Look, the arrangements aren't ideal, but every other permutation that has been put forward isn't ideal either.
Whichever method was used was always going to be unfair to someone wasn't it.
SEASON TICKET HOLDERS - People are saying why should season ticket holders get priority for an AWAY game because they don't all go to away games, but there's a hell of a lot that does,(Poolymad is a perfect example) what about them ?
Besides that, as someone pointed out on another post, a lot of season ticket holders forked out £350+ before we'd even kicked a ball straight after relegation, and I bet not all of them didn't have to make some sacrifices to be able to afford it.

TICKET STUBS - Ok one of the games has already been played , the club did issue a notice around Xmas time telling fans to keep hold of all of their ticket stubs just in case, (I've been collecting our lasses and the step sons as soon as they were inside the Vic since then , by the way).
At least with stubs the fans that are getting tickets have been to at least a couple of games this season, in a free for all there could be people getting tickets who've never been to a single game !

EXILES - I understand and feel heartily sorry for them but as some of them have said, they might have been to 12 to 15 away games this season but how many home games, if you add them up it's probably about the same amount of games in total as the regular home fans who only get to 4 or 5 away games , so why should the exiles get priority over them !

GENERAL SALE FREE FOR ALL - Its a none starter for me, why should someone who never or rarely goes be able to get a ticket ahead of people who go more regularly, simple as that really.

THE DATABASE THING Now here is a one that does get me, they shouldn't need a computer to check a season ticket holder if they produce it at the ticket office, likewise they shouldn't need to check ID of stub holders as they have already bought the ticket from which the stub comes, the whole selling process could then be speeded up.
To me the data base should only come into use (regarding tickets for this game) for general sales and telephone sales.

THE TICKET OFFICE STAFF Do you really think that the 2 lasses (who normally work in there all season) make up the rules, do you really think they decided to make it all ticket at this short notice, do you really think it's their fault that they only have 2 terminals to use, it's NOT their fault , they DO do their best and we really shouldn't take it out on them.

MY OWN SITUATION Not best pleased myself, 1 season ticket, 2 x 2 ticket stubs, 1 x 1 ticket stub, so three trips to the ticket office, two of them probably going to involve a long queue but hey I want to go (all home games, 10 away) , I want the stepson to go (all but 1 home game, 4 away), I want our lass to go (6 home and 3 away but been all over the country with me to watch Pools in the past when no-one else was going), and the other ticket is for my mates lass (don't know her full attendance but I know she goes whenever she can home and away), so I'll just have to go and queue up for my tickets just like everyone else !

If I don't get mine I'll be furious and gutted just like anyone else would be and I'll be over the moon when they're secure in my hand , but either way I'll make the effort to try and get them because thats the way it is !!!

I'm not having a go at anyone in particular here like cos like I said there's always gonna be someone not happy whichever way the tickets were sold and that WILL always be the case, but moaning and twisting on isn't gonna change anything this late on is it ???

Good luck to everyone in their ticket quest, roll on Friday

It's the frustration of not potentially getting a ticket for a potential title-decider, knowing in my case there would deffo be less-deserving individuals at the match!! Let's be honest, if some season ticket holder can't make it for whatever reason, there's bound to be someone uses the voucher who's never been to Pools away in his/her life!!! See my "controversial" thread, I bet I know what your answer would be as well, Dave!!!!!

Aye I see where you're coming from Mick, don't forget I have that same frustration of maybe NOT getting a ticket, but surely most season ticket holders would only give their golden ticket to a deserving fan, I know I would, if they don't then they want lashing with a 2 day old untouched parmo (which obvioulsy YOU wouldn't be able to supply )

I'm just saying we can't do anything about it can we, doesn't make it right but we can't can we, circumstances prevail I'm afraid.

Very good post but in regards to stubs, some people just pay on the turnstile and some people would try it on if you didn't physically have to have the stubs with you. Some people also buy in bulk so by getting the lasses to police it by checking the database for everyone would cause more problems than it is worth......

EDIT - Just re -read your post and realise you were on about something different with stubs......

agreed, good post and agree about the ticket office staff, but i'd just add one thing regarding their attitude and persona towards the fans who go in there, that IS there fault regardless of the pressure or working conditions that their bosses put them under, i mean c'mon a smile wouldnt be to much to ask now and then!

The auld one was quite polite to me yesterday!!!!

mutley you bleeedin liar

She was honest!!!!

She even made a little joke aswell about something that was going on in the background with another customer!!!!

maybe she was on a promise

Maybe it's just me then but I've never had a problem with their attitude, they've always been fine with me, like.
I honestly think they do as good a job as they can in difficult circumstances and I just think that they take a lot of unneccesary stick, which might add to some peoples perception of them.

Same with me I've never had any bother with them I must time it just right after they've had their cuppa or summat but as I've said before speak as you find

The other thing that bothers me is that some people seem to think we won't sell that many tickets, why, Rochdales only an hour and a half away, we could win the title and the fans have been going nuts to watch Pools away since the Boston game at the end of Feb, we'll sell all our tickets ok, lets just hope we get ours eh mate.

Roll on Friday

agreed in a way hogan but a smile now and again is quite nice when dealing with the public

In a way it's made my mind up for me.
I was hoping to get to Rochdale, but I go on holiday the following Thursday (bad timing I know) and there are lots of other things 'we' should be doing. My plan was to go early, drop the good lady off in Manchester, do the game, meet up and do my shopping.
However all I've got are stubs from Lincoln, Boston, Notts County, Stockport and Wycombe, in other words no chance.
In my defence last season I had a similar number of away stubs, but I don't remember having fight for a ticket, to go to MK Dons, to see us fight for survival. No glory boys there, just the regular hard core away followers and the exiles.

i too have had no bother they dont even ask my name now just check my address on the database as there is more than one bus on there