@Ed_ said:
Someone mentioned train prices at £145. Is it any wonder that people just get in their car and drive it? For the record, I would be happy to pick people up and drop the back at their door, competitive rates.
I’m sure someone said on a thread the other day (Exeter maybe?) something along the lines that the train was full of people getting on their nerves, it was very expensive and was also unreliable. Literally the 3 reasons I’ve got no desire to get a train to a football match. Ever. With the exception of London tubes.
@Glenactico said:
Surely a coach is a better option than the train for this sort of game?
Personal views in covid times, but plenty of kids have been sent home from summer schools this week to isolate so I’d rather drive with a mate with windows slightly ajar than with a coach load for 3hrs each way! But ye I’m with you, coach over train any day.
By far my biggest miss was the Leicester cup quarter final, the reason being my mum had splashed out £80 or so the previous September for me to go on a French exchange trip that left the day before the game. I had sheepishly suggested maybe setting of later to catch up with them so I could watch the match, which got rather short shrift from her!
In those days before ubiquitous internet, I ended up having to phone around the families of my schoolmates on the trip to see if someone could get the score off the BBC website. Someone did manage to get the score, a creditable 1-1 draw. Absolutely delighted with that, I was about to put the phone down before my mate said, "Hang on a minute...".
I also was gutted about missing the 2-1 win at Maine Road, though I was probably a bit young to be going to away matches by myself that season. Listening to Hutch's frenzied commentary was an experience in itself!
Man City - I’d just turned 17 and was playing regular club cricket at the time (I feared the worst when I heard Goater pull one back shortly before having to take the field after the tea break).
Lincoln - I was on a school field trip in the Yorkshire Dales. A good friend of mine and I tried to persuade our teacher (a big Watford fan) to let us get a train down there. He understood our plight but couldn’t authorise it… he did however turn a blind eye to the Sony Radio/Walkman in the classroom (on a Saturday afternoon!) and me jumping out of my seat and leaving suddenly at about 4:42pm!
Wimbledon - I’d been to the original tie but was back up in Sheffield at uni for the replay. Getting back down for it on a Tuesday night just didn't seem viable…
Leicester - I couldn’t get a ticket!
Torquay - I’d foolishly signed off on the date for my first son’s Christening.
I've cheated with five but have huge regrets associated with all of them, although all are vividly memorable in their own way. I’ve made it to some pretty special away days all the same. Leeds was remarkable (I still have a clear image in my mind of Pittman collecting the cross-field ball, advancing and dispatching it). Mansfield in the snow will always hold a place in my heart. All of the away days in the League Cup run were brilliant. More recently, Chesterfield was of course a bit special. To echo a point so regularly made, how lucky we are!
Apologies for this turning into a late-night nostalgia trip!
@ReadingMarginalista similar story to one pal who missed the Liverpool game.
At that stage he was one of the true obsessives. Did every single game. Even the silly midweekers away to Plymouth in the auto Johnsons pizza cup equivalent.
Yet he had some school trip to Germany, and missed Liverpool. Gutted!
Many thanks to the travel information for getting from Cornwall to Manchester. I will need to catch the ‘ other half ‘ in a good mood after couple of white wine spritzers. I am not expecting a positive reaction. Carnage awaits.
Always been annoyed that my father wouldn't take me to the Middlesbrough reply in '75, as we had to be up at 6am the following morning. He spent a fortune on "Ringing The Blues" that night.
Separately my wife's booked the 2 weeks 11th to 25th September for a holiday. I haven't decided, yet, how to tell her we are doing a touring holiday of the UK taking in Oxford, Wycombe, Manchester and Milton Keynes.
@Twizz said:
Always been annoyed that my father wouldn't take me to the Middlesbrough reply in '75, as we had to be up at 6am the following morning. He spent a fortune on "Ringing The Blues" that night.
Separately my wife's booked the 2 weeks 11th to 25th September for a holiday. I haven't decided, yet, how to tell her we are doing a touring holiday of the UK taking in Oxford, Wycombe, Manchester and Milton Keynes.
What an awkward holiday block.
Apart from the two weeks when we gloriously secure promotion, there is no worse time.
Leicester in the cup, was in Blackpool that day getting score updates off my dad on the phone.
Liverpool, was at goodison watching Everton v Man City.
Torquay, was also at goodison watching Everton v Man City that day.
............
Seen some shocking train prices on here, I'm no expert but found that if I put a bit of effort in you can reduce the price. For instance MK away on the 25th Sept. Kirkby to MK return was around £70 but booked Kirkby to Crewe return £12.40 and crewe to MK £16.60 so less than half price.
Also northern rail had a flash sale on the other day a million fares for a £1 and manged to book ormskirk to leeds, Leeds to Doncaster and return for £4 for the game on the 16th October.
@ryan_w_kirkby said:
Leicester in the cup, was in Blackpool that day getting score updates off my dad on the phone.
Liverpool, was at goodison watching Everton v Man City.
Torquay, was also at goodison watching Everton v Man City that day.
............
Seen some shocking train prices on here, I'm no expert but found that if I put a bit of effort in you can reduce the price. For instance MK away on the 25th Sept. Kirkby to MK return was around £70 but booked Kirkby to Crewe return £12.40 and crewe to MK £16.60 so less than half price.
Also northern rail had a flash sale on the other day a million fares for a £1 and manged to book ormskirk to leeds, Leeds to Doncaster and return for £4 for the game on the 16th October.
Sadly @ryan_w_kirkby the prices are massive all round, including the various sites, think there are still reduced services, staff shortages etc, not sure if this will calm down or they'll double down on their thieving.
For City it's near impossible to get back daan saaf the same night by train, supporters coach would be a good shout if I lived a bit nearer AP, might have to be hotel work permitting.
One for @glasshalffull here maybe, to be expected that they go for the ratings but at some level surely they diminish the tournament and their investment in it showing Prem reserve matches over actual interesting cup ties.
Poor City - they had him about to sign when the draw came up and he saw he would have to face Wycombe.
Yeah but chances are we’ll probably be facing his new employers the following round. Of course you have to allow for the possibility it may not happen: West Ham have been playing ok lately.
Comments
I’m sure someone said on a thread the other day (Exeter maybe?) something along the lines that the train was full of people getting on their nerves, it was very expensive and was also unreliable. Literally the 3 reasons I’ve got no desire to get a train to a football match. Ever. With the exception of London tubes.
Surely a coach is a better option than the train for this sort of game?
Personal views in covid times, but plenty of kids have been sent home from summer schools this week to isolate so I’d rather drive with a mate with windows slightly ajar than with a coach load for 3hrs each way! But ye I’m with you, coach over train any day.
@ChasHarps @arnos_grove Alty away will always be the one. Cracking pitch invasion.
@eric_plant Yes, the Doc was awesome that day
By far my biggest miss was the Leicester cup quarter final, the reason being my mum had splashed out £80 or so the previous September for me to go on a French exchange trip that left the day before the game. I had sheepishly suggested maybe setting of later to catch up with them so I could watch the match, which got rather short shrift from her!
In those days before ubiquitous internet, I ended up having to phone around the families of my schoolmates on the trip to see if someone could get the score off the BBC website. Someone did manage to get the score, a creditable 1-1 draw. Absolutely delighted with that, I was about to put the phone down before my mate said, "Hang on a minute...".
I also was gutted about missing the 2-1 win at Maine Road, though I was probably a bit young to be going to away matches by myself that season. Listening to Hutch's frenzied commentary was an experience in itself!
Same here…grrr
each to their own...
Man City - I’d just turned 17 and was playing regular club cricket at the time (I feared the worst when I heard Goater pull one back shortly before having to take the field after the tea break).
Lincoln - I was on a school field trip in the Yorkshire Dales. A good friend of mine and I tried to persuade our teacher (a big Watford fan) to let us get a train down there. He understood our plight but couldn’t authorise it… he did however turn a blind eye to the Sony Radio/Walkman in the classroom (on a Saturday afternoon!) and me jumping out of my seat and leaving suddenly at about 4:42pm!
Wimbledon - I’d been to the original tie but was back up in Sheffield at uni for the replay. Getting back down for it on a Tuesday night just didn't seem viable…
Leicester - I couldn’t get a ticket!
Torquay - I’d foolishly signed off on the date for my first son’s Christening.
I've cheated with five but have huge regrets associated with all of them, although all are vividly memorable in their own way. I’ve made it to some pretty special away days all the same. Leeds was remarkable (I still have a clear image in my mind of Pittman collecting the cross-field ball, advancing and dispatching it). Mansfield in the snow will always hold a place in my heart. All of the away days in the League Cup run were brilliant. More recently, Chesterfield was of course a bit special. To echo a point so regularly made, how lucky we are!
Apologies for this turning into a late-night nostalgia trip!
Drive up and back, it’s only one day out of your holiday. You can also fly from Newquay to Manchester
Errr, I'm not sure you are fully in tune with the wrath of a wife/partner?
@ReadingMarginalista similar story to one pal who missed the Liverpool game.
At that stage he was one of the true obsessives. Did every single game. Even the silly midweekers away to Plymouth in the auto Johnsons pizza cup equivalent.
Yet he had some school trip to Germany, and missed Liverpool. Gutted!
Many thanks to the travel information for getting from Cornwall to Manchester. I will need to catch the ‘ other half ‘ in a good mood after couple of white wine spritzers. I am not expecting a positive reaction. Carnage awaits.
Always been annoyed that my father wouldn't take me to the Middlesbrough reply in '75, as we had to be up at 6am the following morning. He spent a fortune on "Ringing The Blues" that night.
Separately my wife's booked the 2 weeks 11th to 25th September for a holiday. I haven't decided, yet, how to tell her we are doing a touring holiday of the UK taking in Oxford, Wycombe, Manchester and Milton Keynes.
What an awkward holiday block.
Apart from the two weeks when we gloriously secure promotion, there is no worse time.
Leicester in the cup, was in Blackpool that day getting score updates off my dad on the phone.
Liverpool, was at goodison watching Everton v Man City.
Torquay, was also at goodison watching Everton v Man City that day.
............
Seen some shocking train prices on here, I'm no expert but found that if I put a bit of effort in you can reduce the price. For instance MK away on the 25th Sept. Kirkby to MK return was around £70 but booked Kirkby to Crewe return £12.40 and crewe to MK £16.60 so less than half price.
Also northern rail had a flash sale on the other day a million fares for a £1 and manged to book ormskirk to leeds, Leeds to Doncaster and return for £4 for the game on the 16th October.
Sadly @ryan_w_kirkby the prices are massive all round, including the various sites, think there are still reduced services, staff shortages etc, not sure if this will calm down or they'll double down on their thieving.
For City it's near impossible to get back daan saaf the same night by train, supporters coach would be a good shout if I lived a bit nearer AP, might have to be hotel work permitting.
Juve have confirmed Ronaldo is expected to leave so he really could end up moving to Citeh ahead of the game.
It’s also been all but confirmed that he will not be signing for City. United are now firm favourites.
No doubt it was the thought of Josh Scowen leaving his mark...
Hmm
Sky have chosen two all Prem ties so far predictably. United v West Ham and Norwich v Liverpool
Utd on the Wednesday which all but confirms us for the Tuesday I guess
One for @glasshalffull here maybe, to be expected that they go for the ratings but at some level surely they diminish the tournament and their investment in it showing Prem reserve matches over actual interesting cup ties.
All to do with selling the international rights isn't it?
It's why Utd and Liverpool always get picked
And advertising too I’d imagine. I’m sure the viewing figures would be a lot higher for Man U v West Ham than our match
Ronaldo has gone to Utd.
Wonder if he’ll fit in there.
Poor City - they had him about to sign when the draw came up and he saw he would have to face Wycombe.
Yeah but chances are we’ll probably be facing his new employers the following round. Of course you have to allow for the possibility it may not happen: West Ham have been playing ok lately.
For people that can't go and if it doesn't get on TV, I'd say because it's City it will probably be very easy to stream on the night