FANS FORUM

NUFC Fans United’s Forum representative, Steve Hastie reported back on the second fans forum which was held on January 6th. It had originally been due to take place on December 16th. Steve felt that there was nothing untoward in the postponement, as the club’s Secretary Lee Charnley and Finance Director John Irving had been called to a meeting in London that day on unavoidable club business.

As in the previous fans forum meeting, Steve explained that the club once again answered an array of questions on various topics. He felt that whilst in the first meeting the club had been open from the start, this time they seemed to be more reserved - perhaps following the banning of NUST – though they did open up more as the meeting went on, and encouraging progress was made.

Steve reported that as requested, he along with a number of other forum members called for NUFC to reinstate NUST to the forum (as was agreed by those present at the last NUFC Fans Utd meeting in November). However, the club insisted that the bans on both NUST and NCJ Media are not negotiable or up for discussion.

The topic of payments and costs between Newcastle United and Sports Direct was also raised at the forum meeting. Steve said that the panel were told that Mike Ashley sees Newcastle United and Sports Direct as two separate entities. The point was made by the club that Ashley owns 100% of NUFC and 64% of Sports Direct. NUFC are able to benefit by using Sports Directs buying power which means merchandise for the club shop can be bought in bulk cheaper. The money that NUFC pays to Sports Direct and which was reflected in the Sports Direct accounts, (£498,000) is to cover shipping, storage and handling of NUFC stores merchandise, as NUFC uses Sports Direct for these services. Other details concerning specific Forum related matters can be viewed in the forum minutes which are available on the clubs official website.

A number of questions were then put to Steve about the validity of the fans forum and concern was raised about what would happen if NUFC Fans Utd did or said something that the club didn’t like. Steve made it clear that if NUFC Fans Utd disagree with the club on matters, it will be made known, as has been the case on a number of occasions. The fans forum should be viewed as positive and valid as it allows for dialogue between the club and its supporters and it is important to use this as a vehicle to raise concerns, suggestions and opinions with the club. Respectful, open and honest dialogue is the only way forward for both club and supporters.

Following the first fans forum meeting and the subsequent banning of NUST there was one resignation from the fans forum panel, which was subsequently filled. There was concern from some regarding the process as to how this vacancy was filled as the process seemed to happen very quickly and quietly.

Concern was expressed that Supporter Liaison Officer Lee Marshall was not in attendance and whether this meant NUFC’s interest in NUFC Fans Utd was declining? Steve explained that Lee was aware of the meeting but sent his apologies. He was unable to attend as he had media duties at the FA Youth Cup match at St James’ Park. Lee intends to attend future NUFC Fans Utd meetings mainly as an observer; gauging opinion, although he will hopefully be available to answer some questions and to speak with supporters one to one after the meetings.

Despite the club’s non-negotiable stance on the NUST ban, the meeting’s attendees still felt that although NUST should have adhered to the rules of the fans forum, and had disrespected the forum and its members in not doing so, NUFC Fans Utd should continue to support the call for their reinstatement. One suggestion was made that NUST appear in front of the fans forum panel to explain their actions, before the panel themselves vote on whether NUST are reinstated.

A question was asked regarding dialogue with NUST and it was made clear that NUST are and always have been welcome to attend NUFC Fans Utd meetings. An email was sent to them inviting them to this meeting; as there have been for all of our meetings. Sadly, there was no response.



TICKETING ISSUES

Again, a number of ticketing issues have been raised, in particular the difficulties many people have experienced trying to buy tickets for the Sunderland game. There has been a lot of anger that people spent hours on a premium rate phone line or online trying to obtain tickets for the game, and yet many of those who purchased tickets have been put up for sale on websites such as Viagogo and Gumtree at higher than face value prices. This in turn has raised an issue amongst many fans re the difference between Viagogo and ticket touting. One attendee who had experience of Viagogo was able to talk directly about how they saw the process working for them.

Steve explained that he had taken the matter up with the club to obtain the facts and their opinion on these matters and advised that the club see Viagogo as the safe option as it guarantees the buyer the match ticket and the seller their money. A season ticket holder selling their seat for example simply has their card deactivated for that particular game, whilst the buyer receives a paper ticket, and the club are aware of who is sitting in that seat. Therefore, should any incidents arise, the season ticket holder would not be held responsible. If this was sold outside of Viagogo, the buyer cannot be traced and therefore the seller would be held responsible for any trouble caused by anyone using their ticket.

However, sales of tickets on other online forums or websites is considered by the club to be ticket touting and it is actively looking in particular into the issue of tickets for the derby that are currently featured on sites such as Gumtree.

Issues were raised concerning problems with away tickets, particularly at the West Bromwich Albion match on New Years Day. A number of supporters had obtained their ticket legitimately through the club (NUFC) only to find that they could not gain access to the stadium as someone had already entered with a ticket for their seat. It was felt that this was caused by the club’s travel group system and tickets being cancelled and reissued. The way the Travel Group system works is also causing problems as these groups are created from who people have applied with and travelled to away matches with previously. Often the tickets are sent to the person in the group with the most amount of points. This has meant on occasions people have bought tickets but they have then been sent by the club to people who either are not going to the away match concerned or aren’t travelling with the buyer on that occasion. This is causing confusion, anxiety, chasing around and tickets going missing. This often means fans are travelling to away games without tickets they’ve paid for to have a ticket reissued to them by the home club. This in itself has left fans feeling anxious and apprehensive and the queuing and waiting around involved at the home club has impacted on the enjoyment of their away trip.

It was also reported that on many occasions, supporters were finding that travel group tickets were coming up short and families were struggling to have issues resolved to their satisfaction and having to rely on tickets being left at the visiting club’s ticket office for collection.

Concern was also raised about the telephone ordering process and the long waits encountered by many supporters in trying to purchase tickets for the Sunderland fixture. Anecdotal evidence was put forward regarding callers being held in a queue for up to 5 hours and running up expensive call charges (in some instances over £35). This must be regarded as totally unacceptable.

It was generally felt amongst the meeting’s attendees that the ticket office has been poorly ran for many years, but that it is currently worse than ever and that many fans have little confidence in the way that it is currently administered and organised. Some believe that the whole matter of grouping tickets and family and friends ticketing arrangements needs reviewing and that the club should set up a working group that includes supporters with experience of much of the problems and issues to enable it to come up with a more manageable system of group ticket purchases.



SUPPORTER INITIATIVE/CHARITY

A suggestion was put forward for a St Patricks Day charity event on the evening of the 17th March at the Number 9 Bar on Stowell Street, with a talk-in compared by former NUFC player Joe Allon and featuring some Irish ex-NUFC players, as well as a quiz. Funds will go to the Stroke Association. This is a UK-wide charity, but it is currently trying to raise its profile in the North East. It was agreed that this should be explored further, with a view that the event takes place. Further information would be posted on our social media sites once arrangements were formalised.

Steve Wraith informed the meeting that he will be doing a Fire Walk in aid of the said charity at the Baltic on March 20th and donations can be made via his Just Giving page.

http://www.justgiving.com/Steve-Wraith



TOON TIMES EXHIBITION

The Newcastle United Foundation has been working on a heritage project documenting the club’s history, which will result in an exhibition at the Discovery Museum running from February 8th to October 5th; Recommended attendance for all supporters, young and old.



FANZINE

The Number 9, the online fanzine was launched this summer and NUFC Fans Utd have taken over its publication from Steve Wraith. A transitional issue was released over the Christmas period and it is planned to produce two more editions this season with the next being released in late February. It is hoped that many of the fanzines writers will continue with the fanzine, but we welcome anyone who would like to contribute articles on a casual or regular basis. The suggestion was raised that NUFC Fans Utd ask the fans themselves what sort of issues and articles they would like the fanzine to cover, and that this could be done via the website, email and social media. The online blog ‘Shite Seats’ announced that they are producing their own fanzine (which will be a traditional hard copy) with the first issue coming out in February. Both fanzines will be great additions to an already burgeoning fanzine scene in the North East.



FAN GOVERNANCE

Bill Corcoran addressed the meeting and informed us of a letter from Chi Onwura, the Labour MP for Newcastle Central (the constituency in which St James’ Park is located) Which she asked him to read out to the meeting. Chi has recently met with fellow MP Alison McGovern regarding ways that Labour could improve fan governance and increase supporter participation in the running of football clubs. Their findings so far have concluded that fan organisations are fragmented and that this impairs the opportunity for supporters to play a bigger role in becoming involved with the running of their clubs. Labour is currently developing policy and Chi hopes that NUFC Fans Utd will work with them to formulate opinions and ideas on this matter. It is hoped that NUFC fans will play and active roll in this.

The meeting ended with a wonderfully full, frank and open discussion on a number of matters that impact directly and or indirectly on our clubs supporter base, including ♯Time4change, MAOC, Fan group relationships and the strength of NUFC Fan Unity.



NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will take place in February; date tba.

[Below is part of a blog post entitled Jesus F***ing Krist - read the full post here]

While I can understand the deep frustration and sense of despair many supporters now feel, it is wrong to throw up our hands in frustration and say that we can’t do anything. Tactics, so vitally important on the pitch, have an equally compelling place among our support as we seek to make a principled stand. Do not despair; if we supporters work together, we are no longer weak, isolated voices crying in the wilderness; we will be strong, coherent, effective and we will be listened to. However, and this is of the utmost importance, we must  work together; egos, personal spats and historic feuds, need to be put to one side and every concerned Newcastle United fan, whether they are in the NUFC Fans United and toon talk camp, on the fence with Black & White Daft and nufc.com or failing to grasp the nettle with The Mag and the painfully ineffectual and utterly discredited NUST, or even if they’re unaligned and railing in fury and impotent anger on message boards, Twitter or blogs, has to come together as a broad and inclusive alliance, formed from the grassroots up, with the intention of reclaiming our club from the clutches of evil, rapacious capitalists who seek to serve only their own interests at every possible opportunity. What has gone on in the past must remain there; again, the time is right for all supporters to work together to express our collective fury and contempt at this decision and, hopefully, the desire to move the club forward by taking control of it ourselves.

However, it is abundantly clear to me that any supporter-led organisation needs to be very clear about principles and tactics from the outset. WB Yeats claimed The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are full of passionate intensity; while I do not necessarily accept this to be the case with our fans, it is of paramount importance that the Newcastle United support transforms itself in to a mass, democratic movement of all supporters, based on unshakeable principles and clear tactics, rather than being born of high minded intentions, but degenerating in to a shouty self-perpetuating vanguard of opportunists with little knowledge of and even less affection for Newcastle United. The danger of the future potential primacy of a cadre of inflexible ideologues using the travails of Newcastle United as a Trojan horse for their own ends, is that our fans will see through this and, rather than being inspired by their rhetoric or empowered to argue their own case, assume once again the depressing cloak of cynicism and the embittered shrug that is the keynote of so much of our recent history and attempts at engaging supporters for change. Were that to be the case, all motivation and enthusiasm for change will be lost.

As an example, look at the scorn and abuse NUFC Fans United engendered for being involved in the replacement of the Leazes gates. Yes I know they weren’t the iconic Gallowgate gates and it was a disgrace they’d somehow ended in possession of Wynyard Hall, like so much that belonged to the club in the 1990s, but surely denigrating the efforts of those who acted in the best interests of supporters to have a small slice of history replaced was not the conduct of self-serving egotists or people with a personal agenda to pursue. As supporters, we need to get over this and we need to work together.

It is my fervent and unshakeable belief that what needs to happen to Newcastle United is that the club is eventually owned 100% by supporters of the team, whether they be born within a goal kick of the Gallowgate End or whether they are part of the worldwide Geordie diaspora and run in the interests of the support, the community and the good of the game as a whole. Am I talking the FC United of Manchester model? Indeed I am. Am I talking the FC Barcelona model? Indeed I am. Whether Newcastle United compete at Northern Premier or Champions League level is, in a sense, immaterial; what matters more than anything else is that the club is run on open, democratic, accountable and honourable lines. Of course I accept that there is a debate to be had and an argument to be won that playing football at six levels lower than we are now is good for Newcastle United, but I relish the challenge of making that case. Repeatedly.

For the moment, the important thing is to start the debate. There is a conduit for anger and for a meeting of all interested parties to try and find a way to work through this. NUFC Fans United have organised a meeting at the Labour Club on Monday 24th June, 6.00pm-8.30; if you care about your club, please make every effort to attend.