New club statement.....

[The H]

http://www.brentfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10421~627769,00.html

 

[Banana]

from www.brentfordfc.co.uk

CLUB STATEMENT

Firstly, on behalf of the Club, I wish to apologise, to all Season Ticket, Bees United and Lifeline members, who were unable to purchase tickets, for Saturday's F.A. Cup Tie at Southampton.

With the uncertainty regarding our involvement in the tie and only a few days to sell the tickets, it was considered, that as much time as possible would be needed to sell our allocation of 3,190. The subsequent unprecedented demand for tickets could not have been anticipated in such a short period of time.

With the benefit of hindsight, it was a mistake not to give our most committed fans at least Monday morning in which to obtain their tickets, before going on general sale and again I apologise to these groups.

Football Association rules state that clubs are allowed to claim up to 15% of the capacity as long as the stadium security arrangements are not compromised by such a number being requested by the visiting club. St Mary's stadium holds 32,000 and we were therefore entitled to claim 4800 tickets, which we did.

Southampton then advised Brentford of the following ticket arrangements for a Fifth Round tie against either Hartlepool or Brentford. Southampton offered both clubs 3200 on a 'sale or return' basis or we would have to guarantee to purchase 4200 with the extra 1000 being at £25 with no concessions.

Hartlepool insisted straight away that they would not be able to sell 4200 tickets and were therefore unable to commit to the possible loss of in excess of £25,000. With Hartlepool deciding not to take the extra 1000 tickets, Southampton decided to start selling to their own supporters in that particular area of the stadium.

Southampton's policy was that the extra 5% of tickets which they had to offer under FA Cup rules were offered prior to the replay, and only in the event that both clubs were willing to accept them, which Hartlepool weren't, and that should either club decline them Southampton would start selling them themselves. As such without Southampton having a change of heart there was never any possibility of 4,200 tickets being made available to Brentford fans, once Hartlepool had declined them.

Every conceivable avenue has been explored since Sunday morning to obtain further tickets from Southampton, but as tickets had already been sold to home supporters in adjoining areas of the stadium, they were unable to assist because of security considerations.

As you may be aware we have been able to secure, a large screen facility, to enable supporters to watch the match "live" at Griffin Park. Season Ticket holders, Bees United, Hartlepool F.A. Cup ticket stub holders and Lifeline members, will be entitled to free entrance. There will be a charge of £5 and £1 concessions to other supporters.

I hope, at least to some extent, that this arrangement will help to make up for some of the disappointment of those who will be unable to cheer on the team at Southampton.

The Club reiterates our previous statement that our policy on ticket sales will be reviewed in conjunction with supporter groups prior to the start of next season.

Eddie Rogers
Chairman

 

[brooks]

Just read this by Rogers. The sub-text is particularly interesting - "I don't give a sh*t"

 

[brighton bee]

if what they are saying is true then the fact we had 1000 less tickets than we should have is not our fault but southamptons for being so rigid.

however i am still ****ed off for the way the club handled the ticketing arrangements-no explanation could change that.it does however shed some light on why we didnt take our full allocation.

 

[Davee]

Oh...that's okay then.

It was all Hartlepool's fault. Not what Southampton are saying.

Someone is not telling the truth.

Wonder who?

 

[Old B]

Still not good enough. Nothing sticks to the w-----s in charge.

 

[beachybee]

Too little
Too late

....and still trying to offload as much blame as possible onto Southampton.

 

[Gee Bee]

So the blame is on Hartlepool and Southampton

Sorry, but they can't hide behind a "Charter" wording for one game and then not use that same "Ccharter" for another game.

 

[beachybee]

Re: "live" screening - how does "F^*k Off" sound?

 

[WillD Bee]

Re: Oh...that's okay then.

It was all Hartlepool's fault. Not what Southampton are saying.

Someone is not telling the truth.

Wonder who?

It was not Hartlepools fault. They could not risk losing the money if the tickets were not sold. It was Southamptons fault for not waiting till after the replay.

 

[Dangerous]

So if the fault dont lie with BFC why have BFC not made an official complaint to the FA and I know they have not done that?????????

 

[Ace Face]

This is crap from Altonwoods man and I can`t see one fan being happy with it.

 

[Baffled]

The missing added sub-text is also that John McGlashan has gone to ground, plans to play for time, and is not going to resign. He will stick to his tried and tested policy of blaming everybody else for his total cock-up, and hope that we all forget about it.

If Rogers won't act, then I suggest we all do!

 

[cjpm]

how can he say you couldnt have anticipated the demand for tickets being high. it is a massive game against fairly local premiership opposition. we get 5 - 6 thousand people at griffin park for league games! When we played Blackburn in this round in 89 we took over 4 thousand (furthur to travel and they were in old division 2 at time) Absolute rubbish and he conviently missed out the greed factor where we refused to reduce the admission prices that southampton requested.

 

[Jimbee]

So as nobody's done anything wrong, nobody's resigning? How many nobody's are there at the Club?

 

[Simon T]

Having read the new statement I'd just like to say the club have left me with a very difficult decision - do I use the money I'll save by cancelling my SO & Lifeline on a cheaper holiday where the savings also cover my spending money or do I go looking for something more interesting.

Still nobody taking responsibility, still nobody coming up with a new ticketing procedure NOW (next season isn't good enough, what happens if we win or get a replay). As for the beamback, the only way people will go is if there is a fans forum where the board face the people denied tickets to Southampton before the beamback but (1) it might get ugly and (2) nobody on the board would have the guts to face the fans and be open and honest.

 

[Ace Face]

"With the uncertainty regarding our involvement in the tie and only a few days to sell the tickets, it was considered, that as much time as possible would be needed to sell our allocation of 3,190. The subsequent unprecedented demand for tickets could not have been anticipated in such a short period of time."

So BFC didn`t expect shed loads of BEES fans wanting to travel to this game.

 

[nocoat]

There are two **** ups here

1) Not anticpating the demand - many of us didn't, but thats what these `professionals` are paid for.. in my book forgiveable

2) THE BIG ONE - not selling to the real Brentford Loyals first - that is what it all boils down too.. saints sound sh*tty but we should have made the best of it, in my book unforgiveable


960 Went to Pool, 2,500 have a Season Ticket everyone of them should have been there on saturday if they so desired.

 

[Dangerous]

Well the club have made there stance let us make ours and protest after every home game and get these ****** out of our club now.

 

[Jimbee]

Still nobody taking responsibility, still nobody coming up with a new ticketing procedure NOW (next season isn't good enough, what happens if we win or get a replay).

Just out of interest, if we win Saturday and get, say, Burnley away, will the 3,190 get first refusal on tickets? It would seem the fairest way of doing things.

 

[mk1965]

I wonder how many tickets we would have asked for if we were playing at Old Trafford.

 

[eghambee]

I have had a reply from the ticket manager at Southampton about what went on.
I have asked for a couple of things he has said to be clarified before i share the content.

Be Back Soon

 

[graham ball]

Re: New club/Whitewash

Sorry . It does not wash with me at all.
Our esteemed management management made TWO equally BIG mistakes.
1. They failed to order the correct quantity of tickets.
2. They completely failed to operate a fair and sensible policy to distribute the tickets (regardless of the quantity of them, dont be distracted by this).
In my book the 2nd error is at leat a big a screw up as the first point.
To neglect season ticket holders and other dedicated supporters and just sell the tickets in such a manner ( "we dont care as long as we sell em ") really shows what they think of their customers.
Contempt.
Football at our level is all about dreams and the occasional great memorable day out.A lot of supporters have been denied that this weekend simply because the people currently employed to do certain jobs at the club either dont care or aren't up to scratch.
Ask yourself, does this statement from Eddie Rodgers communicate any real care about you and me?
Me , i am looking for someone to do the honourable thing. stick their hand up and take responsibilty and offer their resignation.
ACCEPT NO EXCUSES , ONLY RESIGNATIONS!

 

[abee]

"With the benefit of hindsight.................."

It's supposed to be with the use of foresight Eddie baby you utterly useless ****** and your utterly futile and pathetic board (except for Andrew Wainwright!!!!!!). Have you ever actually run a ****ing business in your life.

So looking back BFC feels that it would have been a good idea to let season ticket holders and the Club's most committed fans first dibs............but hey.........it's a shame..........get over it.........

What exactly can we do to get this bunch out...........oh by the way if I ask again if it's a good idea that we should know exactly what salaries John Mac and Stephen Callen take from the Club, their other benefits, terms of employment and notice periods would I get a better reception this time around????

Lucky for these ***** that the AGM was last week........I reckon one week later and McGlashan and Hall could have been rejected on a show of hands which would have forced Rogers to pull his Altonwood proxy out of his pocket and tell us that it doesn't matter a toss what the fans want he's voting 63% of the shares as instructed by Altonwood and Ron wants McGlashan and Hall.......they're his kinda people........

 

[Leicester Bee]

I have little to contest with the statement, but it's the timing. To have put it out now seems futile.
Anyway, the club should have complained to the FA (which they presumably haven't) and SFC shouldn't have started selling tickets, just because Hartlepool said that they wouldn't take up the increased allocation.

All of this should have been said much earlier. The club must take responsibility for the fact that season-ticket holders and Lifeline members were not prioritised, and all of this highlights how poor the PR is at the club.

The damage has been done, frankly, and I know of a large number of people who are fed up of all of this, including a fan who has supported Brentford for 65 years who was a season-ticket holder.

Anyway, I fully expect the club to consult the fans groups on a regular basis. In fact, I'd argue that there should be monthly meetings between BIAS and the club, where the club inform BIAS of future events that need to be planned for. In addition, BIAS should be able to invite one "guest" fan, to sit in on the meetings between the club and BIAS.

Only then will I start to get the feeling that the fans matter. BIAS are more than equipped to provide advice to the club, and forsee future problems.

Anyway, I doubt anything like that would happen. So. What next? Boycott the beam-back. If you want, get to St Mary's and unite as fans to get the others in.
In the meantime, I hope BIAS begin planning how they can assist the club to prevent such debacles happening again.

 

[bees66]

Half the story Eddie? Did you make it clear to Southampton that if we got through we want our full amount & not to let them sell them before the game had finished, I wonder Rogers did you say this?

 

[Edmundo]

Well, Southampton FC must take the blame for the fact that we have 3,190 and not 4,750 tickets. Brentford FC however must take the blame for the failure to follow its customer charter in how the 3,190 were sold. Some of the things I have heard today are simply unbelievable and it's time something was done.

 

[keefor]

2) THE BIG ONE - not selling to the real Brentford Loyals first - that is what it all boils down too.. saints sound sh*tty but we should have made the best of it, in my book unforgiveable

This is by far the biggest **** up by the 'glorious and good'. Granted if were were away at a bigger club there quite possibly would be a large enough allocation. BUT what if we were playing a 'small' club. Same scenario - replay at H'pool, next round the following Saturday but 1800 tickets. The whole issue of how many tickets we got from Southampton or didn't get clouds the real issue here - this club is not being run to benefit the fans.

The abject failure to have a workable policy that caters for the most deserving supporters is pi$$poor but then so is the management.

I really don't think that these people give a sh*t as long as they can safely get their tickets and tickets for their mates. This recent statement concentrates on shifting the blame.

As far as I am concerned these muppets think we are mugs to be fobbed off with this bull.

 

[photo365]

from Club statement "Hartlepool insisted straight away that they would not be able to sell 4200 tickets and were therefore unable to commit to the possible loss of in excess of £25,000."

Surely the club wouldn't lose £25,000 they just might, if they hadn't sold all the tickets, have not made as much as a profit. They look like they will make in excess of £150,000 for this game if my sums add up.

BTW if anyone has a digital camera you might want to offer to take the pictures on the day, it could be another way of getting in to the game lol

 

[abee]

Well it looks to me as if the fix is in..........

The directors huddle together and circle the wagons pour themselves another gin and tonic and conclude that the only way they are gonna get themselves out of this mess is...........a collective in depth interview with Larry Signy......

The frightening thing is that they clearly believe that they are the best people to be running the Club and that makes my blood run cold probably more than the screw-up........

Any suggestion of dignity being maintained and resignations is just a pipe dream.

With McGlashan it's never a question of :-

"I'm going for a walk. I may be gone for a while"

more like

"I'm staying in the ****ing tent where I'm nice and warm and can I have your ration of baked beans".

(With apologies to Capt Oates)

 

['Ayes B]

Forgive me for butting in, but as No-coat says above not many people anticipated the demand, the only comments on this board that I recall statted that we should have at least 3,000.

With five Walkers, walking 286 miles over 11 days in an effort to raise £10,000, which is to be split between the club and a worthwhile charity for Brentford and for Brentford to accept the the full allocation and not to sell just 200 tickets would have thrown their whole efforts away.

People are right, Season ticket holders should have been given first prioity but as it was stated that the the tickets were going on General sale. How many people before the sell out contacted the club to say "Hey your making a mistake".

How many tickets should season ticket holders ahve been intitled to, 1 per person = 2,500, limit them to two each and even with our full allocation of 4,570 we would have been short.

At the end of the day the ROOT CAUSE of thsi fiasco is that Southampton, with a capacity of 32,500 would not give us the full entitlement of 4,750 on a sale or return basis.

Southampton could move thier fans with tickets - Birmingham did when we played them one year, our 2000 tickets were for the lower tier, but for our safety, fans after our tickets were sold, it was changed so that we sat above and not below the away fans.

And who remembers Millwall at home when the Police moved a whole block of Bees fans when it was game on.

The blame started at Southampton and in my ind ends with Southampton - they could have got us out of this mess and didn't - they even craped on their own casual supporters by sticking by their guns and having to restrict tickey sales to their own areas.

 

[cjpm]

Ayes B you are talking rubbish and id like to make one point to you. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING A FOOTBALL CLUB. you keep saying 'oh no one told them this and no one told them that'. IT IS THERE JOB. they should be able to do it professionally and effectively without fans telling them every five minutes what to do. Otherwise what the hell are they getting paid for?

 

[JoeBourke]

These statements from the club are a necessary and important part of understanding what happened. It is essential to know the true facts if we are to ensure that such a debacle can never be repeated.

I was quite relaxed about the announcement last week that the Southampton tickets would go on general sale from Monday, but that was on the assumption that the allocation would be 4750-4800 tickets. I suspect this was the reason most Bees fans (and specifically those travelling to Hartlepool) were initially unconcerned about priority booking rights for these tickets. The club might reasonably justify a policy of going with immediate general sale, even if it subsequently turned out that demand had been underestimated and the whole 4800 went in the first day.

However, when the allocation was reduced to 3200 such assumptions were no longer valid - the home crowd for the Hartlepool tie was the largest of the season and cup fever was building fast.

From my perespective the real issue is - when was it known that the allocation was to be reduced to 3200 and why was it not publicised together with an immediate change in the ticketing arrangements in line with the Customer Charter.

That is where the real breakdown seems to have occurred and what BU/BIAS need to get to the bottom of.

 

[Bush Tuckerman]

FA enquiry into Ticket situation surely??

Surely there has to be an FA enquiry into this situation as both clubs are blaming each other for the situation!

The latest statement on the Bees Website suggests that Southampton pretty much held us to ransom before the Hartlepool game was even played...and that we essentially lost out only because Hartlepool said they couldn't take the full amount!

http://www.brentfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10421~627769,00.html

This is absolutely scandalous if true and Southampton should be taken to the FA on this one...

Alternatively someone is lying through their teeth and again it should be investigated!!

 

[abee]

[QUOTE='Ayes B]Forgive me for butting in, but as No-coat says above not many people anticipated the demand, the only comments on this board that I recall statted that we should have at least 3,000.

[/QUOTE]

No problem.........butt away.

Don't forget though that when people were talking about 3000 tickets nobody dreamed that the people who run our Club were gonna dispose of up to 1000 of these before they even started to sell them..........see the earlier posts regarding the twenty tickets each to players, youth players and BFC staff. On that basis most of us would have added the "first tickets away" to the 3,000 and decided that around 4,000 would be needed.

 

[Bee H]

With McGlashan it's never a question of :-

"I'm going for a walk. I may be gone for a while"

more like

"I'm staying in the ****ing tent where I'm nice and warm and can I have your ration of baked beans".

John Mac is simply looking after his pay packet, he couldn't give a flying f*ck about Brentford these days imho.

Friday - accept voluntary redundancy and cheque

Saturday - pop in to Building Society and pay off mortgage

Monday - walk in to new job at BFC, snivel, grovel, be protected by nice people (PJ et al) who try and shield you from criticism and you try to last the distance until Noad€$ comes walking back in a few years later

Nice work if you can get it eh John Mac !

Be a Man, accept you've f*cked it right up for so many Bees' fans and resign!

 

[bowlerbee]

Re: FA enquiry into Ticket situation surely??

I agree with Bush Tuckerman (#34), that's exactly what it implies. From earlier views it appeared that Sotton wanted a JOINT decision from Hartlepool & the Bees and only got a rejection from Hartelpool, so they went ahead and sold the extra tickets before Brentfords reponse. If this is the case, the Club surely have some 'proof'.

 

[abee]

It is essential to know the true facts.........

Oh God, please don't you start........Signy used to drive me up the wall with this.........

 

[Deathstroke]

From my perespective the real issue is - when was it known that the allocation was to be reduced to 3200 and why was it not publicised together with an immediate change in the ticketing arrangements in line with the Customer Charter.

That is where the real breakdown seems to have occurred and what BU/BIAS need to get to the bottom of.

Hear Hear.

I want to know what pleb made the decision that allowed people to walk of with 20 tickets at a time? That was just ****ing dumb. :mad1:

 

[cjpm]

what eddie rogers has conviently missed out in his statement is that southampton orginally wanted to sell tickets at reduced price of £15, but brentford and hartlepool greedily refused and wanted prices set at £25. southampton accepted this on condition the club who progressed paid for all tickets allocated regardless whether they sold them or not. i personally think soton request was reasonable considering this. Brentford and hartlepool then got worried they wouldnt sell them and asked for pathetic allocation. This was bfc's fault of there own making and they should take responsibility and resign

 

[abee]

From my perespective the real issue is - when was it known that the allocation was to be reduced to 3200 and why was it not publicised together with an immediate change in the ticketing arrangements in line with the Customer Charter.

.........and in the light of the reduced allocation who then pursued the decision that allegedly up to 1000 of the reduced allocation went to players and staff before the poor **** who pay their wages even got a sniff..........

 

[Wee Dave]

Re: Oh...that's okay then.

It was not Hartlepools fault. They could not risk losing the money if the tickets were not sold. It was Southamptons fault for not waiting till after the replay.

:yes:

 

['Ayes B]

No problem.........butt away.

Don't forget though that when people were talking about 3000 tickets nobody dreamed that the people who run our Club were gonna dispose of up to 1000 of these before they even started to sell them..........see the earlier posts regarding the twenty tickets each to players, youth players and BFC staff. On that basis most of us would have added the "first tickets away" to the 3,000 and decided that around 4,000 would be needed.

I'v e defended the club above and I stand by my view but if its true that 1000 of these tickets went to players and club employees then the club shopuld get every one of these tickets back PRONTO

THAT, IF TRUE, IS TOTALLY SCANDELOUS

 

[JoeBourke]

abee,

allegedly up to 1000 of the reduced allocation went to players and staff

I was at the centre of excellence last night and can advise that there was no allocation to schoolboys or parents. I don't know what arrangements there were for the 1st team or under 18 youth team squads.

 

['Ayes B]

However, when the allocation was reduced to 3200 such assumptions were no longer valid - the home crowd for the Hartlepool tie was the largest of the season and cup fever was building fast.

From my perespective the real issue is - when was it known that the allocation was to be reduced to 3200 and why was it not publicised together with an immediate change in the ticketing arrangements in line with the Customer Charter.

That is where the real breakdown seems to have occurred and what BU/BIAS need to get to the bottom of.

I must adimt that I have been trying to work out when the smaller allocation was annouced and if teh 4,570 alloction ever was - I'm sure I read pre hartlepool that the club wanted it there is no mention at all of the lower one be excepted.

At Hartleppol the ruour which was acredited to a club employee was that we had an INITIAL allocation of 3,200.

I dont think Brentford were aware that the seats they didnt take were being sold immediately by Southampton

 

[Refbee]

The missing added sub-text is also that John McGlashan has gone to ground, plans to play for time, and is not going to resign. He will stick to his tried and tested policy of blaming everybody else for his total cock-up, and hope that we all forget about it.

If Rogers won't act, then I suggest we all do!

The aforementioned individual stands in front of me at GP, with the rest of his enterage.
Rest assured that I will be giving him the benefit of my opinion.

 

[Luton Bee]

Typical Brentford, blame everybody else and just try to tough it out. The clock is ticking on my BU S/O and my BFC S/T worth a combined figure of over £700 per annum to these organisations, the clock will stop on Saturday morning.

 

[Refbee]

As for the beamback, the only way people will go is if there is a fans forum where the board face the people denied tickets to Southampton before the beamback but (1) it might get ugly and (2) nobody on the board would have the guts to face the fans and be open and honest.

Don't be silly, they are hardly likely to give up Their tickets to real fans are they?
:sad:

 

[nocoat]

Typical Brentford, blame everybody else and just try to tough it out. The clock is ticking on my BU S/O and my BFC S/T worth a combined figure of over £700 per annum to these organisations, the clock will stop on Saturday morning.

Yeah, I am also considering looking forward to an extra £120 a year staying in the Bank of Nocoat plus shrapnel in buckets ... should almost cover an awayday :beer: :beer: I am thinking of glamorous Wrexham

 

[Refbee]

[QUOTE='Ayes B]Forgive me for butting in, but as No-coat says above not many people anticipated the demand, the only comments on this board that I recall statted that we should have at least 3,000.

With five Walkers, walking 286 miles over 11 days in an effort to raise £10,000, which is to be split between the club and a worthwhile charity for Brentford and for Brentford to accept the the full allocation and not to sell just 200 tickets would have thrown their whole efforts away.

People are right, Season ticket holders should have been given first prioity but as it was stated that the the tickets were going on General sale. How many people before the sell out contacted the club to say "Hey your making a mistake".

How many tickets should season ticket holders ahve been intitled to, 1 per person = 2,500, limit them to two each and even with our full allocation of 4,570 we would have been short.

At the end of the day the ROOT CAUSE of thsi fiasco is that Southampton, with a capacity of 32,500 would not give us the full entitlement of 4,750 on a sale or return basis.

Southampton could move thier fans with tickets - Birmingham did when we played them one year, our 2000 tickets were for the lower tier, but for our safety, fans after our tickets were sold, it was changed so that we sat above and not below the away fans.

And who remembers Millwall at home when the Police moved a whole block of Bees fans when it was game on.

The blame started at Southampton and in my ind ends with Southampton - they could have got us out of this mess and didn't - they even craped on their own casual supporters by sticking by their guns and having to restrict ticket sales to their own areas.[/QUOTE]

Sorry old boy, but may I direct you to reply No's 14 and 18 in thread entitled 'Could not be more angry'.
I am sorry to say it but, I did warn you.
When it comes down to it, this club couldn't organise the proverbial, and we, the supporters, are the one who perenially suffer for our cause. :sad: