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SC&T/FAN/Supporters meeting


Dollymarie

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1 hour ago, BristolNorthEndRed said:

I sit in the Dolman centre block, and I think the £68 rise to £499 is bloody shocking.  The seats aren’t luxurious, we are sat in seats that are too close together with very little leg room. making  it almost impossible to sit correctly and comfortably in the seat especially when wearing winter coats.

I’m not at all happy.

 

#metoo

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27 minutes ago, Septic Peg said:

What about people with autism or mental health conditions? Not just are they having to pay full whack now (when most disabled people struggle to pay all their bills and care) but they may also be forced to move. I don't know how much Gareth Torpy (Disability Liaison Officer) knows about the autistic spectrum but let me tell you all, if there are adults or children with autism being forced to move, this will severely damage their routines. Something specialists will say try to avoid. Its the same process with someone with a long term mental health condition.

 

And they want to rabble on about inclusion and equality. Seems to me, they are taking the absolute piss out of physically disabled, ambulant disabled, kids, OAPs and those with a low income. 

Peg for PM!

If I still lived in Nailsea, how would I be able to still be a full-time carer to my wife and get a Season Card on my carer's benefit of £63 per week? We've already had to sell our house, so that won't fund it. 

BCFC was my lifeline growing up. It provided me with a sense of acceptance (even when we were bottom of the 4th). It provided me with something to look forward to every Saturday. 

Granted, I had a job back then. 

I'm not saying BCFC Directors should become a charity for those that have hit hard times, but surely they can at least realise that Disabled people and their Carers did not choose this lifestyle. 

Fairness is what is needed here. Granted, the board are entitled to raise prices. Many have commented that they can accept a rise within justification. However, to take away a lifeblood especially if you're already a carer or disabled, truly stinks. 

I ask Mark Ashton and Adam Baker to try being disabled for a day. Try it. Go to a match day game in a wheelchair. See what it's like having to avoid obstacles and people. Then tell us your experiences on what it was like. Oh and the carer has only 63 quid to spend for a week. Even if the disabled person is claiming everything the benefit system can offer, it won't be a financial package anybody who's moral, would want. 

Disabled plus carer would not moan about a fair price. 

I ask board to re-think the pricing structure. It takes guts to admit they are wrong. It takes real guts to alter the pricing to a fair deal but the respect from the fans would be priceless.

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22 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

But the concourse is not a user friendly place to spend a couple of hours there after a match whether rugby or football. 

Cold and windy if a door is left open and no tables and seats thanks to Sag. 

It's not thanks to SAG, that is an advisory body only. It's because the club have so far not realised that their customers require those facilities and, they'd probably get more customers by providing those facilities.

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19 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

Peg for PM!

If I still lived in Nailsea, how would I be able to still be a full-time carer to my wife and get a Season Card on my carer's benefit of £63 per week? We've already had to sell our house, so that won't fund it. 

BCFC was my lifeline growing up. It provided me with a sense of acceptance (even when we were bottom of the 4th). It provided me with something to look forward to every Saturday. 

Granted, I had a job back then. 

I'm not saying BCFC Directors should become a charity for those that have hit hard times, but surely they can at least realise that Disabled people and their Carers did not choose this lifestyle. 

Fairness is what is needed here. Granted, the board are entitled to raise prices. Many have commented that they can accept a rise within justification. However, to take away a lifeblood especially if you're already a carer or disabled, truly stinks. 

I ask Mark Ashton and Adam Baker to try being disabled for a day. Try it. Go to a match day game in a wheelchair. See what it's like having to avoid obstacles and people. Then tell us your experiences on what it was like. Oh and the carer has only 63 quid to spend for a week. Even if the disabled person is claiming everything the benefit system can offer, it won't be a financial package anybody who's moral, would want. 

Disabled plus carer would not moan about a fair price. 

I ask board to re-think the pricing structure. It takes guts to admit they are wrong. It takes real guts to alter the pricing to a fair deal but the respect from the fans would be priceless.

So close to home for me (relative that's registered disabled - severe mental health condition) so huge kudos to you Iron. 

What about carers that use City as their only break away from the strains of their day to day life? Being a carer is hard blooming work and they need a break just like the rest of us. My relative isn't into football but their carer is. Why should the carer be penalised for taking time out and enjoying something whilst someone else takes up the strain once a week? It's been shown that carers can also suffer with poor mental health thanks to stress and this is why carers have regular clubs/support networks etc to boost their own health. It's badly underfunded in this country but carers need more support to what already exists. City catering for carers and disabled persons would aid that I'm sure.

 

This discrimination riles me. It really does, especially when carers take up the slack for a pittance that would come out of a social care budget at probably quadruple the cost.

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That's quite an achivement to **** over the disabled and families in one swoop. Well done City.

They could have suggested they will hold the prices in the ground for current ST holders families and the disabled but, we will not be able to offer these seats to new ST holders at the current prices, any new ST applicants will have to pay the premium after the ST go on general sale. And state that the preference is for families to use the Upper Lansdown Stand for the best family experience.

So eventually, as they get older, these ST holders seats will naturally increase for anyone who wishes to still sit there.

So little thought has gone in to it,  it takes a long time to build goodwill and earn a good reputation, but treat people the wrong way and you can lose this overnight.

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14 minutes ago, Septic Peg said:

 

What about carers that use City as their only break away from the strains of their day to day life? Being a carer is hard blooming work and they need a break just like the res. discrimination riles me. It really does, especially when carers take up the slack for a pittance that would come out of a social care budget at probably quadruple the cost.

Wait till I start a thread in May about BCTV match day audio! £45 quid for this service?  But as you said, Peg, my wife agrees to me renewing every year because I do the housework whilst listening ie BCFC breaks the strain. 

Slightly off topic but relevant to BCTV, last season I was listening to a Tuesday night game whilst ironing. I thought I'd text Richard or Ed in the studio to say thanks for the commentary as it helps me do the ironing. It was duly read out followed by the quip "Who would do the ironing whilst listening to the game?" Ummmm, I do and I bet I know who does his ironing!

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1 hour ago, Rich said:

During the promotion year, the ticket price for an ambulant disabled and carer in the Williams was £160, just left of the directors box/half way line.

The following season the same ticket  but for the South Stand end of ground, due to redevelopments was, £260.

Last season, we moved back to the Lansdown stand (wing) the cost had risen to £360.

This season remained the same price but in a slightly worse position as we couldn't purchase early enough to save the seats, adjacent to SS.

So now we come to next season and the cost of £390, basically in the corner of the ground.

The cost has risen from £160 to £390 in the space of four years.

If  we could return to the original seating area, it would have cost £469. An increase of £309 from when we had to leave that area.

I'd like to add that the facilities now are far superior than the old Williams stand but, are those increases justified by the improved facilities? After all, we had seats, a good view, toilets near by, refreshments nearby and a roof over our head.

I do think the original ticket pricing was too low, but this borders on extortion. 

And, tongue firmly in cheek, we're still watching Frankie Fielding, Aden Flint, Joe Bryan, Korey Smith, Marlon Pack and Bobby Reid.

Just been informed that I am not correct in my statement. The price increase is up to £499, not £390, so, an increase of £339 over four years but, it would have been £439 in the area we started from. That is disgusting.

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I was a season ticket holder for several seasons when I became completely disillusioned with modern football. (The 2010 WC really was the beginning of this sense of despondency). The combination of McInnes tenure followed by O'Driscoll did for me. I stopped going to watch City AT ALL for 3 seasons, getting a S/T at my local Southern League club, Taunton Town instead. When I left the EE was standing, the ground development had not commenced and during the 3 years I was 'away', the ground was completely revamped, City won League One and the JPT at Wembley and I really missed watching City, watching another team was engaging, but there simply wasn't anything like the huge emotional attachment there is when you've supported a  club for 40+ years. The bottom line for me is, as I was not enjoying the experience I was happy to walk away as life's too short, but my love of BCFC didn't just vanish. At the start of 2016/17 after 3 years away I got an S/T at City again. The facilities are hugely impressive but we don't live in 1970 anymore, so they bloody should be!! I have NO affinity at all with Bristol Sport, I'm not Bristolian, have never had a BS postcode, my affinity is with Bristol City FC.  Home games are a 93 mile round trip, as opposed to a 10 minute stroll to Taunton's ground, but I've enjoyed the football these last two seasons despite the 'DNA/Customer Interface/Jargon bullshit' that permeates. Now? I simply cannot believe how naïve the decision makers at AG are. For the first time in years there's a palpable sense of momentum on and off the pitch, regular gates of 20k+ and the genuine prospect of the club reaching the Premier League with all the spoils and kudos that will bring. And then they royally shaft a sizeable percentage of the loyal support that has helped the club reach this point. Kamikaze PR!! My own S/T will not cost me more as I sit in the South Stand, but that's not the point. Others are being treated with more than a little contempt by automatons who see them as consumer units and not football supporters. Disgusting and unnecessary!!

As for the 'perks' that currently are part of the S/T 'package', the obvious explanation as to why they haven't been announced already is that they will be hugely scaled back, not nearly as good a s they are now and would logically add to the dissent when the club wants renewals. If it wasn't broken, why 'fix' it?  I cannot believe for one microsecond that that is not the case. These S/T figures were probably outlined months ago. A business of this size and scale isn't working them out the day before they're announced on the back of a fag packet. Similarly they know that is addition to the shitstorm the ticket prices has generated ( and I don't believer for a minute that they didn't see this response coming) that they would delay announcing that the additional cost would be in the shape of less generous benefits to S/T holders.

I'm off now to shower my severely disabled 16 year old twin sons now. Yes I'm a carer and football is one of my breaks from my responsibilities, so when the politics and corporate sludge affects the beautiful game I just walk away, as I know doubt will again.

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9 hours ago, Stortz said:

Thanks very much to everyone who was able to go and represent us, pointless exercise though it sounds to have been.

Our club are sadly treating us with total contempt and arrogance. It's becoming clear now why Ashton was so hated at Watford imo.

As a result of the price hikes, I will no longer spend a penny in the ground. The £20 plus I will no longer contribute to the club on matchdays will make up for the price rises imposed on my daughter and I within 4 games and will cost them a great deal more than that over the season. We are fans of Bristol City FC not customers or cash cows, and I would urge everyone else to do the same.

Spot on, as I’ve said many times before - and been shot down for it.

For Bristol Sport to claim to make Bristol Proud is nothing other than a sound bite. If as Ashton says football is a loss making business then he and his ilk need to remember two things.

The football club has been here before. Way back when. 1982. Where were his kind then? ******* nowhere. He, Lansdown and many others for whom many think we must be grateful only became interested when football became fashionable and an investment vehicle.

The other thing that Ashton and his mates need to know that long after they’ve moved on BCFC will remain. For generations. The names Lansdown and Ashton will be distant memories. 

The ground might revert to Ashton Gate but it won’t be due to anything to do with him. The Williams or Enclosure might still be called the Lansdown but it won’t be talked about in the same way as the Dolman. And the statue of Big John will remain.

This current lot see activities at BS3 as being nothing other than consumers. They really don’t give a flying **** about Bristol City beyond what they can personally and financially get from it. A cash cow.

If basketball became “a better earner” they’d focus on that.

I will renew as in the South Stand, given the ages of the kids and my own circumstances I’m lucky that I can afford it - and when the kids come they love - and as some know when they can’t I’m always happy to do a cheeky deal.

What I’m not doing though is spending money in the ground. No more Thatchers. No more sheep pies. No more Yorkies. Nothing.

The contemptuous ones though won’t give a shit. And neither will we. 

We’re supporters of BCFC and loyal ones at that. Through thick and thin. Unlike those assholes who are only it to make even more money and avoid paying tax.

 

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4 minutes ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Spot on, as I’ve said many times before - and been shot down for it.

For Bristol Sport to claim to make Bristol Proud is nothing other than a sound bite. If as Ashton says football is a loss making business then he and his ilk need to remember two things.

The football club has been here before. Way back when. 1982. Where were his kind then? ******* nowhere. He, Lansdown and many others for whom many think we must be grateful only became interested when football became fashionable and an investment vehicle.

The other thing that Ashton and his mates need to know that long after they’ve moved on BCFC will remain. For generations. The names Lansdown and Ashton will be distant memories. 

The ground might revert to Ashton Gate but it won’t be due to anything to do with him. The Williams or Enclosure might still be called the Lansdown but it won’t be talked about in the same way as the Dolman. And the statue of Big John will remain.

This current lot see activities at BS3 as being nothing other than consumers. They really don’t give a flying **** about Bristol City beyond what they can personally and financially get from it. A cash cow.

If basketball became “a better earner” they’d focus on that.

I will renew as in the South Stand, given the ages of the kids and my own circumstances I’m lucky that I can afford it - and when the kids come they love - and as some know when they can’t I’m always happy to do a cheeky deal.

What I’m not doing though is spending money in the ground. No more Thatchers. No more sheep pies. No more Yorkies. Nothing.

The contemptuous ones though won’t give a shit. And neither will we. 

We’re supporters of BCFC and loyal ones at that. Through thick and thin. Unlike those assholes who are only it to make even more money and avoid paying tax.

 

Brilliant post this. Wish I had more likes.

If you buy a programme, get a fanzine instead.

If you buy a minuscule chunk pasty in the ground, get one from the van outside the ground.

Don't buy the new home shirts, don't buy the new away shirts, don't buy shitey scarves with the Bristol Sport logo sewn in.

Don't shell out for cider in the ground, get a natch and sit on the wall, drink it before you go in.

Fans not customers. The name Mark Ashton will be forgotten long before names like John Atyeo and Gerry Gow.

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6 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Brilliant post this. Wish I had more likes.

If you buy a programme, get a fanzine instead.

If you buy a minuscule chunk pasty in the ground, get one from the van outside the ground.

Don't buy the new home shirts, don't buy the new away shirts, don't buy shitey scarves with the Bristol Sport logo sewn in.

Don't shell out for cider in the ground, get a natch and sit on the wall, drink it before you go in.

Fans not customers. The name Mark Ashton will be forgotten long before names like John Atyeo and Gerry Gow.

Been saying this for EFFING ages......we are nothing more than walking wallets to them.  Look at the evidence.......STs,  prices, drove us out of our Lansdown seats for 17/18 season, The St Georges Cross issue,  then they recently told some of us we couldn't park in an area we pay for because of the snow, with no alternative parking offered nearby to help the 85 year old I take with us who needs the community shuttle bus that picks up where we usually park. And they didn't give a flying sh1te.

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I am not a ST holder so am not affected directly by this. However I have read this thread with increasing sadness and despair at the way things are developing. To read of hard core supporters not renewing is depressing and if the club does not respond to these loyal supporters then the silence will be deemed to be deafening. I do worry that the future of the football "experience" at AG is on a downward spiral into blandness.

Please wake up BCFC/BS before you lose a section of core support .

 

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7 hours ago, redordead1 said:

Hi All,

I've held off writing this because I came away from the meeting last night dissapointed and angry. Hopefully sleeping on it will allow for a more reasoned summary.

The meeting started with Ashton attempting to (rather clumbsily) define the structure of the Bristol Sport, Ashton Gate and BCFC businesses in what appeared to be an effort to deflect the responsibility of the pricing decsions away from himself and BCFC, and on to the Bristol Sport business which is headed up by Jon Lansdown. As others have mentioned above, he then appeared to realise the ramifications of mentioning Jon Lansdown by name and spent the next 5 minutes trying to backtrack and explain that all decisions were of course voted in and passed by the board of BCFC too, a board which Jon Lansdown is also a member of.

It wasn't clear who specifically created the new pricing, but it is clear that both Steve and Jon Lansdown as well as all board members effectively signed off on the new pricing strategy.

Ashton then stated that a "huge amount of benchmarking and consultation" had been done before the pricing has been released and labelled our existing ST prices as "cheap" a number of times and that we are a loss making company and lucky to have Steve Lansdown funding it all. As others have said, he completely failed to understand or show any appreciation that the majority of the room had contributed a far larger respective percentage of their individual wealth for decades more than the current owners and management team. His comical overuse of the word consultation, combined with Dolly highlighting the fact that there had been no real consultation with any supporters group just emphasised how hollow this statement was. He finished this opening by stating how they "need to get better" and "learn lessons" moving forward, failing to realise that the evening was an ideal opportunity to do precisely this and make positive changes as a direct result of listening to what the supporters had to say. It was clear from this point on that this was an exercise in trying to explain away the changes and that no ground would be given.

Gavin Marshall, a CFO with a distinct lack of understanding of what it means to be a football supporter, then laid out in pedestrain terms the new price points. They stated that the disabled concessions were changed because they are effectvely viewing everyone by age now and not social circumstance. Doug Harman then showed the slightest glimpse of empathy (the only example the whole night) by stating that he understood how difficult the rises must be for disabled supporters. When somebody mentioned that there are only 500 or so disabled supporters this would affect, I could have sworn that both Harman and Ashton's eyes lit up. I would not be at all surprised if they view this as an opportunity to make a minor change and one that they can promote and use as PR to show they've "listened to the fans" across the media. 

As Dolly mentions above, Marshall then showed either a complete lack of understanding/contempt for families who don't wish to be financially/socially engineered or moved into the family section. Having admitted that they made an error with the Under 12's in the Lansdown (would this have happended if they had consulted in the first place?) the "enhanced family experience" line was again used repeatedly, with no explanation of what this entails, or why families would want to move away from being sat amongst friends, families that they've spent decades forming close bonds with.

It was difficult to show restraint when Marshall reponded to a few of us explaining what it really meant to be a City fan and the importance of this shared matchday experience with "well you can always move" and Ashton followed up with, football fans always feel like they've got a god-given right to their seat and their part of the ground . If any part of the evening gave a glimpse in to the sheer disregard for the most loyal City fans and the complete lack of empathy, or as others have said, simple appreciation that this is "all a bit unfair" it was this. There is zero respect for those of us who have supported the club up until now, we are simply being viewed as customers. The loyalty programme is clearly a phone app, ST card/BCFC "wallet" designed to reward you with offers based on how much you spend on pies, pasties and pints. Again, this shows such a cynical disregard to how we all feel loyalty should be viewed and rewarded.

The only other concession they made was to look at extending the renewal period for a week to allow people to benefit from two pay checks. "What? Is that pay day is it?" -  Ashton 

Hopefully, this provides a fair summary. I do not for one moment believe I'm speaking on anyone else's behalf. So, for anyone else who was in attendence, please feel free to correct me if I've got anything wrong.

In summary, my lasting impression is that not once did Ashton or any of the others actually ask a supporter how they felt about any of the changes. I cannot imagine any other business (and that's how they class themselves) showing such an amazing lack of respect towards it's most loyal supporters. I want to steer clear of any personal stuff, but I do want to point out that at times the tone, agression and sheer rudeness shown towards fans was completely unacceptable. Pointing a bottle at someone when they have the temerity to ask you a queston is just not on and really unprofessional.

It's clear we are at a watershed in this club's history as to how they view and treat us. Fair play to those at FAN and SC&T for their earlier statement, we really need to show some solidarity and get the message out on this before we lose a large number of very loyal supporters. #fansnotcustomers

I didn't like Ashton on day 1. I dislike him a thousand times more now. 

#BoycottAshtonGateFoodAndDrink

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27 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

I didn't like Ashton on day 1. I dislike him a thousand times more now. 

#BoycottAshtonGateFoodAndDrink

Ashton is a prize****. As are the majority of others who are now behind the scenes.

No interest whatsoever in football or those like us who love BCFC. 

I’d love to see a coordinated effort where the concourses and franchises - what modern day phrases those are - I’m even starting to speak like the cock - are empty.

Drink up thy cider. But do it away from the ground. Even in Greville Smythe park.

Have fish and chips from the place opposite the Robins. And eat them in Gores Marsh park.

Do anything but line these ******* pockets any more than you have to.

And I reckon it has to be possible to get Thatchers into the ground in a 2 litre Fanta bottle :whistle:

 

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58 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

I didn't like Ashton on day 1. I dislike him a thousand times more now. 

#BoycottAshtonGateFoodAndDrink

Almost won me over with the Matty Taylor transfer.

That can go hang now. He is an utter****. Wish a mod would let me get round the swear filter just this once, he deserves it. **** **** **** **** **** **** ****.

This is a ******* disgrace.

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5 hours ago, Harry said:

If nobody renews then the club will have to do something about it. 

Stand firm people. Don’t renew. 

Me and my mates are going to Burton but we ain’t in any hurry to renew our season tickets, this has been handled appallingly....many years ago I only went to away games for two seasons because I wasn’t happy at stuff that was going on at the club, may look at doing that again...admittedly a one man protest doesn’t amount to much, but it will make me feel better...

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To all those posters above, I am thoroughly supportive of everyone who has criticised this latest PR shambles from the club.

I posted about a week ago on another thread, how the club in 1978 did the same to us in Dolman end blocks; moved us to more expensive blocks. And how I finished the conversation with the then version of Mark Ashton, Tony Rance, with the words that I'd still be supporting City many years after he had gone. He left in 1980 AND I AM STILL HERE. Since 1950 and still supporting my club, the one I have shares of £70 which were bought out of my last £100 in 1982.

As most will know,  within three years we were out of the First Division and playing in front of home crowds of 4,000 at the bottom of Div Four. This collection of business know it alls, seem to believe that City are on the brink of something significant. The cup run and the clamour for tickets, seems to have turned the heads of Lansdown, Ashton and the rest of the hangers-on who run our club.

So I sincerely hope that the 1980 fiasco will not repeat itself in 2018-2019.  A similar event would leave Ashton and Co out of work as we scratch along on attendances under 10,000, back in our usual resting place - the third tier of English football

But that is a matter that has nothing to do with seat prices. Just a Head Coach who's teams only play for around 60% of the season. There appears to be a delusion among our hierarchy about the supporters. Maybe they should attach more importance to the ability of some of the employees on the football side before screwing us again!

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4 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

Wait till I start a thread in May about BCTV match day audio! £45 quid for this service?  But as you said, Peg, my wife agrees to me renewing every year because I do the housework whilst listening ie BCFC breaks the strain. 

Slightly off topic but relevant to BCTV, last season I was listening to a Tuesday night game whilst ironing. I thought I'd text Richard or Ed in the studio to say thanks for the commentary as it helps me do the ironing. It was duly read out followed by the quip "Who would do the ironing whilst listening to the game?" Ummmm, I do and I bet I know who does his ironing!

I do the ironing too! It can get quite dangerous if we score…:city:

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3 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

Brilliant post this. Wish I had more likes.

If you buy a programme, get a fanzine instead.

If you buy a minuscule chunk pasty in the ground, get one from the van outside the ground.

Don't buy the new home shirts, don't buy the new away shirts, don't buy shitey scarves with the Bristol Sport logo sewn in.

Don't shell out for cider in the ground, get a natch and sit on the wall, drink it before you go in.

Fans not customers. The name Mark Ashton will be forgotten long before names like John Atyeo and Gerry Gow.

Bang on mate.

When every executive, director, player, manager, financial officer, deputy chairman and owner that holds their position now has long gone, the fans will still remain and remember.

A fact some of the current incumbents would do well to consider.

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