Was a huge waste of time, and is hopefully not a portent of what is to come in terms of organisation and motivation. At 2pm, approximately 1000 fans were herded into the North Lower to watch the squad have photos taken. This excitement lasted for 75 minutes, after which we were all told to leave and loiter on the concourse, in the car park, or, of course, the club shop. One sign was put up, pointing to a Q&A session with the top-brass, and another sign (pointing in no particular direction) alluded to an autograph session with the manager and Johnnie Jackson. Queues began to form in front of doors that never opened, and children began to weep as they realised the chance of meeting the club's finest was evaporating quicker than a Cornetto in the gutter. Where were the face-painters, the competitions, the players, and the balloons? Where were the refreshments? Where the bloody hell was Richard Murray? At 3.40pm I gave up and left, following the disgruntled hordes to the McDonald's on Bugsby's Way, where we attempted to cheer our cheerless children with the promise of a Happy Meal. Awful. P.S) There was a table tennis table in the media centre, though.
You were clearly in the wrong places at the wrong times. At 2pm I went into the lounge in the North Stand where they had a load of activities for kids. Just after this, they announced the Q&A would be happening in the next 5-10 mins in the Media Centre. I headed down there and the first Q&A was with Richard Murray & Katrien Meire. They announced at the end of this Q&A that Johnnie Jackson and Bob Peeters would be doing their Q&A in the Media Centre at 3.10pm. I headed back to see the second Q&A but the Media Centre was already at capacity so I couldn't get in. I went back up to the lounge, which by this point was mobbed by excited looking kids queuing up for autographs with the players. It was at this point I left. The bars were open in the lounge for refreshments. The club apparently laid on samples of food that may be sold next season and judging by the number of pictures posted on Twitter of happy looking supporters with players, it looks like most had a good time. I think the club did well. But they are never going to please everyone...
i went. got a programme fully signed. at 2pm in the north stand it all started. to be honest though, it was all a bit of a let down - not much happened. the longer you were there the more likely you were to spend money. they gave away free programmes for you to get signed - all got taken apart from poyets. hundreds of those left when i left at about 3.30pm. katrien scrubbed up alright!
People were leaving the place in droves at the same time as me, and many were bemoaning the lack of organisation, activities, and lack of space for such a large attendance. And if you look at the comments on other sites, especially Facebook, you will see that I am not in the minority. It was abysmal, in my view, but you obviously got lucky. Did you take any kids, Alex?
A LOT of people are unhappy about today. My friend who took his nipper bemoaned the lack of knowledge from staff, and felt they were getting very flustered when not being able to assist. You hope the club learn from the mistake, and are better prepared for 2 weeks time. At the end of the day, it's the kids who were more affected than most. Some of the stories I've read do make you feel disappointed for them.
A lot of people sat and waited throughout the photo session, waiting for an announcement about what was to come, but nothing came and the stand emptied onto the road. Two stewards did their best, yet they had no knowledge of events, no timetable, and no clue as to who was in charge. I have read about the face painting, the loom bands (?), the key rings and the games, but I never saw any of this and would not have known where to look for it. The club were probably surprised by the large turnout.
there was loom bands. the girl who usually sells the jackpot tickets at the nw staircase was doing it. the space was too small. it was badly organised - at any point it meant that all there was queueing for whatever was scheduled at that time. they needed to multitask and have groups going to get face paint, loom bands done and other groups meeting the players. not everyone all at the same time doing the same thing. no flow of traffic! was good of the players to give up part of their sunday though
I think this is a perfect time to recall a proper open day at the valley back in the early eighties. Two weeks before the season opener, all the players made the short journey from their Erith homes to enjoy the day. Nicky Johns as entertainment, was in goal and of you were under 15 you could take 3 penalties against him. Of course Nicky saved all attempts at him arrogantly throwing the ball back and shouting "next ! " well I can't resist a challenge, so I stepped up as a fresh faced teenage superstar soon to be destined for a career in the highest leagues of the London and Kent boarder. Nicky Johns stood in goal and stared me down, bouncing up and down on his goaline trying to put me off, I took my customary six steps back, gave him the eye, and smacked the ball hard and low to his left. The ball hit the net like a Exocet and only the extra pegging put in place by the pre warned Paddy Powell stopped the net from ripping to shreds. You could tell straight away that Johns had never seen anything like that in his career, he was no doubt thinking surely this kid was a ringer. The next penalty, Johns could be seen taking nervous swigs from his water bottle, no doubt wishing today of all days, he had stayed at home. This time I smashed the ball high and hard to his right, rooting Johns to the spot. By this time the crowd had realised something special was happening, Ken Craggs I think it was at the time was open mouthed desperately searching for a pen and paper. It was if DI Canio had landed 20 years earlier. The crowd hushed for what was the third and final penalty. Was John's career in the balance? WAs I about to go pro? The referee blew his whistle, six steps and whack!... low left but Johns had reached it!!! parrying away the ball -just against the post and out. he clearly had moved early, (as subsequent stills from photographic evidence proved) in fact, he was two steps over when I struck the ball. Confident the ref had seen this as I looked up expecting the re-take. That ref just waved me on. Clearly cheated out of it I shouted at the ref ""he moved..that barstard moved" the ref was unrepentant. The crowd was clearly upset as I was led away by a steward and ejected from the ground. The last sight I had was the ref and Johns looking at each other and winking. It was later proved by a freedom of information application that not only had Johns knew the ref but he actually had bought tiling from him earlier that month while shopping at FADS in Woolwich. I wrote weekly to the club of course and complained-not a single letter was replied to and after 15 years I just gave up. It was clear this club was not the family club of my childhood but a greedy, cheating, dream breakers, a company that has lost all touch with its fans. For me I was personally glad that the club went broke a year later. I also wrote a book on the travesty called 'six steps into the abyss' published by JAckworth Publishing and A4 copies can be found outside the club shop and in all good bins in the SE7 area. So if anyone thinks they had a bad day on Sunday spare a thought for me.
The related thread on the Fun Day on CL really is a classic of its kind There are more bed wetters on there than at your average Incontinence Convention.
Yes I read that and pissed myself laughing. Ben Hayes getting refused admission to sit on Richard's knee during a press conference (did Ben fail the height test again?) and going off in a huff. I say well done that steward! I can see it now. BH "let me through I have to see Richard"" Steward, No sir!" "do you know who I am? " Steward, " No sir" ..."Well there's 652 people back in 1997 that do, let me through" " Steward "are you associated in some way with the club?" BH "not really officially, but I am really important in my own mind and regularly stalk the club's chairman and directors looking for a pat on the head" Steward " go home sir" BH " Im tel;ing Richard when I see him outside his house tonite" isn't it a bit spiteful, that the man who complained the loudest, was the one that wanted to get involved in the operation of the open day?
You are doing Henry Irving a huge diservice. He was elected Fan's Director not with 652 votes...but with 454 These "don't you know who I am ?" threads are without doubt the finest British comedy since Jim Davidson was allowed to tell jokes about Chalkie.
Wow..I knew he was unpopular but I never knew that he was that unpopular. 454 votes eh? I thought that under the usual rules of voter democracy, if an election was held and less than 20% of the electorate voted, then the results would be illegitimate. Still I hope the Trust and other CAFC organisations represent the views of the majority better. I heard the pitch was looking very fresh and well watered. (probably from the tears of Mr Irvine, if reports are to be believed)
I didn't Ponders. I do agree though that the organisation was pretty non-existent. Maybe I did just get lucky. The kids who found their way to the North Stand lounge appeared to be enjoying themselves though. But to echo SIG's comment - there should have been more of a flow of traffic.
From readind various reports some had a OK time others did not, and it seems if you were in the right place at the right time you were fine besides that crap day, as for family not much for kids at all
I do believe I was there, I remember being impressed when prior to your second penalty you pointed to the top right hand corner of the goal 'al la Babe Ruth' a few years earlier
I think those who sat around watching the photo session - for over an hour - were the unlucky ones who ended up queuing for no particular reason. Those who turned up as the activities started were probably directed to the empty lounges and found themselves in the right place at the right time. I'm not going to complain to the club, but I do feel some lessons in public relations need to be learnt.
