As anyone who has read my previous posts on this topic, you can imagine my general disappointment that what we had feared regarding what was suggested over the past few months by City Matters has been brought in.
There is so much scaremongering regarding the dreaded "points whore" that I really think those that think it's as rampant as reported are the ones who are quite far out of touch with the regular away support at City.
The point has been hammered by me and others previously on this thread and the previous thread we've had on the topic - the only time points become an issue is when people believe they should get tickets for Old Trafford or Anfield or a more desirable cup game.
Points is not an issue when we've got *insert the many games that went to general sale last season*.
In the most successful season City have had in our 125 year history, we struggled to sell out plenty of away games. We have what 45,000 season ticket holders? And we're generally populated in a certain region. I get it that Newcastle away midweek might be difficult for you - hey I couldn't get that one off work either - but the image of 1,000's clamouring to be in City away ends but being kept out due to some fat cats who buy tickets purely to sell them on Facebook has been exaggerated in your head.
Sure, I guarantee that there will be someone out there on 26k points who has done the hard graft a few years ago but now is buying tickets so his mate from the local can go. And I'm sure there has been someone who looks at Burnley away thinking "I can get a ticket for that, but I'm away that weekend... oh well I'll get one and sell it so I get the points", but these people are few and far between. And on that second example, and bringing myself into this - I may not get any points for tickets now, but I know I'll get a Bournemouth away ticket - if someone I know wants one I can still buy it and pass it on, yeah there may be a risk of a collection but he can borrow my I.D. if he wants, afterall, it's a picture of me as an 18 year old and I'm 31 now.
An issue for me, and seemingly a lot of others, is that our group, those with the points seem to be the ones that are only guilty of doing any wrong when the vast majority of us are that hardcore that were in half empty away ends before the cash rolled in.
Supporters Clubs for years - and I know because I used to run one - will oversubscribe the interest for a game. Norwich away for example in September. 20 members wants to go. So the Supporters Club will tell the club they've got 28 members who want to go, if they get more than 20 they will be able to shift it somewhere. These 20 members can be anyone. I've had it in the past where "Liam, my cousin for Canada is coming over, could you apply for a ticket on a member who isn't goings ticket?" this person hadn't even watched a game of football before but they got a ticket for a game that sold out in the 13/14 season.
The internal tickets too - of course you're probably gonna get Gabriel Jesus' entourage in the away end at Stamford Bridge, but Bournemouth last season and Wigan in the FA Cup the year before (both games that sold out before general sale - on high points for the case of Bournemouth) I was stood on a row with about 20 empty seats around me, with Aguero's Dad and son stood behind me.
You've seen it plenty of times on here where someone with points will say "well I got to this point because I was doing Watford away midweek" and someone without points will respond "well it's not that easy with work and other commitments" or words to that effect. So now that no points are being given do you think that changes anything? Points shouldn't be a reason to go - I get that - but working your way up the system and staying on top is a driving factor with going, you cannot escape that fact.
I'm in a position of being first day of sale with the majority of away tickets and this system does not change that for me. I could not bother all season and next year I'm still at the top of the tree, so really I should be laughing at those who think this is a good idea because their chances of getting a ticket for Old Trafford have increased by a few %, but it is completely unfair on all those who have known and adhered to a system which the club has had in place for close to 20 years. Those "whores" aren't gonna start going now, but they may still buy a ticket because their mates all know they have points. If you have a season ticket and you're on holiday for a home game, you'll pass it to someone you know who hasn't got a ticket so they can have a day out, wouldn't you? Why would it be any different for away games?
And I've barely even mentioned ticket collections.
