Nottingham Forest have revealed their disappointment that Barnsley have not extended their "£5 ticket promotion" to their supporters.
Barnsley supporters will be able to pay £5 to attend the game on the 4th April, but Forest supporters will have to pay the full £19.50. This is, say Barnsley, because Forest have agreed to compensate supporters who saw their 5-0 defeat at Burnley recently. An official statement on the Reds website says that if they reduced prices for Forest supporters, they would be helping Forest compensate their supporters for a performance that had nothing to do with Barnsley.
Forest have retorted with their own statement on their official website which reads:
Nottingham Forest have made representations, asking why their fans are being charged a lot more than home supporters for the game against Barnsley a week on Saturday.
Barnsley are billing the game as a 'local promotion' in which they charge £5 for admission but the offer does not extend to Forest fans, who are being faced with buying tickets for £19.
When the sides met at The City Ground last November Forest charged £10 per ticket - an offer that was extended to the visiting supporters from Yorkshire.
But although Forest have challenged Barnsley on the issue and also asked the Football League to investigate, it seems there is nothing that can be done about the different price structure.
Said a Forest spokesman: "We just wanted to do the best by our supporters. We were happy to make a gesture to Barnsley fans earlier in the season and it is extremely disappointing that is has not been reciprocated.
"But we have been informed by the Football League that it is the clubs themselves who determine the regulations and there is nothing we can do about the issue. We will, however, learn from the experience."
As is this game wasn't going to be tense or big enough!