The Valley - Restricted View

Solidgone

I went to the home match v Leyton Orient and decided to book tickets in the West Stand selecting a perfect view…(I thought). I selected the middle upper front row just above the padded seating. But on locating our seats there is a red high barrier which restricted my view (sometimes this restricted view would be a blessing last season) but there was no notification stating the seats had a restricted view? At the moment there’s not a real problem because there are plenty of available seats that one can move to but I would have thought on selecting the seats there should be additional information which points out the restricted view. The stadium plan does not show the barrier.
I’m sure other people must of complained about it but is the complaint just ignored with a shrug of the shoulder saying you are only a football fan meaning you have no rights?
I would have forwarded my complaint to CAFC but it would seem that you can no longer contact the club. 

Does anyone else sit with a restricted view and put up with it?

Fan ID

Home Fixture

Stand

Area

Row

Seat

Price Type

Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient  (17/08/2024 12:30)

WSM

H

114

Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient  (17/08/2024 12:30)

WSM

H

115

Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient  (17/08/2024 12:30)

WSM

H

116

se9addick

I didn’t actually realise that anywhere in the Valley had restricted view seats (unfortunately etc etc). 

se9addick

I didn’t actually realise that anywhere in the Valley had restricted view seats (unfortunately etc etc). 

Lewis Coaches

Surely must be someone at the club you can speak to about the problem?

Lets have a picture of the view and barrier, might help others out Solidgone.

valleynick66

I always think the view from the dugout is restricted and don’t know why our managers don’t do as Curbishley/Peacock did and sit partly in the Directors box to better see the shape of the team etc. 

clive

The stadium plan shows a railing in front of that row.

For supporters' queries, please email the club's Supporter Liaison Officer Emma Stamford on emma.stamford@cafc.co.uk.
https://www.charltonafc.com/staff

Pedro45

I sit in the west lower, and have experienced those barriers previously (mainly for cup games). They are annoying, and it does depend how tall you are as to how much impact they can make. It's not a restricted view in the sense you cannot see the pitch, you just have to move up/down/sideways in order to see the ball in play...  There are complaint procedures in place and I guess that even if you rang the ticket office they would put you through to the right person (Charlie - CEO!).

Hal1x

theres always 5000 seats left spare in the stand in case you need to move to some with an unrestricted view.

Chizz

se9addick said:

I didn’t actually realise that anywhere in the Valley had restricted view seats (unfortunately etc etc). 

se9addick

valleynick66 said:

I always think the view from the dugout is restricted and don’t know why our managers don’t do as Curbishley/Peacock did and sit partly in the Directors box to better see the shape of the team etc. 

I honestly think it’s because fans would kick off if they didn’t see the manager down on the touch line. I agree though, logically, it would make sense for the manager to have the best view of what’s going on and then have one of the coaching staff bellowing out the managers instructions from the sideline. 

golfaddick

I had similar in the AC stand versus Bolton. Just a railing but at (my) eye level. A bit annoying as I kept having to bob my head up or down to see over or under the railing depending on where the ball was. But it was only "in play" less than 25% of the time so I just put up with it. 

Is a pain but currently plenty of other seats to move to. And not what I would call "restricted view". More annoyance. 

MStuartPerm

We often have to tell the steward by us in the lower north to move as they block the view of the goal standing outside of the walls of the entrance to the block. 

Karim_myBagheri

I think there's restricted view in the east due to railings. And right in the far corner at the top by the scoreboard. 

Chizz

golfaddick said:

I had similar in the AC stand versus Bolton. Just a railing but at (my) eye level. A bit annoying as I kept having to bob my head up or down to see over or under the railing depending on where the ball was. But it was only "in play" less than 25% of the time so I just put up with it. 

Is a pain but currently plenty of other seats to move to. And not what I would call "restricted view". More annoyance. 

I bet the railing was relieved when the match was over 

Braziliance

It sounds like you've sat exactly where my season ticket was last season. As soon as any play goes to your left hand side lower, you can't see, which is typically where CBT was working his magic 😂

I just would move a lot of the time. But your point is right, for a premium priced seat, it is a restricted view, and if the ground was full, it's not worth the price.

bobmunro

Our STs are West Lower Block D Row T - we have the three nearest seats adjacent to the Directors Box and we are front row above an exit. There's a drop and directly in front of us is a railing in our eye line. It matters not a lot as it gives me something to lean on when I stand and the rest of the time I lean on the concrete below the railing with my head in my hands.

tangoflash

My son & I had this issue last season in the Curbs stand. Bloody annoying and should definitely be classed as restricted. However, I like it up there, so this season we're still there, but moved back 3 rows. I'll find out on Saturday, as I missed the first 2 games.

ElfsborgAddick

Chizz said:

se9addick said:

I didn’t actually realise that anywhere in the Valley had restricted view seats (unfortunately etc etc). 

F*** 'em, the away fans don't count.

ElfsborgAddick

It is poor that we do not list restricted view tickets and not price accordingly.  There is zero reason we cannot do this.

The Prince-e-Paul

I went to a game in Sweden and due to going with my disabled father in law, we were seated at pitchside. All good except  the stadium security insisted on standing also at pitchside around every 10 metres. Such was their placement that I could not see action in either box, crosses and shots. About 10 minutes in i said to my wife I'm not avin this ****. I went and had a work in my best swenglish that I was having to stand. No action of movement until I used my best loud 'French' repeating my father in law who had to be seated could not see. at which point my wife had a word that I would get worse and they all moved. 

killerandflash

MStuartPerm said:

We often have to tell the steward by us in the lower north to move as they block the view of the goal standing outside of the walls of the entrance to the block. 

I occasionally have that at smaller cricket grounds (e.g. Beckenham) when a fielder on the boundary stands right in front of you, blocking the view of the facing batsman!

ElfsborgAddick

The Prince-e-Paul said:

I went to a game in Sweden and due to going with my disabled father in law, we were seated at pitchside. All good except  the stadium security insisted on standing also at pitchside around every 10 metres. Such was their placement that I could not see action in either box, crosses and shots. About 10 minutes in i said to my wife I'm not avin this ****. I went and had a work in my best swenglish that I was having to stand. No action of movement until I used my best loud 'French' repeating my father in law who had to be seated could not see. at which point my wife had a word that I would get worse and they all moved. 

All getting exciting in Borås now

Solidgone

Lewis Coaches said:

Surely must be someone at the club you can speak to about the problem?

Let’s have a picture of the view and barrier, might help others out Solidgone.

I did think of doing that but forgot…in any case I took matters into my own hands and sat in the padded seated area (but don’t tell anyone!).

Ducktapeshoerepairs

Braziliance said:

It sounds like you've sat exactly where my season ticket was last season. As soon as any play goes to your left hand side lower, you can't see, which is typically where CBT was working his magic 😂

I just would move a lot of the time. But your point is right, for a premium priced seat, it is a restricted view, and if the ground was full, it's not worth the price.

Could you not move your season ticket ? 

Braziliance

Ducktapeshoerepairs said:

Braziliance said:

It sounds like you've sat exactly where my season ticket was last season. As soon as any play goes to your left hand side lower, you can't see, which is typically where CBT was working his magic 😂

I just would move a lot of the time. But your point is right, for a premium priced seat, it is a restricted view, and if the ground was full, it's not worth the price.

Could you not move your season ticket ? 

That's what I did.

CAFCTrev

If you have a restricted view doesn't that mean you have the advantage of seeing a slightly lower percentage of the crap football?

MStuartPerm

killerandflash said:

MStuartPerm said:

We often have to tell the steward by us in the lower north to move as they block the view of the goal standing outside of the walls of the entrance to the block. 

I occasionally have that at smaller cricket grounds (e.g. Beckenham) when a fielder on the boundary stands right in front of you, blocking the view of the facing batsman!

If Kent are batting that’s probably a bonus! 

Airman Brown

I recall these restricted views were mapped on to the system at some point, but possibly the data has been lost during multiple changes of ticketing software.

stockportaddick

I used a mates season ticket years ago for a Stockport v Leeds L1 game. Had exactly the same problem, upper tier of the Cheadle End behind the goal two rows from the front and was expecting a cracking view of the game, unfortunately I had a railing obscuring the the view of the penalty area, it literally followed the line of the six yard area and was annoying as fuck. 

Mentioned it to my mate and he didn't know what I was on about until he went to the next match, up until I mentioned it he had never noticed it and never forgave me for pointing it out!   

cantersaddick

se9addick said:

valleynick66 said:

I always think the view from the dugout is restricted and don’t know why our managers don’t do as Curbishley/Peacock did and sit partly in the Directors box to better see the shape of the team etc. 

I honestly think it’s because fans would kick off if they didn’t see the manager down on the touch line. I agree though, logically, it would make sense for the manager to have the best view of what’s going on and then have one of the coaching staff bellowing out the managers instructions from the sideline. 

There is usually a coach and analyst in the upper West feeding back to a coach within earpiece who feeds to the manager. That was the setup under Bow. Jacko had the earpiece in, and at various points Euell (though he wasn't on the first team staff) and based were in the upper West with Brett the analyst.

Many mangers like Jone for example will always want to be close to the action in order to instantly react to things.

Gillis

Airman Brown said:

I recall these restricted views were mapped on to the system at some point, but possibly the data has been lost during multiple changes of ticketing software.

I'm glad you've said this, because I definitely remember some seats in the Upper West being marked as restricted view in the past. Was starting to wonder if I'd made it up!