Fans demand apology for Hearts season ticket mix-up

HEARTS fans hit by season ticket chaos at Tynecastle today demanded an apology from the club after it admitted scores of books would not be sent out in time for the third game of the season.

The club, which today blamed an "internal issue" for the delays and not the "technical problem" which plagued the system last week, said fans could collect their tickets at the ground ahead of today's game.

But some fans say they will have to miss the match against Falkirk because they don't have time to arrive at the ground early and stand in lengthy queues.

Many fans said they were "amazed" the club had failed to produce the season tickets supporters paid for weeks ago. They today demanded an apology from the club and some said they should be compensated for the hassle.

There have been reports of tickets arriving in the wrong name, while one fan even had to pay postage for tickets which arrived in an unstamped envelope.

The head of Hearts Supporters Trust also revealed that the club was late in sending out pre-booked match programmes, which eventually arrived on the Monday after the game.

The latest fiasco comes after empty-handed season ticket holders reacted angrily to having to queue last Sunday for vouchers for the Celtic match.

Fiona Milne, 18, from Bathgate, said she was going to have to take an early train into Edinburgh with her mother for today's game.

She said: "It's not convenient at all, as we'll have to get an early train and then hang about till the game starts. It's a waste of time."

The midwifery student, who has supported Hearts since she was five, said the club should say sorry to fans. She added: "Hearts should have got the tickets printed sooner. They should apologise."

Civil servant Steven Roberts, 27, from Corstorphine, said he was going to miss the game because he didn't have time to queue for his season ticket before kick-off.

He said: "Asking people to queue for an hour or two for a ticket after all this hassle is unacceptable. They should write to the fans. They have been very quiet on the matter."

Stuart Rose, 30, a chef from Pumpherston, said an apology and compensation were needed.

He said: "I've been asked by Hearts, after paying £385 and my administration fee, to go to pick it up, but I think that's a disgrace. I think they should apologise to us and give us compensation for the hassle, especially as they've had the money for the season ticket for two months."

Martin Laidlaw, chairman of the Hearts Supporters Trust, said supporters' organisations would be complaining to the club.

He said: "The club at boardroom level are very aware of the complete mess they have made out of this. Match programmes were meant to arrive, but didn't come until after the Celtic game.

"They have to get these things right as the sale of tickets is their main interface with many supporters."

A spokeswoman said the club would be trying to contact people by telephone.

She said: "We have had further problems with tickets but hopefully these will be rectified. There was a technical problem with how the tickets are printed off.

"Anyone who hasn't got their ticket should come to Tynecastle and they'll get their book."

Taken from the Scotsman