Disabled Supporters

[Han]

Are there any statistics floating around regarding disabled supporters? More specifically, I would like to know how many disabled season ticket holders there are at the walkers.

I've mentioned it in another thread but for those that do not know, LCFC have changed their policy for disabled fans next season.

In order to get a season ticket at the disabled person's rate next year, you have to sit in certain sections of the stadium. If you wish to keep your seat elsewhere in the ground you must pay the full price.

'faired income' i hear you say, or 'pay a low price, get a crap seat'.

That is not the point. I take my brother to city's home games. He's rarely fitted in with a group of people as well as he has done with the people that we sit with in the Kop. I would imagine that this is the same for most people with disabilities.

If you were wondering, you do not have to be in a wheelchair to be disabled, there are many 'able bodied' disabled people who will be affected by this attempt to simply get more money out of people.

Sticking all of the 'mongs' together in the ground will hardly help them to feel part of the community. It is more likely to do the opposite.


So, despite my rant, does anybody have the information re disabled STHs? It'll come in handy for my written complaint.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Jeff]

It might be worth contacting the disabled supporters association.

There's a contact email address on this page: http://www.lcfc.com/page/DisabledSupporters/0,,10274,00.html

 

[homer]

Heard this on the moan-in a week or so ago when Lee Hoos was on, and I must say I was horrified at what I was hearing

As the 'presenters' on there are utter dickweeds he was allowed to get away with a load of waffle that made no sense at all and did not answer the questions that were raised by callers

Lisa is on the fans forum thingy, so might be worth a pm to her - also might be worth exploring whether or not the club are directly discriminating by what they are doing

 

[FryattFox]

Being slightly lazy here, but what's the difference in price for an average disabled season ticket?

 

[Motown Fox]

He said more or less that there wasn't a problem as though the listeners who were making the queries didn't have to worry - but he gave no clear answer. As though someone who has been in a certain seat for some time has to move elsewhere just cos it doesn't suit the Club (was Health & Safety mentioned?) and they expect them to roll over and be happy they have a seat at all.
As before Hoos appeared a bit high handed. Are they getting these things in place before seats become more attractive IF we get promotion and then they can't move these indivfiduals if they have season tickets which they well be trying to get before the upcoming deadline.

 

[Han]

Being slightly lazy here, but what's the difference in price for an average disabled season ticket?

For under 18s (which is all that affects me at the moment), the rise will be from approx £80 to £135 (early bird price) if the seat is not moved.

I'm not sure if it is/was a flat rate for disable people of all ages.

 

[SJN-Fox]

By saying that if you want your cheap disabled ticket you have to sit in a certain area, they are doing no different to saying if you want a free under 8s ticket you have to sit in the family stand.

 

[Babylon]

By saying that if you want your cheap disabled ticket you have to sit in a certain area, they are doing no different to saying if you want a free under 8s ticket you have to sit in the family stand.

That's fine if you are a new applicant... but not if you've been sat in the same seat for 5 years! The under 8's weren't turfed out of their current seats.

 

[bocadillo]

That's fine if you are a new applicant... but not if you've been sat in the same seat for 5 years! The under 8's weren't turfed out of their current seats.

They were if they weren't already sitting in the family stand.

 

[SJN-Fox]

That's fine if you are a new applicant... but not if you've been sat in the same seat for 5 years! The under 8's weren't turfed out of their current seats.

I bet they were if they wanted a free ticket.

 

[FryattFox]

By saying that if you want your cheap disabled ticket you have to sit in a certain area, they are doing no different to saying if you want a free under 8s ticket you have to sit in the family stand.

There's (some) logic to putting all of the familes and/or under-8's together though. There's less logic in putting all the disabled supporters together.

 

[SJN-Fox]

There's (some) logic to putting all of the familes and/or under-8's together though. There's less logic in putting all the disabled supporters together.

Not sure I quite see the logic in that.

 

[bocadillo]

.... does anybody have the information re disabled STHs? It'll come in handy for my written complaint.

Perhaps you can help me with some information. If a disabled person needs somebody to take him along to the match and to sit with him, how much does the ticket for this 'carer' cost? If the 'carer' has no interest in football and has to spend all of his/her time looking after the disabled person, I think there is good reason why the 'carer' should get in free.

Do you think there are cases though where the disabled person does not actually need a 'carer' to be present and could manage perfectly well on their own at the match? In those cases do you think that any person accompanying the disabled person should pay full price? - (remembering that I don't actually know how much 'carers' do pay)

 

[OldGit]

There's (some) logic to putting all of the familes and/or under-8's together though. There's less logic in putting all the disabled supporters together.

A number of clubs do this. The argument goes that to meet safety requirements they need more stewards with a higher level of training in areas where there are disabled people. Using designated areas keeps those costs down.

As to other discounts, Mrs G has been told by Fulham that there will no longer be Senior or Junior discounts available in the area where she & her friends have had tickets for years. In future its either full price or move to near the corners. The justification in this case is to maximise income. No doubt others will soon be following suit....

 

[Boy Genius]

A number of clubs do this. The argument goes that to meet safety requirements they need more stewards with a higher level of training in areas where there are disabled people. Using designated areas keeps those costs down.

As to other discounts, Mrs G has been told by Fulham that there will no longer be Senior or Junior discounts available in the area where she & her friends have had tickets for years. In future its either full price or move to near the corners. The justification in this case is to maximise income. No doubt others will soon be following suit....

And that's what all good businesses should do.

 

[Babylon]

Do you think there are cases though where the disabled person does not actually need a 'carer' to be present and could manage perfectly well on their own at the match?

I would use it to my advantage if my girlfriend was interested in football (She's classified disabled). Unfortunately she isn't so I pay.

I get free tickets if I go with her to the cinema, vfestical, glasto, west end shows and many other things. Do I care for her? Yes I do, but there are different levels of care.

Some people need others help to move around or take them to them toilet etc (who i'm sure nobody would deny free carer tickets to), or like my girlfriend (who is deaf) need telling about any public service announcements and things like that.

If you'd asked me before I met my mrs I'd of said it was ludicrous giving them away free to carers... now i'm in that situation I completely understand it though, as she would find many things difficult without me being there to explain.

Debatable whether football falls into the category where she would need a lot of help from me, only with tannoy announcements I would imagine really. So there is an argument against free tickets in our case.

In short, yes there are people that could probably cope on their own, in emergencies they would struggle though. It's a mine field really.

 

[homer]

Do you think there are cases though where the disabled person does not actually need a 'carer' to be present and could manage perfectly well on their own at the match? In those cases do you think that any person accompanying the disabled person should pay full price? - (remembering that I don't actually know how much 'carers' do pay)

Perhaps you would like the club to impose some kind of assessment on disabled supporters to see if the level of care they receive warrants the additional free ticket that is granted that allows them to support their club regardless of any disability they may live with ?

Because clearly this must be a huge area for fraud and deception to be taking place, and that level of scrutiny is obviously warranted

 

[Han]

Perhaps you can help me with some information. If a disabled person needs somebody to take him along to the match and to sit with him, how much does the ticket for this 'carer' cost? If the 'carer' has no interest in football and has to spend all of his/her time looking after the disabled person, I think there is good reason why the 'carer' should get in free.

Do you think there are cases though where the disabled person does not actually need a 'carer' to be present and could manage perfectly well on their own at the match? In those cases do you think that any person accompanying the disabled person should pay full price? - (remembering that I don't actually know how much 'carers' do pay)

You know that a carer's ticket is free Boc, there's no need for the sarcasm.

There are disabled supporters that do not need to be accompanied, there is one gentleman that sits four seats from us in that situation. He cannot afford full price, but he also does not want to be moved away form the people he has got to know over the last few years. That is one supporter that the club has let down.

There may also come a time when my brother is able to go by himself (I'm not sure whether you're implying that this is the case now so i will spare you the accusation). But i very much doubt that he would want to sit (or anyone would want him to sit) elsewhere and he certainly would not be on the sort of job that would afford him the pleasure of his own season ticket.

As has been mentioned, being able to walk yourself to and from a game is different to being able to look after yourself in an emergency situation.

 

[Macky]

Just how big is this disabled section going to be? This could potentially be detrimental for the Mexican wave if they let too many of them in, in one section

 

[Blue Maniac]

Just how big is this disabled section going to be? This could potentially be detrimental for the Mexican wave if they let too many of them in, in one section

I will not laugh at this joke...