The minutes from the latest Albion Assembly meeting can be found below.
Albion Assembly (AA) Meeting - The Hawthorns.
Thursday, November 13 - 7pm.
The following minutes are a general summary of the meeting and contain no direct quotations.
Club staff in attendance: Ian Skidmore (Director of Communications & Fan Engagement), Rob Lake (Director, The Albion Foundation), Chris Harris (Director of Operations & SHE (Safety, Health & Environment)) & Cindy Groen (Supporter Liaison Officer).
Apologies: Matt James, Carl Burkitt, Lizzie Whale, Martin Grange, Spiro Marcetic, Dean Walton, Chris Jones, Shin Aujila, Clare Sidaway, Chloe Lane.
INTRODUCTIONS
Ian Skidmore (IS) welcomed attendees, read out apologies, and introduced Chris Harris (CH) to the group as a new member of the club’s leadership team.
IS emphasised the continued importance of the AA, and the need to consider how the Assembly moves forward as an important part of the club’s Fan Engagement Plan (FEP).
FAN ADVISORY BOARD (FAB) UPDATE
An update was given to members on the FAB. It was explained how Richard Jefferson (RJ) and Dean Walton were elected as Assembly representatives to the FAB at the previous meeting. Both Richard and Dean attended an induction session, and the first FAB meeting was then held in October (summary available, here).
IS said the club had been shortlisted by the Football Supporters’ Association for their Fan Engagement Award after establishing the FAB, with the work of the AA also highlighted by the FSA panel. The ceremony will take place in December and IS thanked all AA members for their contributions to the club’s fan engagement work.
RJ - the FAB Vice-Chair - then provided key observations following the first FAB meeting. He said it was positive meeting, which included extensive discussions on a range of subjects, and the goal is now to drill down into more focused, actionable items going forward. He also noted a willingness from the club to collaborate.
Lastly, in the FAB update, IS spoke about how the AA could evolve. Concerns were raised by members around reduced visibility and engagement, and suggestions on how this could be avoided involved re-introducing co-chairs and a secretary, establishing a constitution with the help of Ashley Brown from the FSA, communication improvements (such as creating a WhatsApp or Teams group), holding pre-meeting talks to shape agendas, and improving the AA’s social media presence.
The group discussed the potential for membership terms, the need for the AA to identify issues that the FAB can take up, the importance of the AA maintaining value from the FAB, and how its strengths included being a larger, more representative group, containing wider viewpoints and more touchpoints with the fan base.
IS reemphasised that the AA should be about more than fixing minor issues, and should consider the larger needs of supporters. He also confirmed he would email all members to confirm their continued commitment, and that RJ and Rebecca Collings would co-ordinate a pre-meeting session in January 2026.
TICKETING & TRAVEL
Regarding away ticket pricing, IS read out EFL Rule 35.7.8, which states:
“No Club shall charge higher admission prices for visiting supporters for accommodation that is ranked as comparable with or inferior to that used by supporters of the Home Club in the same or next highest ranked accommodation.”
Essentially, said IS, this means a home club cannot charge more for away tickets than they are selling comparable seating to their own fans. He confirmed that Albion have previously proposed and supported a £30 away ticket cap and remain supportive of that policy.
A detailed talk around coach travel followed, with a member raising some concerns. IS said Albion had not received any recent complaints regarding coach travel, but emphasised that he would look into specific complaints if they were raised with the club. Supporters who experienced any issues were encouraged to report them via slo@wbafc.co.uk.
FACILITIES
CH gave a comprehensive review of safe standing - including background on the initial process, the selection criteria for which stands were chosen, and the installation numbers (3,864 total seats - 3,490 in the Smethwick End and 374 in the Millennium Corner).
The benefits observed included a better atmosphere, less issues with small groups and a reduced need for steward intervention, less damage to seating, and the stairwells being less crowded.
AA members gave a mixture of positive and negative reviews. CH said he would pass on these concerns, which included congestion, ticket-checking, and supporters migrating from other areas - to the safety team. He also said he would review the matters raised.
The PA system was then discussed. The club acknowledged it was a longstanding frustration, and CH confirmed he was actively exploring upgrades. He said it was a big challenge, but the club is serious about solving it and cited examples at other clubs he planned to model it on or visit. Finally, members discussed various interim solutions while the work continues.
THE ALBION FOUNDATION
Rob Lake (RL) presented the Foundation’s strategy for 2026 to 2030. It is titled ‘Be Part Of Our Family’, with the vision to create a proud Albion family which can be engaged, inspired, and achieving its potential by making a measurable difference in the local community.
RL talked through the critical statistics that the area is facing, and spoke in detail about their strategy and goals. These are:
Goal 1: Grow Our Own - developing local talent from participants and staff.
Goal 2: Go Local - focusing on the six towns of Sandwell.
Goal 3: Football For All - inclusive football opportunities for all abilities.
He said the above goals can be achieved by creating the right culture, enabling TAF to perform and ultimately delivering continued, outstanding work.
He said a consultation period is underway over the next six months, and that he would welcome any feedback from Assembly members - who will be sent the document before the strategy is finalised for implementation.
ACKNOWLEDGING LONG SERVING FANS
A proposal was made by members - initiated by the Hawthorns Hub - to recognise those who have supported the club for more than 50 years. Ideas included loyalty badges, hospitality invitations, and public acknowledgments.
IS agreed it was a good idea, and said the club would explore how fans can be rewarded for their loyalty.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
An announcement was made for the date of the Independent Supporters’ Trust event - which is set to take place at Dartmouth Central Club on November 19, 2025 (7.30pm start). All fans are welcome to attend.
Members made the club aware of a big screen typo, and to finish, there was a discussion on the recent kit clash issue during Albion’s game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Date of next meetings: Thursday, February 12, 2026 & Thursday, April 30, 2026.
