I didn't think I could make it, but I'm now able to come up for the West Ham game.

The problem is, I need a ticket.

What are the chances of me getting one over the phone?

All depends on whether you can get through to them. I tried ringing them on all week because to check if they'd recieved my postal application but I got nothing but the answer phone.

What I find is if you ring the main number, instead of pressing the number for the ticket office, press the number for the admin office, and ask them to put you through.

I am convinced the answerphone is on permanently if you try to get straight through.

Cheers Chip, I'll try my luck on the phone and if I have no luck I'll be on here begging again.

It won't be a sell out. You'll get a ticket easy.

bit of a queue at the ticket office this morning

I went in about 10.30 and only 3 people in....I asked how ticket sales were going and was told very slowly.........I think it will be nowhere near a sell out.....

Jesus wept.

Do the farking maths.

Crewe under 3500.

Stoke 4500? home fans.

Northampton 3800ish.

Therefore even allowing for those with two stubs, we will not sell any more than about 4000, before they go on general sale.

Its just a major balls up by the club. Stark raving bonkers thinking.

I am in full concurrance.

Leaving the general sale till Thursday is stupid. You think they'd have learned after the Tranmere Play-off.

The club had a duty to look after its loyal fans, but the longwinded way they have gone about it beggers belief. All they had to do was sell to season ticket holders first, then those with 2 of 3 stubs for two days. Then one stub for a few days then a free for all.

How hard can it be?

Now we are left with 2 days to sell out a game, live on the tv that will be an embarrassment to the club with loads of empty spaces. Lets hope for all our sakes that those two days sell out.

They could have sold tickets for people with 3 stubs at the same time as season ticket holders seeing as there was no chance of the game selling out at this point. People with 2 stubs could have gone on Thursday and Friday last week. One stub today and general sale tomorrow.

I went in about midday. The only person queueing was some old bloke who was kicking off because they weren't on general sale yet but he said he'll be back Thursday. I can imagine a lot of people won't bother waiting till Thursday.

In hindsight, I think we may have cocked this up and I reckon we could only see a gate of 6500 which is piss poor.

I have 3 stubs and intend to buy a ticket tomorrow. As I only need 2 stubs tomorrow I'll have one spare, so if anybody else has 1 spare that they can get to me today then I can get you one tomorrow.

Does that make sense?

Or give me the 3rd stub tonight at Footie and I'll go down Wednesday with the rest of the one stubbers as I'm off. Will probably be easier than trying to scrape around for another stub.

The other problem with leaving the general sale of tickets until shortly before the game is that those people that are buying at that time are usually fair weather supporters and if the weather forecast for Saturday is bad (and it is January) they'll think "sod standing in the rain/cold/snow, I'll watch it on the telly" whereas if they had been made to buy their ticket a week or so earlier they would have felt compelled to go.
Having bought a ticket they would have been included in the attendance figures and Pools would have got their money wether they went or not.

Now on sale tomorrow.

http://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/page/ ... 02,00.html