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Just Out - Firhill 1/912


sandy
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Last season I paid £30 per seat to reserve the seats next to me for my kids. This year it was free, there is reserved stickers on the seats and the books have the seat numbers written on them.

 

My apologies - I thought we were still charging ,Im assuming if you purchase and Adult Season Ticket you get kids next to you for free - makes perfect sense ,apologies for confusing people.

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Because there were two fans not one ,there were two stewards for each of the fans who jumped over the fence ,two Police Officers from the that stand ,they then handed over to two Police Officers who arrived in the Police Van ,there were no more people involved than required ,Sandy stood and watched as an idependant observer- but was not involved.

 

There were very few incidents and the only time Stewards were involved in the North Stand beyond the aforementioned was in relation to Medical issues that were dealt with quickly and effectively.

 

So yes we have "soft touch Stewarding" as much as possible,

 

we're talking about two different times. the one i'm mentioning was before anyone jumped over fences. this was someone who was removed from the support in the north stand. there were a few people discussing it at the time.

 

its been suggested to me that it was to do with singing the ftp/ftq song. i said that sounded like nonsense?

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we're talking about two different times. the one i'm mentioning was before anyone jumped over fences. this was someone who was removed from the support in the north stand. there were a few people discussing it at the time.

 

its been suggested to me that it was to do with singing the ftp/ftq song. i said that sounded like nonsense?

 

Hi Julie-Ann, I missed this incident myself. Can you shed any more light on what happened and when? Was it a Steward or the police who acted?

 

 

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Is the guy who had the fit alright? Looked like he was okay when he left but I'm a big drama queen and was proper worried for a bit.

 

Seen a few new faces in the North Stand today, obviously a few guys who thought they'd give it a go and it looked like they enjoyed it big time. If in doubt give it a go!

 

The guys that got a wee bit carried away and went on the pitch after our first goal shouldn't have done it but for Christ sake they were back in the stand in the blink of an eye, no need for them getting chucked out and all that. Same way the 8 young Accies that got a bit of grief in the away end for standing. There is no trouble at Firhill, tell these high vis muppets to stop trying to make a name for themselves.

 

Shit Andy Caroll.

 

Guys like that could get the club in all sorts of bother AND put a quick end to the new shed, no way can you blame the stewards for that one.

Edited by johnnylambieslovechild
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Jim, as mentioned previously if the present caterer isn't interested in selling their product there's very little you/one thistle can do. Where I went the steward was very helpful trying to direct folk to a quieter stall and/or organising queue lines. That good work is effectively redundant when the service is so idiotically slow and staff either unaware of that or plain disinterested in serving.

 

To be fair, that is a problem in most football grounds I've been to. When I'm at Firhill I always go for a pie at around 30 mins, and it takes just a few seconds. Whenever I'm at other grounds though I forget to go until half time and the staff tend to look at you gormlessly as you order, then hobble about with zero urgency from the pie cupboard to the hot water tap for the bovril, then back to the till to total the price despite the fact that it's very simple maths or something they could have done while the bovril was filling up.

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Myself ,Maxxy ,Two Managers from the Catering Company ,Sandy and onethistle Team Members were all in the concourse at halftime looking at the issues concerning catering compliants ,in simple terms we have jumped significantly in crowds this Season - it will create issues (which is a positive as we have more fans) ,it then means we have to look at ways of addressing the issues - which we are doing.Some things can be addressed quicker than others.

 

This feedback actually only covers the home games until Dumbarton (25/08), as I couldn’t make the Hamilton game. Hope it is still of use:

Catering – Lots of problems here.
Single easily fixable one for me that is that the Price List above the stalls is wrong (or at least in couple I have been too).
Hot dogs are listed there as £2.70 but they are now £3.80 (I was told that “the price has gone up”!). Nearly got embarrassed as only had enough cash when I found a loose £1 in my pocket. In terms of quality, they looked pretty poor but my two still ate them. That said, at that price, I am much more likely to bring some crips etc instead and risk the wrath of my two kids. Drinks aren’t too badly priced but so far this season the fizzy drinks have been flat and / or weak. As we can’t bring in our own drinks, this is a big let down.

 

In more general terms, hats off to onethistle with all the things they are trying to do to improve things. Not all of them will work, but hopefully we can all help shape a better match-day experience off the pitch. Looks like I will have to wait a good few years before mien are old enough to sample the North Stand (but it might be worth stating over 16 only on the official site: http://ptfc.co.uk/matchday/admission_prices ).

 

I spoke to a Falkirk fan at work after their visit, and while enjoying the football (not the result), he wasn’t too happy with what he felt was a diminished view of the action, stating it would probably impact any decision to return for the later fixture. While it won’t be easy to get genuine / sensible feedback, any plans to canvas away fans on their thoughts?

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I spoke to a Falkirk fan at work after their visit, and while enjoying the football (not the result), he wasn’t too happy with what he felt was a diminished view of the action, stating it would probably impact any decision to return for the later fixture.

 

 

 

so, he is saying a side on view, is worse than a view from behind a goal, Is he on the wind up!

 

so, forgeting that he can now see more clearly an offide decision at the north end.

 

considering they have access to the back row of the JHS, basically a mirror image of where the old Thistle singing section was, there is no way that where they are now is worse than behind the goals!

 

i've also sat in the middle of where the away fans are, think it was the rangers replay, and again, there is no way that view is worse than being behind the goals.

 

you are given an angle to view the south end goals instead of viewing them straight on, from the north stand, where you have no perspective of how close a shot on target is etc.

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so, he is saying a side on view, is worse than a view from behind a goal, Is he on the wind up!

 

He wasn't on wind up, but I agree with you that a side on view is far better. That is why I said "with what he felt was a diminished view". In his opinion, he could see the entire pitch from the North Stand last season. Being at the end of JHS this season, he struggled to see the action at the corner between the JHS and The Bing.

 

My general point was that, while Home fans take precedence, Away fans make a contribution in terms of finance & atmosphere, so it could be useful (albeit difficult) to canvas some views from them as well.

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He wasn't on wind up, but I agree with you that a side on view is far better. That is why I said "with what he felt was a diminished view". In his opinion, he could see the entire pitch from the North Stand last season. Being at the end of JHS this season, he struggled to see the action at the corner between the JHS and The Bing.

 

My general point was that, while Home fans take precedence, Away fans make a contribution in terms of finance & atmosphere, so it could be useful (albeit difficult) to canvas some views from them as well.

Valid point for Falkirk fans this season their seats face the wrong way… the park, especially with their "flyer" to the start of the season

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£3.80 for a hotdog!!! That's got to be a £3 profit min on each one, we pay £3 at Viking for that and EVERYTHING in Norway is at least twice as expensive as UK

 

Thats nothing,, Season before last me and my mate went to see Caley beat Celtic, the night they lost the league, and a hot dog, cheeseburger, 1 irn bru and a coke was £16.50?????????

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To be fair, that is a problem in most football grounds I've been to. When I'm at Firhill I always go for a pie at around 30 mins, and it takes just a few seconds. Whenever I'm at other grounds though I forget to go until half time and the staff tend to look at you gormlessly as you order, then hobble about with zero urgency from the pie cupboard to the hot water tap for the bovril, then back to the till to total the price despite the fact that it's very simple maths or something they could have done while the bovril was filling up.

So it's you to blame :D . What are you doing to mentally and physically tire these people? It takes a few seconds to serve you at 30 mins past and minutes to serve each customer about 5 or so minutes later?. I inevitably have the right change (£1.70 for my half cooked pie) and find it's marginally quicker getting served at the pie stall than B & Q was on pensioner's day.

Edited by lady-isobel-barnett
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Was going to put this in the catering thread but decided to put it here since that thread has gone well of topic.

 

I decided to go to the Scotland under 21s game at St Mirren Park.

 

It's funny a few seasons ago I couldn't have imagined finding a place better for catering and selection than Firhill but now it is such a different story.

 

So St Mirren Park lets start with the basics.

 

Staff : Smiley, friendly and shouting clearly "next". The staff were friendly in the sense that they made a joke and generally did not seem to mind being there. The girl who served me even managed to use her head and add up the price of what she was selling before she went to her till, again adding to the speed to which people were served.

 

Qs: For the whole stand there appeared to be only a few catering outlets with about 5 people in each. The Q was none of this nonsense that Thistle have going at the minute. The usual one after the other and you go the person who is available, went nice and quick and didn't feel like anytime at all and back in my seat before half time was over.

 

Food: The selection was superb. I generally have never seen a menu at a football ground so big. You can get a Sausage roll, steak pie, scotch pie, Hamburger, hotdog and even 2 vegetarian pie options. This doesn't even include there crisps and chocolate selection. The even sold ice cream! I appreciate not many people will have a need for Ice cream in a scottish winter but still what a selection of things on offer! The juice was fizzy and actually tasted like coke none of your flat crap on offer at Firhill at the minute.

 

So with such a big menu you would either think they wont have it or it will be crap. Wrong. Amazing quality and they had everything they had on their menu. The pie was perfectly cooked - not burnt and over cooked like Firhill pies recently.Now as a vegetarian, I am lucky if I get a pie at Firhill these days and usual made to feel a nuisance for daring to ask. This gets embarrassing and probably the reason I have just stopped asking at Firhill. When asking for a cheesy pie tonight, I did expect a screwed up face and to be told they didn't have it. Instead it was smile and a "sure". Just a small thing, but does get annoying at Firhill, when you say you sell a cheesy bean pie but infact it's an overcooked macaroni pie (If I am lucky).

 

Price: £2.50 for a large coke, £2 for a vegetarian pie. Sausage roll was £1.75 and a hotdog was a steal at £2.70. To be honest considering the quality of the food on offer, the price was correct and worth it.

 

The point of this post really is, it is small simple things that can really make the whole catering experience a totally different story. The staff at Firhill serving just don't want to be there and generally don't care. The q system was changed and doesn't work. The pricing is too high and the quality of products served is poor. The menu needs updating as it states things we don't sell and the prices are wrong on it.

 

I wonder because we are in a contract with the caterers if anything will really change?

 

My favourite part of the catering of St Mirren was the free beans and free onions with anything you bought if you requested it and while stocks lasted! Awesome!

Edited by little_miss_jag
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I didn't want to feel like a broken record of going on about st mirren park. I had went there a few times last season and LMJ you are spot on about the difference in catering.

 

They also offer a kids selection pack with a piece of fruit included.

 

Don't know if they had it tonight, but at each vomitorium just inside the concourse, they use the wheelie stands normally used for programme sellers to sell sweets, crisps and fruit etc.

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Didn't see those tonight PT. But wow just wow to their catering. It's just the way it should be!

 

The kids pack is a great idea, we do so much to get them through the gate then sell them nothing but junk. You easily do a wee pack of a hotdog, fruit and a capri sun. But at £3.70 a hotdog it could be a rather expensive bag! What do St Mirren have in theirs?

 

Also where they have sauces and salt and pepper, it's just a wee metal thing but it is a push down tomato sauce bottle, so none of this trying to balance your pie and tip the bottle upside down nonsense! Just put it under and press down and your sorted! Uck we need get the same caterers in cos they are fab!

 

I am going to write them a wee email - I complain to grounds when there's no veggy options but tonight there was so many it really was magical! Also for them not to look at me like I was a freak when I asked for the veggy option - it just the silly wee things that make the difference!

 

I could see myself going again to St Mirren Park - I am so impressed!

Edited by little_miss_jag
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Simple things can make a difference, PT. Some best practice at St Mirren by the sounds of it.

 

The Onethistle match day report for last Saturday has been filed; it does not miss and hit the wall when it came to catering and a North Stand issue.

 

On Sunday, we'll be focusing on catering queues, quality of food/drink and the North Stand situation. Change will happen but it won't be overnight. We play the longer game...

Edited by sandy
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Whats baffling is the fact that the St Mirren caterers are the same ones at firhill. Infact i think they cover most of the 1st div/spl grounds.

 

What you need to ask is why is the quality of cooking of the product, price of product, range and stock levels of product, and level of customer service so so bad at Firhill?

 

Lets be honest, this isn't just some knee jerk, exagerated bunch of keyboard warriors on a witch hunt. it is a fact. the catering is shockingly bad at Firhill.

 

Hamilton is another example of where the catering works, both on a customer service and quality of cooking level.

 

The west stand at St Mirren Park probably houses the same level of customers as the JHS on a match day... They only have 2 stalls facing onto a concourse, a third of the depth of the JHS. the stalls are bigger at SMP, but thats floor space, they still work off a similar worktop space as the JHS.

 

We have 2 directors at the club who specialise in this field. What are they doing? or are they oblivious to it, as the catering in hospitality is great for them?

 

With OneThistle taking on so many parts of the club, to improve things for the fans that have been neglected. are the directors actually responsible for anything anymore? its easy for them now, responsibility absolved, scapegoat found, roll on the wine and kick back in hospitality. they're not daft, are they?

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