Welcome to BST’s monthly update. As ever we have had a busy time since our last article and the pace is not going to slacken any time soon.
This article is written the day after fan groups met with the club as part of the “Structured Dialogue” process prescribed by the EFL. These meetings are a good chance for fans to quiz senior officials at the club on a range of issues and last night we were able to talk in depth about ground re-development, ticketing and pricing, transfer policy and facilities for disabled supporters - amongst other things.
BST puts a lot of work into these meetings ; collating queries from our Members, identifying issues of concern of our own and - crucially - liaising with the club’s Supporters Liaison Officer after the meeting to make sure that any actions agreed are carried out and that any questions NOT asked on the night get followed up.
We are also about to enter one of our busiest periods of the year, when we hold our AGM and our own elections to the Committee. This year’s AGM will take place on 5 November in the Armfield Club, kicking off at 11 a.m. You don’t have to be a Member to attend, senior people from the club will be joining us, as will at least one of our local MP’s. They will take questions in what is is a once yearly opportunity to watch our democratic process in action. Do join us if you can.
Also happening this week is the pre-meeting between fans groups, clubs and the Police to discuss how the upcoming game with Preston will be managed, from a public order and safety point of view. These issues always matter a good deal to all concerned, but given the problems arising out of both games last season, seem especially important this time around. BST will be represented at the meeting, and after being very candid in our views about how the matches were policed last season we are hopeful that everybody involved - including both sets of supporters - will be able to deliver a peaceful occasion this time around.
Our efforts on the national stage continue unabated. We have written many times about how important it will be to enact all the main points of the fan-led review of football ; it was therefore concerning that the change of Prime Minister led immediately to Press speculation about how committed the new regime are to carrying this policy forward.
The feedback since has been much more promising. Our very own Christine Seddon recently attended a meeting with the new Minister for Sport (Stuart Andrew), at which she and other delegates from the Football Supporters Association impressed upon the Minister how vital it is to have widespread reform of the game. Pleasingly, he confirmed that work in his Department on the White Paper continues and we hope to see it before the end of 2022.
To that end, we have recently written to all five MP’s on the Fylde Coast to ask them to lobby for this cause within Westminster, and have had a very positive response from them. The pressure for change will continue, and BST will play a full part in it.
All in all, a busy month just gone and another one ahead of us. If you want to be part of it, why not join BST ?
Just contact us at memberships@blackpoolsupporterstrsust.com , we are always pleased to welcome new blood.
BST
