LATEST NEWS: Speedy sell-out prompts anger and frustration among Peterborough United fans

Posh sold out their entire allocation of 6,000 tickets to the big game at Stamford Bridge in just one and a half days. The sold out signs were posted at the ABAX Stadium around 2pm today (December 23).

Posh introduced a controversial selling policy which restricted season ticket holders to one Chelsea ticket apiece for the first 24 hours of business, but enabled fans who attended the second round replay with Notts County on Tuesday (December 20) to four tickets each the following day. Many of those tickets have ended up in the hands of supporters who don’t have a season ticket, don’t belong to any supporters’ group and, in some cases, who rarely watch a Posh match.

Some season ticket holders were unable to purchase their ticket on their designated day. Others waited as they wanted to purchase more than one ticket to ensure they were seated with family and friends.

As a result some season ticket holders missed out altogether as did many who purchased tickets for the County match even though Posh had promised fans who attended the replay they would be placed into a ‘priority’ category for Chelsea tickets.

The club issued a short statement today which blamed some issues on a technical hitch, but failed to address the thinking behind the sales strategy.

It read: “Peterborough United would like to apologise to those supporters who were unable to purchase tickets online this morning.

“After the switchover at 9am this morning, some fans already in the online queue before 9am were not given access due to a technical fault.

“Due to unprecedented demand for tickets, we understand that this will have caused disappointment for many.”

This didn’t appease many unhappy fans. Season ticket holder John Skeels said: “I thought I’d like to tell you of my experience trying to get a ticket for the Chelsea game.

“As a season ticket holder I thought I was guaranteed to get one. I went online first thing today to get my ticket, but the system crashed and threw me out. I then had to go to work, getting home a little after 3.00pm.

“I log back into the ticket site to find all tickets are sold to the once-a-year-supporters who only turn out for the big games.

“I really feel cheated. I’ll turn up on Boxing Day and New Years Eve for the League games but won’t be able to get to the big one.

“Great customer service from Posh - not.”

Selected tweets from Posh fans:

“Technical issues will probably keep me from going for the rest of the season,”

@podzuns

“Hopefully I’ll get to sit next to the glory hunters at Swindon away and they can tell me about Chelsea!”

@mikeegee70

“All the plastic fans have stolen tickets from loyal supporters,” @joshbavester212

“8 of us went to the replay, were promised priority and despite being on line at 9am none of us got tickets now that’s frustration!”

@Stevetedfidler

“It really should have been one season ticket/Notts ticket to one Chelsea ticket then sell what’s left to all.”

@C4ebb

“What more could have been done for season ticket holders? You were given a 24 hour window to buy tickets? Did you not expect it to sell out today? Come on.” @JlPauli

“I’m a season ticket holder who wanted three tickets, so waited till this morning....now disappointed,”

@plassedinparis

“There were people in the queue buying 20 Chelsea tickets then selling them once they sold out,” @shaneadams70

“The club have sold the tickets. That’s all they care about, not those that have actually been to London Road in the last decade,” @poshpig3008

“Let’s be honest, the only benefit of being a Posh season ticket holder is to get a seat for big FA Cup tie once a decade. Club can’t even get that right,” Fig428