Family outrage as football club charge £17 for newborn baby to watch match

Huge Owls fans Nicky and Scott Rowlinson are season ticket holders and looked forward to taking their girl to Hillsborough for the first time this season.

But new ticket prices – already the subject of criticism after prices were raised to £39 for the first game – mean the family will have to pay up to £21 a game for the baby.

The new pricing structure meant the club will charge £17 to take a baby to a category B game, with prices ranging from £5 for category G up to £21 for a category A* match.

The family will also have to pay the same price for Charley’s seven-month-old cousin Freddie.

Nicky, aged 41, of Darfield, Barnsley, said today: “These are the new fans of the future.

“The reason we wanted to take them is to get them used to the noise and the atmosphere, so they will want to go when they are older.

“But the age category is the same for a seven-month-old baby as it is for a 10-year-old child.

“It’s disgusting. Everywhere else in the world, under twos are free, so why not at Hillsborough?”

Nicky and Scott also take their other two daughters, aged 10 and 11, to the matches.

Though the family used a spare season ticket to take Charley in against Bristol City, Nicky was told by the Hillsborough ticket office they would need a ticket to take her into matches in future.

“It used to be that under-eights were free, but that has changed,” said Nicky.

“I broached the subject recently with a senior steward who agreed it was ridiculous, and he said he would allow the baby in.

“However, that is no good if you come up against a steward not willing to do this, leaving yourself potentially unable to then gain access too.”

Nicky’s entire family are long-time fans and her parents have been season ticket holders for 55 years.

A Sheffield Wednesday spokesman said the club was ‘flexible’ and encouraged the family to contact the club to make arrangements.

The spokesman said: “Our pricing policies are extremely flexible this season across a range of categories.

“We would urge any supporters who intend bringing babies to games to contact the ticket office in advance so we can facilitate arrangements to that end.”

Sheffield United charge £11 for under-18s, while Rotherham United charges £2 for under-eights.

Those aged under 16 are charged £5 at Doncaster Rovers.

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