The Riverside Stand and Craven Cottage

[FulhamStu]

I have posted before about my experience at the Fulham v Bolton game last season when I bumped into Khan, Lamping and Mackintosh and found out Heatherwick was in the house getting a feeling for Craven Cottage on match days.  Its a fact what I was told, however I have no idea how true it is, or what has happended since.  To repeat, I was told that Khan loves the Cottage, wants to make it an 'iconic' venue in London and will spend what it takes to get us there. I was told, before it became public, that Heatherwick had been appointed in order to make sure the Riverside development was right for the club and would report back in August.  So far we have had very little feedback apart from we will tell you when we have something to say.  Personally, I don't think this is good enough and have written this to the club.

I have registered and understand why we now need to pay to see certain content from the website.  A question most fans are asking is what is the latest information regarding the Riverside Stand, Craven Cottage development plans and Mr Heatherwicks feedback.  I had the good fortune to meet and speak to Shahid Khan before the Bolton game last season with Mr Lamping and Alistair Macintosh, they told me Mr Heatherwick was at the game to help him understand the way Cracen Cottage functioned on match days. I believe it would be wonderful if we could hear from Alistair Mackintosh, Thomas Heatherwick and even Shahid Khan himself.  A brief presentation and update would be a massive coup for Fulhamfctv and excellent communication for fans to hear about something that we are passionate about and I think an update is somewhat overdue.   It would certainly drive the value message of paying a small subscription for Fulhamfctv and would be an excellent opportunity for the club to connect to its many supporters.

Thought you would like to know... by the way I am not holding my breath !

By the way, if you would like to also comment to the club I sent this email to [email protected] and [email protected] who as many of you know is Khans communications man and seems to be reasonably responsive.

[_Putney_]

Good email. Keep us updated!

[Riversider]

Such a shame that the Fulham Supporters Trust is so weak and pathetic (sad but true) I went on to their website earlier , and their on the front page they are discussing their recent meeting with the club in "August" !!!! W.T.F happened to September and October meetings ?
So in a nutshell the club won't tell us what's going on and our very own supporters trust won't tell us what's going on either, so what chance do we have ?

[FulhamStu]

Dont think the Supporters Trust know any more than we do.

[H4usuallysitting]

The club's management can't be confident that we are promotion material - otherwise they would be making the right noises, and we'd be seeing some action

[MJG]

For various reasons there was no meeting in Sept/Oct but we have one due first week in November.

[Twig]

For various reasons there was no meeting in Sept/Oct but we have one due first week in November.

Hi MJG (or should that be Cecil or Mr Kimber?), I do think it is time to put a bit of pressure on for a more definitive answer.  The  Heatherwick report is overdue and, not surprisingly, many of us are starting to fear the worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to say that they have the balls r e. worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to reprt that they have canned it as no longer viable.

[MJG]

For various reasons there was no meeting in Sept/Oct but we have one due first week in November.

Hi MJG (or should that be Cecil or Mr Kimber?), I do think it is time to put a bit of pressure on for a more definitive answer.  The  Heatherwick report is overdue and, not surprisingly, many of us are starting to fear the worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to say that they have the balls r e. worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to reprt that they have canned it as no longer viable.

thing is it was always said it would be a report that they would then look at and consider the recommendations. If we had a meeting this month we would have asked how it was going.
My gut feeling is that it will be an updated full stadium solution which of course will take time to pursue.
But people expecting a full blow by blow report from the club... Just as on another thread someone wanted all the costs involved in the TV stuff.. Is never going to happen in my view.

[fulhamben]

For various reasons there was no meeting in Sept/Oct but we have one due first week in November.

Hi MJG (or should that be Cecil or Mr Kimber?), I do think it is time to put a bit of pressure on for a more definitive answer.  The  Heatherwick report is overdue and, not surprisingly, many of us are starting to fear the worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to say that they have the balls r e. worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to reprt that they have canned it as no longer viable.

thing is it was always said it would be a report that they would then look at and consider the recommendations. If we had a meeting this month we would have asked how it was going.
My gut feeling is that it will be an updated full stadium solution which of course will take time to pursue.
But people expecting a full blow by blow report from the club... Just as on another thread someone wanted all the costs involved in the TV stuff.. Is never going to happen in my view.

I don't want a blow by blow. Would be nice for them to admit the new stand isn't going to happen, because Rigg already has

[love4ffc]

For various reasons there was no meeting in Sept/Oct but we have one due first week in November.

Hi MJG (or should that be Cecil or Mr Kimber?), I do think it is time to put a bit of pressure on for a more definitive answer.  The  Heatherwick report is overdue and, not surprisingly, many of us are starting to fear the worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to say that they have the balls r e. worst.  Personally I would have far more respect if the club were to reprt that they have canned it as no longer viable.

thing is it was always said it would be a report that they would then look at and consider the recommendations. If we had a meeting this month we would have asked how it was going.
My gut feeling is that it will be an updated full stadium solution which of course will take time to pursue.
But people expecting a full blow by blow report from the club... Just as on another thread someone wanted all the costs involved in the TV stuff.. Is never going to happen in my view.

I don't want a blow by blow. Would be nice for them to admit the new stand isn't going to happen, because Rigg already has

Agree.  Would just be nice for the club to be a bit more transparent about this and other things. 

[Roberty]

It's all just yet more proof that the club is totally self-funded these days.

No big money on players.

No new stand.

No subsidised video on the website.

We're no "richer" for having a multi-billionaire as an owner than we would be if we were owned by a pauper.

What proof?

The club has to live within the FFP rules and since we got a rapped over the knuckles for over spending recently we must be showing a loss in the clubs accounts. Since there is no tooth fairy it has to come from Khan's pocket eventually.

As you must be aware he's spent a wad at Motspur Park already and since this is Capital Expenditure is will be in addition to any operating loss the club makes.

The video is subsidised - the fee to the EPL will be higher than the income and I read somewhere that there would be an additional cost if they continued to show copyrighted material on an open broadcast platform

Since there is no news on the stand you could understand that something is going on just as you have concluded it is a dead duck - but why pay a huge fee to Hetherwick if he is going to ditch it?

[MJG]

Motspur work is in the region of 4-6m is my understanding.

[toshes mate]

It's all just yet more proof that the club is totally self-funded these days.

No big money on players.

No new stand.

No subsidised video on the website.

We're no "richer" for having a multi-billionaire as an owner than we would be if we were owned by a pauper.

I certainly do not believe Khan is another MAF with a genuine desire to push Craven Cottage as high up the league as possible via whatever-it-takes.  I just do not see Khan as a whatever-it-takes kinda guy (for starters you don't invoke nepotism since family just get in the way), and a stadium project is something that was left out in the open from before Khan's arrival.  However, Heatherwick was an interesting pick as consultant although going to one match v.Bolton is hardly the way to sample the Cottage match day atmosphere....   If Khan wasn't serious about development (at some point) then transparency would have been better limited to "we are looking at a whole raft of ideas", instead of homing in of existing proposals (probably from the Hodgson era when things looked very bright for the Club) and promising what he had no intention of delivering unless other things fell into place.

I would prefer to hear that nothing is going to happen until the Club turns the corner on the pitch where it matters, and that any and all money is invested into producing a team which can seriously challenge  for promotion to the PL.   I think we will know by end of January whether that is going to happen.  I certainly don't believe the FulhamTV subscription suggest anything other than what you say - the club must self finance - and it is miserly not ambitious.

[FulhamStu]

I really think we need to hear from Khan.  He is very aloof from the fan base, he seems totally scripted when we do hear anything and his actions todate are less than convincing.
He has done good things and Motspur Park is probably at the top.   He has allowed investment in the team, and he has tried to recruit in Jokanovic's case a good coach.
HOWEVER, we all wonder whether he is really genuine, does he regret buying Fulham, does he love being our owner.  All questions I suggest none of us know.  If he got his arse on a decent direct communication to the fans it would allow us to make up our minds on him.  For sure some people would continue to be negative whatever he said, however you don't allow these people to dominate your thinking.  The vast majority of Fulham fans are sensible, bright and would be very willing to support him if he was a bit more transparent.

[toshes mate]

I really think we need to hear from Khan.  He is very aloof from the fan base, he seems totally scripted when we do hear anything and his actions todate are less than convincing.
He has done good things and Motspur Park is probably at the top.   He has allowed investment in the team, and he has tried to recruit in Jokanovic's case a good coach.
HOWEVER, we all wonder whether he is really genuine, does he regret buying Fulham, does he love being our owner.  All questions I suggest none of us know.  If he got his arse on a decent direct communication to the fans it would allow us to make up our minds on him.  For sure some people would continue to be negative whatever he said, however you don't allow these people to dominate your thinking.  The vast majority of Fulham fans are sensible, bright and would be very willing to support him if he was a bit more transparent.

Fans being bright can work both ways though, can't it.   Fulham FC has been, since my childhood, a very friendly outfit, but I just feel there is a growing sense of cynicism from the Club; although minor in the whole scheme of things, the FulhamTV just gives out a message that the Club is not a happy place.

[MJG]

I really think we need to hear from Khan.  He is very aloof from the fan base, he seems totally scripted when we do hear anything and his actions todate are less than convincing.
He has done good things and Motspur Park is probably at the top.   He has allowed investment in the team, and he has tried to recruit in Jokanovic's case a good coach.
HOWEVER, we all wonder whether he is really genuine, does he regret buying Fulham, does he love being our owner.  All questions I suggest none of us know.  If he got his arse on a decent direct communication to the fans it would allow us to make up our minds on him.  For sure some people would continue to be negative whatever he said, however you don't allow these people to dominate your thinking.  The vast majority of Fulham fans are sensible, bright and would be very willing to support him if he was a bit more transparent.

sensible as ever... Good post.

[H4usuallysitting]

The other problem with communication will be, only the subscribers will be able to see Mr Khant in his next interview offering the world and giving little....probably around the time half season tickets go on sale

[FulhamStu]

The other problem with communication will be, only the subscribers will be able to see Mr Khant in his next interview offering the world and giving little....probably around the time half season tickets go on sale

Don't you think that would be worth a £2.99 fee, you could catch-up with all the previous videos and spend a whole month watching all our games, interviews, cottageweb, goalmouthweb, for all the season so far for just £2.99.   If even that did it convince you, I am sure it would be reported word for word and discussed until the cows come home.   Sorry, I could not resist.

[H4usuallysitting]

The other problem with communication will be, only the subscribers will be able to see Mr Khant in his next interview offering the world and giving little....probably around the time half season tickets go on sale

Don't you think that would be worth a £2.99 fee, you could catch-up with all the previous videos and spend a whole month watching all our games, interviews, cottageweb, goalmouthweb, for all the season so far for just £2.99.   If even that did it convince you, I am sure it would be reported word for word and discussed until the cows come home.   Sorry, I could not resist.

[FulhamStu]

The other problem with communication will be, only the subscribers will be able to see Mr Khant in his next interview offering the world and giving little....probably around the time half season tickets go on sale

Don't you think that would be worth a £2.99 fee, you could catch-up with all the previous videos and spend a whole month watching all our games, interviews, cottageweb, goalmouthweb, for all the season so far for just £2.99.   If even that did it convince you, I am sure it would be reported word for word and discussed until the cows come home.   Sorry, I could not resist.