Fans' protests over ticket prices intensify. Petitions, boycotts, soon tennis balls and black balloons. Interview with Andy Payne, leader of West Ham United fans' campaign.
Heading towards the new Premier League season, there feels a different mood amongst supporters. Fanbases are such an eclectic mix of generations, communities, faiths etc that it is impossible to presume one unified perspective but there certainly appears a more collective and assertive approach towards clubs, especially over ticket prices. Protests this season will be more cross-club, not only individual.
Take West Ham United. Their fans are in dispute with the club over changes to ticket prices and concessionary arrangements, whether cost or relocation in the London Stadium. Their response has been strengthened by more collective action led by Andy Payne, chair of the West Ham Independent Supporters Committee. The ISC represents seven leading West Ham fans’ groups with 25,000 members and will become the Fan Advisory Board.
“We've united all the fan groups here now, it's taken a while!” Payne smiles. “We were quite good at being each others’ throats because everyone’s got an opinion!” He’s a passionate West Ham fan, genial individual and successful video-game businessman who I met travelling round Germany this summer. He’s followed England since 1982. On returning from the Berlin final, Payne attended the Football Supporters’ Association AGM at Wembley, tapping into the experiences and expertise of other fans’ groups.
“What’s been heartening is sitting down talking to Spirit of Shankly (of Liverpool) and Everton Fan Advisory Board,” Payne says. “Ian Byrne (MP) is on the Spirit of Shankly committee. Ian and Dave Kelly (chair) of Everton Fan Advisory Board are the gold standard of fan mobilisation. They have a union mentality running through them. I'm learning from Ian and Dave.