temporary disability and WSU

[spongy]

I'm a season ticket holder up the gods of WSU in row v.

On Tuesday I had an accident and have torn some ligaments in my foot.

Not only is it incredibly painful (on a par with gout) but it also means I'm on crutches.

This afternoon I've been talking to the missus about the game tomorrow and she asked how I was getting there. I said as normal on the bus but then she mentioned about me not being allowed to WSU with crutches due to health & safety rules.

This had never crossed my mind but I thought I was ok.

Since this conversation I've been bit paranoid and phoned the ticket office earlier and they confirmed my fears. They won't let me in for health & safety grounds.

If I'd spoke to them earlier they said they could've moved me to a lower part of the ground but its now a sell out so can't...

Now I'm faced with the difficult decision of....

1. Not going
2. Going without crutches but being in a lot of pain and doing more damage
3. Go on crutches and hope the gate stewards let me in, if not leave crutches at the gate and pick them up at the end and risk doing more damage

I don't fancy any of the above, if there was seating on the concourse I would be ok, but there isn't....

All in all I'm very annoyed, I've never seen any signs or announcements about crutches and health and safety on this, the SEAGULLS site or anywhere for this matter.

At the end of the day, what's the difference between me on crutches and an old boy I've seen in WSU who is very slow moving and uses a walking stick.

 

[Life After Bobby]

I'm a season ticket holder up the gods of WSU in row v.

On Tuesday I had an accident and have torn some ligaments in my foot.

Not only is it incredibly painful (on a par with gout) but it also means I'm on crutches.

This afternoon I've been talking to the missus about the game tomorrow and she asked how I was getting there. I said as normal on the bus but then she mentioned about me not being allowed to WSU with crutches due to health & safety rules.

This had never crossed my mind but I thought I was ok.

Since this conversation I've been bit paranoid and phoned the ticket office earlier and they confirmed my fears. They won't let me in for health & safety grounds.

If I'd spoke to them earlier they said they could've moved me to a lower part of the ground but its now a sell out so can't...

Now I'm faced with the difficult decision of....

1. Not going
2. Going without crutches but being in a lot of pain and doing more damage
3. Go on crutches and hope the gate stewards let me in, if not leave crutches at the gate and pick them up at the end and risk doing more damage

I don't fancy any of the above, if there was seating on the concourse I would be ok, but there isn't....

All in all I'm very annoyed, I've never seen any signs or announcements about crutches and health and safety on this, the SEAGULLS site or anywhere for this matter.

At the end of the day, what's the difference between me on crutches and an old boy I've seen in WSU who is very slow moving and uses a walking stick.

I think they're being rather heavy handed with this. There is nothing that absolutely bans people with crutches from entering football grounds. In this instance quoting health and safety is basically down to their interpretation/implementation of general guidelines for health and safety. I note that Arsenal allow crutches http://www.arsenal.com/news/emirates-stadium-news/emirates-stadium-general-queries so i can see no reason why Brighton should, even in WSU.

My advice would be to challenge this again with the club before getting to the ground, although it's quite late in the day. If you risk waiting til you get to the ground you might easily end up being turned away (and just be speaking to someone who doesn't feel they have the discretion to act in a sensible way)

 

[amexee]

At the end of the day, what's the difference between me on crutches and an old boy I've seen in WSU who is very slow moving and uses a walking stick.

----------

Why not get a walking stick then?

 

[Lush]

A small son of a friend was round for Christmas and someone had been given one of those hiking-walking sticks as a present.

"What's that?" the small boy asked.

"It's a walking stick," he was told.

"What? All by itself?" he said.

 

[generation x]

If you get any grief mention the Equalities Act, it used to be the DDA. The Act places duties on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to enable access to their services. This really applies to people with a permanent disability but seeing as the WSU has lifts which I have seen being used for other supporters with mobility issues, they should be reasonable. The key is that you can get out of the stadium safely in the event of an emergency if the lifts are not available.

 

[DanielT]

Last month I was in WSU with crutches. I went up the stairs, but the steward let me in the lift on the way down. He asked if I'd come up in the lift, and although I hadn't, he seemed to think it was ok.

He even suggested keeping the crutches when I recovered just so I could use the lift.

 

[Magicman]

Sorry to hear your bad news Spongy .
Maybe i can help ?
My son (under 8) and i sit in the East Stand in the front row (not the family bit)
If you have a mate with you , we will gladly swap seats with you for tomorrow ?

 

[jmsc]

They should accommodate you in the disabled stand. The fact that it's sold out is irrelevant
as by moving you, the attendance figure remains unaltered.

That's what they did for me a couple of years ago at a sold out game at Withdean after
I had heart surgery.

 

[Insider]

I'm not sure who you have spoken to at the club, but please could you PM me your contact details and I will put you in touch with the right people to sort this out, so you can come and enjoy the game.

 

[spongy]

Pm sent.

 

[u'vebeenamexed]

I'm not sure who you have spoken to at the club, but please could you PM me your contact details and I will put you in touch with the right people to sort this out, so you can come and enjoy the game.

Good man.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Seen quite a few people in the WSU with crutches, sure they will allow you in

 

[tgretton87]

I'm not sure who you have spoken to at the club, but please could you PM me your contact details and I will put you in touch with the right people to sort this out, so you can come and enjoy the game.

North stand chat will fix it for you and you and you and you.

 

[spongy]

Sent a reply to insider, admittedly its late in the day but see what happens...

Magician, pm me your phone number just in case it goes wrong and I can get a mate to move (we're a group of 7 and I'm in the middle......

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

My lad is in a similar predicament, having had a knee op. For the last few games he's been in the disabled part of the North and his ticket includes a carer.

Tomorrow will be his last game there and he has no one as a carer. PM if you are stuck & maybe we can sort something. There's only 1 seat but he finds it easier to stand.

 

[Without Limits]

My lad is in a similar predicament, having had a knee op. For the last few games he's been in the disabled part of the North and his ticket includes a carer.

Tomorrow will be his last game there and he has no one as a carer. PM if you are stuck & maybe we can sort something. There's only 1 seat but he finds it easier to stand.

I think I know this bloke your talking about Freddie!

 

[spongy]

I've had a few calls from the club this morning and they've been more than helpful.

I now have a solution which I'm happy with and can still go to the game.

The only thing I will say is that the official club line is that anyone on crutches is not allowed up to WSU so anyone who has been shouldn't have been.

A big thankyou to Rowan at the club who called me today and was able to help out.

 

[doogie004]

had back op ,2 weeks ago still in bit of pain not looking forwrd to using the stairs will try to blag the lifts ,but failing that the stairs it is

 

[lark123]

bad