The Club would firstly like to thank those who attended the Fans Forum at Craven Cottage last night to discuss stewarding.
The panel consisted of the Club’s Managing Director, David McNally (DM); Safety Officer, Bob Morrison (BM); Stadium Manager, Matthew Barrett (MB) and Supporter Services Manager, Rachel Pallant (RP), who answered many questions relating to concerns regarding stewarding on match days.
We believe that it was a valuable and constructive meeting which highlighted a number of areas that can be improved within our match day operation.
From the meeting it has been agreed that a full review into stewarding at Craven Cottage will take place and that we will endeavour to make consistent improvements to this area both in the short and ultimately long term.
We will also ensure that we have effective communication between the Club and its supporters on a regular basis and that we conduct a new survey to fully understand the expectations of our fans regarding our current standards of service, and what we can do to improve this going forward.
The following are the key points raised and panel responses taken from last night’s Forum:
Welcome DM
A brief presentation included a reminder of the attendance figures of the last few seasons (up by 7.5% this season due to an increase in home support), the Club’s mission statement and the latest stadium development plans (to increase capacity to 30,000 and develop hospitality areas).
Questions:
Q: All Fulham fans find the double standards the Club uses for home and away fans very frustrating. Why does the Club say that it isn’t possible to tell 3,000 fans to sit down, and then feel they have the right to harass 40 Fulham fans standing at the back of the Hammersmith End who do not pose a threat to anyone?
Response by BM: Pointed out the frustrations at trying to get 3,000 away fans to sit down, but the Club will always make an effort to get opposition supporters to sit down particularly as nobody inside the stadium would like to witness any major incidents. This should also apply to our own supporters.
Q: If stewards are instructed to ask fans in the front rows to sit down this will assist in getting everyone in the block to follow (uses example in neutral area block P2 last Saturday). 2 stewards did this for first 15 minutes then went away. Stewards then responded to people who complained that they couldn’t get fans to sit down.
Could fans not be identified by CCTV with perpetrators prevented from purchasing tickets for future matches?
Why isn’t there a PA announcement?
Response by BM: Announcements are not made at our ground as the last thing we would want is 25,000 fans standing up. There is a high possibility that if an announcement is made to ask fans to sit down, fans will start singing ‘Stand up if you love Fulham’ and this will make the problem worse.
Comment: (from floor) Echoed frustration when fans stand up as it prevents many young children from watching the match but still feels that an announcement should be made to encourage fans to sit down. There is a feeling that genuine supporters are being neglected.
Q: Why is it so essential now in football that standing is such a problem, could the Club possibly make a standing area in the stadium?
Response by BM: This is not an option and has never been on the cards. There aren’t any plans in the Premier League or Championship to have a standing area and for the time being there will be no standing in these two divisions.
DM added: There is no support at government level to lobby for a change in the law.
Q: People stand at the back of the Hammersmith Stand not to be a nuisance but to generate support. Why are so many genuine fans banned for standing up at games?
Response by BM: Genuine fans or not genuine fans, the ground regulations clearly state that there should be no standing in any seated area. It is important to ensure that this doesn’t take place within our stadium to make sure that the Club conforms to safety regulations and Football Licensing Authority.
Q by DM: How many people have been banned for persistent standing?
Response by BM: This year, 10
Q from floor: How long are fans banned for?
Response by BM: Can be anything up to 3 or 4 games
Q from floor: Where were these 10 fans standing, back of the Hammersmith Stand?
Response by BM: Yes. I cannot ban an away supporter.
Comment from floor: You managed to ban away supporters from the Middlesbrough match.
BM: It was for bringing the Club into disrepute and not for standing at Middlesbrough.
Q: We understand the Club has been imposing long bans on fans, including those ejected at Middlesbrough. Why does the Club feel it is fair to do this without giving fans the opportunity to state their case and why is there no formal process of appeal for fans affected by these bans.
Response by BM: I have no objection to an appeals process. The matter can be discussed with me and if I feel that fans have been hard done by I will give them their tickets back.
Comment from floor: Supporters have emailed and written to the Club but have not received a reply.
Response by DM: In terms of Club policy whilst accepting that sometimes policy, and what actually happens, may be different. The policy is that everybody will be responded to. I accept that this might not have happened but this is an action point for me to take up effectively within our business.
We do have many people write to the Club on a variety of subjects and we spend the time and trouble to ensure that they receive a response. This may not be the response they want but our supporters deserve a response. Our policy in this regard is very different from any of the other football clubs.
I do accept that on occasions, our stewarding hasn’t been as effective as it needs to be. We are reviewing the whole system regarding the selection and training of stewards to ensure that what they do on a match day is effective.
We accept that on occasions they haven’t been effective and we need to perform better in this regard.
I must add that there have been plenty of times when stewarding has been very effective and some of the behaviour that they have had to deal with has been totally unacceptable. We will always have a zero tolerance towards any form of hooliganism at this football club. Some of our staff here tonight have been threatened from so-called supporters.
Comment from floor: We are Fulham fans, the best behaved supporters that come top of the fair play table and have been coming here for years. There is no enjoyment due to the stewarded some of the behaviour from some stewards has been unacceptable.
Response by DM: Some of the stewarding has not been good enough and we accept that and we are going to improve in this regard. However, it is totally unacceptable that some so-called fans have shown threatening behaviour towards some of our staff and stewards.
Q from floor: How would an appeals procedure work? It is hardly independent if you decide on the outcome.
The law of the land should be intelligently interpreted by the police and require intelligent application from the Safety Officer?
Response by BM: I will make a decision based on a set of circumstances I am provided by stewards and will base my decision on this evidence. It is up to an individual to come back to me to give me their side of the story (2 people made contact today and have had their tickets returned)
If I think they have been hard done by I will give them their ticket back.
Comment from floor: Attitude and steward this season do not make fans feel welcome.
(Individual accounts provided regarding having bags and presents checked without permission and aggressive attitude of a particular steward – had been promised by a head steward that he would be in touch after Christmas and heard nothing. Letters have been sent to the Club and although these have been responded to, an apology has not been forthcoming. Brother frisked on Saturday and steward open flask and smelled to check if contents were alcoholic)
Response by DM: Empathised with supporter and promised that the Club would review this particular process. DM apologised on behalf of the Club regarding the incident and manner in which the bags and presents were searched. DM expressed that he was keen to resolve issues such as this and improve on this area so that fans can feel welcome and treated with respect by their football club.
DM reiterated that we have a duty to abide by the regulations of the industry but accepts that a common sense approach should be taken and sometimes stewards have lacked any common sense. We are currently reviewing who we have as stewards, agency or in-house staff that we use with the aim of dealing with this situation effectively to ensure that fans enjoy coming to matches and that we continue to have a zero tolerance policy.
BM: Stewards need to be identified by their number and stand they are located in order to deal with issues immediately and effectively.
Comment from Floor: It is frustrating that when fans try to instil some passion to get behind the team, this is badly received and a heavy handed clamp down is often implemented.
Q from Floor: It is intimidating for home supporters to enter via the Putney End along with away fans. Why do people in blocks WXZ not enter via the Hammersmith End?
Response by BM: Need to make sure that there is a balance in the flow of people coming into the ground.
DM added: This is a unique ground, the only ground where entrances and exits are located from one stand. One of the key elements of the planning permission that has been granted allows for more egress opportunities.
Comment from floor: The access rules had been changed after fans purchased tickets and this isn’t fair. Stewards haven’t been briefed properly on the reason why fans are directed a certain way after the match.
Q: Could the Club address issues with away fans in home areas? Away fans wearing colours and openly celebrating their team’s performance?
Response by BM: This is a very difficult matter to address. There is sometimes a scenario where stewards identify away supporters in home areas but they are not causing any issues for the home supports. There are also occasions where away fans in home areas have caused some concern and some home fans have not been happy at their friends (home supporter who has purchased a ticket for his friend) being asked to leave. If the friends can behave then surely it is better to have this attitude.
DM added: If these are away fans in home area jumping up and down and causing a nuisance then it is right that they should be asked to go. My preference would be for no away fans in these areas and we need to build our home support to a level in which we can achieve this.
Comment from Floor: There were questions from the floor relating to Fulham away fans that were ejected by Middlesbrough stewards at recent away match and subsequently banned.
Local Fulham police officer had to intervene as he felt that Fulham fans were harshly treated.
DM: There were some people threatening stewards at that game.
BM: (Read statement from Middlesbrough Safety Officer)
This is reasonable evidence to make a decision.
Q from floor: Is there a way to pin point where potential issues occur by perhaps inviting feedback on the website?
This sends a message out to fans that the Club is on their side.
Response by DM: Mentioned that the Club will commit to a full review to how matches are stewarded here. The Club will attempt to take a pragmatic and common sense view on each particular issue. DM mentioned that the games come thick and fast therefore a pragmatic approach is essential.
In order to get a capacity to 30,000 to ensure that the Club is self-sustainable (Chairman has already invested 200 million pounds in 10 years) we need to work with the licensing authority with the local authority and others to ensure that they are happy in the way we organise football matches, safely and securely. If this means that fans cannot stand because of the regulations then it is important we do something about this. There needs to be more common sense applied than there has been in the past. Equally it is wrong for you to think that we do not do anything to make the West Ham fans sit down we do and it is wrong if you think West Ham standing up does not affect the club’s license, it does. We care passionately about trying to solve these issues. Our goal is to grow our home support, and we do take on board your concerns in selling tickets to away supporters, however, we would like to make the Putney End a more home based area, more Fulham than away. We have already started to do that this year, because we have been able to restrict the away support.
Q. Floor: Back to the issue of stewards, I would like to know why sometimes I am targeted by stewards searching me, I understand the rationale behind it, but it is the attitude behind it. You are not asked if you can be frisked it is just done. There are inconsistencies in the stewarding. We deserve the stewards to be polite to us, as we would be to them. The fans deserve to be treated as they themselves would treat others, I am a polite person and treat people accordingly I deserve the same from the stewards.
DM: Disappointed that the lady in question did not receive a response. It was clarified that she did receive a response, but it was not an apology. David assured that he is sorry for the service provided by the club. He did advise that we will respond to all correspondence and whilst it might not be the response that supporters want, we will respond.
Further questions from the floor.
Son banned at the Middlesbrough game, initially took Fulham’s side, he wants to appeal; he has emailed but has never received a reply but is quite prepared to march him down to meet Bob in person, understands that Bob does not want to hear from parents, but a 16 year old does deserve some representation, which was greed by the panel.
BM: will see him before Saturday.
Comment: Fans did notice a difference with the stewards on Saturday, there were more smiles and a much lighter touch.
Q: Why do bottle tops get taken off here and not at the Emirates.
BM: will find out at the safety Officers meeting on Thursday, to find out what the rationale is behind the policy. (Supporters comments that it was a stupid rule, because anyone can put the bottle top in their pocket.) BM will speak to Arsenal’s safety officer and find out how he got this installed at Arsenal and if we can do it we will do it.
Q: Is BM invited to management meetings to give him a wider view of the business?
DM: Whilst Bob does not personally attend his Line Manager does. As a management board we meet fortnightly, each area of the business is represented, and we discuss all things to do with Fulham. Representatives from all areas of the business attend. Topics such as this one when they come up are dealt with at the Management meetings. As you can see I am not pleased about the issues raised this evening and we will work hard to put processes in place to improve these.
Q: Have the FLA contacted us to advise that we are in breach of our safety certificate, as I think it would come as some surprise to the footballing world to see Fulham as the first club to be closed down.
Could you give us some insight into contact received by the FLA, with particular reference to the Hammersmith End, as it may help us to understand the pressures you are under? If these are just theoretical or real life issues?
BM: advised that the feedback has been positive from the FLA, positive about the action we take, whilst they are happy we will not suffer measures against the club, as long as they are happy to see that we are dealing with seating and standing issues. Only clubs are Middlesbrough and Sunderland they have had allocation cut.
Q: Are they happy because you are doing more than the minimum required?
BM: advised they would never be happy if we did the minimum. The minimum requirements for safety are never enough. DM added that we have only just been granted permission from the council to increase our capacity to 30,000; we have had to work hard with the local authority to get to this agreement.
Like a lot of fans here this evening I am appalled by the stewarding at the back of the Hammersmith End, and my question to you is are these stewards working autonomously or are they carrying out Bob’s instruction?
BM: briefs 16 supervisors who cascade, they will be told what we want from today. Essentially the whole day has got to go smoothly, BM is asking them to use their discretion and common sense. Clearly some of them are not doing. It is not possible to search every fan who enters the ground, over 500 fans enter the ground per minute, and with most fans arriving at 2:50 it is impossible. So the stewards are expected to be selective, search fans that they feel may be a threat. We have to trust the individual steward searching that they will use their common sense, and their training and experience to do this properly.
Comment: The heavy handed nature of the stewards with the young lads at the back of the Hammersmith End in particular is very distracting. A number of fans are seriously considering not renewing their season ticket.
DM: Very sad when long standing supporters around the room are saying they want to give up their seat, we would ask two things, if you have supported the team for 36 + years that you will be back here next season, and to assure you that we will review stewarding at Craven Cottage. I would ask you to see if we come up with any overall improvements from now until the end of the season.
Everyone in the room are reasonable sensible folk, but must also realise that any unacceptable behaviour we have to deal with, because there has been plenty of that going on, it’s no good saying we are the best fans in the land - we know you are - but there is an element that behave poorly. We will carry out a review in that it will be pragmatic and sensible, but will carry out a zero tolerance policy to bad behaviour.
Comment: Supporter who travels with the lads at the back of the Hammy End advises they are polite, well educated and delightful and we really want their bans to be overturned, they are unfair. Horrified by what happened at Middlesbrough. It was an exercise for the stewards. The Police were watching the stewards because they were worried about how they would react. People congregate at the back because it is easy to start songs and to gain momentum and atmosphere, not to have a battle with the stewards, it is no different to what happens at church.
Comment: Gentleman stood up, to advise that he has listened to everyone’s concerns, but the reason he has come this evening is because his wife does not come anymore. He was happy to stand on the terraces in the old days but when the new rules came in he sat down. He sits in the Hammersmith End, and misses the goals because the fans are standing, when our teams is attacking the Hammersmith End, young fans and old boys around him and they cannot keep getting up and down. Spoke to the chief steward can you out this over the PA. This is the consequence of an all seater stadium. Stewards are lined up in front of the Hammersmith End at the end of the game so fans in the front row have to stand.
Q: Does the PA works in all areas, as at the Newcastle game fans underneath the Putney End did not seem to hear the announcement for a minute’s silence.
MB: PA is subject to annual checks and has to be certified, PA checks are carried out in every area of the ground prior to a game.
Continual flow of fans arriving late after half time, can the PA encourage fans to get into their seats on time, also will the stewards benefit from training or guidance when looking for potential trouble makers, fans walk past smelling of alcohol is more of a threat yet he is checked every week.
DM: Committed to a full review, we need to apply more common sense and understand circumstances. The last game was the first game was the first game when we tried to companies and we will try this bit by bit, difficult to change things straight away but the commitment from us is there. Going forward from Man Utd will we see an improvement from a customer service perspective from stewards, and then at the next game even better and at the next game better still.
Unfortunately there seems to be a problem with certain stewards in a minority but we need get rid of them and it will take us a while to weed them out. We put our own under covers in and we are doing things already, as too many fans have advised that it is not good enough. We are listening and we will listen.
We hope to have these discussions on a regular basis as we feel they are important to our fans and to us. We have made a commitment to improve.
