| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! 08:09 - Dec 21 with 8501 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
I know you'll never please everyone. Thing is, I went away regularly back in the day (when we were sh!t) spending £thousands. Then it tailed off for various reasons, mostly having a partner and thinking it's not really fair to go to football every weekend.
These days, though, I'd like to go to the odd away game - especially London games seeing as I live here - but I can't due to not having the points.
Ok, it could be argued those people with the points have collected them fair and square, but really they just happen to have gone to away games more recently. And the thing is, every away ticket they snap up due to having the points ...gives them MORE points, making them more likely to get the next tickets, etc. etc. How am I ever supposed to break into this exclusive club?! Not only am I prevented from getting the tickets, but in the process I'm pushed further and further away from future ones!
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:14 - Dec 21 with 4324 views | itfcjoe |
It's probably as fair as it can be in something that will always be unfair - I think there is a problem looming though that next season there will be so many people at top of priority list that it will become a literal closed shop unless they do something about it (i.e. 70% of tickets go to most points - 30% go into a members ballot or similar)
I've got lots of friends who follow big clubs home and away, or England, and this is effectively what we are now.....basically if you can't beat them, join them........and you have to get a ticket and go to every game you are eligible to do so to move up the list.....and if you don't someone else will do so.
If you aren't willing or able to do that, then you need to rely on mates helping you out and not getting caught. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:19 - Dec 21 with 4289 views | SitfcB |
I think maybe they could’ve gone back a couple more seasons to be fair.
But then where do you stop.
I know a few people that got a membership at the start of the season, so started on 5 points, and now they’re on 17 and obviously easier to get tickets now they’re on the 15+ band, but still having been to nearly every game, the only way to build your total up. In hindsight you probably think you should’ve got a membership at the start of the season and you have a few points by now?
We’re now at a point where some games aren’t even getting to the 10+ band.
Next season will be fun, as last seasons points are wiped and it only goes by this season’s accumulation! |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:23 - Dec 21 with 4256 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:14 - Dec 21 by itfcjoe |
It's probably as fair as it can be in something that will always be unfair - I think there is a problem looming though that next season there will be so many people at top of priority list that it will become a literal closed shop unless they do something about it (i.e. 70% of tickets go to most points - 30% go into a members ballot or similar)
I've got lots of friends who follow big clubs home and away, or England, and this is effectively what we are now.....basically if you can't beat them, join them........and you have to get a ticket and go to every game you are eligible to do so to move up the list.....and if you don't someone else will do so.
If you aren't willing or able to do that, then you need to rely on mates helping you out and not getting caught. |
Yep, you've pretty much summed up my thinking and the ballot thing is a great way around it. I do have mates with decent points so there's an avenue there - as long as it's a game they're not going to as well (unless eligible people can buy two tickets?!)
But yeah, one of the downsides of our success I guess. Gone are the days you could just rock up at Millwall and pay on the day.
On a related note, even Leeds sold out pretty rapidly despite being £47 a pop and a couple of days before Christmas! How much can clubs charge before people say, "Nah, you're taking the piss now"? | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:29 - Dec 21 with 4225 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:19 - Dec 21 by SitfcB |
I think maybe they could’ve gone back a couple more seasons to be fair.
But then where do you stop.
I know a few people that got a membership at the start of the season, so started on 5 points, and now they’re on 17 and obviously easier to get tickets now they’re on the 15+ band, but still having been to nearly every game, the only way to build your total up. In hindsight you probably think you should’ve got a membership at the start of the season and you have a few points by now?
We’re now at a point where some games aren’t even getting to the 10+ band.
Next season will be fun, as last seasons points are wiped and it only goes by this season’s accumulation! |
Yeah with hindsight I probably should've got the membership, but I guess I wondered if it was worth it. I only went to Charlton away last season so didn't really expect to go to many this. Like you say, though, these days you can't just pick and choose a few, you have to go to most and for some, especially with the travel costs to the far flung games on top, it's just not viable. Let alone leaving the missus on her own every weekend!
I met you when I was a regular away-goer... when you were just a wee slip of a lad, wet behind the ears, a dream in your heart and trainers on your feet! | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:33 - Dec 21 with 4162 views | SitfcB |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:29 - Dec 21 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Yeah with hindsight I probably should've got the membership, but I guess I wondered if it was worth it. I only went to Charlton away last season so didn't really expect to go to many this. Like you say, though, these days you can't just pick and choose a few, you have to go to most and for some, especially with the travel costs to the far flung games on top, it's just not viable. Let alone leaving the missus on her own every weekend!
I met you when I was a regular away-goer... when you were just a wee slip of a lad, wet behind the ears, a dream in your heart and trainers on your feet! |
They’re still on sale now, and we still have some big allocation games coming up, if you get the membership this year and then next that’ll give you 10 points from the start of next season straight away, plus any points from games this season.
As Joe says, if you know people who aren’t going and have points can use them or if there’s a game you really want to go to then ask on here.
Ahh yes, TWTD. | |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:38 - Dec 21 with 4119 views | GeoffSentence |
It is a bit of a catch 22 situation, I'd like to go to some away games but can't because I don't have the away points, because I can't get tickets for away games....
But hey ho, that's a consequence of us being so blinking good that everyone wants to go to every game. If we were not doing so well it wouldnt be an issue. So I'll take it. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:45 - Dec 21 with 4055 views | Plums |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:29 - Dec 21 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Yeah with hindsight I probably should've got the membership, but I guess I wondered if it was worth it. I only went to Charlton away last season so didn't really expect to go to many this. Like you say, though, these days you can't just pick and choose a few, you have to go to most and for some, especially with the travel costs to the far flung games on top, it's just not viable. Let alone leaving the missus on her own every weekend!
I met you when I was a regular away-goer... when you were just a wee slip of a lad, wet behind the ears, a dream in your heart and trainers on your feet! |
I've bitten my nose off to spite my face admittedly as I have a fundamental objection to the whole membership thing. I'm resigned to only picking up the odd ticket here and there safe in the knowledge that when the wheel of football turns again, I'll be able to go wherever I want when the interest has died off.
It's sad but it's reality these days. I've been watching Town for 45+ years, there's (hopefully) plenty left. |  |
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| The only option you have is…. on 08:53 - Dec 21 with 3995 views | Bloots |
….to start going to matches that are “inconvenient” for you.
Buy a membership, rack up half a dozen awkward away matches and start on 11+ points next season.
That would be a start and put you in with a shout next season. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:56 - Dec 21 with 3959 views | yorkshireblue |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:14 - Dec 21 by itfcjoe |
It's probably as fair as it can be in something that will always be unfair - I think there is a problem looming though that next season there will be so many people at top of priority list that it will become a literal closed shop unless they do something about it (i.e. 70% of tickets go to most points - 30% go into a members ballot or similar)
I've got lots of friends who follow big clubs home and away, or England, and this is effectively what we are now.....basically if you can't beat them, join them........and you have to get a ticket and go to every game you are eligible to do so to move up the list.....and if you don't someone else will do so.
If you aren't willing or able to do that, then you need to rely on mates helping you out and not getting caught. |
A Spurs fan once told me being an away fan for them was like a second job - you either went to all the games or none of the games.
I know Man City have a scheme where 5% of away tickets are allocated to supporters aged 25 and under through a ballot, irrespective of their points. And Sheffield Wednesday have a percentage go away fans living within 50 miles of the away ground (which selfishly I would be a big fan of!) again through a ballot. |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:10 - Dec 21 with 3871 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:56 - Dec 21 by yorkshireblue |
A Spurs fan once told me being an away fan for them was like a second job - you either went to all the games or none of the games.
I know Man City have a scheme where 5% of away tickets are allocated to supporters aged 25 and under through a ballot, irrespective of their points. And Sheffield Wednesday have a percentage go away fans living within 50 miles of the away ground (which selfishly I would be a big fan of!) again through a ballot. |
That's a good idea, so London supporters such as myself would get priority over London tickets. Makes sense and is also better for the environment! | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:10 - Dec 21 with 3863 views | Stadiumofdark |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:45 - Dec 21 by Plums |
I've bitten my nose off to spite my face admittedly as I have a fundamental objection to the whole membership thing. I'm resigned to only picking up the odd ticket here and there safe in the knowledge that when the wheel of football turns again, I'll be able to go wherever I want when the interest has died off.
It's sad but it's reality these days. I've been watching Town for 45+ years, there's (hopefully) plenty left. |
"where were you when we were good?" |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:24 - Dec 21 with 3793 views | Plums |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:10 - Dec 21 by Stadiumofdark |
"where were you when we were good?" |
On the sofa! | |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:36 - Dec 21 with 3748 views | crouchendyachtclub |
I am in a similar boat, pre covid I would go to any away that was vaguely local to London and never had an issue with tickets. Work and family have gotten in the way since so for now my only real chance will be in the home ends.
I console myself with the fact that if we manage to go up, we will won't be much of a draw for home fans so that should be a bit easier. |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:40 - Dec 21 with 3720 views | CobboldCrusty |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:19 - Dec 21 by SitfcB |
I think maybe they could’ve gone back a couple more seasons to be fair.
But then where do you stop.
I know a few people that got a membership at the start of the season, so started on 5 points, and now they’re on 17 and obviously easier to get tickets now they’re on the 15+ band, but still having been to nearly every game, the only way to build your total up. In hindsight you probably think you should’ve got a membership at the start of the season and you have a few points by now?
We’re now at a point where some games aren’t even getting to the 10+ band.
Next season will be fun, as last seasons points are wiped and it only goes by this season’s accumulation! |
I didn't realise that they wipe each previous season as they go... bad news for me as I went to a lot of away game last season but definitely seems a lot fairer and a way to counteract this polarisation of points that is happening now! |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:42 - Dec 21 with 3716 views | Rozz |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:10 - Dec 21 by The_Flashing_Smile |
That's a good idea, so London supporters such as myself would get priority over London tickets. Makes sense and is also better for the environment! |
Obviously it won't help you build your own points tally, but if you're London based there are various groups of likeminded fans that should be able to help get you to the vast majority of away games. Always folk meeting to watch games at the pub too, with all these SKY appearances.
I only have 8pts and can't say it's really changed my destiny too much, but then we've only really had QPR and Watford as local games and I couldn't make Watford anyway. I actually signed up to ensure a Norwich home ticket, which I then missed due to COVID. |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:45 - Dec 21 with 3691 views | Whos_blue |
It's a tricky one for the club.
I started a similar thread regarding the Stoke game on NYD.
It's right that the club reward regular away fans and it's also right they took measures to clamp down on touting.
However, the down side is that unless you bag a few games early doors, it does (and has) become a closed shop. I'm not sure the Stoke game even got to general sale.
Like others, I'm a lapsed away fan. Back in the late 90s I was probably attending 15+ away games a season, but life's priorities change.
It's such a shame to think I probably won't get to at least one away game this year, but on the other hand I wouldn't trade my one or two away games for the incredible season we're having.
I think the only change the club could make next season would be to ring fence a percentage of tickets for general sale to give the occasional away supporter the opportunity to attend an away match. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:53 - Dec 21 with 3637 views | homer_123 |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:45 - Dec 21 by Whos_blue |
It's a tricky one for the club.
I started a similar thread regarding the Stoke game on NYD.
It's right that the club reward regular away fans and it's also right they took measures to clamp down on touting.
However, the down side is that unless you bag a few games early doors, it does (and has) become a closed shop. I'm not sure the Stoke game even got to general sale.
Like others, I'm a lapsed away fan. Back in the late 90s I was probably attending 15+ away games a season, but life's priorities change.
It's such a shame to think I probably won't get to at least one away game this year, but on the other hand I wouldn't trade my one or two away games for the incredible season we're having.
I think the only change the club could make next season would be to ring fence a percentage of tickets for general sale to give the occasional away supporter the opportunity to attend an away match. |
In short though, isn't simply a reality of being successful?
There is a limited number of tickets and no perfect way of distributing. You've literally said yourself it's right to reward those that go regularly, ergo, no matter what approach you take it will always rewards those that travel more often. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:53 - Dec 21 with 3633 views | LankHenners |
Was always going to be tricky because the club had to answer two unanswerable questions - what constitutes fairness? and what constitutes loyalty?
As others have said there had to be a cut off at some point in terms of games attended, whether or not you had a gold card etc. which obviously meant people were going to miss out whereas previously they wouldn't have done.
It's what it is and is the price of success but one thing I really don't like about what the system has (inadvertently) brought about is a fair amount of unpleasantness among some of the fanbase having a go at each other, mocking others for 'moaning' or not being loyal enough to 'deserve' tickets etc. Largely confined to social media but think that sort of attitude has crept into 'real life' as seen in what seems to me as an uptick in gobby youths (and people old enough to know better) sitting/standing in other people's seats and getting a bit aggro when asked to move and so on.
Back to the original point, going off comments at the last fans forum, it sounds like the system will be tweaked a bit going forwards, perhaps to try and stop an elite club forming of people who are the only ones who can actually go to most of the games.
Said at the start of the season that one thing they could do was exclude cup games from the whole thing, just make them your standard first come first served, no points for anyone going, 1 ticket per account. Usually cheaper tickets so ones people often have found easier to take family and friends to which is almost impossible with a league game now if you don't have a group that go all the time and all have the same number of points. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:54 - Dec 21 with 3617 views | J2BLUE |
I wouldn't be surprised if the system is adjusted for next season. I bet they also had quite a few complaints from people who bought memberships to get Norwich home tickets and then found they needed to have gone to previous matches. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:54 - Dec 21 with 3619 views | bazza |
I think there were middlesboro tickets available late on, I’d say any fan who travels away to stoke, Sunderland , boro , Bristol, etc has the god given right to first dibs on the more local tickets, it’s a fair system, you’ve just got to get your foot back in the door, with the less glamorous fixtures, otherwise it’s like walking to the front of the bus queue because you’ve caught the same bus the year before . [Post edited 21 Dec 2023 9:55]
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 10:00 - Dec 21 with 3545 views | norfsufblue |
The fairest way is to go back to queueing round the block for the ticket office to open. Get there early enough and you are going to get your ticket!... I once turned up at midnight for derby tickets at midnight the day before release and was still 3rd in the queue👍😂😂.... and it was quite good fun..
Arhh... the good ole days |  | | |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 10:28 - Dec 21 with 3423 views | ParisBlue |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:54 - Dec 21 by J2BLUE |
I wouldn't be surprised if the system is adjusted for next season. I bet they also had quite a few complaints from people who bought memberships to get Norwich home tickets and then found they needed to have gone to previous matches. |
3 home games over the last 18 months doesn't sound excessive.
I do think they'll introduce a home point scheme as well though. The Norwich queuing was unnecessary. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 10:30 - Dec 21 with 3410 views | Guthrum |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 08:14 - Dec 21 by itfcjoe |
It's probably as fair as it can be in something that will always be unfair - I think there is a problem looming though that next season there will be so many people at top of priority list that it will become a literal closed shop unless they do something about it (i.e. 70% of tickets go to most points - 30% go into a members ballot or similar)
I've got lots of friends who follow big clubs home and away, or England, and this is effectively what we are now.....basically if you can't beat them, join them........and you have to get a ticket and go to every game you are eligible to do so to move up the list.....and if you don't someone else will do so.
If you aren't willing or able to do that, then you need to rely on mates helping you out and not getting caught. |
What's a bit of a shame is how many grounds don't anywhere near fill their home seating, but the away allocation is strictly limited.
I know clubs don't want to give a psychological advantage to the visiting team by having a noisy block of fans a quarter or a third as large as the inevitably quiter home support. Neither do ST holders who have sat in the same seat since just after the First World War want to move. But it would give a financial boost.
Not like they'd have to do it every match. Only a handful of clubs are consistently selling out their allocations every away game. We didn't used to do it that often. Remember always being able to rock up at Cardiff or Bristol and buy tickets on the gate, right up to kick-off (even after, on one occasion). |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 10:43 - Dec 21 with 3363 views | ITFC_Forever |
Another fact to consider, is how do you reward (or not) those who used to go to away games all the time back in the day (let's say Burley era or earlier), but don't any more?
You can't track back 20+ years.... the club are trying to ensure the regulars are rewarded for their support, but that can only be for the current regulars from the last couple of seasons.
Otherwise it's not fair on the younger ones who go regularly now, but were too young (or no yet born) back in the day.
I'm relatively lucky, in that my kids are teenagers now, and are more self-sufficient (one's at uni), so over the last couple of years I've been able to get back to the number of away games I was going to before we started a family, but there was a 15 year or so period where I'd only go to a handful each season. |  |
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| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 10:53 - Dec 21 with 3314 views | Plums |
| The whole away ticket points system thing - is it fair?! on 09:54 - Dec 21 by bazza |
I think there were middlesboro tickets available late on, I’d say any fan who travels away to stoke, Sunderland , boro , Bristol, etc has the god given right to first dibs on the more local tickets, it’s a fair system, you’ve just got to get your foot back in the door, with the less glamorous fixtures, otherwise it’s like walking to the front of the bus queue because you’ve caught the same bus the year before . [Post edited 21 Dec 2023 9:55]
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You've missed a bit. You have to pay to open the door before you put your foot in it.
That's the bit I object to.
My loyalty is being sold back to me - with nothing in return.
I know it's what happens all over the place so I'm resigned to it but I'm amazed how normalised it's become. | |
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