Elderly Sunderland fans decry ticketing woes and poor communication | OneFootball

Concerns over Sunderland’s ticketing have deepened after elderly supporters described losing seats and struggling to get help. Their accounts centre on failed payments, seat moves and poor communication.

According to Sunderland Echo, fan group RAWA recently criticised the club for poor engagement and for not pausing the renewal deadline amid problems. The Echo has asked Sunderland for comment.

The most detailed case involves 89-year-old season-ticket holder Pat Watt and her daughter Alison Berry, 67. They say they set up a direct debit in early April, yet days later their long-held seats were resold for a reported payment failure, even though payments were not due until May, and they only discovered it by chance.

Alternative seats were found but were said to be unsuitable given serious mobility issues, then Mrs Watt was moved to a dry seat seven rows from her daughter. The pair say they paid a £20 move fee, Ms Berry’s ticket is about £200 a year more, and the original seats appeared unused.

Another family, led by supporter Karen Jacques, raised similar concerns about her mother, Sylvia Pickard, 90 in June. Having moved into the Black Cats Bar five years ago for comfort, they say the switch to 76 Yards and price rises from £790 to around £2,300 have left them unable to return to general admission.

Emails led to an administrator saying the only option was to give up the corporate ticket and join the waiting list. They also point to an over-85s policy granting a free season ticket after more than three years, but say corporate prices cannot be reduced. Mrs Pickard is paying more than £2,000 and fears losing her place.

Supporters across hospitality and general admission, including the Jimmy Montgomery Suite, corporate boxes and 76 Yards, report direct debit failures, seat allocation errors and difficulties moving seats during renewal. New cases continue to emerge, with the impact felt widely as the club navigates life back in the Premier League.

Source: Sunderland Echo