Club charged by FA.

[Blue_and_Gold]

King's Lynn Town FC regrettably informs supporters that the Club has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association for failing to control spectators in relation to two incidents that took place at our home League fixture vs Scarborough Athletic FC on Tuesday 7th December 2024.
Following an extensive investigation by the Football Association, the club has been charged with two counts of misconduct for breaches of FA Rule E21 in respect of the match. It was alleged that King's Lynn Town FC failed to ensure that spectators and/or its supporters (and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion whilst attending the match.
Charge 1.
It is alleged that in/or around 65th minute, King's Lynn Town FC failed to ensure that its spectators and/or its supporters (and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion whilst attending the Match and do not use words or otherwise behave in a way which is improper and/or offensive and/or abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting with an express or implied reference to sexual orientation, contrary to FA Rule E21.1 and E21.4.
Charge 2.
It is alleged that in/or around 75th minute, King's Lynn Town FC failed to ensure that its spectators and/or its supporters (and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion whilst attending the Match and do not use words or otherwise behave in a way which is improper and/or offensive and/or abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting with an express or implied reference to sexual orientation, contrary to FA Rule E21.1 and E21.4
The club is subject to the following as a result of these incidents:
• A Fine of £3,000.00.
• A Ground Closure. The terms are as follows:- Kings Lynn Town FC shall be subject to a Partial Closure Order for two (2) consecutive First Team Competitive home matches at The Docherty Walks Stadium, limited to the North Terrace, save for that section designated for the use of away supporters. Such Partial Closure Order shall take effect 14 days from the date of the publication of the Written Reasons, the affected games will be published in the near future.
Any misconduct involving our supporters, whether it be at The Docherty Walks Stadium or away from home, which is reported to the Football Association, leaves the Club liable to be charged.
Once again, this charge has been the culmination of a tremendous amount of hours of the Club resources to provide our observations, evidence and defence to prevent or mitigate such charges to be imposed on the Club, which ultimately has cost the Club money in addition to the charge which is something as a Club we cannot sustain.
To have charges against the Club is disappointing as an incredible amount of work has gone on behind the scenes since the Club have been under an FA Action plan for a previous charge of Crowd Disorder, as a Club we will continue to work with the relevant authorities including the FA and the local police with a view to making The Walks a great day out for people of all backgrounds and ages. To enable this to happen we need our supporters to call out this behaviour and hold those responsible accountable; these incidents are avoidable but we must stand together.
Therefore on behalf of the Football Club as a whole, we must urge each and every spectator visiting us here at The Docherty Walks stadium, and also travelling to away games to represent the Football Club, to please refrain from entering the field of play, the use of pyrotechnics, be mindful of the words used and avoid any other misconduct which could see the Club penalised. All of these incidents are reported to The Football Association each and every time they occur and really do have an impact on the Club.
As always, we are talking about a very small minority of spectators who are engaging in this unacceptable manner, but these people in the minority continue to cause us the Club a major problem which results in serious consequences.
Once again, we would like to remind supporters that if there are incidents of this nature reported, then the Football Association have the power to impose serious financial penalties on the Club which will almost certainly impact on its playing resources. The Club continue to be closely monitored by the Football Association following an accumulation of incidents that are being reported. Offenders will be subject to lifetime club bans should they be identified.
We will inform supporters which games the partial stadium closure will effect in due course.

[Blue_and_Gold]

Here we go again!

Lack of action previously. Some "supporters" think they can continue to get away with things as any previous  "punishment" has been far too lenient.

This fine is in relation to last December. Apparently the Club have spent a lot of time (time also means money) and effort since then to try and stop anything reoccurring. Of course, we have heard all about these efforts previously. Either they didn't really happen or didn't work, as we have had at least one further instance in our opening game of the season. I suppose that means yet another fine on its way, or will it be ground closure next time?

The Club has got to come down hard on this. Very hard! To say its "only a small minority of the supporters" must mean the Club knows who they are. If that's the case, just ban them now(even if only to the end of the season)! There have been enough warnings, so any individuals involved can't really complain.

Yes I understand that banning people costs money. With a £3k fine this time, and almost certainly bigger ones on the way, surely a ban is more appropriate than losing a few tickets sales. Ultimately, its the supporters that have to pick up the cost of these fines. Like any business, costs have to be passed on.That's when Supporters become customers. No wonder we have one of the highest admission costs ever seen at the level we play at (do the Club also pick up the cost of Players and Managers fines?    ). It's the majority having to pay for the minority!

If there's nobody at the Club that has the B*lls to do it, get the Trust involved. They won't take any prisoners when such incidents occur!

[Blue_and_Gold]

https://premium.lynnnews.co.uk/sport/linnets-sanctioned-with-partial-stadium-closure-9431431/

[Nigel nigle]

My heart sank when the game was stopped against Telford. Surely if these things are alleged and proved it has to be a lifetime ban - it takes a huge amount of effort to run a football club like Lynn with lots of volunteers and these incidents just kick everybody involved with King's Lynn. People cannot just say what they want in a public facility like a football club

[Mallard]

Just couldn't write it.  Last December, why has it taken this long to bring the charge?

Have to feel for Bal.  not happening on his watch and he gets stuffed with the 3k fine, part of the ground  being closed off.  Then opening game of the season sees the game stopped by the assistant referee calling over the ref for something that has been said in the same area of the ground, yet again. 

Have to wonder what out overseas owner thinks to all of this.  Hopefully he has pushed back on Bal to get it sorted.  Then factor in sponsors/investors having 2nd thoughts on getting their company involved with a Club which seems to have an ongoing problem.

I wonder how much in fines SC racked up on his watch.

[gs50]

Make the stand all seating and put in disabled section instead of being out in cold and wet conditions.

[Blue_and_Gold]

Make the stand all seating and put in disabled section instead of being out in cold and wet conditions.

It would be a very good use for the Trust money.

[Spiv]

Firstly I'd like to say this small minority of the supporters should be banned for live. I believe we should all be calling this behaviour out if we hear or see it.

A little banter between supporters or saying to the lineman's that he should have gone to Specsavers is OK, but it should never go further than this.

With regards to stadium development I have looked into this before, but have done (well asked AI) some research into this today. I'd love to see the ground developed more but costs are high for seating rather than standing. I could bore you will everything AI had reported back on (I did supply it with quite a bit of info) but the headline costs for the North Stand are listed below.

Quick capacity & cost sketch (order-of-magnitude)

1,600 seats (8 rows across ~100 m):
Basic new stand: £2.4m–£4.8m
With under-croft facilities: £4.8m–£8m

2,000 seats (10 rows):
Basic new stand: £3.0m–£6.0m
With under-croft facilities: £6.0m–£10m

[Blue_and_Gold]

Firstly I'd like to say this small minority of the supporters should be banned for live. I believe we should all be calling this behaviour out if we hear or see it.

A little banter between supporters or saying to the lineman's that he should have gone to Specsavers is OK, but it should never go further than this.

With regards to stadium development I have looked into this before, but have done (well asked AI) some research into this today. I'd love to see the ground developed more but costs are high for seating rather than standing. I could bore you will everything AI had reported back on (I did supply it with quite a bit of info) but the headline costs for the North Stand are listed below.

Quick capacity & cost sketch (order-of-magnitude)

1,600 seats (8 rows across ~100 m):
Basic new stand: £2.4m–£4.8m
With under-croft facilities: £4.8m–£8m

2,000 seats (10 rows):
Basic new stand: £3.0m–£6.0m
With under-croft facilities: £6.0m–£10m

Multimillionaire owner combined with Sports Council grant.

Where's the problem?   

Although I wouldn't trust AI with those figures.

I presume Jo has got to put his hand in his pocket to pay for repairs to existing main Stand first.  I hear that's going to cost close to 200k. No idea if the Owners are going to stump up for this or expect others to pay for it (although I can hazard a guess on that one).

North Stand being redeveloped is a nice thought but probably just a pipe dream. Putting some seats in there and making it wheelchair accessible could be an option though.

[Sam Spade]

I am seeing alleged/claims/charges, have any of these been 'found'?    The FA usually operates a kangaroo court with decisions months after the alleged event, with little chance of any contrary evidence being considered.  Also, the 'alleged' incident at the recent Telford game all came about due the assistant referee thinking he has Special Constable powers whilst carrying a flag. The spectator stood his ground and was not pleased with the assistant refs action (who was challenged as mishearing or imagining what was supposedly said).  The game was needlessly stopped in a theatrical way in first half added time. All this could go down in the Special Constable's (referee) report that the FA will believe.  After the game, stewards were talking to the spectator who had been involved, saying it all appeared to be a misunderstanding and the actual police indicated that there was not enough evidence to act upon.    Let's see what the FA come up with in 6 or 9 months time.

[kenny r]

Isn't the North stand configured for seating already? There was seating there until they were sold to Hereford when thy had a ground upgrade to go into the Football League.

[Blue_and_Gold]

Isn't the North stand configured for seating already? There was seating there until they were sold to Hereford when thy had a ground upgrade to go into the Football League.

I remember them well.   

I suppose it would be too much to ask for, that new ones would just slot in place. 

I would guess that it would be a major job to get seats put back there.

Hopefully the Club will consider looking at it. They have got such a large contingent of older people as supporters, they need to make sure they are looked after and catered for.

[Quinn Upstone]

There's an article on BBC News app, but I'm not clever enough to put it on here 😂

Mostly the same details as LN, but somehow makes it feel more serious to see it in national news 😏

I hope the idiots who think it's funny to act out see the article and change their ways. But I doubt it.

Perhaps one of you clever people could put it on here 😉

[Blue_and_Gold]

There's an article on BBC News app, but I'm not clever enough to put it on here 😂

Mostly the same details as LN, but somehow makes it feel more serious to see it in national news 😏

I hope the idiots who think it's funny to act out see the article and change their ways. But I doubt it.

Perhaps one of you clever people could put it on here 😉

As you say, it's the same as what LN's have already said.

[Spiv]

As requested by Quinn here is a link to the BBC article

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c23pd85neg1o