West Ham have released an official statement to confirm they plan to meet with the action group on Monday.
The club published a statement on WHUFC.com to say “West Ham United can today confirm the Club has reached out to the supporter groups represented within the West Ham Groups United to meet to begin constructive dialogue with the Club.
Vice Chairman Karren Brady has today written to the West Ham Groups United confirming: “My Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have always been clear that, as a Board, we are only the Custodians of the Club on behalf of our supporters. We fully understand that our supporters are the lifeblood of the Club.
“We believe the groups that have come together have nothing but the best interests of the Club and its long-term future in mind. We understand they are seeking only constructive dialogue with the Club to engender unity. Their intention is only to bring positive suggestions to us as a Board that will help over time to improve the Club and the supporters’ matchday experience. David Sullivan, David Gold and I want to work with the supporters to make West Ham United one of the most successful clubs in the country and we know and understand that this only happens with collaboration and listening to our supporters.
“To this end, I can confirm we have requested a meeting to take place with representatives of the groups at the earliest opportunity.We hope that this will demonstrate how serious we are about listening and answering their issues. Uniting the Club is our primary focus as a Board.
“I hope the meeting will help us to more fully understand the agenda that we all need to work to together and that following the meeting we can aim for ongoing constructive dialogue to deliver a better experience for our supporters.”
The Real West Ham Fans Action Group posted their own statement on Twitter saying:
“We have received this from the club this afternoon asking for a meeting next week. We will attend the meeting as we feel it is our responsibility to get into dialogue with the club we will attend with other groups as part of the West Ham Groups United. Far as we’re concerned we’re Marching on March 10th, but we feel it’s important to meet the Board as at some point we need to sit around the table. This is a strange one, if we don’t meet people will say we are destructive to our team. If we meet some will say we have sold out. Let’s put it straight we’ve chosen to meet the club listen to them and hopefully get them to understand why we are Marching. The meet is on Monday, time to be confirmed we will update you and we will let you know what was said at the meeting. thanks for your support.”
Doesn’t Brady understand she’s part of the problem? I wonder how seriously she’ll take it if asked to resign? Yep thought not.
The club has asked to meet because they realise the scale of this march and how it will embarrass them.Also if they make promises and the march is cancelled the organisers of the march will struggle to gain these numbers again.-Hundreds have booked rail and air tickets from all over the UK and all over the world and made the neccessary arrangements to attend.The club have caused this situation by refusing to listen to the supporters.I think the fans groups have to meet the club but when doing so point out that the march will be going ahead.If the club comes up with positive actions then any further marches and actions will be suspended.
She is part of the problem. Her comments in her Sun column are a bit Ratner-esque. Ratner resigned because of ill advised comments that hurt his company’s reputation.
But if she could be a bit more sensible with comments there then personally I think she has overall done a good job and she should not be treated as a scape goat for all the ills of the move.
I still support the stadium move as much as I loved Upton Park, I still believe the move to be crucial to the club’s long term future.
There have been been improvements since we first moved in.
The effectiveness of our transfer policy is the big issue for me.
Like I have said before. I will march because I want my discontent on this issue to be stated.
I suspect that if there are 5000 people marching, there will be 5000 different takes on this. But that’s ok. And it’s good that the club are taking this seriously.
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