Loyal Luton Supporters Club - Luton Town FC

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Wednesday, 03 September 2008

What is it that Guinness advert proclaims? "All good things come to those who wait". Well the Footballing Authorities may not have to wait too much longer until their transition of the game is complete. To rid the game of the bad and populate it only with the good. No more rowdy behaviour, no more rebels of society daring to stand up and make their feelings known, no more problems.

Their ideals consist of fans turning up every week, queuing to gain entry in an orderly fashion, having booked their tickets 3 months in advance. Entering the stadium and taking their seats, rising only to applaud goals where they dance along to carefully selected music over the PA, before clearing up their litter and disappearing into the countryside until the following weekend. No hassle, no passion, no noise.

"They'll only miss us once we've gone"

As the game I know and love becomes more diluted by the passing year, I often wonder just when the breaking point will come. When will those authorised with sanitising our game realise the error of their ways? Or can they not actually see that they are breaking the very foundations of what has made this sport a success? Pound signs blur their vision, seen all too often in every walk of life. Greed takes over, people want more. They've exhausted the Premier League "brand" and now have visions of taking it further afield; the infamous "Game 39". Translated to you and me, meaning they have milked pretty much every penny they can from the "consumers" in this country, and now want to tap into the pockets of those football hungry consumers overseas. All in the name of expanding the pockets of the shareholders, players and governing bodies of our sport. Our sport, not theirs.

If I rewind 7 or 8 years; I'm leaving the house on a matchday and making my way to Anfield. There was no need to ring around in the morning; I'd just turn up and walk into one of two or three pubs around the ground, and would bump into people I knew. You knew where everyone would drink, and had done for years. The same faces, the people that made this club what it is. I can pop my head into those same pubs now, and I wouldn't recognise a soul. Those long standing supporters have now all but disappeared, replaced by families from all over, decked out in official replica sportswear and taking pictures of anything that moves. There's a smaller crowd of us left and tend to keep out of the way. We don't conform. Those areas around the ground have now been taken over by the new brigade, while the old guard retreat to pastures further afield.

Year after year, more and more people are dropping away. There's still a hardcore of a few hundred that travel everywhere. There's still thousands that go to every home game just like they always have. But it's becoming harder and harder for these people to carry on. Supporters being replaced by consumers. Participants being replaced by spectators. Just how much higher can the bar be raised by the controlling bodies before they've pushed away everyone that gave the game it's appeal in the first place? What happens when the passion disappears for good? You can't manufacture passion, no matter how hard some clubs try.

They have mascots running up and down the touchline trying to encourage the fans. At Bolton they play "I feel good" when they score, with two young lads running the length of the pitch with big flags. Music played after goals is now commonplace, as if fans don't know how to celebrate a goal by themselves. Is it because they realise the passion is dead and are trying to hang onto a small semblence of it? Or is it aimed at manufacturing a friendly atmosphere to suit their agenda?

Manufactured support; I can't think of anything worse. Handing out those clappers seems to be the next step this season, with the whole of St.Andrews clapping along with them before their opening game. This in a ground that used to be known as one of the most passionate and hostile in football; now transformed into a childrens play ground with everybody doing as they are told. Sat down and singing what the club want them to sing, and clapping when they want them to clap. So sad. Ticket prices on the increase there every season, and a ground I now refuse to visit. £40 for an away ticket some 4 years ago. No thanks. It doesn't take a genius to work out why they barely fill half of that ground any more.

Newcastle had their lowest league attendance for nearly a decade at the weekend, with cash turnstiles in operation, entry for £10 if you bought a replica shirt and other such promotions, but still had thousands of empty seats. Manchester United have been contacting everybody on their mailing lists trying to push season ticket sales again this summer. Whereas Old Trafford used to be like Fort Knox when it came to getting in, they're now closer to resembling one of the happy hour bars in Benidorm, with teenagers stood outside handing out cards with promotional offers to encourage trade. What was once a closed shop, is now opening it's doors and trying to drag people in off the streets.

Is the football bubble about to burst? I hope so.

On Monday night, Portsmouth's most famous fan, the bell ringer with the blue hair, or less commonly known as "John", was approached by the ground staff at Fratton Park and asked to keep the noise down. I'm sure it's not only me that's absolutely staggered by that. Asked to stop ringing his bell and keep the noise down, in a football ground! The mind boggles. But it's another notch on the many that have been made previously, in slowly sanitising the way we support our teams.

We are told we're not allowed to stand up as it's unsafe; yet rugby sides play in exactly the same stadia and those rules don't apply. Apparently it's safe for rugby fans to stand in those same seated areas, but not football fans (the reasons for that I could write a book on, and will address again). It's madness. They're also allowed to drink in their seats while watching the game. I know of a fan that was facing a 3 year football banning after peering over the exits at White Hart Lane to catch a goal he'd missed when coming down early at half time. He'd walked down the steps, was handed a pint by a friend, and heard the roar from the stands. He went halfway back up the steps to see what had happened, when two officers arrested him for consuming alcohol in view of the playing surface. It defies belief. But I'm told we're different. As our friend from Portsmouth has pointed out this week; would this sort of discrimination be accepted anywhere else, or by anyone else, but football fans?

I was on a final warning in my old season ticket seat for foul and abusive language. I was reported by fellow fans for swearing, and risked losing my season ticket. Now in that seat, I was reserved, very reserved. It was on the halfway line and not a noise was made all season by anyone. They were spectators, I'm a participant, or like to be. I want to go to the game and let off some steam. I go to work to pay the bills, put a roof over the family heads, and to enjoy myself during my time off. I choose to do that at the football, something I've grown up with. It's always been a part of who I am. But in that seat, I had to control myself and just sit and watch the game, conforming to those around me for over 7 years. I must have sworn a handful of times in that entire period, when telling the referee where to go or some other trivial slip of the tongue. Yet I faced losing my season ticket and not being able to support my side over it. I was one swear word away from walking away from the game for good. If this was in a family enclosure I'd understand. I know when swearing is unacceptable, and in my view, a football ground is one of those places where it fits.

When I go to the match, I want to stand with fellow fans, my friends. I want to participate in the game, I want to support the side. I want to shout and I want to sing. I want to do the things that made me fall in love with the game and going to the match. But one by one, the authorities are trying to take all those things out of our game. To have us sat in silence, only singing when they want us to sing, and singing the songs they want us to sing. Blaring music over the PA system we are supposed to dance along to. We're unable to create an atmosphere ourselves it seems. For the future, see American sports for how it will go. Club issue foam hands can already be seen, dancing girls have been tried, the list goes on.

Keep sanitising; you'll soon be wondering where it all went wrong, when the very people that made this game what it is, have all long since disappeared. There's not many of us left. Soon there will be none.

Enjoy modern football. Enjoy scratching your heads in some plush office arguing with each other about who's to blame when the crowds start to stay away. I'll be long past the caring stage. You'll have brought it upon yourselves and destroyed a game loved by millions in the process. I hope it's worth it.

LETTER SENT TO THE FA ON 9-JUN-08 ON BEHALF OF LLSC / TIL / LTSC

Monday, 09 June 2008

Dear Lord Triesman

We are the Chairmen of the three supporters groups that represent the significant majority of Luton Town supporters all across the globe. Each group appeals to different kinds of supporters, but since the Club entered administration in November 2007 we have increasingly worked together to create unity across the fan-base during difficult and unsettling times and also to help the Administrator vet potential suitors for the Club given the dubious track record of previous owners. In this respect Brendan Guilfoyle has stated on the record that he was very grateful for our co-operation during the whole administration process.

We have been fully behind the LTFC 2020 consortium ("2020") and while there is much to be warmly applauded in their business plan we were particularly impressed with their complete openness and honesty, their clear intentions about operating in a transparent manner and also their intention to address basic issues such as ensuring the Club only operates within its financial means. They are also heavily committed to regenerating both the youth side of the Club and creating greater cohesion with the local community and having greater fan participation. In respect of involvement in the community you will be aware through the FA's dealings with Butch Fazal of the big steps that need to and can be made in such a multi-cultural town as Luton.

In essence all the three supporters groups gave their 100% backing to the 2020 team, have continued to work with them and will do so if/ when the Football League finally confirm their ownership of the Football Club and transfer of the ‘golden share'. I'm sure if you have read the business plan and associated documents sent to you by 2020 you will agree with our common view that this is a blueprint that can be adopted in the future across the whole footballing community as it contains principles that the Football Association and Football League as governing bodies and regulators will undoubtedly be fully committed to.

Therefore it is with great regret that we jointly write this communication following confirmation of the penalties the Football Association imposed on Luton Town Football Club on Wednesday 4th June 2008.

We are 100% behind the principle of clamping down on unacceptable behaviour at football clubs and in particular actions which ultimately cheat the fans. In our view punishments should be harsh and offenders should be liable to judiciary sentences where applicable. In today's game when so much money is involved there is the need for strict regulation and it is unquestionable that there should be transparency and honest conduct from those that run the Clubs especially those who control the financial management side.

Further to the findings of Peter Griffiths QC we have a number of questions that we would like to be answered on behalf of all Luton fans and other fans/ clubs round the country that have taken an enormous interest in this case and have also been shell-shocked by the apparent injustice served on the Club in the form of the £50,000 fine and ten-point deduction for the 2008/09 season which is considered hugely disproportionate to the crime and lack of on-the-field benefit gained.

Cherry Newbery, the Club Secretary, initially alerted the Football Association to certain irregular activities by the then owners (Messrs Tomlins, Peter, Bagehot and Mitchell) two years ago yet no action was taken until Mike Newell alerted the national media of dishonesty in the game. We would ask that given the gravity of the allegations being raised by a respected administrator, why has no action been taken until the matter was given wider exposure through the media?

If Mike Newell had never made his plea to the authorities to stamp out dishonesty in the game,can you categorically confirm that any subsequent investigation would have actually taken place?

Given the subsequent punishments handed out, do you not feel that dishonesty wins, i.e. those who discover irregularities yet do not inform the authorities are the actual winners, despite knowingly cheating the game whereas those that act professionally and honestly, not only in alerting the authorities but also behaving impeccably and truthfully throughout any investigative process, suffer with more severe punishments? Don't you think that this approach is self-defeating and will only end up deterring others from whistle-blowing?

Following on from this, is it right that the Clubs receive higher punishments than the actual guilty perpetrators? As in the case of Luton Town why should the Club and fans suffer through direct punishment when the guilty parties have long since departed the Club. Can the reasoning behind this be explained please? A simple analogy here is that we buy a 2nd-hand car that 2 years previously was caught speeding and also involved in a hit and run accident.Upon buying the car we pay for all the repairs then suddenly get hit by a speeding fine, a driving ban and charged for the hit and run. That seems completely unjust but is actually very similar to the situation that 2020 will be inheriting, without further consideration for the fans.

Can you also clarify for us what footballing advantages the club is deemed to have gained by these irregular technicalities that as we understand that the actual payments were not illegal and actual issues just surround the source of, origin and lack of formal disclosure? Surely two consecutive relegations on the back of actions of the previous owners is evidence of the highest order that very little overall benefit was gained if any.

We are also bemused by the statement relating to the agents. Surely if regulations relating to agents have been significantly reviewed subsequent to the alleged payments that allow the accused agents to receive nothing more than a 'slap on the wrist', then surely this implies that same approach should be taken on the issues directly connected to the Club.

Many people in football are astounded by the inconsistency of Peter Griffiths' decision when considering the decision made on 27-April-2007 relating to West Ham United when they were fined £5.5m but spared any points deduction. The reasoning behind this in the report outlining the outcome attributed this to the change of management/ ownership and the guilty plea from West Ham's owners. The report also took pity on the fans and the fight against relegation. Given the precedent set here when West Ham actually benefited by gaining points through playing ineligible players can you clarify why Peter Griffiths QC took a different approach when deciding on the penalty in the Luton Town case when the wrongdoing was only technical and administrative?

Supporters of clubs all over the country put great faith in both the Football Association and Football League to govern and regulate the game diligently whilst protecting the interests of supporters, who are the true fabric of the game and without whom the game would simply not exist. There has been a disturbing increase in recent years in the number of Clubs that have run into financial difficulties and, at Luton Town, we are no strangers to this very sad state of affairs that often leads to job losses and local companies losing many thousands of pounds.

As supporters we trust the FA to govern sufficiently robust ‘fit and proper' tests to screen potential owners of all professional league clubs. This is especially true of those coming out of an administration or receivership. In the case of Luton Town, two of the parties who became involved had highly questionable track records which should have raised serious concerns and prevented these individuals from ever being involved.

If the Football Association is truly committed to all levels of football then it should be providing far greater help to Clubs that get into financial trouble with appropriate guidance thereafter. However, this seems anything but the case at the present time.

By making such a heavy charge on Luton Town the Administrator will have to seek up front cash from 2020 before lodging an appeal to seek due justice. These funds will unfortunately be diverted from the one area that 2020 had budgeted to spend more money on in the coming years, namely the youth development and community programmes. How does this then fit with the commitment of the Football Association towards grass roots football?

Once again the big losers here are the fans. There is huge resentment to the treatment that has been meted out to Luton Town supporters who have done nothing wrong other than having subscribed as young children into the "Luton Town family" and getting hooked on the beautiful game and all that it offers.

Many now, and not just those at Luton, are accusing the Football Association of using bullying tactics and again coming down far heavier on a smaller club than a bigger club that would have far greater financial capability to challenge any such decision via independent tribunal. It is hard to take a different view, even when you take the emotion out of the situation.

Constant abuse of smaller clubs should not be tolerated especially when in the case of Luton Town, through 2020, we now aim to get our house in order and ensure by way of a long-term focused, sensible and comprehensive business plan there is stability, strict financial discipline and high ethics running all the way through the Club.

We appreciate that we have raised many issues in this letter. However we would ask that you provide us with a timely response to all the questions outlined above. We would then pass your response on to our supporters.

We would also sincerely hope that in view of the parlous state of many clubs' finances that the FA will be looking to set up an early warning system that would flag up clubs in financial difficulties before they find themselves plunged into administration or receivership.

As a matter of courtesy please note we will also be copying this letter to all our respective members as well as members of the press, 2020, Brendan Guilfoyle, local politicians, the Football League, FIFA, UEFA, the FSF and Supporters Direct.

We look forward to receiving your response and appreciate the time you take to deal with our issues.

Yours sincerely

Kevin Lennon - Chairman, Loyal Luton Supporters Club

Liam Day - Chairman, Trust in Luton

Kevin Barrett - Chairman, Luton Town Supporters Club