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Play-offs v Swindon Tickets


Joe B

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1 hour ago, ollyandpatch said:

Your seat is available only to you until Sunday night. Log on and get it?

I’m a season ticket holder in the Railway Stand. Seeing how busy the system was this morning, safe in the knowledge my seat would be reserved until Sunday, I thought I’d leave it and try on Friday. Now I notice the Railway Stand is sold out and the online booking system will not let me choose this area. I presume (hope) my seat is still reserved but how do I get it, does this mean I have to go Vale Park or hope someone eventually answers the phone and sorts it for me? I’ve always bought online for cup matches where season tickets didn’t apply so sort of feel a bit let down in this situation.

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Just to put some clarity to the allocation of tickets prior to official release.

This furore has mainly come from Tony Dyche and myself on social media.  Over the past few weeks we've been speaking to folk at away games that have started to comment on the apparent lack of prominent vale fans having to queue for high demand tickets, and criticism and sarcasm aimed at said fans always having the best seats at matches, but are never seen at the front of any queues.  It started as a bit of an awkward one as, the fans being mentioned are the ones that go to every match come what may.  In one respect, if anyone's deserving of preference then it's hard to deny their merits.  Openly and probably unfairly on here and PVO, Jacko has been called out on that.  We all know there's a group that would go to Mariupol if we drew them in some cup.

Now, aside from that group of folk, others have also been noticable and I had one or two other folk also questioning how these folk have managed to get high demand tickets without queueing.  This led us both to do a little digging.  In no time, an avalanch of information was forthcoming from people in person and by text messages and PM's online.  The more we dug, the worse it got.  I have also been presented screenshots of texts requesting tickets.  It reached a point a few days ago where we both blew our lids, particularly over Exeter.

So, laid out bare, those that have had priority reservations over season ticket holders are as follows:

  • Players -  Normal practice.  Unknown quantities but was told 4 family members of 1 player were sat near someone I know at Exeter. 
  • Staff - Normal practice I assume.  Unknown quantities
  • Fans that undertake voluntary work at the club - unknown quantities but verified
  • Box holders x 8 per box - Verified by box holders but some box holders unaware of available privilige and understandably angry
  • VP's - 1 each presumably but cannot verify (seen texts to ticket office myself for requests for reservations)
  • Official Travel coach users get them reserved (Not sure if all or a select few) - verified by several users of official travel
  • Staff of Synectics / Hubb foundation - verified by someone who works for one of them but can't recall which
  • Backdoor sales to mates of ticket office staff - this was openly happening in the food queue at Salford away

We can of course argue the merit of each of those and we'd all have a differing opinion of where the line should be drawn.  It is clear, however, that the volume going out and the hidden manner in which they do so leaves something of a sour taste, when tickets become high demand.

Basically, hundreds of tickets were flying out of the back door before reaching sale.  It is entirely wrong of the club to state that X amount of tickets have been allocated and will go on sale to ST holders as priority, when that is blatantly not the case.  The fact that the club were filming the huge queues for Exeter has rightly upset a few, because the club knew full well that of the 1300 tickets allocated, the actual figure on sale is rumoured to have been no more than 4-500.

Alongside that, Vale still honoured tickets that had been bought through the Exeter website debacle to fans that did not hold season tickets.  We know fans that chanced their arm and they were sat there awaiting their collection in an envelope with their name on.  On top of which, despite hundreds of season ticket holders being turned away after queueing for hours to purchase on the day, we know of one instance where a non-season ticket holder that was refunded for their tickets received a phonecall from the club to ask if they still wanted them?!

So, that basic lack of trust in the system has led to many fans braving the night to get in line.  I read a comment above saying none of those moaning about the ticketing were there last night, they are ll the die hards.  My mate Tony Dyche, who has been probably the biggest voice over this, was number 4 in the queue, pitching up in his bivvi bag at 10pm to spend the night on the floor to get his and my tickets.

Now, all that said, does it mean we want Carol's head on a pole?  Of <ovf censored> course not!!  I don't need to explain my background to many of you on here, but just because the Shanahans have done a fabulous job with our club so far, it should not mean that if and when certain things are lacking and need addressing, we are not entitled to call them out on that.  They wouldn't have the club in the first place if we'd taken that approach as fans in times past.  And that's all this is.  The ticket office have badly let them down and has left an unfortunate sour taste on an otherwise excellent season.  Given what we as a fan base have had to endure for the past 20 years, it's disappointing to hear that this behaviour is still present.  We expected better.  Just <ovf censored> treat us fairly.  We still have shallow wounds.

 

 

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Had wanted to buy 4 Swindon tickets using 4 ST. Living 180 miles away made the queuing outside the ticket office impossible.

Ended the day with:

29 unanswered calls to various numbers at the club.

2 unanswered voicemails (including 1 which offered to make the 360 mile round trip to Burslem on Saturday to collect tickets if I could just pay for them over the phone).

2 unanswered emails.

Made even more galling by the fact it looks like the tickets will go to general sale tomorrow and undoubtedly then sell out.

Looks like buying a season ticket is fairly pointless for those of us who live outside the Burslem area.

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4 minutes ago, rugeleyvaliant said:

Tried to get my season ticket seat in the Railway stand on line at 4pm this afternoon, but Railway stand not available on line, call ticket office. No reply when I called the ticket office. So what next? Living a bit too far away to go and queue.

Your seat is saved until midnight on Sunday so no rush mate.

Is that ST definitely logged on the online ticket account you're using?

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46 minutes ago, Joe B said:

The club is infinitely better run in many aspects. I have long applauded the shift to the DoF model, most transfer business done last summer, better community links, and the appointment of Clarke. Carol has done an outstanding job and is running the club in the way I could only dream of when I was campaigning for her to takeover in 2018-19.

We can't get into a position where we can't point out areas of improvement. That's a silly position to take. Ticketing is both inadequate and unfair and needs sorting so the average season ticket holder can enjoy our long overdue success.

I'm now, incredibly after recent times, viewed as a moaner, as there's only so many times you can repeat 'love the DoF model' and 'things are good!'. I did it to death last summer and was told off for being incessantly positive. I remember once being labelled a 'propagandist for Carol Shanahan', such was my incessant drive for her to a) bid for the club, and b) the fans to back it. Makes me chuckle how a bit of direct criticism about the January window and ticketing has turned me into some form of rabble rouser!

In the last few weeks I have seen things I want to be improved at Port Vale, which doesn't detract from how well I think things have gone thus far. I shouldn't have to preface any critique with 'things are really good' - it's widely accepted and clear that they are.

I've made my point so will drop it now and hope changes are made over the summer, both in terms of online sales and a fairer allocation. I hope we don't get to a position where any fair criticism of the club's operations is met with scorn and disdain; we've been there before. Any criticisms I've ever made, under V2001, Smurthwaite, and now, are motivated by wanting things to be better for the Vale fans, as I think we deserve some good stuff for once. Nothing else.

It's as a fanbase we drove change to get to this point, and it's as a fanbase we can help shape the future of the club so the benefits are enjoyed by as many as possible.

Put yourself forward for the Supporter’s club committee, instead of just moaning on here.

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52 minutes ago, Hoppers said:

Just been get two tickets for the Hamil, queued about 15 minutes, walked out happy - Im a happy Hoppers indeed 😍😍😍👍👍👍😁😁😁 NICE

Have you finished that fence though? 

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15 minutes ago, ginginator said:

Its a tough ask re allocatating tickets, JR had 2 tickets for me years back @ Wolves but he forgot to give them to the ticket office, needless to say he apologised after 🙂 I hope all the regulars have got their tickets. 

When everyone was shouting Bell out years ago we came out of the pub in Reading and Bill was outside the ground, I put my arm around him and said "I dont care what they say Bill but I think you're alright. He put his hand inside coat and gave me four tickets. Just thought I would tell you all that. 😂😂😂😂 True story !

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9 minutes ago, Doha said:

Your seat is saved until midnight on Sunday so no rush mate.

Is that ST definitely logged on the online ticket account you're using?

Someone has already got me a ticket for the Hamil, but even just trying to have a nose and signing in on my Railway Stand ST details the whole of the Railway Stand is blocked out.

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10 minutes ago, waltonsg said:

I’m a season ticket holder in the Railway Stand. Seeing how busy the system was this morning, safe in the knowledge my seat would be reserved until Sunday, I thought I’d leave it and try on Friday. Now I notice the Railway Stand is sold out and the online booking system will not let me choose this area. I presume (hope) my seat is still reserved but how do I get it, does this mean I have to go Vale Park or hope someone eventually answers the phone and sorts it for me? I’ve always bought online for cup matches where season tickets didn’t apply so sort of feel a bit let down in this situation.

Yes you are right...I got mine online earlier even though I knew it was not urgent.

Surely you would think it was the seats would be greyed out apart from your season ticket?

 

Very strange.

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6 minutes ago, ollyandpatch said:

Yes you are right...I got mine online earlier even though I knew it was not urgent.

Surely you would think it was the seats would be greyed out apart from your season ticket?

 

Very strange.

Maybe they’ve done it in error.Needs looking into ASAP.

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When everyone was shouting Bell out years ago we came out of the pub in Reading and Bill was outside the ground, I put my arm around him and said "I dont care what they say Bill but I think you're alright. He put his hand inside coat and gave me four tickets. Just thought I would tell you all that. True story !

Cracking story …. So you are in the secret handshake club ! 🤝
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I am not going to repeat Bede's post just now but I feel it's one of the best written accounts of what's going on and a resume of fans frustrations that I openly applaud him for his view. I love Vale/ Carol /Kevin et al but fans like me appreciate honest open truth. We all know and accept that ticket allocation for any events give rise to moans, gripes and questions but to read Bede's post must enlighten fans' ideas of what's happening behind the fans backs at our fantastic Club. Incidentally I was one of the unfortunate to queue for hours for Exeter tickets to be told, about 20 yards from the ticket office that they had sold out. To say I was aggrieved and flabbergasted that no one had had the decency to come out and advise the queue of the lack of tickets actually for sale that day is an understatement. I therefore chose not to queue today and believe me that hurts as I have attended a big percentage of away games and I wanted to watch my beloved Vale beat Swindon at their place. Sorry to go on but I honestly hope Carol can improve this tricky situation next season as we continue our rise through the Leagues.

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