granted, but if it isnt started by November i will be a little concerned

That's fine. IMO they can say that. But saying nothing having once again not fulfilled their announcement is undermining their credibiilty and, frankly, they deserve criticism. They aren't a charity but a business and the fans do pay something towards the maintenance of that business. Therefore the club do owe the fans and especially when they have declared a specific intention. It is very poor but I'm advised by those who have been fans much longer than me that Saints haven't changed at all in this respect.

If nothings been announced by 16th March we'll raise an army and storm the battlements ok???



Those vagabonds who have organised the funding for a brand new stadium for the Saints and in some cases put in £100,000s of their own cash to keep the club afloat need stringing up for their dispicable lack of customer care and not announcing something as important as a 3d supporter viewing

dont forget writing off the clubs debt out of their own pocket too! (you probably meant that, but it brings the figure into millions of £, not 100' of 1000's

)

We need to organise a lynch mob immeadiately!

Don't be silly.

Supporters have also put in their hard earned cash in purchasing tickets and merchandise. Just because each supporter hasn't invested hundreds of thousands does not mean they should be ignored. They are as valuable a part of the Saints business as the directors and should be treated as such.

But on the flip side of this, you could argue that as fans we get great value for money £19 or less gets you into watch top teir sport with a variety of full internationals onshow, replica jerseys are a reasonable price etc, etc (I'll give you the refreshments are a bit dear for what you get) . The Directors on the other hand get nothing for the money they put into the club (except abuse). We as fans are lucky to have this set of directors, they are streets (cities even!) ahead of the last lot!

Yes true, we poor snivelling fans trying to compete with Poles etc. to keep a minimum legal wage warehouse job should be grateful for every crumb these benevolent betters throw down to us. Just coz we have to work over three hours to earn enough for an entrance ticket doesn't give us the right to be informed.

How very dare we.

We're lucky to not be asked to avert our lowly gaze away from the sharp suited Directors when they walk around the side of the pitch before the start of the game.

So shut up and be thankful for every crumb, and don't ever ever question a daft timeline anounced by our betters again.

Tips flat cap and shuffles off.

Now I have to say that there is a bit of daft stuff in your post.

£19.00 to watch Saints in a decrepid old stadium is not value for money! It's our hard earned money. As is the £40.00 shelled out for new kit every season. No, I don't have to pay for a ticket or new kit, just like the directors don't have to invest a part of their fortunes into the club. However, we all do this investing business and what we invest is relative to what we earn and have available to invest. It is very possible that the directors will begin to see a return on their investment once the stadium is up and running (assuming it ever will be). However, the only investment supporters will get is watching Saints play.

We have as much right to know what is going on as the directors do because without us there would be no Saints just as there would be no Saints without the directors. We are of equal importance to the club and should be of equal value.

the club is a business and we are the customers, we dont have to purchase what the business is selling, and the business can be run as the directors see fit. Obviously it is in the directors and the business' best interests to keep their customers as happy as possible, i just dont see how having a meeting to say "its out of our control, ask langtree" is going to help? Why dont the fans who are so desperate to know how every aspect of the build is going, just ask Langtree?

Exactly. What business survives without customers?


That's a daft thing to say to be honest.

It is perfectly natural for fans to be concerned when - yet again - the club make a public statement concerning the new stadium only for it to silently pass by without fulfilment. It is the without comment bit which undermines the credibility of the club.

To be fair, if they've announced meetings for February and not provided them for whatever reason, all it takes is a statement saying that they aren't happening for whatever reason. Not saying anything just invites speculation and annoys people, it puts the club in a bad light.

The club seems to veer between telling us everything to telling us nothing. Do the club still employ a media manager? I know they've thrown a bit of a strop against websites (but don't know the full details), but that doesn't mean that they should stop telling the fans anything. How long does it take to knock up a statement saying that the scheduled meetings have been cancelled due to unexpected delays in the tendering process (or whatever the reason is)?

Sadfish,

I admire your 100% always unquestionable loyalty and support to the St Helens RLFC Board and Club, but sometimes people do have to ask questions, it is not intended as an attack as some "loyalists" here seem to always think it is.

This time many posters seem clearly to want answers why announced dates for February have not been met, it is just a simple question.

This matter has nothing to do with Langtree as one poster felt it should be addressed to. The problem is the communications/public relations The Club seem to operate and as one poster has now set out supporters and interested parties even deeming to ask questions or make comments on websites. It is 2010 and this is the world we live in, the Club should not be afraid or concerned that supporters and towns people show interest, this case why meetings announced for February have and are not taking place, it is just being frivolous the comment about the meetings just a simple 3D viewing.

I have 100% loyalty to the team of St Helens RLFC.

Don't say what you don't know with regards to anything else about me.

As people have said it is 2010 etc. so it took me about 10 seconds to find the media manager's contact details www.saintsrlfc.com/clubinfo/71 so all those who seem so keen to know, why dont you ring or e-mail him?

As people have said it is 2010 etc. so it took me about 10 seconds to find the media manager's contact details www.saintsrlfc.com/clubinfo/71 so all those who seem so keen to know, why dont you ring or e-mail him?

I don't think fans should have to contact the club over this. The club announced fans forums for February and these haven't happened. It's surely good customer service to issue a statement about why these haven't happened rather than expecting people to contact them to find out?

I get the impression that the club takes it's fans for granted over issues like this (as do most sport clubs). They know that the majority will keep coming back for more regardless of how they are treated. They know that fans will still buy clothing despite it being late, or poor quality. Had Burtons treated it's customers like the club did over the heritage shirts then they'd have lost a hell of a lot of money as people cancelled their orders, Saints fans didn't, despite being promised delivery on a number of occasions. They know that when the fans forums eventually happen most fans will still turn up to them, they know that when the new stadium is built, despite treating the fans like mushrooms over it's development they'll still turn up and buy tickets.

This situation seems to reflect that the club appears to have taken it's eyes off the ball in regard to fan communication. Most people don't want a statement every week saying 'There is no news as yet', they also don't want minute details of every line of the contract and who is doing what and when. What they do want is an explanation as to why announced meetings have been quietly ignored, with no news from the club. Perhaps they were over optimistic when originally announcing them, however if that is the case, then it doesn't excuse them not issuing an explanation as to why they made statements that have turned out to be untrue.

I think you are right, maybe the directors would like to enlighten us?????

Probably not

One of the good things that has happened at Wigan since Ian Lenagan took over is that he has had regular fans forums (all sellouts), whereby fans can ask their questions.

The fans don't always get the answers they would like (i.e no more new players coming in) but it is a great chance to hear the way the club is progressing.

It doesn't take a genius to know what the majority of questions are going to be.

I would imagine when the time is right Saints will do something similar, but I agree with BL that it is poor management to make no statement at all.
Even it is something as simple as "plans for the meeting are at an ([ichose the correct adjective)[/i" stage" and an announcement will be made at the appropriate time.

Saying nothing is inviting criticism.

Completely agree with you Billinge Lump, it has never been a case of knocking the club but just wondering the reason they handle themselves at times.

Got told tonight that the tendering process to build the stadium is down to the last two firms, the contract winner will be chosen next week.

Well if correct that is some progress, but it does not look likely that build will start then until April at the earliest, can't see any builder having everything in place before then.

As long as the plans are there, the builder would only need to have the machines brought to site on low loaders. If the site is clear and ready to dig out they could start straight away.

The 1st stage of the build is the digging out which providing the is no problems is quick. They will pour the concrete as they dig out.

If the ground is going to be piled then that takes longer and could drag the build out.

I know for a fact the the stadia will be mostly precast which also saves huge amount of time.

I've also heard some of the precast will be made in st helens local to the site.

So soon as the job is awarded it won't be long at all before you see the build start. It won't look like much is being done at 1st as we start from ground up.

Last summer we had a job in widnes, we poured 20,000 meters of concrete in 6 weeks, so you can see the speed these jobs can do.

These days buildings are thrown up in no time depending on problems and also the great English weather.

any chance of you getting a subcontract pete?

I'm in with big shout of being on that job. Fingers crossed.