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Boro to Seek Clarification
Boro to Seek Clarification
Sunday, 12th Feb 2012 19:53

Middlesbrough are to seek clarification regarding the arrangements for the rescheduling of Saturday’s abandoned game against the Blues at Portman Road. Soon after the match was brought to an early close by referee Dean Whitestone, Town announced that there would be no refunds but those with matchday tickets will be able to purchase seats for the rerun at 50% the usual price, as per Football League regulations.

Middlesbrough chief operating officer Neil Bausor said: “The tremendous support our travelling fans give us is one of the factors behind the team's excellent away form this season.

“The club, the manager and the players all very much appreciate the fantastic backing they give us and the considerable sacrifices they make in terms of their time and their hard-earned money in order to do so.

“We also share their disappointment at the game being abandoned at an early stage after they had made such a long journey to be at Ipswich on Saturday.

“We recognise there are very strong feelings from our own fans and also Ipswich Town supporters about this issue.

“We're aware of the initial communication from Ipswich regarding pricing arrangements for the rescheduled game. However, we're seeking clarification of exactly what the final arrangements will be.”


Photo: Action Images



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Campag_Velocet added 20:05 - Feb 12
As I commented last night, there is no such mention of rerruning the game for 50% of the original price in the Football League regulations:

Clegg told TWTD: “We are guided by Football League regulations on these matters"

Is he? Let's have a look. The Football League regulations are here: http://www.football-league.co.uk/regulations/20110629/section-5-fixtures_2293633

And the only area of those guidelines that relates to ticket prices for abandoned games is:

27 Postponements and Abandonments -Procedures for Re-Arrangement and Refunds

27.3 Every Club must have a publicly stated policy regarding ticket refunds or other arrangements for abandoned Matches.

Very, very poor show from the club, trying to pass the buck. So let's have a look at the club's "publicly stated policy regarding ticket refunds or other arrangements for abandoned Matches"

Well, there's nothing in the Match Ticket Terms & Conditions: http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/TermsAndConditionsDetail/0,,10272~1735042,00.html

Nor in the Season Ticket Terms & Conditions: http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/TermsAndConditionsDetail/0,,10272~1024959,00.html

And in the Ground Regulations ( http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/TermsAndConditionsDetail/0,,10272~1024967,00.html ) it says:
5 In the event of the postponement or abandonment of the Match, refunds (if any) will be made in accordance with the Club's Customer Charter. The Club will have no further liability whatsoever, including (but not limited to) any indirect or consequential loss or damage, such as (but not limited to) loss of enjoyment or travel costs.

So a quick look at the club's Customer Charter ( downloadable as a Word document from http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/CustomerService/0,,10272,00.html ) shows.... nothing about refunds in the event of abandoned games. So much for being "guided by Football League regulations on these matters"

Another abysmal cockup by Clegg. And yet another example of the Evans regime only seeing fans as customers up until the point that they have our money.

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legal_blue added 20:05 - Feb 12
Tickets should be 100% free for those who originally attended, plus their travel costs, including for away fans. Anything less and we will look cheap, not to mention mean.
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cooper4england added 20:06 - Feb 12
This is a tough call. Would be a wonderful gesture to say free tickets to all. On the other hand,as a business, ITFC have all the same overheads, paid stewards, hospitality staff, pilicing etc etc and will not recoup any of that money.

Bit of a damned if u do damned if u don't for Clegg.

PS Prepared to be shot down in flames!
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Scuzzer added 20:08 - Feb 12
I think the Trading Standards people should have a look at this.
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xrayspecs added 20:19 - Feb 12
legal blue - free and travel costs covered by the clown?! you are joking, right?

scuzzer - trading standards? Town have made a positive gesture - to cut the price of tickets for the return game. To suggest that this is less than they need to do is frankly wrong. Went to an Aussie Test match a few years ago and saw about an hours play due to rain. No refund.

If you are both for real, then it only goes to show how the entitlement culture in our country is getting out of hand.

Xrs
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TractorMan added 20:29 - Feb 12
Phil - you do really need to add the extra bit of crucial information that Clegg has said the club will announce the final position on this early this week.

Otherwise you will fan the blubbing flames.....
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smellmycheese added 20:37 - Feb 12
Chief Executive with no power to make any of his own decisions.
Please Marcus could we do this?
What a wan.er of a job he's got. Glorious title with no authority to do anything until he speaks with Marcus, which could be a few hours, could be a few days.
Have my own company which turns over a fraction of ITFC but at least with something like this I have the authority to say "f.ck the rules, everybody can attend the next game for nothing" as that's what makes sense.
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dommyboyblue added 20:48 - Feb 12

Guy above makes a good point about test matches, they are not refunded and you just spend the day in the rain and don't get offered f*** all. They do have overheads, may be a £10 a ticket for those who attended (free for under 16s or something). I can understand why they would not want it to be totally free although would be great if they did it, great PR.

Lets just see what he comes back with.
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jas0999 added 20:53 - Feb 12
Clegg and PJ out!
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Superfrans added 20:54 - Feb 12
campag - I think you will.find it is a different.rule. it was quoted by Sitters yesterday.

Smellmycheese - this is a £600,000 decision. of course the owner will participate in the decision. as he should

xray - you are spot.on about entitlement.culture.
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bringonthetractor added 20:54 - Feb 12
Unofrtunately, if you look on the back of a matchday ticket, it clearly states

"The Club offers free or reduced admission to replays of abandoned games to those who had purchased tickets for the original match. If a match is abandoned after spectators are admitted to the ground but before kick off, ticket holders are entitled to free admission to the rearranged match. If a match is abandoned after kick off, spectators are entitled to half price admission to the rearranged match".


Whether you agree with it or not, the Club have a clearly stated policy for such occasions as this.
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MickMillsTash added 21:10 - Feb 12
I went to both the Man City abandoned games in 2000- helped living 1 mile form maine Road apart from the crime. My memory may well be wrong but I think City said that anyone holding a ticket from the first game, got in the next week for free AND THEN reduced ticket prices for everyone else. It was Xmas holidays and the place was packed 18000 first game, 32000 the second- great atmosphere and a good game (we won)- Mark Venus winner?
Suggest Clegg re-arranges for Easter holidays (if possible) and lets follows a similar startegy (£15 an adult - kids for £5 ?) . It is coming round to season ticket renewal time and ITFC really need to gain some good PR.
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Urchin added 21:20 - Feb 12

The soluiton is easy - repay the Middlesbor' supporters in full - refund all children under 12 who will be the supporters of the future. Everyone else buy a season ticket and shut up. You come to see town once in a blue moon and then think you have every right to bitch kick and scream. All those who say they will never set foot in portman road again ... Good. Then give the game back to true supporters I.e. those those go each and every game not just when it cheap. You paid half price - you got half a game. Seems fair to me

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Campag_Velocet added 21:40 - Feb 12
"campag - I think you will.find it is a different.rule. it was quoted by Sitters yesterday."

SitfcB quoted the regulations for League Cup, Johnstones Paint Trophy and Playoff games.
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millerman added 22:38 - Feb 12
I appreciate that the club state on the back of tickets that after the game has started the cost of a replayed game is half price. My issue is that the game should not have started and the decision making process which led to the game starting was seriously flawed. Nothing to do with the generalisation of an entitlement culture just the amateurish way the clubs/referee handled the whole affair.
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JayITFC added 00:56 - Feb 13
Forget the rearranged game at 50% off as it will be a night game - as useful as a chocolate tea pot to many fans. Town should offer minimum 50% refund for any fan (home or away) who bought a ticket since not even 45 minutes were completed. Boro should put on free coaches for any fan stupid enough to buy a ticket for the rearranged fixture.
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50yearsablue added 05:46 - Feb 13
Urchin, succinct in a sea of dross. No need to trawl through reams of regulations to hit the nail on the head!
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Blueman211 added 09:08 - Feb 13
Urchin - I see your point of view as a season ticket holder myself, however that is a very one sided view, as you're missing out one major factor... - what if these 'once in a blue moon' fans, are true Town supporters that can't afford to go every week?
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Urchin added 09:25 - Feb 13
@blueman211 - I'm not made of money either so I had to decide what I had to forego to buy the ticket - its about cutting your cloth and all the old adages. I do however appreciate that there are people who simply cannot afford to go and some people who took their children perhaps for the first time which is exactly why I think under 12's should be refunded. The problem I have is I firmly belive that many of the people on here having a go at the club, clegg etc simply turned up on a whim because it was cheap and not through any long term commitment to ITFC.
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