Hi,

I am just borrowing my brothers account while waiting for mine to be acitivated.

I have been watching Salford from around 6 years old ('96 - 2007) - I had to stop due to work commitments and having 2 jobs i could never guarantee when I could go so couldn't justify buying a season ticket and have been going when and where I can.

This year I was so excited to be able to get a season ticket and go to the majority of the games! - My partner isn't a rugby fan, but has fancied coming to the games - but wasn't too keen on paying £20+ for a game he wasn't sure if he was going to enjoy etc. My season ticket is for the west stand.

So when I saw this offer on wowcher I snapped it up - bought one late last night. I was slightly concerned about whether the tickets would be limited to a certain part of the ground. When they had the promotion on through groupon last year they were in the west stand and I'd bought four for myself and friends from work - and being late at night I was unable to check with the club. The Wowcher didn't stipulate that the ticket was for any particular part of the stadium - or that it would even be limited to seating/standing etc - so I trusted my instict with the hope that both Salford and Wowcher wouldn't be daft enough not to advise this and that you could choose a seat if requested.

I buy the voucher and today call the club from 9am - 11am - no answer?? So i think that maybe no one will be there till 12 due to late kick off? So I decide to have a drive down.

Get there today - first off, the receptionist didn't even know what to with the voucher?!?!... I should have walked out at that point to save my blood pressure to be fair.

She then tells me that she had been there since 9 - I must have been dialling the wrong number - i show her my call history on my phone... noo I wasn't actually. She just wasn't answering.

She then finds out what to do with this voucher for this 'massive promotion' and I tell her that i, along with my 2 brothers (season ticket holders) sit in the west stand, and obviously with buying the 1 ticket - I would expect that I can choose a seat in the west stand - no no no ... Salford City Stadium use common sense? How dare I make presumptions...

Apparantly the tickets are for south and east stand only - not a problem! - If it was advised before hand. I just wouldn't have bought one if I knew, Who did they expect to buy these tickets? From my point of view the majority of the people buying them are going to be existing fans hoping to bring a friend along??

So after a point blank refusal to move the ticket to the west stand - I offer to pay the difference between the full price tickets. The receptionist may has well just blurted out 'computer says no'... because that the was only response I got. 'The system won't let me - I can't physically do it'

Now - I may be slightly spoilt in how I think a stadium should be run. I work in the executive team at Manchester United. Last season - we had 3 fans travel from Sweden with hospitality tickets. They turn up and it turns out they bought fakes from ebay. Manchester united still got them a seat in the ground - their attitude was that those 3 fans are going to go back to where they came from knowing that they had had the best time possible - in the scheme of things what they had given away was nothing in what they will earn if the fans decide to come again and buy drinks etc. And promotion by word of mouth can be invaluble...

Secondly - I also work for a massive private medical insurance company. Last season one of my colleagues was GIVEN 30 FREE hospitality tickets for a Salford game to take people from work... We all know these tickets are not gold dust, and they have set fine examples of that by throwing them at people for free.

In my eyes - I am a member of the club given that I am a season ticket holder - I pay £10 for a promotional off and even offer to pay additional for the difference for the ticket I wanted - and it is an impossible request. - Simply put, the computer just said no...

The manager I dealt with didn't even turn her body to look at me - 'Can't be done - just can't do it...'

As much as we would all like to think so - there is no chance that the west stand would be full tonight - when the offer finished I think there only a total of 42 tickets purchased!!

I am so angry with the stadium management team I am in the mind that I am now going to hand in my season ticket. I know in the scheme of things its a small issue - but the fact that there was no common sense or even an attempt to solve my problem just killed it for me. They even suggested that i get a south stand ticket and just 'ask the steward nicely' to let my partner in the west stand? O so now I should ask security to compromise their job role??

So many tickets are given away each game - both hospitality and general admission - the loyal season ticket fans always lose out big time and don't thought of any better by the looks of things...

Something needs to be done - Salford have now lost a prospective season ticket holder along with potentially losing an existing one... I try so hard to get friends and family to come to a game, I won't be doing anymore for the fear of being totally embarrased!!

I am so dissapointed -

Do you know if the receptionist you mention, was an employee of the club or the stadium? It's irrelevant to you as the customer I know but it could explain why it's a big problem that needs sorting ASAP.

Stadium - I did call someone from the club shop who was trying their best to sit on the fence about the whole thing but on the whole was in agreement with me.

I have also posted this in the other thread about the wowcher offer

Thought so. The club have a new owner and Chief Exec and fans are still having similar problems with ticketing. Fans with stadium issues need to bombard John Whiitaker at Peel with these complaints because somebody he employs to oversee their stake in SCS isn't doing their job and obviously filing complaints in the waste paper basket.

The offer is for "standard entry" of the ground, should be £20 but half price. It's £22 to get into the west stand. It was patently obvious to me that the tickets would be for the South or East stand. I have bought 3, went to the stadium at 2.30 this aft, went to reception, she printed the tickets, job done. Incidentally, I'm bringing 2 new fans tonight. Swings and roundabouts eh?

Well the offer last year on group was 2 for £20 - i bought 4 tickets and all were in the west stand.

the whole point is that no solution to my problem was offered. I offered to pay the additional to upgrade and no way that was not possible.

If this was an offer to see a top football team, or even a top super league team - people would be happy to fight for the tickets. Whilst begging for mroe long-trm fans in order to sustain the club, they can't be making such small requests so impossible all because a computer system won't allow a transaction.

I have now received a call from the club to say I can upgrade for a fiver... If they would have at least show some initiative, found out that information and offered me that I - just like you, would probably be going to the game tonight. Funniest thing is that I actually offered to do that in the first place. I couldn't have 1 person sat in the south stand - and then 3 of us in the west stand?!?!

It was the whole tough luck attitude that did not rub well with me! Like I said - we all know that free tickets for all games are given out left right and centre - yet my minute issue of moving one seat was impossible.

sorry that should have said ** groupon

Standard entry is £20? That's odd! For the first game, against Wigan, I was quoted £20 for the South Stand and £23 for the West Stand and I chose the West Stand. Since then, I have always gone in the South Stand and have always been charged £22. I don't think there is a way into the ground for £20, except for discounts.

As for the ticketing problem of redflagrising, I think you need to be very wary of this type of 'offer'. The West Stand will probably have a lot of season ticket holders who won't be happy if their seat is given away to a friend of the person in the next seat. This has caused problems with away fans trying to sit wherever they want in the East Stand before now. However, your point about the receptionist who couldn't be bothered to a) answer the phone and b) establish eye contact with you is serious. The first is what they are paid for and damn well should do! The second is mere politeness, costs nothing and should be expected from someone representing an organisation, whether that be the club (in which case, absolutely unforgiveable) or the stadium management company (in which case the club have a problem which needs addressing). As you point out, a professional organisation would take a hit on the price of a ticket or two in the hope of building future goodwill. Ours is not a professional organisation yet (the microphone farce tonight made me cringe!) but I hope it will be soon.

South stand is £20 online, incl booking fee. That's for printing off your ticket at home. I've done this a few times this season, including this evenings match

The problem is when you have an issue with anything regarding seating, car parking tickets ect, when you contact the stadium the first person you speak to is the receptionist then you are put through to some one else, you explain your problem you put the phone down and hear naff all. The best way forward for SCR and the good Dr is employ our own staff to deal with our problems (the fans) and let them know how we feel and not the stadium staff filing the complaints in the bin. I have complained about the way I was treated when I had a disabled friend with me; guess what still waiting for a reply. Yes I no we don’t own the stadium but the Dr Still needs to find out why fans are not coming to games. And I’m with you on this one Red Flag Rising.

I also used this offer, as a lapsed fan it was my first visit since we left the willows. whilst you may have had some issues with the receptionist that were unfortunate, I can't help but feel its partly your own fault.
I knew I wanted to stand, so also needed to check where the tickets were for, and guess what? that information was clearly available on the wowcher page under additional information before you had to commit to purchasing. it stated clearly that the vouchers could be used only for the east and south stand
ok, things could be better, but lets not use this as another nail to hammer the club with when its not really their fault that you wanted something they weren't offering and didn't check before buying.

We are not having a go at the club (SCR) we are complaining about the way the stadium/G4S staff treat supporters from young and old, they look at you as if we don’t have a right to ask questions if we have a problem, BECAUSE they are always right and there is no compromise that is all we are saying.

As an away fan my thoughts on a first matchday at the new stadium

Got to the stadium 3.40 To watch the U20s

Went to pick up tickets from the office , no one there so had to wait till someone showed up , no help or directions offered to where to enter the stadium or the layout of the stadium .

Got a pint ( flat as a fart and half an inch short) in the 'fans' bar and set off to walk round to the east stand where tickets were for (as an aside to the bar issue how if a pint is 3.30 can they justify charging 1.80 for a half ?????? )

Found, no turn styles open , collared a random steward who itold me I couldn't get in and was unaware that their was a curtain raiser game on , by now it was 5 mins to kick off time.

Got back round to the west stand t find a single entrance open and a long queue of folks trying to get in ...pretty shambolic organization all round

On the plus side talked to a few sound Reds Fans and on the stadium front I have to say that both the young lass on the main car park gate and her hoppo on the north car park were extremely welcoming and helpful

But if you read RFR's post you'll see that she even asked for a ticket transfer to the west stand to which they said it can't be done? As I can't understand as the west stand had around 4000+ empty seats? She was later phoned by a member of staff at our club and told she could transfer to the west stand i dont know how they got the stadium management to change their minds as it was virtually impossible beforehand. But by then she was put off going and her and her Boyfriend didn't bother Attending after all. If this happens regularly with other fans you can see why nobody wants to go to the stadium to watch games, complete incompetence if you ask me.

My wife got a two for one offer on the ladies day promotion.
It said on these that they were for East Stand.
Got in East Stand and walked round to West Stand.
I know this will change in future as they will eventually stop people waliking round and sitting wherever they want if we ever get bigger crowds
It is the stadium management team and G4S who cause the problems and not SCRLFC.
As soon as the good Doctor gets ownership of the stadium then I hope this will change.

BTW
If G4S do try to stop you just ignore them, they are a waste of time jobsworths who are stealing a wage any way