Disgusting Treatment of Disabled Supporter

[SkellowRover]

Looks like i am missing todays match as i have just got home and i'm disgusted and upset by the treatment i recieved today from a member of the SMC car park staff.

I am disabled and unable to walk far due to severe wear in my kneee and back, if i have to walk more them a couple of hundred yards then unfortunately it's a wheelchair job for me, which i hate s i prefer to walk as best i can and feel i have more freedom.

I have been on the waiting list for a car park spot on AJ way around the ground for 3-4 seasons now and until recently there have never been any problems with parking at the ground. The 2 stewards at the entrance to CP2 (a middle aged mand and  young woman with dark hair) were always helpful and understanding and upto and including the start of this season i have always parked in an unreserved non disable spot on Alick Jeffery Way either outside the gym or around the SW corner with no problems, then a few weeks ago a steward i have never seen before told me to move as i'm not allowed to park in these spots. I explained to him that i had always parked there and there had never been any problems to which i was shocked and extremely angry when he called me a liar and that i never parked in these spaces and I was told to go to CP2 and park in there. So from that time i have always parked in CP2, which is just about manageable for me walking wise to where i sit in the South Stand.

At the Southampton match there was a new steward at the entrance to CP2 along with the young woman who has always been there. He told me i wasn't parking there and the girl pointed out my blue badge to him and that i was disabled and ok to park in CP2, so i bought my ticket and parked no problem. Then today i turn up at my usual time of between 1 and 1.15pm and he is on duty again and the first thing he says is \"you're not parking in here today even if you are disabled as every spot is designated\". The car park was almost empty for gods sake!! So i asked him if he was sure that the several hundred empty spaces were all designated? to which he said \"Yes, go and park in CP3\". I explained to him that i couldn't park there as i wouldn't be able to walk to the ground to which he said \"That's not my problem you will have to use CP3\"  The female steward who i have known since we started playing at the Keepmoat looked embarrassed. I asked him if i could possibly park in one of the unreserved spots on AJW or even in CP1 as it's closer to which he said \"No\". And i bet there will be spaces come match time as there ALWAYS is.

So i was left with no choice other then to turn around and come home along with another 3 upset and angry season ticket holders in my family (my 2 kids and my mum). I spend a small fortune watching my club and i just feel so angry and upset at the moment and feel like saying \"F*ck it they're not getting another penny out of me\" and not bothering anymore. I feel victamised as a disabled person who can't really get out much and who's greatest passion and one of the things he looks forward to most is watching his club, only for that to possibly now be taken away from him by some facist stewards who don't give a damn.

[Sheepskin Stu]

Don't put it on here. Put it in writing to the club and the SMC. Make a fuss about it. Contact the Free Press. Shame them into doing something.

[prince]

Did you get the d**khead's name?

[SkellowRover]

Did you get the d**khead's name?

No unfortunately i was too angry and upset and also trying to deal with upset kids in the back of the car to think straight at the time and get it

[Barmby Rover]

That will make great publicity, \"Doncaster Rovers prosecuted under Disability discrimination legislation\" Do make sure that you write to the CEO of Donny Rovers and Gartom can pass the message on to JR. There is one steward who should be saying helo to the Job Centre soon!

[WBDRFC]

That will make great publicity, \"Doncaster Rovers prosecuted under Disability discrimination legislation\" Do make sure that you write to the CEO of Donny Rovers and Gartom can pass the message on to JR. There is one steward who should be saying helo to the Job Centre soon!

Is it not the Keepmoat Stadium who employ the stewards - not Doncaster Rovers? If so, I'm not sure what DRFC could do about the situation. A letter to the Keepmoat Stadium would be more appropriate.

[Barmby Rover]

The disgust shown by the main paymaster of the stupid SMC will put pressure on as well.

[SkellowRover]

Sounds like i'm missing a great match and a possible goal of the season too

[Sif]

Could your mum not have dropped you off outside the ground parked the car herself?

Also, why didn't you jut use your wheelchair? Coming home seems a bit excessive.

[SkellowRover]

Could your mum not have dropped you off outside the ground parked the car herself?

Also, why didn't you jut use your wheelchair? Coming home seems a bit excessive.

I don't take my chair as i've never needed too and hate not having the little freedom of being able to walk to my seat, also where would i put it at the ground?

My mum is 68 and doesn't have a licence, only i drive.

So i was left with no other option then to come home.

[Berkshire Rover]

Skellow

PM on its way.

[leedshayter]

This guy needs a slap .sounds like a bully .i hate bullies

[SkellowRover]

Skellow

PM on its way.

Replied steve, ty.

[Gartom]

Steve and I will sort this out Skellow. Saw that you sit in south stand, so lets try and resolve an appropriate slot for you.
Cheers, Gareth

[SkellowRover]

Steve and I will sort this out Skellow. Saw that you sit in south stand, so lets try and resolve an appropriate slot for you.
Cheers, Gareth

Steve has sorted things for me regarding a space, thank you to the VSC. Myself and my family appreciate this so much and i will certainly be making myself a member in the new year to show my appreciation.

Jon

[albie]

Sorry to hear about this, Skellow.

Stewarding sometimes attracts people whose power exceeds their intelligence.

I hope VSC and the club can sort this for you, and that the club and SMC can make sure the stewards have a customer focus and understand the need to help people with disability, not put up reasons why not for everything.

DRFC should have a clear policy on disability access, and employees should know it inside out. This sort of thing is just not on.

[benaldo]

I think that is terrible treatment, but if you don't have a formal arrangement with things, incidents like this will happen. I would guess that, while awful, what the steward told you was probably right, for example, I have an allocated space in CP1 and if I found someone else in it I think I would probably go straight to defcon4 without asking any questions. Saying that, I would have thought the SMC should provide a suitable number of disabled spaces...and treating you like that is wrong. I seem to remember that a good number of the spaces from the directors parking round to the west stand were in fact allocated to premier club members but that might have changed seeing as we have CP1 too?

Makes no sense to me as I would have thought the nearer spaces should be for disabled supporters. Even eating prawn sarnies shouldn't mean you make disabled people walk further!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Also worth bearing in mind the staff who are working in that area may lose their jobs if they let someone into an area they've been told they can't, it's not always their fault.  I've stood with these guys a bit before games and to be frank some of the abuse they've had from fans is a disgrace.  I wouldn't want their job at all.  For example, in car park one each spot is allocated and sold, they may not all be taken come kick off but each spot is allocated so obviously they cannot sell these.

[Rovers Return]

A couple of years ago I arranged a football party on the asrto turf pitches for my boys followed by a party at 'Frankies' and then on to the game in the afternoon. The games started at 11am, so we would have been done and dusted by 12pm. My wife who has a disabled badge, parked her car, with all the drinks, party prizes in the first bay next to Pitch 1. Along comes a steward and insists she moves her car despite the fact, we had booked the pitch and was just about to start a party and she is disabled. No! he insisted these bays are booked out on  Saturday and she should move.  But she is disabled and it is only 10:45am for gods sake.\"Makes no difference he says\". I had to walk away or I might have done something I may have regretted. I explained to the staff at the footy centre, whom had just taken my money for the party, what the steward was insisting. Yeah! We have no control over the parking spaces on a saturday morning. Jeez! a bit of common sense would have been nice.

By the time I had returned he had finally been brow beaten into submission. We had our party and we left for Frankies about 12pm. And yes we were still the only car in the whole of the car park.

[Glyn_Wigley]

That will make great publicity, \"Doncaster Rovers prosecuted under Disability discrimination legislation\" Do make sure that you write to the CEO of Donny Rovers and Gartom can pass the message on to JR. There is one steward who should be saying helo to the Job Centre soon!

Is it not the Keepmoat Stadium who employ the stewards - not Doncaster Rovers? If so, I'm not sure what DRFC could do about the situation. A letter to the Keepmoat Stadium would be more appropriate.

I can't imagine DRFC being happy about not only the treatment but losing potential customers because of it. Get 'em on your side, so write to them anyway.