Rotherham United

After attending the above game on 6th August I highlight a dangerous gap on wheelchair platform in the away section to Rotherham United DLO.

Thankfully my 12yo son, Alex was strapped into his wheelchair and no serious injury occurred but I feel that this is a major design flaw that needed highlighting.

I have since been advised that there has been two access audits from LPF since the ground opening and this hasn’t been raised before.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks

Just a PS to our full 2015 review. Again directed to the “high up” wheelchair area. Excellent view of the pitch and so nice to be able to see all the away fans to your right. Like the last reviewer catering staff came to us just after kick off to ask if we wished to purchase any refreshments, we didn’t need anything but much appreciated the option. We left the ground thinking that if the provision for disabled fans was like this at all grounds, LPF could consider it’s job done, therefore disappointed to read that some have had a bad experience not being able to join their friends at half-time, hope this can be sorted as otherwise a trip to Rotherham as wheelchair away fans we have found to be an experience we would recommend to anyone, particularly those who maybe a little uncertain about the prospect of going to an away ground or are a wheelchair Rotherham fan looking to visit for the first time as the provision for home wheelchair fans seems as good as for the away fans. Just one thing to note having re-read my last review, still no hand-soap or bin in the accessible loo. I told the steward and they said they would sort, this really does need addressing.

As a Visiting leeds fan i was apprehensive about going to the game as it was my first away game

we didnt book the parking space but there is a large car park 5 mins walk away from the ground and it is open to home and away fans for £5. when i got to the ground you have to go through a home gate so my advice is ask a steward to take you to the lift. they were quite friendly so that wasnt a problem and i have to say i was impressed with the view from the away disabled sections just to the right of the away fans above some segragated seats. (it was a better view than i have at elland road)

the most impressive thing about this ground was the fact that someone from the refreshment counter came to take our food and drink orders, which was a nice touch. The Pie was of very good quality. the only down side was that he police used the raisd platform to film the away fans which was a bit annoying but they have a job to do to keep fans safe

at the end of the game we made our way out of the ground and the home and away fans walked out together

the down side is that we lost 2-1

Absolutely appalled that the stewards did not allow my disabled friend to join his other friends at half time in the bar area. We all travelled together and enjoyed the day together, yet at half time when we usually discuss the rest of the game and what has happened in the game already over a drink we were not able to do so.

As away fans we should be allowed the same access as all the other away fans. It is arguably more dangerous for us to spend half time in the home area bar! This is absolutely disgusting.

when we spoke to the steward about leaving and coming back he said we would not be able to leave as our ticket is only worth ‘one entrance per game’ however we had already moved stands previous to this. It seems like none of the staff know the actual rules and therefore only follow a handful.

appalled is an understatement.

This was our second visit as away fans to the New York Stadium (the first being a League 1 match at the end of the 2013/14 season). We travelled as we do to all away matches in a wheelchair accessible mini-bus that is part of our Club’s official away transport.

Access to the Ground

The ground appears to be on the edge of the main shopping area in the centre of Rotherham, a relatively short drive from the motorway. All the disabled parking is at the home end of the stadium where we were parked on our first visit but this time we parked further on, down the side with the rest of the away coaches, which was a lot nearer to where we entered the ground at a gate alongside turnstyles 1-4, the home end turn-styles nearest the away end.

Facilities in the Ground for Away Wheelchair Fans

Viewing Areas

When we visited last year we were sat at the front of the away fans about 5ft up from the pitch. When we visited for this first match of the 2015/16 season, once we entered the stadium we found that we were in a home stand but some friendly Rotherham supporters advised us we needed to turn right and go up in the lift, then through the grey metal door immediately on the right and we were out onto the most amazing high level viewing platform across the (unused) corner looking down on the rest of the away fans who were to our right. The platform easily held us 5 away wheelchair users plus families (two fixed seats between each wheelchair space) and would have taken more. View of the game was brilliant and so good to be able to see your own fans. Two of our fellow wheelchair fans did arrive at the platform stating they had been mis-directed to a number of other locations before arriving with us, so it does sound as if the location of wheelchair away fans may be subject to change, particularly given at the end of the match, the implication from some Rotherham fans who we spoke to was that the usual section for away wheelchair fans had not been open?

Refreshments

We take our own so never planned to purchase any at the ground. We did, however, notice that Rotherham FC have the prices of their refreshments listed on their web page (£2 for water!). If you are wanting refreshments and are sat where we sat as away fans, then you need to get the lift down and you are queuing with home fans who were friendly to us but if there was a needle match, this might not be ideal.

Accessible Toilets

There is an accessible toilet (left-hand transfer) through a door on the raised platform where we were sat. It was spotless with hot water but no handwash or rubbish bin. There was a second one further along the corridor which I was initially directed to which was of equal standard.

Headset Commentary for Visually Impaired Fans

Although we could not remember my husband who is severely visually impaired having a headset commentary when we last visited, on checking Rotherham FC’s web-site I read that headsets were available from the main reception. (Main reception was just a little further around the concourse from the away end.) They need to be booked 24-hrs in advanced with a £10 returnable deposit payable. Using the email given we booked a headset and my husband reported it was one of the best commentaries he had had at an away ground – impartial and factual. He was so pleased that we emailed Rotherham to thank them and they responded saying how pleased they were with the feedback as it was a service that they had only introduced this year.

Attitude of Club Officials

Everyone was friendly and helpful. Excellent.

After the Match

Some queuing for the lift where our numbers were swelled by home wheelchair fans as the lift only takes one wheelchair at a time but everyone was good humoured and outside was well organised so in all a good exit.

Will We Go Again?

With no hesitation. One of the best stadiums for accessibility and one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) championship tickets for wheelchair users. Well done Rotherham.

There are 2 areas for away w/c fans, one is pitchside (6spaces) and one is elevated (Gantry 11 spaces). However the stewards did not know how to get up to the gantry level or where the lift was. Excellent view from the Gantry level though.

No signage outside the ground to let you know where to go in. Apparently away fans use gates 1 – 4 and the lift is in there.

The toilet in the gantry area was spotless but there was NO soap and no bin to put the paper towels in. The emergency cord was tied up as well.

Only 3 car park spaces for away disabled and they have to be booked and paid for prior to the game. The car park spaces have a post at the edge of the space so if you reverse in you cannot get your wheelchair out of the boot, but if you do not reverse in you cannot get out of your space at the end of the match as all the other cars get in the way.

No one is allowed to leave the car parks until EVERY walking supporter has left the ground which was a 30 mins wait.

To me it has not been well thought out at all for a new stadium. Glad we dont have to go very often. !!!!

I have a meeting today with the Chief Operating Officer, Stadium Manager and Disability Liaison Officer with a view to forming a DSA here at RUFC, more news follows………………..

I was looking forward to my visit to this ground but when I arrived I had to argue to be able to sit with my son as I have to have a carer to drive me and do lots of other bits. I also needed her close enough to me to be able to help me when needed at first I was told my son could only have a ticket in the rotherham family enclosour this really upset me and it made me feel pretty discriminated against. I mean why shouldnt I be able to sit with my son, at the football its why we go there. There is not to many things I can do with my lad so going football is vital bonding time. Eventually after around 45 mins of having to fight I eventually got a seat for my son next to me but that also meant that we took up two wheelchair bays which was lucky as there was only one spare. Once in the ground we went into the disabled box feeling segrigated from my friends and fans due to the 15ft concerete wall, this is meant to be a new stadiam with first class disabled facilities from my point of view they really missed a great oppertunity to creat a fully inclusive ground.

I’d like to have seen the bays mixed into the front row with 1 wheelchair bay with 3 seats next to each so disabled people can go football and sit with there friends and family just like everyone else gets to or at least have had the wheelchair bays close enough to the rest of the fans so we could talk to each other.Going football is meant to be a great social experiance and being able to chat with friends, family and other fans from the same club but the way Rotherhams new ground is set up this wont be posible.

Its not the worse ground Ive been to but if any clubs are about to build a new ground I’d love you to consider to points I’ve raised here and please dont just concentrate on access, as the disabled experiance and social side being able to buy seats next to us for our family is just as importent! (because belive it or not disabled people have famlies and friends too) it can only be in there favour as they’d sell so many more tickets