Season Ticket Prices Out.

CotswoldRed · February 11, 2011

The most annoying thing about the entire financial downturn is that it was entirely avoidable if the worlds Banks had been more prudent and considered when they handed out money left right and centre, It can be no coincidence that the "borrowing culture" was born in a direct parrallel to the loosening of Loan restrictions.

Avoidable, that's true. Unfortunately the banks will only look after themselves. Regulation is needed to look after the rest of us - over to you Blair and Brown.

**054123** · February 11, 2011

&lt;br /&gt;Insofar as its the banks fault if someone borrows money they can't afford to pay back?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't really buy it. The banks made some atrocious errors, but the public just seems to want a scapegoat and the banks fit the bill.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If everyone who borrowed money in the first place took the time to work out how they were going to pay it back and took a little more personal responsibility we might not be in this mess.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The even greater problem now is public overspending.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Let's not fall into the trap of taking the easy option when choosing that scapegoat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;

If i'm correct, in 2007 the national defeceit as a result of public spending was one of the lowest in Europe, a fact lauded by the shadow chancellor at the time. What caused the disparity and the huge increase in national borrowing was when the government had to start allocating spending to cover the banking crisis and prop up the economy.

In effect there was then a great big shortfall and what this government has managed to do in spectacular fashion is convince you that the problem is as a result of the former rather than the latter, giving them a carte blanc to slash the public spending bill which it's party so detests.

I except that this is politics and that each party has it's own agenda, what irks me is the line that we are in this mess because of public spending.

Yes, the current level of Public Spending is unstainable at the present but to claim it's anyone party's fault misses the point completely and is just politiking for the sake of it. The global banking crisis caused the problem.

A scenario i heard once was imagine for the last 10 years you had a budget of £1000 month and and you spent £900 a month to live and £100 on the intangables in life. Everything is rosey, life is good. Then two years ago you suddenly became ill and had to start spending an additional £400 a month to get better. In just one year you rack up £3,600 worth of debt. Is the debt because you spend £900 a month to live or because you suddenly became ill? Either way you have to start saving some money somewhere and repay the debt, accepted, but how would you feel if someone then started saying the reason you owe £3,600 is because you were reckless with your budget before you got ill. I can't square that one unfortunately.

What ever your answer, it's probabaly reflective of your review on the current national debt level.

**Harry** · February 12, 2011

You absolutely smack of bitterness, resentment and most of all jealousy. What are you, some kind of working class hero? Should i strike up The Internacionale?

The fact is full time students don't have much money. If anything kids like me who came from families who had fork all and still tried to get an education have even less at Uni, despite the government feeding you sh!t that 'poor' kids get a good deal, so student prices were very welcome for me.

My education paid off, my parents are proud of me and with the decent job i now have, this season i'll be buying a family season ticket as i never lost touch with the Super Reds.

If you really were on the side of the working class unemployed man with a family, you would realise that a decent socialist state helps ALL those who needs it, whether it's help whilst trying to find work or help whilst trying to better themselves and incresase job opportunities through firther education.

Something bad happened to you and you obviously carry it around.

Let it go mate.

The country would be a better place if we looked after each other rather than the Thatcherite look after yourself mentality.

Ha ha, cage firmly rattled my friend?

Yes, the Internationale will be the human race. As Green Day once sang, "a working class hero is something to be".

Not at all bitter, resentful or jealous at all m'lud. Nor has anything particularly bad happened to me which I am carrying around.

All I'm stating is my opinion that I do not believe it is fair or just for someone who chooses to engage in further education to be entitled to a reduced price ticket for a football match. I have no issues with students receiving discounts for stuff of necessity (rent, travel, food, hell even have a couple of cheap beers now and again), but I don't understand why there is an expectation to receive discounted rates for leisure products or engaging in hobbies, such as watching football. This is not a necessity to a student. If you can't afford full price either don't go, or prioritise your spends so you can afford it.

As for the 'Thatcherite' mentality of only looking after yourself, the only people I can see on this thread who are displaying such a mentality are those who want a cheap ticket - for themselves. There doesn't appear to have been much of a band of brothers, one for all, all for one, lets all muck in and help each other out mentality for my exampled hard working yet jobless family man. No, you guys are happy to take a discount if you're given one, but you'll happily fly the finger to the unemployed unfortunate.

So, my question still goes unanswered - what gives you the right to expect a reduced price ticket for a leisure activity of choice?

Here's a history lesson of Harry. When I were a lad, I became of fan of BCFC and wanted to go to every game, but my Mother couldn't afford it, so I had to pick and choose the matches according to her budget. So I got myself a paper round earning £6.10p per week. Each Saturday I'd pick up my wedge and I'd spend £1.10p on a Day Rider, £1 for a Micky Finns burger & chips on the Centre, 50p for a Programme and £3 to stand on the East End. I'd come home with 50p in my pocket. That paid for my home games, and my mother would sometimes just about be able to afford me to travel to the odd away fixture too.

Once I left school, i wanted to work and found myself a job immediately earning a small wage, but one which was a healthy wage for a 16 yr old. That was enough for me, I was able to afford all the City matches I wanted and regularly travelled away. In fact, i didn't miss a game for about 3 or 4 years.

As I grew older, moved out of home, started paying my way in the world, as well as enjoying a much wider social circle, I realised I couldn't afford all of the many things I was interested in. So I cut back a bit on the football. I still went to most home games, but I stopped travelling away. I had other things to spend my money on and so I sacrificed that particular pleasure.

Nowadays, I'm in a good job and can afford to go where I want, when I want, but I'll be the one who chooses what to spend my money on. So, in a nutshell, if I can afford it, I'll choose whether or not I want to go to the football. If I can't afford it, I won't go, nor would I expect someone to give me a discount.

Here endeth the lesson.

**Harry** · February 12, 2011

Yes it is so it is partly their fault.

However, it just wouldn't be popular for the powers that be to lay the blame with the public in general would it?

I've been desperate for a loan in the past and I can promise you I thought about how I was going to pay it back, and did.

Regulation has done very well in recent years removing much personal responsibility from people. Its easier than ever to declare yourself bankrupt. You watch the ads for debt advice and the like - they talk to you like you've had an accident at work and it was someone else's fault and that you deserve to be set free from this wicked debt oppression. Bollux.

Debts don't just disappear, they are carried by businesses and society in general. It stinks.

Yes, it is partly the fault of the Banks due to taking chances on risky mortgage products.

It's partly the fault of the Government for a lack of regulation.

But we also have to remember that it's partly the fault of the general public too. We're quick to lay the blame but we all ought to look a bit closer to home.

The Sub-Prime crisis in the States was the catalyst to all of this and we had a very similar culture in the UK too.

The Banks were happy to lend money to people they knew couldn't pay it back, in the full knowledge that they would then be able to seize their property if payments were defaulted. However, it got out of hand, and way too many defaults were occuring, causing a lack of movement (nay shrinking) of the housing market, which in turn took it's toll on the interest rates and the financial markets, and eventually into the crisis we have experienced.

What we have to remember in all of this though is that this money was being lent by the Banks to people who could not afford to pay it back.

This is where individual responsibility lies. If you can't afford something, you don't buy it. Some members of the public have been incredibly stupid and greedy. Historically you'd find it hard to get any more than 3.5 times your salary for a mortgage. Over the last few years it's not unusual to find people taking mortgages out on 8 or 9 times their salary. Anyone who overstretched themselves in such a manner should also take some responsibility for what's happened. The only legitimate reason for anyone to undertake such a transaction is due to their own speculation, they were out to make as much money as they could, gambled and failed.

As I said, the Banks were irresponbile in their lending. But a large part of the public should also look a little closer to home before laying the blame.

stillmorecider · February 12, 2011

Ha ha, cage firmly rattled my friend?
Yes, the Internationale will be the human race. As Green Day once sang, "a working class hero is something to be".

Not at all bitter, resentful or jealous at all m'lud. Nor has anything particularly bad happened to me which I am carrying around.

All I'm stating is my opinion that I do not believe it is fair or just for someone who chooses to engage in further education to be entitled to a reduced price ticket for a football match. I have no issues with students receiving discounts for stuff of necessity (rent, travel, food, hell even have a couple of cheap beers now and again), but I don't understand why there is an expectation to receive discounted rates for leisure products or engaging in hobbies, such as watching football. This is not a necessity to a student. If you can't afford full price either don't go, or prioritise your spends so you can afford it.

As for the 'Thatcherite' mentality of only looking after yourself, the only people I can see on this thread who are displaying such a mentality are those who want a cheap ticket - for themselves. There doesn't appear to have been much of a band of brothers, one for all, all for one, lets all muck in and help each other out mentality for my exampled hard working yet jobless family man. No, you guys are happy to take a discount if you're given one, but you'll happily fly the finger to the unemployed unfortunate.

So, my question still goes unanswered - what gives you the right to expect a reduced price ticket for a leisure activity of choice?

Here's a history lesson of Harry. When I were a lad, I became of fan of BCFC and wanted to go to every game, but my Mother couldn't afford it, so I had to pick and choose the matches according to her budget. So I got myself a paper round earning £6.10p per week. Each Saturday I'd pick up my wedge and I'd spend £1.10p on a Day Rider, £1 for a Micky Finns burger & chips on the Centre, 50p for a Programme and £3 to stand on the East End. I'd come home with 50p in my pocket. That paid for my home games, and my mother would sometimes just about be able to afford me to travel to the odd away fixture too.
Once I left school, i wanted to work and found myself a job immediately earning a small wage, but one which was a healthy wage for a 16 yr old. That was enough for me, I was able to afford all the City matches I wanted and regularly travelled away. In fact, i didn't miss a game for about 3 or 4 years.
As I grew older, moved out of home, started paying my way in the world, as well as enjoying a much wider social circle, I realised I couldn't afford all of the many things I was interested in. So I cut back a bit on the football. I still went to most home games, but I stopped travelling away. I had other things to spend my money on and so I sacrificed that particular pleasure.
Nowadays, I'm in a good job and can afford to go where I want, when I want, but I'll be the one who chooses what to spend my money on. So, in a nutshell, if I can afford it, I'll choose whether or not I want to go to the football. If I can't afford it, I won't go, nor would I expect someone to give me a discount.
Here endeth the lesson.

Well if only you had been a bit more entrepeneurial Harry instead of relying on that £6.10p per week then you could maybe be as rich and successful as Sir Alan Sugar.... If only we all led a hard working and straight from state school education life then this perfect little world you live in would benefit us all...

Still think your attitude towards further education stinks, but still its a forum, everyone is entitled to their opinions and quite frankly its mostly total garbage written on here. I must say I have enjoyed this and hope others have too(Harry)! I have to go out in a bit, I really must put back all of these roadwork signs and cones I brought home last night,

Oh but I will still let BCFC know my feelings

**Harry** · February 12, 2011

I must say I have enjoyed this and hope others have too(Harry)!

Oooh I've loved every second. Most fun I've had in ages.

P'raps I ought to get out more? When's the next Student Night at Oceana? :innocent06:

Tonto · February 12, 2011

Whilst this has turned into a delightful pro/anti student conversation my frustration lies wIth the club and the way they have handled the decision.

A delightful press release from the club 2 weeks offering great savings. Now this would have been the perfect time to announce the changes but NO.

They announce it in the press release of prices and articulate the reason for doing it, oh wait they didn't do that either! So what were described as great savings now work out to be an increase of almost 100%.

Now whether your anti students you can't argue that these 'mature students' have treated poorly. What would the opinion be on here were the club to remove the oap price without consultation or prior warning?

Would be pleased to get feedback on this matter from any members of the trust or Fcf that view this.

Economou · February 12, 2011

Ha ha, cage firmly rattled my friend?
Yes, the Internationale will be the human race. As Green Day once sang, "a working class hero is something to be".

Originally written/recorded by John Lennon.

WhistleHappy · February 12, 2011

Originally written/recorded by John Lennon.

indeed - yer tiz...

Economou · February 12, 2011

indeed - yer tiz...

Cheers, got quite emotional watching that.

kevinmabbuttshair · February 12, 2011

. As Green Day once sang, "a working class hero is something to be".

Absolutley shocking, effing Green Day?! Get real, John Lennon actually.

School boy knowledge. For enlightenment

As soon as your born they make you feel small,

By giving you no time instead of it all,

Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all,

A working class hero is something to be,