Women's football fans disappointed after sell-out

Ipswich Town Women have sold out their final match of the season on Sunday - but some fans have missed out on tickets

Supporters of a women's football team on the verge of promotion have been left disappointed after demand for tickets for their final match has outweighed stadium capacity.

Ipswich Town Women take on Cheltenham Town Women on Sunday and are looking to clinch promotion to the Championship, the second tier of women's football, and all 2,150 tickets have been sold.

The match is at the women's regular "home" ground at Felixstowe & Walton United, although they do sometimes play at Ipswich Town's Portman Road stadium, where their last match drew a crowd of more than 10,000.

Felixstowe & Walton's director of operations, Chris Daynes, explained while Town had sold all their match tickets, some of his club's season ticket holders, who normally purchased or received complimentary Town Women tickets, had missed out.

Some supporters expressed their disappointment over the ticket situation online and questioned why had the match not been moved from the Martello Ground in Felixstowe to Portman Road, given the men's Ipswich Town team was not playing next weekend and did not have a Premier League home fixture until 10 May against Brentford.

"No disrespect to Felixstowe & Walton, but with the magnitude of the fixture and the occasion, it should have been switched to Portman Road," one fan said on Facebook.

Others felt some fans had "jumped on the bandwagon" due to the likelihood of it being a promotion-winning match.

Martello Ground in Felixstowe is the home of Ipswich Town women

Another fan on social media, a Felixstowe & Walton regular, said while "disappointing" the situation was "understandable".

"I've used the perk of my [Felixstowe & Walton] season tickets to watch ITFC Women with my daughter for quite a few games this season and previous, but I get that paying customers come first," they explained.

"Shame we didn't get an option to secure tickets, but hey ho."

But others argued fans had had "plenty of time" to request tickets.

"The ladies have played at the Martello Ground for all but one game this season," another fan argued.

"The tickets were available for many days before selling out.

"The faithful regular supporters have attended throughout the season and will have claimed their tickets.

"The girls will have an incredible atmosphere to conclude their great season and earn a very well-deserved promotion."

Natasha Thomas previously said she was moved by the Portman Road crowds last month

Mr Daynes explained Town's games in Felixstowe were "always subject to capacity limits".

"Supporters who purchase or receive complimentary season tickets for the Seasiders [Felixstowe & Walton] usually receive admission to ITFC Women home league games played at the Martello Ground as an added bonus, but this is always subject to capacity limits," he said.

"Ipswich Town have sold all 2,150 match tickets via their own ticketing website for next Sunday's match against Cheltenham Town and therefore stadium capacity has been reached before admission can be offered to F&WU season ticket holders."

'Hands are tied'

Mr Daynes added that "comprehensive data" from recent seasons showed an average of 32 of Felixstowe & Walton United season ticket holders used their card to attend women's games out of 800 season cards in circulation.

He said it "would not have been feasible to ask ITFC" to keep enough capacity to cover these ticket holders.

He added he had personally organised a number of tickets, "prioritising and contacting many of the regulars who support the women's games" which were distributed during a previous match on Friday.

"Unfortunately, demand has far outstripped capacity and although I understand the disappointment some will feel, our hands are tied and there will be no admission without a valid match ticket," Mr Daynes added.

Town Women have played two games at Portman Road, including this season when they took on Plymouth Argyle in front of a record-breaking crowd of 10,807 last month, and another match the previous season, when 10,173 watched them beat Chatham Town 5-0.

Ipswich Town has been approached for comment.