Supporter Panel Minutes 2024/25

Chair

Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Attendees

Norwich City FC attendees:

Zoe Webber (Executive Director)

Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Supporter Panel attendees:

Elected members

Russell Blake, Reuben Clarke, Lynne Hammond, Ryan Kelsall, Michele Savage, Caitlyn Winsor-Gray

Supporter group members

Gary Field (Canaries Trust), Jessica Pye (HerGameToo), Ffion Thomas (Capital Canaries)

Apologies for absence

Kevin James (NCDSA)

1. Welcome / apologies

The meeting opened at 18:00. The club welcomed new Panel members and introductions were given.

2. Minutes of last meeting

Minutes and matters arising from the previous meeting were agreed by all.

3. Elections for Chair / Vice Chair

Elections for Panel positions took place. These were as follows:

Chair: Michele Savage 5 votes (elected), Russell Blake 4 votes

Vice Chair: Gary Field 5 votes (elected), Russell Blake 4 votes

4. Terms of Reference

A Panel member raised points regarding updating the Terms of Reference. Concerns were raised over the accessibility of the font and the ability of the club to remove members from the Panel or extend their terms. Suggestions were instead given of having oversight positions and a Panel member code of conduct or confidentiality agreements. The club stated that it wanted the Panel and its Terms of Reference to follow best practice and recommended creating an external working group with the Panel to update the Terms of Reference. It also accepted an offer from a Panel member to work alongside the Football Supporters Association as part of this working group.

The club was asked on how it runs elections and what the club look for in Panel members. The club confirmed its desire for the Panel to be as representative as possible of the fan base and this year introduced areas of interest ‘tags’ on applications and the voting process. The club shortlists internally based on the experience individuals can provide to the Panel and then supporters vote on the shortlist, with the six candidates with the most votes being elected.

Points were also raised regarding the swapping of elected and supporter group members each time and the drop off this creates, as well as why the Chair position may only come from the elected side of the Panel. The club agreed to pick this up as part of the Terms of Reference working group and stated that the Chair position currently comes from the elected side due to these being directly elected by supporters and therefore it being more representative/democratic.

5. Club update / General Meeting

A club update was provided following the announcement that Norfolk Holdings has reached an agreement to enable majority control of Norwich City and took questions on this. The club confirmed that there will be an Emergency General Meeting in October and that shareholders will have information sent to them directly in due course.

The club gave a confidential update that backroom staff, Narcís Pèlach, Paul Clements and Harrison Glew have left the club to join Stoke City.

6. Club impact report

The club provided an overview of its Socio-Economic Impact Report for the 2022/23 season. The report, published in partnership with the University of East Anglia and Aldermore, is designed to better understand and measure the club’s socio-economic impact on Norfolk and the wider community.

Headline figures from the report were shared with the Panel, including £88.7m gross value added generated. The club committed to sharing the full document with the Panel ahead of its publication.

7. Memberships

The Panel queried the club’s changes to membership groups and raised the quality of products within packs.

The club informed the Panel that, following feedback from the Panel and other supporters, where allocations allow, ticket groups will be merged to allow family and friends from different groups to purchase tickets together more easily. A Panel member referenced Derby selling out and how this caused confusion for members. The club informed the Panel that this was a system error, and the second batch of tickets did not upload onto the system, meaning it registered online as selling out. The club would not have merged groups if the allocation did not allow, such as for the Oxford away game. The club agreed to publish communications around the membership changes.

The Panel also raised the poor quality of gift in the membership packs and reiterated about digital only membership. The club confirmed that this was unacceptable and was a supplier issue and that all affected members had been contacted. The club will continue to explore a digital only membership option in time for the new ticketing system.

A Panel member commented that it was difficult to find the group category in their One City account and the club agreed to pass the feedback onto the ticketing team.

8. Season ticket attendance

With more games being televised this season, the club sought feedback from the Panel on how to improve the attendance of season ticket holders with there being decreased attendance from season ticket holders when a game is televised, an evening kick off or when there is adverse weather. The Panel urged the club to avoid punitive measures brought in by other clubs and instead commented that the club’s buy-back scheme has limitations which deter supporters from using it. It was commented that the money is often not worthwhile to put a ticket on buy back and that the club has to sell out casual and often restricted tickets before the buy-back comes into effect, with some Panel members commenting that they had used it and placed good seats on buy-back which did not get sold. The club said it would review the buy-back process when bringing in the new ticket system next year.

A Panel member added that alternative kick-off times are difficult with public transport, especially on Sundays with another adding that discounted tickets could be given to local grassroots teams. The club confirmed that it gives a number of tickets to local teams via its Foundation.

9. Club memorial match

A Panel member sought further details from the club on its planned memorial match after reaching out to the club following a fan death. The club confirmed it has an internal policy in place on applauses/silences and with fan deaths often lets these happen organically unless in tragic or exceptional circumstances. This is because the club receive numerous requests and unfortunately cannot offer this to all supporters.

The club informed the Panel that it is working on a dedicated fixture for fan remembrance. This will be the first home game of each new calendar year and will mark the deaths of fans who pass in the year just ended. This will launch officially in the run up to this fixture, and the process will likely be a form on the website where fans can submit information of anyone that has passed away in that year (2024). The dedicated annual fixture will then have a minute’s applause to mark all those that have passed that year and the potential for tributes on the big screen.

The Panel agreed that this was the best way to mark all fan deaths equally but would prefer if the club called this a celebration of life rather than a memorial. The Panel reminded the club to have a vetting process for this and to replicate any tributes in a souvenir programme.

10. Safe-standing feedback

The club sought feedback from the Panel on safe-standing following its installation over the summer. The Panel were positive about the project and stated that it does what it says on the tin and creates a safer environment for supporters, although exit from the ground is longer and space slightly tighter.

The club informed the Panel that following a review by the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the Safety Advisory Group it has been identified that for safety reasons further Safe Standing rails are required to be installed in the remainder of the Thorpe Area. These supporters will be being notified shortly.

11. Junior Canaries

A Panel member raised player interaction from the men’s first team with younger fans, especially when they are getting off the coach at away grounds and how the women’s team are often more interactive. The club confirmed they would raise this with the sporting side, but that different players have different pre-match routines and ways to get them mentally prepared for a match. The club stated that players often take the time after home games to greet supporters outside the South Stand as well as other opportunities such as the recent open training session.

12. Tickets for troops

The club was asked around tickets for troops as availability can be difficult for serving personnel, particularly those based overseas. The club confirmed that it has had calls with ticket companies which operate schemes for NHS staff and armed forces but has opted to do these initiatives in house as ticket companies often pass on nominal admin fees to supporters. The club agreed it would look to extend its internal schemes to the armed forces and suggested looking into an Armed Forces & Veterans’ membership scheme.

13. A.O.B.

Any other business points raised were:

Kiosk food: It was raised with the club that kiosk food was not ready to purchase in time for the stadium opening, sometimes with over 20+ minute delays. The club stated that this was contrary to their efforts to try and get supporters to the ground early and that this would be raised with the Kiosks and Bars Manager. A further point was raised around the club’s 25% early bird discount and whether this would be returning. The club confirmed a number of offers which will rotate, including the 25% off discount, meal deal options and bespoke product offers.

Supporter Engagement Plan: A point was raised around the club’s Supporter Engagement Plan to work alongside the Panel more closely on this for next season which it was happy to do.

Kit launch/shirt auctions: A point was raised around kit launches and whether these could be earlier and the date of the launch be announced at the end of each season. The club stated that the lead times on kits are tight and kit launch is planned around pre-season/opening fixtures. The club confirmed that it wouldn’t announce any dates at the close of a season as it believed supporters like the anticipation/build up. A question was asked around the Norfolk Show and whether shirts would revert to being launched here. The club stated that it hadn’t attended the Norfolk Show in recent years due to cost. A Panel member asked if the club benefits from the partnership with MatchWornShirt with the club informing Panel members that this was the case.

Twitter / ‘X’: A Panel member commented that they had observed more interactivity and engagement with supporters on its platforms, particularly around the transfer window. The club has been working on this area following previous suggestions from the Panel and now has assigned members of the media team to each profile in order to create a bespoke voice for each platform.

Mental health campaign: The club was asked on how the club follow up on its mental health video as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. The club confirmed that it is working on plans which will be announced in due course.

With no further business, the meeting closed at 19.56.

Chair

Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Attendees

Norwich City FC attendees:

Zoe Webber (Executive Director)

Sam Jeffery (Commercial Director)

Supporter Panel attendees:

Elected members

Russell Blake, Lynne Hammond, Ryan Kelsall, Michele Savage (Supporter Panel Chair), Caitlyn Winsor-Gray

Supporter group members

Gary Field (Supporter Panel Vice Chair, Canaries Trust), Jessica Pye (HerGameToo), Ffion Thomas (Capital Canaries), Kevin James (NCDSA)

Apologies for absence

Reuben Clarke

1. Welcome / apologies

The meeting began at 18:00 and apologies were given.

2. Minutes of last meeting

Minutes and matters arising from the previous meeting were agreed by all in attendance.

3. Season ticket pricing

The club presented its proposal for season ticket pricing for the 2025/26 season. The club explained how the government’s recent budget and changes to National Insurance have created an expected cost to the club of close to £1m. The club confirmed a small rise of around £1.38 per month for next season, depending on stand/area. As discussed previously with the Panel, the club believes that it is better to do smaller regular rises, than periods of freezing and unexpected larger rises.

Due to previous discussions, the Panel were expecting some form of rise, and believed it wasn’t unreasonable given the economic backdrop. The Panel asked to be sent the full breakdown of all areas, and the club agreed to this.

The club posed a further question to the Panel regarding rises and one that has come about via supporter feedback either directly or via its surveying. This was related to whether it creates differential pricing based on the facilities available for example a price differential between the Lower Barclay and the Upper Barclay.

The Panel understood the rational for this but had reservations regarding driving away younger and more vocal fans from this area in particular. A Panel member also commented how those in areas with better facilities had not necessarily asked for them and may have purchased the ticket before any improvements had been made.

A suggestion was given of creating a different price for any new season ticket in order to create a natural differentiation over time while also honouring the price of current loyal supporters. A counterview to this idea was given that this could create a situation where supporters hold onto their tickets/keep these in the family to avoid any rises. Overall, the Panel thought that this would be viewed negatively and would not be worthwhile with what the club would gain in return and encouraged improvements to other facilities.

4. Ticketing provider update

The Club confirmed that it will be moving to the ticketing provider ‘SeatGeek’ from the 2025/26 season following current provider, ‘Talent’, being decommissioned. The Club explained that it had conducted a full review to select the best solution for the Club and its supporters. ‘Near Field Communications’ ticketing will also be introduced with ‘SeatGeek’ which will enable the use of smartphones to be used as your ticket/season ticket and the Club stated it will be encouraging all supporters to use digital tickets where possible.

The Panel raised comments around mobile ticketing, particularly concerns for elderly supporters and those without smartphones. The Club reassured that Panel that it would still offer physical cards/tickets to those who require them but would be expecting anyone with a smartphone to use this method and will be providing instructions for this. The Panel stated how communication with supporters would be key during the roll-out and recommended test games with specific help points.

The Club confirmed following the last meeting that it had discussions around the ‘Buy-Back’ option and will be rebranding this alongside the introduction of the new ticketing system as it allows for buy-back tickets to be automatically released, as well as the ability to ticket swap and take Apple Pay payments to upgrade tickets.

The Panel asked if the new system allows away seating plans. The Club explained that this is the responsibility of the away club, but that it could be possible with other clubs who also currently use SeatGeek. The Club committed to following this up with its IT department and SeatGeek.

5. Printed matchday programmes

The Club presented data on matchday programme sales and their decline each season. Nobody on the Panel currently purchases a programme but agreed it was a football tradition and could face resistance from some supporters to the removal of it. Points were made around still providing ‘special editions’ should this stop, for example for play-off or special fixtures. Another suggestion was given of including a digital download with Canaries TV passes and well as stopping complimentary programmes in hospitality lounges.

Overall, it was agreed that the programme is a historic piece but changing media forms mean that its content is often freely available ahead of publication and it could naturally become redundant across football. It was agreed to continue to review this on a regular basis.

6. Support Hub

The Club informed the Panel of a new initiative it is working on with the Community Sports Foundation. This will be called the Support Hub and will operate from where the former betting shop (Regency Security Stand) was located. This will be an area for the Foundation to have more of a presence on a matchday and it will look to provide signposting and support to fans around wellbeing and health as part of its Healthy Fans project.

The Support Hub will also be an area for the Club’s Supporter Liaison Officer, Disability Liaison Officer, Safer Sport and Customer Service teams to work from on a matchday, as well as for the Supporter Panel and Supporter Groups for specific events. The Club invited the Panel to an introduction meeting on the project with the foundation and will circulate the information following the meeting.

7. Safe Standing

The Panel expressed that it felt that it hadn’t been given enough information regarding the previously announced extension to safe standing. The club stated that it contacted all affected supporters and that the extension has gone smoothly. The club explained the process and how it was almost too literal in defining the lines where people stood resulting in safe standing stopping in the middle of the row. However, after inspection, this had to be extended to the end of the row due to safety reasons.

A Panel member asked if any further safe standing will be introduced. The club confirmed that it wouldn’t add further safe standing unless there was demand for this or the Safety Advisory Group required it in persistent standing areas.

8. Terms of Reference update

The Panel member leading on this area updated the group that due to personal/changing circumstances that this had been delayed but that they will be speaking to the FSA on this. The club reiterated that it is happy to work with the Panel regarding the Terms of Reference and asked the Panel to form a working group to draft a proposal.

9. Veterans’ membership

The Panel agreed to expand its working group to be a memberships’ working group to ensure that all groups were considered as well as looking into the possibility of a bespoke veteran’s membership. It was noted that any armed forces membership should be open to serving members as well as veterans.

10. Away membership groups

The Panel asked how membership groups merging where allocations allow is working and commented that they believed it has been largely well received. The club stated that it was happy with the changes made and that they were made as a result of supporter feedback. The club pointed to the QPR away game as an example of the new system working.

A Panel member pointed out that the club posting initial allocations in ticketing articles has dropped off again. The club committed to rectifying this.

11. Kiosk food

The Panel raised the quality, availability and cost of kiosk food. The club explained that it was limited in the offering it can provide owing to kiosk/kitchen space but committed to working with the Panel to set up a working group to address this in the new year.

A Panel member commented that they have experienced waits of up to 25 minutes on certain products when entering the stadium which the club agreed was unacceptable.

It was raised where the ‘Olivia’s’ external catering van had gone. The club confirmed that it opted for different food offerings externally to provide more options and value for money. A Panel member questioned the cost of external food providers, the club clarified that it was up to the external vendor to set their own prices.

A member of the Panel pointed out that the club should offer a pre-ordering option for food in the Lion & Castle to encourage those to purchase food after the game.

12. Half-time entertainment

The Panel commented that the half-time entertainment is not entertaining and is not watched by many. The Panel asked if this could be mixed up. The club stated that it was open to making changes and that supporters asked for the return of the crossbar challenge. The club invited the Panel to provide suggestions of what they would like to see and report back.

13. Celebration of Life fixture update

The club confirmed its Celebration of Life fixture and memorial service for 4 January 2025 and the cut off for tributes of 15 December 2024. The Panel praised the club for this initiative and believed that it had been positively received.

14. LED advertising boards

Following this being raised at the recent AGM and after a follow up email, the Panel commented that this appeared better following this and that they appear to have been turned down. The club confirmed that these have regular checks and cleans, and the brightness is now correct.

It was noted that the advertising boards could display the club’s 80011 report it number more, including on the static reverse side. The club agreed it would look into this with its marketing and operations departments.

15. A.O.B.

NCWFC Club Travel – The club reminded the Panel of the subsidised club travel for the women’s team fixture Vs Cheltenham and asked the support group representatives to share this within their structures.

Preston/Greater Anglia – The change of the kick-off time for the Preston home fixture to 8pm was raised due to its knock-on effect for train travel to London and other stops on the line. The club agreed it would pick this up directly with Greater Anglia.

Post-match survey – It was raised that the post-match survey doesn’t provide an option for food or drink only and instead combines the two, meaning you cannot answer the survey accurately if only purchasing one. The club said it would pass the feedback on and look to add a N/A option.

With no further business, the meeting closed at 19.41.

Chair

Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Attendees

Norwich City FC attendees:

Zoe Webber (Executive Director)

Bonnie Dillaway (Head of Venue Operations)

Nathan Stevens (Commercial Manager)

Supporter Panel attendees:

Elected members

Russell Blake, Lynne Hammond, Ryan Kelsall, Michele Savage (Supporter Panel Chair), Caitlyn Winsor-Gray, Reuben Clarke

Supporter group members

Gary Field (Supporter Panel Vice Chair, Canaries Trust), Jessica Pye (HerGameToo), Ffion Thomas (Capital Canaries), Kevin James (NCDSA)

1. Welcome / apologies

The meeting began at 18:05. There were no apologies for absence. The club thanked those from the panel involved in the armed forces membership working group which met outside of full panel and of which the meeting minutes are now available on its website.

2. Minutes of last meeting

Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed by all. It was raised if the club could include reference within this section going forward of matters arising/previous actions. The club were already due to discuss the panel’s action log, and this was reviewed later in the meeting and will become a standing agenda item.

3. Memberships/membership survey

The Panel were presented with the results of the club’s recent membership survey. New membership options which have been created to reflect the feedback were presented to the panel in confidence. The club wished to stress that there would be no changes to ticket access and that changes were purely to the wider membership packages. The panel thought that the membership options were well thought out and asked a number of questions relating to this of which the club answered. The club will announce further details relating to memberships in due course.

4. FA Cup Vs Brighton

Stadium entry queues were raised for the FA Cup fixture Vs Brighton. It was observed that queues were larger than normal and that stewards were not managing them or flow rates. It was also raised that missing seat numbering caused issues once inside the stadium as ticket holders were either non-season ticket holders or season ticket holders sitting in different seats. The club confirmed that a wider review into its stewarding was already underway and that it is currently recruiting for ‘Gamesmakers’ to act in a more proactive way-finder role which could be especially helpful on such fixtures. The club confirmed that seat numbering would be added to its maintenance list. It was also raised to include turnstile entry points on all tickets which the club will raise with its ticketing and marketing teams.

5. Away supporter behaviour

Following reports of supporter behaviour at away games, the club raised this with the panel to gain a greater insight. As a number of issues seemed to stem from individuals sitting in the incorrect seats and then the subsequent arising conflict, the club asked for thoughts on allocated seating vs un-allocated seating. The panel stated that it had not seen many issues at away games and believed this was not a major issue. With regards to allocated seating, they believed that assigned seats should remain as they like the assurance that they will have a seat no matter what time they arrive. It was also raised that the seat numbers can then be used to report anyone who is behaving inappropriately. The panel largely agreed that unallocated seats would likely resolve in more conflicts.

6. Fan forums/AGM

The club raised recent fan forums with the panel after low attendances at the regional events held in Great Yarmouth and Dereham last year and asked whether this is something supporters want and whether the scheduled one for March should happen. It was discussed that as information is so readily available via social media, the local media and the programme that in person events have become less popular, and to opt for 2 main club ones, one at the start of the season and in the middle to end of the season. It was suggested to hold a future event online to allow international supporters the chance to take part.

The recent London fan forum was discussed. It was raised that this was at the wrong venue in the away pub and should instead have been held in a private room at an earlier time. The club explained that it was a conscious decision to hold it in the away pub in order to try and reach a different audience and different supporters for these kinds of events. As the event was held in London and at an away game, the time was chosen to allow as many people as possible to attend who would be travelling. The club stated that it was let down by the venue by the PA system and that this affected the delivery of the event.

The club raised with the panel the possibility of extending the Q&A session at the AGM to the wider fan base. The panel, including shareholders on the panel, were receptive to this proposal and believe it would be a good time to do this given the recent change in ownership. They also believed it was a good time in the season to hold such an event.

7. Fixture changes

The panel raised the recent fixture changes of Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday and the knock-on effects this has for supporters, especially those who have already booked travel and accommodation. While the club sympathised with the panel’s view, the TV game selection process is not determined by the club but by the league and broadcasters. While this season saw the introduction of new notice periods of up to 5 months’ notice for TV selection over the standard 5 weeks, selections for matches scheduled after the first weekend in March are made on a four-week rolling basis starting from 1 February as the season reaches its close. The club committed to continuing to notify fans of fixtures changes at the earliest possible opportunity.

8. Stadium food & drink

The club updated the panel on its food and drink working group. The club would like representation from across the fanbase and from different areas of the stadium. The club invited members of the panel interested in joining to make contact ahead of the club extending the invite wider.

A panel member wished to pass on their thanks to the club for improving upon food/kiosk wait times as raised at previous meetings and stated that this had improved since raising.

9. PLEDIS

The club updated the Panel on its recent assessment at the Preston North End match as part of the Premier League’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS). The PLEDIS assessor has asked to speak with a focus group of supporters about the club’s work in this area and the club invited the panel to be a part of this which the panel accepted.

The club thanked the panel for its previous feedback on its wider Home for Everyone campaign and reported back that it was in the process of creating a supporting facing strategy document in response to comments around the visibility of the campaign.

10. SeatGeek

The panel raised the possibility of the club creating an in-depth tutorial video to aid with the implementation of the club’s new ticketing system, SeatGeek, and provided examples of this from other sports clubs. The club agreed to take this forward with their IT and communications teams. The panel remarked that fan favourite players would be a nice feature and that the video should look to cover all FAQs supporters may have.

11. Healthy Fans/Support Hub

The club provided a written report from the Community Sports Foundation on the launch of its Healthy Fans project and the Support Hub, supported by the Canaries Trust. This has seen a peak of 81 fan engagements on matchday 2 and has covered themes including mental health, neurodiversity and employment. Referrals and signposting have been made to a number of local charities and organisations, as well as to the foundation’s own programmes.

A panel member wished to congratulate the foundation on the launch of the Support Hub, and  also of the new charity shop (The Store) and health and wellbeing facility (The Box) at the Nest. The panel agreed to hold the next meeting at the Nest.

12. NCWFC

The club informed the panel of the available coach travel to Norwich City Women's Division One South East away ties against Chatham Town and Actonians. Many of the panel were unaware of this and the club stated it would pass the feedback to the marketing and communications teams. A panel member also raised the possibility of discount on coach travel being linked to membership as per the memberships agenda item.

Future NCWFC Carrow Road fixtures were discussed with the panel and a public announcement will be made in due course. The club also confirmed that it will be trialling the permittance of alcohol in view of the pitch and would have designated family and adult zones. The club stressed that this was strictly due to the nature of the fixture and that it was still a legal requirement for men’s fixtures. The club invited the panel to pass on any feedback in the run up to this should they have any ideas or wish to see anything specific from a fan experience point of view. Suggestions on the night included the use of the drum and PA system to aid atmosphere and to ensure proper segregation given the inclusion of pitchside alcohol.

13. Written supporter group updates

Supporter group representatives provided updates on their areas. It was agreed that written reports would be submitted annually and general supporter group updates would become a standing agenda item.

14. A.O.B.

Panel communications

It was raised why the Supporter Panel agenda is only tweeted on the club’s Supporter Relations Twitter / ‘X’ account (@NorwichCityHelp) and not on other platforms. The club informed the panel that the Supporter Relations team only have a Twitter / ‘X’ help account and are not on other platforms. It was also thought that the panel agenda would likely get lost on the wider social media of the club. The club agreed to publish agendas and an email address for the panel onto the club website on the Supporter Panel section of its website.

Season ticket renewals feedback

A panel member raised feedback to season ticket renewals. They believed that this was largely expected and did not come as a surprise to supporters. It was stated that supporters seemed more concerned with being the most expensive tickets in the league, as opposed to the amount this had risen by. The club was urged to keep cup games at the low pricing they have been in recent times regarding the opposition to enable non-season ticket holders to attend and bring in younger supporters. The panel asked the club to ensure that any ticket offers do not go below the rate at which season ticket holders pay per game.

Celebration of Life

Positive feedback was given on the club’s recent Celebration of Life fixture and the club confirmed that this will now become an annual event.

NCWFC PA announcement

A panel member commented on the announcement of the women’s team result after the men’s first team game against Preston North End and thought this was positive.

Twitter / ‘X’

A panel member commented that they liked the ‘admin’ personality on social media accounts. It was raised on whether the club would be staying on Twitter / ‘X’ given recent events. The club stated that it was aware of the matter and will continue to monitor the situation and that it is a big commitment and requires lots of planning and resource to commit to new platforms.  The club will continue to see how alternative platforms develop and what guidance might come from the EFL.

Away memberships: A question was asked around away season ticket holders and whether those supporters have to pay for an away membership. The club said it would provide a full response at the next meeting after speaking with the necessary team.

City Stand redevelopment

Following a question on the topic, the club confirmed that it still wanted to redevelop the City Stand but with the current cost of construction believed that it is not the right time to do this yet but would like to improve existing spaces at Carrow Road.

End of season dinner

It was raised on whether there would be a return of the end of season player dinner. The club stated that this was stopped during Covid and has not returned since. The club stated that this event is always tricky to schedule given the time of the season and the possibility of the play offs.. The club agreed that its commercial team would review the possibility and demand of a return of such an event or the opportunity of a pre-season alternative.

With no further business, the meeting closed at 20:14.

Chair

Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Attendees

Norwich City FC attendees:

Zoe Webber (Executive Director), Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement), (Daniel Houlker, Head of Media & Communications), Perry Hamilton (Head of HR & EDI), Danny Casey (Head of Ticketing), Nathan Stevens (Commercial Manager)

Supporter Panel attendees:

Elected members

Russell Blake, Ryan Kelsall, Michele Savage (SP Chair), Caitlyn Winsor-Gray

Supporter group members

Gary Field (Canaries Trust, SP Vice Chair), Jess Pye (HerGameToo), Ffion Thomas (Capital Canaries)

1. Welcome / apologies

The meeting began at 18.00 and apologies were given for Lynne Hammond, Reuben Clarke and Kevin James (NCSDA).

2. Minutes of last meeting

The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed and are on the club’s website.

3. Supreme Court ruling/PLEDIS/’Report It’ text number

The panel read a statement to the club on the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling. The club reiterated its commitment to inclusion via its ‘Home for Everyone’ campaign and will consult with the panel and other relevant stakeholders regarding its approach to the ruling and the implications following this.

The club presented back to the Panel on opportunities for permanent signage to highlight its ‘80011 Report It!’ number. The club took feedback on the messaging of the signage, and these will be installed over the close season. The Panel reminded the club of a previous ask regarding the report it number being placed on the back of the LED boards. The club does not own these boards but confirmed it will look into the possibility of this and report back. A panel member raised adding the text number to steward’s jackets which the club agreed would be good visibility and will be considered when jackets are next replaced. The club agreed to refresh its stewarding workforce of the report it number ahead of the new season.

The club thanked the Panel and other supporter groups for attending the recent workshop as part of the Premier League’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.

4. Ticketing, buy-backs and memberships

The club presented its final concept for memberships following previous discussions and feedback from the panel. Memberships will be launched in June ahead of the new season and the fixture release date.

The club provided an update on the progress of its new ticketing system, SeatGeek, and took questions on this. Data was provided to the Panel on match attendance and buybacks for the season and the club stated that it would continue with a buyback option on the new ticketing system, but exact details on this were yet to be confirmed. The club informed the panel that the new system will enable supporters to share their ticket with friends or family if they are not able to attend a game, and that the recipient would not be able to forward this on again. The season ticket holder would also have the ability to recall the ticket if required. The club confirmed that there will be no additional costs for this, other than if upgrading the ticket type. The club explained to the panel that the new ticketing system allows many benefits to the club and supporter over its existing system, but that the immediate priority is to deliver a smooth transition with the essential ticketing functions, but it will look to use the platform to its full capabilities going forward and internal discussions on these points are progressing.

The panel reiterated that communication around the new system is essential, and the club provided an update on its current plans including instructional tutorial videos and frequently asked questions. The panel suggested drop-in sessions to assist supporters, and the club confirmed it was looking at this, as well as a trial run at a pre-season friendly, and encouraging supporters to arrive early for the first home match of the new season.

The panel raised adding the report it number and turnstile numbers onto tickets with the new system, with the club agreeing to pass this onto its ticketing and design teams.

5. Club communications

The following points were discussed around club communications:

Pitch incursions:

The Panel raised that they were disappointed to not see strong comms from the club rebutting the pitch incursion at the West Brom (H) game. The club explained that all individuals and accomplices were currently on an interim stadium ban and that the police are acting but that this has been a delayed process owing to them being juveniles. It is expected that the appropriate sanctions will be passed shortly once the police outcome has been formalised and that this would be communicated in an end of the season wrap up on sanction offences as a way to publicise the sanction tariff ahead of the new season.

Head coach dismissal:

The panel raised the dismissal of Johannes Hoff Thorup. While the panel acknowledged that it does not become involved in footballing matters, it stated that it would be helpful to receive notifications from the club on key matters. The club agreed to look into adding the panel to the full press release distribution list for future club announcements.

Continued use of ‘X’:

It was raised by a panel member on whether the club would be continuing on the ‘X’ platform given the expressed views and direction of owner, Elon Musk, and a handful of German clubs leaving the platform citing the rise of misinformation and abuse. The club stated that it will continue to monitor the situation and what guidance might come from the EFL. However, the club stated that this was a global communication platform to its supporters, reaching close to 1 million followers and that alternative suggested platforms had not taken off sufficiently to allow resources in this area to be directed to them.

Promotion of fan group events:

It was raised whether the club could better promote fan group events. The club explained that it was difficult to promote all events and prioritises events which feature its players or staff or have a wide reach. Options were given including a fan group event space on the website as well as a ‘fan events for the diary’ post periodically. The club agreed to look into these suggestions further.

Panel Communications:

The Panel queried the best way for supporters to get in contact with them to raise issues or contribute to future meeting agendas. The club agreed to look into adding an email form to the Supporter Panel page on the website which then directs to a mailbox that the panel control and can respond to.

6. Fan engagement

The panel raised fan engagement at board and ownership level following Delia Smith & Michael Wynn-Jones stepping down from the board and as joint majority shareholders.. The club confirmed that it is already looking into the possibility of Mark joining a fan forum in the new season, as well as online options for supporters to interact with the new ownership.

7. Food & beverage working group (update)

The club thanked the Panel for putting forward their representative as part of the new food & beverage working group. With the season now concluded, it will seek further group members from the wider fanbase and begin meetings in the close season.

8. Big screen

The panel raised that the big screen no longer turns, including to show goal replays to supporters in The Barclay. The club stated that the screen was taking on water over the Christmas period causing a technical fault which affected the screen display. After receiving a fix, turning the screen then affected the display again and it was decided to keep the screen in one position to limit disruption to the display going forwards. It will be determined in the close season on whether this will receive a full fix or to keep as is.

9. Replica trophies

The panel raised with the club why it does not have replica trophies for the Championship winning seasons of 2018/19 and 2020/21. The club confirmed that it has these trophies within the cabinet based at Carrow Road, but these are smaller as they are replicas - they are also not engraved. The club said that it would look to address signage within the cabinet as well as the contents and its presentation.

10. Action log

The action log was reviewed, and items were removed/colour coded as necessary.

11. AOB

The following points were raised under AOB:

Delia & Michael ‘thank you’

It was raised whether the club are going to do anything to thank Delia & Michael following them stepping away from the Board and no longer being joint majority shareholders. The club stated that they are enjoying their new positions as Honorary Life Presidents and very much remain a part of the football club.

Terms of Reference:

The terms of reference working group updated the rest of the panel of its recent meeting, and it was confirmed that minutes from this are now on the club’s website. It was agreed that supporter group representatives would continue in their positions on the panel on an interim basis until the updated terms of reference is confirmed.

Millwall (A):

The panel thanked the club for the discounted ticket offer for the Millwall away game. It was raised regarding departure times and two coaches being late for the match following bank holiday traffic. The club explained that departure times are recommended by the coach company, and that it will review these, especially during public holidays. The club confirmed that anyone affected by this had been reimbursed.

Season Summary:

The club and panel thanked each other for the work it has done together over the last year, and the club highlighted the panel’s achievements over the season.

With no further business, the meeting closed at 20:15.