Petition against S.T. prices and upping of qualifying age for concession tickets.

[Believer]

Have the club even made a statement on why the large increase in cost ?

You would have hoped that a supporting statement was released to say that they were going to do “x” and “y” with the additional money, but to my knowledge they just told us the increase.

The only reason I’ve renewed is cos my boy wants to keep going. If it was purely down to me, I’d have picked and chose a handful of games.

No doubt the 8% increase will go towards the new DoF and paying off Newman. Decisions that should be covered easily by keeping the ST prices the same as before.

It would have been a phenomenal PR gesture to freeze prices but this lot couldn’t care less what we think..

[Northbank Bar]

Quick update.

Petition approaching 5300 signatures.

No response from club yet.

[Patsy Belgium]

Reckon you’ll have a sharp increase in signatures should we f*** it up Thursday.

[Liz Trust]

But what of the DSB, Inclusive Irons, Any Old Irons, Pride Of Irons, Claret Members, Away ST Holders and WHUST?

I'm a member of WHUST and I wasn't asked what I thought about the Club's season ticket price increase or the age going up from 65 to 66. No email, no survey, nothing.

I've seen a lot of the conversations across a lot of the West Ham social media sites, so I would have expected WHUST to have contacted their members to get an idea of what we thought. But I got zilch!

Maybe it was all the other WHUST members who got something but I find that unlikely as I got several emails from WHUST about their meeting last night so I don't see why I would have been missed out.

If there's anyone from WHUST on this forum, can you tell us if you asked your members for their views or not?

[Kialos]

I only remember getting stuff from HU and WHUSC about the ST increases as well.

[Up the Junction]

If there's anyone from WHUST on this forum, can you tell us if you asked your members for their views or not?

Their members are here LT, but appear reticent to comment on KUMB of late.

[Liz Trust]

Their members are here LT, but appear reticent to comment on KUMB of late.

Well, a day or two ought to be long enough for someone from WHUST make a comment. And the same goes for the other groups on the ISC - which ones contacted their members?

[Greatest Hits Vol1]

Let’s face it, the club are a bunch of c**** so won’t do anything. It would be such an easy win for them to switch back the concession prices to 65+ with very little impact financially. But if course they know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

[Marlow Vaderman]

I looked on here to see how the petition was going and mostly what I see is criticism of West Ham fan groups which is a pity.
I have never been a fan of the Supporters Trust and have criticised them myself on this forum,but this actually saddens me.
Us West Ham fans want to be represented by a strong group which will stand up for us.What I see here is weakness.For gods sake, someone from the Trust hierarchy,take the bull by the horns,show some leadership and stand up to be counted.Lets see some passion,some pride ,some determination.
If mistakes have been made then take the criticism on the chin,if not then challenge those questioning you.But whatever you do don’t keep burying your head in the sand,show us some fight,some positivity and something to get behind.-Or you risk slipping away –and that cannot be a good thing for the fanbase.

[johnhunt1963]

I looked on here to see how the petition was going and mostly what I see is criticism of West Ham fan groups which is a pity.
I have never been a fan of the Supporters Trust and have criticised them myself on this forum,but this actually saddens me.
Us West Ham fans want to be represented by a strong group which will stand up for us.What I see here is weakness.For gods sake, someone from the Trust hierarchy,take the bull by the horns,show some leadership and stand up to be counted.Lets see some passion,some pride ,some determination.
If mistakes have been made then take the criticism on the chin,if not then challenge those questioning you.But whatever you do don’t keep burying your head in the sand,show us some fight,some positivity and something to get behind.-Or you risk slipping away –and that cannot be a good thing for the fanbase.

MV. No response then?

[Liz Trust]

Their members are here LT, but appear reticent to comment on KUMB of late.

Oh well, I suppose all the excitement of getting into a European final and then beating Leeds proved to too much for the great and the good at WHUST - not a dicky bird!!

Letting people know that "Yes we did contact our members" would've given a shot in the arm to WHUST's credibility but if we assume the silence means they didn't then the ISC are potentially exposed if they want to challenge the Club on the grounds they've got the backing of the fans.

[West Side]

This is so disappointing.

The Trust need to be called out once and for all.

I am sick of hearing people slagging them down,and sick of seeing them too weak and pathetic to stand up for themselves.

Either stand up-or stand down.

[GaryP]

So STILL nothing from the FSA Puppets. Not a squeak. Still no confirmation of the actual 100 members they represent, still no contact regarding asking their members about the season tickets rises.

Nothing.

Let that sink in.

An organisation that pops their heads in the papers for a 'rent-a-quote' every time someone farts at West Ham, claiming to represent the fans.... how many is it, can someone confirm or deny it is around a 100 ?

Popping up on BBC saying how West Ham fans feel about Moyes staying..... what mandate is there to answer that question ? No more than me, an ordinary Joe Soap but I can't have the Supporters Trust bit under my name to give me some unearned gravitas.

The Trust DO NOT represent the fans, they represent a handful of people who would like to be represented but have basically been duped. Fans who have joined and supported them with good will in the hope they can make a difference. Fans who have placed their trust (how ironic) in the organisation to get their views accross, but in fact haven't even been consulted by them.

Still nothing on their website for a direct link to the petition, even though it should have been on there from day 1 .... DAY 1.

Still not a single solitary response on the biggest independent West Ham website to answer questions, refuting inaccuracies (if any) spoken about their organistion.

This petition 'succeeded' DESPITE the WHUST.

A box ticking exercise on egged on by the FSA to present another box ticking exercise to our unscrupulous and cowardly board. I won't forget the former chair, who was also chair of the ISC having clandestine meetings with Brady. Seems the latest incarnation is no better.

WHUST aren't the only group doing this, but they are the ones happy to plaster themselves all over the media claiming to represent the fans.

Whats that phrase "**** or get off the pot ? " Never a more apt statement as far as I am concerned.

Marlow. Fully comprehend what you are saying but that ship has long since sailed now regarding the Trust. They are an irrelevance but still pander to the club and the increasing self serving FSA's every whim.

[mushy]

Very well said GaryP

[Liz Trust]

Still nothing from WHUST but if you do a little bit of digging around it's surprising what you come across. At least this does show that WHUST can get into one even if they won't do it on here.

All that follows in italics is from WHUST -

"We wanted to become the professional voice of West Ham fans and to have more influence over a club that is notoriously reluctant to engage properly with supporters. We believed becoming a trust would help us do that and benefit the wider fanbase."

That's a joke, isn't it? Any group who wanted to be that would need a big enough membership that would be made up of a big spread of fans if they're going to represent "the wider fanbase" and then hope to be "the professional voice of West Ham fans.".

Have they got that? Have a look at this -

"WHUISA had approximately 2,500 members who automatically transferred as associate members to WHUST. During our first 18 months of getting established, just over 120 have become shareholders."

"The accounts show that in the first 12 months there were 119 paid-up shareholders. I believe that most, but not all, the initial 119 renewed for the second year but by the time of our AGM on 15 February there were 132 paid-up shareholders entitled to vote."

132 members? Seriously?

After 2 years of being WHUST and who knows how many years being WHUISA they've got 132 members!!!

Whatever WHUST might think they want to be there's no way they can stand there and seriously say they represent "the wider fanbase" or that they are "the professional voice of West Ham fans."!!!

But it gets better. Or worse depending how you look at it.

They bang on about the Club being "reluctant to engage properly with supporters" but what about WHUST doing the same with their own members then?

They still haven't said if they contacted their members over the season ticket issue. All 132 of them! I'm one of them and I got nothing.

If it turns out they didn't contact their members then isn't that all a bit hypocritical?

It makes me wonder who they really represent because if it's not even their own members, who is it?

I should say that in the interests of fairness their membership is probably a bit bigger than 132 now but whatever it is it'll soon be 1 less.

[rciron]

Are you the peoples front of judea?
Feck off, we are the judean peoples front!

[GaryP]

Still nothing from WHUST but if you do a little bit of digging around it's surprising what you come across. At least this does show that WHUST can get into one even if they won't do it on here.

All that follows in italics is from WHUST -

"We wanted to become the professional voice of West Ham fans and to have more influence over a club that is notoriously reluctant to engage properly with supporters. We believed becoming a trust would help us do that and benefit the wider fanbase."

That's a joke, isn't it? Any group who wanted to be that would need a big enough membership that would be made up of a big spread of fans if they're going to represent "the wider fanbase" and then hope to be "the professional voice of West Ham fans.".

Have they got that? Have a look at this -

"WHUISA had approximately 2,500 members who automatically transferred as associate members to WHUST. During our first 18 months of getting established, just over 120 have become shareholders."

"The accounts show that in the first 12 months there were 119 paid-up shareholders. I believe that most, but not all, the initial 119 renewed for the second year but by the time of our AGM on 15 February there were 132 paid-up shareholders entitled to vote."

132 members? Seriously?

After 2 years of being WHUST and who knows how many years being WHUISA they've got 132 members!!!

Whatever WHUST might think they want to be there's no way they can stand there and seriously say they represent "the wider fanbase" or that they are "the professional voice of West Ham fans."!!!

But it gets better. Or worse depending how you look at it.

They bang on about the Club being "reluctant to engage properly with supporters" but what about WHUST doing the same with their own members then?

They still haven't said if they contacted their members over the season ticket issue. All 132 of them! I'm one of them and I got nothing.

If it turns out they didn't contact their members then isn't that all a bit hypocritical?

It makes me wonder who they really represent because if it's not even their own members, who is it?

I should say that in the interests of fairness their membership is probably a bit bigger than 132 now but whatever it is it'll soon be 1 less.

Hahahaha.... That's on their site ?

Its like something on Alan Partridge

[GaryP]

Are you the peoples front of judea?
Feck off, we are the judean peoples front!

Thing is though THIS is exactly what Brady wants and WHUST are playing right into their hands.

[GaryP]

.... I am the democratically elected Secretary of Old School Hammers which has been formed to represent our over 60’s fans in the absence of any such group.

We already have 285 members (with more on Facebook) which is very encouraging. We are also proudly Affiliate members of the FSA.....

(clipped for brevity)

I've also just noticed, the new group representing the overs 60's Old School Hammers has 285 members (of which I am one representing my 90 year old uncle who wants to visit the stadium), and they have only been operating for five minutes...

https://oldschoolhammers.com/disabled-q ... ent-board/

Double the Trust ??

All that follows in italics is from WHUST -

"We wanted to become the professional voice of West Ham fans and to have more influence over a club that is notoriously reluctant to engage properly with supporters. We believed becoming a trust would help us do that and benefit the wider fanbase."

That's a joke, isn't it? Any group who wanted to be that would need a big enough membership that would be made up of a big spread of fans if they're going to represent "the wider fanbase" and then hope to be "the professional voice of West Ham fans.".

The 'professional voice'. How dare they, the condescending .. Think we all write with 'green pens' like Baroness bull**** does ?

I found it funny when I first saw that but now I've let it irritate me. I shouldn't really, am old enough to know better but its making my teeth itch.

[Albie Beck]

...
Have they got that? Have a look at this -

"WHUISA had approximately 2,500 members who automatically transferred as associate members to WHUST. During our first 18 months of getting established, just over 120 have become shareholders."
...

I - like many others (up to 2,500! ) - was a member of WHUISA but I didn't agree with the switch to a Trust. I thought the motives were self-serving, and pointless as far as the membership was concerned.

In any event although I was a multi-year member I never received any further communication from them. So as far as I know I was never given the opportunity or an invitation to become a "shareholder" and swell their numbers to 133. Not that I would have anyway...