[Albion] 10-game ban and 50-loyalty point deduction

[dazzer6666]

If it has he'll see that as further validation for the policy.

He already has

 

[Giraffe]

I said it when these rules were announced. It is ridiculous.

It is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The above scenario is something that happens all the time. I’m in the top tier as are the other two in my group and have never harvested points and never will. (I don’t need anyway as I’m so far clear of the next tier anyway). However historically if one of us had an issue on the day I’d phone a mate or give it to someone on here last minute. The seat was never left empty. Now if that happens I can’t. Crazy.

Just don’t think the problem which they are trying to resolve is bad enough to justify this draconian treatment against their most loyal fans (as measured by their own loyalty scheme system).

Bonkers.

 

[dazzer6666]

I said it when these rules were announced. It is ridiculous.

It is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The above scenario is something that happens all the time. I’m in the top tier as are the other two in my group and have never harvested points and never will. (I don’t need anyway as I’m so far clear of the next tier anyway). However historically if one of us had an issue on the day I’d phone a mate or give it to someone on here last minute. The seat was never left empty. Now if that happens I can’t. Crazy.

Just don’t think the problem which they are trying to resolve is bad enough to justify this draconian treatment against their most loyal fans (as measured by their own loyalty scheme system).

Bonkers.

Yep, this. I had a Brentford ticket….couldn’t go…..and couldn’t legitimately pass it on to a mate (also in T1) who couldn’t go when they went on sale but ultimately could have gone. I waste £30 and there’s and empty seat.

 

[dstanman]

So do you need to take photo ID to away games even if your ticket hasn't been selected for collection at the ground

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m in the top tier as are the other two in my group and have never harvested points and never will.

Nice one. I admire your integrity.

However historically if one of us had an issue on the day I’d phone a mate or give it to someone on here last minute.

Of course

 

[dazzer6666]

So do you need to take photo ID to away games even if your ticket hasn't been selected for collection at the ground

Yes, random checks

 

[jackalbion]

The problem with #3 is at some point the club will have to unsheath their sledgehammer anyway, so why wait?

These most definitely won't be the last cases, after we've all already been warned, while these serve as further warnings, but it still won't be enough.

My issue was, the club clearly publicised they would do this, a lot of the game where offenders have been caught, tickets would have already been purchased. For me, I would slap on the wrist until fresh tickets after the crackdown was announced went on sale and be harsh on them, as they have been warned. Southampton and Charlton for example.

 

[Cotton Socks]

What happens if you don't have ID but can parrot the name, add, dob of the person on the ticket as it's your brother? I don't know how old @Nicks kids are, or the original person mentioned in the OP but @Nicks kids penalty seems particularly harsh even with the reduction to 5 matches. He's not likely to suddenly start posting here because he's got a guilty conscience.

 

[Bodian]

So do you need to take photo ID to away games even if your ticket hasn't been selected for collection at the ground

Yes, random checks

Photo ID? Really.

I haven't got a passport. Goodness knows where my driving licence is. I have never carried photo id for anything other than going abroad. Is this really the case now??!

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

This is almost the opposite view to Barber’s which you can hear on the recent Albion Roar podcast when he is challenged about these rules. He has stated that the trouble makers have caused big issues but also that their wings have been clipped because of these rules and that trouble has now declined. He was massively concerned that our away support was getting a bad reputation. You seem oblivious to that and the fact that many decent fans can’t ‘get on the away ladder’ because so many other fans were giving their tickets away to retain the highest points totals.

What would you do about the hundreds of complaints Mr Barder has received about these two issues? Turn a blind eye?

what tosh.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

In any line of business growing the market rather than competing for market share is a good thing. However, I was talking specifically about young fans and, actually, though I didn't say it, young noisy ones.

Last season we met a group of Littlehampton lads who were following Littlehampton Town everywhere. When I was 20 or so they would undoubtedly have gone to the Goldstone instead where there was always a big LA contingent in the North Stand. Whitehawk have a noisy group of Ultras. Again, I suspect they would have been Goldstone goers back in the day.

Where the Albion have excelled is in grabbing the share of that bigger market that consists of families with money, many who have moved to Sussex. PB has admitted they are a target in interviews in the past. And that's fine and pays for our amazing team and success as a club. But there is a bit of me that's sad that I see fewer and fewer working class lads from places like Hastings and LA at games these days.

Bang on. It is why the atmosphere is shit at home.

 

[BadFish]

This is almost the opposite view to Barber’s which you can hear on the recent Albion Roar podcast when he is challenged about these rules. He has stated that the trouble makers have caused big issues but also that their wings have been clipped because of these rules and that trouble has now declined. He was massively concerned that our away support was getting a bad reputation. You seem oblivious to that and the fact that many decent fans can’t ‘get on the away ladder’ because so many other fans were giving their tickets away to retain the highest points totals.

What would you do about the hundreds of complaints Mr Barder has received about these two issues? Turn a blind eye?

I think I would consider other alternatives to solve the two problems.

This method of solving the problem isn't fit for purpose. For all the reasons discussed in this thread.

 

[drew]

I think I would consider other alternatives to solve the two problems.

This method of solving the problem isn't fit for purpose. For all the reasons discussed in this thread.

Perhaps you could enlighten us to what those alternatives are?

 

[BadFish]

Perhaps you could enlighten us to what those alternatives are?

Bit of a big ask that one. I am not across all the necessary information to work out an alternative. I am sure their are plenty of other options. Several have been suggested on this thread though and it may be that the best one isn't a complete alternative, more a tweak of the current one.

The question was 'what would I do about the complaints" if I were Paul Barber. My answer stands.

Are you suggesting that this is the single and only solution to solve the problems?

 

[Beach Hut]

Yep, this. I had a Brentford ticket….couldn’t go…..and couldn’t legitimately pass it on to a mate (also in T1) who couldn’t go when they went on sale but ultimately could have gone. I waste £30 and there’s and empty seat.

Same here two seats Citeh away unused as we couldn't go either.

Something has to change

 

[dsr-burnley]

Just out of interest, what's the club policy on the not-infrequent scenario where a child or children has parents who, for whatever reason, take turns to take the child to home matches on a shared season ticket? Perhaps the parents aren't really interested in football, or are separated and have joint custody, or one or both works shifts.

Does the club have a way round it, or is it just a matter of telling that child that they are not welcome at the club?

As for the bloke who took his other son, that's just a matter of the club forgetting what the rules are for. He didn't even give the ticket away until after they went on general sale. The penalty for breaking the rule because it leads to violence and/or denies someone else a ticket seems draconian; the penalty of any match ban for something that cost nobody anything and was no trouble to anyone, is simply because of the "rules are rules" attitude that says breaking a rule is always wrong in any circumstance. (The sort of attitude that had Jean Valjean spend 19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed a starving child!)

 

[dsr-burnley]

For what it's worth at Burnley, they tried introducing a rule about not letting anyone else use a season ticket, but they were surprised to find how many people did share already - parents as above, or work colleagues on shifts, or people who for whatever reason couldn't or didn't want to pay for a whole ticket but could manage a half. So now they're back to where they always were, that you can lend a home ticket to anyone - literally anyone as long as they aren't banned form the ground - as long as they aren't in a more expensive category.

Away tickets points are given away to people not entitled. No-one has yet raised it as a problem, and last year only a few games were sold out anyway, and no action is taken at present. Watch this space, I suppose.

 

[drew]

Bit of a big ask that one. I am not across all the necessary information to work out an alternative. I am sure their are plenty of other options. Several have been suggested on this thread though and it may be that the best one isn't a complete alternative, more a tweak of the current one.

The question was 'what would I do about the complaints" if I were Paul Barber. My answer stands.

Are you suggesting that this is the single and only solution to solve the problems?

No help whatsoever then.

The complaints are, as we are led to believe, from people who can't get tickets because some that are entitled to are doing so and passing them on to others who aren't. It's also come to a head because some of those getting ejected are the very same people not entitled to those tickets.

As far as I can tell, the only solution is to ensure those entitled are the ones that use the tickets. Where I agree is that there could be a tweak in that those that can't use the tickets, return them to the club who can try and sell them (and if they do, the original purchaser gets money back) plus change the t & Cs for 1901s so they can't give tickets to anyone.

In these cases we have seen today where tickets have been passed to family members allegedly in the same category, why didn't they contact the club before the games to rubber stamp the transfer? I'm sure they all knew the new rules but seemingly chose to think they didn't apply to them.

 

[Cotton Socks]

Just out of interest, what's the club policy on the not-infrequent scenario where a child or children has parents who, for whatever reason, take turns to take the child to home matches on a shared season ticket? Perhaps the parents aren't really interested in football, or are separated and have joint custody, or one or both works shifts.

Does the club have a way round it, or is it just a matter of telling that child that they are not welcome at the club?

As for the bloke who took his other son, that's just a matter of the club forgetting what the rules are for. He didn't even give the ticket away until after they went on general sale. The penalty for breaking the rule because it leads to violence and/or denies someone else a ticket seems draconian; the penalty of any match ban for something that cost nobody anything and was no trouble to anyone, is simply because of the "rules are rules" attitude that says breaking a rule is always wrong in any circumstance. (The sort of attitude that had Jean Valjean spend 19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed a starving child!)

It's sounding like the kid isn't welcome at the club if 'your' weekends get out of sync with the football. No recompense if the date or time is changed to when it isn't 'your' weekend as far as I can tell.

 

[jackalbion]

For what it's worth at Burnley, they tried introducing a rule about not letting anyone else use a season ticket, but they were surprised to find how many people did share already - parents as above, or work colleagues on shifts, or people who for whatever reason couldn't or didn't want to pay for a whole ticket but could manage a half. So now they're back to where they always were, that you can lend a home ticket to anyone - literally anyone as long as they aren't banned form the ground - as long as they aren't in a more expensive category.

Away tickets points are given away to people not entitled. No-one has yet raised it as a problem, and last year only a few games were sold out anyway, and no action is taken at present. Watch this space, I suppose.

I think the home solution that you have is good. Like Spurs, make a free account online, (I just put my email in) then someone can assign that account you’ve just made the spare ticket for a game. The system is there, I don’t see why we persist with charging people for this. My colleague next to me is a spurs season ticket holder, and he knows I wouldn’t turn down any football game so I go. It fills seats and those people spend money, instead of an empty seat on the exchange. If I bring a mate for example if one of my mates can’t make it, he would spend at least £25 in the bar, and probably have a pie, it’s such a waste of seats. You should have the option to donate your seat if it goes spare to AITC so someone who can’t afford to go themselves, or local schools. I know someone from the club is reading this, why not give it a go?