Peter Parker
Global Moderator
Richard Walker
You have been sentenced to DELETION!
Joined: May 2014
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Post by Peter Parker on Jan 18, 2015 7:19:04 GMT
Woking officials say they had no choice but to turn away the several hundred Bristol Rovers supporters who were unable to buy a ticket for the goalless draw between the two sides this afternoon.
Reports suggested up to 300 Rovers supporters were locked out of Woking’s Kingfield Stadium just after kick-off as a result of all away areas of the ground being sold out.
John Moore, a spokesperson for Woking, explained that an offer to make the match – which attracted almost 1900 travelling supporters in a crowd of close to 4000 – all-ticket had been declined by Rovers.
He said: “I totally understand how frustrating it is for those people who weren’t allowed in because I am a football fan myself.
“The bottom line is that the number of people we are allowed to let into the ground was exceeded and we have to abide by the restrictions set on us by the rules of our safety certificate.
“The game was also subject to segregation so although we were not full to capacity we were unable to start putting a couple of away supporters in the areas that housed the home supporters.
“As far as I am aware, we offered to make the game all-ticket, but that offer was declined by Bristol Rovers, as is their right. I would like to add that the supporters who did manage to get a ticket for the game were an absolute credit to their football club and to see them turning up in such huge numbers was incredible.”
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ashperry83
Rickie Lambert
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 228
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Post by ashperry83 on Jan 18, 2015 7:36:50 GMT
I find it very hard to believe there were 2000 Woking fans in there yesterday.
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Post by topgashead on Jan 18, 2015 8:20:22 GMT
Response from an official at our club suggests this is a lie. Who is telling the truth? I know who my money's on.
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Post by gasforever50 on Jan 18, 2015 8:31:47 GMT
the fans locked out need the truth!
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Post by lostinspace on Jan 18, 2015 8:58:25 GMT
wokingate!!..........conspiracies abound
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Post by pirate49 on Jan 18, 2015 9:42:49 GMT
Lucky there wasn't an 'incident' yesterday. Woking let far too many in. In the stand fans were being told not to stand in the gangways when in fact there were no seats left. On the terrace along one side of the pitch there was an overspill onto the walkway in front of the terrace. Add to this the number of fans locked out. No way were there 2,000+ Woking fans. A bit of creative thinking would have eased the congestion and let the excluded fans in. Their covered terrace behind the other goal was barely one third full and a line of stewards could have provided an additional area for Rovers fans.
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rking89
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 50
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Post by rking89 on Jan 18, 2015 10:13:10 GMT
It was said on the radio at half time that the stewards offered to make a human segregation but the police refused on "safety grounds"
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Post by gashead1979 on Jan 18, 2015 10:40:42 GMT
Woking keep saying we refused the offer to make the match all-ticket yet Keith B said on the radio yesterday he didnt know who they spoke to but it wasnt the ticket officer.
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Peter Parker
Global Moderator
Richard Walker
You have been sentenced to DELETION!
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,920
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Post by Peter Parker on Jan 18, 2015 10:46:17 GMT
Woking keep saying we refused the offer to make the match all-ticket yet Keith B said on the radio yesterday he didnt know who they spoke to but it wasnt the ticket officer. That suggests they spoke to someone though. So what dis that person say/do?
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Post by francegas on Jan 18, 2015 10:53:22 GMT
What I don't understand is why is it down to the away team to make a match all ticket ? Surely the onus is on the home team, they know their ground capacity, they know how many their away terracing/stand etc can hold. How would Rovers know that 2000+ fans were going to travel to Surrey. After all when was the last time we took 2000 away to a league match. I notice that Dartford has been made all ticket now is that Rovers or Dartford instigating that.
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Post by gashead1979 on Jan 18, 2015 10:57:25 GMT
Woking keep saying we refused the offer to make the match all-ticket yet Keith B said on the radio yesterday he didnt know who they spoke to but it wasnt the ticket officer. That suggests they spoke to someone though. So what dis that person say/do? I took it as he thought they were telling porkies but they made the statement prior to the game, before any problems, so why would they need to lie?
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Post by EssoBlue on Jan 18, 2015 11:04:03 GMT
Lucky there wasn't an 'incident' yesterday. Woking let far too many in. In the stand fans were being told not to stand in the gangways when in fact there were no seats left. On the terrace along one side of the pitch there was an overspill onto the walkway in front of the terrace. Add to this the number of fans locked out. No way were there 2,000+ Woking fans. A bit of creative thinking would have eased the congestion and let the excluded fans in. Their covered terrace behind the other goal was barely one third full and a line of stewards could have provided an additional area for Rovers fans. I disagree, I was sat beside the segregation netting and there were numerous empty seats in front & behind. The problem was, the only way to get to them was to fight your way through a whole row of seated gas.
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ghedray
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 87
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Post by ghedray on Jan 18, 2015 11:09:24 GMT
This is not the Ist time there has been confusion over tickets I seem to remember being given tickets for the Torquay game and I contacted the office stating why we have been given so few ! And I was advised we can have more later ! It was well stated on this forum we would take over 1500 to Woking the attitude of conference clubs seems to be we don't want to sell tickets because we might get more in on the day I arrived at 2.30 and could not believe the police presence including dogs it was as if they knew what the problem was at this stage you could see there was a problem the terracing was packed as was the stand behind the goal it was predicted on their forum before the match on Friday that we were taking between 1500 and a 2000 and the capacities in our area didn't add up my brother whom knows Woking well and lives nearby said they (Woking) were only going to let 1600 Gasheads in
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Post by francegas on Jan 18, 2015 11:23:27 GMT
This is not the Ist time there has been confusion over tickets I seem to remember being given tickets for the Torquay game and I contacted the office stating why we have been given so few ! And I was advised we can have more later ! It was well stated on this forum we would take over 1500 to Woking the attitude of conference clubs seems to be we don't want to sell tickets because we might get more in on the day I arrived at 2.30 and could not believe the police presence including dogs it was as if they knew what the problem was at this stage you could see there was a problem the terracing was packed as was the stand behind the goal it was predicted on their forum before the match on Friday that we were taking between 1500 and a 2000 and the capacities in our area didn't add up my brother whom knows Woking well and lives nearby said they (Woking) were only going to let 1600 Gasheads in I'm not surprised about a large police presence. Many years ago when I lived in Windlesham (just down the road from Woking) I went to see Woking v Doncaster (when Donny were last in the conference) and to say there was a large police presence for the 200 or so Donny fans is an understatement. They had dogs and many were kitted out in full riot gear !!
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 11:33:36 GMT
They'd split the end behind the goal before for a match, don't understand why it wasn't done yesterday...
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Post by stevek192 on Jan 18, 2015 11:41:27 GMT
There were more than enough Police there to have moved the 300 fans outside into the end behind the goal and provide a human barrier between the fans. In all honesty it may not have been necessary to have a barrier but rather to not take any chances. You are talking about common sense as you do when the 300 go into a pub. Surely it was easier to control them in the ground?
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Post by poorblue on Jan 18, 2015 12:22:47 GMT
I was one of the locked out. This is straight from the horses mouth not rumour, I was there and heard it first hand. Some 20 minutes after kick off a senior police officer at the gate where rovers were standing offered to try negotiating with Woking to let the gas fan in. All fans were calm and not aggressive although clearly frustrated. He was gone for some 10-15 minutes and upon his return stated there was space within the home terrace. The police officer stated he had no objection to letting away fans in with Woking providing a steward wall as segregation in the home end terrace. Woking had refused he stated. Ps The same officer along with very helpful Woking steward let an ill invalid Gashed and helper into the said terrace. The police were excellent and so the Woking stewards but where was the Woking cooperation with Rovers officials.
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Post by fanatical on Jan 18, 2015 12:24:16 GMT
Woking keep saying we refused the offer to make the match all-ticket yet Keith B said on the radio yesterday he didnt know who they spoke to but it wasnt the ticket officer. or our CEO?
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LPGas
Stuart Taylor
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,240
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Post by LPGas on Jan 18, 2015 13:37:29 GMT
Woking wanted it all ticket. Now when Rovers sell other clubs tickets at the Mem the charge 10% to cover the admin and wages for the people selling them. 99% of clubs do this however when Rovers told they would be keeping 10% Woking decided that they wouldn't go all ticket. From someone who works for the club
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Post by Topper Gas on Jan 18, 2015 13:51:08 GMT
I suppose the sensible response would be for Woking to charge a 10% "booking fee" although football and sense don't seem to go hand in hand.
Would be good if the FA/Conference investigated the matter, I won't hold my breath though.
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