Exeter City

Club response to J&J Newall (03/09/22):

Here at Exeter City we always are pleased to receive comments good or bad and it helps us to improve the match day experience.

In answering this review, I feel that I should say that I contacted the Milton Keyes fan by email, I do not normally do this but I was aware that she had made a complaint over the problems around the ordering her tickets. I introduced myself as DLO for the Exeter City FC and gave information about where I can be found on match day. Also if there were any issues I could assist her with on the day.

As a result of the issues around ticketing David Jones, Kay Crawford and Richard Knight had all gone into the ground to see her prior to the game starting. David introduced himself asking them if they needed any assistance and they declined.

At this stage we were unaware that they had be inconvenienced in picking up their tickets at the ticket office.

I am delighted to hear that our Stewards were on top of their game coming up trumps for the club. Always good to hear, I feel that it has been useful to highlight to us that although the disabled information is on our web site it may not be that easy to find. The accessible ticket information also contains a detailed list of information regarding all assistance we offer in the club. I do agree it would be helpful to also put the same information under the “More” tab as well as in the guide and first time visit to Exeter city FC, ensuring that the information easier to find.

The ticket office manager adds that, on the ticketing side, “We weren’t helped by the fact they went on sale quite late their end. Although the tickets were sent to Milton Keynes well in advance, for some reason only went on sale less than a week before the game so it has become a time sensitive from the off for the fan.”

We don’t send the wheelchair Bay tickets as a rule, we ask for the away club to contact us with reference to these tickets. We provide phone number and details in the away letter which is sent to all away the clubs.

On the question of the issue of the ticket booth, away tickets which are normally to be found in the away ticket booth. For some reason this was not the case in this instance and we are looking into it with a view to ensuring it doesn’t happen again.

The away fans seating area is in the stand adjacent to the away standing area, it is true to say a small area around the corner flag is not visible from there however that is the only section of the pitch you are unable to see from there. The covered area for wheelchair fans affords good protection from the elements and is some at the back of the shelter they are 5ft 6inches and in the front of the area they are 6ft.

The away fans stand has one step up and we offer assistance to away fans as in the accessible information. We regularly are asked for end of row seating to assist. The ticketing office generally keep the front two rows of Block M (which is the away stand block) held back for sales on the day/reprints/easy access.

In the question of the away disabled area in the new away stand, this has proved to be difficult. It is a conundrum that remains prominently under review as we are unable to put in a suitable ramp for both the disabled area and the proposed disabled toilets. With reference to the distance to the toilet, there is a closer toilet albeit still in the home end of the ground, but we tend to take visiting supporters to the stagecoach stand where the toilets are much newer and up to date.

I am pleased that they found that soccer sight service was of assistance. We regret that the first head set was found to be faulty. I am aware that they are all placed on charge prior to each game, they can only be checked to see if they are working when there is broadcast available. These sets are checked regularly and new batteries are kept in the shop to replace ones that have failed.

The video link that was not working has now been restored and thanks to this review it has been picked up. Thank you for highlighting that is was not working.

At Exeter city fc all fans are welcome to use the centre spot bars and to use the main bar. I am advised that the club issues 50 vouchers per match for away fans to have a free drink. I feel sure that the reason why only 4 were given due to some 46 of them having already they had all been given out.

I would like you to thank the fan for their feedback as it always helps to have a fan’s or purchaser’s perspective on the processes we have in place and whether they actually work or not. An objective pair of eyes can often see a different picture compared to when you are in the middle of it. As you can see we have identified some things that we can change such as the link to both the video and the accessibility information which is on the website having links in other areas making it easier for supporters to find.

I am a powerchair user and my husband is severely visually impaired. This was our third visit as away fans to Exeter, out last visit being in 2019. We travel in an accessible minibus that is part of our Club’s official away travel. The fact that I failed to write reviews of our earlier visits does not now matter as the away end has been totally revamped since we last visited. So if like us you have not been for some time, expect to find very different, though sadly I believe still poor facilities for away disabled fans. Unlike with many L1 Clubs, I am unable to find any tab on Exeter City FC’s website that gives details about facilities for disabled fans other than for Soccer Sight. There is an away fans guide but I cannot find any specific details on this for away disabled fans (other than the price of tickets for wheelchair users) which seems to be a lost opportunity by Exeter City FC that leaves me with the impression that the Club does not consider such information important.

Ticketing Issues
I was told that to obtain my ticket as an away wheelchair user I had to ring ECFC. This found me listening to an answer machine at 10.35 telling me the Box Office was closed until 10 am. As I listened more it seemed perhaps because there was a match that Tuesday the Box Office phone line would not be operating as on match days tickets are only available in person from the ticket booth, not particularly helpful if you live 200 miles away! I eventually got round the system by getting through to the Club’s reception. When I asked why I could not buy my ticket from my own Club as all my able-bodied contemporaries could, I was told my Club had refused to sell them! As my Club has happily sold me wheelchair tickets for about 70 different grounds over the past 10 years, I said I found this hard to believe, they then suggested this might not be the reason but failed to give me any other reason. (I have now checked with my own Box Office and they have confirmed they had never refused to sell away wheelchair tickets.) I pointed out not sending wheelchair tickets to the away clubs with all the other tickets does not help disabled fans who are not able to purchase tickets on the phone. The final irony was that in the guide the Exeter DLO sent to us the prices quoted for wheelchair tickets were incorrect!

Little did I know this would only be the start of our ticket bother as the challenge of collecting our tickets when we arrived at St James’ Park was far from straight forward. As the only route to the ticket office from the away end appeared to be up a step (I later recalled that as I had been there on previous visits there must be flat access round the corner from the car park but it was very congested with cars and people so not the best for getting around in a chair) I sent my husband off alone to collect our tickets. I told him I had been told they were at the home ticket booth but he was intercepted and “helpfully” told he needed the away ticket both where, he was then sent to the home ticket office, who told him (yes you’ve guessed it) that he needed the away ticket booth! When he explained that he had already been there, they then moved him to another window, which in the process of doing so meant he got challenged by home fans for queue jumping! This should not happen to a disabled away fan, get it sorted Exeter!

Arrival and Entry to the Ground
Journey to the ground from the M5 was relatively short and well signed. Exeter’s DLO, Richard Knight, informed me there was one parking space available for an away fan with a Blue Badge which can be reserved by contacting ECFC prior to the game. The away end is in a narrow two-way residential street, where our player’s coach and official away transport parked for the whole of the game, adding to the overall congestion. We entered through large double gates direct from the pavement. This put us at the back of the away end, in line with a gap between the two standing areas located behind the goal. The seated provision for away fans is to the right in the first block of the adjacent stand and the provision for away wheelchair fans the far side of this.

Seating Area
Richard Knight (DLO) clarified my confusion about there seeming to be two different locations for away wheelchair fans. When the two standing areas at the away end were built it was with an area for wheelchair fans at the furthest right, pitch level by the corner flag, however, the advertising boards in front mean it is impossible for wheelchair fans to see from here unless they have a seat raiser (this area is covered but has no carer/PA seating). The away fans wheelchair area adjacent to the away fans seated area is of “bus shelter design” with a covered roof. My husband is 5ft 7 and when standing just avoided hitting his head on the roof. It is raised but still does not give a full view of the far right corner of the pitch. It has spaces for 3 wheelchairs and 2 pairs of 2 fixed let down pa seats (we think we have recalled these numbers correctly), access is via a well-constructed ramp. What I did notice was that apart from this area, there is no flat access seating for ambulant disabled fans at the away end, surely a missed opportunity given the recent renovations.

Audio Commentary for VI Fans
The only good thing about having to ring ECFC to purchase our tickets was that we were able at the same time to reserve a headset commentary for my husband which he collected prior to the match with our tickets. The first headset failed to work at the start of the game but a steward brought a second that did work, albeit the volume was low even when the headset was at full volume, the crowd was quiet and my husband’s hearing is very keen. That said, what he heard of it was fair and helpful. We did as we were asked to and handed the headset back to a steward at the end. The Soccer Sight tab on the ECFC website strangely does not give details of how to reserve a headset. It tells you to watch a video for more details but the video link says it is not working! As this is predominately a service for visually impaired fans we trust the video when it is working has audio description!

Accessible Toilet
There are no accessible toilets at the away end despite the recent extensive redevelopment. When I asked Club staff why, I was told these matters were difficult, sorry I don’t understand the difficulty! As a consequence of this when away wheelchair users need the loo they have to be taken by a steward a full two sides of the ground one of these sides being the home stand. The choice is to go through the underneath of the home stand which resulted in me constantly finding people’s bottoms in my face when this area is crowded before the game and at half time or pass the front of the stand, not ideal during play if there is a home goal as you are passing. You are not allowed to go to the toilet by yourself, so it is like being a school kid, “please miss” and even worse the steward who accompanies you waits to accompany you back. I am sure I am not the only disabled fan who then feels under time pressure which is just counter productive and causes unnecessary anxiety. The system as it operates also means that everyone in two sides of the ground knows when you have been to the loo! Could you imagine a stadium where every time an able bodied fan wanted to go to the loo they had to be accompanied by a steward. If it is not acceptable for able bodied fans why is it considered ok for fans who are wheelchair users?

As I said to the steward, when you get there it is an excellent toilet, sparkling clean, good size with all the necessary and a changing places toilet next to it but the effort to get there is unacceptable.

In respect of ambulant away disabled fans they had no access to a disabled toilet and as a result I observed an elderly fan on a crutch struggling up steep steps to get to the only toilets available in the away end. I was also informed by a fan with a hidden disability that they needed the provisions of an accessible toilet which was not available to them.

Catering
In the guide I was sent in my official capacity with my own club’s Supporters’ Association I read that away fans were given a free hot drink as a thank you for travelling. I understand all the able bodied away fans were made aware of this provision on arrival. For the away wheelchair fans, we were offered just prior to half time, 4 free drinks vouchers between 5 of us. The catering provision at the away end is up a steep fight of outdoor concrete steps. We were told that stewards would help but this still leaves issues with card payments. The free coffee that my husband did manage to get which we shared was lovely and very welcome. Not that it worried us but there were mutterings that no alcohol was available at the ground on the day we visited and no explanation was being given for this.

Stewards
Steward No 7 who welcomed us into the ground, sorted my husband’s headset when it wasn’t working and generally looked after us was lovely. The steward who stood nearest to me during the match did regularly check with me that he was not in my way which was appreciated.

Leaving the Stadium
All the coaches at the away end turned round during the game, so on exiting they were on the same side of the road as the stadium. Unlike prior to the match the road was closed to traffic which made it much easier.

Overall
Yes we will go again if our Club play at St James Park but it will be with a real sense that Exeter failed disabled away fans when it redeveloped the away end, something which we believe strongly should not have happened.

Swindon don’t seem to make it known that ambulant disabled can qualify for a free carer’s ticket on their website. This may put some people off attending. Exeter’s ticket information for this match highlighted that free carer’s tickets are available otherwise I would not have known about it. Good day though despite the result – best team won I’m afraid

The seating in the away end seems the numbering system is from A down from the top of the staduim. Wewere given tickets in row Dthinking we be 4 rows from the start of the seating but we were 4 rows from the top of the seating. Along way up for someone with mobility issues.Could the away club be given information on this to help disabled supporters choose thier seats better?

Much the same as last visit to Exeter, though the stewards weren’t so helpful. The car park steward was most helpful & told us which entrance to use but other stewards told us differently.

Inside the ground we sat in the same disabled space as last time but the away fans were sitting behind us this time.

the stewards regularly stood immediately infront of us so I stood up & moved around to see the game and my son in his wheelchair kept asking them to move to one side which they did.

Special thanks to the car park stewards & the disabled steward who came to see us to check if we needed anything

We bought our tickets from York but telephoned Exeter for an accessible parking space. We didn’t have a pre-match meal as we drove non-stop from York as bank holiday traffic was horrendous.

Arriving at the club, 2 friendly car park stewards helped us park & showed us the wheelchair user entrance.We made our way to the social club where we could have a drink & watch a match on tv. There is a burger van outside where we bought teas & bacon baps but pies were also on sale in the social club. The accessible toilets in the social club are opened by radar key.Programs were on sale just outside the club.

Entering the ground, a steward pointed out the accessible toilets and told us where the teabar was.We were shown to an away wheelchair user area which was in the corner closest to the away fans. As we were the only wheelchair user fans from York, we had this area to ourselves, It was a raised platform & fully covered and a really good view. The Exeter disabled fan steward visited us to check we were ok and said if we wanted anything from the teabar he would get it for us, as it was up a few steps.

An enjoyable day out and everyone from the fans to the stewards were really friendly

I have been to many Premier League teams this year, and must say not many provide as good a view and comfort as I experienced watching Exeter on Saturday, all the stands for wheelchair users are covered and have excellent access, I was very impressed well done to you all at Exeter City.