All Football Fans
The FA have called for respect in football. Respect referees, respect
competitions by not fielding weakened teams, they''ve used the tag line ''Lose
Respect, Lose the Game''.
As an Everton fan, having seen many Evertonians being forced to pay hundreds
above face value to touts to see their team in the final and stories of more
being conned by fake tickets, seeing such a tag line flash up in Wembley before
the final was laughable, considering the FA had supplied every single one of
these touts with the tickets in the first place. A pitiful 25000 was given to
each club out of 90000, leaving a 40000 supply of tickets potentially available
to touts.
This is not a problem that only affects the top 4 fans, it will affect many fans
in the future. In the last decade 12 teams outside the top four and 4 outside
the top flight appeared in the Carling and FA Cup finals, a total of 20
different teams have appeared in the two major finals, and any club from 60
clubs in England has a chance to get to a major final in the next decade. This
is an issue which affects most fans.
We understand the financial problems with the FA, and we understand the need for
Club Wembley, but what is unexplainable is the 23000 tickets given out to people
who have little interest in the game itself and inevitably via an extortionate
price tag, the tickets go back into the hands of the fans of the clubs playing.
If most of these tickets will be taken up by fans anyway via touts, then surely
the FA should cut out this extortionate middleman and supply the tickets
directly.
The Respect Campaign is calling for a rethink from the FA about a fairer
allocation, a look into who deserves to be counted as the football family, a
greater protection of fans from touts, and a general show of more respect to the
life blood of English football, the fans.
So if you want to support the Respect Campaign, please sign the online petition
part of our campaign.
Thank You For Your Support.
http://www.petitiononline.com/facup71/petition.html
There is also a facebook group just been set up where any updates will be
posted. The campaign will go beyond the online petition and we aim to get the
backing of the clubs who have complained about allocations and have contacted
several newspapers. Any ideas are welcome.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=87769364695