Stirling Albion reveal plan to scrap complimentary tickets

Published on Monday 30 August 2010 20:14

STIRLING Albion announced plans yesterday to generate up to £20,000 extra income for the club each year by ceasing to provide complimentary tickets to visiting teams and their players.

The First Division outfit, which recently became the first senior Scottish club to be owned by its Supporters' Trust, made the decision after a financial study of the potential cost to the club over a full season.

Analsysis showed that some visiting clubs were requesting up to 75 free tickets, and figures showed that the practice could equate to more than 20,000 in potential revenue. The club accepts that not everyone will agree to pay at the gate, but believes if even half that amount could be raised it would significantly help the club balance the books. By implementing the new policy, the club has confirmed it will no longer seek complimentary tickets from opposing clubs.

Club spokesman Paul Goodwin said: "In some cases, Stirling Albion has been asked for 75 complimentary tickets for games at Forthbank by opposition clubs. Based on 20 home games a season we are talking about giving away over 20,000 a year.

"We fully appreciate that we are challenging the traditional way that football clubs have operated in the past but we've always said that football needs to look forward and in certain situations adopt a different approach instead of continuing to do the same things 'because that's the way it's always been done'.

"Like most football clubs Stirling Albion is operating on very tight budgets and we have an obligation to the club to continue to reduce costs and look to increase revenues at every source to provide the strongest possible playing budgets to our manager while working towards a more sustainable financial position for the club. If just half of those using our complimentary tickets were to pay at the turnstile we would increase the club's income by 10,000 a season and, for us, that would be a huge boost.

"Official representatives of other opposition clubs will continue to be invited as guests to the Forthbank Stadium and should other clubs extend an invitation to us then representatives of our Supporters Trust will take up that kind invitation on behalf of the Club.

"We trust that those who have enjoyed watching football at Forthbank over the years by using complimentary tickets will continue to attend and appreciate that their gate money will be going straight into helping sustain Stirling Albion's future." In the last year the Buy Stirling Albion campaign has demonstrated creative ways of generating widespread interest in the club as well as generating significant income. With ownership of the club a number of other income streams to bring new revenues into the club would be activated.

Meanwhile, Scottish Football League officials are to ensure Andy Kirk is officially credited with a hat-trick at Stirling Albion on Saturday.

The Dunfermline striker has been left stunned after he was only awarded a double in the 5-1 victory.

The Press Association wrongly awarded the Pars' second goal to Steven McDougall, despite the winger in fact crossing for Kirk to tap-in at the back post.

A number of media outlets therefore only credited Kirk with a brace, despite the Northern Irishman leaving with the match-ball in his bag.

A SFL spokesman said: "Andy Kirk definitely has a hat-trick. We know about this and have informed the PA."