Doncaster Rovers

We are away fans who attended a night match, travelling in our club’s wheelchair accessible mini-bus, which was allowed to park close to the entrance we used. We had been informed since purchasing our tickets that all away fans had been moved from behind the North to the East stand (think I have got that the right way round). Very helpful stewards directed us to the right entrance, where we found gleaming accessible toilets in a large undercover area. We were offered stewards’coats to wear to keep warm – it was a cold evening.

The seating for wheelchair users was the front of the away fans, which gave a good view. There was quite a lot of club officials walking past during play, but just as you were thinking this is distracting, the numbers seemed to slow up.

When my visually impaired husband had contacted the club before hand to enquire about a headset commentary, he was informed to just ask any steward and sure enough the system worked. He judged it to be the most helpful, impartial commentary he had had at any away ground.

Overall we enjoyed our visit to the Keepmoat Stadium & we would happily return. It is clearly a new stadium at the back of an out of town retail park with a range of eating places, easy to get to from the motorway (even with the current road widening scheme in progress).

I was looking forward to this match only for it to turn out that the taxi firms we came across were not accessible and not very helpful.

After arriving by train our group decided to go into town for a meal before the game. We went into the Zest bar and grills and I have to say what a lovely meal it was. That was the best part of my day. As kick off time got closer we asked the manager to see if he could phone for a taxi for us, one of which needed a wheelchair ramp access. The first taxi arrived and took my other mate to the ground so we asked the taxi driver where the other taxi with the ramp was and he told us it was coming. After waiting sometime with nothing turn up, the Zest manager phoned again and to be told we were not there even though we waiting right outside the Zest restaurant and time was ticking away. He was told another will come. Ten minutes later a taxi arrived but it did not have ramp access and the driver said that they don’t do ramp access vehicle. The name of the taxi firm is Mick’s Mini Cab. The Zest manger then told us there was a taxi rank near Cafe Nero and as soon we arrive I was relieved as see black cabs and other vehicles with ramp access. The driver laid out the ramp for me my dad was going push me up into the cab but the driver said no let him do it. So with no hesitation I let him carry on as we had already wasted enough time. I had my foot rest unhooked on the wheelchair so he could push me up. I had my legs straightened out and the driver pushed me up and then suddenly accidentally lifted the back of the wheelchair up which made me slide off my chair and land on the metal ramp hurting my bottom and my hip. I landed in an awkward position and was lucky I didn’t end up going backward banging my head. It took 4-5 taxi drivers to lift me up into my wheelchair and I then started to feel some pain in my hip. I managed to get another cab which was A.B.C.T taxis firm which took us to the ground 20 minutes late so we missed the kick off and the warm up.

After the taxi driver dropped us off we asked if he could pick us up again to take us back to the station after the game and the driver said maybe and also gave us his taxi card to ring up to check. At half time my dad went to phone up A.B.C.T taxi to only find out there were none available. We were given couple phone numbers by the steward. But after several calls to other taxis firms we were unsuccessful in getting a taxi. So I had to leave the match at 4.30pm to try and find one but couldn’t. We were then told by the steward that there was a bus stop that goes toward the station and after waiting and waiting we couldn’t hold any longer so decided to walk up to see if there was a taxi rank. But then we stopped and spoke to the police to see if they could find a taxi and we were then told to wait in the corner. After 10 minutes the police came back and couldn’t find one but he did manage to speak to the bus driver that we were supposed to wait for at the bus stop. He help me in and we got an bus back to the station.

I was told the council will not let hackney cabs use the fiat doblo high roof and easier wheelchair access into the doblo taxi. As soon as I got home I had deep heat on my hip and took off my trouser to find it covered in oils after my accident.

So I urge fellow wheelchair users never go up on a train unless you can get out of the chair into the taxi.

The rating for this game and day out is zero.

Wheelchair seating areas

First time i’d visited the Keepmoat stadium. Disabled car parking is nearby but if you travel on a coach/mini-bus etc, you have to be dropped off as they park them about 5 minutes walk away on rough ground. Getting back after the game can be tricky unless you wait to be picked-up again.

Toilets and refreshment areas were good. Dedicated wheelchair accessible turnstiles but watch out for night games as the gate number on the tickets may not be correct.

The viewing area was OK but at least in with your own fans. I personally don’t like pitchside seating and there were problems with people walking past near half-time + end of the game. Carers sat behind and if the areas was full, you wouldn’t have been able to sit within the painted yellow box with a carer behind. Also, there was no real protection when fans behind surged towards the front after we scored – this could potentially be dangerous.

Stewards and staff were very helpful.