WHAT A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS” Bridlington Town Chairman Pete Smurthwaite On ERCFA Senior Cup Final please log in to view this image I have finally been defeated in my efforts to get the most “Prestigious Football Cup Final” in the East Riding to be played at the areas main sporting stadium (KCOM) to keep up with the tradition of many years. People may remember there was an outcry last year when the Stadium Management Company (SMC) refused permission for the ERCFA Senior Cup Final to be played at the KCOM. The final comments from the SMC were it’s too late to sort out but we will definitely look upon it favourably next season. The final was played at Haworth Park, Hall Road Rangers ground. The SMC and the ERCFA have had a year to sort out staging of the final at the KCOM and here we are again, no game at the KCOM. I know Liz Shipp and Doug Waterson (the competition organisers) have done their best as individuals to try and get the final at the KCOM but surely as an organisation the ERCFA could have done more to arrange the game at the KCOM. A couple of weeks ago I wrote to the Councillor who represents the ward where I live in Hull asking why Hull City Council who own the stadium have no power to overturn the decisions of the SMC with regard to our “COMMUNITY STADIUM”. His reply was “although the contract was drawn up by the Council it seems to have benefited the SMC more than the Council” so sadly he was unable to help with our request and I thanked him for his efforts. We then received a “glimmer of hope” when I received an email on the 25th April, 2018 from the ERCFA stating that the SMC had offered the game to be played at the KCOM on Saturday 12th May, 2018 but wanted too much money to stage the event. I replied immediately that through the assistance of our club sponsors I could raise £2000.00 + VAT (£2440.00) and this was agreed and I set about raising money which I had almost achieved within 2 days. I then received an email from the ERCFA dated 27th April 2018 that stated: “It would appear the SMC and Hull City don’t keep each other informed of arrangements regarding availability of the ground and players?” Nothing new there then and as a consequence the Cup Final will now be played at the ERCFA Head Quarters, Inglemire Lane, Hull on Tuesday 15th May, 2018 although my company built this facility I would not call it a stadium. Perhaps I should be the Chairman of Driffield Juniors or Pocklington AFC who are playing the final of the ERCFA Senior Country Cup at a stadium, Queensgate, Bridlington, the home of Bridlington Town AFC where I am sure they will enjoy the experience as players, management, committee and fans and a game to remember. Peter Smurthwaite Chairman Bridlington Town A.F.C.
Appalling and oh so typical of this, ahem, ''best run of clubs'' ....... a disgrace of a club more like.
We all know what the Allams are. One would presume boy wonder is planing to vacate Hull and its surroundings when his old man and old lady pass.
Once again proving what aborant, despicable, lying, utter ****s they are. They make me ****ing sick with their infantile ****ing behavior.
One of the great things about City's rise on and off the pitch from 2001 to early in the Allams' reign was the manner in which the local community - and by that I mean not just the city of Hull but the whole of East Yorkshire - took to City. That came from numerous things happening: the KC was a more pleasant environment for many to watch football in than Boothferry Park for many; we eventually started serving up football that would draw anyone in; our opposition became more illustrious and desirable to watch. But it also came because our owners, the staff at the club and the players engaged brilliantly with the community within which it operated. No fan meeting went without players turning up, whether it was an OSC meeting or not. If the wider footballing community could be helped out, then it was helped out. Everyone was on message. Hull City represented the best of sport in East Yorkshire, and East Yorkshire responded to this positively. The Allams have committed many odious acts in their time at Hull City, but the way in which they've managed to destroy all of that good work stinks as much as anything else they've done. There were little things, such as the way in which Johnny Whiteley (a man who'd done a lot to help a number of Hull City players over the years through his gym) was humiliated with his memorabilia being removed in such a public manner. Then there was the stuff like the Airco Arena - a great community asset being removed form wider public use with no regard for the many teams from within the local community that were reliant upon it. Then there's stuff like this. What is to be gained from this latest missive? The Allams have done lots of good things for various communities throughout the East Riding over the years, but when it comes to anything connected with Hull City they seem to want to break down and destroy everything that had been so diligently built up before them. Show a bit of good will. Do something decent in the name of our club without thinking of the pound signs. I'm sick of acts essentially taken on behalf of the club, made by its owners (regardless of what it written about the SMC), making me feel ashamed. What small people those running our club are.
If that flyer said BRIDLINGTON TOWN VS HULL TIGERS ADMISSION £9 NO CONCESSIONS Do you honestly think it would be played anywhere other than the KCOM?
No. They are not wondering at all. They know. They know that the cretins in charge have come up with another load of petty infantile reasons why they won't help.
Its not about the wording on the flyer it's about the cost of hiring the stadium. Costs have to be met. The stadium was offered at cost, no profit, and East Riding FA who host this competition chose not to take up the offer. As it is now £9 to stand on a park pitch is taking the Michael.
