Away support

Simple solution is for Sky and BT to announce their schedule at the start of the season. They almost always include a top 6 team in televised matches so surely they don't need to pick games at short notice to ensure they get the exciting ones, I may make an exception of the last few games of the season. Swans v S*ints was compulsive viewing even if they got the result wrong.
 
Couple of thoughts on the number of away supporters, 1600 is about a third of our home support when Eddie first took over and about what it would be if Fletch hadn't scored and kept us in the League : )

We did about 6300 miles following the Cherries (home and away ) last season. This was achieved through a variety of ways, driving, overnight stays, train, Club's accessible minibus and Jumbulance.

Overnight stays are problematic for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the minibus company find the required driver(s), sometimes change of dates for TV. Basically, any match further than Stoke requires us to book an accessible room from the Friday night to Monday morning, then cancel the ones not needed, more expensive but necessary . I'm afraid these will be beyond the Good Lady within the next couple of seasons.

Trains, we need to book up well in advance to arrange assistance getting on and off. Got to buy the non-refundable tickets, hope there's no date changes, engineering works, timetable changes and dip in the Good Lady's health.
Having said that, the journey up to Newcastle was one of our best adventures this season, even though we left 5 mins from the end to catch the return train : ( Very long day for Herself, up at 3-00 Sat morning not back in bed until 3-00 Sun morning. Took her a long time to recover.
Also, very lucky to get a refund on the Man City train tickets, they had a strike, about the only way we could get one : )

Minibus, definitely our prefered choice. Good travelling companions (on the whole), nice friendly driver. Drawbacks are, the company only appear to have 1 driver who wants to do the football runs. Subsequently, can't always depend on the minibus running on the long haul aways, need the hotel back up plan.
Again it's a long day but she can cope with it a little better than overnight stays.

Jumbulance, went to Liverpool on it. Have to say, it was the best for Herself and myself : ) : )
Hopeful the club can use it more next season : )

Gone on a bit, thanks if you've read it all : )

Forgot to add, we have the utmost admiration for people like Erik and his years of dedication in following the team through thick and thin ( and the rest of you who did the long gruelling trips oop North in times gone by). Also, for the size of our fanbase we have good number of disabled fans, home and away : )
 
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SteveJonesLegend said:
I'm pretty sure most games went to GS last season, as folk are now being more selective with their away games, as most will have 'ticked off' the ones they wanted, a couple of years back, and I count myself as one of these folk.

Now... I'll just go back to my 7-9 awaydays per season. Looking forward to Wolves and hopefully Fulham next year :)
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This.

There must be many like me that have no desire to go back to the 'big' grounds. Been to them all once and have little desire to go back.
Unless our league postion dictates that I go, I'd hate to miss the game where we got a Champions League place.

From an away day perspective it's sad to see WBA, Swansea and Stoke go down as they were all good away days.

Decent grounds, fans and cheap beer.


Which is more than can be said for Arsenal, United, City etc.
 
I like Arsenal as an away day personally - loads of decent boozers round there. I actually like West Ham too there's loads of options given the transport links to the place.
 
Arsenal away is great except for two things: the soulless bowl of that miserable stadium of theirs and our supine performances.

Maybe the thing to do is to go for a couple of pints and then go to see a film at Islington Green or something.
 
If I never go to Stoke again it will be too soon. Horrible place. I think I may never forgive them for Callum's injury.

Also not that fussed with WBA. The pub that does curries before the game is well and good but has anyone ever managed to get served at half time? It's an absolute nightmare in there.

I think a night out in Cardiff will make up for losing Swansea as a awayday. Also it is easier to get to. Drive to Romsey and get a train straight through.

Best is Newcastle. Just as many others have said. If you can stretch to to staying in a hotel for a few days to explore the area then I don't think you will regret it.

Hats off to Table,and Mrs Table. Your adventures in supporting AFCB are an example to us all!
 
Ken Baileys Ghost said:
This.

There must be many like me that have no desire to go back to the 'big' grounds. Been to them all once and have little desire to go back.
Unless our league postion dictates that I go, I'd hate to miss the game where we got a Champions League place.

From an away day perspective it's sad to see WBA, Swansea and Stoke go down as they were all good away days.

Decent grounds, fans and cheap beer.


Which is more than can be said for Arsenal, United, City etc.
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Exactly... I'd still like to actually see us play a game at Old Trafford, but I've no desire to go back to Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, WHU... For me next seasons will hopefully bring trips to...

Man Utd
Spurs (pending new ground finished)
Everton
Newcastle
Palace
Watford
BHA
Soton
Wolves
Fulham/Villa

If you think, for the most of our existence, we've averaged maybe 4/500 for away games... trebling that number is a decent indicator of how much we've grown in support... and I don't think it's that bad, considering who we are...
 
Table, you and your good lady are an inspiration to us all. You should write a book about your travels !!!!
Of the big clubs I enjoy my trips to merseyside, Chelsea I like because you are close to the pitch, West Ham is sh.t, Arsenal boring, Man Utd I quite like, Man City I hate because the away fans are split into 3 tiers, Spurs - well I like WHL await the verdict on the new version.
Newcastle is the best.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Everyone that loves Newcastle and hates West Ham, why? They are both poor views of the pitch and both can be good days out.
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From my point of view, Newcastle is still a football stadium and it is a better view than West Ham. More importantly results obviously have a big impact on the quality of the day out
 
Tinpot Club said:
From my point of view, Newcastle is still a football stadium and it is a better view than West Ham. More importantly results obviously have a big impact on the quality of the day out
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Fair enough. I don't mind West Ham too much personally and I think the position of the away fans at Newcastle affects the atmosphere negatively. I'd still have Newcastle as the better away day because the ground is right on the edge of the city centre and a massive choice of pubs. I'd have West Ham ahead of Palace and Spurs in terms of location though.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Everyone that loves Newcastle and hates West Ham, why? They are both poor views of the pitch and both can be good days out.
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Simple. Newcastle is a football stadium West Ham is an athletics stadium. As far as the view is concerned I would rather be high up but with a good overview than low down and feeling about half a mile away.
Nerwcastle is easily accessible from the city centre with tons of good pubs that are ALL away fan friendly. The geordies always make us welcome and cannot wait to engage in conversation with you. WHU fans always seem to have a chip on their shoulder because they are the poor relations to Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs playing in a crap stadium that no one likes.
 
I've been on the front row at Arsenal and Liverpool and the back row at Everton and had much worse views than the non-football stadium at West Ham. Tbf I've always been in the upper tier but I've never really understood the fuss about how bad it is.
 
I live near the London Stadium and personally I find Stratford Station and Westfield Shopping Centre the most horrific places in the world so I probably have an irrational hatred of WHU.

There are actually some nice places to drink off the beaten track round there so I can see why it would be a good day out once a season
 
Just personal opinions SDD, I went to WHU the first time at the new ground and hated the whole experience, didn't bother last season and won't be going next season. loved the old Boleyn ground though.
Went to the Olympics at the same stadium and loved it, one of the best days out in my life.
 
redharry said:
Simple. Newcastle is a football stadium West Ham is an athletics stadium. As far as the view is concerned I would rather be high up but with a good overview than low down and feeling about half a mile away.
Nerwcastle is easily accessible from the city centre with tons of good pubs that are ALL away fan friendly. The geordies always make us welcome and cannot wait to engage in conversation with you. WHU fans always seem to have a chip on their shoulder because they are the poor relations to Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs playing in a crap stadium that no one likes.
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This is absolutely spot on!
 
redharry said:
Just personal opinions SDD, I went to WHU the first time at the new ground and hated the whole experience, didn't bother last season and won't be going next season. loved the old Boleyn ground though.
Went to the Olympics at the same stadium and loved it, one of the best days out in my life.
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I've got no problem at all with your view and agree with most of it - it seems to be the general view of most fans.

The only point I'm making really is that West Ham is still a decent away day. My criteria for decent grounds is usually about hassle afterwards. I either want to be able to get away without much hassle or have loads of decent pubs to choose from whilst waiting to get away without hassle. I agree with Tinpot about Stratford station but one thing you can say about it is you can get away pretty quickly and you've then got an infinite amount of directions and therefore pubs to chose from.
 
Rubbish that Newcastle got away with not relocating fans next to the pitch. I honestly don't see how it cannot be possible.
 
Silent AFCB said:
Rubbish that Newcastle got away with not relocating fans next to the pitch. I honestly don't see how it cannot be possible.
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I thought they were given last season to sort it, and had to adhere to it this year...? To be honest though, I don't particularly care for being pitchside... I like the view from Newcastle's away end... and nothing, simply nothing compares to the Newcastle away... :)

Re WHU, I tend to agree in that most things around the stadium are sh*te, no decent boozers and we had to walk miles last season to get back to Stratford station... I'm not that keen on all London away days actually, the hassle of tubes and busy trains does nothing for me...
 
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