......... imposed by Barnsley Councils mismanaged of Jumble Lane bridge. Did the town get away hassle free ? Were there any reports of any incidents away from the ground?
I didn’t see anything as I came away from the town Centre but I’ll be pretty certain to say something did kick off. I mean it was kicking off inside the ground.
Well there's one report here about sitting for over an hour in the car park after the game with nothing happening. With all those elaborate arrangements, would it be totally fanciful to think that in conjunction with the relevant authorities, some scheme might have been engineered to get fans away from the ground in reasonable time and with minimal inconvenience? I've heard much claptrap about "the matchday experience". I can tell Mr Conway et al, my matchday experience may well prevent me from continuing my custom next year. Is this what success looks like? And as for those fans having to make the journey from Town on foot, I hope they were younger and fitter than I am. The Proclaimers must have had a field day on royalties.
I still haven't managed to get in the car park this season. Walked back through after the game and there were loads of empty spaces in the middle. What's all that about?
Yes a major incident involving myself. When I got home my dinner wasn’t on the table waiting for me. The wife said it couldn’t be helped as the situation had been imposed on her by Barnsley Council’s mismanagement of the Jumble lane crossings debacle. I exclaimed that my route home doesn’t take in Tarn centre so how could that be. She said well thar started being ridiculous int first place so I thought I’d play along wi it.
Sat in the fan zone after the game and had a coffee and a bun whilst waiting for the car park to clear. After leaving the car park, I avoided turning right and heading home down Harborough Hill because I was unsure about the queues in town. So went down Ponty Road, where I found that the queue was still back to the speed cameras, a full hour after the game, thanks to the Cundy Cross abortion.
Those with season passes in there perhaps but who didn't attend. My best guess. In fairness we have one of the biggest car parks I've ever seen in terms of football clubs. Some don't even have one.
I'm not saying it totally is. But Mr Conway has been acting Chief Exec since Gauthier Ganaye departed. As such, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he might have considered access and exit arrangements for fans, whether by car or on foot. And I know that depends on other agencies and not just the club. But Mr Conway is after all the man who pontificated abut 'the matchday experience'. From where I was sitting after the game, it wasn't great. And that will affect whether I want to be subject to it in the longer term. If that doesn't matter to the club - so be it.
In fairness you dipped out of supporting us last season by your own admittance. And we've had a new CEO for months, he's called Dane Murphy. Not that I expect he's involved in car park operations.
Over the years the only time I’ve seen any Leeds hoolies in the town centre is when a few turned up in the owd Devonshire outside the bus station a few years ago. As time got closer to the match the usual suspects started to appear and noticed the Leeds fans sat in a corner. The Leeds fans jumped up and legged it down Eldon Street. To say they have a reputation - I haven’t witnessed them in Barnsley Town Centre. So I can’t see what the fuss is about. And before anyone brings it up - I was there in the old Brewery Stand when they broke the fence down and trampled over the old fellas that used to work at the pits that used to stand in that area.
Whilst I get what you're saying, my matchday experience was good today, purely because I made contingency for what was caused beyond the club's influence. None of today's traffic problems (beyond a larger than usual crowd) can be attributed to the club. I live in Sheffield. Made a decision to avoid the Interchange. Got a lift in to top end of Sheffield Rd. Walked. Stayed in fan zone until predicted traffic problems dispersed and Leeds fans had gone. Chatted to friends, drinking a nice beer, listening to music. Empty bus back home. I realise that not all fans can plan accordingly, but I do think it's a bit harsh to blame fan experience on Conway today when any difficulties were out of his control.
He was appointed CEO in the week of 18 July this year - some eight weeks ago. And yes, I didn't attend much lat year. But I don't see what relevance that has. I am more attracted to the prospect of Championship football but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that the facilities and matchday arrangements should he commensurate with that level of the game. Clearly every customer will have to make his or her own judgement on that. I'm merely stating how it looks to me and the club will either address the situation or it won't.
I've not been able to park in the main club car park yet this season and didn't even attempt to today, used the Alhambra which was free, as it will be against Brentford as it's a Sunday game again. I hope the current arrangements are, at worst, "temporary" in nature until the new bridge is in place. I've never known it as difficult to get to and from Oakwell (by car) as what it currently is at the moment. I can only think that the multi-agency Safety Advisory Group have done some sort of risk assessment and this is what we have, rightly or wrongly. Regarding the club car park, on a positive note, they do look like they've increased the number of, and clearly marked, disabled spaces at the top end, and I think there'll be fewer "first come first served" spaces due to spaces now displaced by the fanzone, fully accept that pre-paid and corporate parking needs reserving, but it seems like overkill at present. That said, arrangements to me seem a little strange. Bottom of Grove Street today was chaos. About 50 mins before kick off the "cash only" parking was full but the signs were only visible when cars turned into Grove Street only to be asked to turn around and try and get back out into Pontefract Road as no traffic could go up Grove Street. I'm with @fitzytyke in that at both of our last home games there have been loads of empty spaces, the image attached is from the Luton game at 2.55pm (cash parking full signs were out by 2.10pm). It's more frustrating than criticism if I'm honest, we've had bigger gates than this in previous years without the complication that seems to be present at the moment.
I rather fear you are imputing personal criticism of Mr Conway when none is intended. I mention him by name purely because he is in effect the public face of the club - or was up until Dane Murphy's more recent appointment. I agree that not all of these matters are in the club's control but I do not accept that the club has no influence whatsoever over these matters.
Last time we played Leeds (away) I was in Tarn later that night with a couple of workmates who are Blades fans. We came out of the Chennells and as we stood outside on the corner deciding where to go next, we, and anyone else that was in the vicinity were being goaded by Leeds scum who were drinking in the Chambers. ‘If you hate Leeds United have a go’ was the chant. Of course we ignored them as did others and continued to the next pub. My workmates were astounded that these scum bags didn’t get pasted considering we were in Tarn. I just said that we were civilised in Barnsley