That is selective quoting of the email, blutakk. Why not quote the entire email:

A huge welcome back to The Stoop to all our loyal Season Ticket Members and incredible supporters. It was fantastic to hear your long-overdue cheers and even better that you were able to enjoy another bonus-point win.

We are aware, however, that a small proportion of you experienced some difficulties and frustration getting into the stadium, resulting in long queue times at the Ticket Office and entry into the gates after kick-off. The delay in Membership packs and cards being sent out that affected some Members has been an understandable cause for frustration and one that we are strongly reviewing to ensure an improved service moving forward.

On behalf of the Club, I would like to apologise that this was your initial experience coming back to The Stoop and very much hope it didn’t dampen your afternoon too much. As our pre-match communication stated, we are working hard to bring our stadium and its background operations back up to speed after an 18-month hiatus. However, we have heard your feedback and will work to improve elements of the process in time for our next home fixture against Bristol Bears.

As many of you will know, over 7,000 new Season Ticket Membership cards were sent out to our renewing and new Members in November 2020, ahead of the start of the 2020/21 season. As the previous Membership cards had run their course, these new VISA-enabled cards were issued to all Members at a time when we were hopeful to be welcoming fans back to The Stoop. These Membership cards remained valid for our renewing 2021/22 Members this season, and the old red, blue, and grey 2019/20 cards were deactivated.

What we found today was many Members’ trying to access the ground using these old, deactivated cards. As with any match when a Member brings an old or deactivated card, a ticket reprint was needed to enter the ground.

These issues obviously had a knock-on effect on our Ticketing Office which was under immense pressure in the hour before kick-off, compounded by many supporters arriving within close proximity to kick-off. In light of the feedback received on the ground, a carefully managed decision was made at around 15:20 to open the gates and safely allow entry to Members with these outdated Membership cards, to save any additional queuing to print tickets.

Let me clarify some questions that were put to staff Members about a perceived lack of communication about these Membership cards, as we know that the length of time since we were last able to welcome our supporters and speak face-to-face may have led to areas of confusion.

For our renewing Members, the Welcome Letter sent last week stated that if you were “not due receive a new Membership card for this season (as a renewing Member), then your existing 2020/21 card is still valid for the upcoming season.” We understand from feedback on the day that many members interpreted “existing card” as there 2019/20 card resulting in Members bringing their deactivated cards.


For new Members or renewing Members who were sent a replacement card this week, we were clear to state that “any past Membership cards you may have in your possession from previous seasons are no longer valid.”

While the vast majority of our Season Ticket Members were able to access the stadium using their new Membership cards, we are sorry if this wording caused any confusion for those who experienced issues.



As always, we are committed to providing the very best matchday experience possible for our supporters, and we will always look to improve, as we cautiously rebuild our operations.

 

Ahead of our next home fixture, we ask that anyone who does not believe they are in possession of a valid 2021/22 Membership card, kindly contact the Club on customerservice@quins.co.uk and we will look to reissue as soon as possible.

 

Thank you for your continued patience, and most importantly, thank you for your continued support of Harlequins. We can’t wait to enjoy another incredible season together.

.

You missed out entirely the sections I've marked in bold. So far you are the only one to allege that the issue was with the new cards rather than the old ones. Given that the vast majority of members managed to enter with new cards, I am frankly doubtful of your claims.

So is this Gustard’s fault?

Gustard must go

This just received:

"These issues obviously had a knock-on effect on our Ticketing Office which was under immense pressure in the hour before kick-off, compounded by many supporters arriving within close proximity to kick-off. In light of the feedback received on the ground, a carefully managed decision was made at around 15:20 to open the gates and safely allow entry to Members with these outdated Membership cards, to save any additional queuing to print tickets."

So incompetent that they still don't realise we couldn't get in with our NEW cards having arrived 40 minutes before kick-off!

Lots of people queueing had the new cards.

Don't often post here, but I have a new card, had read everything the club had sent (and even have activated my pingit account), so felt pretty confident of getting in, and my wife got in with her card - alas my card didn't work.  I appreciate the club had a lot pf problems on the day, but not being let in when I have a visa card, with my name on it and can show ID to show it is my season ticket is pretty galling.  The "you've got to go to the ticket office" response wasn't good enough in my opinion.

Was it one entrance that was a problem? I went in gate one with my daughter and we both got in no problem with new cards. There was a bit of a queue when we arrived at 2:30 but it moved pretty quickly and didn’t appear to be any problems.

I am one of the people who turned up with what they thought was their existing membership card ie the 2019/20 one which places me in the “Charles Stanley Stand”. I was still outside the ground at kick-off. The tactic I employed was to go the south east entrance where the gates on the right hand side are not fitted with turnstiles. I just inserted my card and kept on walking not hearing the lady who called me back. Bizarrely my son followed with similarly out of date card and his worked.

I am not recommending my approach, but it did at least enable me to watch most of a match which I had already paid to see.

I had no recollection of having received new cards, but on returning home found them glued to a a welcome pack and  message from Paul Gustard.