Latest news with #Burton-Sampson
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MP talks to ministers over play-off tickets row
A Labour MP has contacted government secretaries of state and ministers over the limited number of tickets being sold for the National League play-off final next month. Southend United said it expected 30,000 of its fans to want tickets for the game against Oldham Athletic at Wembley on 1 June, but had been told it could only sell 17,500 due to safety concerns. No trains are due to stop at Wembley Park station on the day of the match because of planned engineering work. David Burton-Sampson, MP for Southend West and Leigh, said fans should "watch this space". "We are working behind the scenes to try and get this ridiculous situation resolved," he said. Southend United said on Friday that the decision was made "in order to allay safety concerns" because of the increased pressure expected on the nearby Wembley Central station, which is due to operate. But the club said it had communicated its dissatisfaction with Wembley Stadium, the National League, the Mayor of London's office and senior ministers. While it had been told to limit ticket sales to 17,500, the club said this cap did not include any packages sold with coach travel. The Shrimpers' said they had sourced 28 coaches, which could take sales up to 18,900. They said they would continue finding more coaches. "Our focus at present is finding solutions to the problems we have been presented with," a club spokesperson added. Transport for London (TfL) confirmed the Jubilee and Metropolitan Underground lines would also be affected on the day of the final. "We have been in communication with both sets of clubs and have asked them to inform their fans of the closures and to advise travelling by coach where possible," a TfL spokesman said. Last year's final where Bromley beat Solihull Moors had a crowd of 23,374. Southend said they expected the attendance record would be beaten this year. That record was set in 2015 when 47,029 saw Bristol Rovers beat Grimsby, when the division was known as the Conference. 'It's about time': Southend United fans on Wembley final Burton-Sampson has signed a joint letter with Southend-on-Sea City Council Labour leader Daniel Cowan, and fellow Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, Bayo Alaba. They wrote to various offices, and asked for the planned works at Wembley Park to be deferred or for the release of more tickets. "The fans of both clubs deserve to be able to cheer on their teams from the stands," the letter said. Former Southend, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and England striker Stan Collymore posted on X to say fans were being "unfairly punished". He claimed the ticket limitation would "probably not be implemented would this be a Premier League or England national team game". Addressing London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has responsibility for transport in the capital, Collymore said: "I'd be more than happy to set out a thousand reasons why it is important for both clubs to be fully represented at Wembley, and should only be afforded the same privilege as any club, namely to 'fill the damn place'." The Shrimpers Trust supporters group said in a statement: "Unfortunately, the excitement [of Oldham and Southend fans] has been trampled on by the seemingly-amateurish planning of several key stakeholders." The Echo newspaper in Essex and the Oldham Times have started a joint petition urging for a larger ticket allocation. Southend start selling their ticket allocation to season ticket holders from noon on Saturday, with the general sale beginning at 13:00 BST on Sunday. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Tube station closure to clash with Wembley final Maher praises 'energy and heart' of Southend players Oldham ready to 'finish job at Wembley' - Mellon Southend United FC Transport for London
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Southend MP speaks of fear after visiting Ukraine
An MP has spoken of the fear he experienced after he was caught up in three air raids during a visit to war-torn Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, visited Ukraine for a five-day trip with other UK delegates last has been three years since Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his army to forcefully cross the border and invade neighbouring Burton-Sampson said he had "nothing but respect and admiration for the Ukrainian people," adding: "It was just two nights - these people have been going through this for three years now and they have to go into shelters night after night." Mr Burton-Sampson travelled to Ukraine as part of a UK delegation, organised by the Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sopel, the UK Friends of Ukraine and B4NZ—Bankers for Net Essex MP has made a video diary of his trip for BBC Politics East. "When you're not used to this kind of stuff, it was disconcerting, even when you hear the sirens and that whole sense of doom as it goes off - it is quite scary," the MP said the first air raid was on 23 February and explained: "I had to go into the shelter at 22:30 at night, the air raid finished at 01:30 - went back up to bed in the hotel room and then it kicked off again at 04:00."At this stage there were not just drones, it was missiles. "I've got to be honest, at this point it was really quite concerning because I heard a explosion outside - you don't know what's going on."He told the Commons on his return that the people of Ukraine "just keep functioning as though it is normal life". He said many Ukrainians slept in the shelter at the start of the night with their children so they could ensure their safety without getting disturbed."Many of them don't bother going now, they just take their chances because it's every single night and you can't imagine the impact that is having on people's mental health," he added. During his trip, Mr Burton-Sampson said he saw for himself people in hospital with life-changing injuries. He told the Commons: "A massive mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder issue is developing among Ukrainian citizens, and we need to be there and ready to support them when they come through the conflict."The MP continued: "We visited a cemetery in Lviv. "Lviv is right on the Western border of Europe, so it is very quiet in terms of air raids and attacks but this cemetery was just for service personnel who had been killed from the city of Lviv, not even the surrounding areas."It was full to the brim, there were graves that had been filled from men who had been buried that morning." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
