Kick in the Teeth…

Kick in the Teeth…

The following statement has been published on the Wrexham Supporters Trust website and as you can imagine I am far from happy for a number of reasons.

Basically everything that I wrote in my previous blog, entitled Making a Stand , still holds true as nothing that we requested in our original resolution has been fulfilled with the building of a hugely unpopular second platform that is light years away from the inclusive nature of disabled facilities recommended by Level Playing Field and similar organisations.

I would also question why the authors of the original resolution, or the DSA itself, were not regularly consulted as the WST undertook their binding duty to fulfil the wishes of club owners. Yet again I feel that the disabled fan base have been let down and fobbed off by a self-interested committee who have little interest in providing equal access for all.

A new acquaintance of mine has summed up the dire situation at the Racecourse perfectly with the following quote:

I have been a Wrexham supporter for 40 years. There have been high points, low points but consistently throughout that 40 years I have felt a sense of belonging. An albeit small part of a common bond that cements me not only to Wrexham Football Club, but my town. I have no doubt that every Wrexham fan feels exactly the same way. That feeling every match day when we get together with our friends and enjoy that unity in supporting the club we ALL love.

Now imagine for a moment that the people who we have entrusted to oversee our joint investment in OUR club feel that not every fan should enjoy that feeling of being included within the Wrexham AFC family. Imagine if you will, that on matchday you are told that you cannot be amongst your friends, that you cannot feel part of that ground swell of anticipation as the team press forward, imagine being told for instance that you cannot feel part of that, that you have to forsake that because you have a disability!

Would any fan without a disability feel happy feeling that in some way that they were being segregated? I guess not, imagine turning up on matchday with your mates and being singled out as not being included. Imagine that this was said to you by a supporters trust whose very purpose was to promote an inclusive community club. Just imagine that, a community fan owned football club who cannot grasp who their community is. An “inclusive” football club who fail to include. Not really the dream that the WST sold us, is it?

Every trust member, every Wrexham AFC fan needs to be aware of what is going on, and every WST board member needs to be aware of their responsibilities. This is not a jolly for them, they have to be held accountable for every decision they make and we all have to keep making them aware of that.

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The following statement has been published on the Wrexham Supporters Trust website:

Following a meeting with representatives of Wrexham Supporters Trust, Wrexham Association Football Club board, Wrexham AFC Disability Liaison Officer and Wrexham Disabled Supporters Association on Wednesday evening we can inform members work on construction of the new viewing platform will begin in early September.

The new viewing platform will be available for use by both home and away supporters as the location is suitable for either set of supporters to feel a part of the atmosphere with their fellow fans. The platform will be constructed on the land between the Tech End and BKoncepts stand in the stadium. Due to its placement giving a front on view of the pitch, the viewing platform will be suitable for use by supporters with neck and spinal injuries as recommended by Level Playing Field ( https://www.levelplayingfield.org.uk). Representatives of WST and Wrexham Association Football Club have been in regular dialogue with Level Playing Field and they have offered their support for the platform location.

The construction project will also include a refurbishment of the existing toilet blocks in that area to ensure they will be suitable to be used by all supporters accessing the platform. Supporters catering needs will mirror those currently used at Platform 1 in the Hays Travel Stand.

Wrexham Supporters Trust and Wrexham Football Club are committed to improving facilities for all supporters and are currently working on numerous projects to improve the match day experience. We will continue to keep members updated of the progress and would like to take this opportunity to thank our members for their patience in the building of the platform. We are sure every member and supporter of Wrexham AFC is looking forward to seeing the platform in use.

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