[Albion] Possible return of fans to the Amex (incorporating the Q and A forum on 17th August)

[London Irish]

Fair play to anybody considering going to games with these restrictions in place, you obviously enjoy football more than me because I can't think of many things worse than what they're proposing.

I had that opinion just a few weeks ago but I’m beginning to weaken

 

[blockhseagull]

I'm quoting myself, but I think the above is wrong.

By September I will have paid 3 months @ £55 and 3 months @ £35, so £270. Then my 19/20 refund (£168) should be added onto that, so total 20/21 balance ~£440.

That's around ~12 games at ST prices, I think? Be surprised if I get to 2/3 of the games...

Think that’s wrong.

You’ve already had some of your 19/20 refund in the £20 reduction on your DD so probably owe you in the region of £380

 

[BeHereNow]

Given some of the stuff you've posted on this thread I'm not surprised you wonder why. You seem to think everything is some sort of massive conspiracy.

Paul Barber did explain why there would be no formal singing section, when asked. I was cooking dinner whilst I was listening along to the consultation, so it did not have my full focus when it was a question I had limited interest in such as that one.

I think he said it was because the seating allocation is going to be complicated enough anyway, which I fully appreciate. (You'll probably claim it's a government conspiracy at this point, I expect)

I'm not sure if he covered it or not, but the club have never arranged a specific singing section, always favouring fans to sort out singing and atmosphere organically which, once again, I understand. (Once again though - probably the work of a nefarious government doing something evil)

So, it’s a bit difficult to have a singing section, so we won’t bother trying to get an atmosphere at all.

I like to think that the fans going in the North Stand are the ones that do stand and sing for most of the games normally. We might still have two singing groups either side! We’ve talked about getting the groups together before, this seemed like a good opportunity to me. Trying to make the best out of the new normal and all

How long would you continue to go and pay as much for the diminished experience? Indefinitely? Just because the government said so?

 

[WilburySeagull]

So, it’s a bit difficult to have a singing section, so we won’t bother trying to get an atmosphere at all.

I like to think that the fans going in the North Stand are the ones that do stand and sing for most of the games normally. We might still have two singing groups either side! We’ve talked about getting he groups together before, this seemed like a good opportunity to me. Trying to make the best out of the new normal and all

How long would you continue to go and pay as much for the diminished experience? Indefinitely? Just because the government said so?

Why do you expect the club to organise a singing section? Why not start a thread to find like minded fans and do your own organising? That would be more real than relying on the club to do it.

 

[LamieRobertson]

So, it’s a bit difficult to have a singing section, so we won’t bother trying to get an atmosphere at all.

I like to think that the fans going in the North Stand are the ones that do stand and sing for most of the games normally. We might still have two singing groups either side! We’ve talked about getting the groups together before, this seemed like a good opportunity to me. Trying to make the best out of the new normal and all

How long would you continue to go and pay as much for the diminished experience? Indefinitely? Just because the government said so?

Oi....in the nicest possible way can I say you are derailing the thread by bringing politics into it.....everything is only a possibility right now let alone worrying about how long ...so chill..otherwise this is going to end up in the bear pit I reckon

 

[Invicta]

Why do you expect the club to organise a singing section? Why not start a thread to find like minded fans and do your own organising? That would be more real than relying on the club to do it.

Fair call, club got a fair bit to organise already !

 

[BeHereNow]

Why do you expect the club to organise a singing section? Why not start a thread to find like minded fans and do your own organising? That would be more real than relying on the club to do it.

I thought it would be much easier for the club to get the ‘singers’ together as everyone seems ok with not being in their usual seat (for now). I thought they could easily designate a block for the more vociferous fans. You won’t be forced to stand and sing, it would just be a block where like minded fans could be together, rather than spread out.

When we’ve tried to get the groups together before the club say they can’t move other fans from their seats, which I totally understand.

As it doesn’t look like fans will be able to choose their seats for the foreseeable future, I don’t think it’s possible for the groups to arrange to get together!

 

[BeHereNow]

Oi....in the nicest possible way can I say you are derailing the thread by bringing politics into it.....everything is only a possibility right now let alone worrying about how long ...so chill..otherwise this is going to end up in the bear pit I reckon

I don’t think it’s political at all, I’m just asking a couple of questions.

 

[Bozza]

So, it’s a bit difficult to have a singing section, so we won’t bother trying to get an atmosphere at all.

I like to think that the fans going in the North Stand are the ones that do stand and sing for most of the games normally. We might still have two singing groups either side! We’ve talked about getting the groups together before, this seemed like a good opportunity to me. Trying to make the best out of the new normal and all

How long would you continue to go and pay as much for the diminished experience? Indefinitely? Just because the government said so?

I think plenty of people will try bloody hard to create an atmosphere. In fact, although it clearly won't be able to rival a full Amex, I fully expect Albion fans to really step up and put more into creating an atmosphere than they otherwise would when they could rely on others putting some effort in.

I tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to wait and experience whatever comes to pass before passing judgment on it. I didn't think I'd like fan-less football on the TV. I didn't think I'd like artificial fan soundtracks put on top of TV football. But, as it turns out, I didn't mind it. In the end, I didn't even notice it.

And, yes, given I believe that a cautious approach to expanding all forms of social contact is absolutely the right approach, I'm happy to go along with what it looks like we are going to be faced with. I can't say how long I would abide that as I have no idea what is going to happen with infection rates, hospitalisations, deaths, therapeutic advancement and vaccine deployment.

 

[pb21]

Think that’s wrong.

You’ve already had some of your 19/20 refund in the £20 reduction on your DD so probably owe you in the region of £380

I'm not so sure.

By September I would have paid £270 towards 20/21, which is less than would have normally been paid, but I've still paid it towards this season. But then there is the £170 left over still.

The lower direct debit over the 3 months becomes meaningless with this proposal, I think it only becomes valid if it's over the full course and for attend 19 home games. I think.

 

[Black Hill]

Not sure if anyone else saw the BBC news or other media yesterday. But there is currently a steady increase in the infection rate and has been for a few days now.
Personally I think we are back to January or early February. Subsequently by early October we could be back into late March early April infection territory.
So fun and games must br put on the back burner and protecting the NHS paramount.

 

[Beanstalk]

No confirmation on masks but PB certainly seemed to be in the "no masks" camp, and you can assume that will be his line with government. His comparison was the world snooker spectators who were not wearing masks despite being inside.

I thought it was the opposite. He noted that the club were lead entirely by what the government mandate, and after talking with them extensively about how this was all going to work, he found it odd that nobody wore masks at the snooker. It's completely out of his hands.


FWIW who really cares if you've got to have a mask on. The pathetic confirmation that there would be no legal live broadcast of a game if it is not selected means that going to games is the only way to watch the Albion. A mask is the tiniest of sacrifices.

 

[virtual22]

I think it’s poor that people who don’t want to go cannot opt out of the whole season and just let those that do want to go have the tickets.

My Sons share a ticket, I know they’re not meant to but I could not afford to get them both one at the time. One is older now and does not want to go so the younger one goes but he can’t as he’s not named on the ticket and I don’t really want to go without him.

A one off amnesty to switch tickets would be nice.

 

[Don Tmatter]

Am I right in thinking, if you haven’t got a smart phone you’re not getting in?

 

[burnee54]

I am sure I could get something working if I unrooted the phone. [emoji106]

But I would still like to know what children and any older folk who don't use phones like that should do.

The Tracing App will only load on IOS 13.5 . If you have a slightly older iPhone you are out of luck.
Also, many of the older generation don't have smartphones at all, they stick to the old button type.

 

[Black Hill]

The Tracing App will only load on IOS 13.5 . If you have a slightly older iPhone you are out of luck.
Also, many of the older generation don't have smartphones at all, they stick to the old button type.

Then someone somewhere will raise the Equality Act.

 

[burnee54]

Am I right in thinking, if you haven’t got a smart phone you’re not getting in?

I sent an email to PB about this yesterday. I have posted the contents and reply below.


Dear Mr Barber.

I have noticed in the information concerning future attendance of the Amex, that one of the conditions of entry will be that we all must have the App live on their phones.
This will present a major problem for the majority of your fans.
The app will only run on the latest version of the IOS. Only a small minority of us have the shiny new IPhone running IOS13.5. The rest of us have older phones that are incapable of accessing this option. I think you will find that a significant number of older members of the population (such as my Father-in-Law) don't even have smartphones at all.
Some of us are not in the financial position to purchase a £1000+ phone just to enable us to attend our club’s matches. I realise that you are not responsible for creating an app that will not run on the vast majority of the population’s hardware.
I am afraid that the government have made a grave error by commissioning the writing of this app and are guilty of using the general public’s money to ostracise most of the people paying for it. I know this is not your fault and that you are trying to follow the guidelines and protect your match goers at the stadium, but if we have no access to one of the main requirements then something is very wrong and very unfair.
I hope you will bring this to the attention of the powers that be because someone needs to shed light on this inequity.

This was the reply.


Thank you for your email.

I haven’t seen any details for the Government’s track and trace app, and neither am I a technology expert, so I’m afraid I am unable to comment.

The club will however be required to follow whatever guidelines are determined by the Government to allow supporters returning to the stadium.

Best wishes, Paul

 

[Bozza]

I think it’s poor that people who don’t want to go cannot opt out of the whole season and just let those that do want to go have the tickets.

My Sons share a ticket, I know they’re not meant to but I could not afford to get them both one at the time. One is older now and does not want to go so the younger one goes but he can’t as he’s not named on the ticket and I don’t really want to go without him.

A one off amnesty to switch tickets would be nice.

Most under-17s do not have any form of photo ID, passport aside. I can't see that carrying a passport for a child would be required to get into football.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I sent an email to PB about this yesterday. I have posted the contents and reply below.


Dear Mr Barber.

I have noticed in the information concerning future attendance of the Amex, that one of the conditions of entry will be that we all must have the App live on their phones.
This will present a major problem for the majority of your fans.
The app will only run on the latest version of the IOS. Only a small minority of us have the shiny new IPhone running IOS13.5. The rest of us have older phones that are incapable of accessing this option. I think you will find that a significant number of older members of the population (such as my Father-in-Law) don't even have smartphones at all.
Some of us are not in the financial position to purchase a £1000+ phone just to enable us to attend our club’s matches. I realise that you are not responsible for creating an app that will not run on the vast majority of the population’s hardware.
I am afraid that the government have made a grave error by commissioning the writing of this app and are guilty of using the general public’s money to ostracise most of the people paying for it. I know this is not your fault and that you are trying to follow the guidelines and protect your match goers at the stadium, but if we have no access to one of the main requirements then something is very wrong and very unfair.
I hope you will bring this to the attention of the powers that be because someone needs to shed light on this inequity.

This was the reply.


Thank you for your email.

I haven’t seen any details for the Government’s track and trace app, and neither am I a technology expert, so I’m afraid I am unable to comment.

The club will however be required to follow whatever guidelines are determined by the Government to allow supporters returning to the stadium.

Best wishes, Paul

Good question.
Disappointing, politician’s answer.

 

[carlzeiss]

The Tracing App will only load on IOS 13.5 . If you have a slightly older iPhone you are out of luck.
Also, many of the older generation don't have smartphones at all, they stick to the old button type.

Timeline: Where are we at with the NHS contact-tracing app



https://www.digitalhealth.net/2020/08/timeline-what-happened-to-the-nhs-contact-tracing-app/