Mother of disabled Child told to pay for seasoncard

[Malty]

It's disgusting.

She's there to look after her son. I hope the club reconsider and look after disabled supporters - we don't want to get a reputation of treating them badly.

 

[bowieboots]

Im a wheelchair supporter and have a helper. I used to go to Maine Road when I was able to use crutches (my disability has got progresively worse). Didn't even know at the time that free helpers were available but at the time would have been to proud to ask. I wasn't sure about the accessibility of the stadium untill my friend had been to a game. I asked him to find out about it. My first game at Eastlands was Spurs in the League Cup (We lost). I loved how well I was treated, the facilities, and just the overall feeling that I had. I since have become a season ticket holder, been to Wembley 4 times, and had possibly one of the best occasions in my life when we won the league last season. Up untill today I didn't know that under 14s were not allowed in without a supervising adult. At the ground, either side of me are youngsters with a parent/supervising adult. Not sure if they are over 14 or not but if they arn't would hate to think that having to pay for the carer may stop them going next season. I am unable to work and choose to go to watch a team I love instead of other things I could spend my money on. I can see the pros of not allowing children of a certain age in without an adult. Kind of think 14 is a bit high for someone who needs a carer to get charged. Pretty sure at 4, going to a football match wasn't top of my list, It was more like making sure I watched scoobie doo. However at 10 or 11 my choice would have been to go the game

 

[MCFC BOB]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

This is a non-story and the club are right on this in my opinion. Why should a 4-yr old with problems be treated any differently to a healthy 4-yr old? Both need someone with them and the parent or whoever takes them should pay. As has been said, the father already goes so basically she wants three tickets for the price of one.

I'm pretty sure that if a disabled adult goes and genuinely needs a carer then they will be accomodated by the club. The Disabled Supporters Association doesn't seem to be getting wound up about this and I would assume they were consulted.

How can this ever be right.

I won't be renewing my season ticket this year. The way the treated Mancini. and that message in the program is more about keeping the fans onside than any genuine thanks to Roberto. PR nightmare, no they just don't care what the fans think. It's money now..That all.

Lol.

 

[TGR]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

This is a non-story and the club are right on this in my opinion. Why should a 4-yr old with problems be treated any differently to a healthy 4-yr old? Both need someone with them and the parent or whoever takes them should pay. As has been said, the father already goes so basically she wants three tickets for the price of one.

I'm pretty sure that if a disabled adult goes and genuinely needs a carer then they will be accomodated by the club. The Disabled Supporters Association doesn't seem to be getting wound up about this and I would assume they were consulted.

How can this ever be right.

I won't be renewing my season ticket this year. The way the treated Mancini. and that message in the program is more about keeping the fans onside than any genuine thanks to Roberto. PR nightmare, no they just don't care what the fans think. It's money now..That all.

Lol.

Not everyone is controlled by the 'thought police' at the club.

 

[buzzer1]

So am I reading this right Zaba5 , are you saying Mark from the Manchester City Disabled Supporters Association called you " a liar and a scrounger". ?

Bwahahah pissin' me sides here pal, well done.

 

[Matty]

Having read all the learned comment that have been posted throughout the day I thought I would use the right to reply.

I, as have others, raised a complaint regarding the change to the Disabled Supporters career's subsidised /free tickets associated with under 14's. This was only apparent when you either phoned to renew your season ticket or read page 6 of the Faq's. on finding this out I went to twitter to see if anyone else affected knew of the change. Not one supporter had been made aware prior to them contacting Mcfc for a renewal. With any social media site this gained momentum , I emailed city , the MCDSA and level playing field to ascertain the grounds for change and to see what involvement the MCDSA had had. Mcfc were aware of my discussions with the media and I was upfront as to who had been in contact. Following the discussions with MCFC small headway was made. I was then able to speak to LPF and the MCDSA and found out that the story I had been told was slightly different to the sides of the advisors.
I also contacted other big clubs to see if this was going to be standard practice and it isn't .

On Saturday I spoke with Mark from the MCDSA who advised of their stance , believed there were no grounds to argue the debate but had made suggestions to MCFC on how to approach the change- some of these suggestions were also made by LPF. AT NO POINT was I asked if I was in contact with the press , I was just told its the weekend so no progress could be made until next week.

On Saturday I sent a further email to the club , discussing the issues raised and also mentioning possible suggestions to help eradicate abuse of the system which is very apparent and the route of some of the change being made.

Due to discussions I had had on Friday , various media outlets contacted me for a story and I decided , naively , to talk to the MEN. The article published today is poorly written,lacks facts and is purposely pointed to provoke this kind of reaction to deflect from the point in question . This was - why have the club handled such a change in an inept manner when it affects many vulnerable people. Yes an under 14 year old has to be accompanied by an adult but a disabled child needs care from someone that is medically trained to handle any eventuality , he couldn't just attend with any adult/ teenager. More often than not they need one 2 one care .
It's not about having to pay for a ticket , it is about consulting fans , talking to people and working together - not implementing such a change in a very underhand way.

Today I received a very 'interesting' call from Mark - the voice of the minority calling me a liar and a scrounger.
People who know me - some allege to do so in previous comments - know that I fight vehemently for something I strongly believe in not just because of Callum but for other friends and relatives that have disabilities and sometimes they feel they do not have a voice.

To reiterate this is not about cost but about the way it affects the vulnerable and not one affected fan was consulted , just a member of a committee that can't even advise how many people this does affect - obviously knows his members well .


If you want to understand the people I am trying to help then read earlier comments by the FBLOKE .

The one point I'll agree with you on is that the club should have made it clear, in advance, that this change was being implimented. It's unfortunate, and pretty poorly organised, for you to only become aware of this additional cost at the point you try and renew your sons ticket.

Where I disagree is in most of your other points. As has already been discussed an under 14 year old, whether they be able bodies or disabled, is not allowed to attend a game without adult supervision. That's simply an undeniable fact. For an able bodied under 14 year old that means a parent or guardian must attend with them and, quite rightly, that parent/guardian has to pay for their own ticket. When the udner 14 year old is disabled they too will need to have a parent/guardian in attendance, not because they are disabled, but because they are under 14. Whilst it is also true that the disabled child will likely need a parent/guardian that has a degree of training/medical knowledge to cater for the potential for issues to arise I fail to see why that means the parent/guardian should not have to pay to be there.

If the fact that a parent/guardian has to pay for a ticket means that the child can no longer attend, due to financial restrictions, then that is indeed unfortunate. However, it is also in line with the rest of society. If the parent of an able bodied under 14 year old can't afford to pay for a childs ticket and one for themselves then that child too can't go to the match. It's the unfortunate side affect of modern football, costs have risen dramatically over recent seasons, and some have been priced out of the game. The argument that football tickets are too expensive is a sound one, and one many will agree with you on, the argument that some should get in for free simply because they can't afford to pay isn't one which will find much support here.

As for your personal circumstances, and yes I'm aware you say you are doing this "for the good of the majority", if you are truly unable to pay for your own ticket then I'm afraid the solution is clear, your son doesn't get to attend, not because he is disabled but because football is too expensive. Or your son's dad moves from his current location and acts as the parent/guardian/carer for his son instead of yourself, as he is already paying for a season ticket anyway so there will be no additional cost.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

Ok so The MUEN have duped me once again....

It seems Carers are still allowed free entry to care for the Disabled supporter.

No I don`t think they have mate.
I am registerd disabled,but I have to have the Top Rate of Disability Income and confirm this to the Club.

Forgot to ask. How did your last triathlon go?

 

[oakiecokie]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

Ok so The MUEN have duped me once again....

It seems Carers are still allowed free entry to care for the Disabled supporter.

No I don`t think they have mate.
I am registerd disabled,but I have to have the Top Rate of Disability Income and confirm this to the Club.

Forgot to ask. How did your last triathlon go?

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.Theres DWP spooks who work on here.

 

[akcity]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

If the child didn't have a heart problem I take it that at the age of 4 his mum would just let him go on his own?

This isn't the point, there are Adults out there who are 44 who have a carer who are now charged.... Who won't be going, replaced by some Korean JCL.

there is another issue in this specific case - I believe the dad is a ST holder, so maybe he could move his ST to sit with his son?

Correct but its easier for some on here to go with the knee jerk reaction! Plus it doesn't make headlines in the paper.

"Make the father sit with his son, no need for the mother to go, no need for the extra money", what a disgrace! FFS!

Perhaps I am being cynical here, but, given that the father doesn't want to sit with his son, by having the mother go, isn't that a way of manipulating a free ticket?

The father should be ashamed of himself and sit with his son.

 

[johnbmcr]

Re: Carers of disabled fans told to pay for ticket to watch City

How can this ever be right.

I won't be renewing my season ticket this year. The way the treated Mancini. and that message in the program is more about keeping the fans onside than any genuine thanks to Roberto. PR nightmare, no they just don't care what the fans think. It's money now..That all.

Lol.

Not everyone is controlled by the 'thought police' at the club.

that's what we want you to think