Tuesday 2 March 2010

More Cost Savings! But Still Unnecessary Wastage


I have just received my mini season tickets through the post, along with a very pleasant covering letter in which I am thanked for my "loyal and continued support"! I'm thinking of scanning the letter and posting it on the blog. Despite the results of the recent poll, it appears that Fanno is "even a fan of West Ham" after all! I must be because Mr Gold and Mr Sullivan say so, and we believe everything they say, don't we?

Anyway, the cost saving comes in the form of that covering letter which, strangely, is on unheaded paper. It doesn't even have the club logo on it! In addition, the ticket office number charges callers at a rate of 10p a minute and it takes an age to get through to anybody following connection. Whilst waiting, I had a picture of Sullivan standing over the staff in the ticket office saying, "Keep him holding, keep him holding. Every minute is 10 pence, every minute is a penny bonus for yourself."

And the wastage? I bought 2 tickets on my credit card, one for myself and one for my son, and for some reason best known to the club, the tickets were posted separately to the same address! Come on David and David, get a grip! 219,000 saved stamps would pay Dyer's wages for a week!

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the word that sums you up perfectly is 'tit'.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why people of full of such vennom for you; and yet they continue to loyally read your postings.
I love reading your comments and I like to think I can see the humour behind the 'serious' observations you make.
I haven't read anything yet that's annoyed me.
(mind you the white writing on the black background really does my eyes in)

Straight4ward said...

"Loyal and continued support"

OMG that should set a few people spluttering!!!!

You do realize that you won't be believed, don't you?

Anonymous said...

Jesus christ.
Is there nothing you will not moan about?
The problem now is that when you do have a valuable point to make, no-one takes you seriously because of the amount of shit that accompanies it.

Hammersfan said...

1828, That's cruel. I didn't ask to be born with a nipple on my head!

Cheers 1903, I find the white on black easier to read personally. Different eyes, different reactions perhaps.

S4W, I had a good laugh when I read it! Trouble with scanning it is that it isn't on headed paper. When my wife saw it she said, "This isn't a con is it?" I replied, "Well Sullivan is involved so perhaps..."

1920, you would moan if you were nailed to a cross. Which gospel are you referring to? In one he cries, "Father why have you forsaken me" but in another he only complains, "I thirst". Apparently dehydration was one of the major causes of death when crucified, causing a stroke followed by heart seizure. To moan on this blog about Jesus complaining in those circumstances seems a bit rich though. I bet you would moan a bloody site more! I also think you are being unfair when you say "no-one" takes him seriously. I am an atheist myself but there are millions of Christians around the world.

Anonymous said...

"Loyal and continued support" hahahaha hahahaha you've bought a last for the last 6 games of the season ticket... no matter what they've called it, it's not a season ticket - because it doesn't last for the whole season... and that does not make you loyal or continued.

Anonymous said...

@fanno: I know postage stamps, letter heads and train number and timetables are your thing.... but you might want to see what the big boys are writing about.

2008-09 Club Accounts Now Available!

The club’s 2008-09 accounts have now been lodged with Companies House. And in a new spirit of openness, the 35 page accounts have been made available to fans via the club’s website.

SSN and other media sources have since reported on the contents. Some of the key points highlighted are that: £45m of short-term debt was owed to the banks; the club has made losses of c.70m over the last three seasons; £14m is outstanding to other clubs; in 2007-08 the total wage bill increased by 50%; at its height the wage bill stood at c.80% of the club’s annual turnover; the contracts of two players signed in 2007-08 (one who has since left the club) will cost £34m for a current return of 32 matches played; and Dean Ashton’s settlement of his new 5 year contract, on his retirement, cost the club £5.8m.

The club’s Financial Director states, in his report, that some decisions made in 2007-08 were ill-judged and the level of expenditure did not bring the expected on-pitch success. He does, however, also report that a process of wage/cost reduction was commenced in 2008-09 to address the financial situation via player sales and the recruitment of less costly replacements.

Unfortunately I have not had an opportunity to examine the accounts first hand. I hope to rectify that tomorrow. No doubt there is other interesting information in there to be extracted and scrutinised? In the meantime, over to you for comment!

March 1st, 2010 - 11:55 pm by S J Chandos West Ham Till I die

Anonymous said...

you write and argue like a sulky teenager. I feel sorry for your wife.

Hammersfan said...

I quote from the letter, "Not only do you receive the above fixtures but priority is offered AS SEASON TICKET HOLDER for away fixtures beginning with the following away game from 9.00am Saturday 6th March 2010: Vs Everton. (sic)"

The letter continues, "you will receive all the benefits, priority and discounts available to SEASON TICKET HOLDERS when renewing your own seat for the 2010/11 season".

It seems that, despite what you think, the CLUB regard me as a season ticket holder. Annoying aint it?

I tell you what, the letter is appallingly written! I might offer my services to Mr Sullivan. For a modest fee, a fraction of what Dyer earns, I could sort out the club's correspondence and polish up Diddy David's programme notes for him! ; }

Hammersfan said...

2006, I know. Mine is intended as a tongue in cheek comment on the wastage. That's why I say how many stamps add up to one week's wages for Dyer. The subtlety obviously passed you by! That's why you read Chandos who specialises in regurgitating what others say!

2009 Your mum!

jaggsy said...

I think most of your comments are quite humourous, but then, they only let me out once a week and won't let me have any sharp objects to play with so my opinion probably doesn't count. On a more serious note, why do'nt the two Davids open up a seperate bank account that all hammers fans could pay into. Imagine a couple of hundred thousand fans all paying a few pounds a week into an account, thats nearly a million pounds a week. Wallah, problem solved.

Hammersfan said...

LOL They remove my laces and belt too! I think a more practical idea is to sell some sort of debenture shares. I have floated that idea before. Money to be used on transfer fees only, with any sell on value shared with the fans investing.

Anonymous said...

OMG!!! YOU SPENT SOME MONEY

Hammersfan said...

I like to think of it more in terms of a 30% saving!

Anonymous said...

Hammersfan are you honkey????

Hammersfan said...

Am I what?

Anonymous said...

Are you a honkey???? Simple really

Hammersfan said...

I do not understand the question. Please explain in standard English.

Anonymous said...

the last letter i got from Mr Sullivan was telling me i had to move from my part of the ground to allow mine and hundreds more home season ticket holders seats go so they could get more away supporters in go,s without saying i didnt renew although i have now he as gone

Unknown said...

honkey is a Jamaican derogatory term for a white person, it means "pig"

I read your blog most days, and for the most part enjoy it, keep up the good work.

Stani Army said...

Maybe they got a deal with the postal service? Send n number of correspondence and you get charged x amount :)

Danny is right. The 'h' word is a racist word for Caucasian people so you should go ahead and remove it HF. I think what was confusing is that Anonymous first wrote "Are you h....." instead of "Are you a h.....". Judging by some of his previous comments, maybe he was initially thinking of some other word beginning with a 'ho'. I think he likes you HF :)

Anonymous said...

Please tell me, when you started this blog did you intend to have a conflicting opinion to most other fans? You'll probably tell me that you give a realist opinion, to which I would disagree. I've no right to tell you about yourself, however I very much think you hear a story and automatically think of an opinion that will infuriate the majority of your visitors. I think your match reports are accurate, however many times before I have questioned parts of your articles and you reply with spelling mistakes or twist my words to make an immature joke. Can you also give me a personal definition of the word 'support'.

Nobody particularly likes the way the club has been run, but most want to think the people at our club have the right intentions. What has Sullivan done wrong for you to give him the nickname diddy David exactly? and what have the fans done for you to call them the monkey brigade?

And please would you consider stopping your smugness, it's incredible annoying and reminds me of the Sun, as do your headlines.

P.S Arsenal fans are idiots.

Anonymous said...

I used to find this blog incredibly annoying. Recently i have started to enjoy it. Like someone said earlier, similar to a car crash victim in some ways - darkly alluring.

I think most people like to secretly think they could do a better job than you on here...no doubt they would write stuff that sends it's audience to sleep.

Well done, you write a good blog, but...you are a twat of the highest order and i'm pretty sure i would dislike you in real life. That's ok though, i'm pretty sure you would think the same of me.

Keep it up Knobhead!!

Hammersfan said...

0406, Very good! Actually you would like me in real life, but in small doses!

0207 my definition of support is a feeling that's better than sex when we win and a feeling of all consuming depression when we lose. Unfortunately I qualify! I do not regard hiding my head in the sand as support but that's the definition of the Three Monkeys Brigade - Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

As for assuming that everybody at the club has good intentions ...after Brown, Redknapp and Defoe? Some line their own pockets first. Note, I do not include BG, Eggert or Duxbury in that list. I accept that they started with the very best intentions - they were caught out by the world global banking crisis and because they recruited a tosser as a manager! And I don't mean Zola!

Should we blindly trust the Davids? At our peril!

Why Diddy David? He is very short.

Anonymous said...

Hammersfan are you a honkey then????

Anonymous said...

@0406 Brilliant post mate - I reckon you'd do a better job here - very funny!

@fanno: why don't you allow guest bloggers? you obviously can't cope and struggle to come up with quality writing, allowing others to blog from time to time will help take the pressure off and hopefully improve the over all quality

Stani Army said...

Anonymous1024,
In all fairness mate, HF does allow more guest posts than most. He even invites people to do so in his sidebar. Most of the things people say on his blog, they wouldn't be allowed to write on other blogs, yet people still use it to diss him? You can accuse me of 'brown-nosing' but the facts still remain. In fact, I think he's a bit too lenient on some but that's just my personal opinion.

Anonymous said...

LMFAO you 'brown-nosing' Stani, surely not!

Stani Army said...

Right on cue Anonymous! It does feel good being able to control you like this.

Embarassed for you... said...

@Stani - Being able to control someone??? ha ha!! You're an absolute joke. You must have a very sad existence if that gives you kicks. Being so smug over something so pathetic is ridiculous. Grow up and grow some for god's sake.

Anonymous said...

I think it's worth noting that "anonymous" is actually more than one person - I think censorship is wrong - but other blogs and not just football one's people comment on the actual blog if the blog comment is interesting - here people comment on the blogger more because the blogs aren't

Anonymous said...

You're not a 'brown noser' Stani Army. El Martillo, now there's a brown noser in so deep that his whole head is brown.

Anonymous said...

@1749 very funny I have a mental picture now... of hammersfartillo with his head up his own arse!!! eerrrh what a truly awful concept... verumf orh what a stink!!!

Hammersfan said...

The quality of some of the comments today are beyond crass. I do wonder what thrill you guys take from leaving such banal an innane comments. Posting laughter at stupid remarks takes it to a new level of absurdity!

Stani Army said...

Embarrassed for you,

Chill, why you so uptight? Mine are fully grown and God couldn't care less.

Whoever named you must have a sick sense of humour. How can someone have a child and name it the above?

Anonymous said...

hammersfartillo @1913 you should know all about that do you care about what others think about what you post? course you don't and you invite it and it's sooooooo funny... verumf!!! oh man what a smell. I only read the comments section now it's brilliant... keep up the good work fartillo

Anonymous said...

@fanno - it's slowly starting to sink in isn't it?

I can almost hear the gears turning....

poo is what poo does and you're attracting a lot of it.

Anonymous said...

@19:33 I only read the comments now too - most entertaining..

Hammersfan said...

LOL 6 comments have used @ a time. Now I wonder, might that be the same person laughing at his own "joke" and repeating the same comment? Couldn't be could it? Surely not!

Cogs turn better than yours mate!

Hammersfan said...

I know there is more than one! But in this case, it was one repeat visiting and trying to sound like many.

The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. I just love seeing that hit counter click round! What amuses me is the way that people think I care about the negative comments. I don't give a toss! Like I keep saying, if you don't like the blog, why visit the site? I don't go to WHTID because I think the articles are flat and boring. But then, I have a brain and exercise judgement. Feel free to keep criticising - it really is water off a duck's back and I enjoy the opportunity you afford to retort. If I didn't want you here, I would ignore you!

Anonymous said...

@fanno "I would ignore you?" singular - and still in denial....

Anonymous said...

So you're going to keep the anonymous posting function on then?

Anonymous said...

Let the anomymoni be counted

1.

Anonymous said...

put me down as anon No.2