Oldham ban three fans for criticizing the club

[weepywall]

2 hours ago, The Horse With No Name said:

I,ve always wondered how the home club enforce these bans anyway. I accept that if a banned person is caught entering the stadium, it is a criminal offence, however a big coat, hat and facemask would render anyone unrecognisable. They should just carry on regardless, obviously though with someone else buying their ticket.

A mate of mine was on a banning order when we played Stoke at Wembley, he racked up wearing a scouse wig and a pair of Groucho Marx glasses, as we walked up to the ground a Bristol copper clocked him and said "hello @@@@@@ what are you doing here, I thought you were banned" didn't make any effort to stop him going to the game.......... sorry to go off topic !

[fgrsimon]

GDPR breach if they are supplying personal data to other clubs

[Hxj]

5 minutes ago, fgrsimon said:

GDPR breach if they are supplying personal data to other clubs

That would depend upon the contract in respect of the Season Ticket.

[Rocking Red Cyril]

6 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

No. Do you think they are?

Never, as paying supporters we have the right of our opinions weather good or bad. And the right to voice those as we see fit. 

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

9 hours ago, IAmNick said:

@Robbored thinking they've actually got off rather lightly compared to his ordeal

Wedgius maximus.

[phantom]

Report in today's Times newspaper 

Oldham Athletic have banned at least three supporters — and involved Greater Manchester Police — for criticising the struggling club’s ownership.

 

Oldham are facing the prospect of losing their 114-year-old Football League status — they are three points from safety in League Two — and are operating under a transfer embargo and without a full-time manager after Keith Curle was sacked last month.

 

The owner, Abdallah Lemsagam, who has made ten managerial changes since taking over in 2018 and appointed his brother Mohamed as sporting director, is deeply unpopular with supporters, who have staged a number of high-profile protests against his regime.

 

Now Oldham’s new general manager, Steven Brown, has written to Bradley Knowles, Nathan Price and Dom Weiss to ban them “from Boundary Park and any other ground” where the first or youth teams are playing.

 

“You have regularly displayed your desire to promote your dislike of Oldham Athletic Football Club, its management and its progression; and you are influencing others to do the same,” Brown wrote. “You are taking deliberate steps to harm the club and cause distress. In light of these circumstances, I am writing to inform you that you are officially banned from all first team and youth team games . . . for a minimum period of three years. I will be forwarding this correspondence to GM Police and our stadium safety officer.”

 

 

Supporters have pleaded with Lemsagam to sell the club and have staged a series of protests and boycotts. Knowles is an elected director of the Oldham Athletic Supporters’ Foundation, who have a 3 per cent stake in the club and a seat on the board.

“I don’t know why you can’t say anything,” Knowles said. “I’ve not said anything bad about the club. It says I’ve promoted my dislike of Oldham Athletic. I worship this club. I’ve not boycotted, I’m a season-ticket holder.

“I make no secret I want Abdallah to sell. I want Mohamed to go. I’ve been to three protests, started by 30 of us. I want change and what’s best for Oldham Athletic. But I’ve not run on the pitch, thrown tennis balls. We’ve not been involved in anything illegal.”

[exAtyeoMax]

25 minutes ago, phantom said:

Report in today's Times newspaper 

Oldham Athletic have banned at least three supporters — and involved Greater Manchester Police — for criticising the struggling club’s ownership.

 

Oldham are facing the prospect of losing their 114-year-old Football League status — they are three points from safety in League Two — and are operating under a transfer embargo and without a full-time manager after Keith Curle was sacked last month.

 

The owner, Abdallah Lemsagam, who has made ten managerial changes since taking over in 2018 and appointed his brother Mohamed as sporting director, is deeply unpopular with supporters, who have staged a number of high-profile protests against his regime.

 

Now Oldham’s new general manager, Steven Brown, has written to Bradley Knowles, Nathan Price and Dom Weiss to ban them “from Boundary Park and any other ground” where the first or youth teams are playing.

 

“You have regularly displayed your desire to promote your dislike of Oldham Athletic Football Club, its management and its progression; and you are influencing others to do the same,” Brown wrote. “You are taking deliberate steps to harm the club and cause distress. In light of these circumstances, I am writing to inform you that you are officially banned from all first team and youth team games . . . for a minimum period of three years. I will be forwarding this correspondence to GM Police and our stadium safety officer.”

 

 

Supporters have pleaded with Lemsagam to sell the club and have staged a series of protests and boycotts. Knowles is an elected director of the Oldham Athletic Supporters’ Foundation, who have a 3 per cent stake in the club and a seat on the board.

“I don’t know why you can’t say anything,” Knowles said. “I’ve not said anything bad about the club. It says I’ve promoted my dislike of Oldham Athletic. I worship this club. I’ve not boycotted, I’m a season-ticket holder.

“I make no secret I want Abdallah to sell. I want Mohamed to go. I’ve been to three protests, started by 30 of us. I want change and what’s best for Oldham Athletic. But I’ve not run on the pitch, thrown tennis balls. We’ve not been involved in anything illegal.”

Will be interesting how this pans out. I don’t know anything about the owners but it appears that they don’t fully understand the dynamics between supporters and their club. 

[myol'man]

15 hours ago, The Horse With No Name said:

I,ve always wondered how the home club enforce these bans anyway. I accept that if a banned person is caught entering the stadium, it is a criminal offence, however a big coat, hat and facemask would render anyone unrecognisable. They should just carry on regardless, obviously though with someone else buying their ticket.

Easily enforced, especially in the lower leagues with low attendances. Banned supporter would probably be fairly well known to security staff, photo circulated to stewards and turnstiles. Prospect of increased ban for breaking banning order. Facemasks have added a whole new level to the disguise though!

That said, I'm sure it's been tried on many ocassions 

[TRUEBRIT66]

They had Bradley on Talksport earlier, came across as a really nice lad passionate about the club and devastated that he was in this position and how badly the club was being run. He said GMP couldn't impose any ban and no law had been broken so they would not be getting involved and he was also advised he could still attend away games.

They asked for a Oldham representative to come on and 5mins later the owner phoned in from the UAE I couldn't catch everything he was saying as the line wasn't clear and I was driving but he basically said it was his club and he could do what he wanted, he also felt the protests were aimed more at his family and the club than himself and that was what offended him!!

He was a arrogant **** and stood stead fast by his decision. When asked if they could attend games he told the presenters they could come back only if they apologised and promised to "behave" when asked what he meant by behave he skirted around the issue but basically said don't criticize.          

[The Batman]

2 minutes ago, TRUEBRIT66 said:

They had Bradley on Talksport earlier, came across as a really nice lad passionate about the club and devastated that he was in this position and how badly the club was being run. He said GMP couldn't impose any ban and no law had been broken so they would not be getting involved and he was also advised he could still attend away games.

They asked for a Oldham representative to come on and 5mins later the owner phoned in from the UAE I couldn't catch everything he was saying as the line wasn't clear and I was driving but he basically said it was his club and he could do what he wanted, he also felt the protests were aimed more at his family and the club than himself and that was what offended him!!

He was a arrogant **** and stood stead fast by his decision. When asked if they could attend games he told the presenters they could come back only if they apologised and promised to "behave" when asked what he meant by behave he skirted around the issue but basically said don't criticize.          

 

Talksport are good at putting up clips of their shows on YouTube. 

Not listened to it yet. Playing once I have pressed submit reply. 

[phantom]

All three bans rescinded but replaced with final warnings 

[exAtyeoMax]

2 hours ago, phantom said:

All three bans rescinded but replaced with final warnings 

I suppose it’ll be lines or detention next time. Picking up litter during half time

[Taz]

1 hour ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I suppose it’ll be lines or detention next time. Picking up litter during half time

Or forced to watch highlights of Bristol Rovers.

That threat should be enough to get anybody on the right track!

[phantom]

[ExiledAjax]

Interesting, one of Oldham's supporters organisations owns 3% of the shares, it will be interesting to see if they are able to leverage this turbulence and (possible) change in ownership to get some extra rights, shares, or some other form of control or protection. Let's hope that the "credible investors" are serious about repairing the relationship with the fans and can held to make good the litany of errors that Lemsagam and his brother have made. 

The Indy has a decent article summarising the (many) issues https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/oldham-athletic-crisis-owner-efl-b1977928.html