Sheriff to consider verdict on Rangers fans' refund claim
A group of Rangers fans will know in the next month if their legal demand for a refund after an abandoned match at Tannadice last year has been successful.
- By Maura Bowman
- Published in the Courier : 23.09.10
- Published online : 23.09.10 @ 04.41pm
The Nithsdale Loyal Supporters Club is demanding £800 -- half the money its members spent on 66 tickets for the game on November 1, which was halted by the referee at half-time because of torrential rain.
Giving evidence to a small claims hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Dundee United company secretary Spence Anderson said the board had considered various factors before controversially deciding not to offer refunds to ticket holders. Instead, a discount was offered across the board, with half-price tickets for the rearranged match.
Mr Anderson agreed that out-of-date regulations were posted on the United website last November, though the current regulations were on show inside the turnstile doors and on concourses within the ground.
The old regulations outlined a way to determine the value of ticket stubs at abandoned matches while the new ones give the club discretion over refunds.
However, both sets of regulations were considered and the value of the ticket stubs was considered to be nil, he told the court.
Mr Anderson said the club had not had to abandon a match since the 1980s and only realised that the out-of-date regulations were on the website when it was drawn to their attention by Rangers supporters.
When the match was stopped, an announcement was made to retain ticket stubs and supporters were told a decision would be taken in due course.
The board considered the cost of rearranging the match -- including policing, stewarding, floodlighting and staffing -- which came in at £16,000.
Attendance at a midweek rearranged game was likely to be lower than at a weekend and the board also considered the cost and time of issuing refunds.
The impact on supporters was considered but the board realised they could not please everybody, Mr Anderson said.
Sheriff Duff will issue his decision within 28 days.
Photo courtesy of Stewart Lloyd-Jones.
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