Older and disabled Sunderland fans 'angry and upset' after queuing hours in rain to collect season cards

Elderly and disabled Sunderland AFC fans have been left angry and upset after queuing for up to four hours in the rain to collect their season ticket cards and have slammed the club’s communication after saying they only knew they could collect their cards after finding out via an online fanzine.

Earlier this year there was uproar amongst a large number of fans after the club announced digital only season tickets for the upcoming season with many supporters, particularly older fans, not owning or unsure of how to use the necessary smartphone device.

The club did say in response that a "solution" would be offered for supporters in this position and while these Black Cats fans are pleased to have eventually been offered a hard card alternative they are far from happy at communication from the club and customer service for collection.

The situation was brought to my attention by my own father who recently turned 80 and went to his first game 74 years ago at the age of six.

Despite not knowing at the time exactly what the "solution" would be, back in April my dad paid to purchase his season ticket, writing both an accompanying email and letter to the club confirming he did not own a smartphone and so hoped a suitable alternative would be provided.

Like other fans in his position, he was informed by the club he would be contacted in July about how to access provision for his alternative season ticket.

He was therefore left surprised last week when he read on a fanzine message board that cards could be collected from the ticket office.

Eager to collect his ticket, on Wednesday (July 19) he queued in the rain for four hours only to be left “angry and upset” to find out, despite having a receipt, that his seat had been sold to someone else as due to a “glitch in the system” which resulted in money subsequently not being taken out of his account.

He has since been allocated a seat at the original early bird price of the initial transaction, but now faces the season sitting on his own and away from the friends he has sat with for many years.

While fellow supporter John Dermody, 65, has collected his ticket he was also left unhappy with his service.

John, who is disabled and can only walk a short distance with sticks after breaking his neck, originally went to the ticket office last Wednesday but decided to leave after seeing the size of the queues.

John, who has had his season ticket for 15 years, said: “I went back on Thursday with my friend who is 74.

“We still had to wait for one-and-a-half hours to collect our tickets. There was no way I could stand that long and so my friend managed to get us a place in the queue and I was able to wait in the car until the last 30 minutes.

“Even then I was in a lot of pain and discomfort.”

John said he also only found out he could collect his card after reading about it on a fanzine website.

He said: “The communication from the cub is terrible. It’s disgusting that the club has taken payments off people and they don’t then contact people directly about how to collect their tickets.

“I’m over the moon that the club has decided to issue hard card season tickets to those who need them but it seems like they want to make it as difficult as possible to get one.”

John is also concerned about how he is going to get to matches as he is still waiting for a Stadium of Light car park pass to be issued.

He said: “The club said they sent a letter to my old house in June. I contacted them to explain I had not received it and I was told someone would be in touch. It’s now less than two weeks until the start of the season and I’m worried that without a car park pass I can’t get to games.”

Jocelyn Booker, 76, from Washington has been a season ticket holder for three years and attended her first match in the late 1950’s where she stood in the Roker End.

Jocelyn, who used to work in customer service for Gentoo and Sunderland City Council, said: “I went to collect my season card from the ticket office on Wednesday and I ended up queuing for four hours. I was standing next to a gentleman who is 86 and had travelled down with his daughter from Alnwick.

“I had an umbrella but a lot of people were getting wet. To say the ticket office was understaffed would be an understatement.

“I only found out I could collect my card as I saw messages on Facebook. I got nothing from the club. 

“There will definitely be fans out there who won’t even be aware they can collect their ticket. I used to work in customer service and this is an appalling way to treat customers.

“The club wanted to introduce digital season tickets and it feels as though they have made it as difficult as possible for people to get a physical season card.

“I feel as though a large proportion of the club’s supporters have been disregarded.”

Jocelyn also feels the fans' loyalty has “been exploited”.

She said: “If it was a restaurant or a theatre show then people would just walk away. But people have an emotional attachment to the club. They know this and it is being exploited.”  

Supporters branch also disgruntled

There are thousands of Black Cats fans in the many SAFC branches up and down the country. One of those is Carole Barnes who is a member of the Manchester Branch.

Carole grew up in Fulwell, used to work in Roker Park’s canteen and has supported the club for over 60 years.

However she has been left angry and frustrated at the "drawn out process" of being offered the alternative option of a season card and in particular, not having the option of her card delivered - something she says was done in previous seasons.

Carole said: “I’m pleased the club decided to release physical cards but it seems to have been with great reluctance. 

“I normally have my card posted but I’ve been told I have to collect it from the ticket office. I live 150 miles away.

“I wrote to the club and they have told me I can collect it before the first game of the season against Ipswich. I’m really concerned about this in case the bus is delayed or there are big queues of fans in the same position waiting to collect season cards.

“I’ve even offered to pay for recorded delivery. There are thousands of fans living around the country and I just can’t understand why it can’t be delivered.

“It seems as if they are making it as difficult as possible to get physical cards to push everyone to go digital.

“I think it’s disgraceful and I’m most annoyed.”

Carole explained that the branch manager has now arranged to collect all the Manchester members cards on people’s behalf when he is in the area.

She said: “Hopefully this means I will be able to get my card before the first game of the season but I still don’t understand why my card can’t be posted.”

Sunderland AFC have been contacted about the issues raised but as yet, have not responded.