North Stand - Reverting To Away Fans Next Season

[northernsoul]

I was 100% going to be renewing my season ticket at the first opportunity after the highs of Wednesday night plus the Beattie interview on STV, in which he explained the Club's vision for next season.

 

After this news, I'm certainly not in a hurry to renew now. Let's wait to see how this pans out over the course of the close season. I'm looking forward to an official statement from the Club regarding this issue and then we can scrutinize what on earth the reasons are behind this.

 

Only Partick Thistle would generate such a buzz around the Club over a few days and then completely deflate it almost instantly.

Edited May 10, 2014 by northernsoul

[paralytic thistle]

yep that's it, pool table and Sky Sports in the Aitken Suite along with wash hand basins in the w/c's and the bonus of shitless seats, now if that can't win you over, well I don't know what will.

[Trotter]

 

 

The CF started being drawn on line, money was made available for Archie in January, TAG was re-launched, computerized ticketing was launched, but these small steps are all wiped out by yet again not giving a f##k about their fans wishes to be in the NS, this is 600 fans, 1/5th of our home support, 20% of our core business and regular income they care nothing about.

 

This will still involve moving ST holders for the Celtic game as even when we gave the the NS last year several were also moved from the JHS........ or maybe we are only getting the main stand next year for OF games, think how many tickets we could give to Celtic, think of the money,, who cares about our support

 

Playing devil's advocate here as regards praise the board deserve so please don't think this is a criticism of what you replied.

 

The CF was something that should've been done from the start. Jeez it's hardly brain surgery. Pull a number out a box if need to & post it on the website. There had been umpteen offers of help from fans over it so it's not something I feel they deserve praise for it.

 

The relaunch of TAG -which has gone quiet again- was something that hardly deserves praise. They made an @rse of it to start with so to get praise for doing it properly. Could be wrong but think it'll be confined to history along with the Real Scottish Football campaign.

 

Marketing on a whole an absolute disaster by the club. I'll not mention the DVD again as someone will just use it as an opportunity to say "it'll be raining tomorrow".

 

For the computerised turnstiles they deserve a degree of credit but all it is dragging the club into the 21st century.

 

As for making funds available for Archibald in January. I'm sure some more was prob made available but you have to remember there was also quite a bit left over from the Summer with not getting another centre forward in & a couple of players refusing contract extensions/increased wages.

 

The 'lies' the support were told about the North Stand & why Celtic were getting NS stand etc.

 

Then as I keep mentioning- PropCo.

 

I don't trust this board as far as I could possibly throw any of them.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Trotter

[peagreenboy]

Awful stuff.

 

And they let the fans representatives know as soon as possible before the game so word wouldn't get out. How many wouldn't have bothered paying in if they'd heard this shitty news? I know I would have kept my money in my pocket.

[yoda-jag]

 

 

Playing devil's advocate here as regards praise the board deserve so please don't think this is a criticism of what you replied.

 

The CF was something that should've been done from the start. Jeez it's hardly brain surgery. Pull a number out a box if need to & post it on the website. There had been umpteen offers of help from fans over it so it's not something I feel they deserve praise for it.

 

The relaunch of TAG -which has gone quiet again- was something that hardly deserves praise. They made an @rse of it to start with so to get praise for doing it properly. Could be wrong but think it'll be confined to history along with the Real Scottish Football campaign.

 

Marketing on a whole an absolute disaster by the club. I'll not mention the DVD again as someone will just use it as an opportunity to say "it'll be raining tomorrow".

 

For the computerised turnstiles they deserve a degree of credit but all it is dragging the club into the 21st century.

 

As for making funds available for Archibald in January. I'm sure some more was prob made available but you have to remember there was also quite a bit left over from the Summer with not getting another centre forward in & a couple of players refusing contract extensions/increased wages.

 

The 'lies' the support were told about the North Stand & why Celtic were getting NS stand etc.

 

Then as I keep mentioning- PropCo.

 

I don't trust this board as far as I could possibly throw any of them.

 

no wish to speak for norge, but have feeling he'll be of similar opinion to me, which is that i agree your post is pretty much on the money.

 

all they have managed to do successfully is get a small degree of unprofessionallism of the club brought into 21st century, nothing they have git right (or corrected easily corrected failures) is rocket science. all it has done is paper over the cracks.

 

but at least david beattie and his yesmen have nice expensive suits and ties and a plush directors box with tartan rugs, all paid for by the club. or, more to point, paid for by lifelong ptfc supporters hard earned cash.

[Stewarty]

From what I understand from speaking to those around me in the JHS the rationale is financial in nature, but as yet the details are unclear. What is it about moving NS fans to the MS that generates increased revenue? Is the argument that more travelling fans will come to Firhill if they know they're going to be housed in the NS? I hope not, as this would seem to be short-sighted at best, and fundamentally flawed at worst. First, there is an inelasticity of demand when it comes to travelling fans. In other words, improvements in service are unlikely to have a significant impact upon demand and vice versa. Second, any marginal increase in demand from away fans will be offset, or indeed outstripped, by a reduction in demand from home fans. As these boards illustrate, Thistle fans are already pretty cheesed off with the Board.

 

Perhaps I'm missing something but at the moment but I don't see how a sound financial case can be made for this policy.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Stewarty

[westertonjagfan]

I was re-reading some old match programmes last night.....I know, I need to get out more...and was reading Beattie's post-Celtic game column where he was saying that the club would ensure that the shambles of away fans in the JHS wouldn't happen again. Perhaps this is related to the NS decision? Utter shambles.

[peagreenboy]

There has also been several games this season where the entire Main Stand has been filled with away fans, for example against St Mirren.

 

The Main Stand does hold more than the North, correct? So if a large away support is expected, then they will have to be given both the Main and the North, thus shunting the singers into the JH more often. And yet how many away supports would fill both stands?

 

This is idiotic and insulting and really, really infuriating.

[Norgethistle]

 

 

Playing devil's advocate here as regards praise the board deserve so please don't think this is a criticism of what you replied.

 

The CF was something that should've been done from the start. Jeez it's hardly brain surgery. Pull a number out a box if need to & post it on the website. There had been umpteen offers of help from fans over it so it's not something I feel they deserve praise for it.

 

The relaunch of TAG -which has gone quiet again- was something that hardly deserves praise. They made an @rse of it to start with so to get praise for doing it properly. Could be wrong but think it'll be confined to history along with the Real Scottish Football campaign.

 

Marketing on a whole an absolute disaster by the club. I'll not mention the DVD again as someone will just use it as an opportunity to say "it'll be raining tomorrow".

 

For the computerised turnstiles they deserve a degree of credit but all it is dragging the club into the 21st century.

 

As for making funds available for Archibald in January. I'm sure some more was prob made available but you have to remember there was also quite a bit left over from the Summer with not getting another centre forward in & a couple of players refusing contract extensions/increased wages.

 

The 'lies' the support were told about the North Stand & why Celtic were getting NS stand etc.

 

Then as I keep mentioning- PropCo.

 

I don't trust this board as far as I could possibly throw any of them.

 

Trotter totally agree with you, they had sorted what should not have been broken to start, but it appeared we were slowly moving forward.

 

What is clear today is the board don't give a shit about us. Well that's 3 season tickets from the NorgeThistle family lost

[thebiglemon]

shocking

 

my attendance rate plummeted because the JH had no atmosphere

 

today I went to Firhill by myself which I wouldn't normally do and definitly wouldn't have done if I'd had to sit in the JH

[angry gaz]

I posted in another thread unrelated to this a couple of days ago how I though the North Stand has been instumental in lifting the club and improving our support both home and away.

I cant belive a move out of the NS this is now being suggested.How to wipe out seasons of good will at a stroke.This is total BullSh1t

 

 

.A TOTAL PHUCKIN SELL OUT OF THE FANS.........WE ARE THE CLUB.........LISTEN TO US.

[soulful_jag]

Well this is just so Thistle-like is it not?

[Blackpool Jags]

If true, I am thoroughly disillusioned by this move. The North Stand and its rejuvenated Jags culture has been hugely instrumental in unifying disparate sections of the Thistle movement. What a travesty.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

This is obviously an extremely significant decision. I myself can't see the reasoning. If it's commercially motivated it's surely flawed when it's offset against customer goodwill.

 

More to the point this is a case of the Board/Club dictating to us. Even if you've no direct interest in the North Stand. Maybe you don't go with the "12th man" influence, tho' personally I do. Regardless you shouldn't stand back and let these guys walk all over us. If Ian Maxwell or whoever is pulling his strings believes they can tell you where you will sit/stand they're totally deluded. You can sit/stand where you want to. Unfortunately that's just as likely to be in a pub showing Sky Sports News

[Mediocre Pundit]

Agree LIB. If the board think I want to spend £20 to be told I can't stand where I used to stand, and instead to sit somewhere I don't want to sit, they can ram it.

 

How to piss of your customers, eh? It's not like we have plenty of them going spare...

[The Cup]

What is the reason for this? The main stand is a pretty poor view and there are no sinks.

[Dizzytheegg]

I'm no expert but the reason for the Celtic move was due to wooden parts of the stand/fire risk etc. From memory there were flares and smoke bombs let off by Hearts and Motherwell also. I'd guess it's a backside covering exercise by the board in case any fan lets of a flare. I'd imagine the North Stand would be easier to steward/police as well, so perhaps that's their thinking. As far as I'm concerned, you either get granted a safety certificate or you don't. If the Main Stand has one then put the away fans in there and just make sure it's properly stewarded. I'm in the JHS and think the atmosphere created in the old Viagra Stand is tremendous, the board can't just decide to chuck our fans out with some vague/exaggerated/fictitious reason .

[The Earl of Hathaway]

Y'know I think this is one of the reasons that the Board (or whoever) have decided to shift us out of the North stand. Every time something happens with it, there's a big outcry - with the Celtic game for instance, and now this. If I was Beattie I would take the opinion that it's easier to give the away fans the NS and be done with it, instead of shifting us about and having to put up with a shitfest everytime the equilibrium is disturbed.

I've been in the NS a couple of times because I can only go in when I don't have my son with me (he's 8). And that's another thing that slightly pisses me off - kids for free, great idea, no? Ah but you can't go there. So you're one of the grumblers over in the Jackie Husband....those kids running about and not appreciating what's going on on the pitch, eh...

Let's be clear here - I think this has been handled very badly in terms of communication. I like the idea of the North Stand as being 'our' end too. But if it's going to prove a source of division and rancour everytime we get moved from it, it's not worth having. Feel free to tell me I'm talking sh*t and I'm a worse fan than you - I know where I'll be next season: at Firhill.

[Roque]

Y'know I think this is one of the reasons that the Board (or whoever) have decided to shift us out of the North stand. Every time something happens with it, there's a big outcry - with the Celtic game for instance, and now this. If I was Beattie I would take the opinion that it's easier to give the away fans the NS and be done with it, instead of shifting us about and having to put up with a shitfest everytime the equilibrium is disturbed.

 

Let me get this right. You are suggesting that Beattie thinks in order to stop Thistle fans reacting badly to being relocated from the North Stand to the Main Stand for a couple of games a year, the solution should be to make the exact same relocation on a permanent basis?

 

If that is indeed his logic, then he needs to take a long look at himself. As does anyone who agrees with such a load of nonsense.

[The Earl of Hathaway]

I think you're missing my point, Roque. What I'm trying to say is that, instead of two or three incidents a year when we get moved, you get a once-and-for-all shift from the NS. Shitstorm dies out in here after a few weeks, game over. People have short memories - remember how dreadful a place Firhill was before we got the NS to ourselves ? Nope, me neither. I'm not disrespecting the work of Ian and the guys in setting up this initiative, but ultimately we are now a Premier League team. And what goes with that is that the board do what they feel they need to do. Ask County fans, St Mirren fans and so on - suck it up and we get to enjoy the football on the pitch in the top league. We're consumers, this is the entertainment business.

[little_miss_jag]

I think you're missing my point, Roque. What I'm trying to say is that, instead of two or three incidents a year when we get moved, you get a once-and-for-all shift from the NS. Shitstorm dies out in here after a few weeks, game over. People have short memories - remember how dreadful a place Firhill was before we got the NS to ourselves ? Nope, me neither. I'm not disrespecting the work of Ian and the guys in setting up this initiative, but ultimately we are now a Premier League team. And what goes with that is that the board do what they feel they need to do. Ask County fans, St Mirren fans and so on - suck it up and we get to enjoy the football on the pitch in the top league. We're consumers, this is the entertainment business.

 

You don't remember the days before the North stand?

Well Plenty of fans do. For that reason many wont renew!

Thistle is a business and it's time they listened to their customers.

Edited May 11, 2014 by little_miss_jag

[Yellow & Redneck]

You don't remember the days before the North stand?

Well Plenty of fans do. For that reason many wont renew!

Thistle is a business and it's time they listened to their customers.

Absolutely! I'm reminded of what Firhill was like before the NS twice when we played Celtic this season. A morgue.

[Roque]

I think you're missing my point, Roque. What I'm trying to say is that, instead of two or three incidents a year when we get moved, you get a once-and-for-all shift from the NS. Shitstorm dies out in here after a few weeks, game over. People have short memories - remember how dreadful a place Firhill was before we got the NS to ourselves ? Nope, me neither. I'm not disrespecting the work of Ian and the guys in setting up this initiative, but ultimately we are now a Premier League team. And what goes with that is that the board do what they feel they need to do. Ask County fans, St Mirren fans and so on - suck it up and we get to enjoy the football on the pitch in the top league. We're consumers, this is the entertainment business.

 

I remember the atmosphere before we got the North Stand to ourselves. I remember the games against Cowdenbeath, Airdrie and Hamilton, with all 2,500 in attendance in the Jackie Husband, with no singing from either side. A miserable atmosphere.

 

I am not the only one who remembers it - numerous people in the other thread on the issue have mentioned it as well.

 

The North Stand revitalised Firhill.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I think you're missing my point, Roque. What I'm trying to say is that, instead of two or three incidents a year when we get moved, you get a once-and-for-all shift from the NS. Shitstorm dies out in here after a few weeks, game over. People have short memories - remember how dreadful a place Firhill was before we got the NS to ourselves ? Nope, me neither. I'm not disrespecting the work of Ian and the guys in setting up this initiative, but ultimately we are now a Premier League team. And what goes with that is that the board do what they feel they need to do. Ask County fans, St Mirren fans and so on - suck it up and we get to enjoy the football on the pitch in the top league. We're consumers, this is the entertainment business.

 

You might think it's nit picking but you must surely agree that with this Board nothing is once-and-for-all.

 

I don't usually like bringing up the thin edge of the wedge to support an argument but I sense it applies here..I feel if 600 or so customers willingly accept something they disagree with then this Board/Club management won't stop there.

[Woodstock Jag]

What possible business case could there be for antagonising one of your most loyal groups of customers and reducing their ability to generate a positive atmosphere which has helped to increase attendances in other parts of the ground, and has been directly credited by the players on the pitch with helping them fight for crucial results?

 

If I were a cynic, I'd say that this is setting things up not for the singing section to be moved to the Main Stand, but to move the away fans from it and at some point to close off the Main Stand "for safety reasons", leading to its eventual demolition and sale to a developer by PropCo.

 

If I were a cynic.