I turned up quite early, about 25 past seven, but after joining ridiculous queues i just about got to me seat for kick off. The queuing was slow and people were jostling and pushing as we approached the turnstiles that were nicely illuminated for advertising but certainly not for which stand we was aiming for.

It never used to be this way, what’s happened?

Queuing to get out?

How can you have turnstiles that don’t resemble what’s on your ticket. I new we was lower tier but no where on any turnstile did it say upper/ lower or what section you was entering. Not great when it’s pi55ing down and freezing. Maybe who ever put this system together should put there selves in our position as it was utter chaos.

Couldn't believe the queues for the Longside upper (I'm in the lower).

I don't know what they've done but something has gone horribly wrong.

alf_resco wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:05 pm

Queuing to get out?

That wasn’t much better either. After leaving the stand and try to get to Belvedere road we were subjected to a ‘cattle crush’ due to how the fencing around the tv wagons and cars was arranged.

Painful to get in, painful to watch and painful to get out.

I don’t think 25 past seven is early enough for a 6pm ko

Very long queues around the ground. Longside looked particularly bad. JMU where I sit had long queues too but to be fair on that side of the ground they moved very quickly.

Got there in decent time anticipating the queues. I'd had a few pints before the game but pretty sure there wasn't even signs indicating upper or lower tier at the Longside? Really poor.

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:12 pm

I don’t think 25 past seven is early enough for a 6pm ko

Oops! Correction- 25 past five.too late to edit now.

Agree, especially for the Longside upper…never experienced queues as they were tonight. Lots commenting about the snazzy electronic advertising boards, but no turnstile info visible….sometimes we do appear tinpot for a PL club!

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:15 pm

Got there in decent time anticipating the queues. I'd had a few pints before the game but pretty sure there wasn't even signs indicating upper or lower tier at the Longside? Really poor.

The Club were informed of this issue at the start of the season and have done absolutely nothing to remedy the situation. It seems that they just don't care much about fans once we've bought our tickets! Very disappointing.

Eloise Laws wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:18 pm

Agree, especially for the Longside upper…never experienced queues as they were tonight. Lots commenting about the snazzy electronic advertising boards, but no turnstile info visible….sometimes we do appear tinpot for a PL club!

But they do show them for the JM stand

It doesn’t make sense why show on on stand and not the other

But then again it is Burnley football club

Arrived about 10 mins before kick and queues were pretty long for the JMU. Unfortunately they moved quite quickly and I got in about 2 hours too early.

Who's the fella that's in charge of things like this ? Stadium manager ..oh hang on head of operations..oh no sorry he's now Director of Operations ..Doug somebody or other? Perhaps he's above all this now after his numerous promotions and it's someone else's problem.

It’s a shambles. But cheer up the LED’s everywhere look the boll@cks.

Jamesy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:52 pm

It’s a shambles. But cheer up the LED’s everywhere look the boll@cks.

Hilarious seeing 'We are the Longside' on the Bob Lord.

Dont think anyone will have to worry about queuing up in the near future the way its going.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:33 pm

Arrived about 10 mins before kick and queues were pretty long for the JMU. Unfortunately they moved quite quickly and I got in about 2 hours too early.

I was told in 2021 by a former employee of the club of the grand plans to improve the ‘way finding’ on the signage outside of Turf Moor, to help people who are colour blind. Ok, not sure how many people that equates to but if helps even one person - good idea, I guess.

Fast forward a year and this ‘improved way finding’ has resulted in each stands entrance having a ludicrous amoubt of random colour places around its turnstiles, and, judging by this thread, absolutely destroyed any concept of ‘way finding’ for the majority of fans who are walk ons!

As an S/T holder in the same seat for years I hadn’t noticed as we make a beeline to the same turnstile every week (not to mention we’re in our seat at 10 past the hour usually, so very early), but this stuff is crazy to read. Why don’t you all email the club on the matter and we’ll see if anyone can be bothered to reply? Send to every frontline email address, and Doug Metcalfe if he has a public facing email if his own?

What do you mean it didn’t tell you which stand etc? It was a rolling screen giving the stand name and sponsor, and the entrance letter with tier detail static at the bottom?

This was the Jimmy Mac, but I can’t comment on other stands.

Claretforever wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:21 am

What do you mean it didn’t tell you which stand etc? It was a rolling screen giving the stand name and sponsor, and the entrance letter with tier detail static at the bottom?

This was the Jimmy Mac, but I can’t comment on other stands.

The turnstile signage on the Jimmy Mac is fine. On the Longside there is nothing. People were asking each other if they were in the right queue. One bloke showed me his e ticket, it said to enter through turnstile M. The only lettering on the turnstiles are little painted numbers, so there appeared to be no such thing. For first time visitors, or those returning for the first time since the pandemic, it was an absolute nightmare. Needs addressing immediately.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:33 pm

Arrived about 10 mins before kick and queues were pretty long for the JMU. Unfortunately they moved quite quickly and I got in about 2 hours too early.

Has to be an early contender for "Post Of The Year"

I arrived 20 minutes before kick off, joined a massive queue for the JHU and missed the first 5/6 minutes of the match. I've no idea what the issue is, but it never used to happen and that was with bigger crowds. You could look down the line and see the turnstile turning and it was about once every minute which is an utter joke. I don't get it.

Claretforever wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:21 am

What do you mean it didn’t tell you which stand etc? It was a rolling screen giving the stand name and sponsor, and the entrance letter with tier detail static at the bottom?

This was the Jimmy Mac, but I can’t comment on other stands.

I didn't see any signage on longside for upper or lower concourse still..about 5 in the queue when i arrived at 17.40

groove wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:36 am

The turnstile signage on the Jimmy Mac is fine. On the Longside there is nothing. People were asking each other if they were in the right queue. One bloke showed me his e ticket, it said to enter through turnstile M. The only lettering on the turnstiles are little painted numbers, so there appeared to be no such thing. For first time visitors, or those returning for the first time since the pandemic, it was an absolute nightmare. Needs addressing immediately.

We sit in the JMU and get there by walking down past the cricket club and Longside
After seeing the pics of the CFS signage last week indicating the levels, I was surprised to see the Longside only scrolling between the shirt sponsors & Umbro for the entire length of it.

It’s also difficult to see in the dark because the brightness of those screens blinds you to see the actual normal signage on the walls.

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:08 am

. Why don’t you all email the club on the matter and we’ll see if anyone can be bothered to reply? Send to every frontline email address, and Doug Metcalfe if he has a public facing email if his own?

What does this supporter liason officer do for their money?

Alanstevensonsgloves wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:02 am

What does this supporter liason officer do for their money?

Doug Metcalfe is the stadium manager, not sure who the SLO is these days since Anita Goodenough left last year I think?

Claretforever wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:21 am

What do you mean it didn’t tell you which stand etc? It was a rolling screen giving the stand name and sponsor, and the entrance letter with tier detail static at the bottom?

This was the Jimmy Mac, but I can’t comment on other stands.

Wasn’t like that on the Longside

Just 1 massive blinding advertising screen that meant that you couldn’t even see the turnstile numbers

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:29 am

Doug Metcalfe is the stadium manager, not sure who the SLO is these days since Anita Goodenough left last year I think?

Doug Metcalfe is now ' Director of Operations' whatever that is. The club also appointed Russel Ball as 'Head of Matchday Operations' last year.

Fancy titles but still Tin pot set up.

BleedingClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:42 am

Wasn’t like that on the Longside

Just 1 massive blinding advertising screen that meant that you couldn’t even see the turnstile numbers

You struggled to even see the turnstiles on the Longside because of the blinding advertising screen - no indication whatsoever of any turnstile letters or whether they are upper or lower.

Cirrus_Minor wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 05, 2022 11:12 pm

That wasn’t much better either. After leaving the stand and try to get to Belvedere road we were subjected to a ‘cattle crush’ due to how the fencing around the tv wagons and cars was arranged.

Painful to get in, painful to watch and painful to get out.

It certainly wouldn't pass any kind of H & S test on lighting. Old guy in front of me fell over the kerb simply because he couldn't see it.

Perhaps the fancy digital advertising sucks up all the available current.

I arrived at 5:35pm to get in to the North Stand upper (old JHU), there were long queues everywhere. By 5:45pm I’d got half way to the turnstiles, I got to the front of the queue by 5:55pm and the story didn’t end there…

It was nice to see we are sticking with some traditional methods of communication. Rather than putting useful information on those new fangled flashy screens, we employed a town cryer to shout at everyone to let them know which turnstile was for the North Stand Lower. Very quaint

My ticket for Longside Upper said turnstile L, outside the ground all the turnstiles were numbered, no letters whatsoever, and also none of the turnstiles indicated whether it was for upper or lower tier.

At the turnstile my season ticket card was rejected by the turnstile computer so I couldn’t get in! This has never happened to me before. I was told to find a supervisor (wearing red jackets), so I left the queue and frantically looked for a supervisor. Found a supervisor who rescanned my card and got the same error. I was told I had to go to the ticket office, so I started running round the ground while listening to the game starting. Arrived at the ticket office and was confronted with another long queue of people all with season cards or paper tickets which had been rejected! As you can imagine there were a lot of angry people there, it was raining hard blowing a gale, as we shuffled slowly forward. Took about 10 minutes to get in to the office where all the till operators were frantically trying to sort out the problems. I was issued with a paper ticket, but the operator couldn’t give a reason for the problem and just said ‘I’m sure it will be ok next time’. Not having time to waste, and bearing in mind all the people in the queue behind me, I left and ran back round to the North stand. I missed the first twenty minutes of the match, which apparently was the only time we played anything like decently
In all the years I’ve being going to matches, this has never happened before. How frequently does this happen? Was there something specifically going wrong yesterday?
I’m going down the office tomorrow to try to get some answers and to verify that my card will work on Tuesday.

There was at least one chap who was at the turnstile for at least four minutes not sure what was happening with him but the operator did seem to have a slow determined method. For example, not sure why he has to take the card off you and he then holds it against the machine, why can’t we be trusted to hold it on as shops, etc do with payment cards.

I really don't know why you are all moaning, it was a gloriously warm and dry evening for queuing.

Update. Been down to the office and there is no issue with my card. The problem was caused by the turnstile operator accidentally ‘double scanning’ the card, which locks the card; it is a security feature. Given the thousands of scans on match day, I guess a few people will suffer this problem.

Think yourselves lucky, I’m still queueing…

I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't also extra delay as, with the weather as it was, some people probably weren't getting their phones out and finding the e-tickets until they were under the cover of the turnstile.

Cirrus_Minor wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 12:46 pm

There was at least one chap who was at the turnstile for at least four minutes not sure what was happening with him but the operator did seem to have a slow determined method. For example, not sure why he has to take the card off you and he then holds it against the machine, why can’t we be trusted to hold it on as shops, etc do with payment cards.

I insist on scanning my own card. You shouldn't have to have the turnstile operator handling your card, especially in these days of COVID.

Were there any improvements on getting into the ground last night?

On the Longside all the turnstiles had electronic signs saying either upper or lower and letters relating to your ticket so you had no problem knowing which turnstile to use.
We got there at 7.35 and only about 15 people in front of us. The biggest problem seemed to be with people using phones and not getting the e-ticket ready until they were at the turnstile, maybe because it was raining.

JohnDearyMe wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 09, 2022 1:06 pm

Were there any improvements on getting into the ground last night?

It was worse than Saturday in our queue

I turned up early having seen the comments on here.
No problems at all .

I got there about 5 minutes before kick off and there was a long queue at the first set of upper tier turnstiles, the next set had about 1/4 the size and yet people were still joining the long queue

JohnDearyMe wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 09, 2022 1:06 pm

Were there any improvements on getting into the ground last night?

Yes, much better. Upper and Lower signs above the turnstiles on the JHU at least dealt with that part of the problem. Amazing that it took so long to sort out really. There was a bit of a crush behind the JM going off. One of the metal gates seemed to be closed leaving everyone to squeeze through the open side. No idea about the cricket field end of the ground.

No problems getting in.

Bizarrely one of the gates on the road at the end of the Jimmy Mc towards the club shop was closed at the end of the game. No idea why.

Edit - just seen it mentioned above.

The entrance gates were all brilliantly illuminated and they did appear to be quicker on the turnstiles and as such I did get in much quicker than Saturday. Not sure if this was due to the feedback or not.

The lighting did seem improved, maybe due to incidental lights around from adjacent buildings but the hassle of being ‘cattle crushed’ on the way out was still there.