Flashback: One Year Ago, QPR Fans Groups Met With QPR Board (Meeting Report)

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One year ago, the various Fans groups, meeting as the "Fans consultative Group" met with QPR Chairman Paladini and others on the QPR Board. Below are the minutes of that meeting as published on QPR's Official site. ..Things have certainly changed: Just a few months later, the club was looking to a new, very different era as it came under "new management."

QPR Official Site - Fans Consultative Group Meeting

FINAL MINUTES -
QPR Fans Consultative Group Minutes - Meeting Two - Tuesday 10th April 2007 - 6.30pm - Loftus Road

The following are the minutes taken from the second QPR fans consultative group meeting, which was held at Loftus Road on the night of Tuesday 10th April.

In attendance: Gianni Paladini (GP) Chairman, QPR FC ~ Nick De Marco (NDM) for second part of the meeting, Director, QPR FC ~ Kevin Steele (KS) Director, QPR FC ~ Pat Harrison (PH) Official Supporters Club ~ Karen Hampshire (KH) Official Supporters Club ~ Stephen Dedridge (SD) QPR 1st Supporters Trust ~ Tracy Stent (TS) QPR 1st Supporters Trust ~ John Reid (JR) Loyal Supporters Association ~ Mark Dunbar (MD) Loyal Supporters Association ~ Victor Stevenson (VS) Friends of QPR ~ Spencer Schwartz (SS) Friends of QPR ~ Dave Anderson (DA) Rebuild QPR.

TS explained that NDM was running late due to being unavoidably delayed down on the south coast, and it was decided upon by those present for TS (and SD) to chair the meeting in the interim until NDM arrived.

The agenda was a full one, and with items having been forwarded by various fans, it was suggested that the meeting be kept on track by discussing each item without too much chit chat in between, and as per the initial meeting, it was agreed for TS to take the minutes, and when drafted for them to be circulated amongst those present, and once approved by those in attendance to be posted on the various outlets, including the official website first.

There were two representatives from each of the groups, and once again, Bev from the Official Supporters Club was present to impart her experience in relation to the disabled fans. There was also representation from Rebuild QPR in Dave Anderson, who is part of the Rebuild coalition with his A Kick up the R's fanzine representation.

We hope the following is an interesting and enjoyable read for QPR fans everywhere.
As alternate Chairs and minute taker, we'd like to thank everyone that made the effort to attend this meeting.
TS, SD and NDM.

GP started off proceedings before going onto the agenda items, by saying that he'd like to put the record straight on a couple of matters, beginning by talking about the Gino Padula contract, saying that he had taken the blame for this, that Gino had wanted to buy a house in the area to settle down and that he (GP) had been naïve in trying to help Padula. He maintained that the club is in a better position that it was before than when we'd had a CEO, and from when the club had a chairman who had been one of the richest men in England, going on to state that the investment in the club is ten times more than it was back then.

He then spoke about how it had been reported in one of the papers about him criticising QPR fans about bucket collections, stating that he had said that fans should have not been put in that position with buckets; that they should not have had to do that; and that to have allowed fans to do this was humiliating.

PH said that in the past she has been a fan that has participated in bucket collections for charity etc and that she had never found it demeaning. GP said that he accepted that for charity that is fine; to raise money in this way for the youth team is fine; but for the fans to have found themselves in the position of going out with buckets to buy a player was, he felt wrong.
It was pointed out that other clubs have player funds. VS said he could see what GP was saying in that clubs (fans) shouldn't need to go out to do this type of thing and a discussion took place about how the club has been under the media spotlight for some time now, most of it in a bad light, with SD suggesting that sometimes the media take things out of context and that the club with its relationship with the such outlets need to be more media savvy.

GP stated that there is not anything he would not do for the supporters, saying that if someone were hard up/having troubles, he would help that person out by letting their child be mascot, or whatever he could do to help. At this point, Bev said at the last home game, whilst talking to the mother of a child with learning difficulties, she learnt that the mother had been promised that her son could be a mascot at the Stoke game by someone who now no longer works for the club, and was concerned about this as she did not know who to speak to. GP said that the child could definitely be a mascot and Bev will liase with GP, the club and the mother of the child.

1. Apologies for absence and matters arising
There was an apology for late arrival from NDM. TS explained that there were a few items from the previous agenda that the club had said they would look into, and that such questions had been incorporated within the various sections in relation to such items in the agenda.

2. Football
2.1 What is the transfer kitty for the summer likely to be?
GP and KS said they did not know yet with GP saying that football is a game of chess, which takes an element of bluff, and with the need to keep certain things close to the chest.

2.2 Does Lee Cook still have a £10 million value attached to him?
GP said that when the comments about £10 million were made he was trying to maximise the most for the player. As things stand, the club does not know if Lee will be leaving. As regards his injury, he has a sore knee and obviously cannot wait to get back into first team action.

2.3 Will Gallen come back from loan?
GP said that Gallen will be a free agent in the summer and that it is down to John Gregory. It all comes down to player salaries, but that JG is looking to bring in fresh players.
It was suggested by some in attendance that Gallen be given some kind of recognition for all his years of service to the club, not necessarily financial, especially taking into account that he was usually prepared to turn up for various fans group events and children's parties etc.

2.4 Ballboys at Loftus Road. Following the suggestion at the last meeting, has this idea been taken any further?
GP said it had been spoken about but that it is a health and safety issue with the risk of injuries to youngsters around the pitch.

2.5 Are we will still playing Witney United on 30th April? It is on their website but not on ours.
GP said the game with Witney would not be going ahead, that it was merely a word of mouth thing and that Ian at the press office has been asked to get in touch with Witney to inform them. It was pointed out that it is this kind of thing which yet again leads to bad communication, which then brings the club bad publicity, though it was also agreed by others that taking part in friendly games when the club is involved in a relegation battle is not exactly useful under the current circumstances.
An announcement about this should be on the official website asap.

2.6 What is the current position on Richard Hill?
GP said he is not coming back and that he had been taken on initially on a weekly basis.

3. Season tickets
Next season's season ticket info will be advertised at the Cardiff game. As discussed at the last meeting, there will be reductions in all areas, with the children's prices staying the same. There will be an early bird offer up until the end of June. When asked if this offer will be sent/dispatched to lapsed season ticket holders on the club's database, as raised at the last meeting, GP said this will be done.

He then spoke about the need to having to make sure the club makes enough revenue from this, going on to say that to attract players we need more money. A discussion was held about this, with the money from the premier league being distributed to the leagues below as derisory by those in attendance, and with JR saying how there needs to be a much more fairer distribution. GP said that one thing he is trying to do is to get together with other chairmen of football league clubs to lobby the authorities in asking them to extend the money more fairly down the pyramids.

It was agreed that getting back the lapsed/lost fans is a must and that with everyone at the club, from the players, to the manager, to the fans, all doing their bit in creating a feel-good factor about the place, this must carry on for next season.

3.1 Players contracts and Dean Parrett
A discussion also then took place about players' contracts with GP saying he was angry still about the Dean Parrett situation. He stated again that the club had not wanted him to go but that the big clubs call the shots in such situations. He said that neither the parents nor the lad had asked him/John Gregory for a better deal; that John Gregory had offered Dean a scholarship with us; and that the club had received a straight £1m from Spurs (which had gone to the taxman) but went on to hint that there is more to it but that he could not say anymore at the current time.

4. The ground
4.1 Access to and use of the blue and white bar from the ellerslie road stand. Has this been reviewed?
Bev informed that in the Season Ticket - Rules & Regulations 2006/2007, number 21 - it states that as there is no Bar as such in Ellerslie Road: "At the conclusion of the match only, Members and Season Ticket Holders in Ellerslie Road will be permitted to pass through to the Loftus Road stand for the purpose of using the Blue & White Club Members Bar".
Richard Turner (Security Officer) and Steve Pike have confirmed they will ensure stewards are made aware of this.

4.2 Supporters who are unable to buy a programme before a game often go in the clubshop after the match to see if they can buy that day's programme, only to be told that they will not be made available in the shop until a later date. Is there any way that they can be made available in the clubshop immediately after the game?
GP said that sometimes the clubshop is shut after some games on police advice and that it is not always possible to get such merchandise in the shop. MD made the suggestion that programmes be available at outlets throughout the ground during games (and after if possible) as is the case in the lower loft and GP said this was something to be followed up on.
He also said, that talking about the programme, Dunwoody no longer does the publishing of it due to them owing the club money, and that another company has now taken over the printing of them.

4.3 Has the club had a re-think about reviewing/suggesting that the stewards hold away fans back for 10 or so minutes after matches at Loftus Road?
GP informed that security had indeed looked at this and that this had been the case with Luton and that it will occur again at the Cardiff game.

4.4 When will the ground get a coat of paint?
It was suggested by some in attendance that fans would help with this when it comes to the upkeep of the stadium. GP acknowledged this but said that the Ellerslie Road side had been painted last season, and that the rest of the ground is being done bit by bit, saying that the reception area has had a £70,000 makeover; that there will be a new pitch laid during close season; and that the edges/perimeters will be painted during this time too.
A question was raised about the Ellerslie Road female toilets, and about how they never seem to work/flush and GP said this would be investigated. PH also pointed out that the female toilets in the upper loft at half time very often do not flush.

4.5 Will we move from/or expand Loftus Road?
Regarding expansion, KS said that there was a legal right preventing the club from currently expanding height wise due to the restrictions about building higher and thus obstructing light to the houses around the stadium.
As regards to moving GP stated how Hamman and Noades had made an approach about moving the club to Oxford but that there was no way this was going to happen.
He spoke about having football only at Loftus Road and mentioned the possibility of a youth tournament taking place at the stadium in the pre season.
JR raised the issue of the constant rumours that do the rounds about the ground either being sold, (with its current worth reputed to be £24m) or that we are going to groundshare with Brentford or Fulham and asked if there were any possibility of this happening?
GP stated that "the ground has not and will not be sold, end of story", going on to say that we are going nowhere and that he knows nothing of any groundshare. When pushed about the rumours, and where they come from, he again stated that there is "nothing in this, on the life of my grandchildren, no-one has spoke to me".

4.6 A supporter suggests that the food outlets are poorly run and lacking in choice. If it was quicker to get served and there was more of a choice, then surely more money would be made?
GP said that the current catering company are based in Langley; that it's not a bad deal with them; and that the club gets an extra £70,000 from a deal with Carlsberg. It was pointed out to him that again, big problems in Ellerslie Road mean that fans at half time have got next to no chance at being served with either beer or food because the queues are so long. Beer is not pre-poured (unlike in the Blue and White bar) and they frequently run out of food supplies. DA also mentioned how the queues are a problem in the upper loft. GP said he has a meeting with the caterers this week and that he will raise the issue of poor food/drink supplies to see if they can look at ways of improving this.

5. Accounts update
5.1 Why haven't the accounts been filed with Companies House? We were told they would be filed by 31st March 2007?
GP replied that the accounts for the year end May 2006 have been filed; that they'll be in the public domain soon; and that the AGM will follow, citing the 21 day period that has to be given to inform shareholders of the meeting.

5.2 What does the total loss for the year stand at as we speak?
GP said that the loss is about the same as the last year, saying that we'd had to bring in playing staff, which added to the budget.

5.3 Why describe the Shittu sale price as £3m when it clearly wasn't?
GP said that the Shittu deal was worth £2.5m initially, with £2m having been banked, and another £250,000 due shortly. There will be another £300,000 to the club should Watford stay up. A discussion then took place about lack of communication and how misinformation can occur, not only the Shittu deal but with the Ugo Utah situation being described as an example also. Some felt that the lack of explanation regarding the comings and goings of Ugo did not help the club's cause in its lack of communication information channels to the fans, with it being suggested that a press officer of a PR officer to impart clear information and keep the fans informed about all manners of QPR related issues would go a long way in helping to improve this aspect.

5.4 In view of the position we have been in this season and last, despite promises made by the chairman and the board, will the board be putting its money where its mouth is and backing success for QPR or will we be again subject to more loans we can ill afford?GP started off by saying how he was glad this question had been raised and went on to say how next season will be his fifth season at being at QPR, though he has in reality been involved heavily for the past four seasons. He went on to say how there is no reason why there should be animosity between people before saying how he has had to beg the people who have backed him. "You have to convince an investor". He claimed how people "those people waiting for us to go bust" vanish when you ask those who can afford to put money into the club to do so. He said he was glad about Dunga supporting him, and also glad of the support of Zanotti and Caliendo. He said that they will lose their investment later if the loans cannot be repaid and then claimed that for the first time in a long time, the club is looking self sufficient and that there are positives to look towards.
VS said how things do look to be going forward, especially now when the results are going our way, and that there seems to be more of a togetherness about the club and the fans. DA made the point about keeping the momentum going and GP said he'd had a meeting with John Gregory about next season, and the plans to start building for it squad wise. He again said how JG is looking towards having a more focussed set of players, with a squad of around 22-25 players. Michael Mancienne was mentioned and GP remarked that the club are saving on £50k video expenses because Chelsea football club are paying for those expenses themselves when it comes to all the video footage involving their loan players.

5.5 Why is it that despite promises to the contrary we are yet again changing strips after just one year and will the club be doing any deals to compensate this?
JR pointed out that according to the football supporters federation there is no legislation preventing clubs/sponsors from changing kits each season, despite them lobbying against this. GP said that Le Coq are changing the kits, going on to mention that next season's away kit will be the Dennis the Menace strip. The new kits have already been decided upon.

5.6 Who is paying Idiakez's wages?
GP said that this was half and half (Southampton and QPR).

5.7 The taxman. Any money owed and how much?
GP stated that the club are now in control of it and that the aim is to now pay it monthly. He again mentioned how the club is self-sufficient and when asked to elaborate on this he gave an example of season ticket monies saying that in the past the money that has come in during May/June, has been spent straight away/paid for other things. He stated this is not the case this time around, though he did say that the club is now learning to spend less than what it brings in. He acknowledged that sometimes he has been criticised for laying off staff numbers, but that in the Deloitte report they have confirmed the company is running on the right number of staff, though there is the recommendation within it that it must not have any less than it currently does now. He described the losses/steadying of the ship as "slowly slowly" and went on to say that the losses in season ticket monies for this season was made up by the extra sponsorship money brought in.
JR mentioned how it was a shame that the proceeds sharing system whereby years ago away clubs would get a portion of proceeds from league games at all grounds was stopped, especially bearing in mind some of the larger crowds at which we have played in front this season (including a big crowd expected at Sunderland on Saturday) as we could do with some of those proceeds now!

5.8 Will the financial plan for the next 5 years be published?
KS said that basically the plan at the moment is to keep the club sound with prudent and sound accounting. As for a 5-year plan, he suggested that no-one really knows what is likely to happen and therefore said that planning for next season should be the first step.

6. ABC Loan Update
KS spoke/updated about this; saying that the ABC loan as we all know came via an offshore company and that there are regulations protecting their confidentiality; that the interest rate of 10% is crippling and that the board are looking at ways of getting it refinanced/paid off.
He went on to say that there are discussions ongoing currently with three banks - one German and two well known banks - and that they are trying to negotiate a 7%- 7.5% rate of interest. Not only that but also looking at the possibility of incorporating some way of starting to pay off the capital. Talks are ongoing, but obviously due to the confidential nature of the discussions, they cannot say too much at the moment.

At this point NDM had joined the meeting, and after a quick five-minute break, the meeting resumed with NDM then taking over the chairing of it.

7. Club communication and responding to fans
Some of this had been covered earlier on in the meeting i.e. the quotes in the press from GP regarding the buckets comments but there were a couple of other things on this theme which were raised including:

7.1 What is the response to the suggestion that the Chair for the consultation meetings be rotated?
NDM had already spoken to TS about this prior to the meeting, saying that basically as these meetings are club ones, they feel it is the club's ultimate responsibility to ensure someone from the club i.e. a director chairs them for example.

7.2 Could more effort be made by QPR staff to reply to emails from fans who are essentially the club's customers?
It was explained how fans often raise concerns about not getting responses from the club when enquiring/offering help etc, giving examples of such concerns. After some discussion on the matter GP made a suggestion/offer for two or three from the consultation group to have access to an office at the club, with a computer being set up in it, whereby all different ideas and suggestions from fans could be raised face to face with either himself or club personnel perhaps on a voluntary once weekly basis?
TS suggested this was a nice and kind offer, that this could go a way towards helping with communication channels, and that as time was getting on, the group would get back to him on this.
NDM also suggested that at the next meeting the club comes back with a proper structure regarding club contacts etc and this was agree this would be most helpful.

7.3 As a follow up to the Trust's meeting with Jason Kallis and Kevin Steel, what involvement does the club intend to take with the consultation of the new local development framework? Will the club look into a covenant style scheme to safeguard the ground in cooperation with the fanbase?
KS said that the board had every intention of working with the council regarding their new development framework and would also like to work with fans groups in relation to this. TS said that the Trust had contacts with the relevant department and that we'd all need to speak about this soon.
Regarding a covenant style scheme, KS said there would obviously be legal implications and this is something needed to be looked into in the near future.

7.4 When is the next fans forum?
GP said this has now been arranged, details released soon, and that it will be taking place in late April.

8. Press room stewards/greeters issue
GP said that the training and new regulations in relation to this are being imposed by the football authorities. He had a letter from the football licensing authority stating that anybody dealing with a customer (not only stewards) will now have to go on an NVQ training course. It also stated that there has to be a minimum of 20 people sent on such a course. He said that the club has apparently been under scrutiny on this matter for two years now, but that for those prepared to do the training, it will be held at Loftus Road and that there is a grant available from the government to cover the costs of the training.

9. Disability issues
SD and Bev gave an update on this, saying how the minutes from the meeting with club are now available on the Trust website to view. (http://www.qpr1st.co.uk/main/newsarticle.asp?id=127). Some changes have already been implemented as a result of the meeting, including references to the club's disabled supporters on the club website. A policy is also being worked on.
One of the biggest issues to come from the disabled supporters is where they are located in the ground, with many saying how they would like to move elsewhere in the ground away from the visiting supporters.
It was pointed out by SD that one of the outcomes of the meeting was that the Club would review previous concepts for changes to the existing accommodation for wheelchair supporters in the West Paddock when formulating works planned for the close season. It was agreed that this type of venture is one that the majority of fans would more than likely want to raise funds for.

Bev mentioned that the Wheelchair Disabled supporters in the Paddocks had asked if GP could visit them to see for himself how vulnerable they were being so close to the Away supporters. GP said he would be happy to do so and arranged that before the Cardiff game he would visit the area with SD & Bev.

10. Pre-Season
10.1 Any news on this
GP said that there is a Celtic game on. A youth tournament is being arranged currently to take place at Loftus Road. And discussions are taking place with Arsenal for a Kiyan Prince memorial game.
GP also mentioned that there might be the opportunity for two or three days in Dublin but that the club would have to see about that.

10.2 The Italian pre-season that Gregory was critical of? Who was responsible?
GP commented on how the club were offered the tour in December 2005, and that in the New Year, Gary Waddock, Prav and himself went to look at the venue etc. Then things changed and the club were informed one of the games would be taking place on a plastic pitch. He accepted it was a poor pre season.

11. Clubshop
A question was asked about the clubshop on matchdays and why there does not appear to be assistants on the shop floor wearing obvious ID to help fans in a crowded environment?
GP said he had spoke to the clubshop manager and that he had informed him that there are three people/assistants on the shop floor at every game. When asked if the assistants wear ID, GP said that the manager had informed him that they do but that it is something for him to look at. It was pointed out also that sometimes the assistants have to go to the back of the shop for shirt printing etc which is possibly why it appears that the shop floor might be looking a bit low on assistants at times.

12. Any other business
12.1 Children's funday or open day - any news?
GP said this was being worked on though PH and KH said that the OSC had not heard anything yet.

12.2 Music festival in May at Loftus Road - any news?
GP commented on how this had been turned down and so will not be happening. The residents had been concerned about noise levels.

12.3 When will youth and ladies teams week by week, results lists and tables be added to the official website, as other clubs do?
GP informed us to go look at the website as this should have now been done. He added that the website and other such press/communication channels were being worked on as there is another person now at the club responsible for such updates etc.

The time was by now gone 9pm, it had been a long evening and so the meeting finished at 9.05pm. It was agreed for the next consultation group meeting to take place some time before the start of the new season, possibly late June once the fixtures are out. QPR Official Site