Heybridge Game is OFF

[GazzaBTFC]

I would agree with "choice"...

 

Choice for a refund, choice to go and spend your money at the bar, burger bar and on a programme...

 

But I would agree with Ryan as regards boycotting the re scheduled game. Why should our players be denied support because people have an issue with Heybridge and the great "floodlight" rip off scam?(I've named it to help people identify with their angst).

 

Of course, we all have a choice as to going to the game or staying at home watching our phones and wondering why people haven't texted the score through yet...I know where I will be on the night. I couldn't stand the suspense of watching my phone.

 

Rick, perhaps you should introduce yourself to Upda. He found someone that felt enough for his club to pay the refund out of his own pocket...

 

 

 

[Rick the Dick]

Originally Posted By: GazzaBTFC

I would agree with "choice"...

Choice for a refund, choice to go and spend your money at the bar, burger bar and on a programme...

But I would agree with Ryan as regards boycotting the re scheduled game. Why should our players be denied support because people have an issue with Heybridge and the great "floodlight" rip off scam?(I've named it to help people identify with their angst).

Of course, we all have a choice as to going to the game or staying at home watching our phones and wondering why people haven't texted the score through yet...I know where I will be on the night. I couldn't stand the suspense of watching my phone.

Rick, perhaps you should introduce yourself to Upda. He found someone that felt enough for his club to pay the refund out of his own pocket...

I have not suggested that it was a scam. I do suggest that in fact Swifts will end up commercially better off over the two games, and that moraly it would be correct for them to make some of that money available to those who would prefer a refund than free admission (and we're not actually sure we're going to get that yet).

I understand that the league rules do not require them to take that action, but the rules are therefore wrong.

I know that some practice a kind of "money no object" fanatiscism in supporting their team, and will consequently not feel particularly strongly about this issue. But I'd suggest thay are a little out of touch with the more transient supporter, who is more easily dissuaded from attending.

I would not have accepted the offer made to upda, as I believe the Swifts supporters were equally wronged.

[jl]

Would the lights have been "fixed" slightly quicker had Heybridge been ahead at half-time?.............

 

I think the reason why so many Billericay supporters are (quite rightly in my view) so angry is because Heybridge have [****!!****] up and yet they are the big winners.

 

They were losing the game and now they're not. They have taken loads of money off the large number of travelling Billericay supporters, some/most/even all of it they will keep.

 

I do feel however that deliberately not going to the re-scheduled match would not be the response that the playing staff would be looking for. There s a couple of hostelries in the vicinity for pre-match entertainment if need be.

[JoeV93]

Taken from Heybridge Swifts Official Website

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS V BILLERICAY TOWN (Updated)

Club News | Sat 27th Dec 08

 

Following yesterday's game Heybridge Swifts would like to clarify the events which led to the abandonment. Please click to read the statement in full.

 

Upon further investigation by the electricity supplier E-On, the club would like to confirm that the flood-lights were neither faulty, nor did they fail.

 

The fault was with one of the 3 phase fuses which blew and can only be changed by an E'on engineer. E'on were called 15 minutes before half time and gave a call out response of upto 4 hours. At the request of the referee we asked for an update during the half-time period and were told that an engineer was on his way with an expected eta of one hour, which would have been 5:00 pm.

 

The referee decided to give them 30 minutes to get here and when a further update from E'on was received it was still estimated at 5:00 pm, so the referee decided to call the gave off.

 

In the event the engineer arrived at 4:30 pm, the fuses changed and the lights tested within 10 minutes of his arrival, with power restored at 4.40pm.

 

The club committee will meet on Monday 5th of January to discuss the abandonment, along with a number of issues raised. It is the intention of the club to make a further statement at that point with regard to ticket arrangements, and for the replayed match.

 

 

 

[Localfan]

At least it was a short journey home. The prospect of a three hour journey would have been disappointing. It happens in football, it shouldn't, but it does, especially at non league level.

 

Just sleep on it,let the annoyance subside and look forward to the replay!!!

[JoeV93]

You beat Thurrock 0-1 yesterday in the end didn't you? LF

[Localfan]

Yep updaBTFC...9 points clear now. We'll have to see what happens after the new year, but it would seem the squad are set on promotion.....

[JoeV93]

Stadium enlargement could be on the way?

[Localfan]

Yes, the 'gulag' is about to have a major financial face lift to maintain our conference standard for the 'A' grading.

 

Hopefully, when the economic situation changes, and deveopement takes off we will be having a Community stadia similar to that Braintree would like.

 

But for now, MP is our home.......

[GazzaBTFC]

You know, I can't remember this much hysteria over floodlight faliure after Folkestone or after Walton...

 

...Or even the "suggestion" of a conspiracy...

 

...Local rilvary...wonderful stuff.

 

And for the record, it was poor form but thems the breaks...It shouldn't happen and there has been plenty of warnings concerning the faliure of floodlights

[Localfan]

There was alot of hysteria on the soapbox over the Grays game, and then they did it again to Carlisle in the FA cup. In the end it simmered down and everyone went and we smacked on the pitch as the blues will do to the Swifts.

[Rick the Dick]

Originally Posted By: GazzaBTFC

You know, I can't remember this much hysteria over floodlight faliure after Folkestone or after Walton...

...Or even the "suggestion" of a conspiracy...

...Local rilvary...wonderful stuff.

And for the record, it was poor form but thems the breaks...It shouldn't happen and there has been plenty of warnings concerning the faliure of floodlights

Gazza,

It isn't "hysteria", and to write off a genuine grievance as such could come across as, dare I say it, disrespectful.

I appreciate that some of you die-hards have put up with this sort of thing at mid-week encounters at far flung places like Wealdstone & Folkestone; and maybe consider us lesser mortals a bunch of whingers.

But perhaps you're just a little bit too close to the woods to see the trees? Why should you put up with it without getting a refund? Perhaps if more fuss had been created on previous occasions it wouldn't be such a recurring problem.

Hopefully Swifts will see sense and offer full refunds to those who want them.

[Ryan.c]

Maybe you should let Heybridge know of your situation? The fact is, Heybridge can get away with it because the league rules allow them too.

[GazzaBTFC]

Rick,

 

My tounge was firmly in my cheek as regards "hysteria" (as I am sure you know)...as is yours on many of occassions when the trees are thick with the old wood and other supporters are "raising hell" over some unfair act of a rival club. Thanks for the concern over my sight but I can see quite well thank you.

 

I did not suggest that you were anyway lesser mortals or whingers (you suggested that). If you had read earlier posts, Heybridge are not in anyway bound to refund any admission or for that fact offer free entry. The PA suggested that they will offer re admission and I have read that they will decide later as regards admission. That it was a mess is in no doubt, which would suggest that this isn't a deliberate fleece of Billericay supporters (as has been suggested - are we really that big a club that Heybridge would deliberatly fleece us - I take that as a compliment, altho a back handed one) but I am willing to be corrected if this is really the case.

 

The game itself was called off by the referee, not the club. The lights were fixed which also suggests that the club did try to do as much as it could.

 

Really, I do understand your (and others) grievance. I am just as out of pocket as you. Yes I will be going to the re arranged game, whatever decision is made (as I am sure, others will). I am sure that when the re arranged game is discussd between the two clubs, re admission will be discussed (and hopefully the question of refunds be decided well before then).

 

 

[Rick the Dick]

Ryan,

 

Yes, I've emailed their secretary. If anyone else wishes to it's hsfcadmin@tiscali.co.uk .

 

Gazza,

 

I wasn't doubting your eye-sight; just suggesting that sometimes you can be so close to the heart of matters that you maybe fail to see things in the same light as the occasional supporter. And yes, I do like to take phe p!55

 

Night night chaps.

 

 

 

[Adam.S]

Like gazza said, Heybridge don't have to give us refunds or free admission, or reduced admission for the re-arranged game. If they do, then it will be out of their good will.

 

We are a club with great supporters, but when other supporters see us writing heybridge is scum or they are money stealers or they are not a good club, it doesn't go well for our reputation.

 

We have never had a problem with heybridge before, yet we come down on them and slate them quite harshly.

 

I remember going to folkestone and their flood lights stopped working, I don't remember there being this much of bad talk about their club especially when the travelling expenses were a lot more!

 

At least Heybridge is down the road and we didn't have to travel to Ramsgate or Dover or somewhere like that.

[GazzaBTFC]

Good point Adam about the distance and about our attitude. I can understand people's disapointment and anger but, as I have said, it was the Ref who had enough of waiting. 15 minutes later, the floodlights were working. True, if the game had re commenced, it would've finished late and that would've been another gripe but it would've been finished. Again, it was a mess, it appeared that Heybridge hadn't planned for the situation but no more of a mess than at Folkestone or Walton (which was a p*ss take, if memory serves). Talk of "scum" and conspiracies (one which I floated at the game (out of frustration) and got shouted down by people who have suggested the same on this forum) does our club no favours. It's Christmas, season of good will.

 

Another point well made at the game was by Paul Flack (Joe's Father). Players would've needed to warm up again because they had been waiting around for some time, so that would've added time on. The situation we don't want is more injuries. I suppose in hindsight, to postpone and re arrange the game was the correct one. Perhaps there should be more clarity as to a standard action to be taken by clubs when a game has to be postponed as regards time given before the decision is made and refunds / re admission. That should "lie" with the League upon consultation with the clubs.

 

 

[Barry_T]

Very irritating it was on Saturday, but my opinion's with Gazza and Adam S.

I'm sure there was nothing deliberate about it all, and as annoying as it is to lose a Saturday afternoon, I shall be there for the rematch, whether or not they allow free entry with my ticket stub.

 

As for the game, I thought that Heybridge were one of the worst teams I have seen in a long time.

I don't think we played particularly well, but 1-0 at half time was extremely flattering to our hosts.

I sincerely hope that we get the rematch in before they sack their manager and three points will surely be ours.

 

I presume the substitution of Leon was for injury?

Any news on him?

 

[jl]

Let's face it, we all know that it wasn't deliberate although a bit of festive "mischief-making" spices up the interest a bit.

 

Heybridge do not have to offer anyone anything although you might think it would be sensible for them to do so. Perhaps at the next league meeting it is a situation that needs to be addressed.

 

For me there is a big difference between the two previous light failures I have experienced and the one on Saturday.

 

At Folkestone there was a monsoon taking place and as I recall the game was a draw at the time. I remember playing at Folkestone when it was virtually the only game on in the South of England.

 

Walton is an absolute siht-hole and I expect nothing more from them.

 

I know it's kicking someone when they're down but it was the Heybridge "package" that was so disappointing. The Derby with Heybridge used to be the most "competitive" game of the season but they were so negative it was unbelievable. Perhaps it might have made sense for someone to have tested the lights the day before for what was a showpiece game for them. I expected better from Heybridge as a Club and that's why I'm disappointed.

 

It's hilarious that the Heybridge fan should choose to moan about us. I think he needs to look a bit closer to home.

 

Anyway let's just hope our lights survive Saturday now!!!!

 

Come on you Blues!!

[JoeV93]

I'm with Gary and Adam S on this one. Its just the way we were spoken down to by the Heybridge staff which was annoying.