - when reading it I noticed it stated that if I hadn't made a payment before the match to not bother turning up - all 3 season tickets would be cancelled, all associated loyalty points would be removed and all associated cup schemes would be removed - no payment options or links in the email.

I was livid - the debits should have gone out around the first of the month and hadn't - the D Drs were still in place and funds were available in my payment account - they stated they'd also tried to take the funds on 'or around' the 15th - at which point all the same points remained (funds available D Dr intact) - and this was the first I'd heard about it (yes, I should pay more attention to my bank account - but thats a job I do once a month, at the end of the month).

...2 hours 46 mins in a queue on the phone to make a manual payment was the outcome.

Yes very annoying. I spoke to someone yesterday who said “this has happened to a lot of people so we are just taking bank details and the club will sort”

I have no faith that they will so am going to phone back at some point and just pay it off.

They absolutely take fans for granted nowadays.