BedfordSaint

Customerservices@saintsfc.co.uk

I can understand them caring about it to a certain degree, but the fact they've chosen to improve it further instead of rewarding their own supporters is downright insulting.

Sorry, managed to miss out the last bit! I can advise that the Away Supporters initiative was set up for Clubs to use to improve the experience offered to visiting fans. This could be used either for our supporters travelling to other Clubs, or supporters visiting us. Currently Southampton Football Club have put money into improving the Away fans concourse areas and are providing supporters with a Family Fun Day as part of the Fulham match day experience. We are still looking into further options for this, when decisions are made they will be announced on our website. We do try to listen to the opinions of fans, particularly surrounding areas that provoke as much debate as away ticketing does, and your comments have been noted and logged. Yeah I'd agree with that, seems to be a few strange examples though such as Norwich where I believe we only requested around 1,200 despite taking around double that on that horrendous March afternoon last season!

Penned an email a week or so ago to the club in an attempt to uncover a bit more about some of the away allocation decisions which have seemed bizarre of late and also the situation with this 'away fans fund'. The response is below. Selecting the appropriate allocation for away tickets is a decision that is not taken lightly for any game, and one into which a lot of thought and consideration are placed. For each game, we assess a number of criteria, many of which are fairly obvious such as the day/date of the fixture, travel time from Southampton, previous attendances at that ground etc. To address the matches that you have outlined below, the allocation options were some distance apart. Given the limited options for segregation at the Away Clubs, we are unable to reserve the option to 'call off' the additional tickets should sales progress fairly well due to the limited number of tickets they have to sell to the home supporters, and their need to adhere to their own advertised sales criteria. For last year's game at Manchester City for example, we were left with several hundred unsold tickets, the cost of which was borne by the Club. Over the course of the season, selecting options which causes a repeat of this can lead to a considerable loss of revenue for us as a business. Using Manchester United as an example, given the speed at which the tickets sold, we do not believe that we would have been able to sell all of the additional tickets on General Sale for this game, an opinion which is supported by the amount of tickets sold when the game reached General Sale in the 2012/13 season. In this instance, we are confident that the correct decision was made as to which allocation was opted for. Contrasting that with the West Bromwich Albion game, and the fact that historically the first away game of the season sells better than other comparable fixtures, we opted for the larger allocation based on the sales figures from last year, again a decision we feel was vindicated by the speed of the sales. We try to be as flexible as possible when it comes to offering and obtaining away allocations, and the decision not to disclose allocation figures reflects that these numbers can change dramatically during the course of a sale for an away game, and would quickly lead to the information offered being outdated and incorrect. Whatever happened to 'initial allocations'?!

Fair enough, sounds like it's next to impossible then. Looks like my first port of call will be their ticket office and some serious pleading!

Was this just after you'd gone through the turnstile or when they inspected it before?

Nail on the head. Obviously happy to pay the difference plus some for the trouble.

Does anyone know of, or is anyone going with an under 16 or over 65 who is using an adult's ticket for any reason? Seems like a strange question but please let me know if so, I'll explain! pb_bpr10@hotmail.com Cheers

I'll take that off your hands. Pb_bpr10@hotmail.com

Four going spare for Chelsea on the build up thread that you started the other day, would imagine they'll be snapped up fairly quickly!

I'd hate to see how you'd react if you ever had an actual problem.

Let me know if this is still available please, pb_bpr10@hotmail.com Cheers

Unfortunately the chap who was doing it for me couldn't get hold of the person with the eligible number at the time, shame the club couldn't have used a bit of common sense though and let you access using any number and then purchase the ticket under the correct number! Looks like I'll be on the search for the next couple of weeks!

If anyone finds themselves with a spare ticket or a pair of tickets I'll happily take them off your hands, missed out with one away as it was linked to an account which had already purchased, not best pleased! Thanks

I parked in an industrial unit the other side of the Harvester from the ground last season, was absolute hell to get out so will probably head for somewhere the other side of Stanley Matthews Way this time, then it's just a walk over the footbridge and hopefully an easier get away afterwards!

Long shot but is there anyone who has a season ticket with 2/3 aways and isn't going to this one who would be willing to help? Would be much appreciated! Cheers

Been to all but one this season and have never seen Saints play at Arsenal, if anyone has one or a pair of ST numbers and is unable to make this game please let me know, would be happy to pay extra for your troubles. Please contact me on pb_bpr10@hotmail.com

I'll definitely take them off you, please email me on pb_bpr10@hotmail.com or phone 07759258475

Email me on pb_bpr10@hotmail.com if this is still available please.

I'd be up for this if anyone has a spare match ticket? Missed out on general sale by a matter of hours.

Would happily take two of those off your hands if they are still available, even just the 1 if you get rid of the others.

Bedford, Bedfordshire. A lot to do with my father's partner's relations living in and around Southampton, used to visit occasionally as a kid and take in a game or two, normally around the festive period. Managed to make a lot more games over the last few years since being of an age to be able to drive, I think my total last year was 20 league games of which 9 were at SMS.

Now sold.

Kingsland North, block £38 row NN £45. Selling on behalf of a mate who can't make the game due to funds and needs to make some money which is the only reason for going above face value. pb_bpr10@hotmail.com if interested.

Searching for a pair of tickets for the Spurs game, I'm based in Bedford so would be happy to pay for ticket + postage or could collect at the West Brom game next week. Please contact me on pb_bpr10@hotmail.com if you can help, thanks in advance. Paul.