Some Answers Fro David Lloyd BCFC...

Read this on OTIB and it answers a lot of questions,I think very well and I thank the bloke for a good response..

It READS...

There’s a lot of understandable anger around this place at the moment, particularly in the Gerry Gow’s Testimonial, Season Card Renewal and A Season Off threads. A lot of the issues raised in them are inter-connected, and I felt it was only right that I came on here with some explanations.

A club that loses touch with its supporters is in serious trouble, and that’s why everyone at the club should and does take the depth of feeling that’s being expressed by some fans at the moment, very seriously indeed.

As I have often said in the past, I try not to get drawn into debates on internet forums. It is the immutable law of the internet that strongly held beliefs on polarised subjects will soon descend into name calling and personal attacks. As a club employee and somebody who has never sought to hide my identity in the ten or more years I have been around this forum, I am onto a loser every time there, as it’s just not possible for me to respond in kind while trying to maintain the respect of supporters – and hang on to my job!

But sometimes I do feel it’s right to come and make a comment on here, especially on a series of subjects that fans clearly feel strongly about.

Before I address the issues, it’s also worth clarifying my role at the club. I have been described as ‘coming from nowhere’, having ‘no influence’ or being ‘just a pitchside announcer’ or a ‘faceless man in a suit’.

I actually come from Cheshire, and followed Chester FC as a kid, for my sins. I’ve never made a secret of that. I moved to Bristol in 1990, and quickly started coming down to Ashton Gate. I got my first season ticket in 1995 and have missed less than ten home games since then. I’ve been working at AG since 2008. I don’t get to as many away games as I’d like as I have a disabled wife who needs a lot of looking after, but I have followed City all over the country, when I can. I am not a Bristolian by birth, and there’s not much I can do about that. But I am certainly Bristolian by adoption and I love Bristol City with all my heart.

I am indeed the pitch side announcer, but I combine that role with being supporter and community liaison. The very fact that I have such a visible role on a matchday, hopefully makes me more accessible to fans, as pretty much everybody knows who I am. I chair the FCF which meets every six weeks, I am a member of the Supporters Club and Trust and am in regular contact with them and pop into the Supporters Club bar every match day. I’m also in regular contact with prime movers in the East End, those behind the ‘Forza revolution’ movement and various local community groups.

My door is always open to anyone who wants to discuss any aspect of the way the club is run. I will meet with anyone, at any time, anywhere. I can be emailed at [email protected]. You can find me on twitter @dave_backwell. I do wear a suit, but I would argue I am far from faceless.

In terms of the influence I have, it’s actually quite significant. Not because it’s me, but because of who I represent: you, the fans. It’s my job to listen to what you are saying - and that does include following this and other forums, which can often be a good way of gauging what people are feeling. Over the years that I have been doing this job I like to thing that I have made a material difference by making the board aware of the depth of feeling on certain issues: access to the East End (now open to all, apart from at high risk games), ticket prices (year on year reductions, cheapest Season ticket in the Championship), disconnection with the local community (setting up the Community Trust, which is ongoing and is doing some great things out in the local community).

I don’t for a minute claim that I have personally brought those changes about – far from it. There has been a general understanding within the club that things needed to change and that we need to listen to supporters more than we had done in the past. Hopefully I have been able to give fans a voice within the club, but it’s your pressure that has brought these changes about.

Now to specifics, starting with the Gerry Gow testimonial.

The club has not been great at looking after our former players, and we are anxious to put that right. That’s why we have recently announced the formation of our former players association. Scott Murray and Marina Dolman are currently contacting every former player who we have details for. They will all be welcomed back for a big day, and for any future game they want to attend. There will be more news on that very soon.

Everybody at the club is well aware of the legendary status that Gerry Gow has. I remember him well as a player and I have been lucky enough to meet him on several occasions. I, along with many colleagues, will be giving our time for free when his testimonial match is played at Ashton Gate. I will also be playing in his golf day in April.

Gerry’s testimonial game was originally pencilled in to be played at the Hand Stadium, Clevedon. On learning this, our new Commercial Director Kevin Smith, felt that we should be offering more support to Gerry and an approach was made to his committee to see if we could hold the game at AG. By that time the only available date was at the end of May, but this also clashed with a prior booking from another organisation. We are still trying to resolve that clash, and it’s way off the mark to say that the game won’t go ahead on the original date. If it doesn’t, then there is a very exciting plan B in place for a game next pre-season which, if anything, could make even more money for Gerry. Either way, there will definitely be a game, and everyone is 100% committed to making sure that it happens.

The only reason it hasn’t been announced yet is because we weren’t able to confirm the final details. As soon as we can, we will.

People are asking when Season Cards will go on sale, and the answer is, very soon. The Club has attracted criticism in past years for putting them on sale too early. This year it seems we are putting them on sale too late for some people. We are putting together some very attractive packages and I believe that next season’s prices will offer the best possible value to supporters. But I am afraid you will have to wait a little longer before you find out what they are.

The Season Off thread is a very interesting one, with some heartfelt and brilliant contributions from many people. I promise you that the key decision makers at the Club, from the Chairman down, are well aware of the feelings expressed. The last couple of years have not been great on the pitch, and I cannot blame fans for being exasperated and fed up.

I think it’s been clear for a while that survival is key for this season. Derek McInnes came in at a time when we were rock bottom, in every sense, and although it’s been up and down since then, all credit to him for keeping us out of the bottom three. I have every confidence that he has plans in place to make sure that we are not in this position again next season.

In the meantime, all we can do is try and prove to our fans that the Club continues to be worthy of your support, and I promise you that everyone is working flat out to do that.

Apologies for the length of this post. You know how to contact me if you want more clarification or information. Your opinions and feelings really matter, and I promise you, they are acted on.

 

Gerry Gow is an important person to me with regard to BCFC and the pure respect due to him and that is why I raised my article about him,I was pissed off and truly meant the cancelation of my families season tickets x 5 and they were all with me,we can stand relegation,we can stand the piss-takers,we can't stand the disregard of a massive hero of Bristol City FC..

I am more than happy with DL's answers.....