Notes from our October meeting with Fulham FC
On Tuesday 7th October 2025 at 11.00, the Fulham Supporters’ Trust (FST) met with Fulham FC via video conference.
The Club was represented by:
- Alistair Mackintosh (Chief Executive, AM)
- David Daly (Non-Executive Director, DD)
- Darren Preston (Chief Operating Officer, DP)
- Carmelo Mifsud (Communications Director, CM
- Jack Burrows, Marketing Director (JN)
- John D’Arcy (Head of Safety, JDA)
- Jamie Nicholson (Head of Supporter Services, JN)
- Nicola Walworth (Supporter Liaison Manager, NW)
The FST was represented by:
- Simon Duke (Chair, SD)
- Jerry Cope (Treasurer & Membership Secretary, JC)
- Steve Nicholson (Secretary, SN)
At our regular monthly meetings, Trust board members ask questions relating to as many topics as possible in the time available, based on responses from members to the advance notification of the meeting and our own observations from interacting with the wider supporter base. The Club then gives its position, which is discussed. These notes are therefore a statement of both points of view. The Trust continues to press both the Board’s and its members’ view at these meeting’s.
Often members ask similar questions, and, in these cases, we try to summarise, provide the Club with feedback and gain as much useful information as possible in the time available. We also prioritise new, time-critical and member raised topics, whilst also seeking updates on longer running issues. You can access notes of all previous meetings on our website, including the most recent information on key topics not covered at this meeting.
SD opened by setting out the purpose of the meeting, which was ostensibly to look at the findings of the recent FST Fulham Supporters Survey. SD added that the survey had been worded to limit bias was given to direct answers either positively or negatively and expected that the Trust and the Club would be able to use the responses to help maintain and develop the club/supporter relationship. He also went on to say that the results of the survey are the members’ and non-members’ views and not necessarily those of the Trust Board.
SD also explained that to enable a productive meeting he had passed on to JN a list of separate questions that would more suitably be answered by individuals, not necessarily at this meeting.
SD passed over to JC to present the survey findings.
JC started by presenting the context and main issues that arose from the survey results.
CONTEXT
- Growing awareness of issues around pricing partly generated by national campaigns.
- Full opening of Riverside Stand highlights disparity of facilities and supporters’ views compared with other stands.
- Need to drive Fulham to financial sustainability not always understood by fans.
MAIN FINDINGS
- Balanced view on season ticket prices, but still on downward trend: 45% satisfied,
- Greater dissatisfaction with match day pricing: 71% dissatisfied,
- 32% think their relationship with Club has deteriorated over last 12 months,
- Facilities dissatisfaction scores generally deteriorating: Catering 48% ; Toilets 75%; Concourse 61%; Stewarding 29%,
- Official communications 88% (85%) remains main source of news about the Club.
WHO THINKS THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CLUB HAS DETERIORATED
- Younger fans, those below 45,
- 89% dissatisfied with match day pricing,
- Much more likely, double at 32%, that pricing has affected their attendance ‘significantly’,
- More critical of facilities, e.g. double the dissatisfaction on stewarding,
- More in favour of safe standing at 76%, compared to 69% for whole sample.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- Match day pricing is key to turning round relationship with fans,
- Recognising financial constraints: could a few tickets, balloted perhaps, be made available more cheaply to Members for some/all matches (Theatres do this),
- Need to show more investment in ground and facilities outside Riverside,
- More communications on the issue of financial sustainability,
- Use the power of official communications to communicate more: shout about successes, explain problems,
- FST willing to help constructively.
In summary match day ticket pricing and facilities outside of the Riverside are continuing to make the relationship between a large number of fans and the Club challenging. The 32% deterioration in relationship with the Club should be of concern to us all. We will encourage the Club to consider ways of making improvements and await their response which will be included in the formal meeting notes.
It was then agreed with AM that The Trust would forward the full survey, via JN, to all attendees and the club would respond after seeing the full survey and discussing the results. DD did ask if we could define which pricing was most concerning, i.e. League or Cup games. JC explained that we didn’t have that level of detail. DP asked about stand and gender specific data and said he was always willing to engage with the Trust and will look at particular concerns around toilets and overcrowding, but in both cases the footprint of the ground and in parts its listed status would be the main restricting factors moving forward. JC agreed he could do some analysis around that request and would forward details to DP and JN
With regards to the issue of younger supporters JN said that it was hoped by the Club that bringing a younger fan onto the FAB would help to address this issue – interviews are being held this week at which the FAB Chair will be present.
AM and JN both thanked the Trust for the presentation and the full survey results, and it was agreed to come back to this when the Club have been able to look at it more thoroughly.
SD then raised members’ concerns over bag checking prior to entry to the ground. There have been concerns raised around signage for bag searches and queues at these turnstiles. JD agreed that there is some work to be done with staff training and ensuring signage is the best it can be. He pointed out that due to the nature of the Stevenage Road stands signs could not be permanently erected, but he will look at other forms of additional signage. Further communications about the bag process were currently being put together. JC asked that the ability to enter through any of the JH turnstiles was included in such communications as this would even up queues.
Another question raised was that access to the RS stand was not available through HE turnstiles. JD said that this should not be the case, and this will be passed on to staff. There is a desire to encourage more RS ticket holders to make use of the turnstiles by the river, particularly at the Putney End which is under used at present.
JC also asked if the Club could look at refreshments being more regularly available at Motspur Park for under-21 and Women’s fixtures. DP said that the Club are already looking at how to improve the offering and would come back to the Trust.
SD closed the meeting by thanking the ticket office for the early release of Home and, especially, Away ticket sales and the prompt confirmation of additional Everton tickets as this was much appreciated by the Trust and supporters.
The meeting closed at 11.40.
The following issues were raised with the Club and answers were provided outside of the meeting. There are a couple outstanding which we will share in due course:-
Brentford game – no lighting in ladies toilet “J” stand. Post game door appeared to be locked?
Was locked for safety reasons as we were unable to fix the issue immediately.
What instructions do stewards have to direct latecomers to their seats? People arriving late cause significant inconvenience to those already seated. What arrangements are made stand by stand to keep gates open for very late arrivers?
We operate late gates which basically means 2 turnstiles remain open for 30 minutes after kick off.
Gate issue v Leeds in the HE. Are we able to say there was a problem identified, quickly rectified and it should not happen again.
Human error, safety team identified the risk and mitigated. Should not happen again.
Hire bikes continue to cause an obstruction when entering Bishops Park. Accepting this is public highway, it is potentially dangerous. Are the Club aware and is there anything they can do about it?
The Club have met the council and operators several times over recent months, the club is paying for additional bays to be suspended to form more parking for these bikes with the hope it is set up for Arsenal.
Can HE turnstiles be used to access the Riverside Stand?
Currently yes but we are keen for the Bishops Park entrance to be used more to relieve the pressure in Stevenage Road and Hammersmith Entrance to the Riverside.
Post Brentford game only one of the gates at the exit to Bishops Park by the Church was open causing congestion.
This is a council issue, we will raise it.
Refreshments, specifically tea and coffee, are not always available for FFCW games at Motspur Park?
There was one game without refreshments last year and all have had provision this year.
