365EnglandFans.com - FA Euro 2004 Campaign Meeting

FA Euro 2004 Campaign Meeting - This coming Tuesday, 11 November sees the first visit of independent 365Englandfans and 4England fan reps to the FA HQ in Soho Square, along with reps from the official englandfans groups, Mark Perryman (London englandfans) and Mark Hetherington (Northwest englandfans).

At the time of writing we are not sure who else has been invited though we'd expect Kevin Miles of FSF to come along, and nor do we know as yet which members of the FA will be in attendance. The meeting was proposed by Jonathan Arana of the FA to discuss the campaign for Euro 2004 and positive behaviour, led by englandfans members in the build up to the tournament.

Got to give full credit to the FA for consulting with the independent fans groups like us and 4England rather than just the official groups, as over the coming months, with input from you the fans, we will put forward those issue YOU consider to be most important, so do let us know what you want put forward.

Mark Perryman has already suggested some topics for an agenda which include:-

fan involvement;

fan forums around the country;

fan correspondents willing to work with the media, any volunteers ! ?;

fans photo competition;

activities for families;

tournament guidebook, similar to Japan 2002; and

his Raise the Flag initiative.

We don't really have a problem with any of these ideas, but another important issue even in the build up, we think, is ORGANISATION; setting the stall out now, before publication of the Guidebook.

Lets face it, if fans know roughly how they'll be able to get to and from each venue, that there will be sufficient buses and late trains, they'll be in a more positive state of mind than if they you're having to spend hours scurrying around for this info to no avail.

What about ticketing we hear you ask, well we've already been told in a rather condescending way, not by the FA, that this meeting is "NOT a meeting about ticketing matters" , though it had never crossed our minds that it should be, why, because;

As things stand, by our reckoning based on a 6,000 allocation and UEFA having now changed the rules to match the biggest games to the biggest stadia once the draw has been made, all members on currently on 3 or 2 caps who go to the away friendly in February should be guaranteed a ticket, and nearly all of you on 1 cap also fall into the top 70%. (To ensure you don't slip down the table, make sure you go to the February friendly, in Portugal, or elsewhere if we get them in the draw on 30 November)

This should account for nearly all of the most loyal fans, and that first and foremost is what is important, but for anyone who couldn't go to the South Africa friendly and failed in the ballots for Slovakia and Liechtenstein, you have our sympathies, but, and the same applies to new fans, if you really do want to go to Euro 2004, going to the away game in February will better your chances.

Finally, there are around 45 reasons for the last topic, we will be raising if the FA have not already answered our questions, the matter of the banned fans, suspended for 3 years from englandfans for simply travelling to Turkey. You're entitled to your own opinion on this, but we don't think they should have had their membership suspended and we are supporting the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) in their offer of assistance and future group appeal.

Full Report on Tuesday's meeting will appear later in the week.

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