Continued

However, the Whaddon Road season ticket pricing policy as it currently stands flies directly in the face of those sentiments and serves only to alienate a group of supporters whose backing is going to be critical to Rovers’ future over the next two seasons.

For example, the terrace version of the family season ticket represents a reduction of only one pound for one adult and one child compared with the corresponding price at the Memorial Stadium for season 2007-08. Given the extra travel cost of £92 if the coach was used this means that a supporter with a child who wants a terrace season ticket will be significantly worse off when compared to a single supporter with no family. It should also be noted that the proposed enclosure area for families, unlike the Family Enclosure at the Memorial Stadium, offers no protection against the elements and is a shallower terrace which will make being able to watch the game difficult for many children. It is good that the club have reviewed the terrace tickets to also include the covered end of the ground, but this could prove too noisy for some younger supporters and it will also be difficult for them to see any action at the other end of the stadium.

Even more worrying are the price increases for the large number of family groups who used the Guinness Stand at the Memorial Stadium. Last season the price for an adult and a child to sit in this stand was £350. These tickets were also sold on the (then) understanding that from January the club would be moving to Cheltenham, as originally proposed. We have now been advised that there is no equivalent stand at Whaddon Road (although there was a year ago) and the cheapest seated area will cost £444, a 26.9% increase on last season. Again, if travel costs on the club’s coaches are to be taken into account the actual increase in cost for an adult and a child to sit down is £188 for the season. Incidentally our hosts at Cheltenham Town are able to offer a family season ticket in the same stand for £315.

We are therefore urging the Board of BRFC to look again at the pricing of Family Season Tickets for the coming year.

Trust Chair Gary Marks said: “Bristol Rovers have long prided themselves on being a ‘Family Club’. At a time when the rising cost of household bills has put massive pressures on a family budget the Trust finds it disturbing that many families are being priced out of being able to attend matches at Whaddon Road on a regular basis. We have been contacted by many supporters with young children who will simply be unable to afford these prices. These fans are absolutely vital to the future of the club anyway, but especially so when we will be playing our home games 40 miles away from Bristol and our neighbours south of the river are enjoying major success. Bristol Rovers once lost almost a generation of support due to a ten year exile in Bath. We need to do our best to ensure that that doesn’t happen again during our time in Cheltenham”.