I was very suprised at what a 'normal blerk' Mr Fletchers sucsessor is. He just rang me to explain his descision on why the new seats had been allocated in the way they were. Very nice man..... But still didn't agree with the way they were dished out. After a 20 minute conversation, I reckon, I'll be in with a shout to get on the new fans commitee.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

Answers

But then again he should call you, after all you're our EL PRESIDENTE!!!!

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

So what was the explanation for the free-for-all?

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

The power will corrupt you Rik, first they've softened you up by giving you the seats you want, next you'll be on the fans committee, invited to meetings in the best part of the club, with free drinks to relax people, then there'll be invites to got to away games to see how the club treat the players, then there'll be the prostitutes, then you'll be creating "How the club has been misunderstood" web sites. Slippery slope here he comes

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

Free for all? Rik has supported them since he was about 3.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

I mean the ticket distribution free-for-all. Why the waiting list numbers meant nothing and it became a lottery.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

Ciara, It was because they had so many to post. It's true: the NUFC box office tell me this daily. 17,000 letters are alot of letters, you know ((-:They now admit that it was poor judgment to go for first come/first served after 6 July (cos it's not like it's holiday time or anything) and are trying to accommodate anyone still without a ticket (ie. persuade them to go into the Bar 1892 seats). When I spoke to them yesterday, they claimed they were dealing with the applications that they received on 18 July (the day before some of us even received our letters).

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2000

Rik's as bent as they come....I certainly wouldn't want him representing me on any fans committee, remember it was only a couple of weeks ago that he was gonna sell out and become a mackem....

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Come the glorious day Gav, you'll be the first one to have your season ticket revoked....

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

See what I mean....he's off on his little dictator trip already...

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

The explanation was that they had to wait for ther SOS jugment to see what seats they had to sell. After that he decided to post out the first 1,500 applications, then wait for replies before sending out any more then send out 1,500 more. This was the plan but he reckoned that if they had continued with this then they would have run out of time, and would nave been inundated with people asking where there application form was. So they just sent out the remaining 14,000 presuming that they had already catered for those on the list for many years. Later into it I got the impression that it was the conect club people that got the first choice, the club just presumed that they had been on the list for the longest and didn't realise that there were a lot (like me) that were pre conect club. On other issues, he kept saying that he had just been given this job and that there are lots of issues to fix in relation to PR with the fans. From what I can gather I don't think this Rogan Taylor chap and himself see eye to eye, and I can't see him (taylor) beeing at the club for very long. Expect to see a proffesional PR company coming in to try to bridge the gap between club and fans. As I said earlier, he came accross very well and took my critisms and suggestions on board.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Rik - you will still speak to us when you are voted onto the Board of Directors - won`t you! (;o)

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

His explaination sounds a bit wet to me, how else would a fan not on the list as long as me get his application 2 weeks ahead of me.
Still, at least they recognise there was a problem, I just hope my seat lives up to my expectations.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Do we have to bow and curtsey is Riks presence now then? :o)

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Roz, of course I'll still communicate with you when I'm on the board, You will have to go through my private secretary though. And Jay, don't be silly, no need to bow or courtsey, Just refer to me as SIR.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Check your spelling Rik. That should be CUR. :-))

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

My manifesto.(part one). I think that the club needs to get closer to the fans. In my opinion the best way for the club to do this would be to utilise the internet by starting a fans/club forum. The way it work work would be , everynight someone from the club would go online and answer questions from the fans.Newcastle have around 40 first team players, and probably a similar amount of youth team players. then there is the coaching staff and club officials. all in all there must be 120 or more people that could take it in turns to go online. I am sure 3 hours one night every 3 months wouldn't be much to ask from NUFC employees. I would think the site would be a great hit with fans, so much so that the club could probably sell quite a bit of advertising space.Lets face it if we had the chance to ask Shearer, Bobby Robson or even reserve keeper john Karelse a few questions each night , it would be hard not to log on.... Waddya reckon?

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

yes SIR! Saluting all the way!

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Great idea Rik, but it`ll never happen. I`ll buy you a drink if it does though! (:o)

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

It happens on the Arsenal site. They all went mad when Lee Dixon was on but he didn't answer my question about, "What kind of a big poof falls over when handbagged by a jessie like David Ginola?" Must have hit a nerve.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

What about protecting the birthright and making sure that bairns get a chance to get to games?

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Hmph. Well I still haven't gotten my letter. Not that it matters as I've been sorted anyway thanks to Steph. :-))) Interesting remarks otherwise. I guess only time will tell if this guy is really committed to changing things for the better.

Like your idea for online chats! I'd be happy to be a typist for them. Just let us know when you've taken over, Rik! :-)

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

It seems Connest Club got their applications first cos I know a few folk who got them before there was any mention of anyone on the waiting list getting one. Still think they could have organised it better, eg, put a big 1 on the first 1500, a 2 on the next batch and so on so they could sort them out as they came in.

Also can't see what Rogan Taylor is doing for his dosh (must be on a nice consultancy fee?). Won't look at the SOS and has taken months to decide a fans committee would be a good idea.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Ciara - they probably sent it with a first class stamp. It;s probably on a baot in the middle of the Atlantic as we speak..

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Re Rogan T.. There has been meetings between groups of fans etc.
He has met SOS reps and was reportedly shocked by their truculence and animosity.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Appli cable?

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

Dougal

>>What about protecting the birthright and making sure that bairns get a chance to get to games<<

Supporting NUFC isn't a birthright - more a birth duty?

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000