Open season on loyal fans

BOTTOM of the league and already on their second manager, Watford seasonticket holders will head to Vicarage Road on Sunday — and woe betide them if they don’t. Watford’s most loyal supporters have been informed they must advise the club if they are planning to miss a match — and could be denied their seat in future if they do not. This is part of a campaign called Keep It Full, supposedly an attempt to ensure the ground is at capacity on match days, with maximum support for the home team, by reselling any season tickets that are not going to be used. It seems more like a tawdry moneymaking scheme, given that the profits from these resales will not go to the ticket owners — the fans — but will be used by the Watford Community Trust, a charity for which the club gets kudos and credit. Watford wish to sell a commodity, yet still keep it. They want the advanced money that season-ticket holders generate, but not the choices they are then free to make. Many clubs operate resale schemes but most are happy to provide incentives to the seller and few issue threats. Watford also say they will monitor attendance and a supporter who is not regular at Vicarage Road — and does not participate in the Keep It Full scheme — may not be able to secure a season ticket in future. That seems reasonable. Watford do not want seasonticket holders who are only interested in five big games each season. The rest of it seems a hammer to crack a nut. The thought of a supporter falling ill, or having employment circumstances change and then getting the heavy-handed approach from his club is repellent. Once Watford have sold the season ticket, it is the choice of the supporter to attend. He has paid his money, he has given his backing, upfront and in advance. Yet, increasingly, clubs do not respect this loyalty. Away tickets are capped at £30 but Norwich have introduced an away membership for those wishing to travel, with an additional charge of £50. So those who always go away are actually paying £32.63, those making it to half the games £35, and those who take in five matches pay £40, which is the price fans complained about in the first place. Chelsea charge a booking fee of £2 per seat, even if all the tickets purchased are sent to the same address. Now Watford say even your season ticket is not your own. Of all the people whose loyalty is questioned, it shouldn’t be the fans.