Wolverhampton Wanderers

[Away fan feedback from Jo Pascoe]
“My experience at wolves was excellent. Prior to the match they sent info for disabled supporters to use to access their facilities. Their Disability Liaison Officer, Laura, emailed me back asking for my seat number. I gave her my seat number and she said she would get the set to me. However when I got through the turnstile, she came over to me and handed me the headset. (I think the white stick gave it away!)”

Our second visit as away fans to Molineaux. As I did a lengthy review of our first visit two years ago, this is just an update on that.

Access to the Ground

Wolves are the first Club out of about 40 we have visited, who have phoned our mini-bus driver in the week prior to our visit to give her the arrangements for our drop-off and collection. And what’s more the arrangements worked. Big gold star to Wolves and a lesson for many other Clubs! I have emailed Wolves to thank them.

Facilities in the Ground for Away Wheelchair Fans

Viewing Areas

No change from our last visit. It poured whilst we were there. Whilst we got wet the large overhanging roof meant that we did not get as wet as if we were sat in the open.

Refreshments

The large covered refreshment area with TV screens is on the right as you enter the stadium. It is meant for the home stand in that location but has been made accessible also to away wheelchair fans. I was told by others that the prices were high (water £2, hot dogs £4.50). There are lots of vans selling hot food which are easily accessible before you enter the ground which I am told offer good value.

Accessible Toilets

Toilet was clean unlike on our last visit. As it is in the same area as the refreshments I would expect it to be very congested at half -time. I went in the second half and one of the Disabled Fans Stewards immediately noticed me and helped with the doors.

Headset Commentaries for Visually Impaired Fans

Not provided as far as we are aware.

Attitude of Club Officials

Informed, helpful & friendly. Stewards outside the ground were clearly briefed to expect us as they immediately recognised our mini-bus and beckoned us to where we could unload.

After the Match

Our mini-bus was allowed without any difficulties to wait for us at the end of the game as previously agreed. The roads around the ground were heavily congested but perhaps only what you would expect and all part of the match-day experience. Ambulant disabled away fans visiting Molineaux should be aware that the official away fans coaches are parked a considerable walk from the stadium, with I understand some steep gradients. I would advise anyone who thinks this will be a problem for them to ask their Club to speak to Wolves about it.

Will We go Again?

Would be happy to visit again.

I have been trying since October to get Watford FC to tell me how many additional wheelchair spaces will be made available once their new stand has been opened.

The stand, when shown on tv, appears to be in use and full to capacity. For some reason I cannot get a response from Watford.

Is anyone else able to shed any light on this please?

Our first trip to Molineaux as away wheelchair fans.

Access to the Ground

We travelled from the South and used the exit from the M54 which gave us a straight run into the centre of Wolverhampton, where the ground is visible on the right. We travelled, as always, in a wheelchair accessible mini-bus that is provided by our Club as part of its official away travel. The official directions our driver had been given led us to a builder’s yard! Having read earlier LPF reviews I explained that dropping us of may be problematic. Unperturbed, our driver drove us (down the steep hill referred to in earlier reviews) to the front of the stadium and was directed by helpful stewards to drop us off in the stadium car park close to the supermarket entrance which is next to the stadium. He was not allowed to park there for the match but was allowed to return there for the end of the match to collect us. The distance then to the entrance for away wheelchair fans at the right hand corner of the Stan Cullis Stand was relatively short over flat ground, it seemed the distance from the entrance to the Stand to the wheelchair area was much further, down the side of the stand and along the front.

Facilities in the Ground for Away Wheelchair Fans

Viewing Areas

We were at pitch level in front of own fans in the Stan Cullis Stand, as per the photo provided by the earlier SUFC’s reviewer. I understand that the location of away wheelchair fans depends on the size of the away crowd (we took 600). We had a good view, sat directly opposite the tunnel and were not troubled during play by anyone walking past. I think it is worth noting that, despite our visit being the end of November, it was a relatively mild day but still felt very cold as we were sat in a really windy spot, so wrap up warm! There is a good over-hang on the Stand roof but I would think you could well get wet if it was raining & windy. It was too cold to take my gloves off to test out 3G!

Refreshments

We were given no information about the provision of refreshments in the ground. I can only presume that the provision previously referred to of free drinks being given to away wheelchair fans prior to the match and at half time with provision of a lounge, has now stopped. Just as well we travelled with our own food and drink. I observed, as earlier reviewers have remarked, there are numerous refreshment vans around the area outside the ground.

Accessible Toilets

There is one accessible toilet underneath the adjacent new stand which you access from the side of the stand (it is on your right as you enter the ground). It is operated by a radar key (steward accompanied me and unlocked the door). Left hand transfer, large cubicle giving unobstructed turning space, hot water and foam soap. Most powerful hand-drier I have encountered in over 40 stadiums. I found the toilet bowl and the hand basin in need of cleaning. I was one of the first fans into the ground and visited the toilet immediately, so I can only conclude that the toilets are not routinely cleaned between games as I would expect.

Headset Commentaries for Visually Impaired Fans

I emailed the Club prior to the game and was told that they only had FM radios which we could borrow but there was no guarantee there would be radio commentary, so we did not pursue this option further.

Attitude of Club Officials

I would endorse the comments made by previous reviews that all the stewards we encountered outside and inside the stadium were helpful, chatty and friendly. It seemed to me that each stand has its own Disabled Liaison Steward, it was this steward who escorted us from the door to where we were sitting, told us where the accessible loo was and accompanied me there. It was this person that I would have expected to explain to us access to refreshments but nothing was said. Prior to the match and at half time, it seemed this steward had a general stewarding role. Had a steward been around when I came out of the toilet I would have shown them what I had found. During play I was not aware of the Disabled Liaison Steward’swhereabouts. A safety officer who stopped to chat to the person sat next to me prior to the game willingly went to purchase a bottle of water on her behalf.

After the Match

At the end it was very easy to exit the stand as there were no other fans in this area. We were very pleased to see our mini-bus was where we had left it and stewards willingly moved two sets of barriers to let us get to it easily. It was very congested leaving the ground and getting out of Wolverhampton but nothing extreme and part of it could well have been due to Christmas shoppers.

Will We go Again?

Yes. Always easier to return as you know the ropes!

On arrival our coach was told we had to park in the designated coach park 10 mins walk away from the ground and across a dual carriageway. Our driver asked if we could drop off the disabled supporters nearer to the stadium to be told NO.

We then proceeded to walk down a steep hill to the ground which is not good holding back a wheelchair on such an incline. On entering the ground there is another slope to go down to the wheelchair area which is in front of the away fans stand with loose very old and uncomfortable chairs for the carers to sit on. It is open to all the elements and we were glad it was not raining although it was quite windy and draughty.

There was only one disabled toilet available to us and although it was very good and clean it was in the other stand and surely there should have been more than one in a new stand.

All the other comments stated they had free drinks prior to kick off and at half time we saw nothing and we were told the fans lounge was too far away to go into.

The steward was good and he was a friendly guy and directed us to the loo.

On leaving the stadium after pushing a wheelchair up the slope we then had to push them up the steep hill and by the time we got to the top 2 of the carers were suffering from chest pains (I was one of them and I was not pushing anyone). Wolves supporters were amongst us although there was supposed to be a police cordon to stop them being with us, it was intimidating and quite frightening.

WHY can’t the disabled coaches and minibuses be allowed to drop off at the ground where there was plenty of room for a coach to park down there.????

We were able to park close by for £5.00, there were plenty of cheap fast food stands close to the ground and also an Asda Store. they also sold food inside the stadium. programmes were £3.00.

The Stewards were friendly and very helpful, there was also a meeting place for diabled supporters and their carers in the stan culis stand, away fans were made welcome, although it did get quite packed, we were allowed a hot drink before the match and at half time free of charge. the atmosphere inside the ground was excellant with good banter between the fans, we had a very enjoyable evening and got away quite quickley after the game with no problems.

I last visited here in 1976 when Liverpool won the League after Steve Kindon scored for Wolves. I was a none disabled supporter then. I’m now a wheel chair user and other than the new stadium I’m sorry to say the only thing I can give credit to is the following, Stewards very helpful and a Hot Drink free at half time. I applaud this but we had to go into the home section to obtain it, no access to away facilities, this did make me a little uneasy as the looks we got proved, also no disabled toilets in the away section and had to go again in the home section. The seating for wheel chair supporters are pitch side in front of away supporters, open to all the weather elements, it looks like an after thought as somwhere to put away wheel chair supporters. This is sad as the owner of the club supports disabled charities, which he should be applauded for, but in this instance charity should begin at home and have some better faciliteis for the disabled. I stayed at the local travelodge over night and I can recommend it, but watch for the very crowded streets with narrow pavements, the road is not blocked off after the game so traffic is still using the road, an accident looking to happen

Very warm welcome from the stewards, taken straight to the disabled area to warm up and FREE offered hot drinks (THFC I hope your reading this) although this was located in the home section we were very well recieved(Isuppose it does help if you have a smile on your face we did) had some good banter with the home fans, disabled toilets also in this area. Only down point was very poor seating for the carer other than that a very good experience and looking forward to going again.

was very well treated by all the stewards and thought the offer of free hot drinks before match and at half time was a great gesture to disabled and carers, would like to think my club could learn from this,

We arrived in good time and enjoyed the atmosphere around the ground.

Easy access to the disabled area which was on a platform in the Jack Harris stand where our fans were seated. The Steward apologised in advance that our view could be impeded, and said they had not sold the row of seats in front to help the matter. Unfortunately the slope of the stand meant that those in about four rows in front standing impeded the view, and stand they did. The stewards did what they could but to no avail, then some realised the back row in front of us was empty and began to migrate there making things worse. It is fair to say we saw nothing of the match, and my husband became very distressed.

The disabled toilets were accessible but we found after the match a pile of discarded bottles in the area and it was swimming in spilled drink making the floor slippery and sticky for crutches and wheelchair wheels.

It’s a great stadium, friendly and helpful police, stewards and fans just a shame we didn’t get to see the football.

In 22 years of watching football from a wheelchair this was my most humiliating experience. Fans standing on seats directly in front of wheelchairs. Stewards standing directly in front of wheelchairs. Saw nothing of the game. Could not use the disabled toilets afterwards – in 1 cubicle there were 2 men, 1 urinating in the wash basin. In the other cubicle there was excrement on the floor.

My dad is a season ticket holder at Sunderland. He is ambulant disabled and needs a seat on the end of a row. That’s fine at Sunderland because he can choose his seat with the ticket office. But it can be a bit of a problem at away games. He doesn’t go to many, but sometimes we’ll go to a game if Sunderland are playing in the Midlands (where I live).

Most grounds have provision (although not always adequate) for wheelchair users plus companion but my dad doesn’t need a wheelchair – just a convenient seat! And that can be a problem when travelling away. Tickets are bought through the visiting team, but they don’t know where the seats are situated because they don’t have a stadium plan. And when I’ve asked the home club, they have said that all away allocations are the responsibility of the visiting team.

In the past, we’ve been lucky because we’ve either been able to find an empty seat on the end of a row or we’ve been able to swap with someone else, but I thought there must be a better way which is why I got in touch with NADS ahead of Sunderland’s visit to Wolves on 27 November 2010. They gave superb advice on how we should approach the situation, including giving me the name of Sunderland’s liaison officer for disabled supporters. Jackie at NADS told me that it was Sunderland’s responsibility to find a suitable seat and that they should make arrangements to get hold of a stadium plan from Wolves. After a certain amount of to-ing and fro-ing between the clubs, we were able to get two tickets together on the end of a row at the back of the Jack Harris stand (which was a little disappointing because we also asked to avoid too many stairs, but the aisle seat was the priority for us).

On the day of the match (let’s not mention the score, eh?!), I think the first thing to say is that the stewards were all very good and very attentive when they saw my dad walking down the stairs at the end of the match, they were straight there to offer their help (despite the distractions around us as the home and away fans exchanged pleasantries!). The second thing is that, although we were on the very back row, the stairs weren’t too bad because there were bannisters (unlike at the ‘modern’ Stadium of Light). The third thing is that the aisle seats were a waste of time because everyone was stood up for the whole match! I know it’s against the rules and there was an announcement made that fans should sit down, but the stewards didn’t enforce it (well, they didn’t by us – presumably it would make sense for them to work from the front and work back) and if we had sat down, we wouldn’t have seen anything. From a personal point of view, there was no one behind us (so our conscience was clear in that regard) and my dad is quite comfortable standing, so that wasn’t a problem for us. I do, however, appreciate that it is a real issue for wheelchair users who, I understand, are situated half-way down the stand and can’t see the match when everyone in front of them are on their feet. So, while there are wider issues around stadium design, our issue was mainly around the communication between two clubs when travelling away. It seems to me that clubs are getting better at providing accessibility in their own grounds, but they struggle when supplying tickets for away matches. And perhaps the home team does not always provide adequate information to the visiting club about accessibility in the allocated block. With the help of NADS, we got this issue sorted for this match but I think it is an issue that clubs ought to address.