Taking fans for granted

[kismet]

A very good post Exeter and food for thought.

We have the best owners in the world and their investment is unbelievable both on and off the pitch. With success on the field and increased attendances they probably think everything is fine and largely it is. However there are little concerns as you mention, where improvements could be made and I am sure that if we ever met Khaldoon he would listen and do something. I don't believe there is a communications channel to Khaldoon and wouldn't expect there to be. However were he aware of some of the cost issues then I am sure he would act as ticket price monies is such a small part or our income. To the Sheikh and Khaldoon the supporters are everything.

I am amazed that the club don't have someone fairly senior meeting regularly with the fans to gauge opinion and listen to issues. I think they used to ( PB) has mentioned this and am surprised they stopped such meetings. I know we have fan surveys but they don't get the message across clearly. There are people on this board who's knowledge of the club and the issues is second to none, and it would be of enormous benefit overall to meet and listen to them. They have nothing to lose, indeed some of the suggestions would help the club.

At the end of year review Khaldoon will meet with management and it will all be positive. He is probably unaware that there are some issues that fans have, which could be resolved with far better communication as identified above.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I don't know how any one can afford to go to football now..I'm a working class man and I can't afford it anymore..oh for the good old days when i used to pay on the gate on the kippax with my mates..and stand where we wanted to..all for about 10 pounds..with an electric atmosphere..

A lot of people who go can't really afford it I think, but just go anyway. Like an addiction. Then there are plenty who would love to go, but can't.

Bigger ground with cheap prices & more homegrown players is the answer imo.

 

[mekonmcfc]

An example of a lack of connection between players now and fans was summed up by my experience of meeting both Dickov and Silva on the recent Madrid trip.

Met Paul outside the stadium, he was buzzing like us to be at the ground and gladly took a picture with a smile on his face, genuinely looked like he was ok with it all.

Met David at the airport flying from Madrid to Barca, he was on the same budget plane as us, he had a picture taken but what a sour puss and not a word.

I not just picking David out as it not the worse example but it shows the difference nowadays, I think it is like that with the majority of footballers, as if they are doing us a favour.

I have said it for years, there is now absolutely no connection between fans and players. The sums of money they are paid puts them in a financial bracket we can't comprehend. They actually have that much money they could never ever spend it, coupled with the way the club treat them like gods. I mean FFS they sleep the night before a home game at the training campus and they get them a coach from there, to then be given the blue carpet treatment without barely even looking at the fans that stand there waiting for them whatever the weather. You see on tunnel cam doors help open and people almost bowing to them, for them to give a little hello.

i'm fuckin sick of it

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I've been saying something similar for a while. They could save themselves so much trouble just by talking and listening to us. I know there's probably some dialogue with Kevin Parker but, with the greatest respect to Kevin, I'm not sure he'll necessarily tell them stuff they might prefer not to hear.

I was actually about to press the button to buy a ticket for the Southampton game. Not been able to do an away game for a while, it was £21 and a Bank Holiday weekend. But I hesitated and then eventually didn't bother. My thoughts were "I doubt they're going to turn up for this game so why should I make the effort?" I was proved right when he played the B-team and most of them didn't turn up.

Sad I know but that's what it's come to.

 

[Goater=Legend]

I have said it for years, there is now absolutely no connection between fans and players. The sums of money they are paid puts them in a financial bracket we can't comprehend. They actually have that much money they could never ever spend it, coupled with the way the club treat them like gods. I mean FFS they sleep the night before a home game at the training campus and they get them a coach from there, to then be given the blue carpet treatment without barely even looking at the fans that stand there waiting for them whatever the weather. You see on tunnel cam doors help open and people almost bowing to them, for them to give a little hello.

i'm fuckin sick of it

This has pissed me off for a while and then they have the nerve to put in half arsed performances once they step onto the pitch.

I mean they obviously aren't going to get bollocked for it so they just carry on as if nothing happened.

 

[mekonmcfc]

This has pissed me off for a while and then they have the nerve to put in half arsed performances once they step onto the pitch.

I mean they obviously aren't going to get bollocked for it so they just carry on as if nothing happened.

they wont get bollocked, because nobody is allowed to speak to them !!

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I have said it for years, there is now absolutely no connection between fans and players. The sums of money they are paid puts them in a financial bracket we can't comprehend. They actually have that much money they could never ever spend it, coupled with the way the club treat them like gods. I mean FFS they sleep the night before a home game at the training campus and they get them a coach from there, to then be given the blue carpet treatment without barely even looking at the fans that stand there waiting for them whatever the weather. You see on tunnel cam doors help open and people almost bowing to them, for them to give a little hello.

i'm fuckin sick of it

You are absolutely correct - it's the ridiculous pampered, rarified world the Club have allowed them to inhabit. Was inside the CFA Spa this season, just me and another person chatting in a 3m wide corrider and a door opened in the distance with a "blazer" and 2 players appearing, "stand back please, players coming through". I'm not blaming the players, the club have lost sight of common sense.

 

[mekonmcfc]

You are absolutely correct - it's the ridiculous pampered, rarified world the Club have allowed them to inhabit. Was inside the CFA Spa this season, just me and another person chatting in a 3m wide corrider and a door opened in the distance with a "blazer" and 2 players appearing, "stand back please, players coming through". I'm not blaming the players, the club have lost site of common sense.

i completely understand everything is geared for them to perform for 90 minutes, but when they dont that really pisses people off, and they need to rememeber they are humans that shit and piss the same as the rest of us

 

[flb]

I have said it for years, there is now absolutely no connection between fans and players. The sums of money they are paid puts them in a financial bracket we can't comprehend. They actually have that much money they could never ever spend it, coupled with the way the club treat them like gods. I mean FFS they sleep the night before a home game at the training campus and they get them a coach from there, to then be given the blue carpet treatment without barely even looking at the fans that stand there waiting for them whatever the weather. You see on tunnel cam doors help open and people almost bowing to them, for them to give a little hello.

i'm fuckin sick of it

Its this mate that will eventually make me sack the season ticket, I've felt more connected to the club the odd time ive been to watch the u18's and EDS lads than I do these pampered half hearted shit houses that call themselves professional footballers. Its honest committed football at that level with lads trying to make there way in the game so they put more effort into it.

I cant wait for the day the team is half home grown lads, I want to feel a connection to the club, we always had a connection with managers going back 40 years whether they were good or bad, Machin, Horton, Reid, Keegan, Mancini all wore there hearts on there shirts and made us feel we were one of them and it was the same with the players,now we have sterile players who don't give a fuck about the fans, they hardly acknowledge we are there especially away games, the very least the captain could do is make sure they come over and applaud the fans who have travelled far and wide to support them. Lets hope Pep has a rapport with the fans and its shows through the players. Klopp for all his faults and cosy relationship with the press has nurtured a close relationship with the players and fans in eight months that Pellegrini hasn't go close to doing in three years. I'd love a bit of that, an all for one attitude.

The club got what they deserve on Sunday, the fans wont have people take the piss out of us at the club and it just shows that being a City fan is still the same regardless of how much money we have and we should be proud that we made a stance.

 

[Manchester33]

I think the biggest factor in fans feeling alienated from the club is the lack of communication. It's really depressing to think there's all this information available to them, yet they still don't bother meeting with us regarding it. They've obviously streamlined the process using 'City Voice' but it's incredibly de-humanised and doesn't appeal to a big majority of our fans. We're also kept out of the loop on the results - they do the surveys after they've made up their minds IMO - it's simply there to appear as though they're listening.

But hey, what do we know? We've only propped up this club for the best part of 122 years.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

West Ham have sold 52,000 season tickets for next season, will have a 60,000 capacity and have made a request to install another 6,000 seats for 2017-18.

There's a reason for that. They haven't taken the piss out of their fans and have introduced a family season ticket for two adults and two children for £500.

A kid's ticket is just £90.

There is absolutely no excuses that our ownership can't afford to compete at that level.

 

[2sheikhs]

I could be wrong but didn't we have a situation where a ref had to tell our players to go and thank our away support?

 

[mekonmcfc]

Its this mate that will eventually make me sack the season ticket, I've felt more connected to the club the odd time ive been to watch the u18's and EDS lads than I do these pampered half hearted shit houses that call themselves professional footballers. Its honest committed football at that level with lads trying to make there way in the game so they put more effort into it.

I cant wait for the day the team is half home grown lads, I want to feel a connection to the club, we always had a connection with managers going back 40 years whether they were good or bad, Machin, Horton, Reid, Keegan, Mancini all wore there hearts on there shirts and made us feel we were one of them and it was the same with the players,now we have sterile players who don't give a fuck about the fans, they hardly acknowledge we are there especially away games, the very least the captain could do is make sure they come over and applaud the fans who have travelled far and wide to support them. Lets hope Pep has a rapport with the fans and its shows through the players. Klopp for all his faults and cosy relationship with the press has nurtured a close relationship with the players and fans in eight months that Pellegrini hasn't go close to doing in three years. I'd love a bit of that, an all for one attitude.

The club got what they deserve on Sunday, the fans wont have people take the piss out of us at the club and it just shows that being a City fan is still the same regardless of how much money we have and we should be proud that we made a stance.

Completely agree pal, i give more than enough of my time and money to the club. I dont need to be another sycophant bowing to their already massive ago's. I hope it has sent a message out to the players and club. I'm sure Pep will instil that connect and i cant wait hence renewing for another year

 

[Manc in London]

I could be wrong but didn't we have a situation where a ref had to tell our players to go and thank our away support?

Against Arsenal in 2013 a linesman suggested to Lescott that he thanked our fans. It was the game when we were unhappy at paying £62.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I could be wrong but didn't we have a situation where a ref had to tell our players to go and thank our away support?

It was the linesman at Arsenal away. Convinced he's a blue!

 

[BlueTG]

People reckon it could be about 30% of our away allocations at United Liverpool Chelsea and Arsenal are now corporate and we only get 3000 as it is. A mate of mine went to Arsenal last season and said there were Arsenal fans in our away end.

Arsenal away in December was a joke. Didn't recognise hardly anyone, a Belgium supporters club of about 200 and corporate on top. People genuinely looked pissed off that we cared about the match.

 

[bobom]

Arsenal away in December was a joke. Didn't recognise hardly anyone, a Belgium supporters club of about 200 and corporate on top. People genuinely looked pissed off that we cared about the match.

They were probably pissed off there wasn't a better atmosphere. People come from all over the world to see our team play. Poor us.

 

[flb]

West Ham have sold 52,000 season tickets for next season, will have a 60,000 capacity and have made a request to install another 6,000 seats for 2017-18.

There's a reason for that. They haven't taken the piss out of their fans and have introduced a family season ticket for two adults and two children for £500.

A kid's ticket is just £90.

There is absolutely no excuses that our ownership can't afford to compete at that level.

Totally agree mate, and ridding the tag of emptyhad overnight in one fell swoop.

I don't get this club sometimes i really don't.

 

[Seosa]

The disconnect between club & fan has a great amount to do with a squad of players who couldn't care less about the fans. It's become obvious, and has been obvious for a number of years now, and it contributed to the walkout on Sunday. No passion & no connection, two major issues that I think Pep will go some way to dealing with. Not because he's a miracle man, but because I think it's in his character to bring passion and connection back to the club, and he'll do this by, amongst other methods, ridding the club of the players that need to go and changing the mindset of the players that stay.

 

[kismet]

West Ham have sold 52,000 season tickets for next season, will have a 60,000 capacity and have made a request to install another 6,000 seats for 2017-18.

There's a reason for that. They haven't taken the piss out of their fans and have introduced a family season ticket for two adults and two children for £500.

A kid's ticket is just £90.

There is absolutely no excuses that our ownership can't afford to compete at that level.

Spot on Tolm's . If we did that, the stadium would be full every game, great atmosphere and getting ready to build the extension to the North Stand.

It's crazy.