New club membership

[Underpants]

Nothing Hart said in his BN artical has changed my opinion. He is quick to use the word minorities when defending the membership scheme. Why should the minority change club policy for the rest of us? If he follows that strand of logic then he should be paying very careful attention to the vocal social media minority (as he puts it) on this subject instead of just waving it off as a bunch of random agitators. Its not my style to go head long in to something without giving it some thought. The scheme doesn't sit well with me so I've expressed my opinion. His explanation that some other clubs do it doesn't work. It's a minority of clubs that do it. The majority dont. And the going to a concert analogy doesn't work either. I don't personally invest in going to watch the same performer every other week. And I don't know what concerts he goes to but the ones I go to don't have seats in a mosh pit.

My biggest gripe is that it is unnecessary and more big brother than anything else.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Underpants

[radcliffe white]

8 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

Why are they so arsed about us though? The more people get treated like trouble makers, the more people will act up to it.

Heard nothing about something happening af Plymouth, that rain afterwards was bad enough to make me just want to be at home with a brew!

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19710919.bolton-wanderers-fan-attacked-plymouth-argyle-game/

[Traf]

Piss poor.

1. Fans can't just fill in five lines of data today and then get a ticket for tonight.
Can't get a ticket for at least 24 hours.

2. If the membership had been in place from day 1, the Rotherham fan would still have been sparked out and the club still wouldn't know who did it. Law of averages says it was a season ticket hoilder who punched him.

3. A small 10-15 minority are unhappy? Best learn to count, pal.

4. Lifeline members can buy a ticket for a friend on your new offer, you're not asking for their guest's details, so why are regular fans treated differently?

 

FAO Ms Brittan, Mr James et al, you new new fella, Hart, says this is all about communication. He's hardly set a great precedent here with a lack of clear communication.

He and the club in general have now had over a week to come back with a considered response and that's all we get? That's as bad as Dominic Cummings only coming up with the eye-test bollocks after 4 days to make something up.

Done well with the fans so far, FV, but this is a definite og. You're implementing a scheme, whether we like it or not, but you can fuck off by suggesting it's our fault you've had to do it, when we all know the reason is data capture. 

[Leyther_Matt]

I've no particular issue with the membership scheme as such, but I do think it could have been differently and treated as a bonus extra rather than a compulsory entity. Or even if they didn't just classify it as a membership scheme at all and just came out and said all details need to be provided for all tickets on police request, something that I'm finding to be more and more common.

My (increasing) bugbear with it is that plenty of people seem to be encountering the same issues with it but these aren't being solved. Yes it's easy enough to call/email the ticket office and it will get sorted as they are good folks who's efforts are hugely unappreciated, but there needs to be a recognition that to a lot of people that would (rightly or wrongly) be considered to be too much effort. To a casual fan, coming to the game might be just considered a day/evening out the same as going to the cinema (CC: @Cheese😉) or a restaurant  and, in this day and age, I dare say I'm not alone in that if I can't book a restaurant online then I simply don't bother going there, so the same principle more than likely applies to those who aren't necessarily hardcore fans.

[Super Bock]

17 hours ago, MickyD said:

I’d suggest ringing the switchboard and asking for the ticket office

Thanks Micky that's done the trick.

[Whitesince63]

But don’t you know that it’s just a few “keyboard warriors” who are complaining, he’s had 7k non ST holders subscribe already! Yeah right. 
 

He chooses to compare us having a membership system to Utd, City and Arsenal without accepting that they have waiting lists for tickets and need some way of managing that but the best comparison is with Rovers. An average of 11400 in the Championship last year (Covid accepted) but it’s no better this year after implementation of their wonderful membership scheme. Maybe we’ve got him wrong and he wants to reduce crowds so GMP will be happy?

[MickyD]

He still hasn't addressed the fact he can have as much data as he feels necessary on who buys tickets and for which seat but if nobody actually sits on the numbered chairs it isn't great data to have.

[radcliffe white]

So if any come backs of any sort will be on the purchaser or the holder? 

I have numerous CR in my network who don’t go away games but don’t mind me using for other folk 

[Youri McAnespie]

Exactly, if I was some little nobhead in all the clobber, courtesy of mummy/daddy, I'd become a member, get my ticket for the ESL 'north' then, once in, would saunter immediately to Crazy Corner to act the cock.

But anyway, it works perfectly for me so I'm alright Jack.

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by Youri McAnespie

[Leyther_Matt]

2 minutes ago, radcliffe white said:

So if any come backs of any sort will be on the purchaser or the holder? 

I have numerous CR in my network who don’t go away games but don’t mind me using for other folk 

Club aren’t culpable for the policing bill away from home so I suspect they aren’t too arsed so long as it doesn’t get too out of hand. 

[captainmed]

Out with the Lout!!!!!

Data and a number is all we are to this man.

What a condescending wanker.

[Ani]

Pretty poor response .

1. claims it is a tiny minority on social media, does not seem like that. A lot of people being messed about. 
2. the tiny minority on Twitter can be ignored, but the tiny minority that cause trouble can not

3. All the stuff about data sounds like a management meeting not what you issue as a public statement, if this was Facebook saying 'yeah we want loads of data to flog stuff to people' there would be outrage. Stakeholders can be put in the management bull shit talk too

4. Maybe my biggest gripe and frustration with the message is that for the first time since FV have landed 'we' is referring to the club as a stand alone entity rather the club , the staff, the fans etc being in this together. 
 

Reading between the lines the club has had to do something quickly because of a few incidents, especially the Wigan game. I do think there is an element of over reaction by a few people who always seem happiest when moaning, but there are also plenty of other people finding it more trouble than it should be. 

[radcliffe white]

Sharon needs to rein this clown in

many fans showed goodwill wavering season ticket money on two occasions it’s a  very poor response indeed

[MancWanderer]

1 hour ago, captainmed said:

What a condescending wanker.

That sums up the tone of him perfectly 

Ive not got a particularly big issue with the scheme itself but if he thinks I’m going to pop to the ticket office on a 50 mile round trip he’s mistaken. Also wonder if he’s ever tried ringing the ticket office?

5 days since I registered and I still don’t have permission to buy tickets 

[Horwich]

Kill cricket

[bolton va va]

A transparent attempt to justify his half baked pet project by overplaying the throwing of one or two plastic bottles & his story of a decked Rotherham fan, into examples of widespread disorder.

Hart doesn't seem to understand the difference between the wants of a large number of supporters of a football club in a fairly rough town, and his dreamy vision of a nice trip to the theatre.

Condescending wanker indeed.

[barryk32]

Dear Neil.

Me and my lad are going to the match tonight, we're going with my mate and his 2 kids.

Now Neil here are your issues.  He's scrounged 3 season tickets and as we want to sit together we will do in 5 of the thousands of empty seats.

This means that not only will none of us be in our assigned seats, 3 of us aren't even there at all.

You're systems shit and flawed petal.

Lots of love Bazza

[Carlos]

“I work in facts, not what 15-20 people say on social media."

Here's a fact for you, Neil - you're a clown.

[victor meldrew]

there should be a lifetime ban for anyone daring to criticise anything

[Carlos]

I'm absolutely baffled, I don't care about the scheme, what I care about is the us and them mentality. We had it for years, fucking Des McBain, it landed us with crowds of 3500. Gary Megson referering to supporters as "them lot". Paul Holliday has gone and the PR machine has immediately fallen over.

[Casino]

Steve Battersby, who must be 130 and as far removed from hooliganism as you can get isn't 'on board' with mister hart

[Casino]

 

[FrancisFogarty]

Dear Neil Hart,

once you have sorted everything else out can you please Danny Scott or one of his fantastic team to reply to my emails.

You've got my details and found it easy enough to take my £6.00 for Stockport at home but not easy enough to send my ticket.

I'll have  word at the match tonight about Sunday.

[bwfc2003]

3 minutes ago, Casino said:

 

As someone pointed out typical of the BEN to use a photo of another clubs supporters discussing BWFC membership issues

[Tonge moor green jacket]

6 hours ago, Marc505 said:

Just listening to Iles' podcast now and it does sound mainly driven by police as the club was on its "last warning" after what happened v Exeter during lockdown and that they were looking to increase policing at games which would drive up costs etc.

Edit - podcast was recorded before he interviewed the chap.

I can understand police have had a major influence on this. No doubt. 

I find it somewhat unfair though that the club got into hot water last year for the Exeter game.

They can be responsible for a lot of stuff, but folk deciding to break rules at the time isn't their fault. There were lots of examples of such behaviour- anti lockdown folk etc- is the club responsible for that?

They gave messages out not to turn up, not sure what more they could do.

As others have said, the scheme itself isn't really the issue: just make sure your systems bloody well work before introducing it.

I'm intrigued by the desire for data too- can someone in the know confirm if the data capture has to be approved by ticking a box as we do with other online stuff?

I signed up to the scheme, but can't remember if I ticked a box or not. 

If not, and by joining you automatically give them permission, then is that allowed as it means you have no option to receive marketing if you want to buy tickets?

If there is a box to tick, then maybe we should all uncheck it and refuse them permission?