Lack of train services makes day difficult for football fans

Despite a full calendar of matches taking place on Boxing Day, supporters were forced to take trams or buses to games.

Seventeen train operators, including London Midland and Cross Country, offered no service at all, while others put together a limited timetable to appease some football fans and Boxing Day shoppers.

West Bromwich Albion fans welcomed reigning Premier League champions Manchester City to The Hawthorns while Aston Villa travelled to Swansea.

Supporters all over the country took to social media to share their frustration, with Aston Villa fan Nik South saying:"Who cancelled the trains to Swansea? Some of us already paid for travel.

West Bromwich Albion supporters travelling from across the Midlands crammed onto trams running to The Hawthorns, near to the clubs famous ground, but others were still unable to use this service.

Fan Daniel Hickman tweeted: "No trains today so a decent walk and two buses to get to the Hawthorns.

"Could be a long journey home after the game."

Fellow Baggies supporter Alex Biddle wrote: "No trains into Birmingham today, what idiot thought that would be a good idea."

Wolves also faced an away day trip to Watford, in a televised game, prompting below average ticket sales of just under 1,000.

Wolves fan Grant Nicholson tweeted: "Considering our game is on Sky, a later kick off, the day after Christmas and no trains are running, I wasn't expecting us to take loads to Watford."

The lack of train services also became a political talking point, with Labour accusing Conservatives of breaking a pre-election promise by not improving the situation for the travelling public.

When in opposition the Tories accused Labour of not having the 'interest of the travelling public at heart'.

Labour said this shut down showed the Tories' hypocrisy, claiming that four and a half years after taking power, they have done nothing to improve the situation.