The big news in December, and what we are all now looking forward to, is the visit of Arsenal for the 3rd of the FA Cup in a few days time. However, this should not distract our attentions from our continuing struggles on and off the pitch. However, to be brutally honest, I think it is pointless. I think there is about a 1% chance that anything can be done by the fans. It is out of our hands.
Off the pitch, these struggles included yet another ticket sale fiasco. You'd think that after all the big games of recent years they would have got it right by now. So, in the spirit of helpfulness, I have my own proposition for ticket allocation.
The next home game after the announcement of the Big Match would be a voucher game. Each fan through the gate would receive a voucher, except for season ticket holders. On this occasion, both home games before the Big Game were called off due to weather. However, in this instance, it would then just move on to the General Public. Perhaps even make the home game before the draw a voucher match, that way true fans would get the vouchers.
| Group | Tickets | |
| 1 | Season Ticket | 4 |
| 2 | Supporters' Club | 2 |
| 3 | Voucher holders | 1 |
| 4 | Sponsors | 4 |
| 5 | General Public | 4 |
My main point is that Supporters' Club members and Season Ticket Holders support the club spiritually and financially all the year and as such should be rewarded for their loyalty. I certainly did not agree with the wholesale selling of Supporters' Club membership before the tickets went on sale, particularly since these people then got tickets at the expense of longstanding members who mailed in ticket requests. There were several long-standing Supporters' Club members who mailed in ticket requests before tickets went on sale who then did not receive tickets.
However, the moment that summed up this shambles for me was when I was chatting to my brother the day before I bought my tickets. He lives in Burnley and is good friends with a neighbour who was offered a ticket for the Carlisle v Arsenal match.... THE DAY AFTER THE DRAW!!!!! This can probably only mean one thing. A CUFC club sponsor knew they would get tickets and so was handing them out. I would love to know which sponsor it was so that I could embarrass them severely. If they are going to give away tickets, they should do so to those employees who are fans. The main gripe we are having is over people who never go to a match, do not support CUFC in any way and end up going when true fans (however infrequent a visitor to BP) do not get tickets.
And finally, as I write this issue, the news has come out, via the Media Mafia, that the sale is completed. Again. Personally, I am so tired of misleading headlines and stories from them that I will not believe it until I see a new owner actually at Brunton Park.
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