Updates on:
Allegations of racism at Spurs v Chelsea
Middlesbrough FA Cup tie
Southampton concessionary pricing
February TV picks
November catering survey
Y-Word consultation results: THST comment
Cycle On You Spurs
Members online forum update
THST AGM 2020
Planning for Bayern Munich away
Watching Football is Not a Crime
Allegations of racism at Spurs v Chelsea
Middlesbrough FA Cup tie
Southampton concessionary pricing
February TV picks
November catering survey
Y-Word consultation results: THST comment
Cycle On You Spurs
Members online forum update
THST AGM 2020
Planning for Bayern Munich away
Watching Football is Not a Crime
Other:
Before we start our last newsletter of the decade, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of our members for contributing to the success of the Trust over the years. Your support is both hugely valuable and appreciated and we are both grateful and honoured to continue to represent your views and interests at a local, national and international level. Thank you again.
On behalf of the Trust Board, we wish you a happy, healthy and successful 2020, both on and off the pitch!
Happy New Year and COYS!
1. Allegations of racism at Spurs v Chelsea
After an alleged incident of racism at our home Premier League game against Chelsea on Sunday 22 December, we were in swift and regular contact with the Club. We were also contacted by a number of supporters understandably keen for a prompt resolution to the investigation undertaken by the Club, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police.
Through social media posts, we made it clear that the Trust fully supported the investigation and declined from making further comment until a decisive conclusion was reached so as not to prejudice an ongoing case.
At the time of writing, that remains the situation.
While there is an understandable desire to see a prompt and decisive resolution, speculation on social media and elsewhere is not going to hasten the outcome. We’d urge supporters to allow the relevant bodies sufficient time to fully review all footage, speak with relevant parties and reach a watertight conclusion that is above further challenge from any quarters. THST is acutely aware of the time pressures here and the need for prioritisation.
Once we have that conclusion, we’ll make further comment.
2. Middlesbrough FA Cup tie
The FA Cup third round draw saw us picked to play Middlesbrough away, and a tough trip was given that extra sprinkle of TV magic when the broadcasters moved the game to a Sunday 2.01pm kick-off on a day with no service trains from London arriving in reasonable time for kick off, and various replacement services on the route home. We lobbied the Club to lay on subsidised coaches and we’re pleased to say THFC is providing coach travel at the price of £10 a head, subsidised from the original £42 a head, which is very reasonable indeed for the 13-hour round trip. Fans with match tickets can book their coach places here.
It’s also worth mentioning that the cut-off of 120 loyalty points and the larger allocation for an FA Cup game means newer season ticket holders will get the chance to go to an away cup tie, something we’re really very pleased about. As a reminder, visiting teams are eligible for up to 15% of stadium capacity in FA Cup matches, dependent on segregation lines and other practical and safety considerations. Spurs received 4,866 tickets for this tie.
3. Southampton concessionary pricing
When pricing for our New Year’s Day visit to Southampton was announced, an ongoing issue with concessionary pricing reared its head again. This year’s prices at St Mary’s are shown below, with last year’s in brackets beside them.
We have been raising this issue with the Football Supporters’ Association for some time and would like to see the FSA take stronger action to call out the clubs who are abusing the principle of concessions. We’d also like to see agreement across the division on what constitutes a real concession. Our view is in line with that of the FSA Premier League network that Seniors (65+) should be charged a flat rate of £20 for away matches and Juniors (U18) should be charged £10, with a mid-way Young Adult category introduced across the board. We continue to lobby for this in meetings with Premier League executives and in discussions with our own Club.
4. February TV picks
Improvement of sorts came when the Premier League announced in advance that the TV picks for February would be later than previously announced. Last month, the Premier League missed its own deadline and made absolutely no attempt to communicate with fans.
Fan groups, led by those at Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool, have been making the case that the Premier League must hit its deadlines if fans are going to be able to plan attendance, and that proper communication is important. The message on communication seems to have got through, with the announcement telling us that the progress of Premier League teams in UEFA competitions, plus the mid-season break, meant the announcement was being put back.
We’ll leave readers to make their own observations about why either of these factors would have come as a surprise to the Premier League.
5. November catering survey
Rachel Martin, THST Catering Lead, would like to thank everyone who completed our catering surveys this year. She has read all your feedback and has used this to shape the agenda for meetings with the Club and for ongoing conversations and visits. The catering leaders at THFC also read every one of your comments and are genuinely open to all ideas that will help to make the service world class, and in keeping with the stadium.
Here’s a summary of the feedback you have given:
- Travel advice for home games v Liverpool and Manchester City
- Business and Community Liaison Meeting: December
- The Spurs Show
- Wingate and Finchley FC
- Big Green Coach
- Zeelo coach travel
- Secret Spurs History walk
Before we start our last newsletter of the decade, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of our members for contributing to the success of the Trust over the years. Your support is both hugely valuable and appreciated and we are both grateful and honoured to continue to represent your views and interests at a local, national and international level. Thank you again.
On behalf of the Trust Board, we wish you a happy, healthy and successful 2020, both on and off the pitch!
Happy New Year and COYS!
1. Allegations of racism at Spurs v Chelsea
After an alleged incident of racism at our home Premier League game against Chelsea on Sunday 22 December, we were in swift and regular contact with the Club. We were also contacted by a number of supporters understandably keen for a prompt resolution to the investigation undertaken by the Club, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police.
Through social media posts, we made it clear that the Trust fully supported the investigation and declined from making further comment until a decisive conclusion was reached so as not to prejudice an ongoing case.
At the time of writing, that remains the situation.
While there is an understandable desire to see a prompt and decisive resolution, speculation on social media and elsewhere is not going to hasten the outcome. We’d urge supporters to allow the relevant bodies sufficient time to fully review all footage, speak with relevant parties and reach a watertight conclusion that is above further challenge from any quarters. THST is acutely aware of the time pressures here and the need for prioritisation.
Once we have that conclusion, we’ll make further comment.
2. Middlesbrough FA Cup tie
The FA Cup third round draw saw us picked to play Middlesbrough away, and a tough trip was given that extra sprinkle of TV magic when the broadcasters moved the game to a Sunday 2.01pm kick-off on a day with no service trains from London arriving in reasonable time for kick off, and various replacement services on the route home. We lobbied the Club to lay on subsidised coaches and we’re pleased to say THFC is providing coach travel at the price of £10 a head, subsidised from the original £42 a head, which is very reasonable indeed for the 13-hour round trip. Fans with match tickets can book their coach places here.
It’s also worth mentioning that the cut-off of 120 loyalty points and the larger allocation for an FA Cup game means newer season ticket holders will get the chance to go to an away cup tie, something we’re really very pleased about. As a reminder, visiting teams are eligible for up to 15% of stadium capacity in FA Cup matches, dependent on segregation lines and other practical and safety considerations. Spurs received 4,866 tickets for this tie.
3. Southampton concessionary pricing
When pricing for our New Year’s Day visit to Southampton was announced, an ongoing issue with concessionary pricing reared its head again. This year’s prices at St Mary’s are shown below, with last year’s in brackets beside them.
- Adults: £30 (£30)
- Seniors Over 65: £27 (£27)
- Under-26: £27 (N/A)
- Under-22: N/A (£22)
- Under-18: £25 (£18)
- Under-11: £20 (£12)
We have been raising this issue with the Football Supporters’ Association for some time and would like to see the FSA take stronger action to call out the clubs who are abusing the principle of concessions. We’d also like to see agreement across the division on what constitutes a real concession. Our view is in line with that of the FSA Premier League network that Seniors (65+) should be charged a flat rate of £20 for away matches and Juniors (U18) should be charged £10, with a mid-way Young Adult category introduced across the board. We continue to lobby for this in meetings with Premier League executives and in discussions with our own Club.
4. February TV picks
Improvement of sorts came when the Premier League announced in advance that the TV picks for February would be later than previously announced. Last month, the Premier League missed its own deadline and made absolutely no attempt to communicate with fans.
Fan groups, led by those at Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool, have been making the case that the Premier League must hit its deadlines if fans are going to be able to plan attendance, and that proper communication is important. The message on communication seems to have got through, with the announcement telling us that the progress of Premier League teams in UEFA competitions, plus the mid-season break, meant the announcement was being put back.
We’ll leave readers to make their own observations about why either of these factors would have come as a surprise to the Premier League.
5. November catering survey
Rachel Martin, THST Catering Lead, would like to thank everyone who completed our catering surveys this year. She has read all your feedback and has used this to shape the agenda for meetings with the Club and for ongoing conversations and visits. The catering leaders at THFC also read every one of your comments and are genuinely open to all ideas that will help to make the service world class, and in keeping with the stadium.
Here’s a summary of the feedback you have given:
Survey area |
Average score April 2019 |
Average score November 2019 |
Most popular food |
Pies, sausage rolls, burgers |
Pies, sausage rolls, burgers |
Quality of food |
7.7 |
7.9 |
Range of food |
7.2 |
7.2 |
Portion size |
7.9 |
8.1 |
Speed of food service |
5.9 |
7.4 |
Cost of food |
7.0 |
7.3 |
Most popular drink |
Draft beer, craft beer, softs |
Draft beer, craft beer, softs |
Quality of drink |
8.2 |
8.2 |
Range of drink |
7.7 |
7.8 |
Speed of drink service |
5.5 |
6.7 |
Cost of drink |
7.8 |
7.5 |
Survey area |
Satisfaction rating April 2019 |
Satisfaction rating November 2019 |
Choice of food available |
56% |
73% |
Choice of drink available |
58% |
78% |
Located water fountains |
48% |
48% |
Downloaded the app |
84% |
93% |
Located food / drink / dietary information on the app |
40% |
34% |
We’ve been in our new home for six months now and it is clear that many of the initial teething difficulties have been resolved, and that your satisfaction with the standard of service is generally high. In particular the range and quality of food and drink is considered to be very good indeed, the new coffee provider and the availability of hot drinks around the stadium are huge improvements, and the introduction of mobile hawkers around concourses and the beer only queues help to speed up service, as well as, of course, the uber-popular ‘chips on their own’ option. The availability of food and drink throughout the stadium opening hours has also improved significantly.
A few irritations remain however, not always directly within the remit of the catering team, such as the accessibility of dietary information on the official app, some inconsistencies in speed of service around the stadium, and the accessibility of child-friendly food in the family areas. We also continue our search for the elusive smoked salmon bagel.
We will continue to work with the Club on these areas and would also like to thank George Robertson and everyone in the catering team for their openness to feedback and a very positive and constructive working relationship.
The December survey is out now so please let us know of your experiences for the last month.
6. Y-Word consultation results: THST comment
THFC released the results of its survey on the so-called Y-Word earlier this month. We commented on the survey in our August newsletter. With the next stage of the consultation now in progress, our position is as follows.
“The Club is conducting a conversation among its own supporters about the use of the term. That conversation involves asking for a variety of points of view to be considered more widely, and asking for the effects of using the term to be considered.
We've always said any discussion needs to be conducted genuinely among our own supporters and agree with the Club that such a discussion needs to take place against a real commitment to tackle unambiguously anti-Semitic abuse.
We look forward to being part of that discussion.”
7. Cycle On You Spurs
Our team of cyclists, led by Board member Kevin Fitzgerald, are gearing up for the fifth consecutive year of participation in the annual London to Amsterdam bike ride to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, and awareness of the disease.
This year, the team will have a dedicated page on the Trust website to help with fundraising and awareness, and over the coming weeks and months we’ll be running regular stories about the people taking part and the issues raised.
New riders – and returning ones – are welcome as the team bids to be the biggest on the ride. Over the last four years more than £100,000 has been raised and many thousands made aware of how to fight prostate cancer. The COYS team wants to make this the biggest and best year yet. Please look out for the dedicated web page that will soon be up on our site and for regular updates from us and the team. Most of all, give us your support.
8. Members online forum update
Following our decision to go transmit only on social media, we’ve begun to look at developing a members’-only online forum to facilitate discussion on all things Trust-related. This involves looking at the right software, how to integrate the forum with our website, and how to moderate and manage the forum.
We’re hoping to launch soon after our AGM in February to provide a space for discussion and development of THST’s work and a benefit for paying members.
9. THST AGM 2020
Speaking of the AGM, this year’s will be held on Tuesday 11 February at CMS in Cannon Street, London. We will be opening up our AGM process on 3 January 2020, when the convening notice will be issued to eligible members (full or life members). Look out for an email to your inbox, and for the dedicated webpage on our site.
10. Planning for Bayern Munich away
The trip to Munich went off relatively well, off the pitch at least. We put out some advice alongside official Club information, and liaised with Club officials ahead of their planning trip. But once again, plans were changed with no explanation at the last moment. Fans were directed the opposite way out of the nearest station to the stadium to what had been said in the official advice, and the local police decided that phone chargers would not be allowed into the ground, again contrary to previous advice. Fans had to leave their chargers on the gates, and pay to get them back.
Inside the ground, it was not made clear that prices for soft drinks included a compulsory surcharge for cups, nor was it made clear or easy to implement the fact that the surcharge could be reclaimed if the cup was taken back. Fans were also not allowed to take any food or drink to their seats. A decision had been made in advance by the local police and Bayern Munich not to serve any alcohol in the away section at the Allianz Arena.
So not for the first time we’ve had to raise the issue of ‘fan experience’ at UEFA games, and urge the Club to push harder for UEFA to take these issues seriously. The Club has indicated a willingness to do this, not least because they are as fed up as we are at the late changes in agreed information and lack of willingness of local police forces to seriously engage. It threatens to undermine the validity of any advice given, which could have serious consequences, and it’s just not good enough on a basic customer service level.
As always, fans wishing to comment on their experience are urged to complete the FSE Away Fans Survey.
11. Watching Football is not a Crime
A crowdfunding appeal has been set up to support 44 Middlesbrough fans who were detained and issued with dispersal notices on their way to support their team at Derby in 2015. The fans were detained for six hours with no access to food or drink and denied access to toilets. The Derbyshire police force has issued no explanation as to why it acted as it did, and has used Public Interest Immunity to avoid having to provide an explanation.
Full details of the case can be found on the crowdfunding page, which has been launched to fund an action against the police on behalf of the fans. The appeal is backed by the Football Supporters' Association, which is increasingly worried at the abuse of dispersal powers by some police forces. A group of Bristol City fans recently reached an out of court settlement in a similar case. If the case is won and no fees are payable, all monies raised will go to the FSA to be held in reserve to support future legal actions on behalf of fans.
OTHER:
The Manchester City match (Sunday 2 February, kick-off 16:30) is also affected by Greater Anglia engineering works. The Club will be providing an update on this shortly, which will include additional locations for the Big Green Coach service. In the meantime, details on the engineering works can be found by selecting the 2 February here.
The Spurs Show holds regular, intimate events in Central London with ex-players and Club legends. These entertaining and informative nights are extremely popular with fans of all ages, are always well attended and have become a cornerstone of the Spurs social calendar.
Now’s your chance to be at all Spurs Show Live events for the coming season with your very own Spurs Show Live season ticket and, as a THST member, you’ll get a 20% discount! Full details are can be found here.
For any of Wingate and Finchley’s home matches, adults presenting a proof of membership of THST at the gates will gain entry for half price. That’s just £6. And any juniors under the age of 16 will be allowed in for FREE. For Senior Concessions (over 65) and Students (proof required for both), the charge is a modest £3. More information can be found here.
THST members are welcome at these matches. Keep an eye on Wingate & Finchley’s social media for latest news.
We’d like to clarify that this is not an exclusive arrangement with Wingate and Finchley, and should we be approached by other local teams with a similar offer, we’d be very happy to explore similar partnerships.
MEDIA:
TV/Radio/Podcast/Vlogger
BBC Sports News 3 December on Amazon Prime
Canal Plus 30 November v Bournemouth
Last Word on Spurs 19 December
THST Board
30 December 2019
For more exclusive and live updates follow us on our social media sites:
Twitter: @THSTOfficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/THSTOfficial
TO BECOME A TRUST MEMBER, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
A few irritations remain however, not always directly within the remit of the catering team, such as the accessibility of dietary information on the official app, some inconsistencies in speed of service around the stadium, and the accessibility of child-friendly food in the family areas. We also continue our search for the elusive smoked salmon bagel.
We will continue to work with the Club on these areas and would also like to thank George Robertson and everyone in the catering team for their openness to feedback and a very positive and constructive working relationship.
The December survey is out now so please let us know of your experiences for the last month.
6. Y-Word consultation results: THST comment
THFC released the results of its survey on the so-called Y-Word earlier this month. We commented on the survey in our August newsletter. With the next stage of the consultation now in progress, our position is as follows.
“The Club is conducting a conversation among its own supporters about the use of the term. That conversation involves asking for a variety of points of view to be considered more widely, and asking for the effects of using the term to be considered.
We've always said any discussion needs to be conducted genuinely among our own supporters and agree with the Club that such a discussion needs to take place against a real commitment to tackle unambiguously anti-Semitic abuse.
We look forward to being part of that discussion.”
7. Cycle On You Spurs
Our team of cyclists, led by Board member Kevin Fitzgerald, are gearing up for the fifth consecutive year of participation in the annual London to Amsterdam bike ride to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, and awareness of the disease.
This year, the team will have a dedicated page on the Trust website to help with fundraising and awareness, and over the coming weeks and months we’ll be running regular stories about the people taking part and the issues raised.
New riders – and returning ones – are welcome as the team bids to be the biggest on the ride. Over the last four years more than £100,000 has been raised and many thousands made aware of how to fight prostate cancer. The COYS team wants to make this the biggest and best year yet. Please look out for the dedicated web page that will soon be up on our site and for regular updates from us and the team. Most of all, give us your support.
8. Members online forum update
Following our decision to go transmit only on social media, we’ve begun to look at developing a members’-only online forum to facilitate discussion on all things Trust-related. This involves looking at the right software, how to integrate the forum with our website, and how to moderate and manage the forum.
We’re hoping to launch soon after our AGM in February to provide a space for discussion and development of THST’s work and a benefit for paying members.
9. THST AGM 2020
Speaking of the AGM, this year’s will be held on Tuesday 11 February at CMS in Cannon Street, London. We will be opening up our AGM process on 3 January 2020, when the convening notice will be issued to eligible members (full or life members). Look out for an email to your inbox, and for the dedicated webpage on our site.
10. Planning for Bayern Munich away
The trip to Munich went off relatively well, off the pitch at least. We put out some advice alongside official Club information, and liaised with Club officials ahead of their planning trip. But once again, plans were changed with no explanation at the last moment. Fans were directed the opposite way out of the nearest station to the stadium to what had been said in the official advice, and the local police decided that phone chargers would not be allowed into the ground, again contrary to previous advice. Fans had to leave their chargers on the gates, and pay to get them back.
Inside the ground, it was not made clear that prices for soft drinks included a compulsory surcharge for cups, nor was it made clear or easy to implement the fact that the surcharge could be reclaimed if the cup was taken back. Fans were also not allowed to take any food or drink to their seats. A decision had been made in advance by the local police and Bayern Munich not to serve any alcohol in the away section at the Allianz Arena.
So not for the first time we’ve had to raise the issue of ‘fan experience’ at UEFA games, and urge the Club to push harder for UEFA to take these issues seriously. The Club has indicated a willingness to do this, not least because they are as fed up as we are at the late changes in agreed information and lack of willingness of local police forces to seriously engage. It threatens to undermine the validity of any advice given, which could have serious consequences, and it’s just not good enough on a basic customer service level.
As always, fans wishing to comment on their experience are urged to complete the FSE Away Fans Survey.
11. Watching Football is not a Crime
A crowdfunding appeal has been set up to support 44 Middlesbrough fans who were detained and issued with dispersal notices on their way to support their team at Derby in 2015. The fans were detained for six hours with no access to food or drink and denied access to toilets. The Derbyshire police force has issued no explanation as to why it acted as it did, and has used Public Interest Immunity to avoid having to provide an explanation.
Full details of the case can be found on the crowdfunding page, which has been launched to fund an action against the police on behalf of the fans. The appeal is backed by the Football Supporters' Association, which is increasingly worried at the abuse of dispersal powers by some police forces. A group of Bristol City fans recently reached an out of court settlement in a similar case. If the case is won and no fees are payable, all monies raised will go to the FSA to be held in reserve to support future legal actions on behalf of fans.
OTHER:
- TRAVEL ADVICE FOR HOME GAMES v LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER CITY
The Manchester City match (Sunday 2 February, kick-off 16:30) is also affected by Greater Anglia engineering works. The Club will be providing an update on this shortly, which will include additional locations for the Big Green Coach service. In the meantime, details on the engineering works can be found by selecting the 2 February here.
- BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING: DECEMBER
- New trains are currently being tested on the Enfield and Cheshunt TfL overground lines and expected to be in use soon;
- Northbound queues at White Hart Lane station will not be divided for a while until alternative options are considered after the trial at the Sheffield United game;
- Restrictions on its licence means no drinking will be allowed outside the Bill Nicholson pub and an increased police presence will be in place following flash points with away fans heading to parked coaches on Tariff Road earlier this season;
- The Foundation’s work has been recognised with an award;
- No news on the proposed renaming of White Hart Lane station;
- Some of the temporary Major Event Day yellow traffic signs are to be replaced by permanent ones. They were temporary, awaiting a decision on the re-naming of the stadium. That now appears to be some way off.
- THE SPURS SHOW
The Spurs Show holds regular, intimate events in Central London with ex-players and Club legends. These entertaining and informative nights are extremely popular with fans of all ages, are always well attended and have become a cornerstone of the Spurs social calendar.
Now’s your chance to be at all Spurs Show Live events for the coming season with your very own Spurs Show Live season ticket and, as a THST member, you’ll get a 20% discount! Full details are can be found here.
- WINGATE AND FINCHLEY FC
For any of Wingate and Finchley’s home matches, adults presenting a proof of membership of THST at the gates will gain entry for half price. That’s just £6. And any juniors under the age of 16 will be allowed in for FREE. For Senior Concessions (over 65) and Students (proof required for both), the charge is a modest £3. More information can be found here.
THST members are welcome at these matches. Keep an eye on Wingate & Finchley’s social media for latest news.
We’d like to clarify that this is not an exclusive arrangement with Wingate and Finchley, and should we be approached by other local teams with a similar offer, we’d be very happy to explore similar partnerships.
- ZEELO COACH TRAVEL
- SECRET SPURS HISTORY WALK
MEDIA:
TV/Radio/Podcast/Vlogger
BBC Sports News 3 December on Amazon Prime
Canal Plus 30 November v Bournemouth
Last Word on Spurs 19 December
THST Board
30 December 2019
For more exclusive and live updates follow us on our social media sites:
Twitter: @THSTOfficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/THSTOfficial
TO BECOME A TRUST MEMBER, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
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