The DERRY

[Deeranged]

Hi Deeranged

I know this is a problem that has been discussed many times and I just wonder how it is possible to have PATG turnstile for the Main stand and not one for the SE. I've been caught up in the double queuing system and it can add quite a bit of time to getting in to the ground. It's off putting when the queue is right across the top of the open space at the entrance to the Bobby Cox and it's a disincentive when the club makes great efforts to promote PATG attendances. You get people who are collecting tickets that they bought online mixed in with those who are PATG fans. This might not have been such an issue when the club was desperately trying to keep the SE from being closed by the authorities and the club was looking for increased ST numbers. That increase in numbers hasn't happened and it looks to me as though the best thing to do is to try to revive PATG. It's likely that we are going to pick up our game after after the January window and I'd like to see some attempt made to revive the SE attendances. to me that looks like adding a PATG turnstile for the SE and leave the club shop for the bobby cox and all those who bought on line. surerly it would be possible to organise the available tickets for the SE to be made available at one SE turnstile. Every person would have a ticket and a seat and comply with the licence.

I suppose the point is if the club can make it work for the Main stand why can't the same system apply for the SE? It is a pain double queuing, and it might be possible to discuss things with the authorities to make this point.

Obviously I don't have the answers BC, I only know what I've seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears, unfortunately I've banged my head against enough walls but there are some posters on here that simply won't believe me. I've no reason to disbelieve anything I've seen or heard and from what I know I would highly doubt the police and licensing authority would ever sanction the return of a cash turnstile at the SE.

I queued for a ticket at the club shop for an additional juvenile I was taking along to the recent St. Johnstone debacle and have to say that some of what you're saying is not correct.

Firstly there was one clearly marked separate desk with its own queue for pre paid ticket collection and there were two for on the day 'PATG' purchases. I joined the PATG queue outside the shop and made a point of timing myself from joining it to leaving the shop, it was just over 2 minutes. Is 2 minutes really that much? I was certainly pleasantly surprised at how quick and efficient it was after reading how much people are complaining about it and how it's reducing our attendances. People going to the pre paid collection point basically went in, picked up tickets and left without any kind of queue. I'd expect that when that desk is free they would sell to the PATG queue from there too.

Secondly the restriction on the SE isn't that you have to have a ticket for a designated seat but that the ticket has to be bought in advance of the game and presented at the turnstile to gain admission. The only places the club can currently facilitate this are online and the club shop. The idea of handing cash over at the turnstile is a non starter whether being issued a ticket for a designated seat or not.

I personally don't know why the club can't provide a printable ticket by email or download that can be presented at the turnstile when you buy online. Surely this would address part of the issue at the SE, at least for those that can buy in advance online? Having said that some people would find fault with that system somehow or other. Another alternative is to construct a second office at the gates at the bottom of the old stairway. Wouldn't need much - a secure entry, laptop, ticket printer and couple of volunteers to man it. Probably wouldn't take too much to convert some of the old turnstiles for this purpose. Make it the only place you can get SE PATG tickets but obviously would still require the dreaded second queue and therefore some would still whinge.