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Again we gave two blocks to the away side but they only needed one.

Willowgull wrote: ↑29 Dec 2018, 21:33 View 1.
I'd be interested to know how your meeting with Andrew Candy went today?

Was good to meet Andrew, seems like a very nice and geniune man who has Torquay United best interests at heart. It is quite clear however that he isn't in charge of the seating policy at the club, and the stewards hadn't given him the message to contact me as had been stated would happen.

I was called last night by someone at the club and asked to put in an email the issues that occurred and did so that evening, without response as of yet (I do appreciate they've had a busy day!).

We paid to go into the family stand as that's where my son wants to sit from now on so can't give an opinion on how things went in the main stand but with a smaller crowd I'm assuming it was easier for people to find alternative seating if there were problems (which was clear people still were encountering from our vantage point).

View1 wrote: ↑29 Dec 2018, 22:32 [highlight=yellow]Was good to meet Andrew, seems like a very nice and geniune man who has Torquay United best interests at heart.[/highlight] It is quite clear however that he isn't in charge of the seating policy at the club, and the stewards hadn't given him the message to contact me as had been stated would happen.

I was called last night by someone at the club and asked to put in an email the issues that occurred and did so that evening, without response as of yet (I do appreciate they've had a busy day!).

We paid to go into the family stand as that's where my son wants to sit from now on so can't give an opinion on how things went in the main stand but with a smaller crowd I'm assuming it was easier for people to find alternative seating if there were problems (which was clear people still were encountering from our vantage point).

He defo is View1.
Glad to hear you were accomadated easier/better in the family stand too for today's game.
Up the Gulls.

It seems like it was a bigger cock up than ever today. People being given sheets of paper with a barcode on - print being so faint than you couldn't read it.

And to top it all the turnstile operators scanners failing and long queues building up outside.

As I forecast this system would slow things down and it seems that I was proved right after all - what a complete shambles.

Brucie how do you know - you weren't there!

It was NOT a cock up. I was advised at the turnstile that I should sit where my ticket said. There were also signs stating that if I didn't sit in my allocated seat I may be asked to move. I am looking at my ticket now and as well as the barcode it clearly states the Block identifier and seat number (in actual fact it has the seat number and block identifier on it TWICE).

It is true that the barcode scanning does slow down progress through the turnstiles. However, there appeared to be no undue congestion at kick-off although a batch of around 50 were still looking for their seats as the teams lined up and several people had to be directed by stewards to the correct part of the stand.

I think the lesson for everyone is that if you are expecting a big crowd - get there early!

Can someone explain why 2 blocks of seating are allocated to clubs bringing less than 100 supporters to the game. It seems excessive when the club is struggling to get everybody seated before the game starts. I was sat in my allocated seat in Bristow's on Saturday, 5 mins before kick off a steward, with 16 on her vest, was stood at the top of the stairs telling all new arrivals to sit where ever they liked. So much for the new policy.

grockle wrote: ↑30 Dec 2018, 05:03 Can someone explain why 2 blocks of seating are allocated to clubs bringing less than 100 supporters to the game. It seems excessive when the club is struggling to get everybody seated before the game starts. I was sat in my allocated seat in Bristow's on Saturday, 5 mins before kick off a steward, with 16 on her vest, was stood at the top of the stairs telling all new arrivals to sit where ever they liked. So much for the new policy.

Seemed to me it worked fine
People arriving early were told to sit where it said on their ticket.
Then with 5 mins to go and no queue outside and with plenty of seats available the policy was updated to get people sat down as quick as possible so as to cause as little disturbance as possible to other supporters.

Although a popsider, there was never this trouble in the great days. With a smaller ground (it seems now anyway) and with regular 10,000 attendances (sometimes 13000+) there was never the difficulties we seem to be having with 3000!

wivelgull wrote: ↑30 Dec 2018, 11:14 Although a popsider, there was never this trouble in the great days. With a smaller ground (it seems now anyway) and with regular 10,000 attendances (sometimes 13000+) there was never the difficulties we seem to be having with 3000!

Wivel, You have a short memory or rose tinted spectacles. I worked all through that period on the stiles and I can assure you that things could be just as bad.

The only saving grace in those days was that entry was segregated so the operators didn't have to think much about what the price was. Now you might get a family with say, grandpa, mum and dad, four children, one of whom is a student, two of whom are under 18 and one is under seven. You have to check that the student card is valid and not out of date, assess the ages of the under 18's and under 7 and then work out what that lot costs!

As reported on the other forum there were large queues building up outside because the scanners used by the turnstile operators wouldn't work and noone could get.

Perhaps the person who posted this was lying then? or more likely it might have been resolved (or indeed not happened) when you were in the queue.

Given that I have witnessed this sort of shambles when trying to get in before I have no reason to doubt it did occur yesterday.

wivelgull wrote: ↑30 Dec 2018, 11:14 Although a popsider, there was never this trouble in the great days. With a smaller ground (it seems now anyway) and with regular 10,000 attendances (sometimes 13000+) there was never the difficulties we seem to be having with 3000!

Please join us in the year 2018 ASAP - Before it becomes 2019......

wivelgull wrote: ↑30 Dec 2018, 11:14 Although a popsider, there was never this trouble in the great days. With a smaller ground (it seems now anyway) and with regular 10,000 attendances (sometimes 13000+) there was never the difficulties we seem to be having with 3000!

That was because Annie or Cedric would go round before the gates opened with little reserved stickers to put on the back of the seats - then remove them after the game!

Sat in the Bench yesterday, yes I found the voucher hard to understand.
When you have a large stand with only two turnstiles, you are going to have delays. Especially with cash only.
The obvious solution seems to be to use one of the adjacent two Family stand turnstiles as a third way in.
Or have another turnstile next to away end ?
The other point for me, being all the way down by the away section, it took an age to get out. Didn't bother me, because I had a robust discussion with the Gloucester photographer over the disallowed goal, as I waited. Just would of been easier to walk out by the away end.
And lastly, lots of stewards in the Pop side and empty away end. Not a single one in between their vocal supporters and us.
The only thing separating us was the steps. They were no real trouble, but only takes a word or two. Just didn't seem the best idea.

brucie wrote: ↑30 Dec 2018, 11:43 As reported on the other forum there were large queues building up outside because the scanners used by the turnstile operators wouldn't work and noone could get.

Perhaps the person who posted this was lying then? or more likely it might have been resolved (or indeed not happened) when you were in the queue.

Given that I have witnessed this sort of shambles when trying to get in before I have no reason to doubt it did occur yesterday.

There weren't large queues on the pop side, my scanner worked fine and, although busy, we coped easily.

Seemed a lot better yesterday. If reserved seating is going to be the norm it will take a few weeks to get used to. The scanners will be fixed or upgraded. This WILL eradicate the issue view1 had originally (although it won't control the thugs who was unpleasant to them) then we can all sit together happily supporting the mighty gulls!