For those of you who, like me, sit in the Jock Stein stand you will undoubtedly have noticed the shocking lack of screen activity from the big screen that hangs from the roof of the Lisbon Lions stand. This has been going on for some time now this season, and for the past 6 weeks, nothing has been mentioned about it by the pitchside announcer or the infamous "Gerry" the supposed "D.J".
At the first home Champions League game against Barcelona this season, the pitchside announcer said that the big screen is getting fixed, and should be back up and running "in about 2 weeks". Several weeks on, and not even a mention now.
Somewhat unbelievably, the goal of the month competitions that are ran before the games and at half-time obviously require the entrant to view the goals, and then make their choice as to which one in their opinion is best. Therefore one third of the support, is unable to make their choice, and stand a chance of winning this competition. Still they persist with these competitions, which is not my main gripe, the fact remains that they have not mentioned the broken big screen AT ALL in several weeks.
What do they do next, I hear you say? Well, they pull the rabbit out of the hat and have a competition at last Saturdays game V Caley Thistle, where all you had to do is stand up with your programme open at a relevant page, and the cameraman will pan round (THE BOTTOM TEIR ONLY!!) until he finds a face that fits, or one of his mates he sees in the crowd (most likely) and then you win a trip to Barcelona. They have done this previously with crates of Carling the prize. What is key in this whole competition is the fact that you can recognize yourself on the big screen, and then make yourself known to a steward. Unbelievably, some punters around me, had their programmes in the air waiting to be spotted, and they cant see a screen!!!
While I am all for this kind of fan participation and competitions, the competitions are not the main point here. What is, is the fact that we are being kept in the dark (no pun intended) over what is happening with the big screen. All I want to know is when it will be fixed, or if it is being fixed at all.
Every week I step into the stadium and look up to the opposite roof, wanting to see the screen working. Not much to ask is it?
Cheers,
OBJ67