Good Morning. It's Friday 11th April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
£850 to watch Bristol City - Leeds fans getting robbed blind by on-line touts
A surge in black market ticket sales is causing frustration among Leeds United fans, with some tickets appearing online for exorbitant prices. One supporter recently highlighted the issue on social media, revealing tickets being offered for as much as £850 for the upcoming match against Bristol City. This comes at a time when genuine fans are struggling to secure their seats, raising serious questions about how these tickets are finding their way onto the secondary market.
The exorbitant prices are made even more galling when considering the loyalty of some long-standing fans. Veteran supporter Melvyn Flower, a season ticket holder since 1978, recently endured a stressful month-long battle to renew his ticket after being wrongly accused of failing to meet the minimum attendance requirements. This highlights the challenges faced by loyal fans navigating the club's ticketing system.
A deeper investigation reveals a concerning number of tickets available through unofficial channels. Some listings even advertise official VIP hospitality packages, with price tags reaching a staggering £4,200 for a family of four. This raises questions about the club's ethics, especially when taking into account the sheer number of tickets like this that are readily available!
With an official waiting list exceeding 26,000, the availability of tickets on the black market at inflated prices is a slap in the face to genuine supporters. Many are now asking why Leeds United hasn't taken stronger action to clamp down on these ticket touts and ensure that tickets are accessible to loyal fans at reasonable prices. The club's silence on the matter is only adding to the growing frustration and disappointment amongst the Elland Road faithful.
Should those who consistently profit from the misery of fellow fans face consequences? Many believe that a strong message needs to be sent, and that punishment, even a ban from attending games, should be considered for those caught engaging in this practice. The club has a responsibility to protect its loyal supporters from exploitation and ensure that tickets end up in the hands of genuine fans, not profiteering touts.
Wilder Demands Sheffield United Reset
Blades Manager Chris Wilder has acknowledged the pressure is mounting on his team after their midweek home defeat to Millwall. Josh Coburn's first-half goal proved decisive, handing the Blades their second consecutive league loss and allowing Leeds United to leapfrog them into the top two, alongside Burnley.
In his post match interview, Wilder admitted his team had brought negativity upon themselves but insisted they weren't out of the race with five games remaining.
Looking ahead to their upcoming fixture against Plymouth, Wilder stressed the need for a quick reset and a carefully chosen team.We have to deal with the negativity because we've brought it on ourselves, I've no problem with that. The narrative will be 'we're out of the race'. I don't think that's the case with five games to go.
Wilder pointed to growing anxiety amongst his players during the Millwall game, impacting their decision-making.We've got to reset. I've got to pick the right team for Saturday (at Plymouth) because there's no real margin for error now. He also highlighted the importance of avoiding a third consecutive defeat, something they haven't experienced all season. We've not lost three games on the spin all season, we've lost two twice. We've got to adjust that and get back on track, so these last two results don't define our season.
Ultimately, Wilder stressed the importance of handling the pressure that comes with playing for a big club in a high-stakes Championship season.It was a difficult night for us, a frustrating night. The longer the game went on, the more we didn't control our emotions well enough. The anxiety sort of crept into the players and decisions they've not really made all season started creeping into their game.
If you go deep into a season like we are doing, we've got to deal with this a lot better. It's a new experience for a lot of our players, playing for a big club in this division – it's not League One now, it's big boys' football.
