[Archived] Gillingham complaints.

[arbitro]

I think it is worth starting a thread specifically to deal with and share information relating to the postponed match at Gillingham. I saw that several posters have already written to the EFL outlining their grievances. I too have emailed the EFL and intend to involve the Football Ombudsman if I don't get satisfaction from them.

Edit: Just seen the from Warnock.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11704/11295461/cardiff-boss-neil-warnock-describes-derby-postponement-a-disgrace

[Cherry Blue]

I keep checking the press,  including LT,  for comments from Rovers' Management but can't see anything as yet.

Credit to Warnock for saying it as it is.

[Oldgregg86]

Anyone know when the replay will be announced so I can't start re arranging my life and using more holidays at work to hopefully attend

[JHRover]

Very disappointing that as yet there has been absolutely no response from Rovers other than a short statement confirming that the game had been postponed. 

I expect someone in a senior position - Waggott, Cheston or Silvestre - to make a statement about this setting out their understanding of what happened and why and what, if anything, they plan on doing about it.

Sadly I don't expect we will. We'll get Mowbray giving his opinion and a designated player offering sympathies and disappointment.

This needs a thorough investigation and further action.

[MarkBRFC]

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Very disappointing that as yet there has been absolutely no response from Rovers other than a short statement confirming that the game had been postponed. 

I expect someone in a senior position - Waggott, Cheston or Silvestre - to make a statement about this setting out their understanding of what happened and why and what, if anything, they plan on doing about it.

Sadly I don't expect we will. We'll get Mowbray giving his opinion and a designated player offering sympathies and disappointment.

This needs a thorough investigation and further action.

Thats exactly what will happen, Elliott Bennett being the player no doubt.

Something to be discussed at the next fans forum perhaps?

[FGS5635]

The pitch was covered because they saw the forecast. So why wasn't the away end covered or heavily gritted. Not hard is it

[JHRover]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

 

Something to be discussed at the next fans forum perhaps?

No, this needs dealing with immediately by the executive staff. This isn't a playing staff issue and they are powerless do deal with it except to ensure they get the 3 points in the replayed game. I don't want to hear Bennett or A N Other offering sympathies and frustrations, I want to hear what happened and what is going to happen.

By the time the next forum comes around the momentum will be lost and this episode consigned to the history books. I'm also doubtful as to how much the forum actually achieves as very little actually appears to occur from those meetings except promises to 'look into' things.

 

[Stuart]

http://fanbanter.co.uk/club-make-great-gesture-to-fan-who-travelled-5500-miles-to-find-game-called-off-2/

Too busy in gimmicks to worry about the 1000 die hards just yet.

Free transport for the rearranged fixture is the least they could do.

[JacknOry]

They should be refunding the travel for all of our supporters. I grew up in Kent and these guys were like a second team to me but the way they have handled this has left me disgusted. I pity the guy that came from the US of course but it aint cheap to travel down in a train for nothing. Compensation needs to be nhanded out.

[Mike E]

Gillingham should refund, but honour, every ticket, pay for travel, and lay on a free pie and pint for every fan.

More to the point, our club should be sticking up for us!

[Vinjay]

3 hours ago, Stuart said:

http://fanbanter.co.uk/club-make-great-gesture-to-fan-who-travelled-5500-miles-to-find-game-called-off-2/

Too busy in gimmicks to worry about the 1000 die hards just yet.

Free transport for the rearranged fixture is the least they could do.

That's what you get when you say Venkys are best owners in EFL and Jack would be proud.  Oh and did he travel from LA can't remember him mentioning it even once!

I said yesterday that the club should have condemned Gillingham FC and threatened legal action but was accused of "waffling". Elsewhere Thenodrog and Al said that it was good because of Danny Graham's injury. Lack of regard not just from Gillingham and Rovers but even from other fans.

As for Warnock he's right as well.

 

[tomphil]

4 hours ago, JHRover said:

Very disappointing that as yet there has been absolutely no response from Rovers other than a short statement confirming that the game had been postponed. 

I expect someone in a senior position - Waggott, Cheston or Silvestre - to make a statement about this setting out their understanding of what happened and why and what, if anything, they plan on doing about it.

Sadly I don't expect we will. We'll get Mowbray giving his opinion and a designated player offering sympathies and disappointment.

This needs a thorough investigation and further action.

They'll be too busy with whatever it is they do before coming in to work on Mon or Tues and staring blankly at each other then phoning India to ask them what they should do

Time for Waggot to stand up and be counted !

[Rover_Shaun]

Warnock at least has some balls compared to the Lilly livered silence from Mowbray

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43450852?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

[scotchrover]

9 hours ago, Rover_Shaun said:

Warnock at least has some balls compared to the Lilly livered silence from Mowbray

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43450852?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_match_of_the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

Mowbray’s always quite reserved  when it comes down to opinions in the press though, of the league or their officials. I can’t remember the last time he was critical of a ref. Really, it should be someone from higher up. 

[AllRoverAsia]

Meanwhile it is still early Monday UK time so give them a chance to open the Ewood offices, read their mail and social media and I hope they are inundated with complaints and calls for action.

I do not want to hear from Mowbray on this, it is a job for Waggott.

Something very odd occurred at Priestfield on Saturday.

Edit: it would however be interesting to know exactly where the Rovers team was when the postponement was announced. I am not suggesting anything, just nosey.

[JHRover]

If we take the away travel coaches as the 'benchmark' for the journey they were at Watford Gap services when the news filtered through, and were nearly 3.5 hours into their journey when the decision was made. Too late, and the majority probably set off before that.

As usual note how the Rovers have referred to the decision 'on the advice of' the 'club officials' and 'safety advisory group', however Gillingham refer to an inspection by the referee and the club/referee/police making the decision to postpone the game.

So which was it? The clubs acting on the advice of the mysterious 'officials' and 'advisory group' or Gillingham/referee/police deciding it was off?

This is deliberate - refusing to identify exactly who made the decision and when, spreading responsibility around a number of groups so as to avoid it being pinned on one party.

 

[Parsonblue]

Just now, JHRover said:

If we take the away travel coaches as the 'benchmark' for the journey they were at Watford Gap services when the news filtered through, and were nearly 3.5 hours into their journey when the decision was made. Too late, and the majority probably set off before that.

As usual note how the Rovers have referred to the decision 'on the advice of' the 'club officials' and 'safety advisory group', however Gillingham refer to an inspection by the referee and the club/referee/police making the decision to postpone the game.

So which was it? The clubs acting on the advice of the mysterious 'officials' and 'advisory group' or Gillingham/referee/police deciding it was off?

This is deliberate - refusing to identify exactly who made the decision and when, spreading responsibility around a number of groups so as to avoid it being pinned on one party.

 

Similar to the Derby game yesterday when the decision was made after discussions Derby County had with the Police and the local Safety Advisory Group.   It would appear most towns/cities have one of these groups to advise emergency services on health and safety issues.  I suspect once a Health & Safety body make a recommendation nobody is going to go against it.  Certainly the Football League supported the decision made a Derby yesterday which would seem to have been made in similar circumstances to the one at Gillingham.  My issue with the decision on Saturday was how late it was left.  Derby's game was called off early morning not nearing lunch time.   

[only2garners]

Every football club will liaise with its local Safety Advisory Group - I know Rovers do. As Parsonblue says it will be a brave football official who makes a decision against their advice.

PB - bear in mind the Derby game kick-off was 12pm, not 3pm. I don't know what time their game was called off but I'd be surprised if many Cardiff fans had not already set off, although they may have been more alert to the possibility of a postponement, as the weather was generally worse on Sunday morning with plenty of snow around.

[arbitro]

51 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Similar to the Derby game yesterday when the decision was made after discussions Derby County had with the Police and the local Safety Advisory Group.   It would appear most towns/cities have one of these groups to advise emergency services on health and safety issues.  I suspect once a Health & Safety body make a recommendation nobody is going to go against it.  Certainly the Football League supported the decision made a Derby yesterday which would seem to have been made in similar circumstances to the one at Gillingham.  My issue with the decision on Saturday was how late it was left.  Derby's game was called off early morning not nearing lunch time.   

Very much my thoughts. In my email to the EFL I have stressed I didn't have an issue with the game being off but the timing of the postponement. I have asked why Gillingham couldn't have proceeded with their request for help but instead of clearing the pitch (which we are told wasn't a problem) put the resource into clearing the terraces. 

The whole fiasco needs to be investigated without prejudice by the EFL and the facts published for everybody who was affected to see and then decide what our options are. Equally I would like to see somebody in authority at Ewood to support our grievances.

[G Somerset Rover]

Rowett referencing if they could get away without playing the match a couple of days before says all you need to know for me. Very likely the same with the Gills' due to the bug doing the rounds there. The philosophy of 'if we can get away with it, then let's give it a damn good go'. Hopefully it will just fire our lads up even more when we finally get to play the match.

[JHRover]

The statement on Gillingham's website makes no mention of the Safety Advisory Group. They say that the referee deemed the pitch playable, but that the club, referee and police then decided there was a health and safety concern for supporters and so called the game off. No specific reference to the away terrace being the issue, instead they say that as further poor weather was forecast and that 'conditions following the game may have made travel dangerous', suggesting therefore that it was the anticipated conditions later on in the day and the difficulties in travelling that they had in mind.

Lots of inconsistencies here.

If Gillingham's away end becomes dangerous for supporters when wet they should be held accountable. I also refuse to accept that arrangements couldn't have been made to accommodate 1200 away fans in a different area of the stadium. For example, the small Gordon Road stand, which runs along one side  of the pitch, has a capacity of more than 2,500. They sometimes put smaller away followings in this stand when the weather is bad. I'm sure with some logical thinking whatever home support is usually in there could have been moved or condensed and then half of that stand opened to away fans.

 

 

[JHRover]

Quick check on Rovers website.

Since the announcement that the game had been postponed we've had:

• Ticket update for MK Dons
• Pre-prepared interview with Charlie Mulgrew
• Confirmation that Lenihan and Williams have made the cut for the Irish squad
• Something about the EFL 'Day of Action'
• Pre-prepared comments from Mowbray about Dack/Graham partnership
• Ticket update for Bradford
• Update on how loan players got on at their clubs over the weekend.

Not a word from the club about the events of Saturday.

On twitter they've found time to advertise stadium tours, the schoolboys cup final and more stuff about the community trust, yet no comment from the club about what happened on Saturday.

Really disappointing to see. I think they need to get their priorities sorted out and address this issue in the interests of their supporters who travel the length of the country who have been massively inconvenienced here.

[arbitro]

I have written to Steve Waggott and copied him the email I sent to the EFL outlining the grievances. I have also put in the email that I am disappointed with the lack of a formal response from the club regarding Gillinghams mismanagement and almost contemptuous manner in which we have been treated. It's almost as if Rovers are abdicating their responsibilities with their deafening silence.

I will put his and the EFL's replies on here (if I get any).

[den9112]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I have written to Steve Waggott and copied him the email I sent to the EFL outlining the grievances. I have also put in the email that I am disappointed with the lack of a formal response from the club regarding Gillinghams mismanagement and almost contemptuous manner in which we have been treated. It's almost as if Rovers are abdicating their responsibilities with their deafening silence.

I will put his and the EFL's replies on here (if I get any).

Cant find waggots email ..did you get it from the rovers website .

I have contacted EFL last night ,not heard anything to date.

Just contacted the club as well ...i can live with the postpoment but i felt for my two nephews i had in the car with me as they were well fed up of having to extend there already 4 .5 hours journey ,only to turn around and do it again ...The more i think about the day the more i am annoyed ,hence my complaints ,,i know its not the end of the world but if my complaint helps any issues in the future to be dealt with a lot better then i will do it .

 

[arbitro]

Just now, den9112 said:

Cant find waggots email ..did you get it from the rovers website .

I have contacted EFL last night ,not heard anything to date

 

I used swaggott@rovers.co.uk to email him direct.

The more people that write to him and the EFL will give them a better idea of the strength of feeling.