Football is typically a working class mans game, its huge popularity based on its accessibility to all, regardless of social status, ability or race.

Therefore there is certainly something wrong when one is expected to pay £45 for a ticket for the forthcoming local derby between Birmingham and Aston Villa.

For a one off trip to say Wembley or Old Trafford, this could perhaps be excusable, yet this is simply not the case. St Andrews is certainly not one of the most impressive stadiums you will visit in the Premiership.

The Birmingham derby is one of great passion, two bitter rivals finally both back amongst the highest stage of English football. Both sets of fans eagerly anticipate the fixture, an opportunity to win bragging rights with neighbours and friends and sample the fiery match day atmosphere.

But to charge £45 for this right is simply extortion and is threatening to ruin this great fixture for a large proportion of fans.

Birmingham City directors may feel that fans will pay regardless of price due to the importance of the match and for some this may be true, yet they are seriously underestimating the bitterness of fans having to pay this price.

With Sky Sports screening the game as well, many I have spoken to would much prefer to sit in a nice warm pub with a beer and save a huge amount of money and who could blame them?

To the fans that do cave in and fork out for a ticket, how will they react during and after the game? A dull 0-0 draw would not go down well and this suspended resentment could easily turn to anger and violence should the heat of the situation get to fans after the match.

There is often trouble after this fixture and infuriating fans before makes little sense at all.

Comments (16)

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jasthevillan said:

This is all a bit after the Lord Mayor's show, we have sold our allocation, thats it. They have maximised their revenue good for them. £45 isn't that much, it will work out at £15 a point. s**t on the City

October 27, 2007 | url

Dizzy Mugs said:

It's only a general £30 at Villa Park. At least we're showing our devotion to the fans

October 27, 2007

the_flabster said:

Well isnt there a rule that says a club cant charge more the away fans? If this is what Birmingham City fans have to pay for home games i really feel sorry for them, at least with us its a one off. On the plus side no one will have to pay much extra for travel expenses. UTV

October 27, 2007

bluenose said:

Lads, Unfotunately it's what Blues have charged for big games for the last five years. We even had to pay £600 for a Championship season ticket last year. However, Brady ensures Blues turn in a profit year in year out and as I'm sure you'll know, this is no mean feat. This is how she does it. Whilst I understand the relationship between the two clubs and the fans means that Villa are likely to get more energised than say Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool (who also have to pay alot) you do have to realise that it isn't victimisation. As the previous guy said, the prices are the same for home and away fans. Blues don't pick on Villa, they simply charge what they perceive to be the market price for eachc game. Hence, Bolton is £15. Villa is £45. As the other guy said, just be pleased yor club has a sufficiently big ground to be able to make money by charging reasonable prices. So, depending on how you feel laugh at Blues fans or (unliekly I know!) feel sorry for Blues fans about how expensive watching our team has become. But for goodness sake, stop complaining year after year about the price of a derby ticket. It's not right but neither is it victimisation. It's just good business.

October 27, 2007

Damian said:

not sure about the rules or anything on away ticketing this is also the first post from paul

October 27, 2007 | url

the_flabster said:

Yes they were having this same argument on 606 and that is a rule that says home clubs are not allowed to charge away fans more than they charge the home fans.

October 27, 2007

IanB said:

What more do you expect from a club that has ripped it's own fans off for years? Despicable. www.claretandbluewedding.com

October 27, 2007

samvilla1 said:

i ent paying £45 to get foot and mouth

October 27, 2007

samvilla2 said:

SV1. other villans have and I bet you would think nowt of paying for a cup final ticket. Yes the price is too high, sold out though. If fans truly were up in arms they wouldn't go, watch it on the telly instead. Get in the real world, support the Villa. C'MON !

October 27, 2007

JohnS said:

Birmingham only holds 29,000. Villa much much more. Villa will earn the same ?? when the fixture is at Villa park but Villa can charge less because it can hold more. It's just business but we all seem to forget this cos it's Blues. ...it will be more when we play Chelsea...Arsenal...but you won't get blogs on that !

October 28, 2007

Claridge said:

I've got my ticket for this game ... i would pay 100 quid a ticket if i had to, its worth it ... money not an issue when its villa v blues at the sty!

October 28, 2007

Luke said:

Bluenose - thanks for that. Good to have a bluenose on talking sense and not being an idiot like a lot of other fans are when they come on here. It's good to know BCFC class us among the big teams!

October 28, 2007

Big J said:

Its simple - Pay it and go or dont pay it and shut up.... If you have brought a ticket and think is expnesice the you have more right to moan that some of the arm chairs.... Problem is all the tickets will have been sold come match day - that means they will do it again and again and again - they will only charge less if people stop going - its that simple

October 28, 2007

N said:

Its worth every penny - its the best game of the season We should charge the blues fans £45.00 when they come to villa park

October 29, 2007

Inthehandsofthegodsfan said:

I saw this great film, "In The Hands of the Gods" in September about these freestylers who set out to meet Maradona and on the facebook page I saw that fans can be included on the DVD extras, so thought I would pass it on... All you have to do to be included in the DVD is visit: www.inthehandsofthegodsdvd.blogspot.com and follow the instructions on screen.

October 29, 2007

paulmcgrath said:

50p a minute to watch Gary Mcs**tfreey. I went to the last derby at the s**thole on the hill and the toilets were a joke..it takes a little bit of fun out of the villa goal celebration when your jeans are drenched in p**s!

November 04, 2007

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