JUST THE TICKET, OR FANS' NIGHTMARE?

1 September 2005

It is £27 million worth of all that is great about sport.The New Stadium Swansea has won high praise for what it offers fans and players in the few weeks since it first opened its doors. But it hasn't been without its hiccups, as the Post's Chief reporter CHRIS DAVIES has been finding out.

STORM clouds are gathering over Swansea's glitzy new stadium - although there's nothing wrong with what is going on its field.Both the Swans and Ospreys games staged there so far have been huge crowd-pullers.

Thousands have filled its seats at every game. The fear is, though, that even more could have watched the show.For there are claims emerging some fans are being left out in the cold by the stadium's ticketing and entry systems.Stadium bosses say they are happy.

But there are allegations surfacing that ticketing problems are costing thousands of pounds in lost revenue.

Angry football fans are now calling for action after they claim up to 2,000 supporters queued for more than an hour in the rain before kick-off for Monday's win over Barnsley.

They say the majority of them gave up and headed either for the pub or home.

Fans have now called for changes to the system ahead of two big league clashes later this month.

They claim it isn't working as it should. So much, they say, that hundreds, if not thousands, were left outside the ground as Monday's match got underway.

It is the latest row to centre on ticketing.Games last month saw confusion set in when some fans received double their allocation for matches, and others none at all.

That was blamed on teething troubles. Fans insist, however, they are not going away.

"It's crazy,'' said Swans supporter Peter Reynolds, aged 36, of Gendros.

"I was outside queuing for a ticket on Monday. I gave up after an hour. I just couldn't be bothered to wait.

''Some fans have suggested as many as 2,000 were left out in the cold.

StadCo, the stadium management company, today dismissed the claims, labelling them "totally inaccurate.''

A spokesman added: "A small number of people turned up five to 10 minutes before kick-off expecting to get in immediately, and were late to their seats by a maximum of 30 minutes totally due to their late arrival."

Fans disagree, and are calling for action from StadCo.

Phil Sumbler, webmaster for the unofficial Swans site Jackarmy.net, said some fans waited more than an hour to get in to the ground.

He said: "There were a lot of people talking about it, the queue was along the length of the stadium. I thought if I was turning up now I wouldn't bother."

Mr Sumbler said the failure of StadCo to open the ticket office on Sunday, ahead of Monday's game with Barnsley, added to the problems, especially given Swansea's big 5-2 win against Walsall on the weekend.

He said: "Opening on Sunday would have avoided a lot of the problems. It is the nature of football, one good result on Saturday will make them turn up at the next game."

Mr Sumbler said the lack of turnstile entry at the ground, where you could just hand over your cash and walk in, was also causing delays.

He said: "Turnstiles is supposed to be something that they are considering. But this is something that has got to be done now rather than Christmas or a month's time.

"If they are turning people away these people don't come back. Once fans go it is very difficult to get them back.

"Every person that doesn't go in the ground is worth £15, that's £30,000 if 2,000 turn away."

The StadCo spokeswoman said: "Everyone was in their seats by 3.30pm. Management have no knowledge of anyone being turned away, and there was no loss of revenue to the Stadium Management Company or the Swans.

"Some initial issues with the ticketing have occurred as the system bedded in, but the Stadium is working hard to deal with these and they are being resolved.

"As has always been the case with Swans games, fans are advised through the club website and in match programmes to purchase their tickets early. This kind of advice to fans is common in football.

"Most fans understand this and are happy to accept the advice. A minority of fans continue to ignore the advice and are turning up on match days close to kick-off expecting to be able to buy tickets and get in on time. That is unreasonable especially given the increasing interest in football at the stadium because of the Swans' success and the attraction of the stadium as a venue.

"The advice to them is the same as the advice to everyone else, buy a ticket in advance.''

Mr Sumbler, however, said: "People have pointed out the problems since day one. The next two matches are going to be the biggest of the season against Bristol City and Nottingham Forest.

"Fans will be thinking, if I can't get in to see Barnsley, how are we going to get in for them?

"What we are seeing is certainly not progress, it is the worst I've seen it.

"Something has to be done."

There are also worries future gateside troubles could lead to a tougher police stance.

There have already been 16 arrests at Swans home games in and around the stadium. It is not known if any were linked to entry problems.

Police are warning they will not tolerate troublemakers, who could find themselves banned from future games.

Swans fan Jenna Lewis, aged 21, a civil servant living in Courtney Street, Manselton adds: "I love the game and my team."The ground itself is fantastic.

"But after the problems I had on Monday when I arrived at 1.30 in the afternoon and still wasn't inside the ground at kick-off, I am not sure when I will be back.''