Stevenage

It was easy train journey to and from East Croydon to Stevenage. Took taxi to the Burger King/ Nandos to have bite to eat. Got too the gates at 13:30 but they did not open until 13:45. I wish clubs would put n ticket what time gates open. Not only did they have stewards they had can I help you people on gate. They all were very friendly.I was taken to gate rather than the turnstile. My seat was on the end near to entrance. I found the concourse was just about 2 people wide. This was OK until people decided to have a chat. At one time because people chatting someone trying to get past slammed into me nearly knocking off my seat. My phone reacted to this by sending a message to my wife saying I had a fall. She rang me and told her I was OK. At the end of the match it was easy for me to get to a bus stop. As the bus was twice an hour I missed one. So while seated in bus stop I rang uber and got a car within 5 minutes which took me to the station

My friend who had a disability scooter could not get too the disabled toilet as it was the opposite end to the disabled bays at half time due to queues for toilets and food outlet.

I was given a ticket by Orient that was not step free so I sat by my friend who was in a disabled bay

My friend, who is a full time wheelchair user, and I would like to thank the people at the Club for their help in booking our disabled tickets and parking, to the friendly stewards who greeted us when we arrived and got us parked and ultimately into the ground after we’d enjoyed a beer in the bar. The stewards in the South stand were great and some even joined in conducting the chanting we were doing to try and urge our team on in the final stages. Sadly it was in vain as we couldn’t get an equaliser and went home empty handed. In spite of this though everyone we came into contact with at the Club helped us to enjoy our visit. Thank You!

I am a powerchair user and my husband is severely visually impaired. We attended as away fans travelling on a wheelchair accessible coach that was part of our home Club’s Official Away Travel. We have attended numerous matches at the Lamex Stadium over the past 10 years. The most important change on this visit was that after years of complaining, away wheelchair fans are now back at the away-end (due to the home stand, where we were previously accommodated, having now been demolished). Sadly, our visited to Stevenage was still not without shortcomings.

Prior to the Game

The official away coaches were not allowed to drop off at the Stadium but had to go to the car park across the dual-carriageway from the Stadium. The route then to the stadium is via an underpass. This route is step-free but for those who can only walk short distances this would be challenging. In the rain, without waterproofs, you would be soaked.

As away wheelchair users we had to purchase our tickets from Stevenage. We could see no reason why Stevenage could not send the tickets for away wheelchair users with the tickets for able bodied fans to the away Club. This indefensible practice meant that away wheelchair fans are treated less favourably than able bodied away fans. There is only space for 3 away wheelchairs fans at Stevenage. When there is likely to be more demand for away tickets than tickets, our Club has a policy that restricts their sale based on previous attendance at away matches. Stevenage sold the away wheelchair tickets to the first to ask. This means people who had been to every away game for years would not get tickets, whilst those who had rarely been, would. Had it been me missing out in this way I would have been seriously complaining. Only allowing 3 away wheelchair/mobility scooter users to attend is woefully inadequate.

The process of collecting our tickets at Stevenage, given we were prevented from arriving with our tickets, was no better. When we asked the stewards at the away-end about our tickets, we were told we had to go round to the other side of the stadium to collect our tickets and they could not go and collect them for us. I set off for them, being careful to avoid getting hit by the traffic as the space was narrow and there were no footpaths, only to discover the flat access to where I was to collect my ticket had been barricaded off. I was left sat in the road waving my arms trying to attract the attention of the box office staff whilst everyone else was joining the queue in front of me, so effectively leaving me always at the back of the queue. Some kind person realised what was happening and offered to collect my tickets for me, but by then I was determined to make the staff come out and serve me in person. On returning with the tickets to the away gate, a steward said he would escort us to our entrance which he did, to where there was a full height kerb. He seemed surprised when I explained that my powerchair would not cope with it. Whilst on the “alternative route” we met an away fan on a mobility scooter far from happy at being repeatedly given incorrect directions from stewards about where he should go to enter the ground. The entrance for away wheelchair fans is beyond the away fans entrance but you need to reach it via the road not the pavement! It was here that my husband ended up hanging over a metal barrier because his white cane went under it and the steward he was with failed to alert him.

Inside the Away-End

The 3 wheelchair/scooter spaces at pitch level with adjacent PA seats gave a good, unobstructed view of the match. The accessible loo is at the other end of the stand to where you enter, which you reach by doubling back through the refreshment area. I could foresee this small area getting very crowded at half-time. As we take our own refreshments, we did not need to buy any. No problems re loo. At the away-end we did meet a lovely Steward by the name of Lisa, who was excellent in listening to the difficulties we had had getting into the Stadium, without becoming defensive and undertook to feed our difficulties back to get improvements. My husband noted that when Lisa took over guiding him she did it as it should be done. After the game other fans praised Lisa on social media for her calm and efficient response to one of our fans becoming seriously ill during the game. My husband used the local radio commentary (3 Counties Radio) so did not request a headset from Stevenage but could recall having had one on previous visits.

After the Game

Our problems began after the underpass. Getting across the carpark to the coaches was a nightmare in the dark. The car park is not lit and when full of car headlights that all seemed higher than me, we discovered the ground was full of pot holes that could not be seen. We get to most places independently but had it not been for another fan coming to our assistance, we would never have made it back to the coach. Even with assistance from someone who was used to pushing a wheelchair, all 3 of us struggled trying to find a route between moving and stationary vehicles, avoiding the potholes and getting caught up on lengths of bramble that could not be seen even with lights on my chair. This car park in the dark is not suitable for wheelchair users and those with sight impairments. Stevenage need to make alternative drop-off/pick-up arrangements for visiting disabled fans to avoid a serious accident occurring.

Would we Go Again

Yes, very happy that we can now sit with our own fans. We need to be able to buy our tickets from our home Club and not be expected to tackle that car park in the dark!

I ordered my ticket over the phone to Stevenage, and asked for a carpark space, although I was told 3 times that someone would ring back to confirm, they never.

Arriving at the ground we were directed to a parking space, and I went to collect our ticket from the office.

The club shop was easily accessible and there were numerous program sellers outside the ground.

On asking the way into the ground a steward told me to go through a snicket & push the wheelchair up a hill to the far side of the ground, I’m not strong enough to push up hills, so as we had plenty of time I decided to walk round the other way.

On walking round the side where we collected tickets a man (think it was Roger Lewis) met us and said we couldn’t get round that way & we needed to go back and walk along the main road, but he said he would let us through the gate near us & a steward would walk us round. Entering the gate a steward met us , checked our tickets & walked us along the front of the stand to the home end where the elevated wheelchair bay is. (shared by home & away fans). And another steward pushed the wheelchair up the steep ramp. As we were first. We were told we could sit anywhere, no place was reserved.

Excellent view.

The easily accessible teabar & the disabled toilet was just down a ramp behind us. But during the first half they had no pies or sausage rolls left and the tea has UHT milk if you like that ( I don’t)

After the match we had to go through the same exit as all the other fans going out & then walk down the hill and against the flow walk through the snicket back to the car park. The steward wouldn’t let us go any other way although I did ask.

During the match Mr Lewis brought us a program and a team sheet, much appreciated.

A big thank you to Mr Lewis & the helpful stewards.

Northampton fan reporting it was horrible put in the home end opposite the away fans, cramp as well. Apparently I have the MK Dons fans to thanks for not sitting in the away area.

I’m a Northampton fan and after a lot being sent everywhere i ended up in the away end which was great. But I’m going again soon and i hope i have another positive experience i’ll will report back.

We bought our tickets & booked a car parking space 2 weeks prior to the match.We travelled down early and had a meal in the Harvester pub.

Arriving at the ground, the car park steward couldn’t find us on his list, but let us into the ground. Another car park steward told us where to go, then a third steward, when asked, told us to park anywhere. We did and he watched us taking the electric wheelchair out of the rear of the car with the hoist and he said he would make sure no one parked behind us.

I collected the match tickets from the ticket office, no problem. We didnt go into the club shop as there were plenty of programme sellers outside. We had a drink in the bar which had a ramp, and watched the match on tv.

Leaving the club, we noticed a car parked immediately behind us with a gap of around a foot between and the same car park steward was still standing around.A Stevenage fan asked us if we knew where the entrance was, we said no and he told us. Another steward then sent us around three sides of the ground to where the disabled fans entered. Why he didnt send us left instead of right puzzled us.

Arriving at the home end, we entered through large doors and the steward checked our tickets and took us to an elevated area in the corner behind the goal. Only one other wheelchair was there so we parked at the end. A steward then said “you are all right stopping there because he isnt coming today” Wonder if they all have their personal spaces?

I was then asked if I would like a chair & it was gratefully accepted. A steward then pointed out the tea bar & accessible toilets which were down a ramp behind us.

We were the only couple from York in the home end, but I still stood up & cheered when we scored much to the disgust of everyone else and then a steward came & stood behind me.All the fans there were very friendly except one grumpy one sat at the side of me, who didnt seem to be with anyone & certainly didnt need a wheelchair user space.

Leaving the ground we had to walk quite a way back to the car park & almost got lost until a man I’d been talking to in the ground pointed out we had missed the gate back into the car park & we had to turn back. Arriving at the car, we couldnt get the wheelchair anywhere near, so had to drive the car onto the road causing a little obstruction while we took the wheelchair round and loaded it. Only took a few minutes to get back onto the motorway.The fans were all very friendly & so were the stewards,but the car park one was as useful as a bollard.A good day out.

Still no better than when we went last time although they do provide 3 folding chairs for the carers however if we had taken all our allocation (5 spaces) the carers would have had to sit behind as it is a cramped area. Good job we were there first and claimed the chairs as if the home fans arrived first they would have had them. Still no lock on the toilet door but there was HOT water. No emergency pull cord either. I personally would not go again.

Our fourth visit to the Lamax as away wheelchair fans in 4 consecutive seasons and our third LPF website review. We are therefore restricting this review to any updates from our last visit 6 mths ago.

Access to the Ground

One positive change is that for the first time we were able to buy our away wheelchair tickets from our own club as do non disabled away fans. This avoided the difficulties of getting tickets that I have previously reported on. The driver of the wheelchair mini-bus, part of our Club’s official away travel, that we always travel in, reported that she had not been given any instructions about parking at the Club, so we just took it on ourselves to aim to park where we did 6 months ago (see our last review). As no one stopped us doing so and we could remember the route it all worked really well (we did get there early before the ground opened and it was not an overly large crowd).

Facilities in the Ground for Away Wheelchair Fans

Viewing Areas

Disappointed that Stevenage are still putting away wheelchair fans in the home stand at the opposite end of the ground to non disabled away fans. The fold-up seats for companions that were provided in April were available again. Not sure of the reasoning behind this but the companions with the away fans used the seats but the companions with the home fans didn’t! I got a good 3G signal. My friend who went to a pre-season friendly at Stevenage reported that the wheelchair fans of the local Championship Club she supports were at the away end. I can’t for one minute imagine she was lying to me or mistaken (she shares my passion about this). Surely if it is deemed unsafe for league and cup games it is equally unsafe at pre-season friendlies. This apparent double-standard is beyond me but I am just too battle weary to write to Stevenage again! Although done with good humour, concern was expressed by our Steward that we had with us a large flag for our Club and my husband was shouting encouragement for our players during the game. If we had been at the away end, as we should have been, this would have been considered perfectly normal behaviour from away fans.

Refreshments

As a relatively small crowd was expected the refreshment counter to the right of the wheelchair fans area was closed. The nearest was at the opposite corner. In getting there you need to stay close to the back of the stand if you wish to avoid the steps half-way. Coffee was £1.50 – excellent value compared to other grounds. No lowered counter.

Accessible Toilets

If you have read about my previous efforts to get a lock on the accessible loo you will appreciate how disappointed I was to hear that the “new” lock was damaged 3 days prior to my most recent visit and it was thought best in view of this if I didn’t lock the door in case it gets stuck! I trust this will quickly be repaired. The toilet is a left hand transfer. I think I am remembering correctly when I say that I managed to get hot water, there was hand soap, hand drier and paper towels provided and the toilet was clean.

Headset Commentaries for Visually Impaired Fans

Although Stevenage’s website does not give any details, my severely visually impaired husband remembered that on our last visit to Stevenage he was provided with a DAB radio to listen to the local radio match commentary to help him follow the game. I rang to request this and was told that it was available, the radio to be collected and returned to the Club Shop with a £10 returnable deposit payable. When I explained that it is difficult for severely visually impaired away fans to find the shop and explained how the system worked really well 6-months ago with the radio being passed to my husband by the steward at the wheelchair area and collected by them at the end, this was agreed in principle but the person I was speaking to wanted to know how with this arrangement the £10 deposit could be paid. The same arrangement for provision of the radio as in April did work again successfully without payment of any £10 deposit.

Attitude of Club Officials

Following on from our last visit we were so pleased to find Jane was the steward again for the wheelchair area. As brilliant as ever. She seems to be able to pop up exactly at the moment you need her. Such is her skill in this that she saved my husband from falling down the steps when he went for coffee, patrolled the accessible loo when I went given the dodgy lock, sorted the headset commentary for my husband without any problems and guided him (properly) out of the ground at the end.

After the Match

No problems.

Will We go Again?

Given that Stevenage is one of our least favourite grounds as we are sat with the home fans at the opposite end of the pitch to all the other away fans, we are thrilled at the prospect of visiting twice this season. Perhaps by our league fixture in March we will be in a newly installed viewing area for visiting wheelchair users at the away end.

Firstly I was told we HAD to collect our tickets from the ticket office on the day as they do not post out. !!

On arrival we had to walk round 2 sides of the ground on the outside to get to the ticket office and then walk back having left all the wheelchair/carers waiting for me to return. On entry we were told we were with the home fans and that the carers had to stand, not good for 2 of them as they had walking difficulties and cannot stand for 2 hours. Told nothing they could or would do about that. So we had to stand up.

The area is under cover but no back on so as it was on a very windy and cold day it was very draughty to say the least, dread to think if it was wet what we would have done. The carers would have been soaked.

Toilet was OK and Jane the steward was helpful and pleasant. I personally would never go again unless I could sit by the wheelchair supporters I accompany. Told I cannot take a stool in with me as under health and safety rules it is not safe to do so.

It is time that Stevenage got up to standard with their disabled facilities and let away fans sit with their own fans and provide seats for the carers.

Given my previous experience of visiting Stevenage as an away fan (See my review of 24/01/12) and the other critical reviews of Stevenage by away fans since, I could not believe that this season we would be there on the last day of the season. Being sat at the other end of the stadium to the away fans in the home end on the last day of the season was something that I swore all season I would not do. Hence at the beginning of March I asked the Box Officer Manager at my own club did she want to or should I approach Stevenage to ensure that we were sat with our own fans to enjoy the last day of the season celebrations. She said leave it with her and very quickly she came back with the news that we would be ok – we could sit with our own fans. I should have known, it was Stevenage – who I know get things wrong!

On the day the tickets were released it transpired that our Box Officer Manager had been given the wrong information and as away wheelchair fans we would be sat with the Stevenage fans at the opposite end of the stadium to all the away non disabled fans. We were being treated as modern day lepers, cut off from our own community, unable to see, hear or take part in any of our Club’s last day of the season celebrations. Celebrations which having been to every away game bar one this season felt very special to me. As if I was an non disabled away fan who sat in the home stand I would be evicted, I set about stopping this discrimination. Despite complaints to Stevenage FC, my own club, my MP, LPF, the FA, my local press and the Equality Council, I failed and had to be a modern day leper, watching my club’s end of season celebrations from afar and hoping that perhaps one day I won’t be discriminated against for using a wheelchair.

Adam Cockfield, Head of Operations at Stevenage FC, told me that as a football fan himself he was totally sympathetic to my grievance but unfortunately the Club had not had the financial resources to make provision for wheelchair users at the away end since being promoted to League 1 and whilst it hoped to do so in the future, as the removal of concrete involved would be expensive, it was unclear when the change could be made. I can only think the more complaints Stevenage FC receive about their discrimination of away wheelchair users the more likely change will be and I would encourage people to do so. I actually encouraged able-bodied fans to complain and I know this happened to the response of “yes we know”! Perhaps for me the greatest shock was to be told by the Equality Council that this discriminatory treatment of away wheelchair fans would probably not be judged illegal, as it would likely be accepted that it was unreasonable to expect such provision to be made given the financial pressures on the Club and the best hope for change is persuading the Club they want to do it for the best of reasons.

Location aside, in keeping with earlier reviews about Stevenage FC, I again encountered the club giving away wheelchair fans contradictory information about ticket purchases. When I rang Stevenage FC on the lst day the tickets were released, I was told that I could book my place but could not purchase a ticket until I arrived at the Club on the day of the match. A few days later a fellow wheelchair user rang Stevenage and was allowed to purchase their ticket by ‘phone and have it posted to them. Fearful that I would arrive at the match to be told there was no room for me, I included this in my pre-visit communication with the Club and was subsequently telephoned and asked if I would like to purchase my ticket by telephone and have it posted to me, which then happened without difficulty.

In fairness to Adam Cockfield he was keen that we did not suffer the same experience that we had last season on arriving at the ground (when he was not at the Club) and he helpfully arranged for our Club’s wheelchair accessible mini-bus to park as near to our entrance as possible and instructed me to ring him on our arrival if we had any problems. Adam kept his promise to come and see us before the game even though he was clearly busy at the time. The parking worked and we were grateful. To clarify, the entrance for away wheelchair fans is on the opposite side of the road to the entrance to the main car park, across a dual carriageway, which you need to use a congested underpass to cross and a not insignificant distance. The area around the ground has several out of town shopping centres although I did not see enough to comment on what outlets there were.

We were also grateful for the provision of companion seats that Adam arranged, having previously been told such was not possible for health and safety reasons. Equally, I am pleased to report there is a lock on the accessible toilet – it was shiny and looked new! The toilet is down the slope to the left of the wheelchair area (stay close to the stand to avoid the steps)- a red door across from the stand. Another improvement this season was the provision of DAB radios for blind and partially sighted fans to get the radio commentary on the match, available to home and away fans which we requested beforehand and was handed to us by the steward on our arrival. The snack bar is visible to the right, in the adjacent home stand. I did not make any purchases but the person next to me said the burger they bought was excellent for both quality and price.

The provision for home and away wheelchair fans is at the rear of the standing terrace behind the goal. It is covered and the roof did not leak this time as it did last season, hence we remained dry in a heavy downpour. The view is excellent and unobstructed. The Club state there is room for 12 wheelchairs. Whilst it was obvious that some Stevenage wheelchair fans had “their own spot” where they sat for every game, we were told to sit wherever we wished and that there wasn’t a home and away end within the wheelchair area. Generally it seemed the companions stood behind the wheelchairs, not least as a way of making room for the stated capacity of 12 wheelchairs. The Stevenage fans around us were friendly and we were made to feel welcome. Jane, the steward for the wheelchair area is the most attentive steward we have ever met in visiting 40 grounds, she is just fantastic in making sure that you are ok in the time before the match, during the match, the interval and at the end. A nurse by profession and mother of a disabled son, she is a true treasure for Stevenage and all the wheelchair fans.

We did enjoy our afternoon albeit we would have enjoyed it so much more had we been sat at the away end and been able to participate in the end of season celebrations with our fellow fans who we had travelled the country with over the season. Yes, we will definitely return to Stevenage next season to enjoy the new provision for away wheelchair fans at the away end or to complain further that such provision is still missing!

Based on my visit as an away fan to Stevenage on 24/01/12 I would rate Stevenage as the worst away ground of the 29 I have visited in the past few years. Every member of staff from the box office onwards responded to me as if they had never seen a wheelchair disabled fan before and when I complained, the Chairman managed to put such a spin on his reply that he blamed my home club! For starters box office staff at Stevenage would not have it that away wheelchair fans had to get their tickets from them and sent me on a wild goose chase to get them from my own club. Stevenage do not have headset commentaries for visually impaired fans. Whilst last year I was able to sit with my own fans, this season away fans are seated in the home end, as far away from their own fans as possible with no seats provided for their carers. If you are visiting as an away fan my advice is to be very clear, ask to where you need to park and enter the stadium, as the stewards when I visited had no idea and consistently mis-directed the away wheelchair fans. There was no bolt on the disabled toilet when I visited. In the reply to my complaint letter, Stevenage’s Chairman told me that bolts had now been put on the toilet doors and that Stewards were going to be retrained in relation to away wheelchair fans. Lets hope therefore that if you visit as an away wheelchair fan you experience is better than mine, I doubt it could be worse.

It’s taken me this long to calm down enough to write this… ignorant club, ignorant stewards and you couldn’t be sitting further from your own fans if they tried. Shocking planning, especially as the away fans stand looked reasonably new. Don’t think I’ll bother next time…

The worse ground I have ever had the misfortune to visit. My carer (herself semi-ambulant) wasn’t allowed to sit with me. Some stewards offered a stool for her to sit next to me , but this was refused on their persistent mantra of “health and safety”. Whatever that means. Same as being miles a way from the away support “health and safety”. You get the gist. I have many complaints that it’s difficult to list them all. The disabled toilet still doesn’t have a lock and the door opened inwards. Someone should really have a talk with this club about 21 century provisions for the disabled.

Having visited Stevenage last season with Reading, I can concur with everything that other people have said. 1) We had to park over the dual carriageway & walk under the road, mix with home fans etc which was a bit worrying after the game – it’s quite a trek for non-wheelchair users. 2) We too had problems buying tickets, queuing to get them only to be told they were left for us elsewhere 3) Being directed to the wrong turnstiles (twice) + stewards not knowing what was the accessible entrance. 4) I refused to sit with the home fans an asked to sit with the away fans next to the Sky TV commentator – I’d rather do this and have no facilities than face the abuse of home fans. The club/staff/stewards really need some disability awareness training and realise that we too are customers.