SFA Statement re Ticket Allocation

[Dragonfly Trumpeter 50]

Is the gate money split 50-50 for semi finals? If so that could be the reason he is taking 8012 as he knows to get a higher pay day it will have to be Rangers fans who buy the remaining tickets.

 

It is a 4 x 25% split for the clubs in the semis after the expenses, sfa levy and costs of holding the 2 ties have been deducted

[the gunslinger 3,366]

we also get a fee for holding both.

 

nice wee earner for us.

[Super Cooper 0]

Held more "constructive" talks today. I do wonder what Liewell has agreed to give them.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Super Cooper

[ian1964 10,372]

Dundee United supporters group: "Still time to move cup semi-final"

 

The Arab Trust supporters group have criticised the SFA over their handling of Dundee United's allocation in their Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Rangers.

 

The United supporters group were also critical of the decision to play the tie at Ibrox, and reiterated their desire to see the governing body switch the venue.

 

Steven Hughes of The Arab Trust spoke to STV, outlining his grievances with recent developments, that have seen the SFA and the club at odds over issues surrounding the semi-final.

 

Hughes said: "I think it's turned into a bit of a farce that the SFA, who are meant to be representing their clubs, are coming out and being so vociferous in their criticism of United. Hopefully we can move on from that and look forward to the game itself.

 

"I was hugely surprised. I've seen many statements from the SFA over the years, but none that were so pointed at alleged mistakes by Dundee United.

 

"It doesn't help Scottish football if you have a member club and its parent association having a public fight. Having it behind closed doors is the right way to do it.

 

"I would imagine it's going to rumble on until we get some clarity on where the game is going to be played. It is technically still a home game for Rangers, no matter what anybody says, and I think that's something that they've still got time to look at.

 

"We definitely have that feeling that if there's an opportunity to move the game away from Ibrox, the SFA should consider it and hopefully take that course of action."

 

Hughes also reiterated the reasons why he felt the match should be switched from Ibrox to a neutral venue.

 

He said: "You are in the situation where the Rangers players play in front of their home fans every two weeks. They're going to be in the home dressing room because they were drawn as the home team. They're used to the pitch, they're used to the surroundings, so that's something we'll need to come up against.

 

"We want as many United fans as possible to get to the game, no matter where that may be. There's no doubt that Rangers will sell more tickets than United, but we just want a fair allocation and as many of our fans behind us to hopefully see United getting to the final."

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/268963-dundee-united-supporters-group-still-time-to-move-cup-semi-final/

 

[Scott7 5,105]

Oh boo hoo. Dry your eyes. I'm sick of bleating and screaming kids .

[chilledbear 16]

Dundee United forced into embarrassing climbdown as it emerges SFA got it right over tickets. Full story in tomorrow's Scottish Daily Mail

[barca72 440]

http://sport.stv.tv/football/268963-dundee-united-supporters-group-still-time-to-move-cup-semi-final/

 

 

 

I remember those faces from forty years ago. It's surprising how close they come to Thompson. HeHe.

[bluebear54 0]

Dundee United forced into embarrassing climbdown as it emerges SFA got it right over tickets. Full story in tomorrow's Scottish Daily Mail

 

I'd like to see an embarrassing climb down over some of the nasty comments that came our way.

[barca72 440]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2584841/Dundee-United-forced-Scottish-Cup-semi-final-ticket-row-SFA.html

 

 

Dundee United forced to back down in Scottish Cup semi-final ticket row with SFA

By John Greechan

PUBLISHED: 23:59 GMT, 19 March 2014 | UPDATED: 23:59 GMT, 19 March 2014

 

 

 

Dundee United were forced into an embarrassing climbdown in their Scottish Cup semi-final row – after being confronted with irrefutable evidence over the SFA’s ‘factually inaccurate’ account of a tickets summit.

Chairman Stephen Thompson had laid into the Association over their claim that his club had accepted an initial slice of just over 8,000 for their meeting with Rangers at the ‘neutral venue’ of Ibrox.

In contrast to Tuesday night’s outburst over an ‘awful’ SFA statement that Thompson accused of being ‘economical with the truth’, United confirmed on Wednesday they had since been engaged in ‘constructive discussions’ with the ruling body – and that ‘both parties have agreed to conduct future consideration on this matter in private.’

 

Showdown: Dundee United will play Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter final

 

Sportsmail understands the SFA informed Thompson they could back up their version of events with minutes of the meeting to decide the ticket split for Ibrox – as well as witness statements from Rangers and police, who were in the room alongside United representatives when the decisions were made.

The original SFA statement reported that: ‘The Dundee United official present stated that, in the first instance, the club would not require the additional allocation in the Govan West corner, Front and Rear and, instead, would prefer the Broomloan Road stand, capacity 8,012. He was invited to revert to the club for confirmation but declined.

‘Notwithstanding the present allocation of 8,012 - as requested by the club - Dundee United retain first option on the Govan West corner, and a section of the Front and Rear, an additional 3,051 seats.

‘There remains the opportunity to extend the allocation subject to agreement between the clubs and the relevant police and stewarding advice.’

But Thompson effectively labelled the Association liars, saying on Tuesday: ‘The statement is not factually correct. That’s a pretty serious thing to say but it’s what we believe.

Chunk: Dundee United are hopeful of receiving more than the 11,000 tickets promised for the tie at Ibrox

Unimpressed: Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson is not happy with having to play Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup semi-final

 

‘We are very unhappy as a club with this statement – because it’s not our understanding of what took place at the weekend. It is economical with the truth as to what actually took place.’

The SFA have rejected Thompson’s appeal to have the April 12 game moved to Celtic Park but, with the promise of more tickets to come if they sell the 11,000 on offer, fans are optimistic about their chances of taking over a bigger chunk of Ibrox.

Mark McMahon, secretary of the Federation of Dundee United Supporters Clubs, said: ‘I would call on any United fans to get involved, so we can sell all our tickets and then push for more.

‘I definitely understand how this will be viewed by Rangers fans who have season tickets at Ibrox. I think there is genuine sympathy for them.

‘But the fairest thing is surely to give United the chance to sell half of the tickets – and then return anything they don’t sell.’

 

You'll remember your actions in the summer of 2012. That was fair, eh?

[ian1964 10,372]

Dundee United fans' dilemma as they demand fair share of semi-final tickets but worry over dangers at 'neutral' Ibrox

 

Safety fears and, surprisingly, sympathy for opposition supporters caught up in a row not of their making. We may be weeks away from the Scottish Cup semi-final between Dundee United and Rangers – but the ticket row sparked by the SFA's decision to use Ibrox as a 'neutral venue' is already turning the tie into a steady source of controversy.

 

When United finally do set foot inside the Light Blues' den for their last-four encounter in Scotland's top knock-out competition, how many of their fans will be there backing them?

 

According to Arab Trust chairman Steven Hughes, the final figure may owe as much to security concerns as the eventual allocation afforded the Tannadice side.

 

'Some people say they're definitely going,' said Hughes. 'But other people are nervous from a safety perspective. I actually think one of the biggest risks is fan safety.

 

'Personally, I'm OK going. But I usually go with my eight-year-old nephew and his father is asking if I really want to take him, if it's going to be a safe family environment.

 

'We've worked hard at putting on family buses, things like that, to make sure families can enjoy their day out.

 

'But that will impact the crowd more than anything else. If people don't have the perception that they'll be safe going to the game, that will certainly put some people off.

 

'I would like to hope that the Glasgow police will make sure that the safety of United fans is one of the priorities if the game is still played at Ibrox.

 

'We are going to have to play them eventually. But I would hope, by the time Rangers return to the top flight, the level of vitriol would be reduced. It's going to be a tough one, our first time going back.'

 

There remains a perception among some sections of the Rangers support that United chairman Stephen Thompson was – after meetings with the Arab Trust, the third largest shareholder in the club – instrumental in blocking plans to fast-track them back into the top flight following their financial meltdown two years ago. Hughes told Sportsmail: 'This will be the first time we've played at Ibrox since Rangers went into administration/liquidation.

 

'Having been involved in some of the meetings prior to the club deciding to vote against Rangers, if you want it put it that way, the tone changed massively two years ago.

 

'The level of hatred – and it's a terrible word to use – that Rangers fans have towards Celtic has been known for a long time.

 

'There is also a massive dislike towards Aberdeen. And I would say that United are now very much in that company.

 

'It's the first time we've played them at Ibrox and, although we played them last year, it was completely different, with only a few hundred Rangers fans at Tannadice.

 

'This time we're going back to Ibrox where, depending on ticket sales, there could be upwards of 30,000 Rangers fans.

 

'It's an environment that, having gone there for many years, is never the most pleasant – and I can imagine this will be the most hostile that we've ever faced in our time going there.'

 

Despite the concerns, Hughes says he expects demand to be high for a tie quickly taking on the tone of a grudge match, declaring: 'The comment in the recent SFA statement about the numbers we took to the Raith Rovers and Celtic games is a red herring.

 

'I think the demand to go and see Rangers will be higher given the tension that has existed between the two teams over recent years, notwithstanding that most of the tension has come from the Rangers side. There are definitely a lot of people very keen to go and see the game.'

 

It that only offers proof of the enduring box-office appeal of animosity, there are those among the United fan base willing to see the other side of the argument – acknowledging that, while they may be divided by club loyalties, supporters are bound together by a shared love of the game.

 

'I think most of us feel for Old Firm fans who have season tickets but who just can't get tickets for semi-finals or finals,' said Mark McMahon, secretary of the Federation of Dundee United Supporters Clubs.

 

'That's been the case since Adam was a boy, I know, but it's still tough on guys who pay their money to watch their team every week, yet are often denied a place at the big cup games.

 

'But for the good of sport and football in Scotland, you've got to make a semi-final or final as fair as possible.

 

'This has nothing at all to do with Rangers or the way people might feel about relations between our clubs.

 

'It's just a fact that most non-Old Firm clubs in Scotland feel that a semi-final or final should be played on as level a playing field as possible.

 

'I think the general feeling among Dundee United supporters is that this game should be at a neutral ground. And it probably should have been sorted out in October, because it would have avoided accusations of sour grapes.

 

'I'm not sure why it couldn't have been arranged, way back then, that if Rangers got to a semi-final or final it should be played at Celtic Park, if Celtic got there it should be played at Ibrox – and if it was an Old Firm game they should toss a coin to decide the venue.

 

'But I think the sales will be good for this game. I think, if we had the opportunity, we would take more people through to this semi-final than we have to other semis in the past.

 

'There are definitely a lot of United fans who want to go to this game, to show their colours after the boycotts and such like last year, which was pretty sad for football.

 

'I know that my own club is taking more bookings for buses than for any other semi-final I can remember. And I think there is that chance of fans putting pressure on the SFA by snapping up tickets.

 

'A lot don't like going to Glasgow for games because of various incidents down the years, policing and things like that.

 

'But I think they realise that it would help the club's case if we sold out our allocation quickly.'

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2584829/Dundee-United-fans-dilemma-demand-fair-share-semi-final-tickets-worry-dangers-neutral-Ibrox.html#ixzz2wUG46vjO

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook