League One side Chesterfield FC have had to apologise to their fans, after an imaginary supporter won a prize in a pre-season competition run by the club.
The Spireites ran a competition where fans could win the chance to travel with the team on their pre-season tour in Europe. Only four fans, it has since been revealed entered the competition.
While rumours of poor sales of the competition continued to circle around the club's fans, James Higgins was named as the winner. The problem was that nobody had ever heard of him.
In a statement released yesterday by the club's director Ashley Carson, he apologised to the fans who entered the competition.
"I have discovered that a winning entry was not legitimate and the information supplied to the club's communications department had clearly been falsified with regards to the winner of a place at the pre-season training camp."
"Chesterfield Football Club apologises unreservedly to the four supporters who entered the competition and we can assure all supporters that following the internal review, disciplinary action will be taken."
Jonno Turner, a Chesterfield fan, gave the story some publicity on Twitter, by revealing what happened over the summer. It reads like a John le Carre novel...
Let me tell you a story about what just happened at my football club, Chesterfield FC...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
The club did a raffle for a lucky supporter to win a place on the pre season tour to Hungary. Tickets £10 a pop...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Sales were slow. Really slow. Like a handful at most - 4 or 5. So the club tried to quietly drop the idea...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Fortunately the message board members have good memories and questioned why there was no mention of the raffle taking place anymore...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
The club subsequently announced that the draw had been won by 'Surrey-based Spireite James Higgins'...lucky guy
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Only thing is, no-one has ever heard of James Higgins... Nor were there pics of him holding a shirt, fists clenched, with tickets in hand..
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
The team jets off for Hungary. A die hard fan travels to the game - and there's no sign of James or indeed any fan with the official party..
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Rumours start to circulate on the message board. Where is James, is he ok? Questions are raised to the club...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Next communication from the club: James was too ill to travel. Hmm. #prayforhiggins begins to trend...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Poor James. Very unfortunate. Some might say convenient. Then the club said anyone who'd bought a ticket could be refunded if they asked...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Why? asked the fans. Why would they offer a refund on a legit raffle draw, just cos the winner fell ill?
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Social media searches failed to throw up any mention of James. Meanwhile, the club deleted the illness story from the website...
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Here it is, by the way... pic.twitter.com/YASFnI9L2G
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Supporters becoming a bit frustrated at this point. It *appears* the club charged £10 a pop, made about £50 so decided to scrap the idea
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Next thing, statement from one of the board of directors... pic.twitter.com/cTR7BIrMoN
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Got to laugh, or I'd cry. My club is rotten. Lies, cover-ups, bullshit - if it wasn't for those pesky fans, they'd have gotten away with it.
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
Meanwhile, James Higgins, if you're out there, drop me a DM. We need to talk.
— Jonno Turner (@jonnot) July 19, 2016
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