Leeds United season ticket holder uses CCTV to disprove club's non-attendance suggestion
An Elland Road season ticket holder has called Leeds United's response 'appalling' after needing to use CCTV footage to disprove the club's incorrect claims that he missed three matches.
Melvyn Flower harnessed his knowledge of data protection laws to request access to the stadium's CCTV after the turnstiles failed to record his attendance at a trio of home league games.
He was among those recently contacted by the club to say they were near the 80 per cent attendance threshold required for renewal and at first ignored the message, believing it to have been sent in error because beyond a couple of occasions this season when he transferred his season ticket to his step-son after a family bereavement, he has attended every game. But after contacting Leeds to query the message he was informed that he did not attend the Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough fixtures. He, his wife and those who sit around him in the North East corner lower section swore that he did.
An exchange of 30-plus emails with the club's ticket office, supporters' liaison officer and information security manager failed to get to the bottom of the mystery as Leeds continued to state that he did not attend the games.
Leeds United attendance threshold
"Initially, I got a text message that said I was near the 80 per cent threshold, which is about renewing next season," he told the YEP. "So I ignored it, because I thought it was just like a blanket text. But when my wife didn't get one and a lad I've been going with since 1978 didn't get one, that's when I contacted the club. I suppose the ticket office can just do what they see in front of them but they're asking things like 'are you scanning your ticket properly' but it's practically impossible to scan it wrong. There's a barcode reader of a QR code, zap, it turns green and releases the turnstile. It's not like the old days when you used to go in the boys' pen and you could slide somebody in underneath."
Melvyn, who was on course to pass the attendance threshold if he attended the final Elland Road fixtures of the season, was upset at feeling like the club was suggesting he was lying about missing games and concerned about the turnstiles not registering his attendance on future occasions - to the point that he began taking selfies to prove he was at games - or the situation happening to others who might lose out on the chance to renew. When the renewal process opened last week he was unable to secure his season ticket for next season because the club still insisted he had not met the 80 per cent attendance requirement.
"I buried my dad in a Leeds United shirt, it runs through the family like a stick of rock," he told the YEP.
"I've been in the ground when there's been no waiting list and not that long ago, actually. I've been with 13,000 in the ground when there was nobody sitting near us so part of that is a bit galling. I'm sending them pictures of me with the scoreboard behind me and the away team so that I can give them another £600 to renew and it's just a bizarre situation. Why would I buy a season ticket and not go this season, of all seasons given the **** I've sat through since 1978. It's an odd season to suddenly start not going, from a football point of view. It was almost like I'm arguing to give them money I could easily spend elsewhere - I could upgrade at Yorkshire as a member and probably have a better experience."
CCTV request from Leeds United fan
Melvyn advised the club to review CCTV footage from the games that would show him in his seat at half-time when most of the crowd around him head to the concourse, or the turnstile camera footage. He was informed that the club were unable to identify him using footage from the camera above where he sits because it is used by control room security to focus on potential issues, and though he was spotted coming through the turnstile for one of the three games in question the club suggested he had done so by scanning his wife's ticket and that she was not seen entering the ground on that day.
Using his knowledge of revelant legislation he put in a subject access request, which gives individuals the right to obtain a copy of their personal data. On Friday he met with the club and pointed out himself and his wife on the footage from all three games, entering the ground by using their respective season tickets.
"I was able to prove without doubt in 10 minutes that I was at all the games they stated I didn't attend," he said. "The footage was so clear you could even see my phone underneath the ticket scanner. Club officials admitted verbally at the time that it has highlighted an issue with the turnstiles."
Leeds United apology
On Monday morning Melvyn received an apology from the club's head of ticketing, sent to him by the supporters liaison officer, which said: "Dear Melvyn. Following our previous correspondence, we are pleased to invite you to renew your season ticket for the 2025/26 season with immediate effect. We apologise for any inconvenience you may have been caused and thank you for your patience."
The 54-year-old says the response is 'appalling' and he, along with his wife and friend who also have season tickets, are unlikely to renew for next season.
"The club's position throughout this whole situation has basically been that I have lied about the three games," he said. "The club at no point have been prepared to even consider there is an issue with the North East corner turnstiles. We have now proven without doubt and using the club's own ticket data, CCTV images and turnstile recording they have a problem. I’ve had to chase this the whole time, even having to go as far as a subject access request under GDPR legislation. That's appalling. I had to take time off work to go into the ground to view CCTV images, doing exactly what I advised the club to do all along. There I was entering the ground with my own season ticket for all three games. This is how they treat season ticket holders?"
Leeds United declined to comment.