SeagullSimon
New member
Bristol City were debating today whether to make Saturday's crucial home clash with Brighton all-ticket. The fans seem determined to lend their backing to the Robins' Second Division promotion push and City have already sold 14,500 tickets for the match, even though the capacity in the East End has been cut because of problems caused by spectators in recent games.
Nevertheless, with three days still to go, the match is heading for an 18,300 sell-out, with Brighton fans having snapped up around 2,000 tickets for a match important to their own hopes of securing a play-off spot.
That will represent another bumper pay-day for City, who enjoyed two successive 19,000-plus crowds for the visits of Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth earlier this month.
It led boss Danny Wilson, pictured right, to say: "If we can produce another full house, which I think we can, it will be a major, major bonus. Then it's up to us to produce the goods on the field.
"At this stage of the season the lads need that partisan support and we can hardly have any complaints about the way they have turned up in their numbers already this month."
A final decision will be made tomorrow about whether to make the Seagulls encounter all-ticket but chief executive Colin Sexstone stressed: "The way things are looking, the best advice we can give supporters is to get their tickets as soon as possible because they are going quickly.
"The weather is meant to be good on Friday and people might feel inclined to amble down to Ashton Gate then and get their tickets, by which time it could be too late. Needless to say, it is a massive game with so many possibilities you hardly dare think about it."
City's decision to open just a section of the East End to home supporters comes in the wake of crowd trouble that came to a head during the victory over Plymouth.
The club believe many of the problems were caused by unaccompanied youths, and have ruled there are to be no ticket sales to under-16s for entry to that part of the ground.
Admission to the enclosure, these days known as the Wedlock Stand, will be by ticket only, which must be bought by 5pm on Friday. No East End sales will be made on the day of the game.
Nevertheless, fans of the popular old section of the stadium will be delighted they can continue shouting their support from there, though Sexstone warned: "Fans have to understand that we have to meet police and safety requirements, and as a responsible club we have to take appropriate safety measures.
"What happened against Plymouth was unacceptable, with people climbing on fences and hurling abuse at away fans.
"There were too many unsupervised under-16s without a parent, guardian or friend with them, which is why we've taken the decision not to sell tickets for the East End to that age group.
Nevertheless, with three days still to go, the match is heading for an 18,300 sell-out, with Brighton fans having snapped up around 2,000 tickets for a match important to their own hopes of securing a play-off spot.
That will represent another bumper pay-day for City, who enjoyed two successive 19,000-plus crowds for the visits of Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth earlier this month.
It led boss Danny Wilson, pictured right, to say: "If we can produce another full house, which I think we can, it will be a major, major bonus. Then it's up to us to produce the goods on the field.
"At this stage of the season the lads need that partisan support and we can hardly have any complaints about the way they have turned up in their numbers already this month."
A final decision will be made tomorrow about whether to make the Seagulls encounter all-ticket but chief executive Colin Sexstone stressed: "The way things are looking, the best advice we can give supporters is to get their tickets as soon as possible because they are going quickly.
"The weather is meant to be good on Friday and people might feel inclined to amble down to Ashton Gate then and get their tickets, by which time it could be too late. Needless to say, it is a massive game with so many possibilities you hardly dare think about it."
City's decision to open just a section of the East End to home supporters comes in the wake of crowd trouble that came to a head during the victory over Plymouth.
The club believe many of the problems were caused by unaccompanied youths, and have ruled there are to be no ticket sales to under-16s for entry to that part of the ground.
Admission to the enclosure, these days known as the Wedlock Stand, will be by ticket only, which must be bought by 5pm on Friday. No East End sales will be made on the day of the game.
Nevertheless, fans of the popular old section of the stadium will be delighted they can continue shouting their support from there, though Sexstone warned: "Fans have to understand that we have to meet police and safety requirements, and as a responsible club we have to take appropriate safety measures.
"What happened against Plymouth was unacceptable, with people climbing on fences and hurling abuse at away fans.
"There were too many unsupervised under-16s without a parent, guardian or friend with them, which is why we've taken the decision not to sell tickets for the East End to that age group.
It is hard enough standing up letting alone climbing a fence after a few pints of apples.