Celtic Tickets

[MarkBRFC]

PAY THE TICKET OFFICE STAFF OVERTIME AND OPEN ON SUNDAY !!!

And what about those of us who live 60 miles away from blackburn?  how are we meant to get there on a sunday with public transport at its usuall best?

[BlueMonday]

PAY THE TICKET OFFICE STAFF OVERTIME AND OPEN ON SUNDAY !!!

And what about those of us who live 60 miles away from blackburn?  how are we meant to get there on a sunday with public transport at its usuall best?

But Mark, haven't you heard , the board have absolutely no faith in the rovers support, and don't expect you to give up your valuable time.

They would rather you kept your hard earned cash and didn't put yourself out

[sarcasm noted]

[ABBEY]

PAY THE TICKET OFFICE STAFF OVERTIME AND OPEN ON SUNDAY !!!

And what about those of us who live 60 miles away from blackburn?  how are we meant to get there on a sunday with public transport at its usuall best?

mark,no offence intended here ,but i think there will be more people affected by work monday morning than travelling 60 miles on public transport.

[Ste B]

If you dont live near the ground, then try using the phone.  Normally works for me for every match.   It states, as it does for every match that supporters just need to give their customer number.

If you've been to sofia, put in the postal application in on saturday before the match as per Lee's message.

[BlueMonday]

I have a solution for all this spleen venting.

All Rovers supporters should turn up for both games wearing celtic shirts.  

The logic being, that everyone is bending over backwards for the jocks, and that for some reason they will be able to walk in to any part of ewood park unchallenged.

[waggy]

i think the ticket allocation for both games will be about right.lets hope we beat the "tic" 3-0 away so it puts off the ticketless brigade.hand on heart i could not see rovers selling 5k at celtic park.as a regular away traveller it really riles me when the home fans sing " you could'nt sell all your tickets".so it's 2,800 lets make sure we sell them all and back the lads to the hilt.

[BlueMonday]

This isn't a game to compare with most others.

Agree that away support genarally is poor, and your to be comended for being a regular.

But we can do it for the big games.  The problem is the perceived difficulty in getting tickets for the big games. Which the board are reinforcing.

[Tris]

This isn't a game to compare with most others.

Agree that away support genarally is poor, and your to be comended for being a regular.

But we can do it for the big games.  The problem is the perceived difficulty in getting tickets for the big games. Which the board are reinforcing.

Read the rest of the thread.

Celtic refused to give Rovers more than 2,800 tickets, even though Rovers wanted more.

Giving them the Darwen end, and restricting ticket sales in the home areas to people with Rovers buying history is the most sensible way to prevent infiltration.  If this game went on open sale the JW and CIS stands would be rammed full of Celtic fans.

Put it another way - they have 53,000 season ticket holders we have 16,000.  In proportion, a greater percentage of our ST holders can obtain a ticket for Celtic Park than theirs can for Ewood.

[BlueMonday]

This isn't a game to compare with most others.

Agree that away support genarally is poor, and your to be comended for being a regular.

But we can do it for the big games.  The problem is the perceived difficulty in getting tickets for the big games. Which the board are reinforcing.

Read the rest of the thread.

Celtic refused to give Rovers more than 2,800 tickets, even though Rovers wanted more.

Giving them the Darwen end, and restricting ticket sales in the home areas to people with Rovers buying history is the most sensible way to prevent infiltration.  If this game went on open sale the JW and CIS stands would be rammed full of Celtic fans.

Put it another way - they have 53,000 season ticket holders we have 16,000.  In proportion, a greater percentage of our ST holders can obtain a ticket for Celtic Park than theirs can for Ewood.

Have read the whole thread with interest.

True, Celtic have given us the minimum required.

But rovers have given them 25%, that should have given BRFC negociating power to obtain more away tickets, which in my opinion we will need.

Celtic have accomodated their supporters for the first leg.  We should accomodate ours for the second.  Simple.  We could give them the top of the darwen end and still employ restrictions/security to stop non rovers supporters getting in.

I live in Glasgow and am surrounded by Tic supporters and let me tell you they are laughing at us.  All this is putting them in very confident mood.

[Glenn]

I'm a season ticket holder who has travelled to the majority of away games in the last three seasons, but I decided at the last minute not to go to Sofia.

I now have to book another day off work (to add to the ones I have to book off to actually watch Rovers during the week, officialy I need to give three weeks notice for this, thankfully my employer is flexible) just to queue for tickets. Oh, did I mention I live in West Yorkshire, so add into the equation the extra 2 quid I normally have to pay for my tickets (my wife travels too) becuase the ticket office wont sell tickets after a Sat/Sun game when they are due to be released on a Monday. At least I won't have to pay that this, I'll just have to pay for my petrol instead.

I agree that there ARE enough tickets for the regular away travellers, the problem is how they are being alocated, this game has been hyped so much and there are that many non-ST holders that want to go, that every ST holder with any nouse will go and buy a ticket, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SELL IT ON FOR MANY TIMES THE FACE VALUE TO ANOTHER ROVERS FAN !

Why, oh why the club couldn't have made SOME requirement for stubbs for a short period (possibly even just a day or two) so that those that DO travel regulary get the chance first.

I can see it now, I'll get up at the crack of dawn and drive to Blackburn (using up another days holiday in the process), only to not be there early enough and end up having to pay a three figure sum for a black market ticket off some ST holder who got one by virtue of living on Bolton Road and having nothing better to do with their Monday morning.

[DP]

Glen

I sincerly hope you get a ticket.  I probably don't deserve one but I have as much chance as you do.

Couldn't agree with you more mate.

[Baz]

I am appalled by this ticket allocation. I understand that Celtic only have to give us as many as they have and in that respect they are looking after their own fans. However, surley there should be some regulation of the quality of these tickets as almost a third of the tickets are restricted view.

As for the game at Ewood a policy of giving them an initial 1500 and then selling tickets to home fans (leaving the darwin end empty until all other tickets are sold) and then if rovers don't look like selling out by the monday of the week of the game, then giving the rest of the tickets to celtic is a prudent and faultless plan.

As for the infiltration, it will happen regardless. some rovers "fans" will sell their tickets or obtain extra ones and sell them on to celtic fans.

I still think rovers could maybe have bartered for more tickets at Parkhead though. I would like to point out that exactly the same thing happened when Liverpool played them in the uefa a few seasons ago, Liverpool got 1500 for parkhead and gave celtic approx 8000 for anfield, so rovers aren't the only club to do this.

I shall be be down at Ewood early monday morning (anyone got any camping gear?)

[Modi]

Interesting that the non-local fan is trying to make his voice heard (viz MarkBRFC, Glen etc).  I too live 60+ miles away, so the mileage I put in for home matches and about half of the away matches a season probably accounts for more than Blackburn residents who go to all away matches.   Does the club take this into account?   Nah, course it doesn't; it'd be nigh on impossible to have a system that rewards total mileage.

And what about the youngsters who travel from afar?   This board's  Martin lives in Scunthorpe and has had a season ticket for three years and he's not 18 yet.   A couple of seasons ago he hardly missed an away match, let alone a home one.   Then there's Jordan who has been travelling from Harrogate to EVERY match home and away for the past few years, and he only turned 18 this year.  

Some mean feat for individuals who don't have (or haven't until recently in Jordan's case) the option of driving.   At least in Jordan's case he can leave the letter behind on Saturday and get a ticket as he went to Sofia.   Martin won't be so lucky, he's got to gamble alongside the rest of us.

I know I'm rambling, but the point I'm making is whatever allocation system is employed will be deemed unfair by some.

Consider this: is a 35 year old living in Feniscowles earning £28k a year, who goes to most away matches 'more committed' and 'more worthy' of a ticket, than a 17 year old season ticket holder from Lincolnshire who earns a few quid working in the local cinema and gets to less away matches?  

[Uddersfelt Blue]

This whole ticket situation appears to have been handled badly. Although I agree that those who went all the way to Sofia should be given priority

1. Why on earth has it taken so long to announce something which could have taken a couple of days?

2. Why have those season ticket holders who regularly go to away matches also not been given first chance(I don't count myself in that number as I only go away occasionally)?

3. Why must we accept tickets for an area of the ground with an extremely restricted view? Surely being guests we should be treated as such?.

All the relevant information is held on the clubs computers so why can't they come up with a method of assessing loyalty by say allocating points according to the matches attended. or am I suggesting the impossible e.g.

Season ticket holder            19 points (one per home game)

Non season ticketholder        1 point   ( per home game )  

Away match attended           2  points

Worthy Cup Home                 2 points

Worthy Cup Away                 3 points

FA Cup Home                       1 point

FA Cup Away                       2 points

UEFA Cup Home                    1 point

UEFA Cup Away                    5 points

That way there would be no doubt about which supporters should be given priority.

The club could also issue a loyalty card which fans could use to obtain discounts according to their points total.

Obviously there would have to be some adjustment from season to season but at least those who support the club through thick and thin would be rewarded.

[Alan75]

Why are we so upset, Souness has said time and time again, that the Premier survival is our priority. As we have Villa at home on the Sunday he,ll play the reserves at Parkhead anyway.

[waggy]

if it was shamrock celtic i would agree alan,as it is glasgaw celtic i have to think souey has old scores to settle.

[Ste B]

Why are we so upset, Souness has said time and time again, that the Premier survival is our priority. As we have Villa at home on the Sunday he,ll play the reserves at Parkhead anyway.

Souness has said that, of that there is no doubt.

BUT he did say that all previous comments go out of the window, and that he really wants to win this one.

The clubs profile is raised already from this tie, winning it will raise it even further.

[Alan75]

Sorry lads it was ment tongue in cheek. We all know that this is one of the biggest games in our history, it,s more than likely that our reserves will play against Villa (and win)

[boris bear]

I don't understand why it has taken so long to announce details when the club has obviously just let Celtic walk all over them. The tickets could have gone on sale earlier to people who travel to away games and then to other season ticket holders.

Surely the club could have negotiated an option on some more tickets. Celtic say "you can have 2800 tickets with 900 restricted view". Rovers say "You can have 1500". Rovers offer more in return for an option on additional tickets if the original ones sell out.

The club say 3,000 is ok for an away game but this is not a normal game as it has been hyped up so much. I think it's absolutely disgraceful for the club to treat their most loyal supporters so shoddily.

[Hasta]

Sorry for repeating what I'm sure has been said already on this thread but I'm going to type everything out just to try and rid myself of the disgust i feel with regard to the way Rovers have shaped on this matter.

I am fully aware that i may well stand corrected on this matter but 2800 tickets is NOT enough for the most eagerly awaited away game since probably Anfiled 95. Yes it's on TV but I will probably never have the chance to watch Rovers play at Celtic Park in a European competition. I may well never see them play a scotish team in a competitive match. I want to go as do my 3 mates. For the home game I can accept that there will be segregation problems but like people have stated all along give Celtic half the Darwen End, if ticket sales are slow after a week for the home areas then open up the rest of the DE to away fans.

But we could only get 2,800 tickets for the away game I hear people cry. Here's a hypothetical conversation between Mr Williams and Mr Jock (no racist offence intended anyone )

Mr W : Hi, we want 4000 tickets

Mr J  : Sorry but rules say you get 5% - 2800 tickets.

Mr W : Fine but therefore you get 5% of Ewood - 1500 tickets. Or you could have 8000 if you give us a measly 1000 more.

Mr J  : Well then in the best interests of our club I'll sacrifice 1000 for an extra 6500. nice to do business Mr Williams.

Did Rovers even try on our behalf? I'd rather have got more tickets and faced the embarasment of empty seats than not enough.

Going back to the allocation lets say that all 500 who went to Sofia will get get one which leaves 2300. We all know someone who says he'll get one from 'his mates mate in the ticket office' or from 'his girlfriends' dogs' former owner who's sleeping with a bloke who sells programmes'. Most of the time it's rubbish but i know people who have got tickets from this route. It's not unrealistic that a wad of tickets may never go to the public. Which leaves the rest of us fighting over around 2000 tickets. I've got a season ticket.I went to City. I went to Boro. I want a Celtic ticket. In my view it's a lottery if I get one. In my opinion my season ticket entitles me to priority over non-season ticket holders who went to Sofia. I'm sure the booklet that was lavishly designed to sell you the season ticket stated this somewhere.

Like I said earlier we may very well not sell out quickly and everyone who really wants one could get one. However I'm going to have to get one on Monday. Problem is i've organised a demonstration of some new software at work at 10am on Monday so I've got an half an hour to get through on the phone. Why did I organise it for that day? I didn't know when tickets where going on sale and I've already put it off for a week. Why? BECAUSE THE CLUB HAVE TAKEN 9 BLOODY DAYS TO EVEN LET US KNOW WHEN I CAN BUY A TICKET:unhappy:      How hard would it have been to say last Monday that ticket would probably go on sale next Monday.

(And while previewing this I see boris bear has stated practically the same thing in 1 paragraph   )

[waggy]

the way the tickets are being distributed shows there is no reward for loyalty.

ok the 500 who went to sofia deserve a ticket,but does that include the 2 who slept through the game,or the 1 who fell asleep in the hotel and missed the match?

what about the away figures this season?

brum 1400

boro 600

city 1400

wba 800

do these supporter's not deserve a ticket.

then there's "the i go to 1 away game a season"- season ticket holder.well there will be quite a few of these at celtic park,do they deserve a ticket?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

'then there's "the i go to 1 away game a season"- season ticket holder.well there will be quite a few of these at celtic park,do they deserve a ticket? '

I go to about 2 or 3 away games a season,have been a season ticket holder for over 10 years.

I'm sorry but NOTHING will stop me from getting a ticket for this game and I have a feeling that many THOUSANDS

more are thinking the same way here....Monday morning is going to be bedlam at Ewood park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2,800 will prove to be woefully short I'm afraid 

[Paul]

"the i go to 1 away game a season"- season ticket holder.well there will be quite a few of these at celtic park,do they deserve a ticket?

I don't go away often and rarely outside the north-west.

First off - YES the Sofia fans will and should get priority. After that it gets very difficult - YES the committed regular away fan should get one.

I can't recall how long I've had an ST - I started to buy it beacuse I wanted the club to have my money many, many years ago - when Rovers didn't have tuppence to their name. Like you waggy I have taken the juniors to every home game since they were 3 - that gives them 42 seasons of footie between them and the eldest is only 16!!

The point is we ALL deserve a chance to see one BIG European away tie and I know this is my only chance unless we get to Seville. So I'm very, very disappointed Rovers haven't done more to TRY to reward us ALL.

The ONLY thing that's stopping me from queuing all night is the fact my office manager is away - I could have changed that if they announcement had been earlier - and I have to be at work.

[Wiggy]

Tom Finn and John Williams have misjudged this badly. The interest in this game is phenomenal. The ticket sales against United and Liverpool are irrelevant. Firstly we play them every season and secondly due to the draconian measures to prevent infiltration many occasional Rovers supporters can't get tickets. Surely it's time somebody with a real feel for the club and supporters should be involved in these decisions. These highly paid, sterile corporate types are missing the point. How does 8,000 fanatical supporters following the opposition affect our own team?

Everyone I talk too wants to go to Parkhead and we get mealy mouthed words about average away attendances. Somebody should have fought our corner.

IT'S BO*LOCKS!

[Tris]

Tom Finn and John Williams have misjudged this badly. The interest in this game is phenomenal. The ticket sales against United and Liverpool are irrelevant. Firstly we play them every season and secondly due to the draconian measures to prevent infiltration many occasional Rovers supporters can't get tickets. Surely it's time somebody with a real feel for the club and supporters should be involved in these decisions. These highly paid, sterile corporate types are missing the point. How does 8,000 fanatical supporters following the opposition affect our own team?

Everyone I talk too wants to go to Parkhead and we get mealy mouthed words about average away attendances. Somebody should have fought our corner.

IT'S BO*LOCKS!

Then tell everyone you talk to to get down to Southampton instead.

You can slag off Tom Finn and John Williams all you want, at the end of the day the rules say Celtic only have to give us x tickets and there's **** all anyone can do about it.  If they don't want to negotiate then that's it.

People coming on here saying we should only have given them 1,500 are missing the point.  Rovers have the chance of a massive pay day here and rightly have made a judgement to maximise revenue.  8000 Tics paying £25 each generates £200,000, plus a huge amount in match day revenue in the ground.  1500 generates £37,500.  A club in our position cannot afford to throw that sort of money away.

Think about it guys, this game can NO WAY go on open sale.  Rovers have an absolute maximum of 30,000 fans on the database post-Cardiff.  That was a Sunday, this is a Thursday night - I guarantee that Ewood won't sell out on November 14th so the decisions the club have taken will be proved to be correct.