John Ryan: Leeds United ticket prices give the game a bad name
John Ryan
IT was not the result we wanted against Blackpool and Lady Luck does desert one when you are at the bottom of the table.
Okay, we should have picked up Gary Taylor-Fletcher for those first two goals and no doubt Dean Saunders said his piece about that at half time.
However, the normally reliable James Hayter must have been kicking himself after not burying his golden opportunity just before half time.
Martin Woods was then denied by a fluke save on the goal-line when we were really in the ascendancy.
Had either gone in, it could have been a different story against a side that is on a roll, has forgotten what it is like to lose, and at times did play some quality football.
With other results on the night we plummeted to the foot of the table but we have players who can produce results.
We have James Coppinger coming back into full training next week and dying, he tells me, to put on a shirt and get out there if selected.
It certainly is roll your sleeves up time and, starting on Saturday, I want to see every sinew stretched to the full for the cause against a team that is in crisis right now.
Leeds United, as I pen this column, are manager-less and we should take every advantage.
What sickens me for the loyal Rovers fans who travel home and away is the fact that their chairman Ken Bates has made this game category A.
While his loyal fans, for the second successive home game, stage a demonstration on Saturday lunchtime, our fans will be sat at home listening to the commentary, denied by his decision to charge £36 for a ticket.
It is a huge amount of money and if a couple attend then it is £72, plus travel costs and any other expenditure.
It does not matter if we were to moan for England to the Football League, they would be powerless to act and it’s too late right now.
As a club we are forever thinking about ways of bringing in extra support and then something like this occurs - it gives the game a bad name and especially in these times of extreme hardship.
I am sure next week I will be able to come up with an initiative to get added support to cheer us on against the Posh.
That one now is a real must win game - as they all are - and one I categorise as a six-pointer.
Please help us to keep this club in the Championship.
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
RodgerBuckley
Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 11:13 AMSeason ticket prices at DRFC are very reasonable IMHO, and even though I can't attend every home game as I work overseas frequently, I regard the unused ticket as my ongoing contribution to DRFC. So what if JR wants to give free seats away when the Season Ticket holders have already paid? It's aimed at getting people into the ground so they enjoy what they see and hopefully sign up or buy tickets for future games. The price of LUFC tickets was ridiculous, and even if I had been at home I wouldn't have bought one at that price as it would have cost me £72 to take my daughter with me. Putting things into perspective, up until this season, the DRFC ticket prices have been very good value for money. If I had to pay more for the pair of season tickets we have, I would, IF there was a good chance of seeing a TEAM playing football. However, I do feel very strongly that since DS took over the reins, DRFC have been anything but a team. I can't keep up with all the changing names of players coming in and going out, and that to me is more worrying than season ticket prices. John Ryan has put a lot of time and money into DRFC over the years, and the team (when it was a team) has rewarded him with progression from the Conference league up to the Championship. We've had a couple of seasons at this level, but I think the writing is on the wall now, and we'll be in League 1 next season unless something miraculous happens. However, I will still renew the two season tickets we hold because when Rovers play as a team, they are exciting to watch. Crying about having already paid for a season ticket whilst others get a bit of a freebie to try and swell the number of supporters isn't going to help anyone. Positive action will, so why not tell all your mates that they really should be supporting DRFC instead of the Sheffield teams or Leeds or Man Utd etc!! I'll be landing at Manchester Airport next Saturday at 12:30 after a 5000 mile flight, and as long as it gets there on time, I'll be there to see DRFC in action against Peterborough. Genuine supporters do that kind of thing, even if they get cheesed off with the team andor results at times and have a bit of a moan. But imagine how the players (and investors) feel when things go wrong. John Ryan - you have my respect, and good luck in your efforts to keep a team in Doncaster, even though I think DS wasn't a good choice of manager.
shazzan
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:32 AMYep no doubt about it tickets arte expensive. But worse is away fans are hidden away from view. However you are not blameless Ryan. You are the man who lets fans in for nowt for some games but don't give refunds to your supporters who have bought season tickets. What do you say to that then?
oldcomrade
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:16 AMAgree 100%, Leeds ie Bates pricing policy is a disgrace, both for home and away fans. How can away fans afford these prices. Add on the cost of transport, something to eat, progarames etc and it adds up to an expensive day out. then when away fans get inside they are herded into the new away end high up above the tunnel instead of in the corner where they used to be resulting in a complete lack of atmosphere and no banter between opposing supporters. I feel sorry for away fans visitng Elland Road and thats from a Leeds season ticket holder, but thats another arguement.
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