[Albion] The Fan Advisory Board Thread

[PWA]

Were there any FAB in Athens?

 

[Barry Izbak]

Were there any FAB in Athens?

Three members of the FAB were in Athens

 

[Giraffe]

Monday December 4 meeting notes

Flag crowd funding – Appreciate that Dec and Jan not a great time for fund raising. Get peoples thought and get some better designs from Dogma NSK etc.

I'd say crack on with this. Understand the timing point but I still think for the right design people would chip in quickly.

 

[Giraffe]

Monday December 4 meeting notes

1. A discussion was held on the feedback from the Athens game. It was felt there was a lack of BHAFC officials after the teargas incident. This is following similar feedback from the Marseille game when fans were held back with no communication.

I do feel this is unfair criticism. It's the home club's responsibility. Anything that BHAFC stewards can add is a bonus in my view and I think they did a great job overall on all Europa away games. Fine in an ideal world they would have been able to push for us to be moved quickly when the tear gas situation occurred but I doubt on the list of things they had a plan for being tear gassed was very high.

I'd say the whole club has done everything possible (within the confines of another country's police control) to make this as good an experience as possible.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I do feel this is unfair criticism. It's the home club's responsibility. Anything that BHAFC stewards can add is a bonus in my view and I think they did a great job overall on all Europa away games. Fine in an ideal world they would have been able to push for us to be moved quickly when the tear gas situation occurred but I doubt on the list of things they had a plan for being tear gassed was very high.

I'd say the whole club has done everything possible (within the confines of another countries police control) to make this as good an experience as possible.

I thought the arrangements in Athens were fine. I was disappointed that the Greek authorities allowed tensions to rise for what felt like about 10 minutes or so before seriously trying to empty the home stands. Once the tear gas reached us we seemed to be let out promptly to try and escape it. The magical mystery tour back to the old olympic stadium was tedious but it seemed to run a lot smoother than the Marseilles operation.

 

[jackalbion]

I do feel this is unfair criticism. It's the home club's responsibility. Anything that BHAFC stewards can add is a bonus in my view and I think they did a great job overall on all Europa away games. Fine in an ideal world they would have been able to push for us to be moved quickly when the tear gas situation occurred but I doubt on the list of things they had a plan for being tear gassed was very high.

I'd say the whole club has done everything possible (within the confines of another countries police control) to make this as good an experience as possible.

I agree, it was far better than Marseille, and BHAFC and Police staff did seem to hang around until we left. I think the Athens stewards and police (or lack of them) was the problem IMO.

 

[Brovion]

Hi FAB guys, I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has already been covered, but if not may I draw your attention to this thread https://www.northstandchat.com/threads/club-shop-online-another-moan.405114/ where people are raising, imo, valid concerns about the club shop and club merchandise in general. It IS a subject that has come up on here several times in the recent past.

Thanks

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I do feel this is unfair criticism. It's the home club's responsibility. Anything that BHAFC stewards can add is a bonus in my view and I think they did a great job overall on all Europa away games. Fine in an ideal world they would have been able to push for us to be moved quickly when the tear gas situation occurred but I doubt on the list of things they had a plan for being tear gassed was very high.

I'd say the whole club has done everything possible (within the confines of another country's police control) to make this as good an experience as possible.

I wouldn’t expect BHA people to have been able to do anything practical on the spot in Athens, no. But I must admit I’m surprised, and a bit disappointed, that there’s been no correspondence from the club since then. I was fully expecting an email to all ticket purchasers expressing regret and asking for individual experiences. I saw some people quite badly affected but I’ve heard nothing about a plan to communicate with AEK about it.

 

[dazzer6666]

I wouldn’t expect BHA people to have been able to do anything practical on the spot in Athens, no. But I must admit I’m surprised, and a bit disappointed, that there’s been no correspondence from the club since then. I was fully expecting an email to all ticket purchasers expressing regret and asking for individual experiences. I saw some people quite badly affected but I’ve heard nothing about a plan to communicate with AEK about it.

I wasn’t.…..it’s not going to achieve anything or change anything and sure they already have a great deal of detail on what happened.

As regards comments further above, don’t agree that there was a ‘lack of BHA officials’. There were many down by the buses post-match explaining what was going on, stopping us walking out into the ‘riot’ and generally making sure people were ok. Wouldn’t have expected many/any to be in the stands to react to what was an unfortunate (if unpleasant) side-effect of some AEK knobs needing sorting out by the police.

 

[brighton_tom]

1. Flag crowd funding – Appreciate that Dec and Jan not a great time for fund raising. Get peoples thought and get some better designs from Dogma NSK etc.

Rather than funding for more flags that are passed over head like the RDZ one (as they mean logistical planning is needed for its display) i'd rather we focus our efforts on flags that can be permanently displayed around the interior of the stadium like the Stand or Fall banner. Lets fill all the grey spaces and make the Amex more Albiony. Get the club to designate some spots for new flags, get Dogma to design them, get us lot to fund them. Simple.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I wasn’t.…..it’s not going to achieve anything or change anything and sure they already have a great deal of detail on what happened.

I don’t know how much detail they have, or how you know that they have a 'great deal of detail', but I’ve not been asked about my experience on the night. and of all the people I shared stories with over the next 4 days, no one had heard from the club or been asked about what they went through.

As regards comments further above, don’t agree that there was a ‘lack of BHA officials’. There were many down by the buses post-match explaining what was going on, stopping us walking out into the ‘riot’ and generally making sure people were ok. Wouldn’t have expected many/any to be in the stands to react to what was an unfortunate (if unpleasant) side-effect of some AEK knobs needing sorting out by the police.

I don’t disbelieve you but personally I didn’t see any obvious BHA people in the lower enclosure or concourse, and none by the buses. No one was there to explain what was going on. Mind you, we were just glad to get out and onto the buses so perhaps I just missed them.

You say it won’t achieve anything to have any communication from the club. What it would achieve is the belief that the club has some interest in the welfare of the fans, some of whom were quite badly affected. Although it lasted only a few minutes, it was the worst experience I’ve had at a football match since the hooliganism of the 70s and 80s. It was really horrible.

 

[dazzer6666]

I don’t know how much detail they have, or how you know that they have a 'great deal of detail', but I’ve not been asked about my experience on the night. and of all the people I shared stories with over the next 4 days, no one had heard from the club or been asked about what they went through.

I don’t disbelieve you but personally I didn’t see any obvious BHA people in the lower enclosure or concourse, and none by the buses. No one was there to explain what was going on. Mind you, we were just glad to get out and onto the buses so perhaps I just missed them.

You say it won’t achieve anything to have any communication from the club. What it would achieve is the belief that the club has some interest in the welfare of the fans, some of whom were quite badly affected. Although it lasted only a few minutes, it was the worst experience I’ve had at a football match since the hooliganism of the 70s and 80s. It was really horrible.

There was a whole group of club staff and Sussex police at the back of the row of buses as we left - had quite a conversation with them as we were intending to walk back to the hotel.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Rather than funding for more flags that are passed over head like the RDZ one (as they mean logistical planning is needed for its display) i'd rather we focus our efforts on flags that can be permanently displayed around the interior of the stadium like the Stand or Fall banner. Lets fill all the grey spaces and make the Amex more Albiony. Get the club to designate some spots for new flags, get Dogma to design them, get us lot to fund them. Simple.

Let’s do both.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

There was a whole group of club staff and Sussex police at the back of the row of buses as we left - had quite a conversation with them as we were intending to walk back to the hotel.

May have been different for the other blocks but the people in the lower one, 47, which had the tear gas, were directed out and straight onto the buses. There was no hanging about chatting to staff, even if I’d seen any. I think most of us just wanted to get away. I read about it later on the BBC and in the Gusrdian but have heard nothing from the club about it. Were any of this big group of staff and police in the lower tier, I wonder? I’m starting to think that maybe they just didn’t realise how serious it was for people on the concourse trying to get back up into the fresh air.

 

[dazzer6666]

May have been different for the other blocks but the people in the lower one, 47, which had the tear gas, were directed out and straight onto the buses. There was no hanging about chatting to staff, even if I’d seen any. I think most of us just wanted to get away. I read about it later on the BBC and in the Gusrdian but have heard nothing from the club about it. Were any of this big group of staff and police in the lower tier, I wonder? I’m starting to think that maybe they just didn’t realise how serious it was for people on the concourse trying to get back up into the fresh air.

They were standing literally on the road at the back of the bus line - you had to walk past them to get on the buses.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Monday December 11th update

1) 2024 FAB recruitment and the possible appointment of FAB members from supporters groups
2) Review of the presentation being made to the main Albion board next Tuesday
3) FAB / fans webinar - Gerry to push ahead, leading on this, target date January
4) Disabled Supporters Association feedback, web address
5) Nigel to be email monitor for the week

 

[Barry Izbak]

The meeting, scheduled for this afternoon, at which FAB representatives were to due to make a presentation to the Albion Board of Directors, has been postponed due to illness. It has been postponed until the New Year.

 

[seagullwedgee]

Please show us a summary of what’s in the presentation, thanks.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Please show us a summary of what’s in the presentation, thanks.

We will do this after the presentation.
We don't want to publicise it before we've run it through with the board.
And we will be able to include comments and actions after the meeting.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

It’s been mentioned a few times in the past but any plans to consult the wider fanbase on “fanzone” as a collective pre match build up product, what parts work, don’t work etc, improvements?

There’s been enough noise certainly on here at least so think a wider survey to season ticket holders and members would be sensible.

Potential for some high impact low cost improvements to atmosphere hopefully

Thanks