On Sunday evening we were notified of a recorded Q&A “round table” which STFC were hosting. We and the OSC collated over 80 questions in total, and have submitted them to STFC.
We share below the questions submitted to the Club.
To streamline the process we have removed duplications of similar questions. We have also removed superfluous sentences where necessary, ensuring the spirit of the question remained intact.
- Can we have regular updates on the injury situation and the progress of our key injured player
- Can we do a ticket offer for the Town End to help create a better atmosphere from now until the end of the season? It’s extremely flat at the minute and in the past the town end is like a 12th man, speak to the local media to back this initiative like the Swindon Advertiser and I’m convinced we would get a bumper crowd
- When launching season tickets why not include a package that includes a Home shirt if purchased by x date to encourage early sign-ups?
- What is the long term plan with the training ground? Is Beversbrook deemed as a long term option?
- With the success of the team on the pitch, is there any plans of the open training session at the county ground during half term or the Easter holidays. It would make great commercial sense and getting the fan base together for the run in
- Ian – What makes you stand out from the other mangers and why? We think what you are doing is amazing and you are so passionate about the club it’s amazing to see.
- Did the decision by the club not to replace Jamie Russell, Jamie Watts and Bailie Coupland contribute to the errors being made by inexperienced which led to the club being excluded from the vertu trophy for fielding in eligible players.
- There has been a rumour that Harry Smith and Paul Glatzel have been de registered from the club is this true? If this is down to financial fair play how does it work if they are contracted players?
- How are we managing to stay within ffp rules, with such a big squad? I make it 32 now, not including the scholars! Albeit with a couple out on loan.
- There has been lots of talk from Ian Holloway of trying to increase match day crowd numbers to increase the atmosphere within the ground to help the give extra support to the team on match days. With numbers being relatively static over the past few years do you think a good way of generating extra crowd numbers could be to either reduce (certain) match day tickets for different areas within the ground? Or maybe start a more aggressive outreach school programme where players visit schools and give out free tickets to some kids to get them to attend? In my view this could increase numbers in the short term (helping the team with promotion) but in the longer term potentially introduce new fans to the club generating more revenue through match day tickets, the various outlets and club store. I am proof of this method of recruitment having taken my child a few years ago and we are both now season ticket holders. Kids can have a very good sway on what parents spend their time and money on!!
- Clem – Is it true you had an investor give the club £500,000 at the start of the season to help the club get promoted on the promise that if we did they would buy the club
- To Clem and Anthony. Firstly, thank you for your amazing support and financial input. My question is regarding our ground. Do you still have plans to develop an area for use as a fans zone. This could include food drink and games etc. Lincoln used to do a really good area which includes compare and guest speakers such as ex players and managers.
- Would like clarification the situation with the Club Secretary with the various mistakes been made and if they think she is suitable for the position
- My question for Clem and Anthony is…Please justify why the proposed development of the DR stand takes priority over making the other 3 stands ‘fit for purpose’ e.g. toilets, hot water etc. etc. for the long suffering fan base I.e. the real supporters of STFC. I feel you wish to make as much money as possible out of the ‘Prawn Sandwich Brigade’ (sponsors) rather than your original voiced opinion when you became owner of building a family oriented football club. I have been a season ticket holder since 1985, through thick and thin but your plans for the DR stand would make me (and over 1000 other season tkt holders) move to another part of the DR stand or elsewhere. That makes me feel very unloved and insignificant. Finally, I’d like to thank Ian Holloway for putting all of his energy into improving the playing side, giving us hope for the future and long may it continue.
- Don’t know if this falls under this, but digital advertising board around the pitch, long overdue… Missing out on revenue, use of team line-ups/goals scored, mini scoreboard/timing… Money has been wasted on a silly scoreboard in the Stratton Bank, which let’s be honest, is a waste of money, it’s pointless (or at least needs to be moved and used properly and not out the way and some games isn’t even used?) and could’ve been used else where ie… said digital boards. Oldham for example have them and use them very well because they have no huge screen! We’re so outdated and behind on everything, the club needs to step into the modern era, digital boards are a must and huge help… Let’s start making this club step forward!
- If you are trying to encourage more fans to come and support the team why are you trying to dislodge 800 loyal season ticket holder fans out of their long standing seats to make changes to the don rogers stand? we have asked all around us what they will do and 80% have said they would not come anymore as it would not be the same, all around us we have made a second family over the 20 + years we have all been going and now you want to rip these footie families apart and put them in seats that no one else has brought for years. Like others around us, my son in his 30s now and myself will not be coming again after my support for 40+ years and my sons for 20+ years and many others around us we all feel the same, this is NOT the way to treat loyal supporters.
- I use the disabled entrance to gain entry to the Arkells stand, this season there has been a few new policies by the stewards. I have been told on numerous occasions that I should use the kiosks at the top of the Arkells if I require a drink or food, if I could I would but I suffer from virtigo and coming down the steps can be a real problem. Could the town end food kiosk be adapted to serve both the Town end and the Arkells? Or simply allow fans from the Arkells to access the Town end kiosk. I offer these 4 points to consider :
- 1: allow fans to enter the Town End to buy a coffee or/and food from the Arkells.
- the one way system introduced in the legends which means if you use the toilets at the bar end, you are not allowed to re-enter without going outside and going around to the legends entrance in the middle of the Arkells.
- smoking at half time, if you are in the Arkells you have nowhere designated as a smoking area, but you can watch fans in the Town end leave the stadium for a smoke, the stewards will not let you pass from the Arkells into the Town End to use the smoking area.
- The Tanoy system in the Arkells is inaudible
- enable food to purchased inside the legends at the coffee bar like it used to be.
- I realise these point might seem trivial but in my opinion it does take away some enjoyment of the whole match day experience.
- Anthony, How many Season Ticket holders are there and what steps(if any?) are you taking to encourage more? On hospitality why could I not buy a simple cup of coffee from the Arkell stand yesterday 7/2 at 11.40 am? Surely the Club can provision better than this? Don’t normally get any response to my questions to CEO!!!
- Ian, What has pleased you most with the current squad of players? On your wish list is there anything else Clem could do to help you take this great Club back to the higher divisions? Well done Ollie!!!
- How do they see the ground redevelopment actually happening? The silence to supporters is deafening but they need supporters to vote it through?
- I have a question re ground atmosphere…I believe making the Town-end a safe standing area would encourage more people into that end which would improve the atmosphere…has the club considered this??? I have season ticket in DR and the seats are far too cramped for my long legs and because of this I am considering not renewing next season so I would certainly move into a Town-end standing area for a singalong
- Clem what is the latest on the Stratton bank and town end stands I’m a season ticket holder in the town end it’s become a dirty, old depleted stand toilets are disgusting and needs to be replaced with a multitude use stand with amenities to go with it to show
- Ian you are a footballing genius and admire your footballing brain and intelligence in the game along with your man management in backing your players, team and club. Would love to be a fly in the wall at training or touch line to hear your thoughts. Would the club ever support a package to be able to do This? Also, will Ian Holloway do another evening with himself as was unable to attend the last one?
- Could an update be provided regarding the women’s team transition to matches at the County Ground? (Clarity – how as it gone this season with them playing at the CG, and is it planned to keep this for this future )
- Firstly, congratulations to both Mr Holloway and Mr Morfuni on a successful season on the pitch to date. Hopefully come what May we will have finished in a final league position enabling us to get out of this godforsaken division. Looking forward positively when in league one, or to me the third division will there be plans to revisit the pricing structure of the town end and the admission criteria for that stand. I’m almost in my 70s so it’s the Don Rogers stand for me nowadays but I’d love to see that particular stand packed every home game generating an atmosphere to rival the old days. If my season ticket increases to compensate for a reduction for a season ticket in the town end sobeit. Perhaps there’s someone out there who’d be happy to bang a drum or do something like that just to generate a more positive match atmosphere which benefits us all but most importantly the team who deserve to be playing in front of a noisy vibrant packed town end. A lengthy e mail but you get the gist of the question. Well done again on a good season to date. Carry on and make it an excellent one! Finally, Mr Holloway, I love your enthusiasm, honesty, and passion. Thank you for caring about my football club which has been part of my life for 60 years having starting watching this team when I was a boy. Also, Mr Morfuni thank you for continuing to support our manager financially in his quest to get us into league one and hopefully beyond
- The atmosphere from the Town End has been bad most of the season due to the low numbers that are in the stand, the Town End has always been the noise maker in the stadium is there any sort of promotion that can be run to Fill the Town End for some of the bigger games. I’m sure the players would appreciate the full effect of a full Town End in full voice.
- Bearing in mind the botched share transfer notification that lead to a fine, the late payments that lead to a transfer embargo in 2024 and the admin oversight that lead to the expulsion from the Veru Trophy why should we have confidence in Mr Morfuni and Mr Hall being able to deliver a multi million pound revamp of the Don Rogers Stand?
- Clem is there any hope of the plans for the new stadium being started by the spring of next year 2027. I would be grateful to get an answer, you and Mr. Holloway are doing a good job at moment
- Where do you anticipate the club to be in 3yrs time both financially and with regards to the ground redevelopment
- Clem regarding the proposed redevelopment of the DR stand, I understand the reasons for doing this. However, myself and my friends have excellent seats having had them for many years but would lose these permanently due the development plans. The alternative seating offered last year was vastly inferior; for example either moved to the DR wings, Arkells stand with stantions obscuring our view, not on the end of a row and we have no interest in watching games from behind a goal. What will the club do ensure that if permanently displaced, alternative seats in another part of the ground are on an equal to the positions that we have lost?
- Why are you trying to put corporate boxes in the Don Rogers stand when it is blatantly obvious that the town end and Stratton bank are in a dreadful state
- Clem how do you see the club changing and developing if we gain promotion to league one? What do you feel we need to differently to become sustainable and be able to consistently compete at that level?
- What the thinking was behind the installation of the ‘TV’ on the Stratton Bank? I do not think that anybody looks at it and personally I couldn’t tell you whether it is on during the game or not. It is also so far away from where I sit in the JT stand to make it meaningless. What exactly is it that the club expect to gain from its presence and more importantly what did it cost?
- Clem and Anthony please, can anything be done about the massive puddle outside the ground on the corner of the Town End and Don Rogers Its very hard to avoid due to it being outside an entrance and can be quite deep. Also warm water in the toilets would be nice, on a cold day its very hard to wash your hands and go back outside with wet hands. I would also like to say keep up the good work, all of you, its exciting times for us fans.
- Looking at the redevelop plans to the County Ground, which involve removing seats from the Don Rodger’s stand to make way for executive boxes. Given the stadium’s condition, wouldn’t it be more cost-effective, long term, to demolish and rebuild each stand? Taking Swindon Town’s approach as an example, they could demolish the Town End, move it back to the concrete bollards, and build a new stand. This approach could be applied here, allowing for modern, state-of-the-art stands with executive boxes. By shifting the stadium back as far as the bollards, you’d create space between Stratton Bank and the houses behind, which could be utilised. Clem – thoughts?
- Could we make the Town End a safe standing area. That removes the current issues around the fans wanting to stand up but aren’t supposed to. That would certainly help improve the numbers and atmosphere in that stand in my opinion.
- How do you align the club’s long-term vision (sporting goals, financial sustainability, and community engagement) with the day-to-day decisions you make I.e such as transfers, youth development, and match strategy — and how do you resolve differences in priorities between the board and the coaching team?
- Clem: “Hopefully we will achieve promotion – should we do so, will additional funds be made available to the manager to enhance the playing staff?”
- Ian: ” Does he know his FIRST team? Or will each team be chosen simply on who is available and fit?”
- What the purpose of this pre-recorded interview is? (Looking a the fan engagement plan, this doesn’t appear to replace the second fans forum?)
- Why they have chosen to release a pre-recorded interview, as opposed to holding a live stream/live event?
- If pre-recorded is a preferred method of communication, please could they confirm why they have only allowed one day’s notice for supporters to submit questions?
- Clem/Anthony regarding the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both TrustSTFC and the club in 2021. This no longer appears to be available to review on the club’s website. Has the club rescinded it’s previously agreed commitments around communication and financial transparency?
- I sit in the Arkells Stand & you cannot hear the Tannoy System for anything.I believe work was done on it but from a safety point of view its hard to hear if at all & for general announcements same problem.Appreciate club is short of cash but it needs addressing in an emergency you could not evacuate the stands because nobody would hear. Several years ago I asked Mr Morfuni at his visit to our Wed Coffee Morning could the club fix the big puddle outside the Club Shop.Every match day one of the maintenance team brushes the water away which is commendable however, surely a layer of tarmac would solve the problem for good. Not desperately urgent but a nuisance.
- On Saturday v Oldham we had two away fans in the arkells stand and the lady who I chat to was shocked and gave her grief. Need to sort the ticket process out. And who is responsible for this error could happen again v Bristol rovers or any other club. Personally, I’m angry and upset. Can we have wifi connection around the ground plz. I like to see the stadium be updated and when or can we invest in new stadium knock this one down and make it from scratch
- The players we have just signed until the end of the season, Do we have options for a further year on them… Especially Hoilett. I think this team is good enough to do well in league 1 next season if we can keep them together.
- If the club gets promoted at the end of the season, will the club be in a financial position to enhance the strength of the team.
- Are there any further plans to redevelop the Don Rogers stand or any other part of the ground? Will season tickets holders affected by any redevelopment be notified before hand? Just wanted to say the Team are playing well this season and look forward to more positive outcomes. Thank you for the great commitment to get us promoted, we all just must believe we can do it and remain positive.
- The gangways in the Don Roger’s are increasingly becoming blocked by supporters who stand in them chatting before the game and or watching the end of the game from the bottom of the steps The stewards are not making them move on, which they should do. It needs to be addressed before someone gets hurt. Can you please address this
- If/when we get promoted this season what is in place to ensure we can at least be competitive in League 1? The club has a history of never building on any success we may have. It’s always short-termism.
- What on earth have you done to the Town End? (Not selling tickets in blocks T1/T2, not selling tickets to under 16s, totally over the top security presence, etc) Our home end has been ruined, and is a major contributing factor to the quiet atmosphere at home matches. What is the logic of your decisions that have led to this? How do you plan to correct it?
- Can you explain your reasoning for lowering the Barrow home ticket prices and then refusing to advertise it to the masses appropriately and in a timely manner? Range of STFC podcasts and forums did more to advertise the ticket promotion than you did at STFC. Low and behold… awful crowd vs Barrow. What a waste of a ticket promotion!
- If/when Clem Morfuni is disqualified of being a director of any company in Australia and UK (Australian court case pending)… where will this leave STFC? What contingency plans are being put in place?
- Do you think it’s acceptable that it’s taken until mid-February for our chairman and CEO to say anything publicly this season? What are they afraid of? Even this Q&A is a pre-recorded bit of media, where questions are hand picked in advance.
- Can you ask if they believe the current sky to deal is generating more income for the club? As it is definitely affecting attendances
- As per the EFLs directors list your son is now a listed director.How many shares were transferred to Christian and why? And were you obliged to inform other shareholders such as Hollie and Chris Kiely or not.
- Clem, what are you thoughts on people that are still questioning your leadership and wearing those silly orange hats to matches, despite us being in the top 3, with the best squad and manager we’ve had in at least 15 years?
- Please ask what has changed at the club since the Trust’s open letter in May 2024? Yes, we’re doing better in the league but behind the scenes things still aren’t good enough, admin errors, no new ideas re ground redevelopment, ineligible players, etc. The Trust called for:
- an immediate and significant investment in both money and experienced personnel into the Club;
- a clear and credible funding plan for the ground re-development; and
- a commitment to complete transparency and honesty in more frequent communication.
- This event feels like a tick-box session, hiding behind Holloway again, with barely any time (24hrs) for supporters to raise questions in advance. Not being held or broadcast/streamed live, with no chance for supporters to attend or ask follow up questions. Surely the club agree they need to stop treating supporters with such contempt?
- Please ask the club to confirm which areas of the County Ground, other than the DRS, are being seriously considered for the next ground redevelopment proposal, considering the original proposals were voted down by Trust Members? Can supporters look forward to a completely new proposal to vote on, or will it just be a disappointing rehash of the same plan up for rejection again?
- Things are finally looking good on the pitch, Thanks to those that have played a part in that. What plans are in place to help aid any success remain sustainable, thinking training ground, stadium redevelopment etc. And in the shorter term are there any plans to improve the town end atmosphere on a matchday. Whatever is happening in there at the moment isn’t working and the team deserve a rocking town end.
- Having seen the continued success Ian has had since arriving and previously the 2 Ben’s (especially recruitment Ben) do you regret not having experienced football folk in football positions, and can we get a guarantee that this will be the continued approach going forward whilst you’re owner? What has changed this season for you to noticeably back Ian, compared to previous attempts (post Garner) of recruiting “on the cheap” and picking up what has felt like the bottom of the barrel?
- To aid the great work done by our gaffer Ian Holloway and his team. Is there something to that you can do to rebuild and encourage fans to return to the town end? There has been a notable difference in the town end and the stadium since the changes came into Force. The town end is the vocal support that our club needs!
- The publicly quoted cost of redevelopment @ £3m before Redevelopment vote was patently wrong given current construction costs and the likely need of multi-disciplined professional project team. In contrast Oxford’s proposed new stadium development is priced at £130/150m. Did you not get the proposed scheme costed by cost consultants and if so what was their advice?
- Would our manager be willing to go onto the Monday night panel ran by the OSC and have a question and Answer? I think this would go down well with fans!
- The gaffer has shared his opinions over the FA/EFL processes around the Luton teamsheet and skippers eligibility, can Clem or Anthony give details on how the club have addressed the underlying issue leading to the issue occuring?
- Christian Morfuni was added to the EFL site without fanfare from the club. Can the club comment on why this differs from Ben and Anthony joining the board?
- Ben Gristwood was announced as a director, but the EFL site marks him as “(c) A Person exercising the powers that are usually associated with the powers of a director of a company”. Does this represent an error on STFC’s part or has his involvement been downsized?
- When will you be announcing how you are recompensing supporters for their wasted trip to Luton due to the club’s two administrative errors?
- Whilst the main investment is aimed at corporate boxes, why can’t the TE be re-built with a floor which could in a first instance be used as a corporate space giving time for a total revamp to the Arkells which could be redesigned to allow for boxes, thus leaving the Don Rogers as it is for now? A steel frame mezzanine could be built to the rear of the Arkells (still allowing vehicle access below) extending the commercial space at the first floor and improving the match day experience for the stand…
- why hasn’t there been a F2F fans forum, given club are supposed to hold two per season?
- “Pre game build up/atmosphere is shocking and non existent for a team going for promotion
- Years ago there used to be incentives and packages to make sure the stadium was full and bouncing the commercial side seems to be shocking at best.
- Are there any open training sessions planned at the county ground for either half term or the Easter holidays ??? This would be an excellent pr opportunity”
- “I believe that the club ought to make the front of the Don Rogers or Arkells a Safe Standing area to improve atmosphere.
- Dont waste time doing it in the TE where everybody stands anyway.”
- Please explain why the three stands other than the DR stand should not be made ‘fit for purpose’ before considering any redevelopment of the stand in best condition? That would reward the REAL supporters ahead of any ‘prawn sandwich’ brigade.
- Can you check in with Ian on his and his wife’s health (if he is happy to answer)
- Clem, you’ve now been at the Club for five years. On many occasions (including only last week) Club statements have talked of ‘maintaining the highest standards’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘succession planning’. As we strive to move up through the leagues, how does all of that align with not a single member of your leadership team or fellow directors having any experience of running a football club prior to STFC? How do you see the club operating in the championship or league 2 without having the right experience around you?
NB – There are 77 numbered questions above, but to preempt any queries, we counted some of the compound questions individually.