IFA must listen to fans who sustain Northern Ireland through thick and thin

Football is a funny old game, but Northern Ireland supporters can be forgiven for not seeing the funny side when faced with a struggle to afford tickets to watch their team in action on home turf at Windsor Park.

The Irish FA have in recent days faced the music over what the chair of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs Gary McAllister described as a “tipping point” in terms of admission costs.

The cheapest ticket to this month’s World Cup Qualifier against Switzerland cost £52. Watching our neighbours Scotland in their Hampden Park home would cost a maximum of £25 in the same qualifying competition.

New IFA president Conrad Kirkwood faces an early dilemma in his tenure – one of balancing the books post-Covid while not alienating members of the Green and White Army who have followed their country through thick and thin.

In attempting to justify the cost of tickets for the Switzerland game, the IFA said individual general sale tickets were the same price as they had been for Germany and Netherlands games at Windsor Park in 2018/19. This does not address the fact that the block bookers – representing NI’s most loyal fans – have been at the sharp end of the rise, not the casual supporters.

The Irish FA also said they were very encouraged by the uptake on the new GAWA Official membership scheme, however according to DUP MLA David Hilditch who met with the IFA yesterday, almost a third of Campaign Card purchasers didn’t avail of the new scheme.

The Switzerland game itself, although sold out, did not reach capacity until very close to kick off.

It is clear that NI fans are not happy and many are prepared to speak with their wallets. Thankfully the IFA have been willing to meet with supporters’ groups.

It is imperative that they listen, because as we learned during the pandemic – football is nothing without fans.

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