Furious Wolves fans told today of their anger over a police ban on them travelling to Cardiff under their own steam for the club’s crunch FA Cup tie.
The supporters – including many who live near Cardiff – were told yesterday they could only buy tickets for the fifth round tie a week on Saturday if they travel on organised club coaches leaving from Molineux.
Season ticket holder Claire Elliot, aged 40, a nurse from Cwmbran, South Wales, is boycotting the game rather than travel 110 miles to Wolverhampton just to get a coach all the way back.
Mrs Elliot attends every home and away game with husband Greg and twin sons Guy and Todd, both aged 14, and said it was a “ludicrous” way to treat fans.
She said: “I’ve been told that if we want to attend the match, we’ll have to drive all the way to Wolverhampton, get on a coach back to Cardiff which passes my house on the way, watch the game, then get back on the coach and drive back to Wolverhampton before driving back to Cwmbran – it’s ludicrous.
“There are a lot of Wolves fans who live a long way from Molineux and we’ve been totally ignored and neglected. There are lots of us in South Wales and we think it’s crazy.
“I see every home and away game and have had a season ticket for 23 years, but I am going to boycott the game and complain to the FA over this.”
Fellow fan Kevin Jones, aged 51, from Llanedeyrn, South Wales, said: “I’ve had a season ticket for 10 years and have been travelling to every game since 1990 – I think it’s absolutely disgusting. I just think there’s no respect for the fans these days.”
Fan Jane Bryson, aged 61, of Kinver, said: “If any other group of society was singled out for this treatment there would be universal outcry at such discrimination and questions asked in Parliament.”
The decision by South Wales Police to bar Wolves fans from travelling to Cardiff in their own cars or by bus or train follows a history of trouble between the two sides.
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey told the Express & Star yesterday that the club had done “everything possible” to try and get South Wales police to change their minds, including submitting supportive letters from the FA and West Midlands Police.
20 Comments
Sorry guys, but the phrase i am looking for is “what goes around, comes around”.
When Cardiff fans were banned from attending certain away games including Wolves, it was obvious that they would take any opportunity to give you a slap back.
I must point out that i do not in anyway agree with it, from my point of view you are being punished for the behaviour of their own fans. they cannot trust their own fans so the only way of policing it is to herd the away fans around like sheep.
Oh and how much have you got to pay for the priviledge???
I think they have forgotten this is meant to be an entertainment industry!!!
Just another example of football being dictated to by outside forces, in this case the police, in other cases it would be Sky or the BBC.
Isn’t this against you rights, you have the right to go where you want and if you want to drive to cardiff thats your descision. I guess the only way round it would be to buy a coach ticket bt make your own way there. never thought i would say it but i agree with the wolves fans on this.
P.s i hate cardiff for once io hope you win (i think)
Have just been reading on ‘icwales’ about this - go to ‘welsh news’, its on page 3. Didn’t realize they would have any news to report on in Wales, but anyway……..
Some welsh police chief has been explaining the reasons behind the decision. It seems it is because of ‘building work in the vicinity of the stadium’ and something to do with ‘construction work in the M4 corridor’. What????????????
Now we know what Mr Moxey means by ‘weak rationale’. Unbelievable.
I am disappointed with the whole thing. I was looking forward to going down there and meeting a friend for a drink like I did last season. I have recently informed my friend and they cannot get their head around the decision and is very disappointed they wont see me.
Common sense doesn’t seem to exist these days! Only people that can make this game are people that can make it to Wolverhampton! Surely the this is a restriction of movement which is against my human rights and EU law! I feel sorry for the people in London and Wales its stupid.
Yes they are getting us back, but they are better off banning us all than spoiling a day for some people that way everyone is disappointed! Some families might want to make a weekend away or visit friend and family in the area.
In my case, I’m being discriminated against 2 fold.
Firstly, I’m English not Welsh,though my Dad came from Newport.
Secondly, I’m disabled.
To get to home games, I have to catch the train from Tunbridge Wells to Wolverhampton, which is a task in itself. For a city thats staging the Olympics in 2012,the disabled facilities on the London Underground are underwhelming.Then I’d have to catch the coach from Wolverhampton to Cardiff?It would be the same for the return journey.To spend 16 hours approximatly of the day travelling on public transport, even with painkillers, is beyond my capabilities.
For a city’s police force, that handles International Rugby/Football matches & staged umpteen FA Cup/League Cup & play off games, it’s PATHETIC!
2 - you dont get your match ticket till you are on the coach!
Infact you dont get a coach ticket till the day of the game! You have to collected on the day from ticket office. It all one big military operation
5 - kent wolf - I’ve a feeling you might find disabled fans are exempt from all this. Definitely worth checking out…..you could go on the train straight from Paddington I think.
4 - merridale wolf - an interesting point about EU law which ought to be checked out. It is possible that the european court would deem the whole operation to be contrary to EU law. Jez needs to get the lawyers in!
There’s one simple solution that I think more than a few Wolves fans will follow - buy a ticket in the Cardiff end. That’ll stop there being any trouble, won’t it Mr Plod?
No.5 - Ive just Seen on the Wolves site that it says “Disabled fans will be exempt” so maybe not all bad news
At least you are not banned!
Discriminated against/EU lawyers dont make me laugh.
What goes around comes around and I think Moxey has a cheek to challenge the opinion of Cardiff SAG.
Who does he think he is God?
7 & 9:-
Thanks for the info,just off to check it out.
I see Tesco’s are sponsoring the boogies trip to Barnsley,how long before they do the same for home games?
C’mon me Babbies!
10 Protex Blue:
You’ll be telling us next there is no tooth fairy or Santa!
This is ludacris! we had a mini bus sorted and everything. All we need to do is go down there an show thm up,pitch and off pitch that will sort it. Wolves forever!
Kent 11 - why the cheap shot ??
You regularly post on here about loving midlands football but always try to post a “clever” jibe at anything the albion do.
I for one would LOVE to see sponsored home travel - it will never happen of course, but our sponsored away travel is a fantastic jesture… why try to knock something good ??
TIT FOR TAT I BELIEVE!!
Happy_baggie:
See the posting I left on the West Brom page.
It’s called BANTER!
Same kind of thing happened to me when Wolves got to po final. I lived in Nowich and the club made it pretty much impossible for fans not living in the W Midlands to get tickets. They were happy to sell me a ticket for Grimsby away in midweek some weeks before. I’ve never forgiven Moxey for the way I was treated.Real fans always suffer.
I went to the Cardiff away game earlier in the season and there was building going on outside the ground and on the M4 leavinng only one road to get to the away end at Ninian Park.
Last time they let the wolves fans and cardiff fans mix together outside the ground so why be so tight this time, why not just make a barrier between wolves and cardiff fans???
It’s all to do with building work on a hotel by the ground….. ring any bells?
13 - show them up off pitch? Nice one - thats exactly why you are banned you braindead idiot.