Minutes from the Supporter Panel if anyone fancies a scan...

(Official NCFC Website)

Chair
Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement)

Attendees
Norwich City FC attendees:

Zoe Webber (Executive Director), James Hill (General Counsel), Elliot King (Head of Supporter Engagement), Jake Parish (Paralegal)

Supporter Panel attendees:

Elected members

Reuben Clarke, Lynne Hammond, Michele Savage, Caitlyn Winsor-Gray (SP Chair)

Supporter group members

Gary Field (Canaries Trust, SP Vice Chair), Nicol Nicholls (NCWSC), Jess Pye (HerGameToo), Ffion Thomas (Capital Canaries), Neville Townsend (Forces2Canaries)

1. Welcome / apologies
Apologies were given for Reuben Clarke, and it was noted that Kevin James who represented the Norwich City Disabled Supporters’ Association stood down from the Panel on 7th September.

2. Minutes of last meeting
Minutes of the last meeting were agreed and are available online: User Posted Link

3. Shareholder matched bargain facility
The Club gave a proposal for a Matched Bargain Facility, to help those looking to buy or sell shares in the Club to connect, as the Canaries Trust no longer operates their Matched Bargain Facility. The Club proposed that prospective buyers and sellers will be able to register their details and interest in advance of quarterly matching periods. In which, the Club would then match buyers and sellers who meet each other’s requirements. Then, with permission and in line with the Club’s privacy policy, share buyers’ details with sellers they have matched with and vice versa. The Club will produce and publicise guidance on the process of negotiating, transacting, and registering the sale with Equiniti. The Club will not be involved in the process beyond matching buyers and sellers, following the guidance will be entirely optional.

Panel members asked how buyers and sellers will know the correct price for shares. The Club will calculate the average price per share of all Club shares traded for consideration in the last 12 months and put this on the Club website, as well as minimum and maximum prices.

The Panel requested some time to analyse the proposal and will send the Club their comments.

4. Former player support
Following the recent departure of several Academy players, the Panel asked the club what support and services they have in place following the termination of youth contracts. The club confirmed that this is a part of its Safer Sport strategy and that it has an Academy Alumni Coordinator with all released Academy players from 12 years of age being eligible for its alumni programme. The alumni programme is an offer of three-year support including wellbeing and alternate pathways, including via its Foundation. However, it was noted that the support is usually not taken up if scholars or under 21s move elsewhere in football. The club also stated that it has a policy of being transparent as early as possible and will work with players in the run up to their release and link into other clubs to source different opportunities and trials. It was also noted that the PFA provides bespoke support to current and former players.

It was asked whether support is provided to very young players following stories heard in the national media. The club stated that it has teaching teams and that it works with all stakeholders and parents. A Panel member asked that now the club has contracted women’s team players whether they are eligible for support which the club said it was, with the club also wanting to include a specific women’s team player care officer in the future as it progresses.

5. Digital ticketing & FA Cup queues
Stadium entry queues were raised for the FA Cup fixture Vs Walsall. It was observed that queues were larger than normal and asked whether all turnstiles were open. The club confirmed that all available turnstiles were open, except for one for a period owing to a maintenance issue. The club explained that as the upper tiers were closed for this fixture, it may have appeared that turnstiles were closed, but these were upper tier turnstiles which were not in use.

The club confirmed that it had no technical issues on the day and that cup audiences tend to be new supporters who arrive later and who are not familiar with the ticket process or prepared to enter the stadium. The club said that it would be producing direct communications to first time purchasers for the upcoming West Brom fixture as well as reminders to arrive earlier and will look to bring in more support staff to assist supporters with preparing their tickets for stadium entry.

6. Ticketing (offers, on sales dates, age ranges and Ipswich)
Following a previous meeting with the Panel on 19/01/26 on the season ticket renewals process, the club gave the Panel advance sight of its proposed communications for this. The Panel agreed with the overall sentiments and were invited to provide detailed feedback with the club looking to announce on 5/02/26.

The Panel asked for feedback on a recent youth ticket offer in which it ran for the Oxford evening game and whether the club would be repeating this. The club stated that this had gone well and that it had been working on other promotions in order to maximise the sales of casual tickets, particularly following the late return of away allocations or for evening fixtures.

On sales dates were raised, particularly on the late notice of these with the West Brom away game being highlighted. The club agreed that it was important to give supporters as much notice as possible but does have to rely on the away club for the information. The Panel asked for direct communication to members once the on sales graphic is updated with the club agreeing to pass all feedback onto the communications team. The club also confirmed to the Panel that it would close a loophole previously brought up by the Panel regarding Ipswich tickets and would enforce this for when home tickets go on sale for the April fixture. The club agreed to a separate ticketing meeting to discuss an issue raised regarding the ticketing system’s ability to automatically select age ranges upon purchasing.

7. Platinum membership
The Panel raised the recent Black Friday offer of having a signed members shirt if bought in the Black Friday sale period. The Panel explained that this offer didn’t sit right as they had only just received their shirts in October despite purchasing these in the summer. It was accepted that this was more of a timing issue and the club stated that this would be rectified and taken as a learning for any future membership shirts as shirts would be available shortly after purchase rather than the longer lead time. The club explained that it typically offers discounts on memberships across Black Friday with little take up and wanted to try an alternative offer. The Panel wished to express to the club the importance of signed shirts to supporters which the club accepted.

8. PA system
The quality of the PA system was raised by the Panel. The club stated that it was aware of the ongoing issue and that final infrastructure works including cabling, ducting and servers would be completed by February 2026, with a CapEx request being submitted in this financial year for front end hardware for installation in the close season. The club explained that it has been using its survey and complaints data to prioritise issues, with bird netting and roof leaks addressed in the summer, and it was now focusing on the PA system given supporter responses across its feedback platforms.

9. Panel composition / rotation
The club asked the Panel in advance for its thoughts on the future composition of the Supporter Panel following the expected rotation at the end of the season. The Panel had mixed thoughts but agreed that rotation was a positive thing. The club stated that it is minded to increase the number of elected individuals and reduce the number of supporter group representatives owing to the depth of groups. It was agreed that different perspectives are positive and that groups have integrated well and work well as a collective. It was suggested to instead keep the numbers fluid and not specify numbers to find the best composition for the Panel at each time. It was suggested by one Panel member that the club may wish to incorporate its EDI strategy and have designated seats on the Panel. The club stated that it will continue to liaise with the Panel on the matter and will provide details of its plans once finalised, with the club ideally looking to seek new members of the Supporter Panel following the end of the season. It was also suggested that the current Chair have their term extended to act as interim until a new Chair is elected in the new season.

10. Use of social media / ‘X’
A Panel member raised the club’s continued use of the social media platform ‘X’ and concerns highlighted in the media around the AI tool ‘Grok’ undressing individuals and asked what support and safeguards the club would provide to anyone affected. The club explained that it is up to individual supporters on whether they use the platform or not and that any concerns should be raised with the platform or with the police if necessary – it also highlighted recent steps taken by the government in relation to this.

It was agreed that the club would ask the Foundation whether there is scope to include a cyberbullying charity in the Support Hub on matchdays. The club reiterated that the platform remains an important communication tool, with 820,000+ followers across the globe and with no other platform being able to replicate its Supporter Relations help account for fan queries (@NorwichCityHelp). The club will continue monitor what guidance might come from the EFL in relation to the platform and the use of alternatives and ensure content is accessible across its platforms.

11. Mystery shopping
The club asked the Panel if it would take part in mystery shopping. Anyone interested is to make contact with the club to be provided with the necessary document and food voucher.

12. Action log / group updates / AOB
The action log was reviewed and updated. Group reports were taken as read. The following points were raised under any other business:

Gunn Club passes
It was raised by the Panel that Gunn Club members had to pay for entry for the FA Cup fixture Vs West Brom and day passes are the same price as the match ticket. The club confirmed that this was the case and that seasonal passes and hospitality packages are for the scheduled 23 home league matches, with other matches having to be purchased separately. The club explained that day passes are usually priced at £20 but had been reduced to £10 for this fixture and that it still had costs to open and staff the Gunn Club. From its benchmarking, the club believed that the Gunn Club was one of the cheapest GA+ options in the Championship at just £6 per game with the annual pass, and said that hospitality offerings will be reviewed at the end of the season.

Next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for June. It was suggested that the date be brought forward. The club will provide the Panel with some suggested alternate dates.

Memberships working group
The Panel asked if there was a date yet for the next memberships working group. The club stated that its memberships survey had just closed and that it is now analysing the responses. The club will provide a date to the Panel once responses had been analysed, likely to be towards the end of February/start of March.

Women’s team shirt printing
It was raised that there is no squad list for the women’s team in the club shop for shirt printing. The club agreed it would investigate this and provide further training to shop staff if required. It was also raised on whether the club could do shirt printing offers for new players as per the men’s first team which the club said it would raise with the retail team. League badges/assets and lettering was also raised and the club said it would raise with the women’s football department and the FA Women’s National League.

NCWFC stakeholder engagement evening
A Panel member wished to thank the club for its recent women’s team stakeholder engagement evening, stating that it was positive to be included in the shaping of the future development of the women’s team.

NCWFC/MK Dons coach travel
It was raised that there is no accessible coach seating for the upcoming Norwich City Women’s fixture Vs MK Dons. The club said it would investigate this and wanted its travel to be inclusive for all.

With no further business, the meeting closed at 20.03. The next meeting is scheduled for 2nd June 2026 but it subject to change as per the minutes.

Posted By: DrDublin, Feb 13, 16:51:59