Is that the Brendon that a few years ago was organising buses for Hull Reds to go watch their adopted team? **** him.
HDM article on this is absolutely scathing from start to finish. No prizes for guessing who the SMC attempt to pass the blame onto: A row has kicked off after grassroots football was priced out of holding a showpiece final at Hull's KCOM Stadium next month. The cost of hiring the KCOM has forced the East Riding FA to break with years of tradition and switch its Senior Cup Final to a local pitch. Ex-Hull City stars Ian Ashbee and Curtis Woodhouse are among those who have taken to social media to vent their disgust. Ashbee said on Twitter: “Local grass roots lads missing out because of greed@HullCity" while Woodhouse commented: “Embarrassing stuff from Hull City football club". They are “devastated" for local players whose dreams have been dashed of playing at the Premier League venue. Bridlington Town – who will play a young Hull City side in May's final – have been told the match will be played at the Haworth Park venue of Hall Road Rangers, instead. Ex-Tigers legend Ashbee, who is assistant manager at Bridlington Town, said today: “Whatever has gone on, whatever the reasons are, I just think it's a shame that local lads won't get the chance to play at the stadium. “I have been lucky enough to play there and at the big grounds but this is the highlight of their careers. “In my opinion, to be priced out of it is wrong. I don't know the reasons behind it, I am sure there will be a lot of excuses and reasons." Former City captain Ashbee, who led the Tigers to the Premier League for the first time, said Bridlington's players will be gutted. “They will be absolutely wounded, I am devastated for them," he said. The Senior Cup Final will now be played at Haworth Park, pictured Ashbee insisted other professional clubs host similar amateur showpieces. “It happens everywhere in the country and clubs honour it," he claimed. Bridlington Town managerWoodhouse said: “I am devastated for the lads, it's their dream to play at the Hull City stadium. “I think 95 per cent of our lads are big Hull City fans, this is a big opportunity to play at the ground and to have that taken away from them by pure greed is shocking." Woodhouse insisted everyone involved with the club had been looking forward to seeing the final at the KCOM. He said: “It's a massive deal for them to be there with their families watching them play at the KCOM. “It's a day out for our fans from Bridlington Town, everyone has been looking forward to it, now that buzz has been taken away because of greed." Bridlington Town chairman Pete Smurthwaite now plans to write to Hull's MPs about the community function of the KCOM Stadium. He said: “My next step will be to take it up with the MPs to find out why it is not being used as a community stadium. “At one time, when it first opened, Hull schools held a couple of finals and Hull schools' rugby league association held their finals there. “It now looks like there's no grassroots sport being held there at all." Mr Smurthwaite said his club are the cup holders and played at the KCOM last season. “It is every player's ambition – every grassroots player in the Hull area wants to play at the KCOM. “But football is no longer the game of the people, the top level now don't care about the grassroots. There's billions floating around but nothing goes down to the grassroots," he said. Mr Smurthwaite suggested his club might have been caught in “crossfire", after the East Riding FA opposed the controversial name change for Hull City sought by owner Assem Allam. He said: “The East Riding FA voted against the name change. We think we have been caught in the crossfire." East Riding FA chief executive Adam Lowthorpe said the stadium hire was hiked from £1,500 in 2015 to £5,100 last year, when a Hull City Council grant bridged the gap. Mr Lowthorpe claimed the East Riding FA could not afford the “totally unrealistic" £5,100 fee. “We are disappointed amateur football players won't get what for some of them is a once in a lifetime opportunity, or the biggest day out in their career, to play at a big stadium. “It's not good at all that local sport doesn't have the opportunity to play at a community stadium, which was the intention when it was built," he said. The SMC issued a statement saying: “The East Riding FA were charged £5,100 for their fixture last year. “They were awarded a grant from the council which paid the difference between the hire fee paid in 2015 and the cost incurred for their event in 2016. They have not received this grant from the council this year. “The rates for stadium pitch hire are now in line with all other requests from the football and rugby club, which they weren't prior to the increase in 2015 for the East Riding FA. “The same cost structure was also put to Hull schools who had utilised the stadium pitch every year for their annual schools football and rugby finals. “Also, to give perspective on the pricing the club pay £2.5k to use North Ferriby for U23 and first team games. The current fee is charged solely at cost and includes no profit." http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/ex-h...kcom-stadium/story-30264219-detail/story.html The comments are spot on for once too: "The family that are now in charge of Hull City are truly revolting. They may have plenty of money but they have absolutely no class and are very economical with the truth, and that's putting it mildly. They know the price of everything and the value of nothing."
So the (Hull) council made up the difference last year with a grant of £3600 but are refusing to do so this year. Murky waters.
Yeah he does support Boro. I was going to ask about this supposed arranging of coaches for Hull Reds and how that works with him being a Boro fan, but I couldn't be arsed. Is interesting that he worked as a press officer for City and Hull KR for what must be more than a decade but he supported Boro and Hull FC.
That could, on reflection, possibly have been someone else, whose name I can't recall, who was at one time the Fans Liaison Officer.
Danny Pratt? He left with Nige to take the same role at Lester. Dunno if he's still there. Brendon was never FLO.
I see the club have got a Hull Tigers Bot marking down all the comments which are negative to the Allams ... which is all the comments
Quite amusing really. The larger the negative numbers the more it draws attention to them. Silly bastards.
No it isn't murky at all. Ehab may want us to think that. It's **** all to do with the council. The Allams more than tripled the price just to be dickheads, like they always do. The fact the local FA were able to afford it last year due to a grant was fortunate, but only delayed the issue for a year.
Think you misinterpreted my meaning. The Council should have refused the grant application last year. In this age of reductions in budgets etc I'm surprised the Council gave an organisation such as ERCFA (in itself part of the wealthy FA) the grant.
Slightly odd for Hull City Council to give a grant to an event for all East Riding? Maybe it was a bit last minute last year so they got on and did it?
The system is really broken. I don't think it's hard to manipulate and spoof a load of votes. On the other hand, I noticed a while ago that when I tried to vote it didn't count at all.
At least Ash and Curtis will get to take Brid Town to one league ground for a final this season, Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane is to host this season’s Toolstation NCEL League Cup final (which they qualified for with a one nil win last night).
