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Post by townatheart on Feb 21, 2009 9:32:26 GMT 1
I think we have to meet the club half way on this. They've given us a hell of a lot this season, what with the ticket prices, the South Stand, listening to us on all the catering matters and doing the best to improve. As supporters we can't have it all our own way, or the club will be less co-operative in future. They've offered to fully support a DATM/HTSA awards and ask the players and staff to attend, to me, that seems a pretty good middle ground. Tom, where is the meeting half way on this issue? HTSA were in discussion with the club regarding a POY and awards do, no agreement had been reached. Without informing us the club went public and announced their event. Let me quote you from the website:- "The Annual Award Ceremony is the most prestigious event in the Club's corporate calendar giving both sponsors and supporters the opportunity to recognise the players' achievements over the past season. The black tie event will be held in the main banqueting suite at the stadium where guests will enjoy a three course meal before the ceremony begins. " I reiterate, the POY do was and never has been part of the club's corporate calendar. They have planned a black tie event priced at £50+ VAT - £57.50. The very nature of this automatically excludes the majority of supporters who cannot afford £50+VAT and probably don't possess a monkey suit even if they could afford to go and were prepared to fork out this ridiculous amount of money. By aiming this event at the corporate market the club are in effect sticking two fingers up to the grass roots supporter who provides the club with the biggest chunk of their income via ticket sales and merchandising. They are saying their corpoarte backers are more important than us! They still have on the website that the Hargreaves Memorial Trophy will be presented on the night even though the family still have not agreed to this although they have now added that the award is not now available for sponsorship. Furthermore the Young Player and The Academy POY awards have been in the past awarded by the Patrons Association. Once again the club have not discussed this with the Patrons - they've just gone ahead with their own thing. I'm afraid their offer to support a HTSA/DATM do is just a fig leaf to try and cover up what is one almighty snub to the vast majority of the fanbase who are being priced out and excluded from what the club deems to be the main event. The club have effectively got what they wanted - full control of the end of season event and anyone who thinks the club will do something different next year is just kidding themselves. Polish, I am going to give you the respect of a direct opinion (and I mean respect seriously as I do accept that your heart is in the right place), and say IMO you are taking a bit of 'fact' and streching it into an issue and using language that is negative and counter productive. Yes, the Club has wanted and is planning a Corporate level do, where a smaller majority of people with more expendable income will be allowed to stream some funds over to the Club. Like it or not lad, these people exist in the world as well as you and I. Like it or not, they can AND DO make a noteworthy financial contribution to the Club, as well as you and I. The Club have every right to organise and hold a do, of any sort and at any time. As do the Supporters. Mistakes have been made, communication not what it could have been, that has been noted apologised for, and efforts to correct undertaken. People on both sides are working hard, for no personal gain other than the betterment of HTAFC, and IMO the manner and the language that is being used here is out of proportion, unfair, and as I said, counter productive to the situation at hand, as well as the maintenance of the positive relations that have been developed as a result of everyones efforts. So, not intending to abridge your freedom of speech, and not intending to dampen your commitment to a cause, but for the sake of all involved, lighten up a bit will you. Life is to short, and there (certainly have been at HTAFC) are more heinous 'crimes' againist humanity than the mishandling of a award ceremony. |
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Post by andyfcuk85 on Feb 21, 2009 13:11:17 GMT 1
Tom, where is the meeting half way on this issue? HTSA were in discussion with the club regarding a POY and awards do, no agreement had been reached. Without informing us the club went public and announced their event. Let me quote you from the website:- "The Annual Award Ceremony is the most prestigious event in the Club's corporate calendar giving both sponsors and supporters the opportunity to recognise the players' achievements over the past season. The black tie event will be held in the main banqueting suite at the stadium where guests will enjoy a three course meal before the ceremony begins. " I reiterate, the POY do was and never has been part of the club's corporate calendar. They have planned a black tie event priced at £50+ VAT - £57.50. The very nature of this automatically excludes the majority of supporters who cannot afford £50+VAT and probably don't possess a monkey suit even if they could afford to go and were prepared to fork out this ridiculous amount of money. By aiming this event at the corporate market the club are in effect sticking two fingers up to the grass roots supporter who provides the club with the biggest chunk of their income via ticket sales and merchandising. They are saying their corpoarte backers are more important than us! They still have on the website that the Hargreaves Memorial Trophy will be presented on the night even though the family still have not agreed to this although they have now added that the award is not now available for sponsorship. Furthermore the Young Player and The Academy POY awards have been in the past awarded by the Patrons Association. Once again the club have not discussed this with the Patrons - they've just gone ahead with their own thing. I'm afraid their offer to support a HTSA/DATM do is just a fig leaf to try and cover up what is one almighty snub to the vast majority of the fanbase who are being priced out and excluded from what the club deems to be the main event. The club have effectively got what they wanted - full control of the end of season event and anyone who thinks the club will do something different next year is just kidding themselves. Polish, I am going to give you the respect of a direct opinion (and I mean respect seriously as I do accept that your heart is in the right place), and say IMO you are taking a bit of 'fact' and streching it into an issue and using language that is negative and counter productive. Yes, the Club has wanted and is planning a Corporate level do, where a smaller majority of people with more expendable income will be allowed to stream some funds over to the Club. Like it or not lad, these people exist in the world as well as you and I. Like it or not, they can AND DO make a noteworthy financial contribution to the Club, as well as you and I. The Club have every right to organise and hold a do, of any sort and at any time. As do the Supporters. Mistakes have been made, communication not what it could have been, that has been noted apologised for, and efforts to correct undertaken. People on both sides are working hard, for no personal gain other than the betterment of HTAFC, and IMO the manner and the language that is being used here is out of proportion, unfair, and as I said, counter productive to the situation at hand, as well as the maintenance of the positive relations that have been developed as a result of everyones efforts. So, not intending to abridge your freedom of speech, and not intending to dampen your commitment to a cause, but for the sake of all involved, lighten up a bit will you. Life is to short, and there (certainly have been at HTAFC) are more heinous 'crimes' againist humanity than the mishandling of a award ceremony. Spot on have a positive |
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Post by specialun on Feb 21, 2009 14:07:38 GMT 1
Spot on townatheart.
Mistakes have been made (not as many or as big as some on here seem to think - except the lack of consultation which I think all accept was wrong), but they've have looked to resolve asap.
Yes, maybe it is moving it away from the fans but if we want to be succesful, there has to be a balance - this is one of those compromises. Its not an ideal scenario and one that could be done much better next year, but that has been acknowledged.
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Post by Rigodon on Feb 21, 2009 15:05:09 GMT 1
I understand that the initial idea was to hold a large ( affordable) event at the stadium, maybe on the pitch in a marquee, but Davy/KSDL would require a large amount of money to hire this facility ( yes even for an official HTFC function) and Dean Hoyle has no desire to give Davy/KSDL any more money than he has to, which as we already know is a flaming fortune! As with so many things HTFC, we're hampered by Davy's desire to make a lot of money out of the club 'he has grown to love'. Fair point....but even as things currently stand, KSDL will be charging HTFC for them hiring the Banqueting Suite, and KSDL will make a fortune on feeding and watering everyone. Sure about that mids? I mean it's DEFINATLEY not EMC? |
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