Southend United's ticket office has come under fire for a lack of information about upcoming matches.

Mike King, a Wrexham fan who now lives in Leigh-on-Sea, tried to contact the club for details of tickets for his side's visit to Roots Hall last Saturday.

But despite trying four different phone numbers at the club on the morning of the match he was unable to get an answer and eventually gave up in disgust.

"At a time when clubs are crying out for people to give them money at the turnstiles I think it's astonishing that a football club should be so unbusinesslike," he said.

"I rang the ticket line at 10.30 on the Saturday morning and it said the next match was at home to Hartlepool -- but that had been played the previous week!"

The Blues have made great strides in getting match information and ticket sales on to the internet -- the club's website boasts a state-of-the-art booking system unmatched in the Nationwide League.

But that does not help those without computer access.

"Not everyone has access to the internet," added Mr King. "The mundane ways of getting information might be old-fashioned but some of us still rely on them."

Club secretary Helen Giles insisted that the club had no complaints about a lack of match information, and pointed out that the ticket office is open from 9am to 5.30pm every weekday and 9.30am to 12pm on a Saturday.

Information also appears in the match programmes and on posters throughout the town and along the A127.

"We do try to be as helpful and as positive to everybody," she added.

The club's main switchboard number is 01702 304050, and the ticket office can be reached on 01702 304090.

Published Wednesday November 6, 2002

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