Sheffield Wednesday Asked To Reconsider Photo Id Scheme

By Nick Ward
Sheffield Star
Mar. 28, 2007

OWLS fans are urging the club to think again before introducing passport-style season tickets for home games.

Many Wednesday supporters have written to the club with concerns about the controversial plan to introduce photo ID on season tickets – exclusively revealed in The Star on Monday.

But the club insist they are right to introduce the scheme for safety and security reasons and there are no plans to reconsider.

Club spokesman Colin Wood said: "The chief executive is happy with our position. We will go ahead with the scheme."

He added that further details of season ticket prices would be announced in the next few days.

But many fans like Paul Watson, a season ticket-holder for 12 years, are outraged. He said: "Many Wednesday season ticket-holders fiercely oppose this farce and believe it should immediately be scrapped.

"It seems Sheffield Wednesday FC has unfortunately gone the way of the rest of the country in enforcing Big Brother measures that do nothing other than alienate and make life uncomfortable for supporters.

"What's next? Iris and fingerprint scans to prove we're not criminals before we enter the ground?"

Mr Watson said sharing season tickets with family has gone on for generations and helps introduce new people to football at Hillsborough

"Attendance figures will drop as a result of the outright ban on sharing season tickets, and supporters will be forced to 'show their papers' as if the turnstile is a Nazi checkpoint."

The Star's website poll had a record number of posts with 82 per cent opposing the scheme.

Dozens of fans have also posted messages on the fan's forum Owlsonline – almost all opposing the scheme.