Hospitality Area In The East Stand

[STAR Liaison]

This is not exactly news.....

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57859

and the stadium expansion thread.

I contacted the club and they say they have not decided will happen yet, which I think means they have but we wont like it. Apparently since it wont affect us next season means it's all OK

I'm most disappointed STAR don't seem to care at all, they've made no noises about representing the fans affected to ensure the best solution, which IMHO is to slide everyone back above the executive area 5 rows.

I can't be bothered to find out where it was posted but STAR have discussed this with the club at both the last 2 management meetings and we were told of some of the possibilities the club is considering and from what has been posted on the other thread the club was much more understanding and generous than anyone on here anticipated. So you are wrong in assuming they have made an unpopular decision - they will not make any decision until they actually get planning permission as until then they are not certain of what can happen as the permission may involve changes to the plans. We have asked them to inform those involved as soon as they have made a decision and they willingly agreed so I suspect the flier has been produced with incomplete knowledge and is based on fears and assumptions rather than facts.

I am not sure where you get the idea that STAR do not care or have not made representations: after all there is no point making noises anywhere other than with the decision makers and they tend not to be on here I'm afraid

You may not believe it but the Deputy Chief Executive of Supporters Direct came to our latest teams meeting and was full of praise for the way STAR is building a relationship with RFC by solving problems and offering solutions rather than just criticism, and we intend to continue in this constructive way.

[Dirk Gently]

This is not exactly news.....

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57859

and the stadium expansion thread.

I contacted the club and they say they have not decided will happen yet, which I think means they have but we wont like it. Apparently since it wont affect us next season means it's all OK

I'm most disappointed STAR don't seem to care at all, they've made no noises about representing the fans affected to ensure the best solution, which IMHO is to slide everyone back above the executive area 5 rows.

However, in response to one of your previous rants :

PieEater we have asked about this and the club is very aware that if people have to be moved from their current seats that it will mean that they need to be given a reasonable alternative and they will be contacted in due course but well before the need to move. It has been thought about but what is to be offered is not yet decided but the various possibilities spoken of as examples indicate that you will not face the attitude that Newcastle fans faced.

Above all it was made clear that no-one's seat will be changed at all in the 2007/08 season

So, PieEater, please enlighten everyone on how STAR has made "no noises about representing the fans affected."

You have your own personal preferred solution, but perhaps that's not everyone else's preferred solution - what about people who bought their seats because they want to be as high as possible - for them moving back just 5 rows won't be the best solution, moving all the way back will be.

Above all, why do you expect the club to start making people promises about what they will be doing well over a year before any changes are needed. What if some of the relevant people decide not to renew STs next year, for whatever reason? Of what if planning permission isn't granted or is granted in a revised form? Now is far too early to be getting so excited about this - and wait until you hear the club's suggestions until you shoot them down in flames.

[PieEater]

So, PieEater, please enlighten everyone on how STAR has made "no noises about representing the fans affected."

Well for a start I would expect the starting position to be not to move the fans at all and to vehemently object to the loyal supporters being ousted to accommodate Corporate freeloaders.

The STAR approach seems to be one of appeasement and acceptance to accommodate the change. IMHO they should be stating categorically now, that the plans should change. If you took a poll of everyone affected I'm sure that would be the fans views so why are STAR reluctant to represent this?

Also why should STAR communicate it to those affected, surely this is something the club should do directly rather than hide behind its fan police?

[Northern Git]

I thought that area was going to be the new disabled area. Anyway, we're Row W!!! Cheerio you miserable barstewards who sit directly behind us!!!

In Row W ae well, and have been since day one, trouble is some of us are in the row behind. Be interesting to see if they are going to offer a move too us all.

Mind you dont really want to move from row W as would loose one of the main advantages and highlights of sitting there - Royal Lady squeezing past a couple of times every game

[russyb]

i was really angry when i recieved this leaflet yesterday it was the first i had heard of corporate boxes being planned. What people fail to realise is that you won't be moved just 5 rows back it will be at least 14 rows back becasue the people behind row DD the last row affected will not be moved so we will then have to move back behind the last supporters at the top of the current stand ie 14 rows.
secondly when the stadium was bing built we had the opportuinity to choose our seat, many of us chose these seats because they were along the half way line at a reasonable level with good view, effectively we will be moved further back or offered seats elsewhere at not such good locations around the stadium.
if it does happen and i'm sure it will there should be major compensation to these affected supporters either the offer of 50 per cent of a season ticket or even free for the inconvience and outrage that this has caused this will affect around 400 supporters if you work out the rows and seats affected most of these people have supported the team through thick and thin and as always we will be ignored.

[The 17 Bus]

Sorry to be controversial but this was an obvious move by the club, the plans include a new bar area I believe and it looks like the Jazz Cafe will be extended out to the limit of the stand and turned into hospitality, this is big money, and if fans have to be moved then so be it.

There are ways that it can be done with consideration, and it looks like the leaflet is the start of this process, the new seats above the area will be at a better vantage point than those lost, on a similar plane to the Upper West, I would expect those displaced to have first refusal at advantageous rates for a season or two, and also first refusla for folk that choice to move to waht may well be a better area at a higher price.

[Coppelled Streets]

Very disappointed that the TV Gantry will be at the top of the East Stand. The view of the stadium would so much more impressive if they kept it where it is currently!

[Behindu]

if it does happen and i'm sure it will there should be major compensation to these affected supporters either the offer of 50 per cent of a season ticket or even free for the inconvience and outrage that this has caused this will affect around 400 supporters if you work out the rows and seats affected most of these people have supported the team through thick and thin and as always we will be ignored.

Back in the real world......

[M4 Junction 11]

where is all this leading

[The 17 Bus]

where is all this leading

and if we want to reamain in the top ten then yes it should be so, the view from above will be amazing IMHO.

[Royal Lady]

I thought that area was going to be the new disabled area. Anyway, we're Row W!!! Cheerio you miserable barstewards who sit directly behind us!!!

In Row W ae well, and have been since day one, trouble is some of us are in the row behind. Be interesting to see if they are going to offer a move too us all.

Mind you dont really want to move from row W as would loose one of the main advantages and highlights of sitting there - Royal Lady squeezing past a couple of times every game

ooh I say. Are you the guys who sit near the end of the row?

[The 17 Bus]

I thought that area was going to be the new disabled area. Anyway, we're Row W!!! Cheerio you miserable barstewards who sit directly behind us!!!

In Row W ae well, and have been since day one, trouble is some of us are in the row behind. Be interesting to see if they are going to offer a move too us all.

Mind you dont really want to move from row W as would loose one of the main advantages and highlights of sitting there - Royal Lady squeezing past a couple of times every game

ooh I say. Are you the guys who sit near the end of the row?

well I wonder, tho they will have to put up with schards wombling along too.

[RoyalBlue]

Its called progress ... unfortunate for a few but best for the club in the long run. Hospitality = ££££ and any club wanting to go forwards needs to rake in the £££

It depends what you regard as going forwards. Does anyone really want their club to become a Chelsea?

I would rather see us fight for honours in the 'second tier' of the Premier League than sell out to the corporates.

However, this sort of 'progress' is hard to stop, so I guess we better make the most of the next season or so before the 'lifeblood of the club' is replaced by artificial plasma.

[Royal Lady]

No - it's just I always have to go to the loo just before the end of half time. Schards "wombling" along - you missed his solid performance at FFF game today then.

[Northern Git]

I thought that area was going to be the new disabled area. Anyway, we're Row W!!! Cheerio you miserable barstewards who sit directly behind us!!!

In Row W ae well, and have been since day one, trouble is some of us are in the row behind. Be interesting to see if they are going to offer a move too us all.

Mind you dont really want to move from row W as would loose one of the main advantages and highlights of sitting there - Royal Lady squeezing past a couple of times every game

ooh I say. Are you the guys who sit near the end of the row?

Yes I am, sit next to the guy who always leans forward when you approach

[Behindu]

It depends what you regard as going forwards. Does anyone really want their club to become a Chelsea?

I would rather see us fight for honours in the 'second tier' of the Premier League than sell out to the corporates.

.

In a stadium of 38k having a few hundred spaces for 'corporates' is hardly selling out though...
I would certainly support the calls for any changes to be handled sensitively and by agreement but the plans don't look like 'ordinary' fans are bening excluded en masse (or even at all). If people are asked to move half a dozen rows back to seats with an equally good view in exactly the same part of the stand is it a huge change ?

[.:BigDaveInTheDungeon:.]

It depends what you regard as going forwards. Does anyone really want their club to become a Chelsea?

I would rather see us fight for honours in the 'second tier' of the Premier League than sell out to the corporates.

.

In a stadium of 38k having a few hundred spaces for 'corporates' is hardly selling out though...
I would certainly support the calls for any changes to be handled sensitively and by agreement but the plans don't look like 'ordinary' fans are bening excluded en masse (or even at all). If people are asked to move half a dozen rows back to seats with an equally good view in exactly the same part of the stand is it a huge change ?

what about the people below the boxes who rather than being able to join in the singing will be cut off and instead have to listen to the all the clients in the boxes getting the brown nose treatment.

[Behindu]

The singning all starts in the upper tiers so I think it would be those left 'stranded' in the lower tiers who would be the worry.

[M4 Junction 11]

Lower East

[Farnborough Royal]

the thing that worries me is when there are two tiers the songs get out of time. this is what happened at loads of away games this season, chelsea and man city spring to mind