The Don in Sheffield Star

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/season-ticket-ban-for-toddler-freddie-1-4749227

Article about the toddler being refused a season ticket as someone posted on here...
Don Rowing is actually quoted as saying "To have young children where balls are flying about, its not safe"

Its pretty much exactly what the parody Don twitter account said!! Wouldnt have thought the Star have fallen for it so looks like a case of life imitating art.

Its a joke of a comment in my opinion. Image if the general secretary of a Man U or a Chelsea had said that, theyd be the laughing stock of the nation!

 

'The Don' being made to look a clown - never!

 

Do they have to see who the ST tickets are for? Could you just change his date of birth on the application form to five and walk in with the forms and ask for 2 adults and a Juvenile ST?

A bit of extra paper and a photocopier can work wonders on a birth certificate.

 

******* hell ******* fire.

Beyond parody.

“There has to be a cut-off point.”

I think we've reached it Don - you should just quietly leave and let someone with a clue do the job.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

i am with the don on this one...... unders 5's arn't capable of sitting quietly at Oakwell.............. there is never any noise at oakwell these days and noisy kids might wake the rest of us!!

hth

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

My eldest lad went to his first game at 3 1/2. Had a season ticket since 4 years old and at no point had any problems with him. Always watched the game, and fully into it from the start.

His brother went to his first game last season, and season ticket purchased this season. He isn't 5 until late December!

Anyway if it's the fact that under 5's can sit quietly, more reason to get them into the ground. The other 8'000 home fans over that age don't make any!!!!

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

Why it's not left to the childs parents to decide if (a) they are old enough to watch and not be a pain in the arse to other fans and (b) assess their own attitude to the risk of getting clouted by a football I don't know.

BFC seem to go out of their way to be obstinate and contrary. Policies and procedure are what it's all about.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

Exactly, all down to common sense.

Before game my lad used to like going down to see Toby Tyke. I wouldn't let him go down whilst players were warming up & belting the ball about. Same when selected out seat, we are in the Ponty but safe enough out of the way (or should be) of stray shots.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

BFC should be doing everything possible to gain interest for future fans ie. children.

I'm not sure whether this is BFC being stupid or simply teh modern day (Health & Safety) gone crazy?

Either way, BFC should get young Freddie Dale involved on a match day and reverse this bad/negative image we have allowed to slip into the local press.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

My youngster's 2 and a half - she loves playing football (much to Mum's horror, ne'er mind like) I wouldn't take her anywhere near Oakwell cos she's the attention span of a goldfish at present, but another year or so and I was thinking of taking her to a League cup game or something with smaller crowd etc - Should they 'actively discourage' me from doing so then that's me done.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

People have every right to be against it. Some children just aren't interested in it and it's simply down to the parent that they are going.

Thankfully both my kids have loved it from the start. Off the back of it the club gets a full kit for both from me, other clothing items, they've got 2 bookings for mascot this year.

I know for a fact if either of my kids weren't allowed into Oakwell when they did start to go, they'd now be following Fev Rovers with the grandad and have no interest in football.

What I can't understand how the office staff saw the birth certificate and passport for my 4 year old and no questions asked.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

You got him a ST for this season ?

Has Rowing had the electrodes on again and decided on a whim 'no kids' ?

That's a point an'all - have we ever had under 5's as mascots ? Out on the actual pitch with actual footballers kicking actual balls about ?

They're awesome down there, really are.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

Club's run by penpushers - this is what you get.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

Yes he's got a season ticket for this season, even paid the £30 or whatever it is. No questions asked when they looked at age on the form OR checked documents.

For the mascot, they don't allow under 5's. We tried to get the game 2 days before his birthday but they would not allow it.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

Wanna gu steady, the crew will be round confiscating it shortly.

 

Why do the makeshift nets have to be in front of the crowd? Back to back in the centre of the pitch makes more sense to me any stray shots knocks out someone half expecting it.

Wont break empty seats either which has happened last few seasons.

Come on Don, do the reight think and reverse this decision, you could ask the parents to sign a waiver for if kid gets hit no claim.

 

Re: ******* hell ******* fire.

I could possibly empathise with the club if they were saying misbehaving toddlers ruin the experience of other fans, but to say it's "health and safety" due to flying balls is ludicrous.

If thats the case, the club shouldnt let OAPs in either. There are some real old timers who go down Oakwell that must be 80 plus, a flying ball would do much more harm to them than a 3 year old.

Plus I thought we were supposed to have a "Family Stand" in the East Upper Tier where the chances of getting hit by a ball are very, very slim???

 

I dont think that this is just peculiar to BFC. Someone on here put on a link to Arsenal also discouraging this age group. If you checked you may find that many clubs have similar policies. In my experience and I have had plenty, most kids do not sit quietly and watch the match and can be quite troublesome to those sat in front of them. The rule makers have to draw a line in the sand somewhere as with most things in life.

PS. I am glad I sit on the back row!

 

So a 4 year old being hit by a ball is bad, a 5 year old not so bad!

They don't even have to get the parent to sign anything, other than having it as part of the season ticket terms and conditions, that you could be ht by stray balls.