Post by eusebio13 on Jun 26, 2009 21:14:09 GMT
www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/06/26/1348598/burnley-fans-refuse-cash-refunds-after-chairmans-premier
Burnley Fans Refuse Cash Refunds After Chairman's Premier League Pledge
Despite being entitled to money back, many Clarets supporters would rather see the club have the money...
Burnley supporters have shown their loyalty to the Lancashire club by refusing the chairman's offer of a cash refund on their season tickets, after the club reached the Premier League this season.
Barry Kilby had pledged in 2007 to refund the money paid by season ticket holders should the club reach the Premier League within two years. That, of course, has now happened, thanks to the Clarets' 1-0 victory over Sheffield United at Wembley in May.
That would have entailed the club repaying an estimated £2 million to fans, but the take-up on the offer has not been universal, with many fans opting to leave their money in the club to help its progress.
“We’ve had a number of people tell us to leave their money in the club and invest it in youth development, others have asked us to turn their money into shares, even though it would only buy one," Burnley chief executive Paul Fletcher told The Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
"Some have had other ideas, so we are looking at all the different options and will be writing to the 7,000 season ticket holders in July asking them to indicate what they would like us to do with their money.
"Of course, anyone who does want their money back will get it. This is not the club stalling on refunds, we just have to come up with the best way to proceed following the letters we’ve had from fans.
"The chairman has taken this very seriously and we need to get it spot on."
Tough economic times mean that the few hundred pounds the deal would represent could help people significantly, but the dedicated response of many supporters has not surprised Fletcher.
"Nothing surprises me at Burnley Football Club because it’s a family club and there is a lot of sentiment about the place," he added.
"There has been so much emotion since the win at Wembley, and wouldn’t it be nice if the fans who left their money in the club to say ‘thanks’ helped to bring the next Jay Rodriguez through the youth ranks."
Burnley Fans Refuse Cash Refunds After Chairman's Premier League Pledge
Despite being entitled to money back, many Clarets supporters would rather see the club have the money...
Burnley supporters have shown their loyalty to the Lancashire club by refusing the chairman's offer of a cash refund on their season tickets, after the club reached the Premier League this season.
Barry Kilby had pledged in 2007 to refund the money paid by season ticket holders should the club reach the Premier League within two years. That, of course, has now happened, thanks to the Clarets' 1-0 victory over Sheffield United at Wembley in May.
That would have entailed the club repaying an estimated £2 million to fans, but the take-up on the offer has not been universal, with many fans opting to leave their money in the club to help its progress.
“We’ve had a number of people tell us to leave their money in the club and invest it in youth development, others have asked us to turn their money into shares, even though it would only buy one," Burnley chief executive Paul Fletcher told The Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
"Some have had other ideas, so we are looking at all the different options and will be writing to the 7,000 season ticket holders in July asking them to indicate what they would like us to do with their money.
"Of course, anyone who does want their money back will get it. This is not the club stalling on refunds, we just have to come up with the best way to proceed following the letters we’ve had from fans.
"The chairman has taken this very seriously and we need to get it spot on."
Tough economic times mean that the few hundred pounds the deal would represent could help people significantly, but the dedicated response of many supporters has not surprised Fletcher.
"Nothing surprises me at Burnley Football Club because it’s a family club and there is a lot of sentiment about the place," he added.
"There has been so much emotion since the win at Wembley, and wouldn’t it be nice if the fans who left their money in the club to say ‘thanks’ helped to bring the next Jay Rodriguez through the youth ranks."
