Sunderland C1C Northumbria Police on Decision to Rearrange

[adysaint]

http://fsf.org.uk/blog/view/An-open-letter-to-Northumbria-Police

 

A Middlesex based Sunderland fan wrote an open letter to complain and (if you don't want to read the article) got the following reply:

 

Assistant Chief Constable Greg Vant said: "We sympathise with the disruption caused to fans associated with the change to the scheduling of football fixtures.

"The police do not have the power to order clubs to change their scheduling. Our role is to identify any safety concerns, make representations to the football clubs and present our objections to Safety Advisory Groups. We did this and also wrote to the Football League outlining our concerns.

"The potential implications for public safety and disorder arising from both Newcastle and Sunderland playing at home on the same evening were obvious to all concerned. We were always of the view that this was an entirely avoidable risk and we raised our concerns and objections from the outset.

"This was clearly the responsible thing to do having listened to and considered the representations made, including a specific request from the Football League to make the change."

[aintforever]

The potential implications for public safety and disorder arising from both Newcastle and Sunderland playing at home on the same evening were obvious to all concerned. ]

 

Really? why would a football game in Sunderland effect one in Newcastle?

[Sour Mash]

I finally got an email back from the football league, about 2 weeks after I sent mine.to them, their response basically 'tough luck'.

[jawillwill]

I can fully understand Newcastle and Sunderland not playing on the same day. What I don't understand is why they can't play within 24 hours of each other (i.e. one on Tuesday and one on Thursday?).

[John Boy Saint]

I finally got an email back from the football league, about 2 weeks after I sent mine.to them, their response basically 'tough luck'.

I suppose after 125 years of enjoying life thanks mainly to the fans, you ain't going to change your spots.

we all know they make the rules up as they go along, so a handful of Saints fans with a little gripe is a mere pimple on their backside.

[Sheaf Saint]

Really? why would a football game in Sunderland effect one in Newcastle?

 

IT all comes down to availability of police officers. For a match at Newcastle there will be officers brought in from the entire Tyne & Wear region, and likewise for Sunderland. If they were both playing at the same time then police resources would be stretched too thinly between the two matches.

 

There's also the potential for violence with rival fans travelling on public transport before and after the games.

[Saint_clark]

http://fsf.org.uk/blog/view/An-open-letter-to-Northumbria-Police

 

A Middlesex based Sunderland fan wrote an open letter to complain and (if you don't want to read the article) got the following reply:

 

Assistant Chief Constable Greg Vant said: "We sympathise with the disruption caused to fans associated with the change to the scheduling of football fixtures.

"The police do not have the power to order clubs to change their scheduling. Our role is to identify any safety concerns, make representations to the football clubs and present our objections to Safety Advisory Groups. We did this and also wrote to the Football League outlining our concerns.

"The potential implications for public safety and disorder arising from both Newcastle and Sunderland playing at home on the same evening were obvious to all concerned. We were always of the view that this was an entirely avoidable risk and we raised our concerns and objections from the outset.

"This was clearly the responsible thing to do having listened to and considered the representations made, including a specific request from the Football League to make the change."

 

This is in direct contradiction to an email I got from the FL saying that they received a request from the Police and (exact quote):

"The League cannot overrule this request and as such had to accommodate these negotiations".

[Lets B Avenue]

IT all comes down to availability of police officers. For a match at Newcastle there will be officers brought in from the entire Tyne & Wear region, and likewise for Sunderland. If they were both playing at the same time then police resources would be stretched too thinly between the two matches.

 

There's also the potential for violence with rival fans travelling on public transport before and after the games.

 

Its more likely that they had spent their overtime budget for October and so by putting us back a week, they can get into November's.

[trousers]

This is in direct contradiction to an email I got from the FL saying that they received a request from the Police and (exact quote):

"The League cannot overrule this request and as such had to accommodate these negotiations".

 

So, the police are blaming the football league and the football league are blaming the police.

 

I would imaging they are relying on the apathy of the great British public to avoid paying compensation for any losses.

 

In law, someone is responsible. So, if anyone who incurred losses has enough perseverance they will get their money back, even if it means going via the 'small claims' court.

 

I bet nobody does though, which is ultimately why organisations like this get away with incompetence.

[sandwichsaint]

So, the police are blaming the football league and the football league are blaming the police.

 

I would imaging they are relying on the apathy of the great British public to avoid paying compensation for any losses.

 

In law, someone is responsible. So, if anyone who incurred losses has enough perseverance they will get their money back, even if it means going via the 'small claims' court.

 

I bet nobody does though, which is ultimately why organisations like this get away with incompetence.

 

Even though all tickets always have a small-print, catch-all condition which says something like: 'fixture subject to change ..... non-refundable' etc ?

[trousers]

Even though all tickets always have a small-print, catch-all condition which says something like: 'fixture subject to change ..... non-refundable' etc ?

 

But the point here is that the fixture wasn't changed for an unavoidable reason. It was changed AFTER it had originally been agreed by all parties (from what we're bring told). The law can cut through caveats in contracts if they are deemed to be unreasonable. I would be confident of getting my money back if I'd lost out on accommodation & transport costs. They rely on people not bothering.

[Badger]

Its more likely that they had spent their overtime budget for October and so by putting us back a week, they can get into November's.

 

As it was only a few days after the Sunderland v Newcastle fixture I suspect this too is pretty close to the truth.

[Horley CTFC Saint]

Okay okay I admit it, it was all my fault I had to go to Crawley that night so had a quiet word in the shell likes of the FL and the Georgie polis to get them to rearrange the game......sorry

[Sour Mash]

But the point here is that the fixture wasn't changed for an unavoidable reason. It was changed AFTER it had originally been agreed by all parties (from what we're bring told). The law can cut through caveats in contracts if they are deemed to be unreasonable. I would be confident of getting my money back if I'd lost out on accommodation & transport costs. They rely on people not bothering.

We have no legal comeback for this, would have been nice as a gesture of goodwill to reimburse as a one off, it's not a situation that reoccurs often.

[trousers]

We have no legal comeback for this,

I disagree