Celtic Tickets

[Alan75]

Some people are quoting our record as away supporters, Members are quoting 600 fans for the second away match of the season at Middlesborough, it wasnt so long ago that they couldnt even get their own supporters to attend. And West Brom 800 fans for a Monday night, Sky covered game against a club recently promoted and renowned for their dour defensive tactics. Yes it is pitiful, but in this day and age the costs to many are prohibitive plus the continuing rearrangement of fixtures to accommodate television coverage. Supporters will pick and choose the most attractive games to spend their hard earned money on. Personally I would prefer that supporters spend their money in attending games at Ewood Park, so that the Rovers will get the most financial benefit.

Some of us are getting up tight about the Celtic Park ticket allocation and blaming the club for something well outside their control. The allocation of tickets to away supporters is no different to any other big club with a large fan base. Rovers have received the minimum ticket allocation that UEFA insist on, what more could the honestly do. As for the home leg, I think the club has missed an opportunity to sell the club to the local community, or have they taken into account the apathy shown so far this season, an average gate of around 26,000, which has included big named clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Leeds. How many people bothered to turn out to see Rovers v Lazio.

If the people of Blackburn had shown a bit more interest then maybe the club would have allocated fewer tickets to Celtic. Can you really blame the club for making the most out of this financial opportunity?

For those who have attended Ewood on a regular basis, I don’t think they will have difficulty in obtaining tickets for the home leg, and it looks as if the club are also rewarding those who made the trip to CSKA.

The only ones who will miss out are the armchair fine weather supporters, who come out of the woodwork whenever Rovers have some success. They might, but I doubt it, learn the lesson that if they want to get tickets for the big games they also have to suffer watching dire games on a cold wet night in the middle of February.

[Hasta]

"Based on our usual travelling support - 3000 is our maximum for Premiership away fixtures-and taking into account this is the 1st leg and its on TV we hope our allocation will prove sufficient....

What gets me is why John Williams, normally very good at PR, has made this quote. The club could have just stuck firmly to the line that Celtic only had to give us 5% and would not budge. However Rovers are basically saying 'our support is normally crap so that's why we've only got 3000 tickets'.

Bit of a silly official quote from the club even if it is sadly true. Next they'll be saying 'We know Nissa's not good enough but he's the best we've got till Stigs fit.

[Tris]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

I wonder what would have happened had the 1 in 6 chance given us Paris St Germain instead of Celtic.

Not dissimilar in cost / distance / ease of travel - maybe £40-£50 quid more.  Still a UEFA Cup 2nd round tie.  Without the romance of the Battle of Britain tag.  That would sort the wood from the trees, this thread would be half the size and everyone who wanted a ticket for the away leg would have one.

[RevidgeBlue]

What SHOULD have happened.

Celtic: "You're getting the mandatory 5%, we want the Darwen End."

Rovers: "We will need 5-6000 tickets for the first leg. If we're only getting 5% you get 5% ie 1500 for Ewood."

Celtic: "1500 for Ewood is no good for us, tell you what if you give us the Darwen End we'll give you 3k with an option for another 3k."

Everyone happy.

Instead Celtic have given us NOTHING for the first leg, only what they HAD to give us and we've given them FIVE TIMES what we had to for the second.

Rovers have misjudged the first leg arrangements extremely badly.

[MAGNIFICENT7]

The point is:

1. Rovers definitely could have got more tickets! The club are misleading us by saying 2800 (not even 5%!) was the only offer.

2. As stated earlier why not give celtic 1500 (half upper DE, leave rest of DE & see how sales go? Tickets to Rovers/Celtic depending?

3. Celtic will be all over ground irresepctive of whether they get 1500 or 8000 - if fact I think the clubs stance has made things worse! They will all be down ticketless cos they think we cant be bothered!

4. Sales of the paltry allocation will be a farce with absolutely no thought whatsoever into priorities, etc. We COULD sell more than 2800 - this is celtic away in europe and should not be confused with boro/west brom away!!  This is precisley the type of match that our cash-strapped fans have saved their money for!!

5. MOST IMPORTANTLY - WHY IS THERE NO IMAGINATION AT THE CLUB? THE ONLY TOOL THEY USE IS PRICE! I THOUGHT THEY WERE BUSINESS MEN - IF SO WHERE'S THE SALES TEAM? WHY AREN'T THEY USING THE 30000-STRONG "CUSTOMER" DATABASE TO GENERATE REPEAT SALES?? A TEAM OF 5 WOULD COST PERHAPS £200K A YEAR. GET THEM ON THE PHONE CALLING THE 3-4 GAME A SEASON FAN. 10K TICKETS OVER A SEASON WOULD COVER THE COST (500/GAME = 10/DAY PER SALES PERSON = HARDLY A BIG RISK!).

WHY? Because they are lazy and unimaginative CLOWNS!

I am seriously @#/? at the mo.  Why should I bother buying another season ticket next year when the club is run by amateurs?  HAvent the present lot been trying to increase the fan base for several years now? With no success? And guess what - its all my/your fault for not bringing a friend!  In any business such poor results would result in the proverbial trapdoor.  With this lot in charge we'll never get anywhere!

[RevidgeBlue]

Without wanting to be abusive towards individuals you make many good points Magnificent 17.

As far as the database is concerned it was mentioned at one of the Fans Forums that there are 50 - 60,000 names on there.

A large proportion won't be able to attend every game certainly but the potential is there to sell out the ground from the database alone for big games.

[boris bear]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

[Tris]

What SHOULD have happened.

Celtic: "You're getting the mandatory 5%, we want the Darwen End."

Rovers: "We will need 5-6000 tickets for the first leg. If we're only getting 5% you get 5% ie 1500 for Ewood."

Celtic: "1500 for Ewood is no good for us, tell you what if you give us the Darwen End we'll give you 3k with an option for another 3k."

Everyone happy.

Instead Celtic have given us NOTHING for the first leg, only what they HAD to give us and we've given them FIVE TIMES what we had to for the second.

Rovers have misjudged the first leg arrangements extremely badly.

Simon ... why the 'eck should Rovers shoot themselves in the foot by only selling 25,000 tickets when they can benefit from this draw and sell 30,000 plus ?

No-one's misjudged anything - how the hell can John Williams go into a meeting with his Celtic counterparts and argue we need more than 2,800 tickets there ?  They'd say ha ha Mr Williams, you took 1,400 to Manchester, 800 to West Brom ... and you want us to alienate our own fans by going beyond the UEFA stipulation in order to allow your fair-weather brigade a ticket to Glasgow ...

Their fans would be up in arms as we are now - as it is everyone's within the rules, Rovers are ensuring revenue is maximised (the opposite was true agsinst CSKA), and most importantly every measure is in place to stop Celtic fans watching from the JW and CIS.  Again I say it, the fury and indignation from home fans surrounded by invaders goes far beyond the annoyance at a perceived shortage of tickets.

[MAGNIFICENT7]

And another thing ........

Some of us have young families and have done our away travelling in the dim and distant but we are still up for the odd match and definitiely this!  (You only have to look at the number of threads vs number about saturday to realise the depth of feeling on this).

Although Im not about to start carting my young son off on 6 hour slogs every other weekend (want to spend time with mum, etc) THIS IS PRECISLEY THE TYPE OF MATCH THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE WITH HIM AT EWOOD! To see the look on his face at the crowd, the colour, the atmosphere under the floodlights and Im sure there's plenty more like me. I also wouldnt taking my Dad - a life long rovers fan who cant get to many now cos of his money situation - but Im not going to get the chance am I?  17000 season tickets + 8000 celts leaves 5000 only.  Hardly the best way to cultivate new/occasional fans!

My first match at ewood was when I was 7ish - we beat Plymouth 5-2 during Div3 promotion year.  Big crowd - down 2-0; comeback and win 5-2. MAD and I was hooked going mad under the floodlight on Riverside.  The point is that most of get hooked by the big, bright, loud occasions (e.g. Celtic / Utd) not against Charlton or Southampton but the club dont give the opportunity.  The problem now is that people think they wont/cant get a ticket so wont try!

[MAGNIFICENT7]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

Boris,see my message above - some of us have done loads of travelling in the past, does this count for nothing now?

[RevidgeBlue]

What SHOULD have happened.

Celtic: "You're getting the mandatory 5%, we want the Darwen End."

Rovers: "We will need 5-6000 tickets for the first leg. If we're only getting 5% you get 5% ie 1500 for Ewood."

Celtic: "1500 for Ewood is no good for us, tell you what if you give us the Darwen End we'll give you 3k with an option for another 3k."

Everyone happy.

Instead Celtic have given us NOTHING for the first leg, only what they HAD to give us and we've given them FIVE TIMES what we had to for the second.

Rovers have misjudged the first leg arrangements extremely badly.

Simon ... why the 'eck should Rovers shoot themselves in the foot by only selling 25,000 tickets when they can benefit from this draw and sell 30,000 plus ?

No-one's misjudged anything - how the hell can John Williams go into a meeting with his Celtic counterparts and argue we need more than 2,800 tickets there ?  They'd say ha ha Mr Williams, you took 1,400 to Manchester, 800 to West Brom ... and you want us to alienate our own fans by going beyond the UEFA stipulation in order to allow your fair-weather brigade a ticket to Glasgow ...

Their fans would be up in arms as we are now - as it is everyone's within the rules, Rovers are ensuring revenue is maximised (the opposite was true agsinst CSKA), and most importantly every measure is in place to stop Celtic fans watching from the JW and CIS.  Again I say it, the fury and indignation from home fans surrounded by invaders goes far beyond the annoyance at a perceived shortage of tickets.

Hi Tris,

Not living in Blackburn I think you're misjudging the level of interest in this tie as it seems have the Rovers Board.

No-one would suggest restricting away sales for the second leg to a level that wouldn't ensure a capacity crowd.

It's just that by offering them five times what we were obliged to do for the second leg should have put us in a position to ensure a sufficient away allocation for the first leg.

I predict many unhappy campers on here by Monday night, many of them regular fans.

[Tris]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

That would break the terms on which the club sells season tickets - ie priority when applying for limited availibility away games.

They've already made a huge concession by giving priority to non-ST holders who travelled to Sofia.  This is a fantasitc gesture of good will.

I looked at Chelsea's website for their away allowance in the last round at Viking.  It was 500 tickets in a tiny stadium where the regular crowd is 5,000.  No-one was guaranteed a ticket, and to even apply you needed a season ticket and a 100% attendance at last seasons away fixtures in the Prem.

We're bloody lucky.

[RevidgeBlue]

It was 500 tickets in a tiny stadium where the regular crowd is 5,000.  

That at least is a very reasonable 10% of capacity which I'm sure the Chelsea Board fought very hard for!!  

P.S. See you at Highbury.

[boris bear]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

Boris,see my message above - some of us have done loads of travelling in the past, does this count for nothing now?

I'm not saying that travelling in the past doesn't count but if JW's logic is that we have enough tickets for the regulars he should ensure they get first shout. As I said in an earlier post I think he should have tried to get an option on more tickets based on the fact we are giving Celtic more than the minimum.

[Scotty]

What SHOULD have happened.

Celtic: "You're getting the mandatory 5%, we want the Darwen End."

Rovers: "We will need 5-6000 tickets for the first leg. If we're only getting 5% you get 5% ie 1500 for Ewood."

Celtic: "1500 for Ewood is no good for us, tell you what if you give us the Darwen End we'll give you 3k with an option for another 3k."

Everyone happy.

Instead Celtic have given us NOTHING for the first leg, only what they HAD to give us and we've given them FIVE TIMES what we had to for the second.

Rovers have misjudged the first leg arrangements extremely badly.

Simon ... why the 'eck should Rovers shoot themselves in the foot by only selling 25,000 tickets when they can benefit from this draw and sell 30,000 plus ?

No-one's misjudged anything - how the hell can John Williams go into a meeting with his Celtic counterparts and argue we need more than 2,800 tickets there ?  They'd say ha ha Mr Williams, you took 1,400 to Manchester, 800 to West Brom ... and you want us to alienate our own fans by going beyond the UEFA stipulation in order to allow your fair-weather brigade a ticket to Glasgow ...

Their fans would be up in arms as we are now - as it is everyone's within the rules, Rovers are ensuring revenue is maximised (the opposite was true agsinst CSKA), and most importantly every measure is in place to stop Celtic fans watching from the JW and CIS.  Again I say it, the fury and indignation from home fans surrounded by invaders goes far beyond the annoyance at a perceived shortage of tickets.

Tris,

Celtic fans will try to get into home areas no matter how many tickets we give them - there are simply too many of them.

I'm also certain that we could sell out Ewood with home fans using the current restrictions (home ticket stubs, name on database etc).  The anticipation for this game is similar to Cardiff.

However, another way of making sure we sell out Ewood is to let season ticket holders buy extra tickets after everyone else has had a chance -  making it clear that if they are bought for Celtic fans then they will have their Season Ticket confiscated.

I'm a season ticket holder and I've had 4 requests from occasional Rovers supporters and general footy fans for tickets to this game.  I'm sure most season ticket holders can tell similar stories.

All in all I really can't see why the club couldn't have said to Celtic - "We'll give you 3000 to start with and if we've any left, say a week before the game, we'll let you have more".  That way we at least try and fill Ewood with home fans and make the home leg sound like a home leg.

[Tris]

It was 500 tickets in a tiny stadium where the regular crowd is 5,000.  

That at least is a very reasonable 10% of capacity which I'm sure the Chelsea Board fought very hard for!!  

P.S. See you at Highbury.

capacity is nearer 20,000 - they never fill it ..  

Drayton Park / Inn / Arms (forgotten) before the game

[boris bear]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

That would break the terms on which the club sells season tickets - ie priority when applying for limited availibility away games.

They've already made a huge concession by giving priority to non-ST holders who travelled to Sofia.  This is a fantasitc gesture of good will.

I looked at Chelsea's website for their away allowance in the last round at Viking.  It was 500 tickets in a tiny stadium where the regular crowd is 5,000.  No-one was guaranteed a ticket, and to even apply you needed a season ticket and a 100% attendance at last seasons away fixtures in the Prem.

We're bloody lucky.

I know season ticket holders have to get priority over non season ticket holders and I am not suggesting they should not have. What I think should have happened is that season ticket holders who do go to away matches should have priority.

As regard Chelsea's requirement for holding a season ticket and having 100% away record to apply for a ticket that sounds perfectly fair. Why didn't Rovers do something similar?

[Glenn]

Drayton Park. I'll be there.

Grat Plug - Info on Drayton Park (and other Arsenal info) - http://www.awayguide.net/cgi-bin....topic=2 . Pics of Pub (as the thumbnails seem to be broken http://www.awayguide.net/images/Arsenal-Pub2-Full.JPG its badly lit, but you can make the put out .... just)

[Tris]

I think in a cryptic way he's saying that the normal hard core away support would not sell out the allocation.  So there will already be some of the 2,800 fans in Glasgow who are only there for the big occasion.

He should have made sure that it's the "normal hard core away support" who get the tickets by using people's purchasing record from the database or asking for away ticket stubs. The way it is being done could result in these people missing out and people who do not travel often or even at all getting tickets.

That would break the terms on which the club sells season tickets - ie priority when applying for limited availibility away games.

They've already made a huge concession by giving priority to non-ST holders who travelled to Sofia.  This is a fantasitc gesture of good will.

I looked at Chelsea's website for their away allowance in the last round at Viking.  It was 500 tickets in a tiny stadium where the regular crowd is 5,000.  No-one was guaranteed a ticket, and to even apply you needed a season ticket and a 100% attendance at last seasons away fixtures in the Prem.

We're bloody lucky.

I know season ticket holders have to get priority over non season ticket holders and I am not suggesting they should not have. What I think should have happened is that season ticket holders who do go to away matches should have priority.

As regard Chelsea's requirement for holding a season ticket and having 100% away record to apply for a ticket that sounds perfectly fair. Why didn't Rovers do something similar?

Can anyone name many matches where they've actually been locked out ?

Since I was "allowed" (by parents) to go to games, the only time I've not got a ticket was Anfield for the Prem.

And I've never had a season ticket and I've always had to travel.

The point being ... Rovers don't need to do "something similar".  I bet we don't sell the 2,800 tickets.

[Scotty]

I bet we don't sell the 2,800 tickets.

How much?

[Billinge End Blue]

As a Blackburn-based season ticket holder who gets to a couple of away games a season (now) and didn't make it to Sofia, on Monday I hope to be depriving some of the more worthy of a ticket for the Celtic game.

But instead of blaming me where does the real fault for this lie? The club has made a huge miscalculation in ticket allocation to Rovers fans for both legs in my opinion. The lack of ambition at extending our support base can be seen in Tom Finn's comments and how it appears we have readily conceded the bare minimum they have given us whilst giving them a quarter of Ewood Park. All clubs have supporters drawn to the bigger games, even Celtic are packaging their game v Inverness with the first leg against us. Although it may trouble the BRFC loyalty police, 16 years ago we took 5000 more than our average home gate of 6000 for the season to Goodison for an FA Cup 4th round tie - a comparably big game to this one.

Personally I say forget stubs, Sofia and even season tickets as criteria but the club should have a decibel-ometer at Ewood on Monday and the 2500 (allowing for the club's internal distribution) loudest Rovers fans should be eligible for tickets. (Our away following will have its work cut out supporting the team behind the pillar surrounded by 58000 full-on Celts). I would prefer a 48 year old bearded belly from Mill Hill who's an infrequent attender and was arrested at Maine Rd years ago for throwing airbombs to get up the road than our corporate prawn sandwich munchers who would be better off watching the BBC on Halloween with a tube of Pringles and a glass of cold Chardonnay.

As for the home leg, we obviously haven't learnt from the City game - there will be more infiltration of the Riverside and Jack Walker (even the Blackburn End), not less. With the 8000 tickets handed over there will be more mates of mates with tickets down for the crack (craic) in addition to the hundreds based in Lancashire.

I have a soft spot for Celtic but hope we really hammer them in the first leg and make the second leg a forgone conclusion (although that's improbable given our usual second half propensities of late).

Best get my flask ready Sunday night...

[Paul]

Prediction time:

The away leg will sell out by 2.00pm Monday

[CAPT KAYOS]

Despite all the hue and cry about this, this situation was sooner or later going to arise.

You cannot blame Celtic for only issuing us the 2800 (which is not 5% of capacity) they wouldn't have given us any if they could have which is understandable considering the massive amount of support they have - remember its the same for them coming to our ground as well  - they could probably sell out on their own at Ewood. All they are doing is trying to accommodate their own fans firstly - just like everybody is arguing ROVERS should have done for us at home.

The option that Chelsea used ( do they have an away Season Ticket scheme I know Leeds and MU do) would have been useful - I am sure this has been mentioned before. I still stand with the opinion though that those with S/T who can show record of going to away games or Sofia should get priority though (I think alot of those who attended Sofia are regular away goers and S/T holders)

Tris  - your point re PSG (I know I would have been there and  more than likely think you would have ) is a very interesting and valid one and adds argument to the sake of those who attend the away games on a more regular basis. I have not been to one this season in the PL due to me having to sacrifice these for UEFA Games - except for City which I couldn't make anyway (first one I have I have missed against them since 1981), but I can provide a stream of away stubs from years gone by.

There are alot of fans like Magnificent 7 who now have family commitments and want to attend, who I sympathy for,who attended games in the lowly divisions years ago when tickets where not required and no record was kept. Waggy also, however he did make it to Sofia - but purchased his ticket out there and not from the club.

However,There have been countless arguments on this MB with regard to ticket allocations for the big games , and time and time again it has been said - Get your name on the  Rovers DB and you will  stand more chance (hopefully?) of getting a ticket than if you haven't. Unfortunately, in this situation it does not look like this will help. Every ROVERS fan who wanted a ticket for this game sghould have been given the opportunity to purchase one  -less the 5% UEFA rule up to a certain time.

Those underestimating us selling our tickets for this tie are well off mark (especially for the away leg)- just look at the amount of media interest -

It will be interesting to see how the tickets sell after the first leg if we get beat 3-0 at Celtic Park. And the point MAG7 makes about problem that people might think they can't/won't get tickets could well ring true.

Revidge, are you on the fans forum? - or Ewood Spark if you are you are reading - here's an issue to bring to the next  meeting- away Season ticket membership also  make S/T announcements earlier and offer discounts for those who purchase early- because I for one think the club has sold ROVERS fans down the river here I have yet to see anything of any use coming out of these forums yet.

[The Gull]

I don't think there is much Rovers could have done to up the Ticket allocation for Celtic Park, so stop blaming the board for that.

They have 53,000 season ticket holders! With a ground capacity of just under 60,000 I think, so there was never going to be much chance we could get any more than the 5% they are required to give us, STOP HAVING A GO AT THE BOARD!

We have 16/17000 season ticket holders, with a capacity of 31000.  The Darwen End provides excellent segregation for away fans and supplies them with about 7000 to 7500 tickets.

I don't know where 8000 comes from because I'm sure that the Darwen and Blackburn Ends only hold 7500.

Then you will have certain rows unused to aid the segregation as in Liverpool/Man Utd games.

So 17,000 season ticket holders, 7000 Celtic fans, leaves at least 6000 tickets to go on sale to non-season ticket holders and judging by past attendances and emand for tickets that is enough.

I know this is a big game but were has everyone been!

If 'woodwork supporters' come to the celtic game, will they be at the Walsall game, or the following premier league games?

I doubt it.

[jim mk2]

The fact is Celtic stuck to the rules and gave us the minimum 5 per cent that they were required to do. They looked after their own fans first and quite rightly so.

The real scandal is Rovers handing over all 8,000 tickets to the Darwen End because it sends exactly the wrong message to the Celtic hordes: ie, get down to Blackburn because if 8,000 can get in legitimately another 4,000 should be able to by one means or another.

I'll take bets with anyone that Celtic fans will be dotted all round the JW, the Riverside and even the Blackburn End.

As I said before, the club has taken the easy way out here. Selling is 8,000 tickets is far easier than trying to drum up local support....not that it was needed for this match anyway. Half the b......town wants to go to this one.

Rovers should have done to Celtic what they did to us....offer them 5 per cent, ie 1,500 tickets, and then see how tickets sales go. Any left over (in the Darwen End) could have been handed over to Celtic nearer the day of the match.

Or is that too simple.....?