TONIGHT IS OFF - STFC v Hendon

[HorshamRebel]

Gary,

 

I've sent you an email with my mobile number.

Cheers

[Radders]

Got it, received @ 6:59 (just checked it on my phone) and much appreciated Gary, although didn't read it till I got there at 7:07 as it was in my coat in the boot <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />. The stuff above was not meant as a reflection on you Gary as I know you always send out info which is much appreciated by all, just a shame the club can't do the same at times.

 

If I hadn't have read the message from Andrew on the other thread before setting off then I would have called the ground before leaving my uncle's house.

 

My main point is still that non-league games in general have a major problem when called off that late and also that the pitch must have been in quite a state already by 5:30 from what I saw when I arrived.

 

Carrying on the theme, Saturday's game must be a doubt again, what with the current weather conditions in Kent (proof that I do occasionally watch the news!!!!!), and we are going to have one hell of an end of season if weather conditions continue as forecast. It'll probably get to a stage that once we finish our walking distance over the first day to Worthing we'll have to get a lift back to watch a Thursday night match. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

[GarySTFC]

I appreciate it's not a reflection on me, was just checking that the message had gone out so I know if it happens again I won't need to resend it.

 

What do people expect from the club though? At 5.30, the Windsor ground staff advised Roy that the match would be on. The continued rain between 5.30 and 6.30 though changed that and the pitch became waterlogged. Roy knows that I send out SMS to people as soon as I hear, and as soon as Chris S got my message he did likewise. What are people's expectations?

[Burnham Lad]

Gary,

 

It is good to have a debate about this topic - what are people's expectations versus what is reasonable.

 

From a logical point of view the debate needs to first look at what time do people leave to go to the match? This ranges from the Rebel Exiles leaving Birmingham or Brighton for example, or people whose journey may be shorter but painful - Dave programmes getting from Burnham to Windsor on Public transport, or John cycling from Hedgerley, through to those who leave a location nearby at the last minute (The pub!).

 

If everybody knew that the decision to play or not to play was to be taken by a specific time let's say 2 hours before kick-off and that a moving banner was on the website carrying the message, on or off, (See the Willenhall FC Site)plus an updated message on this forum, plus an updated message on the ansaphone, then most people would be covered. There will be an unfortunate few with a wasted journey, but even those who decide to take the risk and travel can keep checking the ansaphone and turn round if things change. At least they know they are taking a risk, and can make the balance decision accordingly, rather than being totally misled as I was and then I succeeded in wasting Radders time as well, by posting what I had been told in answer to Dave's question.

 

We could also put up a message if the weather is looking dodgy that a pitch inspection is to be held say 4 hours before the game is due to start, then people travelling far, would know they had to keep an eye on it if they made the decision to travel. Again, giving people a choice.

 

Finally, to have a formal text messaging service so that instead of relying on the good will of people such as yourself, people could sign up for it, and which would provide the final back up which would particularly protect the exiles from a totally wasted full journey.

 

I realise that a cloudburst at the last minute can change things, but we are all adult enough to understand that and if we did the above, most of us would avoid most cancellations, if not all. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" />

[HorshamRebel]

Well put Andrew.

[Martin]

I doubt that the referee arrives four hours before kick off to arrange a pitch inspection to keep the home supporters happy.

 

I think it is completely unrealistic to arrange a formal text messaging service.

 

To be honest it is not rocket science to work out that a game is in doubt. Hence people ringing Roy from 5.30 and posting on here. Roy is one bloke and has plenty to do beyond answering the phones and until the referee actually arrives and calls the game off nothing is certain. It is difficult for those with a longer journey but sometimes you will just have to make a decision on gut instinct.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

What about having it announced on Star Fm or something??

[BFR]

Which is really useful for those coming from Brighton or Birmingham!

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Obviously, but for those travelling inside Berks and Berks, we can find out then be nice and contact those travelling from afar!

[GarySTFC]

Who listens to it though? We had that bit of coverage during the cup run, and they read out our results now, but that's about it.

 

I've no problem with the text messaging service I provide on behalf of the club, and if we need to give it an official tag and start sending out messages with results, fixture changes etc, then so be it, I'll work on getting it done.

[Burnham Lad]

Quote:

Martin said:
I doubt that the referee arrives four hours before kick off to arrange a pitch inspection to keep the home supporters happy.

I think it is completely unrealistic to arrange a formal text messaging service.

To be honest it is not rocket science to work out that a game is in doubt. Hence people ringing Roy from 5.30 and posting on here. Roy is one bloke and has plenty to do beyond answering the phones and until the referee actually arrives and calls the game off nothing is certain. It is difficult for those with a longer journey but sometimes you will just have to make a decision on gut instinct.

Martin,

Firstly, I didn't say the ref should get there four hours before. What I was suggesting was that those on the staff could at least say, as you suggest later, that the weather is looking dodgy and a pitch inspection is a possibility. At least that gives those travelling with a long journey, either in distance or time, a chance to decide whether to risk it or not. Obviously it isn't fool proof as we have found out on a number of occasions, but better than travelling from Brighton in total ignorance that there may be a problem.

Secondly, I rang up at 5.45 to be told it was on and posted the message, misleading all who read it, so that isn't foolproof either. All I am suggesting is that someone on the staff takes responsibility if there is a reasonable chance there will be a problem and at least warns that this is the case.

I fully appreciate Roy is busy, but with respect, it is no use having the technology in place - telephone answering, website and forum and not using them, we might as well just not have them if they are unreliable, like having last week's AFC Wimbledon message still there on the phone answer, or not being used like the Windsor one. Otherwise you might as well say on the website, "In case of bad weather, don't bother ringing the club on these numbers to ask if the game is one because we don't know and in any case we don't care if you have a wasted journey". The club is still a business taking people's money and a little bit of customer service is a reasonable expectation, IMHO.

Again, you say a formal text messaging facility is unrealistic. Well OK, but Gary asked for what people expected and I would suggest that a lot of people would include that as nice to have from the club. Why should we all expect Gary out of the goodness of his heart to take responsibility for that? What if people come to rely on it and Gary can't do it for once? So I don't think it is unreasonable to investigate this as a possibility. Who knows - perhaps people might even be prepared to subscribe for it to cover the cost? If it is too expensive then fine, don't do it, but don't just reject an idea out of hand without having a good reason for doing so.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/chat.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/chat.gif" alt="" />

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

You expect a clear message from the club?

 

We have been waiting since 6th August 2004 for news from Deaner about the future of the club and still nothing.

 

We are not even sure if Deaner still owns the club as he no longer comes to games and appears to be taking no part in its running.

 

You want the club to tell you its raining - your having a laff!

[Martin]

Andrew we have no staff to take responsibility. We are a tiny football club that does the best we can in difficult circumstances.

 

At 5.45 I am fairly sure there was every liklihood the game was on. It rained very heavily between Maidenhead and Langley for 45 mins after that which probably did not help.

 

I appreciate that it would have helped had the answerphone been up to date. But the phone at the Park is never the best place to ring because a) We don't play there and Roy is going to have to be in Windsor.

 

Late postponements happen. Get over it. We were all going to the game anyway so it can't have inconvenienced us that greatly.

 

The text messaging service is going to be too expensive. I would rather Slough fans gave more money to the trust or the club rather than subscribing to some poxy SMS service.

 

Gary and Chris S already provide an ad hoc service. I am also prepared to send messages to people if they let me know.

[GarySTFC]

Some poxy SMS service? Well thank you very much. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

At the end of the day, if the SMS works and lets people know, then all the better. At the time being, I'm happy to do this for anyone's number I have on behalf of the club. I'm sure there are things we could do through a network provider to set this up differently, but that's a way away yet.

[brighton_rebel]

As Sloughs Brighton representative, i ring Chris S. to guage how things are but sometimes s**t happens.

[Burnham Lad]

Quote:

Martin said:
Andrew we have no staff to take responsibility. We are a tiny football club that does the best we can in difficult circumstances.

At 5.45 I am fairly sure there was every liklihood the game was on. It rained very heavily between Maidenhead and Langley for 45 mins after that which probably did not help.

I appreciate that it would have helped had the answerphone been up to date. But the phone at the Park is never the best place to ring because a) We don't play there and Roy is going to have to be in Windsor.

Late postponements happen. Get over it. We were all going to the game anyway so it can't have inconvenienced us that greatly.

The text messaging service is going to be too expensive. I would rather Slough fans gave more money to the trust or the club rather than subscribing to some poxy SMS service.

Gary and Chris S already provide an ad hoc service. I am also prepared to send messages to people if they let me know.

Martin,

Gary asked what people's expectations were, so I suggested some. I don't need a lecture from you or being told to get over it, when I was just making some suggestions for debate, to try and make things better for some people who don't have the advantages that many of us do. If you throw your toys out of the pram every time anybody makes a suggestion you disagree with, we aren't going to advance very far.
The thing that upset me was not that I had a wasted journey but that I posted the message I had and misled other people such as Radders. I certainly won't do it again.

I also understand that we don't have a large staff, so we do need to therefore to look at priorities. If keeping the Telephone messaging up to date is not a priority, or if there is nobody to answer the phones listed on the website, then they are effectively a waste of time, so we should take them off the contacts page and don't publish advice to ring them.

The people who post on this site and/or who are members of the Trust are in a minority of Slough fans, so great for the people who are in the know and can get on the voluntary SMS systems, and stuff those who can't, presumably.

Sorry to have a rant, as I don't particularly want to fall out with you, but there is no point in us asking for views if we're just going to dismiss them out of hand when we get them! No wonder some people don't like to post on here!

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/icon13.gif" alt="" />

[Radders]

You make a very fair point Andrew. The service Gary and others provide, as I said before, is excellent but it does only reach a small number of our fans. The majority will either use this site or the phone at the club to check what's happening. If messages are posted on here and on the phone saying the game is DEFINATELY on then you have got to expect complaints. You cannot use the word DEFINATE unless it is DEFINATE. Before anyone says, 'Andrew's post doesn't say DEFINATE', well done, you're right, it doesn't. However, the guy I spoke to in the car park rang the club at 6:15 and WAS told it was DEFINATELY on. This is my main issue with the system. Considering the game wasn't on would anyone disagree that saying DEFINATE was total bull? Didn't think so. And BTW I still persist that the size of the puddles I saw when I arrived meant that some of that standing water had to have been there a long time before that phone call was made at 6:15. There is no need for anyone to fall out over this or any other discussion that takes place on the forum, they are DEBATES and not ARGUMENTS after all!!!!! Right I'm off to bed.

[Martin]

Quote:

Gary-STFC said:
Some poxy SMS service? Well thank you very much. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I was referring to one we actually pay for rather than your helpful and free service.

[Martin]

Quote:

Andrew S said:
Martin,
Gary asked what people's expectations were, so I suggested some. I don't need a lecture from you or being told to get over it, <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/icon13.gif" alt="" />

Well Andrew this is the second time on this thread that you have addressed a post specifically to me about this issue. You don't lecture me and I won't lecture you. Frankly, I think your making a mountain out of a molehill and there are many more pressing issues at the club that deserve the supporters time, effort, discussion and money.

Clearly we disagree on this.

[Radders]

Quote:

Martin said:
Frankly, I think your making a mountain out of a molehill and there are many more pressing issues at the club that deserve the supporters time, effort, discussion and money.

Is that the same time and money that many of us wasted going to Stag Meadow on Tuesday night?