New policy in Y26

[Shane Long=Legend]

Is clive doyle the steward who stands around in the tunnel of y26 with chief safety officer or something on his jacket?

A lot of people seem to get a lot of satsifaction in shaking his hand and saying hello, usually rowdy individuals.

I would be more than happy to bring this to his attention if STAR don't.

Yes he hangs around that area like most of the stewards that want to kill the game of any atmosphere

[rfcjoe]

I know Clive and he aint a bad bloke (ony if you know him of course) He is aboot 7 ft tall though!

[Greatwesternline]

I may get slagge doff for this, but if i'm not sitting in Y26, Y25, Y24 i tend to find the home games a little boring. I tried to buy a ticket for Derby maybe 3 days before, no seats available in any of these blocks, sat in Y19 where no one sung, kids everywhere not watching the game, now don't get me wrong, i dont mind kids being at Reading games, the future etc, but they wont want me sitting with them, as my singing did no go down that well amongst the people around me, and i dont want to sit with them for the same reason, we need more singing at Madejski, only way to achieve this is to get singers together.
only way this can be done is to keep y26 open, my brpother has all ready said he wont go if he cant sit in 26,25, the club ARE losing money even if the numbers arent substancial enough to notice it.

STAR this is a real issue that concerns a fair few people i know who are considering only going to away games now, the atmosphere in those stands adds up to at least 50% of the reason many of us go. SIMPLE

[Shane Long=Legend]

Y26 obviously has the best atmosphere in the stadium (i've sat near the drummer in the North stand corner and that to me is just annoying) and hence why people like clive doyle dont want people sitting there- they want to kill the atmosphere and have quiet people who sit on their hands- Mr Doyle has admitted as much in the past as well.

[STAR Voice]

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=82042&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[RoyalBlue]

Thanks, the PM is still in the outbox! Not sure why...

I appreciate what rfc are trying to achieve, but such sudden change in policy, mid-season without public notice, 10 years after the stadiums opened, is somewhat strange. Also their reluctance to help me out in any way, disappoints, but does not surprise...

Would you expect them to run the stadium in exactly the same way today as they did 10 years ago ?

They won't have taken this step just for fun, it's dealing with what is seen as an issue.
.

Once again with a massive great sledgehammer, crushing normal football nuts because of relatively minor misdemeanours by a very small minority. And at the same time they keep coming up with every excuse under the sun as to why they can't deal effectively with misconduct amongst away fans, including persistent standing.

Funny how they seem quite able to hoik ' potential trouble makers' out from other areas of the stadium, courtesy of their sophisticated CCTV system but can't deal with those who might make the odd gesture from Y26.

Just how much trouble has originated from Y26? How often do the tangos, let alone the police have to intervene as a consequence of what goes on there? Is the draconian step of a neutral buffer zone really needed? If so, I trust it will still be maintained when the Mad Stad starts to sell out again or, faced with the potential loss of income, will the club suddenly decide to downgrade the security/safety risk?

Finally, the club say they want vocal support/noise/atmosphere but then dilute one of the areas from which that orginates.

[rabidbee]

Excluding Hungary in 1956, the creation of a buffer zone is hardly a "draconian" step.

[STAR Liaison]

Has anyone actally contacted the club about this?

Spoken to Customer Services - over phone - i've asked Star to talk to the club.... STAR, any joy?

Sorry have not had the time yet work and hosptial appointments last week and this have made spare time in the normal working day at a premium but should soon get a chance. From what I have heard though it is the Licencing authority (RBC and FLA) that are behind the reason for the change and so a solution will have to take their objectives into account. It may seem to those who are in Y26 that nothing bad has happened but it would seem that the people who have the power disagree.

As STAR Campaigns has put on another thread, we do need to have emails from you all to complain with evidence. M U R T Y has done this and we thank him for that, but if this really does bother you then please take just a few moments to mail us at info@star-reading.org rather than assuming that someone else will do it for you.

[Jerry St Clair]

Sorry have not had the time yet work and hosptial appointments last week and this have made spare time in the normal working day at a premium but should soon get a chance. From what I have heard though it is the Licencing authority (RBC and FLA) that are behind the reason for the change and so a solution will have to take their objectives into account. It may seem to those who are in Y26 that nothing bad has happened but it would seem that the people who have the power disagree.

Persistent standing then?

FWIW, if a meeting were arranged with the FLA and/or RBC I'd be delighted to attend if I'm available.

EDIT: email sent to STAR.

[royal goof]

I'm not sure what this policy is trying to achieve.. Seats taped up, checking member cards when i want to go for a wee.....

There has been no trouble whatsoever in this area for as long as I can remember. And the only trouble is caused by the over zealous stewarding of enforcing the no standing rule. Even the standing hasn't really been a problem this season though. They must be trying to think up new things to keep them occupied!

I am a season ticket holder and have spare seats around me that my friends and family can use when they are able to attend a game. This latest policy means they can't use those seats so instead of coming to the game and sitting elsewhere they WON'T COME - nice one RFC - lets do everything we can to stop people coming to the games and even if they do come stop them enjoying themselves.

And the attitude of the senior staff at RFC whenever there is an issue like this is always unhelpful, unsympathetic and dismissive.

STAR - please follow this up on behalf of the supporters - you're voice should be louder than us 'inconvienient' single fans.

EDIT - email on it's way, thanks

[Shane Long=Legend]

Fair play to STAR and its efforts, but somehow I dont think anyone will give a sh*t what people like me say and therefore i wont make the effort, just wait for my inevitable banning

[AlexY25]

Emailed.
Can't they just change y26 to a singing area or something like that. Like they do at bolton. Just an idea.
Just don't want y26 to be completely unused.

[St Pauli]

Emailed, would also love to attend any meeting with RBC and the FLA, please notify us of any of these and if its possible to come along.

[Big Foot]

Emailed.
Can't they just change y26 to a singing area or something like that. Like they do at bolton. Just an idea.
Just don't want y26 to be completely unused.

Anything that involves us copying Bolton should be scrapped with immediate effect and no records recorded of it.

Stupid mongs up there don't even known what a barm is.

[Winchester Royal]

I know Clive and he aint a bad bloke (ony if you know him of course) He is aboot 7 ft tall though!

I don't care whether he's a good bloke or a bad bloke, I'd rather have somebody in charge who shared the desires of the fans and did whatever they could within the regulations to accomodate them.

At the moment the club is run by people who have a vision to accomodate fans that they haven't attracted yet.

Don't kill your existing customer base!

I'd advise people to contact the club on customerservice@readingfc.co.uk, where you will be fobbed off with comments about safety concerns.... Wasn't a problem when we were selling out every game, was it?

[STAR Liaison]

Has anyone know of the best person to contact at the club regarding this? Is Clive Doyle the Chief Safety Officer? Who runs Customer Services?

Clive Doyle is the safety officer, and Jackie Evans is in charge of customer services.

FYI Clive Doyle is not a steward and is usually found in the control room so you may or may not see him around the ground, but he will control the stewards from what he sees on the CCTV. Clive Goddard is the steward who is tall and everyone remembers from Elm Park.

[M U R T Y]

So if i'm not happy with the customer service received from Jackie Evans, who did I complain to?

[Dirk Gently]

So if i'm not happy with the customer service received from Jackie Evans, who did I complain to?

If you actually want a serious answer to that question, it's that you complain to the Independent Football Ombudsman - their website http://www.theifo.co.uk/ isn't terribly useful yet as they're just taking over this role from the Independent Football Commission. But their contact details are there.

Before a supporter's complaint can be referred to the IFO they need to have exhausted all avenues of complain with the club or football authority in question.

[The 17 Bus]

Anyone could of course write to the Chairman of RFC, whoever he is.

[Winchester Royal]

So if i'm not happy with the customer service received from Jackie Evans, who did I complain to?

God?