# FAB Meeting Minutes - 18 March 2025 Date: 2025-03-18 Location: Rimmington Lounge, Oakwell Stadium PDF: https://images.gc.barnsleyfcservices.co.uk/9b135860-2a72-11f0-b316-3d917fca0cba.pdf 1 Barnsley FC Fan Advisory Group Meeting Minutes Date of Meeting Tuesday 18th March 2025 Location Rimmington Lounge, Oakwell Stadium Time 6:30 pm Meeting Objective(s) Attendance Present Apologies John Bird - JB Steve Brain – SB Heather Linney - HL Jon Flatman - JF Robin Harris – RH Phil Hall - PH Paul Gallagher – PG Martin Wilson – MW Curtis Ledger – CL Kelly Drury – KD Andy Gaskell – AG (Teams) Claire Calton – CC Dominic Wood - DW Agenda, Discussions, Issues Topic / Discussion Notes Discussion led by Meeting Minutes KD raised the issue of confidentiality in the Group as she advised that she has had people approach her at matches stating they had heard things which had not been released by the FAB. No one in the Group was aware of any leaks by anyone but it was strongly agreed that confidential matters arising must be kept confidential. As a consequence of the fact that the February FAB minutes had still not been published it was agreed that the FAB had to be far more efficient in agreeing and publishing the minutes of meetings. It was agreed that future minutes would be agreed and finalised at the following meetings before being published on the Club JF advised that the club would provide secretarial support to attend future FAB meetings and take the minutes so they could be sent out to the Group more quickly. ALL ALL JF Safe Standing - South Stand JF advised that the barriers were due to be erected between 2nd- 4th April 2025. They would then be tested, before being passed as safe. JF and JB also stated that the fans in those seats had been informed, when they purchased their season tickets, that there were plans to make those areas safe standing at the beginning of the season. Memorial Area On behalf of HL, it was asked whether there was any update to a memorial area for fans to remember loved ones who have passed. JF stated that this was something for the FAB to discuss and present the club with options. Fanzone Update JF advised that there were two weeks of the planning process left; it would then move onto the procurement phase although there was no set date for this or for building works to begin. JF stated that once the new Fanzone is built and opened, there will need to be capacity test events i.e. 25%, 50%, etc. 2 MW asked about using the lower East concourse as a Fanzone in the winter months but JF stated it was too open to the elements, and it was not practical due to fans exiting numbers in case of an emergency. Disability Issues MW had a number of questions on disability issues. He asked if there was an update on the letter to the EFL regarding audio links. KD advised that there was no update and asked SB to pick this up. MW also stated that on level playing field, the clubs access information had not been updated since 2022. JB checked this and confirmed that it had been updated December 2024. MW asked about a serving area for disabled people as he had gone to a kiosk in the lower East Stand and been shouted at by a member of staff for not getting in the queue. He said he usually does this so he was surprised by this reaction and asked if there could be more training for serving staff on disabilities. MW mentioned that in the Level Playing Field recommendations, clubs should have a lowered serving area for people in wheelchairs, but he didn’t know where this was. JF advised that this was due to be looked at in phase 2 of the Cap Ex project and that the club are looking at putting in lower counters at serving areas in more places around the ground. JF will bring in some info on the cap ex project at the next meeting. SB/KD JF JF Grove Street Traffic CC asked if there was any way of making it one way before matches as there are often cars trying to get down the road as people are queuing to get into the ground. DW and JF stated that this would be a Council issue as they are the ones who deal with the roads. JF stated that road closure team often arrived early and placed cones around Grove Street but people move them to park. CC also asked about bus routes past the ground on match days. JF and DW said that there were no restrictions on any buses going past the ground but RH stated that he had noticed that buses which normally go that way don’t seem to do so on match days. It was agreed that if anyone had an issue with this they would need to contact the bus company and raise it with them directly. Twitter / X Questions PG advised that he had some questions from fans which had been raised on this platform: ● When is the next Fans Forum? JF stated that he didn’t know an exact date but that there were normally three per year and he would need to check with others when they would be free to attend the next one. ● Is the speculation on the Club going into administration true? JF advised it was not. ● Could there be a permanently reduced family ticket available (e.g. 2 adults and 2 children at a reduced price)? JF said he would look into this. JF 3 ● Is a member of the Board of Directors daughter doing an internship at the Club? JF advised that she did this at no cost to the Club and she had now secured a role at Burnley FC. JF spoke highly of her work on match operations, women’s team and she was highly regarded by staff. ● Can the Club start updating the social media platform on Bluesky as a lot of people are moving away from X (twitter) and using this platform instead. JB advised that the club have a profile on there and will speak to the media team to try and update it more. ● Where has the money gone from player sales? JF said he would comment more on this when the Accounts are released and said that they will be in Companies House online for people to look at if they wish. JF stated that the clubs 2024/25 losses were £7 million a year before a ball was even kicked and that this is unlikely to improve due to rising costs i.e. gas, electricity, NI contributions and an increase in the minimum wage. There is a 3-year business plan in place. This is reviewed annually, and the club are still striving to become a sustainable championship club. ● Are there any thoughts on putting solar panels on the roof of the Pontefract Road end of the ground? JF stated that they were planning on looking at this in Phase 2 of the Cap Ex project. Questions to the ownership board to be arranged before a fixture or via a teams call. JB JF Season Tickets 2025/6 JF advised that a season ticket announcement would be made on Thursday 20th March. Prices have been frozen as the club with the interests of the supporters and the club in mind. The rising costs of utilities, national insurance and the minimum wage have increased dramatically alongside player wage inflation. JF and JB also then advised that a 15-game flexi-ticket would be available to fans for the first time. This will be cheaper than buying 15 tickets separately and fans can choose the games they go to. However, they will not have a reserved seat as there is with a season ticket. Although there are additional finance options for season tickets there will be none for flexi tickets. It was asked if these could be upgraded later on in the season to a half season ticket but JF stated that this was something they were yet to decide. Early bird pricing will run from 20th March to 22nd May plus an extra week for existing season ticket holders to reserve their seats before they go on general sale on the 30th of May. Fan Engagement Channels KD asked if there had been any update on other EFL clubs fan/engagement channels. RH advised he had started doing this when he was on work experience at the Club and that he would try to get this finished. RH 4 The club are also looking to arrange a fan engagement meeting similar to the meetings held in the past. BFCCT SB advised that the BFCCT had asked the Group if there was anything which they could support this month. DW said he has 110 tickets per game for local community groups to use but that he was struggling to give them away as schools don’t like children being out late on a school night (for night games). He stated that he wanted all these tickets to be given out to the local community, for example, Beavers, Cubs, and local grassroot football teams. DW said that if anyone knows anyone who can make use of these to contact him and he will arrange for those tickets to be given out. DW/ALL AOB JF stated he had some dates he wanted the group to be aware of as follows:- ● The player signing day for children as was done last year will occur. ● 1st June - Celebrity Football Match at the club organised by an outside events organiser. ● 7th June 2025 - Callum Simpson fight at Oakwell. ● 20th June - Ascot Race Day in hospitality suites ● 4Th July - Club golf day. (TBC) Close – 20.25pm Action Items Action Log Responsible Due Date Next Meeting Date: Tues 18.03.25 Time: 6.30 pm Location: F2F @ OAKWELL Online Available Source: https://fab.barnsleyfc.co.uk/meetings/2025-03-18