'DISGRUNTLED' of Daubhill, 'Furious' of Farnworth and 'Worried' of Westhoughton would probably rank Wanderers' ticket office staff somewhere between tax inspectors and politicians in the popularity charts.

Bolton officials admit they've had their share of flak as they have tackled the thorny issue of transferring 8,500 season ticket holders from Burnden Park with its seats and terraces to the all-seater Reebok Stadium.

They aren't alone though. Sunderland and Derby are making similar moves and grievances aired in the Evening News are by no means exclusive to the Wanderers.

But the beleaguered staff in the old ticket office at Burnden are now more than half way to completing the job and the silent majority suggests that there are thousands of satisfied customers who have their treasured ticket books in safe keeping as they wait for the big kick off.

They tackled their biggest queues of the summer yesterday when seats in the lower tiers of the North, East and West Stands went on sale - predominantly to supporters transferring from the Burnden Park terraces.

Sales have now topped the 5,000 mark and, considering the average time spent with each customer is around 20 minutes (explaining prices, showing a rough guide to the position of seats and arranging alternatives where possible), Wanderers insist they have done their best to help supporters get the best deals on offer.

Far and away the bulk of complaints have concerned the interpretation of the promise of 'like for like' seats at last year's prices. Many Manchester Road and Burnden terrace regulars were unhappy to be offered seats behind the goal in the lower tier of the North Stand. Pensioners are disgruntled that their "equivalent" seat in the East and West Stands means sitting in the lower tiers, not the upper as they had hoped.

And the big value Family Stand (upper tier North) is over-subscribed, leaving many families having to go in the higher-priced East and West Stands.

Arrangements for group bookings brought fresh concerns that applications, encouraged by the club, would be put to the bottom of the priority list.

Wanderers have assured supporters that is not the case, although block bookings which contain a large proportion of new season ticket applicants (18 to 2 in one case which came to light on Wednesday) will not receive the same level of priority as those which are made up entirely of existing season ticket holders.

Chief executive Des McBain acknowledged receiving many complaints but stressed: "We've tried to help people where we can and a lot of supporters have gone away happy that we have done everything possible to satisfy their particular needs."

In answer to the Wilkinsons, of Springfield Road, Kearsley, who wrote to the BEN highlighting an increase of £18 for a pensioner's ticket, Mr McBain explained: "We have offered pensioners the opportunity of having comparable seats at the same price in the new stadium.

"The upper half of the lower tier of the East and West Stands are as high as the seats they were in at Burnden Park. We thought the upper tiers might be considered too high for some pensioners."

Barry Hall of Egerton Crescent, Heywood faced an increase from £459 to £857 because his son is over 16 and no longer a junior, which qualified him for a family ticket.

When the Halls decided to stick with the family ticket (two adults plus two juniors) they say they were humiliatingly warned they would be "watched" and any attempt to take in an adult on one of the junior tickets would result in the family being banned.

Mr McBain replied: "There comes a time when everybody has the problem of their children having to pay full price. I'm afraid we have to draw a line somewhere. Our family tickets comprise one adult plus two juniors or two adults plus two juniors."

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