Sunderland AFC has produced a part season ticket which is certain to be a popular present for thousands of Sunderland fans this Christmas.

The final 9 home games of the season are arguably the most attractive sequence of fixtures ever to grace the Stadium of Light - and Sunderland supporters now have the chance to guarantee their seats for them all.

This tremendous sequence of games starts with the visit of high flying Ipswich Town for our traditional New Years' Day fixture, followed by Manchester United, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Charlton for the last home game of the season.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2000

Answers

Or you could be a big club with real fans and sell all 19 games at the start of the season.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

Can't help thinking that our own big club could offload those empty seats in the Milburn by such an expedient.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

Ah, but that would require the Board to be human, and not mechanistic money spinners.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

They've shot their bolt, Dougal. You can't introduce a group of people into an area where the seats cost B#70 a game at B#20 a game where they only have access to the posh bars and loos. The simple fact is that the folks who paid through the nose will quite rightly expect a refund to the tune of the difference. It would actually cost us money to make those seats available at a reduced rate now.

Whether they should have set so many seats aside at that price in the first place is an entirely different matter. The mackems(ptuh!) can't shift their regular price of tickets which isn't a problem at SJP and no matter how they try to dress it up as an exciting offer, it just goes to show that they "can't sell all their tickets!".

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

I disagree, Softie. There are any number of methods you could use - just don't let the new ST holders usre the posh bar facilities, amke their ticket sfor games only. Remember that those seats also include "free" cup tickets, free programmes and various other things - it's not just the grand view you are paying for. Surely the people in the posh seats couldn't object to new ST holders getting cheaper tickets but with no extras. Besides which, the posh seat people must feel stupid as it is - they clearly haven't paid anywhere near what supply and demand would dictate.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

I think you'll find that the bar facilities in the Milburn Middle are a damn sight more than bare concrete, a Geordie Jackpot kiosk and overworked lavatory facilities. We are talking carpets, full range of drinks, MacDonalds-style fast food area, substantial standing room etc. Health and Safety would not allow you to seat fans in that area without access to toilet facilities so they can't be made to sit in that area with some kind of identification symbol (e.g. yellow stars sewn onto their clothing) denying them access.

You could also try roping off the ends of the Milburn and allow make them use an access to the facilities in the Milburn Lower, but again there would be safety concerns about having to queue to get down through the existing fans in the lower stands in an emergency. Since roping off would therefore not be allowed they would have to remove seats to allow stewarding between the "Toffs" and the "Cheapskates" - not a good idea as they would have to place stairs in the sections of removed seats.

Basically they are far happier to have the sections sit empty for the crap visitors, and sell out for the Newton Heath, Arsenal and mackem(ptuh!) games and worry about redesigning or repricing next season.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

I know Freddy Shepherd has said that he WILL reprice them, I guess next season - only prob is, if we have a great season, you'll probably find that loads more corporates will buy the seats .... Are you going tonight, Softie?

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

Youbetcha. Haven't seen us lose a penalty shootout since Blackburn Rovers 2 seasons ago ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

LOL. I have a ticket but have a meeting thsi afternoon that looks like going on til late so, with the train delays etc, I doubt I'll make it. Have fun!

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000