Supporter Alliance Meeting Minutes 5/9/2019

Earlier this month the Supporter Alliance met with representatives of Yeovil Town Football Club to discuss various matters regarding Yeovil Town Football Club. It is the first meeting this season after a summer of many rumors and speculation regarding the potential sale of the football club and the land surrounding it. The minutes of this meeting has been typed below but you can also view the original PDF document by clicking here.

Supporter Alliance Meeting Agenda
Thursday 5 September 2019 at 2.30pm
Venue: Yeovil Town FC

Attendees:

Rich Rendell - Chairman
Paul Hadlow - G&Ws
Stuart Burrell (Sbu) - Glovers Trust
Vernon Edmunds - Glovers Trust
Sara Bradley (SBr) - Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust
Sharon Swain - DSA
Simon Woodland - DSA
Marilyn Cottle - Junior Glovers
James Hillier - YTFC(part of meeting)
David Mills - YTFC

Apologies

Kirstie Baker - YTFC
Rob Newport - Cary Glovers
Tom Burt - Bridport Glovers

• Welcome by the Alliance Chairman.

RR said:
Welcome everyone to our first Alliance Meeting of the 2019/220 season. What a quiet summer we’ve had except for:

A new Manager
Complete overhaul of squad
Several potential take overs that has lasted 8 months

Welcome to Darren and his backroom staff, and all the new players who have signed on for the Town. We wish them all the best for this season. The team needed a complete overhaul and that’s what we have, I urge the fans to back Darren and the Team this season. The atmosphere on Tuesday against Sutton was fantastic.

It is sad news that we have lost another one of the past Legends in Tony Pounder. Not only was he a fantastic Player but a smashing bloke. Even his son Tony Jr played for the Town. The group send condolences to Tony’s family.

We have been on about recognising our ex-players for ages and it’s about time the Club did this.

RR suggested that when the group met with Scott Priestnall next week it would be sensible to agree some points to help the meeting flow and be communicated better. All endorsed this idea and the following was agreed:

• To avoid duplication of questions, all questions to be submitted to RR via Kirstie Baker by no later than 5pm on the 10th September.
• Notes of the meeting to be agreed ASAP and to go out within a week of the meeting.
• All groups to only publish the agreed minutes.

Hopefully when everything is concluded everyone gets behind the Team and stop trying to find faults within the Club. We will be getting a New Owner to go along with the New Manager and the Team.

RR ended by mentioning there had been some enquiries about the process of a change of Alliance Chairman. This was discussed and it was reported that the comments made were a general enquiry about the process with no desire to change the Chairman. All groups present endorsed RR as Chairman of the Alliance.

• Approval of minutes of last monthly meeting and matters arising.

The minutes of the last meeting had already been approved and there were no matters arising.

• Stadium update.

JH reported away fan had a medical issue at the Sutton match. Thankfully the club has been told the fan concerned is recovering well and the fan’s family has thanked the club for its prompt action in dealing with the matter on the night.

The matter of the Garden of remembrance being near capacity was discussed along with its current state of repair. JH to contact Company that maintains the area. JH to look at areas around home end for a possible wall of remembrance.

It was reported that the Yeovil fan ejected from the game at Dagenham and Redbridge for use of a flare was a victim of mistaken identity. This to be pursued further if the club hears of further action being taken by the authorities.

• Season tickets 2019/20 update.

It was confirmed that season ticket sales currently stand at 1,244

Junior Glovers season tickets are 184

VE queried why his letter (about not renewing his season ticket) had not received a reply and asked if all such letter were read. DM confirmed that all such letter were read, but normally a reply would only occur if one was requested. DM to check whether VE’s letter asked for a response.

• Post season awards

This item to remain on agenda and be discussed later in the season

• Meeting with Scott Priestnall next week

It was confirmed that SP was very keen to meet the Alliance again and would be at Huish Park for an extra Alliance meeting at 10.30 am on Thursday 12 September.

• Problems/missed opportunities at the Barrow match screening at HP

DM said RR had contacted him immediately after the event and it was acknowledged that the club could have done better when it televised the Barrow match in the Alec Stock lounge. All the points made by RR and others present regarding lack of food, poor sound and generally needing to improve the ‘offer’ would be corrected when the club next showed a televised game.

Several attendees then said that the issues regarding the Barrow televised game were indicative of a much larger issue of poor service in the Hospitality Department. These were discussed at length and the prevailing view was that the club had to deal with this issue as aside from fans and customers being treated poorly, the club was losing out on income.

• Ticket Bundles

DM confirmed the club were considering ticket bundles again.

• Issues with tickets and seating at the Barnet NL match.

DM confirmed that the club shared concerns fans had regarding arrangements at Barnet, where an additional section of the away section was slow in being opened as the attendance by YTFC fans was more than anticipated. YTFC had offered to sell tickets in advance of the match but this offer had not been taken up by Barnet meaning accurate attendance predictions were difficult. DM confirmed that no official complaints had been received by YTFC in respect of the matter.

The issue of some club’s not following league guidance regarding the price to charge visiting fans was raised (if no terrace tickets are available the home club should consider charging the terrace price to away fans in seats). It was confirmed that YTFC has already brought this issue to the league’s attention.

Update: In the meeting it was suggested that the Alliance write to the National League for an explanation however following the meeting the issue was discussed further with the Ticket Office and the following explanation has been given –

To clarify the reasoning behind the current price structure for visiting supporters please see as follows.

The National league didn’t issue their 2019-20 rules until 29th July this year, long after we had set our match ticket pricing structure. We therefore had to work to the National league rule that governed the previous the 18-19 season which was:

‘Home Clubs unable to supply a standing amenity to visiting supporters or withdrawing a standing amenity to visiting supporters must provide access to an appropriate seating area at the same price as the standing amenity afforded to home supporters. Visiting supporters must not be financially disadvantaged by being asked to pay more for seating where no standing facility is provided for them but is available for home supporters.’

As I’m sure you’ll be aware, there are times when the expected number of travelling fans mean it is simply not financially viable for us to open and steward the away terrace. Therefore, if the visiting club indicates the traveling support can be comfortably housed in the seats, we will take the decision not to offer tickets on the away terrace.

Because of these two possible scenarios at fixtures we therefore decided to adopt the two following price structures for visiting fans:

1. When the away terrace is open, we charge visiting supporters the same as home supporters for the Screwfix stand seating and the away terrace is offered at a lower price as it is an uncovered standing area.

2. On occasions when we take the decision to close the terrace in line with the above rule, we offer visiting fans the equivalent lowest price available to home fans (i.e. home terrace price) in the seated areas

As mentioned, the National League has since issued a change to the wording of this rule in the 2019- 20 rules to a slightly more ambiguous

‘Admission charges must be the same for home and visiting supporters at Competition matches for equivalent accommodation. If there is no equivalent accommodation, the Board may in its absolute discretion consider the charges set by the home Club and determine a reasonable equivalent admission charges for visiting supporters, which shall be implemented by the home Club until the end of the current Playing Season.’

We still believe though it is still correct to offer visiting fans this alternative pricing when we restrict the areas available and hope and it is worth noting that our supporters will receive the similar ticketing arrangements at our upcoming visit to Hartlepool, who take a similar approach to ourselves.

• Season Ticket Financing Option

DM confirmed that season ticket financing options would return for next season

• Tunnel Zone Tiles

SBu - briefed the meeting on this idea and agreed to forward further information to DM who would
pass the idea onto the Commercial Manager

• Results of the Alliance to date.

Nothing to add.

• AOB

SS reported that the home match day Soccer Sight service for persons with visual difficulties had ceased as volunteers had moved to volunteer with Three Valleys Radio. DM to contact Three Valleys Radio to see if they can help and if not club to publicise the need for more volunteers.