Bristol Rovers Football Club has been informed that it must work on a reduced capacity for the first two games of the 2022/23 season.
Following a recent meeting of the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and the local authorities, the club will have to adhere to a reduced attendance in the Thatchers Terrace. These sanctions result from several operational issues, with a particular focus on crowd behaviour at the Forest Green Rovers and Scunthorpe United home matches at the end of last season.
However, should the club prove that it can operate in a safe manner during our first two home games, the capacity will be reviewed and we hope to be able to increase it once again.
In order to achieve this reduced capacity, some fans will be moved from the Thatchers Terrace into the South Stand for the Forest Green game on 30th July. The fairest way of doing this is to move the supporters who purchased tickets last into other parts of the ground. This may mean moving some supporters into areas where they will be seated, rather than stood.
For the Oxford match on the 13th August, a smaller number of supporters will need to be relocated, but we aim to move these into the surrounding terrace areas. Again, these will be the last fans that purchased in that area.
The club will cancel the tickets for the Thatchers Terrace and re-issue another ticket; therefore, if you receive a new ticket from the club, you are part of that group. We will also confirm this with an email to every person affected.
Bristol Rovers CEO Tom Gorringe said: “The safety of our supporters is our first priority and we are working with the Safety Advisory Group to demonstrate that we can meet their criteria to increase the capacity of the stadium back to its normal levels as soon as possible.
"In order to have these sanctions lifted, the club is relying on all fans inside the stadium to abide by our regulations, with a particular focus on keeping the stairways clear. If we can show an exemplary demonstration of this for the first two home games, then the club has every right to seek a return to full capacity for the remainder of the season.
"As a club, these sanctions hit us hard. Tickets are already at a premium, so further reductions like this directly affect the number of our supporters that can attend games which, in turn, has large financial implications on the football club in what remains a difficult economic backdrop.
"At this time, we ask all supporters to work with us during the ticketing process and on these matchdays to help us move past this and ensure that we can have as many supporters as possible attending matches safely in the future.”
We’d like to thank all of our supporters for your continued support and understanding.
FAQ's
What is the capacity in the Thatchers with the new SAG reduction?
The new capacity for these games will have to be 2,100 in that terrace, previously it has been as high as 3,095
With 1,900 season ticket holders in this area, if you have made an additional purchase, there is a chance it may have been moved after the anouncement.
I'm a season ticket holder, why have I been moved?
You haven't, we've been very careful to make sure that all season ticket holders have remained in their places for the two games. If you have received the email, this will related to a secondary purchase that you've made.
Where am I being moved to?
All those being moved will be given tickets in the South Stand for this match.
Will my tickets be together if we purchased together?
Yes, if you purchased under the same account, then they will be moved into seats next to each other.
I've purchased a ticket for an U16/U11 and they are being moved, can they stay with me in the Thatchers?
No, we can't keep anyone in the Thatchers as we need to reduce the capacity, however if this has happenede, please contact tickets@bristolrovers.co.uk and we will make sure that you can sit with your U16/U11 in the South Stand.