Football fan’s fury at York City's disabled facilities

7:52am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk

A FOOTBALL fan criticised York City over disabled access at their Bootham Crescent ground.

Michael Szewtzyk, 60, of Lime Tree Gardens, in Selby, went to City’s home game against Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, October 20, having recently come out of hospital after suffering an irregular heartbeat.

Mr Szewtzyk, who worked for Rigid Paper for 31 years before being made redundant in 2010, said his weeks in hospital had left him with very weak legs, meaning he has to walk with a stick.

He claims that the lack of disabled toilets in the ground’s Longhurst stand meant he missed all five of the goals in the game, whose final scoreline was 3-2 York.

The club has said that had Mr Szewtzyk told a member of staff he would have been put in the disabled seating which has access to disabled toilets.

Mr Szewtzyk said: “If there are disabled facilities at the ground they were not obvious to me. It was taking me about 15 minutes to get to and from the toilet from where I was in the Longhurst stand as I can’t walk anywhere fast.

“I used to go to the football pretty regularly when I was fit and I just fancied going on Saturday for a change, but I don’t think I’ll be going again any time soon, because I didn’t enjoy it at all,” he said.

City director Sophie Hicks said: “We are sorry to hear that Mr Szewtzyk did not enjoy his time in the David Longhurst stand. We do have a specific area for fans with disabilities with easy access and disabled toilet facilities. However, I do think this incident highlights the shortcomings of facilities of our current 1932 stadium and our requirement for a new community stadium with modern facilities for all elements of our fan base.”

Comments(12)

NoNewsIsGoodNews says...
8:14am Tue 30 Oct 12

Mr Szewtzyk, who worked for Rigid Paper for 31 years before being made redundant in 2010, said his weeks in hospital had left him with very weak legs, meaning he has to walk with a stick.


But still managed to stand for 90 minutes to watch the game in the Longhurst stand?

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Stevie D says...
8:35am Tue 30 Oct 12

Without wanting to sound harsh, it was his legs that were disabled, not his tongue – he could easily have asked a member of staff if he thought he might struggle with the facilities.

And yes, just before the stadium is knocked down and replaced by a brand-new one is exactly the right time to launch into a tirade about it being old-fashioned and not up-to-date.

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Theendoftheworld says...
9:21am Tue 30 Oct 12

The toilet facilities at Bootham Crescent are pretty disgusting (especially in the DL stand) whether you are disabled or not. But this should not be used as ammunition in the fight for a new stadium. What is needed are new facilities at the present ground.

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rogue84 says...
9:59am Tue 30 Oct 12

i don't want to sound harsh either, but i would have thought if you've been to BC before, you would know that if you have trouble with mobility, you sit in the main stand, both for access in and out and also access to the facilities.
I don't think the club can be blamed for this in all honesty.

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speaks99 says...
12:00pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Theendoftheworld wrote:
The toilet facilities at Bootham Crescent are pretty disgusting (especially in the DL stand) whether you are disabled or not. But this should not be used as ammunition in the fight for a new stadium. What is needed are new facilities at the present ground.
Why in earth would you spend money on a (practically) condemned ground because someone moans that disabled facilities aren't good enough (in a non disabled part of the ground).
Of course YCFC are going to get their soundbite in about the community stadium, and why not?

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roskoboskovic says...
12:33pm Tue 30 Oct 12

it s people like him who give disabled people a bad name.he decides to go to a game and then decides to slag city off for not pandering to his whims.if you can stand for 90 mins plus then your legs can t be that bad mate.

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A user says...
1:16pm Tue 30 Oct 12

He claims that the lack of disabled toilets in the ground’s Longhurst stand meant he missed all five of the goals in the game, whose final scoreline was 3-2 York.

That was very unlucky....

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Theendoftheworld says...
4:54pm Tue 30 Oct 12

I don't wish to sound harsh either but if the poor chap missed all five goals he must also have incontinence problems so he should definitely be in the disabled section.
As for your response speaks99, I am in the camp that would prefer to stay at Bootham Crescent and you are, I would guess on the other side, so we will never agree with eachother I'm afraid.

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Even AndyD says...
7:18pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Not all the ground is suitable for people with disabilities. The DL is one of those areas. When I take my disabled children to.... well.... basically anywhere, I take them to the disabled access parts, I don't expect the whole theatre, cinema, football ground or whatever to have been adapted.
Sorry if I've misunderstood, but it seems a problem of someone not accessing the facilities rather than that there were none.

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Top girl says...
7:27pm Tue 30 Oct 12

We don't want "Football fan's" like this at BC, I agree with other posters if he had been before he should know that standing for 90 minutes is not for"Disabled" people. Just wanting his 5 minutes of fame with the press - he's a joke

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speaks99 says...
9:49am Wed 31 Oct 12

Theendoftheworld wrote:
I don't wish to sound harsh either but if the poor chap missed all five goals he must also have incontinence problems so he should definitely be in the disabled section.
As for your response speaks99, I am in the camp that would prefer to stay at Bootham Crescent and you are, I would guess on the other side, so we will never agree with eachother I'm afraid.
Your probably right - we'd not agree, though not because I'd rather see York at Monks Cross than Bootham Crescent, but I can't see a viable alternative.

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Even AndyD says...
9:55am Wed 31 Oct 12

speaks99 wrote:
Theendoftheworld wrote:
I don't wish to sound harsh either but if the poor chap missed all five goals he must also have incontinence problems so he should definitely be in the disabled section.
As for your response speaks99, I am in the camp that would prefer to stay at Bootham Crescent and you are, I would guess on the other side, so we will never agree with eachother I'm afraid.
Your probably right - we'd not agree, though not because I'd rather see York at Monks Cross than Bootham Crescent, but I can't see a viable alternative.
Exactly. When what you'd ideally like in this world does not match with reality or what is going to happen, the wiser man makes the best of it.

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