Posted on 14th May 2010
Supporters at a handful of EFL clubs remain unhappy with how their clubs are handling the process of refunding games missed during the pandemic.
Posted on 14th May 2010
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
One voice can really make a massive difference and so it proved back in March when Ernie, a Doncaster Rovers fan, got in touch with us to complain that he and his fellow fans had been overcharged for their match tickets at Sheffield Wednesday.
Ernie’s sharp eye alerted FSF ticketing rep Alan Bloore to the problem and thousands of fans are now in line for refunds thanks to their work.
Wednesday had introduced a new pricing structure mid-season reducing the cost of tickets for home fans. However, due to this discount away fans were actually being charged more than home fans. In Ernie’s case this was £23 as opposed to the £17 that home fans in the Kop were paying. Which is pretty harsh as it costs enough to follow your team anyway, neither petrol or rail tickets come cheap, without knowing you’re paying extra admission for the privilege.
Now reduced ticket prices are all very commendable, we’re all for more affordable match tickets after all, but in the process the Yorkshire club were actually breaking the Football League’s own rules as ticket pricing plans must be implemented before June 30th. Wednesday didn’t bring in this discount until mid-December, therefore they had to offer these new prices to away fans too.
As well as alerting the FSF to the problem Ernie also emailed all the other clubs who had played, or were due to play, at Hillsborough explaining how they were entitled to the reduced admission. Fans across the country – from Newcastle to Peterborough – were saved money as a result. Top work.
So if you’ve visited Hillsborough as an away fan in the league this season it’s worth checking with your club to see if you’re entitled to a discount. See below for a list of clubs that have played at Hillsborough in the league since Boxing Day 2009:
This isn’t the first time the FSF has heard of complaints like this (we’ve previously won money back for Chelsea and West Ham fans when concessionary prices weren’t passed on) and it probably won’t be the last. So what can you do if you find you’re being charged more than home fans?
There’s no guarantee that clubs will refund fans but the more pressure brought to bear by you and your fellow fans, the better chance you have of winning your money back and making sure fellow fans don’t get ripped off in the future.
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Supporters at a handful of EFL clubs remain unhappy with how their clubs are handling the process of refunding games missed during the pandemic.
Newcastle United fans are still waiting on an estimated £7m worth of season ticket refunds – and now supporters are calling for urgent action from the Premier League club.
The second round of the EFL season took place over the weekend with small numbers of fans allowed into stadiums for test events – and there were many new procedures to follow.
UEFA must implement minimum standards across its club competitions say campaigners after the results of a Europe-wide survey of away fans was published this week.