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Tony’s Troubles

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TONY Fernandes is finding out the hard way that you cannot please everybody all of the time.

Offering a freeze on season ticket prices is a good news story however a negative manner in which it is construed, offering supporters the chance of a much-improved season at the same price is a complete no-brainer for those who can afford to renew their tickets.

Mr Fernandes has been keen to get the fans on board, and has been promising and delivering to an extent on the promises he set out to achieve – key to point out that there is a long way to go in a plan that is unfolding.

A disappointing aspect of the new season ticket plan is the displacement of supporters in the Lower Loft to make way for a family area, a mainstay and a bedrock of the Fernandes era – underpinned by his under 8s season tickets for free offer being continued.

He has now stated via his Twitter account that those displaced will be moved into Gold seats – more than fair considering the circumstances.

It seems that after announcing and promoting the new ticket prices on twitter Mr Fernandes has been met with a barrage of disappointed supporters – some saying it’s still too expensive, others disappointed at their displacement.

He has spoken and requested views from the fans on varying matters within the club, but to my mind has taken the correct stance to install his vision for QPR. Attempting to appease unhappy football supporters however will only lead down a bad road.

It seems at least that the badge situation has been put to rest – the club has entered a new area with a badge that was agreed by a lot of hierarchy that are still in place, including the Mittal family – in terms of the badge the club is being progressive not regressive, a language Fernandes understands.

This view is balanced off by the fact that the kits for 2013-14 will be of the club’s design with the desired width hoops and the ‘Dennis The Menace’ kit also looks to be in the pipeline for reinstatement. Fernandes has got these two issues, potentially contentious issues, right to my mind.

The outpouring of bitterness and anger on Twitter, rather serves to epitomise everything that is bad about the modern supporter. Some wanting a new stadium tomorrow, others angry that prices haven’t been reduced – both very far fetched suggestions when you think that there is still a business to run.

As a supporter that often experiences the vast range of emotions that the game can bring, but patience and prudence is also very important and the right balance is being struck at the top level in my opinion.

Fernandes is quickly finding out that in his quest to make all supporters happy and usher in a spirit of community and family, that to try and please everyone all of the time can often be counter-productive.

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