WOLVES PIE AND PINT HARD TO SWALLOW

23-01-2007

Wolves fanzine editor Charles Ross has branded his own club's directors “pillocks” for their handling of this Sunday's Black Country derby against Albion.

Molineux regulars who normally sit behind the goal in the Jack Harris stand are being forced to move from their regular seats to accommodate the visitors - but have been offered a pie and a pint as compensation.

Charles Ross, editor of “A Load Of Bull”, says supporters like him understand that for certain big matches like the weekend's FA Cup showdown they might have to move. Cup regulations mean that away supporters get a larger allocation than normal, and the police find them easier to supervise if they are all together in one place.

What doesn't stack up is why Wanderers are forcing some of their most loyal followers to pay over the odds for a switchthey are being forced to make.

There are around 1,000 seats available behind the goal at the other end of the stadium for the normal matchday price of £23 - but that still leaves more than 2,000 Harris stand season-ticket holders who'll need to find space elsewhere in more expensive parts of the ground. They'll have to cough up either £27 or £29 for sitting somewhere they don't want to move to.

“All this is so unnecessary” said Ross. “The Wolves board have behaved liked pillocks. This could all been headed off so easily.”

Ross's solution would have been to allocate the entire lower part of the Steve Bull stand to the disgruntled season-ticket holders at £23 - that would have meant supporters who had switched were at least still paying the same price as usual, and kept the most vocal supporters together in one place. But the club are insisting on charging the full £27 for this section.

“Now they've offered this pie and pint deal to make up for it. But not everyone wants a pie or a pint” said Ross. “And what will happen if they run out?”

“There's also an irony here that the match is kicking off at 12 o' clock on police advice and all the pubs are being shut, but here are Wolves inviting supporters to have a drink on them before heading onto the streets. It doesn't add up.”

It's no wonder that during last Saturday's game against Cardiff, Wolves fans suspended their usual tirade of abuse against the Baggies turned their anger against their own directors.

To the tune of “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life”, they chanted “Always Shit On The Loyal Wanderers Fans." an invitation, the board seem to have been only too happy to accept.

The Stirrer rang the club's Chief Executive Jez Moxey for a comment but we're still waiting for a reply.