This charter is a revised edition for the coming season in relation to the Football Task Force recommendations of 1998. It represents the club policy in regard to the standards the general public can expect when dealing with all aspects and departments of Portsmouth Football Club. It is displayed at prominent areas of the club.
Portsmouth Football Club seeks to give its customers the highest standard of service possible in all areas.
The club will do its utmost to resolve any dissatisfaction through departmental heads or staff addressing any complaint or grievance.
We recognise that all supporters and customers should be respected and treated with courtesy and efficiency by all staff members at Portsmouth Football Club.
If customers do not receive satisfaction over a complaint/query they should ask for contact with the manager of the particular department they are dealing with. There is also a number of other staff that they can contact.
Johnny Moore is the Press/Supporters Liaison Officer and can be contacted at johnnymoore@pompeyfc.co.uk or phoned on 02392 778568.
The club aims to respond to customer complaints/suggestions within 14 days of receipt. If a complaint is followed through all the procedures then the club endeavour to resolve it within 30 days.
The procedure of customer care and the standards we attain will be closely monitored throughout the season.
SUPPORTER CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION
The club has 17 recognised official supporter clubs both at home and abroad. The club maintains an excellent relationship with most of these and a full time Supporters Liaison Officer has been employed at the club for the past 13 years.
Last October, after liaising with the club, the different individual supporter organisations formed a supporter conference which works closely with the club. Despite the difficulties of the last years the fans conference worked with the club to create a fans day which was a community-minded venture for all before the final game of the season against Norwich City on May 2. This season they have already consulted with David Lampitt over several issues and, after discussions, matchday prices were reduced. David meets with the membership of the supporters’ conference on a quarterly basis.
Club officials, players and staff attend supporter club meetings as many times as possible. For supporter clubs outside the immediate locality meetings are set up with club officials at the team hotel when the team has a match in their particular area.
A Supporters Trust has completed its first year of existence after forming when the club was at the height of its financial problems.
Portsmouth FC is entering the twelfth season of operating a Supporters Advisory Panel. The panel, which alternates, is made up of fans of all ages and sex and particularly encourages ethnic minorities to join. The panel works with the club on the matchday experience theme.
The club also has regular dialogue with our disabled supporters and a disabled fan serves on the Supporters Advisory Panel.
Contact: Press & Supporters Liaison Officer Johnny Moore 02392 778568
johnnymoore@pompeyfc.co.uk
Press and Media
As soon as the club has any information to release this is relayed on the official website, and subsequently the local media are informed.
There is a weekly press day at the club's training ground for all local and national media. The club's media department keep external media as informed of events as possible, maintaining a good relationship with most through Head of Media Mark Storey.
Contact: Head of Media Mark Storey 02392 778523
markstorey@pompeyfc.co.uk
TICKETS AND ACCESSIBILITY
Portsmouth Football Club will continue to strive to provide a quality, value-for-service operation accessible to as many as circumstances allow.
Season ticket holders are given first priority with regard to purchase of tickets for away league and cup matches. Club members will be given second priority with regard to the same and members will also be given preferential treatment regarding all home league games. Subject to availability tickets will go on sale to these parties, with any remaining going on general sale.
The club reserves the right to determine the number of tickets given to one individual, depending on the number available or the attractiveness of the fixture.
Up-to-date ticket information is published in our matchday programme, on our official website and through the local media.
Portsmouth Football Club provides an allocated family area in the stadium, with discounted prices for children and young people. Adults and seniors sitting in this part of the stadium must be accompanied by a child.
Portsmouth Football Club has in place a policy in respect of abandoned matches. In the event of a match being abandoned once the ground has been opened to the general public, a full or partial refund (depending on how much of the match has been played) will be offered to the customer on presentation of their ticket stub to the box office either in person or by post. If the match is postponed for any reason before the scheduled day then tickets bought in advance may be exchanged for a refund or alternatively will be applicable for any re-arranged date.
The club offers a wide range of season ticket prices that reflect the seating area provided. There are full and concessionary prices available.
Complaints to the ticket office are always dealt with fairly and promptly, ensuring the complaint is cleared before the customer leaves the premises. If a complaint is received by telephone it is usual to obtain the client number and get back in touch as quickly as possible. We do not leave that call without the person being happy that their complaint has been dealt with satisfactorily.
We provide our disabled supporters with facilities for home matches, subject to availability, and have a disabled co-ordinator working from the ticket office. This is Allison McNeil, who can be contacted on 0844 847 1898 (option six) or at allisonmcneil@pompeyfc.co.uk
Method for obtaining tickets are as follows:
Phone Number: 0844 847 1898
Postal Applications: Ticket Office, Portsmouth FC, Frogmore Road, Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Hampshire, P04 8RA.
E-mail: tickets@pompeyfc.co.uk
Website: www.eticketing.co.uk/portsmouth
Box Office opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm
Saturday (Non-Matchdays): Closed
Saturday (Matchdays): Times vary
AWAY SUPPORT
The club will make available to visiting supporters up to 2,000 tickets in compliance with the FA rule which states that away teams must be offered 10% of ground capacity.
Portsmouth Football Club will charge the same price to visiting supporters as home supporters for comparable areas.
STAFF CONDUCT
All staff are made fully aware of their responsibilities to uphold the good name of Portsmouth Football Club, both in their general conduct and dealings with the general public. Match day staff are also fully trained and briefed with their responsibility in providing a safe and pleasant environment when spectators visit the club. Portsmouth Football Club is fully committed to equal opportunities for all individuals regardless of race, colour or creed. We are also committed to our policy of non-discrimination in dealings with all individuals and to uphold their rights. The club has a written Equal Opportunities Policy as outlined below.
Portsmouth FC Equal Opportunities Policy
The owner and Board of Directors of Portsmouth Football Club are fully committed to equal opportunities for all individuals whatever their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or natural origin, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability. The aim and attitude of the club is such that no person, whether they are an employee, job applicant or customer will receive any less favourable treatment whichever category of the above they come into.
The football club strives to recognise all people as one and to further instil these values in all who are employed here. We view the bringing together of an optimum of multi faceted individuals as the key to bringing out the maximum ability in all to the benefit of Portsmouth Football Club. This ensures absence of any discrimination in our employment recruitment and promotional practices.
Everybody employed at Portsmouth Football Club has a personal responsibility to uphold this and the club’s Equal Opportunity Policy in the way they treat colleagues, prospective colleagues, job applicants and customers. This responsibility involves fairness and impartiality to all with regards to treatment and attitudes in a working environment that is devoid of personal vendetta, harassment, or bullying on the basis of race, colour nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability.
A failure to uphold our Equal Opportunities Policy or an allegation to this effect will be vigorously investigated where necessary and may lead to summery dismissal. Similarly any allegation of bullying or harassment to any individual colleague whatever their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability will also result in an investigation. Under the Criminal and Public Order Act of 1994 this could constitute a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment or a fine.
Contact: Human Resources Officer Heather Cracknell 02392 778510
heathercracknell@pompeyfc.co.uk
COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT
Highly respected former player Linvoy Primus is the club’s ambassador and will be a pivotal figure in the relationship between Portsmouth Football Club and the community.
This is a massive addition to an already thriving Community Department, which is in its 10th year. Our purpose is to promote close links between the club and it's local community and to introduce young people, male and female, of all abilities to football as players and spectators. We do this in the following way:
: Schools Development Programme
: Teacher Training Days
: Girls Football
: Disability Football
: After School Clubs
: Lunchtime Coaching
: Saturday Morning Clubs
: Holiday Coaching Courses
: Child Protection Policy
: Charities Policy
: Widespread Appearance of Club Mascot
: Loyalty and Membership Schemes
: Player Appearances in The Community
: Equal Opportunities Policy in All Our Courses and Clubs
POMPEY STUDY CENTRE
The Study Centre offers a variety of "learning through football" opportunities including:
Playing for Success; a Study Support scheme that uses football, and more specifically Pompey, as a motivational and learning tool. It has now been running successfully for seven years and is continuing to develop and diversify. The children attend ten two hour sessions, twice weekly for a period of five weeks. A variety of activities are delivered every session. These include opportunities to improve creative writing skills, reading, speaking and listening, key skills in numeracy and ICT as well as games and team building activities.
Pompey Double Club; an exciting education programme being delivered in 10 local secondary schools. This innovative approach uses a 'Pompey themed' literacy and numeracy curriculum to motivate, inspire and encourage under-achieving pupils. It works on improving literacy and numeracy skills, while at the same time, builds confidence and self esteem and increases desire for learning. Each school has a designated 'Double Club' classroom that has been decorated with lots of Pompey posters. They also have a designated Double Club teacher from within the school, who wears a Pompey kit to deliver the sessions. The resources produced for the classroom are all brightly coloured to excite and inspire the pupils and uses topical events/themes related to Pompey and football in general.
Pompey Double Club Youth Team: the success of our Double Club has lead to the role out of a similar scheme for Primary Schools.
Educational Resource Packs: Experienced teaching personnel at the Pompey Study Centre have produced a wide range of quality teaching resources for use with local schoolchildren. The packs contain numerous lesson ideas and quality resource materials such as local photos, local historical documentation, additional DVDs, CDs and child worksheets for Key Stages One to Three. Packs have supported:
Community Buses
The club has two buses fully equipped with the latest learning tools and can even provide teaching staff and learning modules.
Some of the events on the Health Bus are linked to the Primary Care Trust doing things like breakfast clubs, dental hygiene activities, breast feeding clinics etc.
The other is linked to Hampshire Learning which does a lot of inter-work training and basic internet skills on how to get online.
There are 10 laptops on the buses that have a Wi-Fi hub giving a really fast link and a teaching screen at the back for DVD’S and computers as a teaching tool.
In the past the buses have been used for some projects in conjunction with the city museum where they have cameras that when you take the picture it is immediately sent to a website.
Both buses are registered as UK online and go about the city in places like Gosport and Havant.
They also have modules on online shopping, banking, digital photography, emails and basically anything people want to use the internet for.
Range of Courses
Pompey’s Study Centre has gone from strength to strength.
Participants of courses go right across the board ranging from schoolchildren of all ages, the unemployed and the over 60’s.
Contact: Pompey Study Centre Manager: Clare Martin 02392 776822
claremartin@pompeyfc.co.uk
CONFERENCE & BANQUETING
We have a dedicated team in the C & B department who deal with all banqueting, corporate and hospitality for match and non-matchday operations. Our on-site caterers are determined to provide the highest quality of service at competitive prices throughout the stadium at all times, be it for match day or non match day in the array of newly refurbished lounges. With the help of the Supporters Advisory Panel the club regularly monitors feedback from the stadium kiosks as well as corporate & hospitality events and functions that are held through out the year.
STADIUM AND MATCHDAY
Portsmouth Football Club is fully committed to the welfare and safety of spectators attending on match days at Fratton Park. We strive to make visits to Fratton Park a pleasurable experience for all concerned. All stewards are briefed prior to every game to be vigilant for any anti-social behaviour occurring. We also adhere strictly to the policy of kicking racism out of football. Stewards are instructed to deal with any offence that disrupts the enjoyment of others or contravenes stadium regulations which are displayed in vantage points around the stadium and outlined below. Derek Stone, the Stadium Manager is in charge of overall stadium operations.
Ground Regulations
Notice: Entry to the ground is expressly subject to the acceptance by the visitor of these Ground Regulations and the rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA, The Football Association, The Premier League and The Football League in respect of the relevant competition. Entry to the Ground shall constitute acceptance of the Ground Regulations.
“Ground” means this football stadium (Fratton Park) and all locations owned, occupied or utilised by the club.
“Club” means this football club (Portsmouth Football Club.)
“Match” means any football match taking place at the Ground.
1 The Ground Regulations incorporate the Club’s Customer Charter.
2 Permission to enter or remain within the Ground (notwithstanding possession of any ticket) is at the absolute discretion of the club, any police officer or authorised steward. On no account will admission be granted to a person who is the subject of a current Banning Order under the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended).
3 The club excludes to the maximum extent permitted by law any liability for loss, injury or damage to persons/property in or around the Ground.
4 No guarantees can be given by the Club that a Match will take place at a particular time or on a particular date and the club reserves the right to reschedule the Match without notice and without any liability whatsoever.
5 In the event of the postponement or abandonment of the Match, refunds (if any) will be made in accordance with the Club’s Customer Charter and/or the terms and conditions under which the tickets were issued. The Club will have no further liability whatsoever, including (but not limited to) any indirect or consequential loss or damage, such as (but not limited to) loss of enjoyment or travel costs.
6 All persons seeking entrance to the Ground acknowledge the Club’s right to search any person entering the Ground and to refuse entry to or eject from the Ground any person refusing to submit to such a search.
7 The following articles must not be brought within the Ground- knives, fireworks, smoke canisters, air-horns, flares, bottles, weapons, dangerous or hazardous items, laser devices, bottles, glass vessels, cans, poles and any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety. Any person in possession of such items will be refused entry to the Ground.
8 A person entering the Ground may only occupy the seat allocated to them by their ticket and must not move from any one part of the Ground to another without the express permission or instruction of any steward, officer of the Club and/or any police officer. Any individual who has entered any part of the Ground designated for the use of any group of supporters to which he does not belong may be ejected from the Ground either for the purposes of his own safety or for any other reason.
9 Nobody may stand in any seating area whilst play is in progress. Persistent standing in seated areas whilst play is in progress is strictly forbidden. Nobody entering the Ground shall be permitted to climb any structures within the Ground.
10 The obstruction of gangways, access ways, exits and entrances, stairways and like places is strictly forbidden. Nobody entering the Ground shall be permitted to climb any structures within the Ground.
11 Smoking in No-Smoking areas is strictly forbidden.
12 The use of threatening behaviour, foul or abusive language is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban for one or more Matches.
13 Racial, homophobic or discriminatory abuse, chanting or harassment is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban for one or more Matches.
14 The following acts are arrestable offences under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 (as amended) and conviction may result in a Banning Order being made:
14.1 The throwing of any object within the Ground without lawful authority or excuse.
14.2 The chanting of anything of an indecent or racialist nature.
14.3 The entry onto the playing area or any adjacent area to which spectators are not generally admitted without lawful authority or excuse.
15 Under the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 (as amended), the following are offences for which a person can be arrested by a police officer and conviction could result in a Banning Order being made:
15.1 Attempting to enter the Ground or being inside the Ground whilst drunk;
15.2 Being in possession of any intoxicating liquor, or bottle, can or other portable container which could cause damage or personal injury, when entering the Ground or in a public area of the Ground from which the event can be directly viewed.
16 No goods (including literature) of any nature may be offered either free or for sale by any person within the Ground without the express written permission of the Club.
17 No sponsorship, promotional or marketing materials may be brought into, used or displayed by any person within the Ground without the express written permission of the Club.
18 At all times whilst present in the Ground, persons must comply with any and all instructions of any steward of officer of the Club and/or any police officer. Failure to comply with any instruction may lead to immediate ejection from the Ground.
19 Tickets are not transferable and may not be offered for sale without the prior written permission of the Club. Any tickets offered for sale may be confiscated by any steward, officer of the Club or any police officer.
20 Save as set out in paragraph 21 below , no person may bring into (or use within) the Ground any equipment, which is capable of recording or transmitting (by digital or other means) any audio, visual or audio-visual material or any information or data in relation to the Match or any aspect of it.
21 Mobile telephones are permitted within the Ground, provided they are used for personal and private use only.
22 CCTV cameras are in use around and in the Ground and the Club may itself use or pass to the police or any Football Authority, any recordings for use in any proceedings.
The Club reserves absolutely the right to refuse entry to the Ground or eject from the Ground any person that fails (or in the Club’s reasonable opinion is likely to fail) to comply with any of the Ground Regulations or whose presence within the Ground is, or could (in the Club’s reasonable opinion) constitute a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any other person. This could lead to further action by the Club including, but not limited to, the withdrawal of any season ticket (without reimbursement) and other benefits.
Contact: Stadium Manager Derek Stone 02392 778538
derekstone@pompeyfc.co.uk
MERCHANDISE
The club endeavour to provide quality football merchandise made to the highest possible standard and serve our customers with pride ensuring they are satisfied with both their purchases and the service they receive..
Contact: Jane Allen 02392 776825
janeallen@pompeyfc.co.uk