A Bradford fan on the forums at Bradfordsbulls.co.uk had a pretty bad experience at the ground on Monday. I hope Wakey make it right with him:-
geordiebull
Well there will be no next time from me, with regards going to Wakefield. It is an absolute disgrace that Belle Vue is host to a super league ground, and the RFL should be ashamed of themselves for giving them a Super League Franchise. Widnes should have launched a legal challenge over such a ludicrous decision.
I won't rant and rave on here, I'll leave it for when I sit down later to write to the club, the RLDSA, and indeed the RFL over the shambolic treatment my Brother, who for those who don't know is classed as disabled, recieved at the hands of the morons Wakefield call club officials and stewards.
geordiebull
That makes two of us. The RLDSA have worked tirelessly behind the scenes in ensuring ANYONE, regardless of ANY circumstances, can go and watch a Super League match at whichever ground they chose. I have read their charter and was (and still am) very impressed at what they have managed to do. Gill Johnson and her wonderful crew have worked tirelessly in trying to ensure the nonsense I put up with yesterday could and would not happen under any circumstances.
My Brother, again for those who don't know, has Downs Syndrome. He was treated like a second class citizen by stewards and officials, none of which seemed to have a clue as to what to do. No Less than THREE stewards couldn't even tell me where the disabled toilet was, and when he needed it one moron didn't let him out of the block in which he was sitting! That was way down the list on my letters of complaint. The others I'll PM you with later Phil.
Also, the message had reached the head steward that we had been thrown out- what had actually happened was the idiot who stood outside the TICKET OFFICE in the club shop told us this wasn't the place to get tickets. It did look for a couple of minutes we were going to be escorted out of the ground purely as a result of a miscomunication as to why we had been sent back to the head steward. Upon getting sent back (taking an hour of our time), the guy outside the ticket office he thought didn't sell tickets made us queue again and offered nothing in the way of an apology. To be fair, the lass at the shop who deals with tickets couldn't hide how appalled she was with the clown stood outside the shop.
I have let Wakefield's Cheif exec know that that her apology of a Super League operation will be held up by the RLDSA as an example of how not to treat a disabled supporter, in future liason meetings with the RFL etc. The incidents I have highlighted were witnessed by a friend of mine, a neutral, who could not believe what was happening in front of him.
I will be happy to keep anyone interested updated.
geordiebull
The nonsense I have talked about at length in the Wakefield game has led to my speaking with RLDSA head Gill Johnson further tonight. The matter has been brought to the attention of the Wakefield chief exec. and indeed The RFL ethics and Diversity officer Sarah Williams. The latter was appalled at the goings on, and to her credit is presently trying to arrange a meeting with me over it further.
Also tonight, and the main reason I'm putting this on here, is I was offered a place on the comittee. My experiences of going to games with an individual with learning difficulties mean I'm well placed to make a difference in their eyes. And this is where folk can help me.
If anyone reading this has a disability of ANY description, or has a relative with one, then it would be tremendous to hear from them. PM me or drop by at this site's member meets, which I attend at every match. I would love to hear any experience- good or bad- as I can give the RFL a clearer picture of what happens at certain grounds in my meetings with Sarah etc. As you have seen from the above with my brother I can and will get things done- there is a disabled supporters charter clubs have to follow. But neither myself or the organisation can do a thing unless we hear about it first.
