please log in to view this image During their six year ownership the Allam family have provided us fans with some brilliant quotes. In the early years these quotes, usually promises and pledges, were the basis of what we then thought was a promising future ahead for our club. Now, six years on, it’s becoming easier and easier to see them for what they really are – empty devices of spin and misinformation. That’s why today, we are launching our #AllamQuotes campaign. Each week we plan on looking at a unique, and fully referenced, #AllamQuote from the past six years, before then openly and fairly examining to what extent this quote was actually acted upon, with the aim of exposing the current regime’s spin for what it really is. For example, let’s look at this week’s quote: “Watching football should be like breathing air – free of charge.” (Assem Allam, 2010) Six years on, quite remarkably, concession ticketing has been totally abolished at the KCOM, and for example, today, a ten year old wanting to attend every home game this season will have to pay £336.00 (up from £79.00 last season). No quite as cheap as ‘breathing air’, ay, Dr Allam? So, on the back of this week’s quote, we would like to #AskEhab: While we all understand that, unfortunately, watching football cannot be literally ‘free of charge’, how can you possibly justify a price increase of this size for junior Hull City Fans? What is your favourite #AllamQuote, and, on the back of that, what would you like to #AskEhab? Get in touch with us via email, Twitter or Facebook to let us know. Each week a winner will be drawn out of a hat and receive a HCST prize. http://hullcitysupporterstrust.com/campaign-launch-will-you-join-us-and-askehab/
At last a use for my unpublished book. "Lies Threats, Bullying & Bullshit. Some Things Just Come Naturally. The Allams, A Way of Life"
Trust tell club representatives that members 'Back the team, NOT the regime' During a productive meeting on Tuesday of this week, two members of the HCST Board met with Hull City club representatives in an attempt to re-open a frank and open dialogue between the club and its fans. Last Tuesday, HCST Chairman Geoff Bielby and fellow Board member Phil Walton met Hull City's newly appointed Marketing & Communications Manager Tom Rowell, as well as the club's Press Officer Luke Cash. In what was a productive meeting, both parties agreed that a more open and meaningful dialogue was needed in order to address a number of clear issues which currently exist between the club and its loyal fan-base. As Hull City's largest independent fan group, the Trust stressed that while this dialogue is desperately needed, ultimately it may also require a regime change and reforms in a number of key areas, including ticketing, for divisions to be fully healed. The Trust also made clear that our immediate objectives are as follows:- 1. To establish meaningful dialogue between Hull City Fans and representatives from a senior level of the club, as specified by the DCMS and backed by The Premier League earlier this year, following the recommendations of the Government Expert Working Group. As the club's largest and only independent fan body, we believe the HCST should take a lead on that forum. 2. Restoration of concession ticketing, or at the very least, some form of discount to encourage senior and junior Hull City fans back to the club ASAP. We raised our concerns regarding the embarrassment of empty seats at the KCOM at the minute, and we explained that meaningful change in regards to concession ticketing would enable HCST to back a call for fans to return to supporting the club at home games. 3. Finally, as the first two points suggest, we stressed that everything we will do from now on will remind all Hull City supporters that HCST is "Backing The Team, NOT The Regime".
Good positive development. But, what the heck is the word 'may' doing in there??!! "....ultimately it may also require a regime change ....". Nothing meaningful will change, and the majority will not return, until the Allams are gone.
So you want to have open and meaningful dialogue with the club. Whilst at the same time ridiculing the current owners. Out of curiosity, why do you think they'd talk to you? Respect should go two ways. Which will never happen from either the Allams or to them. Why pretend otherwise? Why not just be honest, same as you expect them to be, and say "we want you gone" rather than lying? I want new owners but there's still a horrible whiff of hypocrisy from the Trust.
I would think it's fairly obvious that an organisation using the strapline "backing the team, not the regime" wants the owners gone too. You wonder if people actually read stuff before commenting sometimes.
Update on the meeting with club representatives.... The club representatives felt that objective number one is already in the process of being ticked off through continued meetings and dialogue. We agree with them on this providing of course that the dialogue does indeed continue. Regarding objective number two, the club stance is that this cannot be changed mid-season for logistical reasons (which we dispute on the basis that it is a rolling monthly membership not bound by any start or end dates, but further discussion will be required to fully understand the club’s position on this particular point). The scheme will apparently be reviewed at some point, likely the end of the season, at which point concessions will be discussed. Following the meeting, we were also asked to provide some other ways in which the club can improve things for fans. We have of course pointed to the reversal of the pointless stealth re-brand which has taken place over the last few years to the point that almost no club communications ever use the club’s name, as something which would win a lot of people over and be easy and quick to implement. We would like to thank Tom and Luke for setting time aside to meet with us, and we are hopeful that in future this continued dialogue will result in meaningful change based on input from fans, rather than the views offered by supporters being ignored as they have been in the past. It remains a concern that the owners of the club may decide to not allow their staff to act upon any consultation with fans, as appears to have been the case previously, but we will always keep trying.
So why lie about wanting dialogue with the owners then? They don't. They want them gone. Although they say "ultimately it may also require a regime change", rather than "we demand a regime change", and be honest? There should be 1 immediate objective and that's new owners. The rest is mostly just "we're the biggest fan group, talk to us, talk to us, you have to, we're the biggest, and its the rules now". Also, stop being so ****ing touchy about people commenting on what your groups stated and interpreting it the way it appears to them. People in glass houses and that.
Also, fair play to Tom and Luke, they're between a rock and a hard place. Guaranteed whatever happens, they'll be hung out to dry. Seems some have a problem with not listening to other peoples views and they get all arsey when their ideas are discarded. The Trust has left it way too late to doing any meaningful, and we just all await our new lords and masters and hope they have a different vision for the club. Still, there's the campaign on Twitter to heap ridicule on the owners. Good work.
There's no mention of having a dialogue with the owners, it would be utterly pointless, they're obviously never going to have any meaningful dialogue with the fans. You keep ranting about things you obviously haven't even read properly.
My favourite was "It's my gift to the people of Hull". I had exactly the same sort of gift from my building society when I bought my house, but they don't expect me to pay their wages as well. They haven't given my house a different "lucky" number either.
Ranting? Same old from you. So the Trusts objective is to hold chats with underlings who have no power, and in all likelihood won't be listened to, and will have no impact on our current situation? Brilliant. I see why the twitter campaign to mock the owners was seen as a great idea now. Wouldn't you agree the majority of fans want the Allams gone? So why, therefore, aren't the Trust running with that, and starting a campaign to make them go? Proper, organised protests? Or is the plan to wait for them to sell, then claim credit for it?
I've no idea why you're asking me, I no longer play any part in the decision making at the Trust and I've played no part in coming up with this campaign. Though if you want my personal opinion, I think the Allams don't give a **** about the fall in attendances, but they absolutely hate being ridiculed. Particularly Ehab. So I fully support this campaign.
I see no problem with HCST holding talks with representatives of the club, doesn't add up to appeasement, can't see any other fan groups campaigning as well as the Trust on our behalf but if you think you can do better feel free to form one.
BOOOM! Called it! Stop ****ing posting their stuff then if you don't wish to discuss it. Just smacks of pettiness and nastiness, I always hoped the Trust would be better, and more mature than that. I'd be surprised if Ehab gives a **** about a few keyboard warriors on Twitter. They would all care about proper in your face protests.
You think a name calling twitter campaign is the best type of protest about the owners and in the interests of us fans? Rightyo.
