Have long ticket queues become a thing from the past?

[Silent Blade]

I am an old codger who prefers to queue for tickets rather than getting into a struggle to order them online. I arrived at the ground around 8.45am and there were just four in front of me in the queue, just a handful behind me in the queue when I left the ticket office.

Getting a ticket will mean I havent missed a Sheffield league Derby at Hillsborough in the last 54 years (I did miss one at Bramall Lane in April 1980 because I was playing in a football tournament at Kortrijk, Belgium)

 

[Selly]

In short, yes.

20 years ago, pre the introduction of Loyalty points, tickets for a Derby such as this would have gone on sale to ST holders all at once - and they would probably only have done them in person. basically unless you were at the front of the queue you weren't getting a ticket.

Now they can released the ticket buying window in bands of LP, and people can do online sales as well (as eligibility can be checked).

You won`t ever see people queuing round the car park again - its a relic from a bygone era.

but lets be honest, its nostalgia - its far better this way*


*not a comment on the merits/demerits of the LP system or our current implementation/use of it.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Hopefully, there'll always be a need for the ticket office.
Not only for ticket sales (although this is increasingly done online now), but for dealing with refunds, exchanges, account updates, etc. I've always found the staff helpful and friendly in there, they sort stuff out pretty quickly.

 

[Pintor75]

Talking of tickets, on Saturday my bar code changed to a QR code and I couldn't get in, steward let me in after everalmtries, did anyone else have this problem?

 

[mattbianco1]

I'm 41 and this is the first Hillsborough away day i haven't done since i was 16. I just can't bring myself to do it this time around.

Hopefully i'm delighted with the result watching in the pub, but slightly gutted that I missed it in the flesh

 

[Wards]

20 years ago, pre the introduction of Loyalty points, tickets for a Derby such as this would have gone on sale to ST holders all at once

Probably not quite accurate. You'd have had to have ticket stubs from previous away games to get them ahead of those with just a season ticket.

 

[Bell4]

Talking of tickets, on Saturday my bar code changed to a QR code and I couldn't get in, steward let me in after everalmtries, did anyone else have this problem?

Ahhh

It needs to be changed to a QPR code - that’ll sort it

 

[Back post bob]

Talking of tickets, on Saturday my bar code changed to a QR code and I couldn't get in, steward let me in after everalmtries, did anyone else have this problem?

Most people who had android phones had issues and I don't think the problem has been fixed.I keep getting messages saying it has been updated but when I look the barcode is exactly the same.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Talking of tickets, on Saturday my bar code changed to a QR code and I couldn't get in, steward let me in after several tries, did anyone else have this problem?

Was it a paper ticket? My paper ticket had a bar code, I didn't have a problem getting in.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Im giving them bastards nothing.

I recall overnight sleeps at the Lane for Cup Quarter Final tickets v Blackburn 1993, Wembley same season and Tranmere 1995

 

[Boxer Blade]

I am an old codger who prefers to queue for tickets rather than getting into a struggle to order them online. I arrived at the ground around 8.45am and there were just four in front of me in the queue, just a handful behind me in the queue when I left the ticket office.

Getting a ticket will mean I havent missed a Sheffield league Derby at Hillsborough in the last 54 years (I did miss one at Bramall Lane in April 1980 because I was playing in a football tournament at Kortrijk, Belgium)

That is some record to be proud of, if it had been anybody else I would have said your memories gone but I can't say that to you can I

 

[Silent Blade]

I recall overnight sleeps at the Lane for Cup Quarter Final tickets v Blackburn 1993

Do you remember a drunk Blade wanting a fight with one of the stewards? I was trying to help him to calm down along with Cooperman and Alan Scholey, but he took a swing and just missed my face! He was thrown out of the stand!

 

[Pintor75]

Was it a paper ticket? My paper ticket had a bar code, I didn't have a problem getting in.

No ,on my phone

 

[Pintor75]

Most people who had android phones had issues and I don't think the problem has been fixed.I keep getting messages saying it has been updated but when I look the barcode is exactly the same.

Mine is the same, I.e. updating

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Do you remember a drunk Blade wanting a fight with one of the stewards? I was trying to help him to calm down along with Cooperman and Alan Scholey, but he took a swing and just missed my face! He was thrown out of the stand!

Haha vaguely I do recall a few "drunk" folk

 

[N20 Blade]

Im giving them bastards nothing.

I recall overnight sleeps at the Lane for Cup Quarter Final tickets v Blackburn 1993, Wembley same season and Tranmere 1995

Tranmere?

 

[Selly]

Probably not quite accurate. You'd have had to have ticket stubs from previous away games to get them ahead of those with just a season ticket.

You are quite correct - it had completely slipped my mind that "prior ticket stubs" used to be a thing...

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Tranmere?

Yeah only gave us a few hundred tickets

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Im giving them bastards nothing.

I recall overnight sleeps at the Lane for Cup Quarter Final tickets v Blackburn 1993, Wembley same season and Tranmere 1995

I remember applying for some big game tickets via post (not living in Sheffield).

Not sure many people are applying for tickets with a stamped addressed envelope in 2025

 

[Silent Blade]

Not sure many people are applying for tickets with a stamped addressed envelope in 2025

That's how my dad got us tickets for that match at Old Trafford on 2nd October 1971

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Not sure how the priority worked, but I couldn't understand why people queued up for hours and hours for tickets, when you could just send in a letter and get the tickets sent back in the post.

Of course I'm talking about games with perhaps 25k+ tickets available.

 

[ancientblade]

That's how my dad got us tickets for that match at Old Trafford on 2nd October 1971

went 10 yards in the queue at old trafford before the announcement at 1.45 that they were shutting the gates with 55k inside and cant have been more than1k from sheffield that got in i reckon 10k blades locked out that day and i reckon at least 15k in total locked out as for derbies silent i miss the days when both clubs had 15k fans at each others grounds the atmosphere at both grounds electric and before that going on the east bank standing above or at the side of wednesday fans great days great memories

 

[KMC-1889]

I am an old codger who prefers to queue for tickets rather than getting into a struggle to order them online. I arrived at the ground around 8.45am and there were just four in front of me in the queue, just a handful behind me in the queue when I left the ticket office.

Getting a ticket will mean I havent missed a Sheffield league Derby at Hillsborough in the last 54 years (I did miss one at Bramall Lane in April 1980 because I was playing in a football tournament at Kortrijk, Belgium)

The only time I’ve seen a queue outside the ticket office recently is when the NFC stopped working the week they introduced safe standing

I used to work in Kortrijk, surprised anyone else has ever heard of the place, small world!

 

[Addison]

went 10 yards in the queue at old trafford before the announcement at 1.45 that they were shutting the gates with 55k inside and cant have been more than1k from sheffield that got in i reckon 10k blades locked out that day and i reckon at least 15k in total locked out as for derbies silent i miss the days when both clubs had 15k fans at each others grounds the atmosphere at both grounds electric and before that going on the east bank standing above or at the side of wednesday fans great days great memories

We got there after being delayed by traffic trying to get in the Scoreboard end. Mate was next to go in the turnstile when they shut them down because the temporary wall started to move. They were doing ground improvements at the time. We hung around outside with the other 10k plus Blades shut out. It has to be the biggest away following we ever took to a league game Derby's apart. I would say it was nearer 20k from Sheffield that day we were top of the league. Got in the Stretford End with 20 minutes to go when they opened the doors only to see Best score that goal.

 

[The Fox]

My silliest queueing was for the league cup semi at Anfield .

Rumours that folks were going straight from the pub the previous night spread and resulted in 2 of us in the car park at some god forsaken time .

There was quite a queue by then , think the Butty ship on Bramall lane opened early as did the ticket office .

The sence of achievement walking away with a ticket was memorable.

 

[Silent Blade]

My silliest queueing was for the league cup semi at Anfield .

Rumours that folks were going straight from the pub the previous night spread and resulted in 2 of us in the car park at some god forsaken time .

There was quite a queue by then , think the Butty ship on Bramall lane opened early as did the ticket office .

The sence of achievement walking away with a ticket was memorable.

I was in that queue too, a very long night!

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I am surprised they keep some in the ticket office to sell in the first place tbh! Would be much easier to chuck them all online

 

[Rodders]

My silliest queueing was for the league cup semi at Anfield .

Rumours that folks were going straight from the pub the previous night spread and resulted in 2 of us in the car park at some god forsaken time .

There was quite a queue by then , think the Butty ship on Bramall lane opened early as did the ticket office .

The sence of achievement walking away with a ticket was memorable.

I was in that queue too, a very long night!

That was my first and last all-nighter; got there about 11pm and the queue was already up to Cherry Street!

 

[raul]

It was the best of times. It was the queuiest of times. Maurice Maurice did the honours for Anfield, I did 5 am- ers for OT and Cardiff. Last occasion I recall shuffling down the car park for was the Arsenal replay in 04/05 when I let Rodders queue jump. There was such a sense of camerarderie and optimism back then for the big occasions. Battered out of me now though.

 

[nopigfansintown]

My silliest queueing was for the league cup semi at Anfield .

Rumours that folks were going straight from the pub the previous night spread and resulted in 2 of us in the car park at some god forsaken time .

There was quite a queue by then , think the Butty ship on Bramall lane opened early as did the ticket office .

The sence of achievement walking away with a ticket was memorable.

I was informed that it was the most oversubscribed game ever. I got two via the club. I felt bad about it tbh.