What Have We Become?

With huge and humble apologies to fellow Blade PD Heaton and J Abbott.

What have we become?

Trips to Fleetwood but not Leeds Scum,

Five dire seasons stuck in League One

That's what we've become

What have we become?

Still there in numbers, but a disgruntled hum

Apart from when there's a song to be sung

Or players' egos stung

Strategies change, so many bad decisions

You have to question if there is a long term vision

Managers depart, the poor players stay

Just what is The Blades Way?

And it's awful after awful after awful, there's no great

We're stuck in a rut and we've forgotten to hate

Lacking heart, no shape to our play

Permanently in a malaise

What have we become?

Rivals retain their stars, but ours have gone

A squad too large for the club to fund

Some should be long gone

What have we become?

Money spurned, investment long gone

Bad decisions from everyone

No more spin to be spun

And it's awful after awful after awful, there's no great

Our dugouts are nice and out pitch looks oreyt

And we have to look back to admire the greats

Stranded in a malaise

And you'll actually love our club less

As they stumble from one disaster to a complete mess

A future that feels like it's laden with doom

The tide has got to turn soon

And it's awful after awful after awful, there's no great

Players do drugs, they assault and they rape

No new heroes for young fans to praise

Discipline long gone away

Stuck in malaise

Stuck in malaise

Stuck in malaise

And here's the original to enjoy, or sing along to.

What Have We Become - Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott

#TheBladesBigSkyBill - Time to pay

Last Tuesday (19th January) Sky Sports announced that the Southend United v Sheffield United game was being moved for television coverage; from a much anticipated Easter Monday 3:00 kick off to two days later and a 7:45 kick off on the Wednesday.

In one fail swoop hundreds of fans were inconvenienced and many were left out of pocket. An Easter Bank Holiday Weekend date had meant that many fans had planned weekend trips or family breaks incorporating the match. 9/10 weeks notice might seem acceptable, in a world where the television companies attempt to work to 6 weeks notice (still inadequate and sometimes they can't even manage to that, ask Leicester or Arsenal fans) and as has been pointed out "Fixtures are subject to change". In this instance it is worth noting a few other factors:

• A Bank Holiday weekend encourages many fans to travel who wouldn't normally travel such a distance. The extra time off work allowing family meet-ups and a journey back that doesn't end in the early hours of the morning and another day/morning off work out of annual leave entitlements. We have received an email from a German Blade who was planning a trip over with his family, combining it with an opportunity to meet up with friends in the South, those plans now abandoned.
• The distance involved. This is not some hour long drive away. Fans will struggle to make a rearranged date as it will necessitate at the very least a half day off work on the Wednesday and probably the same on the Thursday. More if you are reliant on the train as there is no way of returning on the Wednesday evening. The additional expense, employer negotiation and hassle will deter many.

We wonder whether Sky Sports don't mind their televised spectacles played out in front of half empty stadiums, or with minimal away support, meaning games have little atmosphere. Southend can probably expect away ticket sales to be more than halved by the game being televised. This is just one of many examples of football fans being inconvenienced that have seen clubs, fans and supporter organisations speak out. In relative terms some commentators have suggested we have it easy, maybe so, but it doesn't make it right. #TheBladesBigSkyBill idea has gained momentum in recent days, with social media trending, coverage in the local paper, radio and national press.

The Star - http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-fans-to-bill-sky-for-charity-over-match-switch-1-7687541

The Star - http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-adkins-anger-at-tv-switch-1-7689719

Radio Sheffield - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03dwnf5

Radio Sheffield - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03dwnhc

The News Hub (Martin Cloake) - https://www.the-newshub.com/football/tensions-rise-in-footballs-tv-times

The Fiver (The Guardian) - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/22/the-fiver-arsenal-chelsea-and-fixture-shamblings

Sheffield Live TV - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttlBt4Bq1Y4

Others are awaiting issue of the bill today. Supporters organisations, former players and sports journalists have openly supported the principle of our claim. Blades manager Nigel Adkins has openly criticised the switch and sympathised with the fans. So today we issue the bill to Sky comprising the irrecoverable costs of Blades fans who planned to attend the game. 

The bill totals £7,271.50, representing committed rail fares, hotels, flights, additional time off work, taxi fares (in the absence of a pre-arranged lift agreed for the original fixture) and concert tickets bought for the Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott gig at Southend Pavilion on the Sunday night (not a concert anyone in Sheffield would think about popping to, unless there was another reason to be 200 miles away - we are sure fellow Blades fan Paul will not be offended by that!). We have names and in most cases addresses of people making the claim and can produce this if required.We are also aware that many other Blades fans have been more fortunate with their bookings, but have received support in our campaign all the same. This amount is less than £3,000 below the fee Sheffield United receive as the away team for this fixture, an important point of note and hopefully helps shatter the misconception that football clubs make handsomely from television coverage.

We publicly issue this bill and in doing so ask Sky not to recompense the fans affected but, as a goodwill gesture, donate the equivalent amount to a local charity that will be selected by United supporters' choice in the coming days. Blades fans can vote for a local charity by clicking on the link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/G7CDPRY . 

We do this asking Sky to consider more fully the views and commitments of, and the impact on supporters when they make such a fixture switch: 

• To look at the timing of the original game and the distances away fans are travelling before rescheduling.
• To consider that in order to obtain the best rail and (for longer trips) hotel prices, fans are having to commit to tickets far in advance of the fixture, particularly when travel is on bank holiday weekends when services may be limited. A six week window is insufficient and inadequate.
• To consider the frequency and regularity of a club's fixtures are selected. Leeds matches being selected 13 times is massively inconvenient for Leeds fans and it can't be viewed as encouraging an upturn in Sky Sports subscriptions.
• To consider a fund being provided to clubs outside the Premier League which enables them to fund/support away fans travel in these circumstances or subsidise travel on rearranged dates midweek when the cost of attending is more than just the travel, it is time off work.

As Jock Stein said "Football without fans is nothing", a statement that seems to be lost in the current footballing world where ticket prices rise, fixture changes and a lack of care or thought for fan welfare permeate the decisions of administrators and television companies. There is real and present danger that fans will increasingly become emotionally and financially disenfranchised from the game. This cannot be helpful for clubs, leagues or media rights holders and it needs to change.

Many Thanks and Up the Blades!

 

The Blades' Big Sky Bill

So it started with a tweet 

and with the added thoughts and support of fellow Blade Luke Prest the idea has germinated to this......

As you have no doubt seen, Sky TV have chosen our trip to Southend to be televised. This has resulted in a change of date and kick off from 3:00 pm on the Easter Bank Holiday Monday - a traditional footballing date - to 7:45 pm on the following Wednesday.

Time and time again, Sky do this to clubs across the land. The feelings, finances and desires of supporters are never once considered when these decisions are made by TV companies.

Sheffield to Southend is no short trip. With it being the Bank Holiday, large numbers of United will have booked hotels, travel, match tickets etc. well in advance in anticipation of a long weekend or just a good day out by the Essex seaside. These plans and not so insignificant financial commitments are now ruined or increased further by the decision of Sky to change the day and time of the fixture at just 8 weeks notice. Some may say 8 weeks is plenty of notice, but it is not just that, moving the match from a Bank Holiday - which makes it much easier for fans to attend - to a midweek night suddenly affects more people. What was a planned weekend away is no more. The need to book trains in advance to get the best prices, to line up accommodation around a Bank Holiday weekend means that action has already taken place and finances committed.

So what can we, as fans, do about this? The idea we are mooting is that the cost of Sky's action is calculated as a whole on behalf of all Blades and issued by way of an open letter/invoice to Sky. Seeking recompense for individual fans is probably stretching it, but instead we propose the total cost incurred by fans is settled by way of a donation to a nominated Sheffield charity. We can set up a vote so Blades fans can choose the recipients, assuming Sky see fit to pay.

So we ask that if you had made arrangements for the Southend match prior to Sky's rearranging of the fixture, you detail them by replying to this post, completing the Contact Form in the sidebar to the right of this post or by emailing email@lukeprest.com where they will be collated. We will then issue a total 'invoice' from us, the supporters of Sheffield United.

Please include your name, address, and details of any costs you have incurred as a result of the change in fixture - these could be lost wages, cancelled hotels, re-booking of train tickets etc. If you haven't already booked, don't feel left out. Can you demonstrate that the cost of travel have changed to your financial detriment? The key factor is that whatever we include has to be credible and real.

Please try and email/reply by Sunday 24th January and assuming we have a good response we will issue the bill early next week.

Just think what a small but ultimately powerful message this could provide. The Star have expressed interest in the idea, there were plenty of calls to Football Heaven tonight so we will make sure Radio Sheffield are aware of the plan and we will be letting the Football Supporters Federation know as well. For a small amount of your time in sending us the details you can demonstrate your anger and frustration at the contempt and ignorance shown to you, whilst hopefully helping a local charity benefit.

#TheBladesBigSkyBill

We are not the only fans to suffer from late notice fixture changes, with the cost implications and inconvenience that they cause. Hopefully other clubs' fans might see this and follow suit, or find their own ways to challenge the status quo. Football without fans is nothing. Football matches without away fans are sterile, muted, dispassionate events. It shouldn't have to be that way.

Thanks and Up The Blades.