By Paul Marshall
October 13 2002

A number of Scottish Premier League clubs have taken to phoning stay away fans and asking them why they've abandoned their clubs ? Aberdeen, Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic and Hibernian on Friday launched a new initiative calling stay away fans - and those new to their catchment areas. Surely the Clubs would realise that people want to go and watch their teams but for a high percentage it's just too expensive !


Next Saturday, Motherwell fan's will be charged £19 to watch the game at Ibrox, Unfortunatly this price includes OAP'S and Children as Rangers who are reported to be in £52 million in debt and one way they see clawing the money back would be to rip off the away fans while home fans buying ticket's can get discount's for OAP'S and children, this must be stopped.


During last season when I was in Majorca on holiday, I took in the Real Mallorca V Deportivo game, it only cost me £11 for my ticket and the standard was a lot higher than I've been used to at Fir Park. I realise that the Spanish League would receive a higher amount of TV money than the SPL to cover wages but how would someone from Spain coming here and taking in our opening game of the season and being charged £18 for the privelage.


The biggest crooks about have to be First Division St Johnstone, who after dropping from the SPL are charging fans £17 for Adults and £10 for kids to watch games against Alloa, QOS and Arbroath, everyone knows games like these don't generate atmosphere that is needed to get the youngsters hooked.


One positive comment to come out of the meeting with the SPL clubs is Dundee's spokesman Jim Thompson who said " It is time to ring the changes by upholding the fans' ideals and not leaving it simply up to them to support us. "