Welcome…
…to the latest edition of the OASST Newsletter, the final one of 2022. I’ve been doing this newsletter thing for the OASST for over two years now; I seemed to slip accidentally into it during Lockdown, and no-one wanted to drag me out again. It was only recently that I realised that there wasn’t a masthead, declaring it to be the Newsletter; so I set about designing the one you see above. It’s based on a photo (see below) I took in 2021 at the beginning of a game against Wigan (the less said about the result, the better). As it’s the view from the Clayton End, it seems to be appropriate as that’s where I’ve usually watched Stanley from, apart from in the days of switching ends at half-time. There can’t be many professional sports stadia that have such a great view, and look at the state of the pitch. Exemplary!
The season hasn’t been going quite as well as we would like, and Coley has had to cope with a few too many injuries for comfort, but as he always tells us, we must ‘Keep the Faith”, and remember:
Annual General Meeting
15th December 2022 @ 7:30pm
Location: Coley’s Bar at the Wham Stadium
For the Agenda, please click here
We currently have a board of 12 Directors which is our maximum allowed, 4 of which have to retire in line with FCA procedures.
The 4 retirees are:
- Peter J Leatham – Chairperson
- Ken Jefferson – Vice Chairperson
- Peter Warburton – Secretary
- Jason Graham – Board Member
Each of the 4 have indicated that they will be seeking re-election alongside any other interested members.
We are inviting member over the age of 16 to indicate if they would wish to be considered as a candidate for election to the trust board. We have regular meeting which you would be required to attend as well as a number of other activities which need fulfilling, these include:
- Finance
- Retail
- Travel
- Media
- Events
- Matchday activities
If you would be interested in seeking election then please advise by email to membership@onstanleyon.com no later than Thursday 10th November 2022, we will then circulate nomination forms and invite candidates to outline their personal statements which will be distributed to members before voting takes place.
Following the business part of the meeting, there will be the latest instalment of the ever-popular Fans’ Forum with John and Jimmy – all supporters are welcome.
EFL to end the 3pm blackout?
By Peter J. Leatham
Be under no illusions that the removal of the 3pm blackout (whereby no games may be broadcast that are played wholly or partly between 3 and 5 on a Saturday afternoon) is the biggest single risk to our current football pyramid without a re-working of the TV, or, more likely, streaming, revenues.
If nothing changes and the blackout is removed, then the larger clubs will get to sell tickets for our home game, in our stadium and our staging costs, to their fans. No need to travel to a live game, just pay your money to your club and watch away.
The larger clubs get richer at the cost of the smaller clubs such as ours. Andy Holt is fighting this tooth and nail and has already exchanged views with the EFL on this.
Streaming will undoubtably come but the club who carries the costs of staging the fixture needs to garnish the lions share of the revenue generated from the game.
Ironic when the latest Sky ads boast that “it’s only live once”; to me, live is actually being there, and not an armchair supporter or, more apt, watcher.
David Burgess, Stanley MD, commented, “Folks are already watching on a Saturday at 3pm via illegal streaming – it’s only live if you are actually there – streaming is going to be a big part of the future of football and Accrington Stanley will be campaigning for their fair share of the revenues streaming will bring into the game…”
Football Supporters’ Association
The EFL’s broadcast rights are up for grabs – and it means in a few years you could be watching Saturday 3pm KOs live on Facebook.
Do you back the blackout?
Click this link to read more on the FSA site: EFL to end the 3pm blackout?
Club 1968 Draw Winners – October 2022
October 2022 Winners’ Draw – please click here
November 2022 Winners’ Draw – The winners will be announced later in November, they will be posted on the OASST website and links will be posted on Twitter and Facebook.
Winners!
This is from a letter from Eric Reumer in the Netherlands, to whom OASST donated shirts:
“Below is the team picture of rksv TOB 28!
In our beautiful Stanley shirts we won the cup match against SC Purmerend with 5-3 yesterday.
rksv TOB stands for: roman catholic sports association Trouw Ons Beginsel (in English: Faithful to our Loyalty), established in 1947, based in Amsterdam.
TOB has 16 football teams (the first team plays on the 9th tier of Dutch football) and 34 (!) futsal teams and has the second largest futsal department of the Netherlands.
On behalf of the team I want to thank you, Peter Leatham and Accrington Stanley for this beautiful gesture.
We will wear these shirts with honour!”
#HERGAMETOO
Jodie Boast, OASST Board member and #HERGAMETOO Champion, has been busy at recent high profile matches, making more and more fans aware of this excellent campaign.
(Pictured: Jodie with Michael Nottingham)
Click to view the #HERGAMETOO gallery from the Morecambe game
Click to view the #HERGAMETOO gallery from the Derby game
To read more about the #HERGAMETOO campaign, click on this link.
Our HGT pin badge will go on sale on Friday 14th November and will be on our tables on the 15th for the Sheffield Wednesday game, all proceeds will go to support a local Accrington Women’s charity.
£2 each
Bolton Button Badges
We sold nearly all of the ones with the wrong season on, just a few left in the shop.
We will have a small number of correct replacement badges available for those who need them to maintain their season’s collection. These will be advertised via our social media and website.
Introducing: Out Stanley Out
Out Stanley Out is the LGBTQI+ group for Accrington Stanley Football Club supporters.
Whilst the group is set up by and for supporters of the club from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Trans and QI (LGBTQI+) community, membership is not exclusive; it is also open to anybody who supports the group’s aims including friends, families and allies.
We want to help make Accrington Stanley’s Wham Stadium – and football in general – inclusive spaces where everyone feels safe to be themselves. The aim is that, by having a visible and supportive network already in place, people will feel comfortable to come forward and be confident in attending football matches knowing that this supportive environment of LGBTQI+ fans and their allies exists.
Our name is a take on the famous ASFC supporters’ cry of ‘On, Stanley, On!’, and reflects our hope that LGBTQI+ supporters can be out, proud and safe in the football environment and everywhere else in society.
With the support of the OASST, Out Stanley Out is proud to announce that a badge was produced showing the group’s logo. It was available to buy in time for the Rainbow Laces match against Bolton Wanderers in October.
The new badge can act as a visible way for anyone to say that they share the group’s aims – they will be open to all to purchase and buyers wouldn’t have to be members in order to own one but it can be a good thing that these are visible as more supporters wear them.
Contact outstanleyout@onstanleyon.com
“The Likely Lads”
Our annual fans’ forum with our own Likely Lads, owner Andy Holt & MD David Burgess was staged on 20th October in Coley’s bar which was, of course, open and ready for action. If you missed it, you can view the video of the event here
Jack Barrett Sponsored Walk 2022
The Third Annual Jack Barrett Memorial Walk took place on October 22nd, when two teams of intrepid Stanley fans set off from Bolton Wanderers and Burnley to reach The Wham Stadium in time for the kick off against Bolton. Blessed by great Lancashire weather, the walkers made it in good time, and, apart from a few blisters, unscathed.
Money raised will be donated to deserving local charities.
To read more about the walks, click here.
To contribute to this worthy cause, follow this link.
Away Travel Policy
An Away Travel Policy has been drawn up in conjunction with the Club, the Police and the Coach Companies, all supporters are strongly urged to read the policy and abide by the guidelines.
You can read and/or download a copy of the policy here
The Club That Wouldn’t Die
Back in 2008 Stanley fans were asked to talk about the club and what it means to them. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you can now listen again to the CD…without a CD player. Just click on the link below the picture!
Act of Remembrance in the Memorial Garden
Art Corner
After Poetry Corner in the last issue, here is a little bit of Art. This Newsletter is intended to be for and about all Stanley supporters, so I’m putting myself in the frame this time.
Since I retired I’ve been able to indulge my two passions, Stanley and painting. One of my early paintings, was of a Stanley match (21.1.17 Stanley 1 – 1 Carlisle) which I was delighted to be able to give to Andy. I’ve also painted a portrait of Billy Kee, which he signed and which was auctioned to raise funds for the Trust.
I’ve painted many other Stanley-related paintings since then, and the one below is my latest. It’s based on a 1964 photograph and won’t need an introduction for many fans, as it shows our late, lamented Peel Park home, where I watched my first Stanley games. I hope you like it. Mike Procter.
If you have any writing, drawing, photos or painting that you would like to have included in the Newsletter, please send them to editor@onstanleyon.com and we will be delighted to include them in a future edition.
And that brings us to the end of this issue, the final one for 2022. Best wishes to all Stanley fans for the forthcoming holiday season and a very Happy Christmas and Fantastic 2023 to everyone.
HELP
Useful numbers of some organizations:
Lancashiremind Local Mental Health Support 0800 953 0110
Samaritans Call 116 123 24hrs
Papyrus (Suicide prevention for under 35s) Hopeline UK 0800 068 4141 Mon-Fri 10am-10pm Sat-Sun 12 noon-12 midnight
Childline 0800 1111
Carers helpline (run by people with experience in care for people with MH issues) 0333 103 9747
Maundy Relief Counselling Service 01254 233 457 counselling@maundyrelief.org.uk
Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline-Refuge 0808 2000 247 (24hrs)
To contact Debra, the Supporters’ Chaplain,
please email chaplain@onstanleyon.com
