'My mam cried, broken-hearted': elderly Sunderland fans hit out at ticketing and poor communication | OneFootball

Concerns over Sunderland’s ticketing policy have deepened as elderly supporters describe lost seats, failed payments and poor communication.

According to Sunderland Echo, the latest accounts follow two seasons of complaints, with fan group Red and White Army criticising a lack of engagement and the refusal to pause the renewal deadline.

In one case, 89-year-old Pat Watt and her daughter Alison Berry, 67, say they set up a direct debit on 4 April last year for their usual seats, only to learn the club resold them on 14 April after claiming the payment had failed, despite debits not being due until May. They say no warning arrived beyond an email confirming the plan, and their bank showed no mandate, so the problem was discovered by chance.

Replacement seats were found but described as unsuitable given Mrs Watt’s severe mobility issues after multiple fractures, a titanium rod from knee to hip and two knee replacements. They were first offered seats exposed to the weather and mid row, then moved seven rows apart, and say they paid a £20 move fee while one seat is about £200 a year more expensive. They also say the original seats have appeared unused all season and that replies from the ticket office and AskSAFC have been sporadic.

Berry said going public was a last resort because the family love the club, adding her mother was heartbroken at the prospect of missing matches after 77 years of support.

Another case involves Karen Jacques, whose mother Sylvia Pickard, 90 in June, moved to the Black Cats Bar five years ago for comfort. After the shift to 76 Yards, prices rose from £790 to about £2,300 this season and are set to increase again, yet the family say they have been unable to return to general admission. Emails to David Bruce drew a reply from an administrator saying the only option was to give up the corporate seat and join the waiting list.

They also point to an over-85s policy granting a free season ticket after three years, which does not apply to corporate areas, leaving Pickard paying £2,000-plus when she might otherwise qualify. The accounts feed into wider reports of direct debit failures, seat allocation errors and renewal difficulties across the Jimmy Montgomery Suite, corporate boxes, 76 Yards and general admission.

Source: Sunderland Echo