Welcome to the Abbey
Andrew Pincher - Carlisle United, Saturday 30th January 1999
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As the final third of the season rapidly approaches we can look forward to some very important and exciting games in the months ahead. Three such home games have been designated ALL-TICKET fixtures - Cardiff City, Peterborough United and Brentford. Season Ticket holders should be reminded that they do not need to buy tickets for these games as they can use their Season Ticket books as normal, However, as an incentive to the ever-increasing number of 'pay-on- the-day' supporters we are offering a special deal for those supporters who buy tickets for ALL three games as a package. The prices are as follows:
Tickets will be available from Thursday 4th February and the offer only runs until Saturday, February 27th 1999, after which time tickets revert to their usual prices. Application forms should have been issued at the turnstiles which allow you to complete your details and either post, fax (on 01223 566502) or leave in the office to be processed, Alternatively you can call into the Ticket Office in person. The draw for the Area Semi-Finals of the Auto Windscreens Shield took place on Sky Sports' Soccer AM show this morning. If you missed it, we will announce the draw over the tannoy this afternoon. There are lots of things happening at the Club at present, with work well underway to upgrade the terraced areas of The Abbey. Already you will notice that work to the barriers in both the North and South Terraces has been completed. Similar work, and also work to install a new perimeter barrier, will commence on the Habbin Stand tomorrow. A special mention must be made of Flack & Chapman, who are carrying out this work, as they have had to work extremely long hours to fit the work in around our busy fixture schedule. Talking of fixture schedules, we have arranged a date for the re-arranged game at Swansea City. It will take place at Vetch Field on Tuesday, March 30th 1999, kick-off 7.45pm. On Wednesday night we entertain Arsenal Reserves in the Avon Insurance Combination League in the first of three 7.00pm kick-offs against Premiership opposition. Chelsea are the visitors on February 24, whilst West Ham are due here on April 28th. Admission for all three games will be free for Season Ticket holders. Adults pay £3, concessions £1 and accompanied children are admitted free of charge. We are requesting that supporters wishing to attend these games arrive early as we are expecting a large crowd. The Main Stand and North Terrace will be open and entry to these areas will be via the correct turnstiles. No transfers to the Main Stand will be permitted, so supporters wishing to sit in the stand must enter via the Cut Throat Lane turnstiles. The gates will open at 6.00pm. Scott Barrett left the Club on Monday after his contract was cancelled, the announcement being first made public at the Annual General Meeting which took place in the evening. The formal business of the Meeting was conducted in just seven minutes, including the re-election to the Board of Directors of Gerald Lowe and John Howard. Finally, following David Preece's comments on the present F.A. disciplinary system in the Cambridge Evening News during the week, confirmation that Alex Russell will be suspended for next weekend's fixture at Scarborough after accumulating five bookings. As David said, the system has changed in recent years, first abolishing the points accumulation system and then last season introducing the 'good behaviour' policy. The latter allowed a booking to be removed from the player's record if he went five consecutive games without receiving another caution. If in place this season, Alex would have been able to have removed one caution from his record, thus avoiding a suspension. On the other hand, if my memory serves me well, he may have received a two match suspension for five cautions at this stage of the season under last year's policy. Despite this suspension, we are still riding high in the Fair Play League and long may it continue. Andrew Pincher |