On the day we were hammered by Blackpool, (bit annoying as I have a couple of Blackpool fan mates), Bazza who writes our “View From the South” match reports sent me the following letter he sent to the club. It relates to his request for match tickets.
The truth is, the club is rotten from the top. I feel sorry for the staff, it must be horrendous working for a bunch of people who clearly at best don’t understand or at worse don’t give a toss about our club. Remember we as the fans are the only constant, so we can realistically say it IS our club.
Until things change at the top – and I mean ownership, we are only destined for a downwards trajectory!
What has been your experience? Is this isolated or symptomatic?
Anyway here is a copy of Bazza’s letter to the club published here with his permission.
Dear Sirs,
I have just spent one hour six minutes and thirty-five seconds in a fruitless attempt to get through to your office today to try and purchase tickets for the Cardiff game. Eventually, I gave up. It did occur to me that being Bank holiday Monday that the office might not be manned but there is no indication of this in your telephone messaging or in the opening times and directions message. I note incidentally that you advertise that tickets are available for the West Brom, Swansea and Coventry matches, all of which have been and gone. This does not auger well for your ability to update your telephone information for fans regarding Bank Holidays if I am indeed correct in my assumption.
I am a long suffering, lifelong, loyal supporter of Birmingham City and have become used to lengthy waits for ticketing but waits of over an hour with an irritating looped message stating that my call will be answered shortly when it quite clearly will not is irritating and wholly unacceptable. There was absolutely no indication of where I was in the queue and I had no choice therefore but to vainly hold on in the hope that I might eventually receive some kind of service. This sort of shoddy treatment seems to be indicative of the prevailing atmosphere at the club generally and I have latterly come to agree with the more shrill among our fanbase that the hierarchy running our famous proud, old club simply do not care!
Yours fed up disgruntled,
Barrie Price
(AKA Bazzathebluenose – Joys & Sorrows)
You Blues have my sympathy. Here in Blackpool we had 8 year period of every decreasing levels of care for players staff and supporters. What a relief when the court enforced a sale. Then we had the joy of new owner that is a Blackpool fan. We now punch above our weight and attendences are increasing. Hope things turn out well for all at Birmingham FC sooner rather than later. See you all next season.
Understand the frustration, but it is a bank holiday and a matchday. For being a fan for so long would this not be common sense.