SOUTHEND United fans have been left furious after Aldershot Town announced they would not be refunding tickets for the abandoned game at the EBB Stadium on Boxing Day.

The match lasted just 45 minutes because of a floodlight failure.

But the Shots have now confirmed supporters who were at the game will only receive 50 per cent off a ticket for the rearranged game.

That has angered club officials at Roots Hall who are now considering making a formal complaint to the Football League.

And fans have also been quick to express their displeasure.

“For many of us, a term-time midweek evening game will be unfeasible and therefore for Aldershot to not offer any kind of refund seems completely unfair,” fumed Garry Smith, from Chelmsford.

“I braved the M25 bank holiday traffic on Boxing Day to cheer Blues on with my school-age son. We took the rare opportunity to do a midweek away game because it was a bank holiday and I guess many others did the same.

“This decision is a kick in the teeth for ordinary, hard-working fans of both clubs, many of whom will not be able to attend the re-arranged game.

“Their decision stinks and if not reversed I will be seeking re-dress through the small claims court and would urge other fans to do the same.”

Billericay-based Dave Lambert was also disgusted by the decision.

He attended the game with his girlfriend and eight-year-old son and forked out more than £40 for the tickets and another £30 for petrol before Aldershot called off the game, and then also admitted there had been problems with the floodlights before the game had even started.

“This is a disgrace,” said Lambert.

“I have sent an email to Aldershot with my views and I look forward to their reply and some compensation, otherwise I wish to take this matter further as we have lost hard-earned money.

“We have not received value for money and I am dissatisfied with the service and treatment we received.”

And Jon Day, from Leigh on Sea, echoed those sentiments.

“I am truly disgusted with the way that Aldershot have handled this situation,” said Day.

“We travelled on the coach for three hours through bad traffic on a day that could have been spent with family, only to be shown 45 minutes of hostile football that gets abandoned due to floodlight failure.

“I’ve heard that the Aldershot officials knew that the floodlights were faulty before the game, yet they still willingly sold tickets to Southend supporters at the gate without informing them of this information.

“For Aldershot to now announce that they will not be refunding the tickets at all is the final nail in the coffin for me and I can categorically say that I shall never be returning there out of principal.”

A club spokesman for Southend also revealed that if the same thing happened at Roots Hall fans would be given a 50 per cent refund for their ticket or 50 per cent off the admission price for the rearranged game.

A date for the new match has yet to be confirmed.