FA set to reject Hull City's name change

[Harry - LCFC]

"We are pleased that supporters treated the ballot as a validation of Dr Allam’s ownership of the football club, rather than believing the masquerade that this was a vote on the name change."

 

Goes some way to explaining why so few turned out to vote. They're convinced this wasn't a proper vote.

 

http://notohulltigers.tumblr.com/post/82001777660/ballot-result-response-from-ctwd

[Basingstoke Fox]

Interesting article from the FSF on this:

 

http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/hull-city-fans-share-concerns-over-loaded-ballot

 

 

Hull City fans' worries over "loaded" ballot

Hull City fans have understandable concerns relating to owner Assem Allam's "loaded" ballot of season ticket holders on the club's name change. The change was rejected by the FA's Membership Committee last week and this is Allam's attempt to resurrect the issue before it goes to the FA Council for ratification. We doubt the Electoral Commission would be impressed. City Independent Editor Ian Waterson's open letter was sent to Hull City, the FA, the FSF, and SD...

To whom it may concern,

I would like to register my utter contempt for the ballot of season ticket holders that Hull City AFC are currently undertaking.

Hull City season ticket holders are being invited to poll their opinion on the following:

Aside from the ballot appearing ‘loaded’ I need definitive clarification if this ballot is actually about the proposed name change, or merely a vehicle to dissect the popularity of the Allam family at Hull City AFC?

In addition to that, there are a number of serious issues surrounding this poll – rendering me unable to vote – which I must bring to your attention, including and not limited to:

• As a season ticket holder, I have still not been emailed my voting entitlement, despite my email address being on the club’s database five days in to the ballot that lasts for seven days. Why has this not been received and how many more season ticket holders are in my position?
• I have learned people who have subsequently received this email from the club, advising me personally, the system fails to capture your ballot details and they have now been left in a the precarious position of blank forms being returned to the club upon casting their vote. What happens to votes in this case?
• I have no access to a printer to produce a copy of the blank ballot paper if I wish to vote manually. Do I need to take time off work to visit the stadium and register my vote at huge inconvenience to me and incurring a loss of earnings to do so?
• At the stadium on Saturday 22nd March before the home match with West Bromwich Albion, I was told by a member of staff that ‘no more ballot papers would be printed out, if none are left at the ballot box’. Why couldn’t more forms be printed off?
• Evidently, the ballot asks for personal details including my name and address, leaving the club with the power to identify me and my voting choice, as no independent adjudicator is in place. Why is this necessary and what happens to this information?
• To date, no details have emerged of an independent adjudicator, despite the ballot commencing on 21st March and running until the 28th March to address any of my concerns. Why is no independent adjudicator in place before the ballot commenced – and if there is an independent adjudicator in place, why was that not disclosed to season ticket holders when the poll opened?
• I have zero confidence that my personal details are being protected, remain open to misuse, or could indeed be subject to manipulation while there is no independent adjudicator appointed from the commencement of the poll. What assurances are in place for season ticket holders choosing to exercise their vote, that their data is being lawfully protected?

In my opinion, all of the above points should’ve been remedied before any polling takes place – leading me to clearly believe there isn’t a robust ballot system in place to fairly canvass Hull City season ticket holders’ views on this matter. Therefore, I am left with no other choice to but to formally register my complaint with the club until all the assurances I’ve outlined can be satisfied.

I also need to make the club aware a copy of this email will be sent to the FA, the Football Supporters' Federation and Supporters Direct. This is because I would at least like to place my complaint on record with other parties that may hold a vested interest in this ballot, while no independent adjudicator is in place to contact me and address my concerns.

Yours faithfully, Ian Waterson.

Hull City AFC Season Card holders (adults, seniors and 16-22 year-olds) have until midnight on Friday 28th March to register their vote.

The FSF blog is the space to challenge perceived wisdom, entertain readers and inform our members. The views expressed are those of the author and they don't necessarily represent FSF policy and (pay attention journalists) shouldn't be attributed to the FSF.

Thanks to Action Images for the image used in this blog.

[visavietnam.net.vn]

Great.......vote !!!

[Finnegan]

I'm sorry to get all preachy again but I hope you're all going to start laying in to Hull fans as cowardly, greedy, scumbag sellouts now?

It's quite clear from the poll that most of them don't care enough to participate and of those that did the majority would rather have the owner's money than their "traditional brand."

If that's the accusation levelled at Cardiff fans who haven't had the opportunity to vote (that I remember?) then I assume Hull fans can be considered no better?

I'm sorry but crying about loaded ballots is completely irrelevant if you've got principles. Wealthy investment has bankrolled a traditionally tinpot, nothing, lower league club to the Premier League twice and this time Assam has even kept them there. He now wants more bang for his buck. I'm not saying he's right to do so but if he wants to walk away that's his prerogative. It's his money. He's not just loading the poll to get his way, he's letting them know exactly what they're voting for and what the consequences should be.

If they're City til they die they should be City rich in the prem OR City poor in league two where they belong.

[Fox92]

The 3000 or whatever that stood and watched them in league two at Boothferry Park are against this. I feel for those, as the new fans who have seen relative success and Hull become something in accordance with the City itself are probably for it. Can't see how any fan could put up with someone like him, it's like it's his way or no way.

[Voll Blau]

When all's said and done, this all could have been shot in the back of the head if the fans had the bollocks to stop lining the ****'s pockets for a couple of games.

 

But no, in this country people have to be "seen" supporting the club whose very soul is being threatened by a madman you're making richer through your attendance.

 

Make a banner instead eh, that'll show 'em.

[Strokes]

I'm sorry to get all preachy again but I hope you're all going to start laying in to Hull fans as cowardly, greedy, scumbag sellouts now?

It's quite clear from the poll that most of them don't care enough to participate and of those that did the majority would rather have the owner's money than their "traditional brand."

If that's the accusation levelled at Cardiff fans who haven't had the opportunity to vote (that I remember?) then I assume Hull fans can be considered no better?

I'm sorry but crying about loaded ballots is completely irrelevant if you've got principles. Wealthy investment has bankrolled a traditionally tinpot, nothing, lower league club to the Premier League twice and this time Assam has even kept them there. He now wants more bang for his buck. I'm not saying he's right to do so but if he wants to walk away that's his prerogative. It's his money. He's not just loading the poll to get his way, he's letting them know exactly what they're voting for and what the consequences should be.

If they're City til they die they should be City rich in the prem OR City poor in league two where they belong.

Both cardiff and hull fans are shitsacks, im happy to go along with that finners.

[Harry - LCFC]

"The FA Council has today rejected Hull City’s application to change their playing name to Hull Tigers"

 

http://www.thefa.com/news/governance/2014/apr/fa-council-decision-on-hull-city-application

[Dan]

The FA have gone against the fans wishes once again 

[AndWhat?]

Fair play to the FA. Let's see if that **** leaves the club now then. 

[Guest MattP]

Great stuff!

Cheerio Allam, the sport won't miss you.

[oxford blue]

Good decision; the majority of fans did not vote for a change (see my earlier post).

[AKCJ]

BBC Sport â€@BBCSport 

Hull owner Assem Allam confirms he will launch a formal appeal against the FA Council's verdict to block his proposed club name change.

 

Seems he doesn't know when he's beat.

[Fox92]

He seems like a dick.

[Finnegan]

He seems like a dick.

Well yeah. The best point I've actually read on the issue was whoever (C Man? Fez? Bilo?) pointed out that foreign interest in English football is often drawn to the "traditional" culture and names of the club.

People like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, they don't want American shit like Tigers and Dragons.

[Jordan]

"The FA won't let me change the name of the Premier League club I own" has got to be one of the biggest First World Problems of all time.

Well yeah. The best point I've actually read on the issue was whoever (C Man? Fez? Bilo?) pointed out that foreign interest in English football is often drawn to the "traditional" culture and names of the club.

People like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, they don't want American shit like Tigers and Dragons.

Furthermore, since the PL (and some particular clubs) are aggressively marketing themselves in Southeast Asia, how ****ing patronizing are Allam and Tan to assume Asians will magically support a club just because it's nicknamed the Tigers or the Dragons?

[ruisliptiger]

Yes the ballot was a shambles. Firstly the options were basically a veiled thread and heavily implied that it was a vote yes or we leave the club in the shit scenario. This is the paper here.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/assets/Uploads/_resampled/resizedimage600400-ballot-hull-city-tigers.jpg

Then they also asked for names addresses and season card numbers to be attached to it. Therefore removing all anonimity and leaving people worried about black mark on their account reguards future ticket allocations. I.e Wembley tickets.

There was also the small matter of the pdf for email votes not working and returning forms blank. Locations of ballot boxes being closed at times when they had declared they would be open. Confusion over which email address to send votes to with the address seemingly changing partway through the week. Members of staff being able to submit votes. And club sponsors being allowed multiple votes to be cast by a single person.

Plus many more issues besides reguarding the adjudication process.

Despite all these obstacles and the fact that many abstained from the vote as there was no pro allam/anti name change option. They still only came out with narrowly more votes.

It was a farce and the result was irrelevant other than allowing Allam the opportunity to save face and stay at the club without going back on his word as he now says he has the support of the majority of fans. No matter how tenuous that claim is.

The FA saw right through it and we got the right result.

Hull CITY. Now. Then. Forever.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

[Finnegan]

But I don't see a problem with those options. It's his money, he can do what he wants with it. If he wants to stop investing if he can't call you Tigers then he might be a pratt but that's his choice.

You can't force him to keep bank rolling your premier league adventure but also bat back all of his ideas (however shit.)

I'm sorry but if you want to reject the name change then you have to accept the consequences that come with that decision, which is a possible collapse and return to your pre-money station of "lower league side."

That's what principles are all about, accepting the possibility of getting less but maintaining moral worth. In that sense the poll options are only "manipulative" or loaded if you're coward, looking for an excuse. If you're principled and strong willed then they're honest and upfront - sure, vote against me, but this is what will happen. It's not thinly veiled at all, he's said outright that it's his way or he goes. This is your chance to vote him out.

[Itsthejoeker]

"The FA won't let me change the name of the Premier League club I own" has got to be one of the biggest First World Problems of all time.

Furthermore, since the PL (and some particular clubs) are aggressively marketing themselves in Southeast Asia, how ****ing patronizing are Allam and Tan to assume Asians will magically support a club just because it's nicknamed the Tigers or the Dragons?

I've heard this is their proposed logo...

[Captain...]

I don't get why The Hull fans don't want him to leave, surely that is a win win situation, he fvcks off they keep their name. Especially now, survival is guaranteed, club will have earned about 70 million from prize and tv money alone this season, on for the same next season, an attractive prospect for any buyers.

They don't need his money or meddling anymore, tell him to fvck off.

[Fox in the North]

Even though he says he would, I don't think Allam would just pack up and leave; he's invested too much in the area, let alone the football club.

[ruisliptiger]

Finnegan. It's all about making it a one issue poll. That was not a one issue poll. It's simple democracy. Something we pride ourselves on in this country. He is well within his rights to walk away if he chooses.

However when offer an opinion poll then stack the deck the results become invalid.

Did you not read about the other shenanigans? It wasn't just the ballot options it was the entire process. And still after all that he only got narrowly more votes. It was a rigged ballot and the result is irrelevant as the FA decision proves.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

[Guest MattP]

I've heard this is their proposed logo...

 

Looks like something they have stolen from the Hull communists HQ.

[Jordan]

ruplistiger, Finnegan is arguing just to be contrarian here.

"Principles?" Whatever happened to just acting like an adult? What kind of grown man even has a second to check off boxes in such a childish, petty poll? I can't speak for Hull fans, but it looks to me that it's not that they don't care, but rather they're just sick and tired of Allam acting like a whiny little bitch.

[Haydos]

Even though he says he would, I don't think Allam would just pack up and leave; he's invested too much in the area, let alone the football club.

 

He doesn't just have to leave, isn't there a good chance he'd make money on his investement what with Hull in a better position now than where they were. Unless i'm missing something.