Preston North End

I went to the Preston v Arsenal match and found the entrance but was told by the steward that the disabled platform was not going to be used as tickets had not been sold for this area. Our tickets quite clearly showed that we were on the platform. Eventually they agreed for me to go to the platform but the lift was locked so they had to find a key. When getting to the platform area it was clear that I was not going to see anything of the match if the fans stood as none of the seats had been blocked off in front.

I asked the steward if there was any possibility of going pitchside and he obliged by taking me to a space. Pitchside was not ideal where we were sitting as there was a continual stream of stewards, police and staff walking past throughout the match.

The club need to ensure that if they sell tickets for the platform, then they must block off at least three rows in front in order that a wheelchair supporter can see. As it is in the corner, they would have to make sure that sufficient seats are not sold so that the supporter can properly see both goals.

Also the club should look at whether it is necessary for staff with bin bags walk past our area. Is this not a job that can be done at the end of the match.

On a positive note, the police and stewards were friendly and obliging. It was good to see the stewards clearing pitchside before the match of fans who were trying to take photographs and asking them to move to their seats. Bournemouth should take note of this.

Vistited as an away wheelchair fan travelling by train. The pedestrian route to the ground isn’t signposted. We had to use Google Maps. On arrival at the ground the obvious route to the away end in the Bill Shankley Stand was missing dropped curbs. We had to double back twice. We approached the entrance with the universal wheelchair sign (no specilfic entrance was noted on the ticket) to be told by a friendly woman steward that this entrance was only for the elevated platform, our entrance was in the other corner, that only three Arsenal wheelchair supporters had entered the elevated platform thus far (around 25 minutes before kick-off) and that she’d been instructed to tell those entering that their view would be obstructed if able-bodied supporters in front of them stood up. This is deeply disappointing for a stand opened less than nineteen years ago in 1998.

We entered the ground at the other end of the stand. After entering we we’re told by a steward to await being shown to our spot. There were no allocated spaces/seats for wheelchair users and their companions. Our tickets merely said “Row 1”. We waited patiently for ten minutes. The steward who had told us to wait departed. A woman steward who appeared to be a supervisor arrived. She told us we would be located in a further five minutes. I said that this was unacceptable as kick-off was approaching. She instructed a male steward to locate us.

The “pitches” were in front olf a row olf conventional seats. Our pitch level vew was partially obstructed by LED advertising boads and two cameramen. We couldn’t see either goal line or the far touchline. Neither was there any wheelchair access to the refreshment facilities or concourse. The seats were soaking from earlier rain meaning we’d have been drenched if it had rained during the game.

I’d enquired earlier about buses back to the station as the last direct train to London departed at a time very tight after the final whistle. I received a tweet saying that these would be running but wouldn’t be wheelchair accessible. I replied saying that this was unacceptable. I subsequently received a tweet saying that there would in fact be an accessible bus but I didn’t get this until we were on the train back to London having left five minutes early to ensure timely arrival at the station, thus missing Arsenal’s winning goal scored in the 89th minute.

All in all a disappointing experience. Preston North End has a lot to do to reach a minimum acceptable standard for visiting wheelchair supporters.

At turnstiles welcoming stewards . In side ground that theme continued with stewards asking if any assistance was required.

Disabled toilet was clean .

A few steps up to the Bill Shankly stand and was sat in front row so a decent view of the game.

All in all a very good day (apart from the game which was poor).

Stewarding was particularly good .

This was our third visit to Deepdale in consecutive seasons as away fans. This review should be read in conjunction with previous reviews as I have sought to avoid repetition. (I clearly forgot to write a review after last season’s visit!)

Access to the Ground

This time, as with our first visit, we approached the ground through Fulwood from the M6. Last season we approached on the A5085. Both appeared comparable straight routes through residential main roads with some shops and eating places. On the A5085 relatively close to the ground is a large out of town shopping centre. Also near to the ground is a large supermarket. We travelled to the ground as always in our Club’s wheelchair accessible mini-bus and experienced no problems parking with the away fans official coach very close to the entrance we were using. At this entrance, (outside the ground) is a refreshment van that opens early and is probably the easiest way to get refreshments, although the counter is high up. Didn’t try it, so can’t comment on quality/prices. Last year our match was on a Sunday lunch time and we were directed to park in the disabled parking of a health centre at the back of the away stand. The health centre was not open on a Sunday, not sure about a Saturday but there are lots of disabled places there with a good pavement to the away fans accessible entrance. The front of the ground where the players’ coach drops off is round the other side of the ground.

Facilities in the Ground for Away Wheelchair Fans

Viewing Areas

Unfortunately our August visit was in torrential rain and as feared by the last reviewer, sat at pitch level, unlike the able bodied fans, who are all under cover, we were very much sat in the rain. Such was the nature of the rain that I feared even with a full set of waterproofs I was going to end up wet. No steps were taken at the initiative of the Club, as we have experienced at other grounds, to assist us to keep dry. After I complained about this less favourable treatment (“good” old fashioned discrimination) we were allowed to use the raised viewing platform. Yes, there is one at the end of the Bill Shankly Kop nearest to the Sir Tom Finney Stand. Given the performance to get to this (detailed below), I can well believe it when one steward told us he could not remember when it was last used. In my previous review I wrote that we were told that this end was for home fans but there were none around on this occasion. This viewing area was reached by a through-floor lift from the far corner of the enclosed underneath of the stand. The view was absolutely excellent looking diagonally across the pitch towards the tunnel which is in the opposite corner. This view would disappear however if the seats in front were occupied. We did still get rain dripping onto us from the roof and blown in on us but it was a vast improvement to being completely out in the open. The sad thing I think about this facility is its capacity. Despite having a vast surface area, due to its odd design, long and narrow at the front (most bizarre, as if designed by someone who had never been to a football match!), it will only accommodate a maximum of 2 wheelchair users with their companions and even then it is tight. This is due to a combination of the high metal panel on the left hand side of it and the steep flight of steps down to pitch level at the right hand corner – you could not expect anyone to sit at the top of those, they would be in constant fear of going down them! Companion seats were available but the 4 of us managed to all see the game only due to my husband standing squashed in at the side of my chair. I noticed an Evac chair at the back of this area but ducked out of asking if stewards trained in its use – I feared the answer! We felt a long way from the rest of the away fans, we could just about see a few heads in the distance and I would guess they never managed to work out where we were!

In fairness to Preston, I have to say they do appear to equally discriminate against their own wheelchair fans as I could see many of them at pitch level in the adjacent stand equally getting soaked sat in torrential rain whilst the able-bodied home fans were behind them in the dry under cover – it’s a good job this is not my home club!

Refreshments

There was a refreshments counter opposite the lift that we used but it was all closed up. To get to the refreshment counter that was open for away fans we would have to have used the lift and have a steward escort us through locked doors or our companions go down the steep concrete steps to pitch level, up again further along and then back down into the underneath of the stand, not sure a hot drink would have made it safely. We had taken our own supplies, so not a problem.

Accessible Toilets

Excellent clean, large, well signed & well lit right-transfer accessible toilet next to the lift, with hand soap and hand drier but no hot water. I guess this is as frequently accessed as the raised viewing gallery – not very often. On reflection it seems to me this is the accessible toilet for the Bill Shankly Stand and the one by the ambulance was originally a store room/staff toilet which they have done enough with to make it just ok as an accessible toilet for away fans.

Headset Commentaries for Visually Impaired Fans

We didn’t check this time but as the Club web site does not mention anything to the contrary, we presumed it had not changed from when we had been previously told that for my visually impaired husband to have a headset commentary he would have to sit in a home stand and I could not sit there with him due to me being in a powerchair, an offer we declined.

Attitude of Club Officials

The steward who spent the afternoon with us on the raised platform could not have been nicer. Otherwise we found the general level of stewarding for away disabled fans to be poor. When I first asked why they treated wheelchair users less favourably than able bodied fans, we were told that the raised viewing platform existed but as powerchair users we were not able to use it due to the restrictions of the lift. After the Stand Supervisor said they would talk to their boss about the situation, they all stood in a cluster at the end (in the dry) clearly discussing “the problem” of us, pity we couldn’t hear what they were saying! We were then informed that we could use the lift as an exception was being made due to the weather. Does the lift become stronger in the rain we asked? To our way of thinking it is either safe or not, regardless of the weather. We then had to wait around 20 minutes whilst they messed around finding the key to the lift. During this time, apart from just having to laugh at it all, I formed the conclusion that the raised viewing area is not used because those in charge can’t be bothered with it. We then had a scary few minutes when the lift got stuck about a foot from the raised level with me in it and we had to return to the bottom for a second go. This it seemed was because the Supervisor had not followed the instructions in the lift and got in with me. Perhaps the best was the response I got when I questioned why this facility was not used – “it doesn’t often rain in Preston” – really!

After the Match

Lift worked without problems and we were allowed to exit the ground by the nearest door so no problems coping with crowds. It was then a short distance back to where our mini-bus was parked. Our driver then informed us that, unlike on the two previous occasions, we and the one official fans coach would be having a police escort back to the motorway, not because they were expecting problems but just in case. This is certainly not our usual experience where there are only one or two coaches and the mini-bus. We were then taken yet another different route back to the M6 to the two we have previously used. Needless to say, no problems. Heavy traffic but moving.

Will We Go Again?

Yes if our team are playing at Preston again but not particularly from choice. The problem we will have on our next visit will be, do we sit at pitch level and have endless Club officials walk past us so that my severely visually impaired husband is unable to follow play through the 1 cm spy glass he uses or do we ask to use the raised viewing platform with all the fuss involved. Perhaps it will depend on whether the weather is wet!

PS In just checking Preston NE’s web site it has struck me the stadium photo on the Disabled Supporter’s Page is not Deepdale – it shows an all red seat stadium?

Visited Preston on a nice hot day in August for the first game of the season.

Ground very easy to find. Parking was arranged in advance by contacting the PNE ticket office in advance of the game. I was informed that my permit would be with the steward on the car park entrance. After speaking to numerous stewards I arrived at the correct area and, as promised, my permit was waiting. The parking was at the home supporters end but I had no issues with any supporters prior to or after the game.

Food outlets were as per most grounds and standard prices. Entrance to the ground is in the corner of the away end. As per earlier comments there is an ambulance, parked as you enter the stadium, that you have to manouvere past but there was sufficent space.

Wheelchairs are at the front of the stand at pitch level. As I stated at the start it was a hot sunny day and we were bathed in the sun all day but I would think you would get very wet if it was raining. Cant comment on the toilets as never had the need to use.

Exit from the car park was pretty slow but we waited until the players coach left and followed it out. All in all not a bad stadium and good place to visit.

We travelled to Preston NE in our club’s wheelchair mini-bus and were very impressed to be informed when we arrived; “you’re the mini bus we were expecting”, as too often it seems we are not expected! Efficiently showed where to park, on street parking in a closed road adjacent to the Bill Shankley Kop. Don’t be fooled by going to the first marked wheelchair entrance you see as we did. The Bill Shankley Kop has home supporters at one end and away fans at the other. The entrance for the away wheelchair fans is in the corner at the end furthest away from the entrance to the Fitness First and set back from the road. (There is a dropped kerb.) Wheelchairs users are accommodated here at pitch level in front of the first row of seats. No marked bays. To get to this area I had to negotiate past a parked ambulance with about a 1 cm clearance. (I was told they would ask for it to be moved if I could not fit through the gap!) Good view of the pitch but we did have the usual problem of lots and lots of club officials walking past us obstructing our view, particularly in the lst half. We reported this and were told it is due to it being a segregated stand – it notably wasn’t happening in the other stands. Refreshment outlets we discovered were up some very steep steps. No helpful introduction from any stewards as to where things were as we get at some grounds. One accessible toilet was a bit rough and ready! Wooden door was difficult to close from my chair. Floor was very wet from a leak which they were aware of as there was a yellow wet floor warning thing in the way! Clean, reasonable size but no hot water and hand drier in a very inconvenient corner to reach in my power chair. No headset commentary for my visually impaired husband, unless he sat with the home fans which he declined. He was advised to bring a radio to listen to Radio Lancashire. Unfortunate Radio Lancashire was commentating on a different game and in any case a radio commentary does not give the specific info required by people with visual impairments who are at the match. After negotiating out past the ambulance at the end of the game, we had to wait to get onto our mini-bus as another bus (not from our club) had ignored the sign on the back of our bus that says leave 3 meters for the ramp. Driver of this bus had not responded to an earlier call from the stewards to come and move his bus and did not apologise when he returned.