arbitro

I wrote on Thursday and whilst I didn't demand a refund personally I wrote that there should have been options. I sent it to Lynsey Talbot and got a reply that she had forwarded it to the Commercial Department. I subsequently asked her for a specific name of who I should deal with. A friend sent an email marked FAO Waggott and got a reply from a lady (Waggotts PA?) who pretty much said that everybody was busy sorting out iFollow and he would get a response later.

Leeds are doing the same and calling them 'crowdies'. The big difference between them and us is that it's an option to take in lieu of missing games having paid for them. Haven't we had several cardboard cutouts on the pitch for us recently though ???.

Barnsley, Birmingham and Bristol City have offered options rather than just watching on iFollow. It appears Preston and Reading treat their fans with the same disrespect that Rovers do.

What a refreshing article of honesty and written with some feeling. That somebody has actually put a name to it is also refreshing. I wonder who actually penned our communication. It is cold and unfeeling.

Check the Wigan, Barnsley and Derby websites. And I'm sure there are more who are offering different options rather than our one item agenda.

I heard this morning of a long standing Rovers can who very rarely misses a game and is self isolating due to a medical condition. He has never owned a computer and probably wouldn't know how to switch one on. He lives alone and with self isolating there is no chance he can watch Rovers on iFollow anywhere. The assumption Rovers have made is that one size fits and it is completely wrong and almost discriminatory. They have taken a lazy approach to this which sadly seems to be the norm in the last decade.

I don't disagree with your general point about the mindset but for the sake of a five minute email I think it might be worth the bother. My feeling is that if the powers that be can understand the depth of feeling they might change their minds about how they are going about this.

I have emailed Lynsey Talbot outlining my concerns and worries of the long term damage the statement yesterday could do. I have had a reply to tell me if has been forwarded to the Commercial Department. I also sent links to three other Championship clubs websites who ARE offering refunds. I would urge anybody who is aggrieved by this to email the club. They have to understand the depth of feeling.

I think you are right but that in itself isn't a level playing field as a good few clubs are in receipt of parachute payments which could well influence their decision to bring FFP in and give the club's with larger incomes an advantage.

That might be the case but if Smallwood plays beyond June 30th he will have to have a new deal albeit short term. And that will add insult to injury in light of the clubs absolute reluctance to offer refunds to season ticket holders for missed games.

I'm sure there was no appeal. The challenge was a shocker and appealing could have been deemed frivolous and resulted in an extra game

At the Supporter Meeting I'm sure Cheston said we would be FFP compliant. A lot has happened since then but surely the possibility of going over the threshold doesn't depend on giving refunds.

It's probably been forgotten as it was a while ago but Buckley is suspended for the next three games after his red card at Derby. But playing Smallwood is a strange decision. Maybe he will get a new short term deal.

FFP didn't bother the owners when we were spending £12m on two duds or giving Mulgrew a new three year deal or paying Gladwin to use our facilities. I could go on about squandered money but now, because the club has once again made a mess of something simple the supporters are going to be the ones who tip us over the P&S cliff. Are they trying to put anybody who wants a refund on a guilt trip? The senior management, even with their deferrals or deductions will be on significantly more money that the vast majority of fans. And you know what, they don't even pay to watch the games like we do. As I said earlier I was happy to forsake my money and I'm not interested in watching football on a laptop but I won't be taken for granted by the club.

If that's true then they should just say that. Personally I don't believe it. We have extremely wealthy owners and players who don't play on mega money not too mention Waggotts handsome salary. I would have forsaken the refund for the two season tickets I pay for until I saw the communication today. To play the sympathy card to try and keep people's money is a low blow. It's almost like they are forgetting that some fans have been on a reduced income for three months and in some cases list their jobs. I will be writing to the club tomorrow asking for a refund.

Smallwood and Mulgrew got some game time today against Liverpool. Very strange.

You should email Waggott and let him know why you won't be buying a season ticket when they are on sale again. The more people that write to him to raise objections and point out the potential consequences the better. The best email address is ltalbot@rovers.co.uk . Lynsey is the Supporter Liaison Manager. You could mark it fao Steve Waggott.

The home advantage of BCD football worked well there ??.

I might be being a bit thick here but can you show me specifically where it says there is a refund for anybody who wants one? I read it as the opposite to that. They are actually asking fans not to request refunds. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2020/june/rovers-provide-further-update-on-streaming-service/

I'm sure they will hide behind P&S. I have paid up front for a product I am not going to receive. In any other industry that would entitle me to a refund or partial refund (unless Force Majeure is included in the terms and conditions) which is covered under your consumer rights. I don't want to watch ifollow and would have happily just given over the money or taken another option which other clubs are offering. I am that irked by the one agenda message to make me feel guilty about asking for a refund that I may well ask for a refund and donate it to the Community Trust.I Once again Rovers aren't covering themselves in glory here.

But isn't that just typical of the current incumbents in power at our club. They have known about the Championship starting for several weeks now so bad plenty of time to put out the options to loyal supporters but instead they put out a statement essentially saying take the ifollow option or tough. This is a really delicate time for football clubs with regard to their fan base and Rovers have just peed off many of them in one fell swoop. Well done Waggott.

I read the article and didn't read anything that clearly said refunds. I don't want to watch ifollow and if Waggott had put several options on the table I would have said to them just keep the money. What is wrong in my view is Waggott taking advantage of us.

I knew they would play the skint card and try and garner sympathy. Don't we have wealthy owners? If they offered different solutions like Derby did I would have probably just let them have my cash but the Hobsons Choice they have offered is unacceptable to me.

I saw Sitting in Limbo on BBC 1 last night and really enjoyed it. It was about the Windrush scandal and How appallingly had people were treated. How on earth the likes of May can sleep at night is frightening.

Sky originally had our game against Leeds scheduled for live coverage but in todays schedule it isn't. I think the tv fee is £100k for home teams and this, coupled with the lost revenue from Leeds ticket sales would total around £300k.