The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Two of Diamonds wrote:

Formic wrote:Surely the Trust membership is a "means to an end" - a way of offering loyal fans like yourself reduced price admission without it infringing the FA / Conference rules. Plenty of other clubs have come up with similar schemes to give those of their dedicated fans who can't justify buying a season tickets reduced price admission. Some, like Oxford and Luton, do it via reduced prices for advanced purchase - but that is inconvenient for many, whereas others have done it via a membership scheme.

I'll be pleased as punch if you could produce that proof in the form of the Conference directive/ statement, it'll give us the chance to sell the idea to others, even though the door has been shut after the horse has bolted. The problem is that it seems to have been forced on the club, and there's no choice in that (except a bad one from the club's coffers point of view). We're offering Trust membership as a way around it.

Fixed.

Mad Dog wrote:
Fixed.

I've said that all along :lol: ;)

Unfortunately no one's offered the proof in the statement from the Conference :lol:

rudolph_hucker wrote:

Diamond_ Wolf wrote:

PigmanRDFC wrote:I'm pleased you're so happy with the situation robert, truly delighted for you.......sadly I'm not !!

Be boring if we were all the same eh?

Pigman i totally appreciate your decision not to join the trust but is there any particular reason why you don't want to join?

If I'm right, its because the issue was orced upon him. The same reason that I won't be joining it. I can see the gates dwindling to approx 800 by the endo of the seaason.

Forced :lol: what a pair of

Two of Diamonds wrote:

Formic wrote:Surely the Trust membership is a "means to an end" - a way of offering loyal fans like yourself reduced price admission without it infringing the FA / Conference rules. Plenty of other clubs have come up with similar schemes to give those of their dedicated fans who can't justify buying a season tickets reduced price admission. Some, like Oxford and Luton, do it via reduced prices for advanced purchase - but that is inconvenient for many, whereas others have done it via a membership scheme.

I'll be pleased as punch if you could produce that proof in the form of the Conference directive/ statement, it'll give us the chance to sell the idea to others, even though the door has been shut after the horse has bolted. The problem is that it seems to have been forced, and there's no choice in that (except a bad one from the club's coffers point of view). We're only offering Trust membership as a "way around it", and not cheaper tickets if brought in advance (other than season tickets). Also the main difference is that Luton and Oxford do not have standing, so it's hardly a fair comparison.

Same here TofD !! The club nor the BSP have replied to my emails.

I sound like a scratched record, but the issue for me is twofold, firstly being forced into joining the Trust, which should be a choice thing, not something you are forced to do. The second is cost. £14 to watch a BSP game is as much as I'm prepared to pay personally, its interesting hearing from a few of the home fans that sit when they said they'd be unhappy if away fans got a cheaper seat, yet they're happy for home fans to pay and extra £15 (albeit a one off) to stand. Its the principle of the thing for me, why should I pay for an extra game this season just because I want to stand?????

I've met 4 other people (5 if you count the partner of one of them who accompanies him) that say the same as me - thats 6 people that were there last year that I know won't be going this year, thats a shame, both for them and the club!!

I know a lot of people don't understand my stance on this, but I will not change my mind, its the same principle that will never see me step foot inside MK Dongs' stadium !!

[quote="coolcuts
Pigman i totally appreciate your decision not to join the trust but is there any particular reason why you don't want to join?[/quote]


If I'm right, its because the issue was orced upon him. The same reason that I won't be joining it. I can see the gates dwindling to approx 800 by the endo of the seaason.[/quote]

Forced :lol: what a pair of[/quote]


Of what exactly?

For what its worth, and its not worth very much, it costs £20 for an adult to get into Cobblers, and i'd argue that for the past year and a bit the quality of football has been considerably better at Nene Park.

So if its an issue of 'paying X amount for the quality of football' then i'd say that only in League One would you notice a considerable difference, but would you accept paying £17 for League Two football? Probably.

I'm making this point horribly ;) .

BartonRaz wrote:For what its worth, and its not worth very much, it costs £20 for an adult to get into Cobblers, and i'd argue that for the past year and a bit the quality of football has been considerably better at Nene Park.

So if its an issue of 'paying X amount for the quality of football' then i'd say that only in League One would you notice a considerable difference, but would you accept paying £17 for League Two football? Probably.

I'm making this point horribly ;) .

No, I can see what you're saying, and it is a fair point. Given what you've told us of what goes on at Sixfields and what is now a non existant gap in terms of the quality of the two leagues, £20 is obscene.

Formic wrote:Surely the Trust membership is a "means to an end" - a way of offering loyal fans like yourself reduced price admission without it infringing the FA / Conference rules. Plenty of other clubs have come up with similar schemes to give those of their dedicated fans who can't justify buying a season tickets reduced price admission. Some, like Oxford and Luton, do it via reduced prices for advanced purchase - but that is inconvenient for many, whereas others have done it via a membership scheme.

Interestingly Tony, Oxford charge less for their home fans behind the goal than they do for home and away fans alongside the pitch (yes, I know the directive issued isn't applicable to league clubs - they have more sense) !! £15 in advance FOR A SEAT in the East Stand, £17.50 on the day. Home AND away fans pay £16 FOR A SEAT in the North Stand, £18.50 on the day - and they don't have to pay any stupid membership fee to get these prices eitherr !!

£15 for a seat to watch League 2 football vs £17 to stand at NP for BSP football, it doesn't stake up in my eyes, this will be the basis of my letter to Trading Standards, it'll be interesting to see how they view this pricing arrangment...............but as I've said before, this is the BSP, anything seems to go !!

£15 for a seat to watch League 2 football vs £17 to stand at NP for BSP football, it doesn't stake up in my eyes, this will be the basis of my letter to Trading Standards, it'll be interesting to see how they view this pricing arrangment...............but as I've said before, this is the BSP, anything seems to go !![/quote]

I do agree with you on that point at least and an alternative approach available to the club to overcome the effect of this directive has previously been highlighted by myself and others.

So, I'm with you that far but, whilst it's obviously entirely a matter for you Pigman, I do get the feeling that you have issues with the Trust that pre-date all of this and which this discount available exclusively to Trust members on admission fees to the PDB has simply highlighted for you once again.

And so far as trading standards are concerned, I am pretty sure that they will see this as a matter for the leagues and for the clubs themselves to decide amongst themselves and as a matter area outside their area of involvement / competance. In short, an entirely commercial decision not requiring their involvement.

DiamondsFan wrote:Pigman, in plain straightforward black and white, what could the club do to entice you back?

1. Show me the wording of the BSP ticketing directive; publish it via the official website so we can all see it.
2. Show me they have challenged the BSP over this issue and haven't just rolled over and accepted it; again via the official website.
3. Explain to me what other options they considered (advance booking discounts as per Oxford and others).
4. Explain to me why they decided charging home fans a £15 fee to get a discounted entry was the best and only route for the club to take, prove to me there was no other option.
5. Explain to me why they couldn't have introduced a free loyalty scheme based on previous ticketing purchases that enabled members to get the discount (if this isn't within the rules, tell us which rules it contravenes).

Don't want a lot do I?