Whites to cut ticket prices

9:40am Thursday 23rd November 2006

BOLTON Wanderers have responded to dramatically declining crowds by offering a range of ticket discounts for next month's Premiership game at home to West Ham.

Season ticket holders are being offered a chance to buy additional tickets for the match on Saturday, December 9, at £15 for adults, £10 for pensioners and students and £5 for children.

Junior Whites can attend the game for free, if they are accompanied by a paying adult, including season ticket holders.

Tickets will be on sale from tomorrow. The discount offer is subject to availablity and will not apply to tickets bought on the day of the game.

Wanderers, in common with many Premiership clubs, have suffered a slump in attendances this season with average gates down from 25,265 to 23,124.

Reebok officials promised to consider a range of initiatives after Blackburn Rovers' revolutionary £15 ticket offer, which was extended to Wanderers fans, attracted a crowd of 27,662 to last month's Ewood Park derby.

The West Ham game, which kicks off at 5.15pm and will be screened live by Sky TV on their pay-per-view PremPlus service, is the first of their targeted fixtures. Last season's corresponding game, which was played on March 11, attracted a crowd of 24,461 - a figure Wanderers know they would struggle to match in the build-up to Christmas if they did not offer incentives.

Commercial director, Gareth Moores said: "We recognise that the game in question is being broadcast live on what is one of the busiest Christmas shopping days, and with West Ham indicating that they will not be taking their full allocation of tickets, it has presented us with an opportunity to enable our season ticket holders to purchase additional tickets for the game at an attractive price.

"It has always been our policy to endeavour to reward our most loyal supporters wherever possible and this is another example."

The £15 adult offer will mean a discount of £14 on the top priced ticket for the Hammers clash, which is a category C fixture.

Standard adult ticket prices range from £21 to £29 and go oon sale tomorrow to holders of Lifeline and club memberships and to holders of Lifeline or club memberships from Saturday. Open sale starts next Tuesday.

Tickets can be purchased by post, with applications including a self-addressed envelope and a cheque, which must be signed, dated and made payable to BWFC with the value left open; by phone (0871 871 2932), by fax (0871 871 8183) or in person at the Reebok ticket and membership office. A £1.50 transaction fee will be charged on phone and fax bookings.

Supporters can purchase tickets online during the open sale period at the standard price only by visiting the club's official website.

Postal applications should be sent to: Ticket and Membership Office (West Ham), BWFC, Reebok Stadium, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 6JW. Further information is available by calling 0871 871 2932.