Gold coy on reported disabled season ticket cost hike

West Ham co-chairman David Gold has rejected suggestions made last week that the club are set to raise the price of disabled season tickets at the Boleyn Ground to put the total cost in line with Band 4 prices. The Hammers' Disabled Liason Officer Julie Pidgeon last week wrote to all disabled season ticket holders to confirm the new plans.

"We have always kept disabled ticket pricing extremely low, ensuring we are among the cheapest in the Premier League and have avoided any increases wherever possible."

"Following a careful ticketing review, we have decided that from the 2013/2014 season, all disabled match and season tickets will be charged at the cost of Band 4 tickets for each category of fixture."

The current price of an adult disabled season ticket is £290 and the current Band 4 price is £600; thus making the new plans an increase of 107%. However, despite Ms Pidgeon's letter confirming the plans, the chairman has other ideas and denies that anything concrete has gone down, tweeting that "There has been no decision on the disable (sic) ticket prices for next season. West Hams current disable ticket prices are one of the lowest in PL."

Fans took to messageboards to register their discontent at the decision and many implored Gold to reconsider the decision. It remains to be seen whether the chairman will go back on what has been described  as a conscious decision by the club to generate some extra revenue in a move which would potentially have the effect of not putting the wind up all season ticket holders, just disabled season ticket holders, and so would not alienate the whole fanbase. At any rate, it is difficult to see how it can be the case, as the chairman suggests, that "no decision has been made," given the affirmative tone of Ms Pidgeon's letter, relating to a move presumably sanctioned by Gold.

Brand spanking new stadium but we're still obviously feeling the pinch in East London...

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling