Trust meeting with Fulham CEO, May, 2015
On 5.v.2015 at 10.30, three of the Trust Board (Dan Crawford, Gerry Claydon and Neil Springate) met with Alistair Mackintosh (AM, Chief Executive Officer), Sarah Brookes (SB, Communications and Marketing Director) and Peter Limbert (PL, General Counsel) from Fulham FC at the Club’s headquarters, Motspur Park.
1) Assessment of the 2014/2015 season
How did the club believe they had fared in the season just finished? AM said that he had spoken with Chairman, Shahid Khan (SK), as soon as the season had ended and it was accepted that the Club had learned much since being relegated from the Premier League.
The pre-season expectations among the management had been high, but very disappointing early season form dispelled them and avoiding relegation became vital.
The Trust expressed its concern that, without a thorough re-assessment and acknowledgment of the many failures that had occurred within the Club during the previous season, the next would result in a repetition and possible relegation.
AM said that, financially, the Club was in a good state and that a review with SK of all posts, including that of the manager, would take place and with a view of how to recruit players of sufficient quality to ensure a top six finish in the forthcoming season.
2) Season tickets and pricing
AM
thought that sales of season tickets had been good thus far, that the
reduced prices for junior tickets had proven popular and that the Club
was hoping to reach as many fans as possible. The Club intended to press
ahead with a weekend and a midweek price for casual purchases, rather
than pricing according to match category. Although Fulham’s fans had
travelled in large numbers to some away matches, the Club was reluctant
to pursue reciprocal pricing arrangements with other clubs in order to
encourage greater numbers of our fans to travel.
3) Riverside Stand re-development
At the time of the meeting, AM said that he was unaware of any objections regard to the granting of the River Works Licence in February, 2015. The 3.v.2015 deadline had passed, but this had fallen on a Bank Holiday weekend, so the possibility existed that an objection (or objections) had arrived at the Port of London Authority (PLA) that weekend, but that it might take some time to be processed. The Club needs to secure a works licence from the Marine Management Organisation, a body responsible for regulating depositing or removal of substances or objects from the seabed or elsewhere in tidal waters under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Within the overall development of Craven Cottage, the Club intended to include restaurants in the Riverside and Johnny Haynes stands.
SB said that, although the Club was investigating the possibility of wi-fi coverage in the ground, this was an expensive option.
4) Pre-season fixtures
AM said that there would be a pre-season tour, most probably abroad, but, since the previous season had only just finished, few details or fixtures (including matches in the UK) had been confirmed.
5) Fixture changes
The Trust asked that the maximum advance notice be given to the fans in the event of fixtures, particularly those in midweek, being switched to, for example, Fridays (due to the demands on television coverage) in order to permit those who needed to offer assistance or care to elderly or disabled fans who wished to attend the matches to make suitable arrangements.
AM said that, due to the different demands placed on the Club, in terms of staffing, for evening fixtures, it was in its interests to notify both fans and personnel as soon as possible after a fixture change was announced.
Meeting closed at 11.40