Ben Reilly
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Posts posted by Ben Reilly
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7 minutes ago, an86 said:
Contrast this with our method, which is “£95, please.” Our catchment area includes some of the greatest pockets of poverty in the country and that’s before we take into account the cost of living crisis. We can’t just be about community when the cameras are there. It’s got to be the very fabric of who and what we are.
Where are these families finding a couple of hundred extra quid to send their kids to football? The free tickets for schools are great, but if we want them to become actual fans then this has to change. Anyone at the games with Thistle can see how vocal their young team is. That didn’t happen by accident.
Being a football club should be a bit like being a band. Just copy the bits you like from other clubs and claim it as your own. There are only so many notes you can play.
Well said.
After a number of members raised concerns about this at this weeks meeting, and being told that it would be reviewed, it was quite disheartening to receive the circular email the next morning promoting the current prices.
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9 hours ago, Arachnophile said:
Sorry not buying this. As far as I can see, the way the "hospitality stand" has been built effectively renders that whole side of the ground useless for any other spectator facility. Surely they could have incorporated a hospitality facility into a stand for "normal" fans . That way you maximise income from hospitality & "real" fans. I would also assume you get more hospitality income in a stadium you can actually play your games in.
On this we are in agreement.
The ideal option would have been along the lines of a stand that ran the length of the west side of the pitch, with hospitality seating built over the changing rooms that could be accessed directly from the pavilion, the 40ish "elite" seats still in their current position in front if the new suite, and then the rest filled with seating for ordinary supporters.
However, it seems that the money only went so far, and what we have, from the affordable options available, is the one which will supposedly bring in the most revenue going forward.
It's far from perfect, but having had the rational explained, along with some of the bigger picture stuff regarding the use of Lesser and where we'll play our home games in the coming years, I understand why those decisions were made.
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13 minutes ago, Northsea80 said:
At the members meeting was there any discussion regarding Lesser and the on going issues/build of that?
Nothing that we didnt know already. Just that there were various things that held it up (material shortages, changes to design, retrospective planning consent etc) and that construction costs went up considerably, meaning that we can't afford to build any more permanent stands for now, as the majority of the money we received upfront from the SFA for the sale of Hampden has been spent on Lesser already.
There was a bit of explanation on the reasoning for the hospitality stand. Mainly that, for various reasons, it has potential to bring in more income than we would make from having a stand for 800ish fans at our home games.
Personaly speaking, while so much about the Lesser redevelopment has been very frustrating, having had the bigger picture laid out last night, I am a bit more understanding of, and content with, why things have turned out the way they have.
However, none of the above justifies the kiosk prices!
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Just now, Zanetti said:
That's interesting, I'd be surprised if they did it any other way but you never know then!
There was a specific question asked about whether we'd have access to the centre section of the south stand (the comfy seats) as we didn't have that for the two games in December.
The answer to that was that it's still all under discussion.
Like you, I'd expect however that we'll be in the west side of the South stand and away fans in the east.
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1 minute ago, Zanetti said:
No idea what the actual capacity will be, but I'd expect away fans will be seated in the eastern side of the south stand lower when you visit.
We were told last night that negotiations were still ongoing with the SFA regarding the specifics of where fans will be seated, stewarding, access to hospitality spaces etc
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38 minutes ago, pmonigatti said:
Where is everyone seeing the new home kit?
It was on show at a members meeting this evening. It was said that it was ready to be revealed online after the meeting, so I assume that will mean tomorrow morning.
And I agree, it's a very disappointing effort from our much hyped new partnership with Adidas. Looks like it's just one of their standard templates in Black and White (with red '3 stripes')
At least the training gear looks good.
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39 minutes ago, Oldchap said:
Coming to the Livingston game simply because I want to see the new ground. Can you guys advise where it's best to park . Thanks
There's a free carpark right outside Lesser, which is a continuation if the even bigger free carpark outside Hampden.
Both will be available on Monday night and there will be plenty of space.
Enjoy the game.
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1 hour ago, EaglesandSpiders said:
Btw, when I was renewing my season ticket last Friday, Mhairi let me look at the computer screen to choose a seat. There were only around 100 seats left, If I saw correctly. If anyone's interested in buying a new one, once the general sale opens tomorrow, they should hurry.
True, but with only one league game at Lesser, even in the unlikley event that we do sell every seat in there, once we move to Hampden there will be loads of room and a season ticket is still worth buying as it's cheaper than 17 individual games.
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1 hour ago, Bring Your Own Socks said:
With regard to the Veldman video, also gone from the YouTube channel, I noticed in the Linlithgow report a clear statement that he was viewing “subject to visa approvals”. So maybe it’s been pulled so as not to send the wrong messages to the border guards. Especially as we have a member of the House of Lords associated with the club.
I hadn't spotted that. I wonder if it was added later or I just didn't see it when I read it the first time.
Either way, it would certainly explain things.
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I noticed the tweet, Facebook post and website article announcing that Brown and Eze had been released have all disappeared from the various platforms.
While looking for them I then noticed that the posts, videos and articles with Veldmans 'first QPTV interview' and his first meeting with the press have also all been removed.
I'm sure there's a perfectly sensible explanation for all this, but it seems a bit strange.
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9 minutes ago, Zanetti said:
I have a feeling the current catering deal was purely one of convenience given we won't be spending too much time at Lesser yet. Hopefully it'll change in the future.
We are sharing the catering staff with the Burnside Hotel (owned by Haughey and where the first team meet, eat and travel from for away games) although I noticed we are also advertising for more hospitality staff. We don't seem to be using the same kiosk staff as Hampden, but if we're hiring for hospitality staff, then it's likley we'll use them when we play there.
The same staff working at the kiosk at the stadium on Saturday were then behind the bar in the social club afterwards
I dont know who's supplying the pies etc. but it could be the same supplier as Hampden. I was quite surprised by the prices, and had hoped that when we returned to Lesser we would be more reasonably priced, but it could well be that we're matching the Hampden prices so they're the same all season?
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50 minutes ago, qpfc said:
I’ve no doubts Beuker hired Coyle but I look at it as a stop gap until the right personnel became available, ie Veldman. Coyle was never going to be long term I felt. At the time of Coyle’s appointment, Beuker had been in the dugout for 3 months. It was an embarrassing situation which needed sorting before the season drew to a close
You look at Coyle and the way ex players from his managerial career talk about his training. Small sided games and little to no shape. Just felt like even from when Coyle was first appointed, it didn’t seem like the type of guy Beuker would massively get on with. Ultimately Coyle standing down has most likely solidified that theory
I'm sure I read/heard an interview with Coyle at something where he mentioned that he'd been in communication with people at QP as far back as the switch to turning pro. Not necessarily in terms of joining us, but taking an interest in the progress and possibly offering some advice etc.(?)
I can't remember the source so I may be misremembering the details.
While i'm sure Beuker signed off on Coyles' appointment, I'm not convinced Coyle would have been top of his contact list. I wouldn't be surprised if the initial suggestion may have come from Haughey, as I believe they know each other well.
Veldman however is 100% a Beuker appointment.
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38 minutes ago, EaglesandSpiders said:
I'd like to pick your brains for something that's been on my mind since the last season.
I thought the main driving force behind the decision to become a professional club and start offering our players professional contracts and wages was to stop bigger clubs from poaching the young talent we develop through the ranks for nothing. The secondary aim being using the money we receive from player sales in restructuring the club and building strong ties with the community. If I'm not mistaken in all of the above, the fact that we haven't sold a single young player in the last three years is a little worrying. Mind you, I'm quite happy to see the team competing in the Championship and keep signing quality players but how does that fit into "the plan"? For example, the signing of Hepburn as a loanee from Bayern is definitely good for the first team's prospects this season but he's not a player we can "sell on". If I don't see the club making money off at least two player sales at the end of 23/24 season, then I'm seriously doubting "the plan".
Yes, you are correct.
I suppose it takes a while to develop players into saleable assets, but I fully expect it will happen in the coming years. That's why we seem to be only signing players in there early 20's, so we can get a few years out if them and sell them on when they're in their prime (and most valuable).
There was apparently some interest in Savoury towards the end of last season, so it would have been interesting to have seen whether we'd have received some offers over the summer if he hadn't been injured in the playoffs.
In fairness we did receive a fee for Murray (first player we ever RECEIVED a transfer fee for), though he doesn't quite fit the youth development model (perhaps that's why we cashed in when we did?).
Liam Brown (first player we ever PAID a transfer fee for) has slso moved to EK while under contract. EK have announced it, but we haven't yet. I have no idea if a fee was involved.
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23 minutes ago, EaglesandSpiders said:
Popped outside for a scran and checked the pies at Greggs just before the awards ceremony yesterday. They looked disgusting.
I forked out for one in the ground at half time. I wasn't impressed.
Best Chippy or Arturo's Deli from now on?
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6 hours ago, williebraveheart said:
Anyone know where Eze has gone? No longer appears in squad photos. Neither does Liam Brown but I think we know his whereabouts. Would be nice to have been informed.
I spoke to someone yesterday who said he's recently moved out his flat and is back in Nigeria.
Doesn't look like we'll be seeing him again.
It's a shame it didn't work out, as this time last year we were all getting quite excited about his rumoured signing, and he seemed like a really likeable guy on the couple of occasions I spoke to him.
Hopefully he finds a club where he can be the cult hero he almost became here.
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12 hours ago, HoustonSpider99 said:
I recently attended a Bundesliga game at RB Leipzig. And while I appreciate there’s a different football culture in Germany and Scotland, but what struck me was that the club wanted to maximise the match day experience as being IN the ground. A variety of food options, at reasonable prices (and naturally beer). Fish & Chips, Currywurst, Kebabs, Pies, Wraps, Loaded Fries and Desserts all sold at a price you’d happily pay in a McDonalds- and people used it with the stadium being 80% full an hour before kick-off!
Of course this is all relative and has to be applied to a club of QP’s size, but you don’t need to look further than Ayr United, who’s catering options include Pizza’s, Wraps and Nachos. Even Kilwinning Rangers will sell you a toastie and chilli! A Scotch Pie and Bovril will always be a staple and that’s fine, but maximise revenue- you’ll no do that by charging a leg for what I can get out of Greggs for £1.80.
Especially when Greggs is genuinely about 100 yards away from the kiosk.
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I see the club have posted photos from the first week if training on Facebook.
Longridge is included, so I'm guessing that means he's signed up for the coming season.
No sign of Fox unfortunately.
Also no Eze, even though he's under contract for next year.
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1 hour ago, Spider Rico said:
I think it’s one of those football kit accounts have taken an adidas template and our badge on it to show what it might look like
That is quite possible, the post i saw didnt mention whether it was the genuine kit or a mock up. I notice that the badge isn't in a shield like it is in the training gear we've seen pictured, so that could indicate its a photoshop job.
However, I also saw someone point out that the red with the chevron design is very similair to what you can see in the image at the top of the article on the website announcing the partnership with adidas.
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Saw this on Twitter. I'm assuming it's our new away kit.
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23 minutes ago, an86 said:
2-3 weeks to get a work visa, I think. Depends when the application went in. Might be a “From July 1st” type announcement. Director of Football will likely be in charge of recruitment anyway. Seems to be the way of things now, so not overly bothered on that front.
When do the players start back for pre season training? I thought it might have been this week, or perhaps next week at the latest.
I wonder who will be leading that? Possibly the Sports Science guys?
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1 hour ago, QP's in my DNA said:
My pal travelled from the other side of Glasgow today to Lesser, by public transport, to renew his season ticket.
At the official offices, he was told that the guy who deals with the season tickets was unavailable and in a meeting !!!!!!!!!
So he waited for almost an hour, and guess what ??? ..
He had to leave empty handed without a season ticket !!!!!!!
This shambles that is now running our club into the ground, has become an advert for how not to run a football club.
Professional ????...........don't make me laugh.
Sorry to hear this, but also a bit surprised. I've always found the folk in the office very helpful and easy to deal with.
I went in on Friday afternoon and there were 2 people dealing with the renewals (1 male & 1 female). There were a number of people in the queue in front of me, each with their own requests/queries, and every one was dealt with quickly with every effort made to meet people's requirements to sit beside friends, get an aisle seat etc.
Hopefully your friends experience was just an unfortunately timed one off, and he gets his ticket sorted soon.
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1 hour ago, an86 said:
Wonder if we’ll go with an assistant who knows the level. Not doing that might actually be the biggest risk we could take.
I thought it was interesting that the club officially announced that Coyle had left, then a few days later announced Coyle jnr had left, but there has been no mention of Sandy Stewart.
I'm assuming he's also left, and will go with Coyle to his next post. He has been removed from the staff section of the website last time I looked. However given he hasn't been mentioned or thanked by the club, is it possible that he'll still be around next season? Wouldnt be the worst option to have as an experienced Scottish coach and would keep some continuity from last season.
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On 09/06/2023 at 14:11, lubo_blaha said:
I was more thinking a rotation between the likes of Easter Road, Tynecastle, Tannadice, Pittodrie and Rugby Park. Lesser would be far too small.
Ah, sorry, i'd misunderstood your previous post.
That makes a bit more sense, but I still think it's probably unlikely as the SFA have been making a faifmr biymt if noise about Hampden being the home for the women's national team. Of course they could quite easily change their mind and tour the country.
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5 hours ago, lubo_blaha said:
I wonder if this will result in all women’s football being turfed out of Hampden.
Can't see that happening. The women's games at Hampden have been getting attendances of around 3,000 up to 10,000. Even when finished Lesser won't hold any where near that many.
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The Big Queen's Park FC Thread
in Scottish Championship General Chatter
Posted
The Hampden Campus
The impression I got from the meeting was that we are keeping our options open for where exactly within that campus we can play.