Potential Heartsache

[CCjag]

In the wake of Dundee United’s complaints re admission issues and the conditions encountered by visiting fans on Friday, and – to be honest – if the toilets etc haven’t improved beyond all recognition from my last visit, I’m not too surprised, we face an even bigger potential problem when Hearts come calling.

The match is not all ticket and they took almost 4,000 to Perth.

It is far easier to get to Firhill and Friday nights do seem to be proving popular. So while one can surely expect contingency plans to be in place for what is recognised as a crucial encounter, it is hard to see what these plans can be.

The Old Stand holds around 2,400 (perhaps less now due to security restrictions) so where would any surplus be located?

Given that it is unlikely that the police would allow Hearts fans to be put into the JH Stand (sandwiched between two groups of Thistle supporters) the only logical solution is that all, or at least part of the North Stand is given over to them, with all the furore that that will rightly create amongst our own fans.

Even the allocation of just part of The North Stand would require a significant buffer zone to be in place pre-match, further reducing the capacity.

This is going to be a major issue and, if we add to that the proposed debut of the new ticketing/admission procedures – there’s an awful lot of thinking going to be done up Firhill way if a public relations disaster is to be avoided.

This is not intended to be a critical post.

I sincerely hope all of the scenarios have been covered and the contingency plans are in place to cover every eventuality, but there is a potentially a lot to be concerned about come Friday 16/08.

[Lenziejag]

Unless there are loads of ST holders in the city end of the JHS, would it not be possible to put them in there. The wouldn't be surrounded by Jags and we could still have the North. If segregation can be resolved for away fans in the northern end of JHS then surely it can be resolved for away support in the city end.

[yoda-jag]

unlikely they will bring 4k. particularily if they get pumped by hapless hibs.

solution is to make away support all ticketed - sell the main stand first, then any others go in JHS away section.

to avoid any post match confrontations, hold the away support in ground for 10 minutes after final whistle.

#easy

[The Cup]

Hearts didn't take 4000 to Perth. 3000 at a push.

 

Out with Celtic I doubt anyone will bring as many fans as DU did, although if there is the threat that it could happen then the main stand needs to be made all ticket.

The club has made a huge ****-up with the Bing, There should be a stand there where the away fans can spill over to.

No way should the Thistle fans have to move so the board can make an extra grand.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

 

solution is to make away support all ticketed

 

I don't believe that a club that can't run a monthly lottery on time, can't even avoid chaos when issuing their own briefs to their own ST holders could arrange away tickets for distribution without a month or so preparation.

[kni]

Hearts didn't take 4000 to Perth. 3000 at a push.

 

Out with Celtic I doubt anyone will bring as many fans as DU did, although if there is the threat that it could happen then the main stand needs to be made all ticket.

The club has made a huge ****-up with the Bing, There should be a stand there where the away fans can spill over to.

No way should the Thistle fans have to move so the board can make an extra grand.

 

Where would the money come from for a new stand for this season? The cost would dwarf the extra income. The playing budget would have to be cut drastically to fund even a small stand.

 

Remember that the Propco plans include a much smaller stand to replace the main stand and a tiny stand at the city end. If we stay up, surely those plans will have to change.

[yoda-jag]

I don't believe that a club that can't run a monthly lottery on time, can't even avoid chaos when issuing their own briefs to their own ST holders could arrange away tickets for distribution without a month or so preparation.

 

 

concede that point to you old wise dear.

 

l-i-b 1

yoda 0

 

[Jaggernaut]

Where would the money come from for a new stand for this season? The cost would dwarf the extra income. The playing budget would have to be cut drastically to fund even a small stand.

 

Remember that the Propco plans include a much smaller stand to replace the main stand and a tiny stand at the city end. If we stay up, surely those plans will have to change.

If we stay up then PTFC should be able to pay propco back what they invested, and regain control of Firhill. They could then build a stand to help the stadium look like a Premiership ground.

[1971]

If we stay up then PTFC should be able to pay propco back what they invested, and regain control of Firhill. They could then build a stand to help the stadium look like a Premiership ground.

 

Agreed. The only way for our debt-ridden club to succeed is to build a stand for nobody to sit in. .

[Stewarty]

Unless there are loads of ST holders in the city end of the JHS, would it not be possible to put them in there. The wouldn't be surrounded by Jags and we could still have the North. If segregation can be resolved for away fans in the northern end of JHS then surely it can be resolved for away support in the city end.

 

I think the city end of the JHS is quite heavily populated by ST holders.

[uberteeb]

It really shouldn't be difficult to make games where there is any realistic possibility of the Main Stand being filled by away fans all ticket. Then if the demand is ridiculous you can offer up a section of the JHS like Morton had.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

It really shouldn't be difficult to make games where there is any realistic possibility of the Main Stand being filled by away fans all ticket. Then if the demand is ridiculous you can offer up a section of the JHS like Morton had.

 

That's why I reckon we must've been close to mucking up BT tv the other night. Turnstiles in the JHS would have to have been shut down and our fans in the most northerly section would have to get decanted before we could re-open the turnstiles and admit overflow Arabs. That could I imagine easily have taken a good 20 mins at least.

Close thing.

[stillresigned]

Its obvious that any games that attract a significantly, larger than normal visiting support i.e. Hearts (maybe) and Celtic (probably)is going to require an allocation of either the North Stand or the JHS. I feel the North Stand would represent the logical if not the emotionally attractive choice.

As the police are likely to insist on these games being all ticket, on safety grounds, the North Stand still remains my choice, based solely on logic.

I'll go away an hide from the inevitable brickbats to follow!

[The Cup]

It really shouldn't be difficult to make games where there is any realistic possibility of the Main Stand being filled by away fans all ticket. Then if the demand is ridiculous you can offer up a section of the JHS like Morton had.

 

Away fans can't be in sections of the ground that are separated by home fans.

 

What they could do is move the fans in the south end of the JHS.

[MerryHell]

Why not just offer them the main stand and when it sells out, it sells out?

Why should anybody have to move?

Make it all ticket for away fans - we print our tickets on the office dot matrix or something, so should be able to rattle them off and sell them now. Last season when we were offering Dunfermline a cut of the gate, we started selling the tickets early enough.

[uberteeb]

Its obvious that any games that attract a significantly, larger than normal visiting support i.e. Hearts (maybe) and Celtic (probably)is going to require an allocation of either the North Stand or the JHS. I feel the North Stand would represent the logical if not the emotionally attractive choice.

As the police are likely to insist on these games being all ticket, on safety grounds, the North Stand still remains my choice, based solely on logic.

I'll go away an hide from the inevitable brickbats to follow!

Away fans can't be in sections of the ground that are separated by home fans.

 

What they could do is move the fans in the south end of the JHS.

 

Or we could just give them the Main Stand and nothing else, if they sell it out fair play to them. We don't have to sell them any more and it certainly isn't worthwhile moving fans at the City End for a couple of games in the event the north of the JHS isn't allowed.

[Norgethistle]

Or we could just give them the Main Stand and nothing else, if they sell it out fair play to them. We don't have to sell them any more and it certainly isn't worthwhile moving fans at the City End for a couple of games in the event the north of the JHS isn't allowed.

 

Agree with this, can't see us getting tickets printed and distributed prior to next Friday though

[yoda-jag]

Why not just offer them the main stand and when it sells out, it sells out?

Why should anybody have to move?

Make it all ticket for away fans - we print our tickets on the office dot matrix or something, so should be able to rattle them off and sell them now. Last season when we were offering Dunfermline a cut of the gate, we started selling the tickets early enough.

 

This.

 

However, it does make the assumption that the threadbare and hugely understaffed office admins could facilitate such a sale.

And that as we all know, is unlikely. As it is currently, it seems we couldn't organise a orgy in a whorehouse if we tried.

[Norgethistle]

This.

 

However, it does make the assumption that the threadbare and hugely understaffed office admins could facilitate such a sale.

And that as we all know, is unlikely. As it is currently, it seems we couldn't organise a orgy in a whorehouse if we tried.

 

Also lets hand 2600 tickets over to a company in administration to sell for us and hope we see the money again, or we can ask them to pay up front, well they may be able to stretch to take an adult and child ticket from us and it will save us printing all these tickets

Edited August 6, 2013 by Norgethistle

[Ancipital]

Given that the police / council are against splitting the JH in any way the only option really is to give them the main stand (which holds more than the North stand) and make it all ticket- if this means losing out on another 500 folk at £20 a head then so be it.

 

If it is the case I suspect a few of them may well go in the JH anyway.

 

Only other option would be to give them both North Stand and main stand, which would cause more problems than it solves IMO.

 

I don't think this is just going to be an issue with Hearts, because we've not been in the league for a while I think a few teams on their first visit and depending on form could bring close to the capacity of the main stand (Well, Dons, St M, Killie).

 

The police / council stance re segregation is a bit of a joke- with Firhill being where it is, there are 4 exit points and they're all on Firhill Road- I certainly wasn't being kept apart from any Arabs on the way out on Friday.

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

Of course if they get pumped by Hibs at the weekend, we might be only talking about two men and a dug turning up. There is no real financial incentive for Hearts fans to come to Firhill although they are quite a loyal support but a stuffing by a bad Hibs team might test the loyalty of some.

[the saint]

why would giving them the main stand and the north stand cause more problems than it solves?

[Charlie Endell]

Unless there are loads of ST holders in the city end of the JHS, would it not be possible to put them in there. The wouldn't be surrounded by Jags and we could still have the North. If segregation can be resolved for away fans in the northern end of JHS then surely it can be resolved for away support in the city end.

That's where I've sat for years and where my reserved seat is - to say I'd be displeased if I had to move would be a huge understatement.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Charlie Endell

[Lenziejag]

The objection by police/council that the away support can't be enclosed by home supporters on two sides can't be a legal requirement. the Ayr fans were in the North end of JHS last night

[CCjag]

In the wake of Dundee United’s complaints re admission issues and the conditions encountered by visiting fans on Friday, and – to be honest – if the toilets etc haven’t improved beyond all recognition from my last visit, I’m not too surprised, we face an even bigger potential problem when Hearts come calling.

The match is not all ticket and they took almost 4,000 to Perth.

It is far easier to get to Firhill and Friday nights do seem to be proving popular. So while one can surely expect contingency plans to be in place for what is recognised as a crucial encounter, it is hard to see what these plans can be.

The Old Stand holds around 2,400 (perhaps less now due to security restrictions) so where would any surplus be located?

Given that it is unlikely that the police would allow Hearts fans to be put into the JH Stand (sandwiched between two groups of Thistle supporters) the only logical solution is that all, or at least part of the North Stand is given over to them, with all the furore that that will rightly create amongst our own fans.

Even the allocation of just part of The North Stand would require a significant buffer zone to be in place pre-match, further reducing the capacity.

This is going to be a major issue and, if we add to that the proposed debut of the new ticketing/admission procedures – there’s an awful lot of thinking going to be done up Firhill way if a public relations disaster is to be avoided.

This is not intended to be a critical post.

I sincerely hope all of the scenarios have been covered and the contingency plans are in place to cover every eventuality, but there is a potentially a lot to be concerned about come Friday 16/08.

Following Hearts' win today, and the sound of silence from Firhill, the concerns expressed above have been multiplied by a significant factor.

Not only is there an issue about where they might all be accommodated, we don't even know how our own season ticket holders (a goodly number of whom will be in London this week) are going to access the ground!

With things going so well on the park, we need to avoid potentially damaging own goals off it!