Skates Away 25th Jan

[EssEffCee]

1 hour ago, Football Special said:

Don't forget to book your breakfast buffet at The Dell 🤣

You just know that's a big part of having to be there an hour before. Big earner for the club.

8:30 coach for me so have to be there 7:30.

I think it's a complete shambles and won't bother next season.

Edited yesterday at 19:11 by EssEffCee

[EssEffCee]

1 hour ago, franniesTache said:

I haven't missed a game against them since the 90s but if the bubble stays next season (and they stay up) i'm not going. It's an absolute fucking piss take and completely over the top, getting to St Mary's for a bus that leaves at 08:30 to do a 17mile trip that takes less than 40mins for a game that kicks off at midday, to have to provide ID like a passport to get tickets and not be able to take food or drink on the bus is beyond fucking stupid.

Plus we have to pay extra for the coaches which they're forcing us to use, and more than you'd pay for the train too.

I swear the set up is a scam to rip fans off and completely unnecessary too, there were barely any arrests or trouble last time round in the cup for a night game with no bubble.

I'm actually half tempted to contact the football supporters association i'm so annoyed.

I have contacted the FSA. I think everyone who's angry about it should do so.

The more they get the more likely they'll try make something of it and the stronger their argument would be.

[Graffito]

I was contacted by the FSA after I posted my opposition prior to the first bubble at FP. They asked whether I’d be willing to challenge it in court, to which I responded I would if they were willing to fund it. That was the last I heard from them.

[The Wyvern]

2 hours ago, EssEffCee said:

I have contacted the FSA. I think everyone who's angry about it should do so.

The more they get the more likely they'll try make something of it and the stronger their argument would be.

What have the fsa said?

[Turkish]

I’m not really surprised at these measures. The police will need to protect the skates and the best way would be to get the thousands of scummers inside the ground so the skates can walk around their own city safely. Don’t blame the club as my sources tell me that Pompeys firm leaders contacted the police anonymously asking for them to give the travelling saints fans the most stringent travel measures possible so they could be protected to avoid any further humiliation yet also gob off about what they would have done had they been got the chance. It’s a tough on saints fans but I guess keep them safe in their own city is of the upmost importance. 

[EssEffCee]

24 minutes ago, The Wyvern said:

What have the fsa said?

Nothing yet I only sent it about 8 minute after the email dropped 😅

[richie]

I went to Fratton Park for both premier league games in the 2000's. 

Ive never had a season ticket so it must have to got to members or whatever system we had then. 

Never had the bubble then. So what's changed? 

Was the bubble in place for the league cup the other year?

 

Edited yesterday at 22:20 by richie

[Pat from Poole]

No bubble last time.

But that was nigh on impossible for an evening game.

[Pat from Poole]

27 minutes ago, richie said:

I went to Fratton Park for both premier league games in the 2000's. 

Ive never had a season ticket so it must have to got to members or whatever system we had then. 

Never had the bubble then. So what's changed? 

Was the bubble in place for the league cup the other year?

 

There was a bubble for the League game there in 2011.

[EssEffCee]

I was bored earlier so had a look at the fans advisory board section on the website. Apparently the membership is done on a "rotation basis" but there's no information on the timescale for this.

Apparently new members are voted on by season tickets and members but I don't recall receiving anything in recent seasons relating to voting in new members.

Also found some meeting minutes from June last year which included discussion about this fixture:

Andy Darbyshire, Event Safety Officer & Head of Security at SFC, joined 
the meeting at 18:40 to discuss the plans for Portsmouth Fixtures.
MS said that FAB had discussed this, and are supportive of the proposed 
plans from SFC. Discussions continued around this and further questions 
from FAB.
• AD detailed he is holding an in-person meeting in Netley in July 
with a number of Portsmouth & Southampton Fans to ensure the 
best experience can be created for fans and the police.
• MS asked if the coach will be able to offer pick-ups & drop-offs in
key locations. AD stated yes and we could collate this information 
through the FAB. Suggested locations including Eastleigh & 
Winchester.
• No parking at the Stadium due to number of coaches.
• AD also stated we can do special requests for those with mobility 
issues, but this will be reviewed case by case.
• RR asked surrounding the Season Ticket transfer option for this 
game, GB stated he will come back to the FAB with an answer.
• GB detailed a process is in place to ensure only Southampton Fans 
will be able to buy tickets to the match.
• 2,700 away tickets have been agreed by both Clubs.
• AD stated that any Hampshire police have the authority to remove 
any away fans that turn up without tickets.
• AD to confirm area of away disability seating in Fratton Park.

 

Two bold bits are the interesting parts for me. Why did the different pickup points never materialise?

Also regarding the FAB being 'supportive of the proposed plans from SFC' - was any consultation done with the wider fan base regarding this or was it the opinion of the FAB members only?

Also with it specifically mentioning the club proposals, does this confirm that this indeed was mainly decided by SFC & PFC rather than by the police or am I reading too much into it?

[EssEffCee]

Although having said that bit about new members being voted in (which is on the club website ) I've just spotted this in the minutes for the same meeting about FAB  membership:

MS asked the Club for their comments on FAB new member’s process. 
• KA detailed the possibility of creating a FAB member job 
description and then these can be personalised e.g., Comms role 
or Age specific. 
• GB suggested FAB to vet anyone who joins, does not believe a 
public vote is necessary.
• KA detailed Jacqui Campbell has been newly appointed as 
Supporter Liaison Officer at the Club and can assist in developing 
a recruitment tool with fan affiliated groups. 
• MS asked if the Club has a view on Tenure to FAB, noting the Terms 
of Reference state 3 years, but it may be worth avoiding a 
complete changeover at one time. GB suggested replacing 3 
members every 6 months to keep stability of the group.
Discussion continued and it was decided for FAB to take offline what 3 
members may not continue beyond Christmas. 
 

So which is it? Presumably there's no longer public votes since Christmas has passed and there's been no mention of new members. So why does the OS still state that season ticket holders and members get a vote?

It's situations like this where we really suffer from having no independent fan representation. In my view fan representation directly linked to the club is not real representation whatsoever and it must make us pretty unique among clubs of our size.

[IFHP]

1 hour ago, EssEffCee said:

Also regarding the FAB being 'supportive of the proposed plans from SFC' - was any consultation done with the wider fan base regarding this or was it the opinion of the FAB members only?

Also with it specifically mentioning the club proposals, does this confirm that this indeed was mainly decided by SFC & PFC rather than by the police or am I reading too much into it?

Of course not, just like any other meeting they have. no one from FAB asks what the wider fan base thinks.

Nothing on Facebook, instagram, twitter ( x now ) on any of the 3 saints forums I’m aware of. 
 

What ever they want to bring up it’s just this small groups opinions and not the wider fan base. 
 

I seem to remember when this FAB crap came out those that got onto the board reckoned they represented various fans. What bullshit that turned out to be. 

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, IFHP said:

Of course not, just like any other meeting they have. no one from FAB asks what the wider fan base thinks.

Nothing on Facebook, instagram, twitter ( x now ) on any of the 3 saints forums I’m aware of. 
 

What ever they want to bring up it’s just this small groups opinions and not the wider fan base. 
 

I seem to remember when this FAB crap came out those that got onto the board reckoned they represented various fans. What bullshit that turned out to be. 

The FAB don’t need to ask. their figure is on the pulse as to what our fans need. They’ve all been fans for ages and represent all sections of our fan base. We are lucky to have these selfless people represent us, asking the hard hitting questions and deal with all the important issues