Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Rightio, its time to rwvive an ancient Accy Web tradition of inviting questions from all and sundry for Andy to answer.

I've spoken to him tonight and he is more than willing to participate and says that there are very duckable questions.

Please PM me any questions you have and I will send them to him. Lets have a 1 week time limit on this please, so next monday night at the latest.

Anything, everything but lets keep it polite and realistic ... thank you

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Can I have a signed photo please, Andy.

Erm, For Er Indoors

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

What if any time limit have you put on ground improvement and realistic target for potential league improvement by promotions.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

PM sent Macca

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Ask him if he join accy web to set afew people straight

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Please pass on my regards

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Good stuff from Andy in the Daily Telegraph, making a good point as well as getting some good publicity for the club:
Why the League Cup has to stay, by Accrington Stanley chairman Andy Holt

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Yes, good stuff, makes perfect sense to Stanley fans and most fans of 'lowly' clubs.
But, in the poll in the Torygraph article, more than 60% think the League Cup should be scrapped.
That may reveal how much people who read that paper on-line know or care about the parlous state of lower league football finances.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

probebly support chelsea, arsenal or manchester type clubs. no real interest in clubs like ours, but have we any real interest in clubs like theirs.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Only to the extent that they are bankrupting a game that must survive outside of their global corporate world.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

How does the club decide whether to sell a player ?
Is it purely financial (ie the Board) or based on footballing reasons (ie the Manager) or both ?
If the club did cash in how much of the fee would be ploughed back into Coley for purchases ?

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Coley for purchases? when was the last time we purchased a player

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

What was the name of the striker we sold to (I think) Doncaster when in unibond div 1? Didn't we buy him back for smaller fee?

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Gary Williams

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Sure we paid for golden boy's return aswell

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

If you mean the lad whose goal & assist for our second got us into the fourth round of the FA cup last week, then no we didn't - he came on a free transfer from Chester

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

RE-SIGNED FOR Stanley arrives for an undisclosed fee from Conference club Chester. McConville returns ? Accrington Stanley

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

You should know there's only one question on here, Bernard.:rolleyes:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Bernard;

I'll answer the Boro question;

The home club set the prices ( Boro have done) ASFC then follow on. The Board are currently working on the EXACT selling strategy.

When the Board decide this then our Media team can announce.

What's the rush???

We can have a massive allocation from them and we've 2 vital EFL games prior to then??

Boro have announced there plan; as they've dozens of staff and basically sent an e-mail and said we're annoucing the date and their prices in 15 minutes time.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

agree mr.t some seem to want info about the game 10 mins. after the draw. do hope however that tickets will be sold BEFORE the carlisle game and not have to wait till the end of the game.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

its the inconvenience that annoys people,and things are not difficult or costly to correct.:rolleyes:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Or the come back during office hours or after the game when you try to buy on a match day. Like we can all manage that with no fuss.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Its exactly the same with the 50-50 result, i know its posted on the office window, but i do not exit in that direction, so if sherry dont post it on here it makes me wonder why i bother buying em?:( its simple to put result on the fishy, i have been complaining for many months including last season, has anyone bothered to sort such a simple thing, as there hell.:rolleyes:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

The link on the Fishy site for news on 'FA Cup tickets', is still inviting people to join them in the sports bar for the 4th round draw, laughable 5 days on!

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

This is where the club lets itself down badly. the things cashy mentioned should have been done months ago and would cost nothing. The ticket coordination is amateur at best, These problems should be non-existent these days. it is the small things that don't cost much to put right that makes a big difference. I will leave it at that for now.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I'll answer that one first. There are 2 reasons for the rush. Firstly, a personal reason. Once the announcement is made, I'll have to liaise with my daughter-in-law who lives in Yorkshire and who will want to come to the game. Secondly, Stanley does not have a wonderful record in fulfilling arrangements. Please remember, Mark, that I had two fruitless days of trying to contact the club to get my ticket for the Luton game - and I never did get my season ticket seat even though I did my utmost to do what the club wanted. We do not know yet if tickets will be posted out or collected at the Riverside. Assuming the latter, we have 10 working days. 2 days taken out of that is 20% of the time lost. If the tickets are to be posted, we have 6 working days - and 2 days out of that is 33% of the time. Sorry if it seems a rush.

I'm not sure I understand that last point. Generally, though, this is all about professionalism. We all laugh at the "next week" syndrome - but it doesn't go away. I am pleased to see that some thought is being given, as you say, to the EXACT selling strategy.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Would this be a pre sale for season ticket holders first then after a few days go on general sale or perhaps we could decide that the away end holds around 3000 and we couldn't sell them all at a tenner for three so everybody gets to buy one straight away?

Or is it to decide how hard they can make it to buy one for people who can't just rock up to the ground through the week?

It's hardly rocket science for the numbers involved.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

~Any more for any more? I'll be collating these later on tonight and sending off tomorrow.


Outback Ozzy, you said you were sending me a PM but I haven't got it bud

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Could you ask Mr. Holt if he's aware of the web site of AFC Fylde, and particularly the brilliant ticket purchasing/ seat selection element, and, if not enough money is raised for the Advertising Screen, would he consider putting what has been raised towards an improved on-line ticketing process for Stanley.

Also, include me in any vote of thanks to him for all he's done and doing for the Club.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Will do Exile, but the question of putting the screen money towards somethong else would be better redirected towards the Supporters Club

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Noted, thanks.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

How about you let AH answer ? That's the idea ..........

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Sean MC from skem

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

So good we paid for him twice ...


Would we not have had to pay a fee to get Beckles? As player of the year I dont think Aldershot (?) released him so surely we paid some sort of nominal compo

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

A fee was paid to Chester for Sean Mc

Omar was a "free agent" (therefore no fee) following his contract expiring at Aldershot.

Sorry it's "off topic" again!!:)

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Presumably Mr Holt has decided not to respond ............

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I dont know to be honest 28. He received the questions and replied that he would answer them all. But I've heard nothing since.

In fairness we've had an FA Cup 5th match to prepare for and a transfer window closing, meanwhile work continues unabated around the ground. Should hopefully hear something soon.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Havent received a reply to this particular Q&A but the Supporters Club have announced that there will be a q&a with Andy at the next Supporters Club meeting, this coming thursday at 7.15pm.

I'm not sure if I can attend or not so if anybody is planning on going and would like to take the questions up please let me know

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

People have fired into me about the use of technology for our ticket sales online and pay online. Perhaps there are a lot more people who have remained silent will now make the point. We do need to update and be far more professional in our dealing with fans and public. To say fans have had to try for two days to get a contact with the club is awful. people having to come back for tickets is just a sure fire way of losing a sale. If Baldy does read this perhaps the penny will drop. This is what I have been banging on about for so long.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

was behind a guy in the club shop on saturday in the club shop and he was asking to purchase a ticket for next saturdays game at doncaster. was told he could get one after the game. my question is WHY. if they,ve got em then sell the things just don,t get this sale at the end of the game thing. if we,d have got beaten i don,t think anyone would have been in the mood to queue up for tickets.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Unless the Donnie tickets were locked away somewhere and hadn't been given to the person in the shop? If so, it's not the shop assistant's fault, but still the club's.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

wasn,t having a go at the shop assistant it was another gripe at the clubs ticket selling system and the inability to do more than one job at a time.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Maybe the flip side is that a giant of a club like Mansfield, with their new fangled gadgets, had us queuing until 10 minutes into the match before we were able to buy our tickets. There we're still plenty of Mansfield fans (behind us) who looked like they had another 5 mins in that queue.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Didn't think you were, M-H. The folk who work in the shop have always been really helpful when l've been in.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

As far as i'm concerned its about time they got their act in order, they keep on about attracting more people to watch, which we all know they need, yet do not encourage things one iota in my eyes. very poor.:(

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Not sure about that Cashy. One of the reasons I fell in love with Stanley was because the club has seemingly shunned the cold, professional way of doing things. Instead, a friendly, well meaning muddling-by attitude made us feel much more at home.

I'm sure having to spend an extra 5 minutes at the end of a match buying a ticket is nowt in the grand scheme of things, even though I understand how things are done can be a bit of a puzzle at times.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

It is if you have a train to catch at 5.23 to get home at a reasonable time and I'm not the only one

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Thats an issue that far too many do not take into account,:(

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

In the real world, Revived Red, small companies don't always have the resources of a large one. What they lack in efficiency they often make up with in other ways. I'm sure it's handy to have a burger served in a minute in McDonalds, but wouldn't you rather wait an hour for something edible?

Is missing your train due to inefficient a regular thing or just something that might possibly happen to someone who you once heard about that probably drove there?

Progress has been made, Rome was not built in a day.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Thats pig ignorant the guy comes up from Bristol regular.:mad:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Given the choice of not getting home until after midnight or go hungry then it's go hungry. Not everyone has the luxury or a good transport network. And my option is so tight it's not even timetabled as an option if I were to book.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

its nowt to do with trains etc. its just common sense to sell something when people want it and not have the gall to more or less say you can get it when its conveniant to us. its hardly what they say is rocket science to sell two types of ticket at once. remember talking to an old employee of a local bus company who stated they had two different types of ticket to issue on a certain route and it depended on the destination for which type they got. god help some at stanley if they were a post war clippy.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I see no reason why those fans who travel from afar can't order (& pay) by telephone prior to any home game, so that their ticket(s) can be collected from the office/shop before the game.
We can't afford to put obstacles in the way of generating income, let alone upset loyal fans.
Surely this is not beyond the managements capabilities, even at Accrington Stanley?

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Aye but that would using commonsense.:rolleyes:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I have suggested the way to do this for some time. However some on here think it is beyond the capability of man to change the way we sell tickets etc. But I am not wasting my time any further. Some people are just stuck in the 60s way of doing things.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Calm down gentlemen.
Monkey Hanger reported one bloke was asked to buy a ticket after the match. Is that what happens all the time? The way I've seen things I would imagine if the person had a taxi booked for 5pm and explained that then a ticket may have been forthcoming.
Maybe due to one reason or another, like being the smallest club in the league that there was a staff shortage?

I'm not saying it's great that there are inefficiencies, and I am not dismissing Revived Red's commitment to the cause. Merely saying that Andy Holt is sorting things out, but in the meantime I'm sure there's some quirks we can put up with?

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Yes it does and its been explained to em, but has made no difference at all, make all the excuses yeh want but its pathetic and inexcusable imho. i'm even aware of an instance were a guy who is not a regular tried to buy one pre-match, but was told to return after 5-00 needless to say he never bothered, what a way to attract more fans!!

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

What a tail, RR! Have they secretly nationalised Stanley without telling anyone? That palaver was as bad as trying to get a phone installed in the 'good old days' of the GPO.

Something is clearly wrong when staff working for a business have to call on the MD to sell something that's on sale. If that happened in a shop, there'd be only one person to blame, and it wouldn't be the shop assistant.
Have the staff been given no incentive/encouragement to sell, or told not to sell a particular item? Have they been taken on and given no training? Even if the assistant was being deliberately being obstructive, it means his/her boss has appointed, and retains, someone who is killing the business.
As I've said before, I've only ever found the folk in the shop/office more than helpful so I'm surprised and disappointed to read about your ordeal.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

The purpose of a greengrocer is to sell you spuds!
The sole purpose of any football club should be to.......SELL TICKETS!
Time to get it sorted Mr Holt.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I thought the purpose of a football club was to play football

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Of course, but you need to sell an admission ticket first!
From the evidence on here, the club seem to excel at making it as difficult as possible for their fans.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Don't see why people just don't buy them at the booth on the day were hardly going to sell out are we

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Do yeh not grasp whats actually going on?:rolleyes:

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Bit difficult for some to grasp!!

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

As I've said before, I've only ever found the folk in the shop/office more than helpful so I'm surprised and disappointed to read about your ordeal.[/QUOTE]

totally agree about people in the shop and office. been to over 80 football league grounds and i,ve met some really miserable unhelpful types that i,ve never met at stanley. norwich and our next opponents are a couple of the worst. remember the statement i,m only following orders.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Revived Red - thanks for the excruciating detail. If you are going to fix a problem then often it is needed.

I missed the first 15 mins of Mansfield away because I was stuck in a queue for a ticket. I cannot comment on how hopeless Mansfield are off one incident, without knowing if a freak IT problem caused it, does it happen often, without knowing a load of other context.

However, as I've said before, my opinion is that whilst I see things that look pretty strange to me (the inefficient way the bar runs at half time) that in the bigger picture I still think the way the club is run is good, loveable, and improving.

Clearly the example you gave is farcical (i.e., the way the club dealt with it) and should be improved.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

I recall turning up at the office last season at 4.55pm to buy tickets for the Wycombe game, thinking they were available until 5pm, when it was actually 4.30pm!
The guy was locking the office door when I arrived but re-opened it, retrieved the tickets from a locked office & sold me two. Now that's what I call service.
We all agree the staff at the club are helpful & friendly. The problem appears to be the directive that you can only buy a ticket for away-games after 5.00pm on match-days, which is a big problem for fans like Revived Red.
If the club can resolve this issue, everyone will be happy.

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

Taken from the OSC Facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...31342720544795

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

"Clayton End now matches the best in the league" - ?

Re: Q&A with Andy Holt
 

So what about the problems fans who attend games yet live a long way off and is impossible to get tickets at 5-00? was that not asked about?