Trust News

The latest edition of the Trust magazine, Moving to a Different Beat, has been printed.

Trust members can pick up a free copy at the Trust office before the Barnsley and Nottingham Forest games. Please bring your membership card with you. We’ll also be selling copies of the magazine at just £1.

We’ve got interviews with David Marshall and Roger Gibbins and Media Wales soccer journalist Steve Tucker gives his take on the highs and lows of following the Bluebirds as a reporter. There is also plenty of Trust news, along with a report on the 1982-83 promotion celebration evening.

We’ll also aim to put the magazine on our website www.ccfctrust.org next week. It will be password protected for viewing by Trust members only and we’ll let members know the password later.

If you are a Trust member who lives outside South Wales, or are unable to get to games, please email fundraising@ccfctrust.org with your details if you would like a hard copy and we’ll arrange to post out a copy during the next week.

The Trust has been speaking to the club for some weeks about the possibility of mounting supporters` flags within the stadium for the remaining five home games , utilising the “void space” at the rear of the Canton and Ninian stands  to provide a colourful display on match-days and for various fan groups to show the diversity of support the club receives.

The discussions have involved both Wayne Nash, the stadium manager and Nic Heslop , the commercial manager. Unfortunately , the use of the space concerned has not proved possible as the club have advised that it may be required for longer term club sponsors.

However, Wayne Nash has confirmed that flags of any colour will be welcomed into the ground for display on a match by match basis for the rest of the season , with the usual caveat that they must not contain anything offensive.

This is a great opportunity for our various fans` groups to proudly display the flags of the area or group they represent and bring some match-day colour to the ground as part of improving the match-day atmosphere. So dig out those flags and bring them along to all the remaining home games (with some gaffer tape to fix them to the walls etc at the back of the stands).

How could the matchday experience be improved? 

“Allow fans to stand and create atmosphere.”

A. We are striving to strike a balance and have openly championed a singing sectioned which allows an area where there is more tolerance to standing. We are also promoting a singing section. But we will not allow standing in other areas! Not because it is a safety issue, but due to the fact that it is a customer service issue that affects many of our more vulnerable supporters (young, & aged) as well as the majority of supporters who simply want to sit and get a better view of the game.

We have commissioned a report by Prof. Stephen Frosdick in relation to our management of standing at Cardiff City Stadium. He accepts that we provide reasonable safety in the Canton Stand /Singing section but need to improve customer service provision in the Ninian.

“There are still issues with being able to hear the PA system clearly at several points in the ground.”

A. Work to further improve this is scheduled for May 2013.

“Car parking at/near the stadium is an increasing concern as attendances increase.”

A. We accept there are issues regarding parking and have been promoting the use of public transport. As such we have partnered with Cardiff Bus so that a family of up to 5 ticket holders can travel to matches on the Cardiff Bus network for £5. 

We have also introduced a ‘City Shuttle’ that takes fans directly to and from the central bus station to the Stadium main roundabout and picks up from the Stadium (opposite the Sandmartin pub) at the end of the game.

For those who still want to use private motor vehicles, the car park at Bessemer Rd (Fruit Market site) holds up to 1,000 cars, remains totally under utilised and has availability at £4 per car. 

“ I think the club have made a huge effort to make the day enjoyable. My only suggestion would be some healthy food snacks for children and adults but I guess they would not have a huge demand!

A. Levvy restaurants / Compass have made and will continue to provide a healthy option in the Family stand.  You are correct there is not a great demand and currently this will not be rolled out throughout the Stadium. 

“Quicker access to hot drinks at half time! Queue is horrendous. And hot drinks at full time on cup games that go to ET! Better support from the crowd. Its terribly quiet.”

A. We have Installed queueing systems at the majority of kiosks to improve the flow of customers. We accept that the half time period is difficult to service but have also introduced a pre paid voucher / collection service in the Canton & Ninian stands that has helped reduce such congestion. 

The current set up of the Stadium allows for a balance between, passion, decency and safety. As regards generating an atmosphere, the question should possibly be aimed at the fans themselves. It is people who make noise! We as an organisation certainly have tried to create an environment that allows for passion to be exuded.

“Get an area for supporters flags above the stands . A flag of every city crest through the years will acknowledge our history and show how the “brand” has evolved.”

A. The Club is currently working with the Trust to investigate the possibility but with potential stand sponsorships looming I understand it is difficult at this moment to progress.

Cardiff City fans have sent a clear message to the football club – ‘we want more information from you on your future plans’, a survey by the Trust published today reveals.

A total of 83% of the almost 700 supporters who responded to the poll of Trust members and non-members urged the Trust to focus on getting more information on the club’s future plans.

Almost 60% of supporters (55.6% among Trust members) believe the Trust should oppose the controversial rebranding with another 26.5% disagreeing with rebrand but still accepting it. Outright support for the rebrand was 15%.

While more than 70% of respondents (73.7% among Trust members) want the Trust to lobby the club for a compromise kit and to work with members to suggest or approve a new design.

Tim Hartley, chair of Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust, said: “The results show clearly that ordinary fans want a proper dialogue with the club. Shareholders in the club, which include the Trust, have also not been consulted.

“As the only democratic voice of fans we are disappointed that our last meeting with the then club chairman was two-and-a-half years ago. We have written to the chief executive requesting a meeting with supporters, but have been told this will not happen until the season is over.

“The results of the survey, as it relates to rebranding, indicates continuing disquiet to the changes, although a sizeable number of fans have reluctantly accepted it.”

“The results will be presented to members and then reviewed by the Trust board to make sure that all points raised are properly considered and the appropriate action plan put in place. The Trust has also offered to present these findings in full to the club.”

Trust board member Jon Day, who organised the survey, added:  “We’d like to thank both Trust and non-Trust members for taking the time to fill out the survey.

“We look forward to having the opportunity to share these results with the club and considering ways of getting the fans’ voice heard in any changes at the club which affect them. Dialogue is crucial.

“While we have been watching some great football and are top of the League there is unease at the way fans have been treated. The club needs to work with its fans.”

The survey results will be considered at a future meeting of the Trust board.

Other key results:

• A total of 36.1% of fans (33.5% among Trust members) believe the past 12 months have been disappointing – even though the Bluebirds top the Championship. A total of 55.9% say it is either the best 12 months or better than average.
  

• There was a mixed reaction to club’s dynamic ticket pricing with fans marginally backing the initiative.
  

• Top two issues the Trust is urged to focus on are getting more information on the club’s plans and lobbying for safe standing.
  

• Trust members want the Trust to buy more shares in the club and support events in the community.
  

• More than 88% of Trust members believe the current membership fee at just £12 a year is about right.
  

• A total of 61.7% of fans (67.5% among Trust members) are happy with the way the Trust has performed over the last year.
  

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents highlighted the Trust’s work to complete the Fred Keenor statue as the most significant Trust achievement over the past year.