Apology for football steward let go after 50 years

A football steward whose service was abruptly terminated by email after more than half a century with a club, has been offered a new role.

Tim Goodchild, from Wimborne, said he was shocked after receiving the message from AFC Bournemouth, telling him his contract would not be renewed for the new season.

The email sparked a backlash when it was shared online, prompting the club to review how it had communicated changes to some matchday staff.

The club's head of business, Jim Frevola, said: "The reality is we just communicated poorly... it was our mistake."

Goodchild, said he was stunned when he was told his contract would not be renewed and that it would have been better received had it come through the post.

"The heading was, 'good afternoon'. And it said, 'we're not renewing your contract for this season'," he said. "I was a bit tearful."

"'They don't want me at AFC Bournemouth any more'," Goodchild said he told his family.

His family later posted the email online and, within hours, thousands of football fans had shared their anger at the way he had been treated after more than half a century not only with the club, but as a fan.

Football has long been part of his family.

Goodchild said his father provided match commentaries for hospital patients from the back of the main stand.

"I used to sit up there with him and watch the games," he said.

"So before I even started selling programmes, football's gone all the way through the family some way or another."

In the wake of the social media response, AFC Bournemouth issued a statement acknowledging concerns about changes to some of its matchday staffing arrangements.

The club said it had reviewed the way the changes were communicated and recognised that it "did not reflect the standards we expect of ourselves as a club".

"People who have given many years of service to AFC Bournemouth deserve to be treated with appreciation and respect," the statement said.

It added: "We should have handled this better, and we will do better."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Frevola, admitted the club had got it wrong.

"The reality is we just communicated poorly," he said.

"We should have picked the phone up.

"It was literally, I think it was four people that this was impacting in the car park and we should have picked the phone up and called them and explained the situation.

"The email was just an error and we should have communicated that. It was our mistake."

Frevola said he had personally called Goodchild, while club staff had also contacted the other affected stewards.

Goodchild said he appreciated the apology and that the club had offered him a new position.