11,000 chances to get to Wembley

Mar 25 2008 by Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo

THERE are still thousands of FA Cup semi-final tickets left for Cardiff City supporters to get their hands on.

The snaking lines of eager fans waiting at Ninian Park on Easter Sunday, which left thousands of fans in eight-hour queues, thinned yesterday as the remaining Ambassadors booked their seats for Wembley.

And by this morning, there were around 11,000 tickets left out the club’s 33,000 allocation.

Yesterday, many waited wondering if they would lay their hands on a precious ticket, such was the unprecedented demand.

But by lunchtime, most Ambassadors had the hottest ticket in town in their grasp.

Trainee bricklayer James Clements, 18, of Barry said: “I’m so relieved. I was worried the queues would be the same as Sunday and I might not get a ticket, so I was nervous.

“We queued for an hour and the weather was OK. Everyone was just really excited.”

Matthew Cahill, 16, also a trainee bricklayer from Barry, said: “I’ve already bought a season ticket for next year so I knew a semi-final ticket was guaranteed, but you’re never sure until it’s in your hand.

“I thought the queue would be longer and I was worried, but I’m so happy now to have my ticket.”

Plant hire manager Anthony Hales, 31, of Pontprennau, Cardiff, queued with about 200 other fans at lunchtime to book his seat.

He said: “I can’t wait, there are 17 of us going and it’s going to be a great day out.”

Postman Chris Blakeman, 39, of Ely, Cardiff: “I thought the queues would be easier leaving it an extra day.

“ I’ve supported City all my life and can’t wait for Wembley.”

But some supporters were still angry at the queues on Easter Sunday, which saw some fans queuing all day while those paying cash were fast-tracked through the ticket office.

Martin Griffiths, 49, a fan for 35 years, said: “I got there at 9.30am and got my ticket at 5.40pm.

“ There wasn’t enough information and no-one said we’d be queuing for eight hours.

“After five hours they decided anybody with cash could go to the front, so some at the back just walked straight passed us.

“We were there another three hours. It wasn’t fair.

“They didn’t expect so many people and for it to be so manic. They tried to have a system but it didn’t work.”

Driving instructor Jeff Allen, 56, of Tonypandy, started queuing at 9.25am on Easter Sunday, and left Ninian at 4.05pm.

He said: “We didn’t have a clue what was going on, no-one told us anything. It was a long, long day.”

ben.glaze@mediawales.co.uk