Saturday Fulham Stuff - 04/04/26...

[WhiteJC]

Notes from November meeting with Fulham FC
On Wednesday, 12 November 2025 at 2.30 pm, the Fulham Supporters Trust (FST) met with Fulham FC via video conference.

The Club was represented by:

• John D'Arcy (Head of Security, JD)

• Jamie Nicholson (Head of Supporter Services, JN)

The FST were represented by:

• Simon Duke (Chair, SD)

• Hayley Davinson (Deputy Chair, HD)

• Steve Nicholson (Secretary, SN)

HOW IT WORKS
This was the latest of the smaller meetings we have agreed to have with the Club to explore in more detail some of the areas of activity, which should be of interest to our members. It is expected these meetings will provide deeper insight into the way the Club operate and provide explanations for some of the more commonly asked questions.

SD opened the meeting by asking JD to give an overview of his responsibilities, which extend to Safety & Security issues (including health and safety) relating to Club premises. These include Craven Cottage (including Fulham Pier), Motspur Park and the retail warehouse in Chessington. JD has overall responsibility for all events particularly match days.

In the event of a major incident requiring decisioning, there is a Crisis Management Team which can be convened which will normally include JD, the Chief Executive or Chief Operating Officer, and representatives from the particular business unit which has the issue. There is a Premier League observer at every game.

On match-days JD undertakes an early walk round of the whole ground to identify any problems before starting a schedule of meetings which commences with the Club Safety Team and goes through the various levels of head stewards/senior managers/stewards to ensure everyone is properly and consistently briefed. The Safety & Security provision for FFCW women and Academy fixtures mirrors that for the First Team whether the fixture is being played at Craven Cottage or Motspur Park.

This season, stewarding numbers for home games has ranged from 382 to 499, depending on the opposition, timing etc. Of these c200 are employed by the Club (up from c90 when JD joined the Club 3 years ago) the rest are Agency.

In his role a Head of Safety JD concentrates on 3 things, Safety, Security and Service, in that order.

So far this season there have been:-

• 478 match day incidents,

• 74 ejections,

• 1 arrest (away fan),

• 32 medical incidents,

• 14 safeguarding incidents,

• 5 instances of racist or discriminatory behaviour where action was taken.

 Whilst the majority of these are away fans, some did involve home fans.

JD was keen to stress that any incidents should be reported during games at Craven Cottage through the use of the FulStop facility. This has greater functionality this season and allows incidents to be reviewed and dealt with in real time. JD believes the majority of messages get through in reasonable time despite the Trust observation of poor mobile reception. An example was given where help was quickly provided to someone with a nut allergy where FulStop was used to arrange medical assistance in short order. The application of FulStop is therefore wide and varied.

We went on to discuss the issue of away fans in home areas, something JD acknowledges. SD mentioned this was still an area of concern to many fans whilst accepting the Club do a lot of work in the background tracing the origin of tickets and taking appropriate action. SD also said he felt the Club should say more about the work being done and actions taken. JD said from a Safety & Security point of view each case needs to be considered on its merits and each reported incident is investigated. Where it is not viewed the presence of away fans is having any detrimental impact from a safety viewpoint it is monitored. Where it is apparent it is having an effect on people in the surrounding area, action will be taken. There are Teams of stewards who are available to attend any serious incident with ejection being the ultimate solution in some cases. Care is taken to make sure any action proposed will not inflame an already difficult situation. Fans are reminded to use FulStop to report any incidents where enjoyment is being spoiled.

We also discussed latecomers and the problems they can cause trying to find their seats. JD acknowledged this was an issue, particularly in the JH stand. Current practice is to keep one turnstile per stand open 15 minutes after kick off with all closed by half time. Anyone arriving at half time or later is able to get assistance at gate 50. More stewards could be deployed in the stands after kick off but this has the negative effect of increasing congestion. Fans are reminded to give themselves plenty of time before kick-off.   

Safe-standing was discussed and JD said he was in favour. This would also help with the current "crowding" being seen at the back of the HE and standing in the front "seating only" rows for away fans. Whilst there are no immediate plans to install at Craven Cottage, JD suggested that at some point the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) would look to make an element of safe standing compulsory. Standing in "seating only" rows for any away games is a matter for the stewards of the home clubs.

The latest bag policy is now fully embedded in the match day process and in response to an observation the Trust had from a member that only one bag check lane was open at the JH stand for the Arsenal games JD replied this was not correct, there would have been at least 3 lanes available.

The Trust explained about the ongoing work towards the suitable entry of Under-5s in stadiums and, alongside the Fulham Lillies, are attempting to understand John and his equivalents work across the Premier League to balance safety and customer experience. It was raised by JD that with other areas of safety, experiencing match day together can provide a useful exercise in both sides understanding of the elements that make up the experience, and this is something to look towards collaborating on in future.

It was also asked about the new creche within the stadium and whether this is part of the club match day, or the Fulham Pier area. This is not directly under the clubs jurisdiction, but JD agreed to look into the case of what it's possible use could look like on match days.

JD has offered to host members of the FST Board on a match day so they can see firsthand what goes on. SD thanked JD for this offer which will be progressed in the new year.

Meeting closed at 16.10

Non-Safety & Security related issues raised by members have been dealt with outside the formal meeting and Club comments (in italics) are as follows:-

Can we re-introduce away season tickets?

Away season tickets were explored in the summer – and included as part of season ticket consultation with the FAB.

To deliver an away season ticket there are two options: 1) a sum paid at the start of the season for all away matches – i.e. £30 x 19 games or 2) direct debit for each game.

From our discussions with supporters, and based on inbound enquiries to the ticket office, it was unclear how much interest and/or take-up there would be for such a scheme – with tickets for almost all away games available for fans to buy with ease.

Both options also pose some issues: option 1 is not possible for concession or junior tickets as clubs have different age categories and/or different prices for these groups. Additionally, games move and so certain away fixtures may not be feasible for fans, whilst direct debit payments can prove problematic with expired cards and chasing payments.

It was agreed not to proceed for 25/26, but we would be happy to re-engage the discussion before next season.

Can refunds be given or better use of the TE made for December games which have been moved for TV?

As part of the T&C of a season ticket, tickets are not refunded based on fixture changes. Individual match tickets went on sale after the TV picks had been made and communicated for December.

In these days of concerns over match-day pricing, do the Club feel it was the right thing to do in getting a player to push ticket sales for the Wolves game?

The Club's players are supportive of any player appearances and requests (including FFC Women and Academy matches), which we are extremely grateful for.

Forever Fulham section of the website does not appear to be updated?

 Thanks for flagging – this is being addressed.

If toilets are out of order can a notice not be put on the door (JH/J/Brentford)?

We will make sure maintenance have a stock of these for future use.

Have the Club looked at/considered the possibility of two-tier toilets at the HE?

Yes, we have and are in the process already for the last 7 months looking at this.

Unpleasant smell from sewers at PE. Gets worse during games (Row R P3).

This is something else that we are looking into.

 Ladies toilets in the HE – floor always wet and worse when raining.

The rain naturally falls to that angle along the concourse, we will assess and see, if possible, to add in a rain gulley along the floor.

Are the Club considering the provision of free Wi-Fi across the ground?

We are considering it, and it is under review. There are considerable infrastructure requirements that need to be refreshed or installed to achieve this therefore budget will play a part in when we do this. There is a provision for guests in Riverside as the infrastructure installed as part of the build enabled this.



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2025/11/notes-from-november-meeting-with-fulham-fc/

[WhiteJC]

Safety on Fulham matchdays – behind the scenes with John D'Arcy
Last month for the home fixture against Tottenham, Trust Chair Simon Duke was invited by Fulham's Head of Safety, John D'arcy, to join him as he sets up the stadium on a matchday. The idea was to give Simon and our members a better understanding of the work involved to keep supporters safe on a matchday. Simon has penned some words for us on the work involved and scale of the operation that occurs for each home fixture.

As most members will know, as Chair of the Trust, I represent us on the local authority run Safety Advisory Group (SAG). Following our meeting with the Club last November on Safety and Security and given my SAG role I was invited by the Club's Head of Safety, John D'arcy, to join him and his team for the Spurs game on 1 March.

The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of the operation of the Safety Team. They have to be alert at all times and react quickly to developing situations. I was impressed by the professionalism of the team and surprised by the breadth of what they have to deal with on a matchday.

Arriving at the Cottage at 8.30 (kick off minus 5.5 hours) the first thing that struck me was how many people were already there and working. When I met him, John told me there were around 1800 staff working most match days, with the security team making up around 600. The Safety Team is currently split 40:60 of club vs agency staff.

At 9am there was a briefing given to the senior management safety team. The briefing was wide ranging, giving guidance on searching, dealing with difficult situations which may occur in the stands (contain or eject), inappropriate chanting, standing, safeguarding and in light of recent events careful consideration of possible terrorist threats. For this game there was additional stewarding and ticket checks in place in the Hammersmith End to try and help combat the recent occurrence of unacceptable language.

The next briefing was an hour later, when stand managers were addressed. Each stand has a number of stand managers who are responsible for certain blocks. From this, stand managers then brief their stewards before the gates open.

The briefings were thorough and gave a good insight into what goes into making Craven Cottage the safe environment that we want as fans on a matchday. Prior to the gates opening, the stewards undertake a thorough sweep of the stands to look for any suspicious items.

I was introduced to an observer, working on behalf of the Premier League, who shared with me some of her remit which is quite simply to observe what goes on both in the ground and in the immediate vicinity and to then report back to the Head of Safety after the game. I joined the post-match debrief and can report that other than one or two minor observations there was nothing of major concern.

Post briefings, I moved to the Control Room which is located in the corner of the ground between the Putney End and the Riverside Stand. Two things struck me, (1) what a great view they have, and (2) this really is the nerve centre and go to point on matchday. Space is reserved for each of the emergency services from which they control their teams located in various parts of the ground. There are also a number of Club staff from the Safety Team performing various tasks from managing the FulStop feed through to overseeing the vast bank of TV screens taking feeds from cameras both inside and outside the ground.

The  monitoring of the screens and resulting action are widespread. For example, a number of Lime bikes were identified in Stevenage Road for which Stewards were deployed to move to a safer spot. Once the streets around the ground are closed the Control Room also becomes a traffic management centre with guidance given on how to deal with vehicles trying to break the cordon. When the Team coaches are approaching, guidance is given to the Stewards outside the Cottage on how to manage their arrival which is co-ordinated to avoid them both arriving at the same time.

John D'arcy is clearly the man in control ranging from agreeing when turnstiles can open through to delaying kick off when there is a medical emergency such as before the Liverpool game. John's word is final.

I politely declined the opportunity of staying in the Control Room for the game as I am a creature of habit and prefer watching from my own seat.

Other things I picked up on during my time in the Control Room, some of which I was not aware of, include:-

    The Club send six safety stewards to every away game.
    The Club has cameras in the ground and can see any seat in any row with footage retained for 30 days. If an incident is reported after the match the Club can therefore look back to see what happened.
    John was pleased to report that no police have been deployed inside Craven Cottage in season 25/26 as yet.
    It was interesting to note that by 1pm only 3,700 people were inside the ground. Late arrivals can be a problem at the turnstiles.
    Around 10% of ticket holders did not attend for whatever reason. This is apparently a fairly normal situation.
    Standing remains an issue and will remain so until rail seating is installed. The Club safety certificate is for seated viewing only. (The Trust have already engaged with the Club as to when safe standing will be introduced but with no indication yet as to when this might be),
    The calls to the Control Room are wide and varied and on this particular day, in addition to the normal Club/Police/Fire/Ambulance issues there was a request to try and locate some missing sandwiches from the Riverside Stand (Sodexo were quickly engaged) and a request for a plumber to unblock the urinals in the first team changing room. All part of a day in the life of the Safety Team.

My thanks go to John and his Team for welcoming me and being so open in discussions. I will never underestimate the amount of unheralded work they do.



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2026/04/safety-on-fulham-matchdays-behind-the-scenes-with-john-darcy/

[WhiteJC]

Sheffield Wednesday: Dejphon Chansiri must regret £12m Fulham transfer
Amid ongoing off-field turmoil and financial problems, Sheffield Wednesday lost a number of key players during the final summer under Dejphon Chansiri.

Chansiri desperately attempted to raise funds to pay the wages of players and staff, Wednesday cashed in on star duo Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama for a combined total of just £3 million, while Josh Windass and Michael Smith departed after handing in their notices, and the likes of Michael Ihiekwe, Marvin Johnson and Callum Paterson were among some of the other high-profile exits.

The Owls were hit with a four-window transfer fee ban as a punishment for the multiple late payments of wages, while a host of free transfer and loan deals collapsed this summer after being blocked by the EFL, and that left manager Henrik Pedersen with a threadbare squad doomed for relegation this season, particularly with a points deductions looming.

Wednesday supporters were fearful for the future of their club, but it was not always this way under Chansiri, who spent big in the early stages of his ownership in a bid to achieve his target of reaching the Premier League.

One of the Owls' best transfer dealings over the past decade was the signing of Fernando Forestieri from Watford for a fee of £3 million in the summer of 2015, but despite the impact he made at Hillsborough, Chansiri may wish he had cashed in on the forward.

Sheffield Wednesday struck transfer gold with Fernando Forestieri, Watford deal
 Forestieri scored 21 goals and provided 23 assists in 92 appearances for Watford, and he was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League in the 2014-15 campaign, so his signing looked to be a big coup for Wednesday as they began their rebuild under new head coach Carlos Carvalhal.

The £3 million fee the Owls paid for Forestieri soon looked like a bargain as he lit up Hillsborough with his performances in his debut season at the club, and he scored a stunning 15 goals and provided eight assists in 39 appearances to help Carvalhal's men to the play-off final, where they were beaten by Hull City.

Forestieri's performances that season have ensured that, to this day, many Wednesday supporters still regard him as one of the most talented players ever to have worn the shirt, but his relationship with the fan base soon became strained.

Just one week into the following season, Forestieri controversially refused to play for the Owls in their away game at Norwich City amid reported transfer interest from Derby County and Newcastle United, leaving many supporters furious.

Forestieri was reintegrated back into the squad after apologising and describing his actions as "unprofessional and unacceptable", and he went on to score 12 goals and register five assists in 38 games to help Wednesday to another play-off finish, but they missed out on promotion for the second consecutive season, this time losing to Huddersfield Town at the semi-final stage.

Despite Forestieri signing a new three-and-a-half year contract with the Owls in January 2017, his future was again the subject of speculation that summer, and Chansiri had a big decision to make after receiving a significant bid from Fulham.

Fernando Forestieri, Fulham transfer mistake will still haunt Dejphon Chansiri amid Sheffield Wednesday turmoil
 The Sun claimed in the summer of 2017 that Fulham had made a £12 million bid for Forestieri, who was said to have fallen out with some of his teammates and staff at Wednesday, but the offer was rejected as Chansiri wanted more for his star forward.

At the time, Chansiri would likely have faced a strong backlash from supporters for selling Forestieri to a promotion rival, but in hindsight, the Owls chief may look back at his decision to turn down Fulham's bid as one of the biggest mistakes of his tenure, particularly given his current financial plight.

After scoring 27 goals in his first two years at Hillsborough, Forestieri netted just 13 times in the following three seasons, and he did not play more than 27 games in a single campaign as injuries began to plague him.

Forestieri did still produce occasional moments of magic, such as his delightful long-range strike against Norwich in 2019, but they were few and far between in the latter part of his time at the club, and it was, therefore, little surprise when the former Italy youth international was released at the end of his contract in 2020.

After knocking back a £12 million bid in 2017, it would surely have been agonising for Chansiri to see Forestieri depart for free just three years later, especially considering his lack of contribution on the pitch during that time, but the situation sums up the poor business decisions that have characterised his reign as Wednesday owner and explains how the club have ended up in their present predicament.

In fact, the departure of striker Lucas Joao to Reading for a fee of £5 million in 2019 remains the club's only significant sale under Chansiri, which is quite remarkable given the wealth of talent they have had on their books over the past decade, and some of the sizeable transfer bids they have received for some of their stars.

Forestieri's performances in his first season at Hillsborough have earned him a place in Owls history, but the club's future could have been a lot brighter if Chansiri cashed in on him when he had the chance; perhaps one of his earliest mistakes at the helm.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sheffield-wednesday-dejphon-chansiri-regret-fulham-transfer/