5 years on

5 years today the Dave’s rode in to save the club from extinction, and we should all be so grateful, well that is what many fans believe but im not one of them.
I must admit though that 5 years ago I was pleased they had got the club for DG I had known was a great supporter of the club and always admitted the fact when interviewed as owner of Birmingham City. I cant say I knew that of Sully though but ill take his word that he was a west ham fan, after his family left Cardiff. When they managed to get their hands on the club I did think that they would know the value of the area and how to treat the loyalty of the fans that had stuck by the club while they were feathering their nest in Birmingham, in my opinion sadly I was wrong. At their 1st press conference they set their stall out to reduce the debt and move the club to the Olympic Stadium. Dave Sullivan said they bought it as fans not as businessmen, im sure many may agree with that but in the last 5 years many of their actions are not that of fans. They tried to squirm their way out of the Season ticket discount, claiming no knowledge though the SAB had raised this matter with senior club officials so if they didn’t know, those running the club on their behalf did. In the end they honored it, but in the process tried using blackmail tactics on those not to take the full 20% discount by saying it would hamper their transfer dealings. If that was the case why pay Karen Brady a Million pound bonus for the OS stadium move, did that not hamper us in the transfer market as that was more than the 20% discount to the Season ticket holders, a discount sold as a reward to those that for 5 years continued to renew largely through some of the worse times that the club had gone through. If that was not bad enough the next season we had the Disabled ticket 100% price rise, though after a backlash it was reduced to 50%. Funny how the original price rise letter was sent out by the clubs disabled liaison officer, yet the 2nd letter informing that it will be only 50%, was sent by Karren Brady, Riding in to save the day. I’m only guessing but I am sure 50% was above inflation though. Ok what about the deliberate cutting of away ticket allocations, the club has to pay up front for away tickets so unlike in the past where they have taken the largest amount they switched to taking the smallest amount, thus stopping the maximum amount of fans from travelling to away games. Not very Fan friendly. Neither was the clubs use of Viagogo to sell unsold match-day tickets cheaper than the season ticket holders could buy them for. Is that the action of fans, not in my book? The community ticket sham where tickets were sold for £5 to chosen local groups on a category A game, this was a game not advertised as a community ticket game in advance and it was only admitted after photos of the £5 tickets were circulated. Then there is the move to the Olympic Stadium, 1 month after taking over the club, Dave Sullivan on the BBC was reported as saying “football and running tracks don’t work, the fans are just too far away” yet over 40,000 of the 54 000 seats will still be behind the running track, even with retractable seating. Then we have the claim of affordable football for all, though who the all are I’ve not found out because it doesn’t extend to the season ticket holders who will pay comparable to what they pay now. 5 years ago in his press conference Dave Sullivan said “if we can have a huge ground we can reduce ticket prices and take football back to the people”. He then continued “we could have the cheapest premier league prices in the country and that is part of our strategy”. Since he made that claim my Season ticket has gone up over £50, not bad considering everything else but how does that sit with his claim when taking over the club. Don’t forget that the income from TV money since they have come in far outstrips anything they would have imagined or budgeted for, only once the club reveal the true ticket prices for the OS can a judgment be made properly, but considering last season the cheapest match day tickets in the premier were around £20. In fact in price comparison last season we had the 4th dearest cheap seat, the 6th dearest expensive seat, the 6th most expensive adult match day ticket and the 3rd dearest cheap adult match day ticket. So hands up who thinks when we go to the OS we will have the cheapest match day tickets and be taking the game back to the people.
I’m sure you will read much this week about how much better things are since the 19th of January 2010 when the two Dave’s bought their controlling stake in the club, but I’m afraid that to some, and I am one, they are not the saviours many like to proclaim.