Fans Comment
David Booth

Unlike Arnie - I won't be back!
29 October 2004

Goodison Park: Empty seats in lockout fiasco cause justifiable rage amongst die-hard fans

I wonder how many of the lucky ones who got into Goodison Park for the Preston match are aware of the farcical situation that took place outside: 2,000 fans locked out and the gates get shut, while there were 7,000 empty seats inside...

This is the last nail in my own personal football coffin.  At 49 years old, I am not prepared to be treated so contemptuously and have vowed never to go again unless something is done to persuade me otherwise — and that doesn't mean the insincere PR brush-off I received by e.mail yesterday from the Club's ‘customer relations’ department.

How interesting to find the word ‘customer’ being both used and abused at the same time.  We are not customers: customers have rights... customers have respect... customers are valued.  When was the last time Everton ever made you tick any of those boxes?

I have supported (what an undervalued word that is, but how true in this context), Everton for almost 40 years and even sponsored the match ball on three separate occasions.  As a consequence, I deserved their support on Wednesday night — instead of receiving the usual 'tough shit mate... better luck next time' attitude so blatantly evident.

Rank & file fans are at last beginning to realise that, despite all the propaganda that is so regularly trotted out, they have no real value when situations like this arise.

I had travelled from Yorkshire to attend the game.  Others who were locked out had come much further, from Milton Keynes, the North East, and South Wales.

I won't be back and I am sure increasing numbers will join me in the future.

Here is a copy of the e.mail and letter I sent to Bill Kenwright when I got home (at midnight), on Wednesday:

Four hours ago, having driven for more than two hours and queued for half an hour, I was one of many hundreds — possibly thousands — of supporters who had the gates closed on us prior to kick off.

Despite being disappointed, I initially resigned myself to the fact that the ground was full and others had beaten me to it.  However, on moving to the main entrance, I joined a group of approximately 100 similarly frustrated Evertonians desperately trying to find a way to get in (I’m sure you know the scenario...).

Mobile phone conversations were taking place all around, but all became rather hushed when one caller informed us all that there were huge blocks of empty seats inside.  This was subsequently confirmed by others close by, who had had the same news from their ‘correspondents’ in all areas of the ground.

At this point, the mood changed and supporters began demanding to know why they could not be permitted to fill them.  I rang the main Everton number to ask if someone would clarify the position and was unable to speak to anyone who was able to give me an explanation.  In the end, I was asked to ring the safety officer tomorrow morning!

Having had a long drive home to contemplate, I want you to know how highly dissatisfied I am.  That feeling has been compounded by the official attendance figure of just under 33,922 — almost 7,000 below capacity.  We travelled a long way to get to tonight’s fixture... myself, my daughter and her boyfriend all left work early to get home, changed and off to the game.  It was impossible for us to arrive any earlier than we did.

But apart from the fact that we were not allowed in, the thing that really perplexed me was that no-one from the club would come and explain why.  Not surprisingly, this angered a few of the more excitable Evertonians and this was further exacerbated by the contemptuous, couldn’t-care-less attitude of the personnel on the main door.

To make matters worse, the Police then decided to become somewhat over-zealous and the result was even more agitation among those, like myself, who felt very shabbily treated.  I don’t think I am unjustified in believing we should all have been shown at least a modicum of respect.

I am 49.  I have been following Everton since 1971, when my first season ticket cost £6 3s.  I have been the matchball sponsor three times and despite all manner of spins and scrapes I have NEVER missed any game I have attended.

In short, I’ve served my Everton apprenticeship, as have most of the others who were left shivering in the rain outside.

I wasted approximately eight hours of my time and travelled 240 miles tonight — only to learn I and my companions couldn’t have any of the 7,000 empty seats.

I deserved better. Can give me a good reason to ever come back - as I have absolutely no intention of ever doing so again?

I have not yet received a reply from Bill Kenwright, but did receive a piece of propaganda from the aforementioned ‘customer relations’ department.  In amongst all the metaphorical hand-wringing, it contained the following paragraph:

‘We made the additional five per cent reduction because experience has taught us that when we have unreserved seating there can be problems with family groups attempting to find blocks of seats and with supporters trying to avoid using seats which have obstructed views.’

Please excuse me for stating the obvious, but would not the deletion of a further 2,000 seats make the ‘problems’ much worse?

One minute it’s an FA ruling, the next it’s something to do with the local authority and, if all else fails, it’s a Club decision to avoid families having to crane their necks around a pillar or two.

Someone wake me up. I must be dreaming.

Better stick to watching the reserves in future. It’s clearly going to be safer - and I’ll be able to get in!

David  Booth