Cardiff City news 14/11/01

Wed 14th November 2001 - Bristol unhappy

Bristol City chief executive Colin Sexstone has written to Cardiff City to express his concerns over the handling of ticket sales for the Severnside derby betwen the sides at Ninian Park on Dec 29th.

It would appear that Cardiff City have started to sell the 2000 available tickets directly to Bristol City fans via the booking office at Ninian Park and via online booking services on the net.

Bristol City's official website says that Sexstone has highlighted the following problems.

* City (Bristol) will be unable to offer priority to their 7,500-plus season ticket holders.

* They will be unable to confirm that tickets are not going to supporters banned from the club, especially as one individual can purchase up to six tickets.

* There will be no security for tickets sent through the post.

* Home fans can presumably purchase away tickets if a 'third party' address is given.

* A problem is created for City's Away Travel Service. "Are we to insist on selling coach tickets only to fans who produce a Cardiff ticket?"

Mr Sexstone is quted as saying "I would ask you to reconsider the decision to sell tickets yourselves to Bristol City fans."

cardiffcity.com comment...
It does seem a strange policy for such a high profile game. I would have thought it standard procedure, in the interest of security, for the away club to be allowed to distribute tickets to their own fans. We nearly always have to buy tickets for our "all ticket" away games from Ninian Park and not directly from the away ground.