The key point here is not entry by phone v entry by plastic card, it is entry via new technology v entry via a bar code scan. Switching from plastic card scanning to mobile phone scanning would not be an issue (apart from them without a mobile phone!).
The Everton match was the perfect opportunity to test out the new technology. There was a restricted crowd of less that 40% of capacity, there were instruction to arrive early to enable security checks to be made. Had it worked, we could look forward to it working with a full capacity.
The problem is that the system fell on its arse and there was chaos everywhere. The card readers at the turnstiles were not working in far too many cases. Is there any indication that this will be different?
The other question is why the rush to implement an untried technology? It is nothing to do with the minimal costs that would be saved by not issuing a plastic card. They could have simply let the punters use last years card as other clubs have been doing for years.
I suspect that this is all do do with a crackdown on card sharing dressed up as ‘moving with the times’. Entry via a scanned barcode would permit the codes to be easily transferred From one device to another and back again.
The club have been sold a pup by the IT department and have a flaky system on its hands. Someone will have to back down or there will be chaos at the Norwich match.
