Wallsendmag

Ballot success for Villa!

Think it's more to do with GLL buying the stadium tbh. They've obviously provided the security that's required.

Little tip for you. On the day of the match keep checking resale. Even for the big games there's quite a few last minute tickets become available. Was a fair few for the Arsenal match the other week and I even got one in the standing corner v Man Utd last season 3 hours before KO. Especially with it being midweek there'll be some last minute drop outs.

Remember it being very cold at that Barnsley match. We were sat in the East Stand and it was bloody freezing as the wind was blowing in our faces. Moved over to the Milburn Stand for the 2nd half which felt much warmer.

Pretty sure it's as cheap as £20 against the Likes of Celtic and Hearts "B" teams.

Think it depends on the opposition. They've got Cowdenbeath on Saturday and I'm pretty sure it's £35 for that one as that will be classed as one of their "big" games against a fellow ex League Club. I'd actually struggle to put into words how good it was yesterday. I'm pretty sure there won't be a club anywhere in world football as friendly as Berwick Rangers. We were greeted at the door by a lovely bloke. He asked if we'd been before and I said we had but not in the hospitality part. He immediately invited us to have a look around and told my 11 year old son he could go and have a wander on the pitch if he liked and when we were done just to come back and see him and he'd show us upstairs. We were shown to our table where there was a lovely afternoon tea waiting for us, tea and coffee for me and some pop for the bairn. The chairman and one of the directors then came over to shake our hands and have a bit chat. Watched the match from the Directors box, which is inside and the bairn had a radiator next to him so it was one of the most comfortable football matches I've ever watched! Got chatting to a couple of cracking lads, one of them had a son who'd played 442 games for St Johnstone and is now 1st team coach at Hibs, the other lad was a West Brom fan from the West Midlands who had very recently moved up to Berwick so had started watching them. Half time came so we decided to have a look in the club shop and the bairn got a hat and scarf. Went back to our seats in the Directors box and were sat there about 2 mins before we were tracked down by one of the directors who told us to get back inside as they'd made more sarnies and put out more sausage rolls, cakes and tea for us Watched the 2nd half and went back into the lounge afterwards for a couple of pints as our train back wasn't till 18.30. Watched the MOTM presentation and went and sat back at our table. One of the directors came over and asked what the bairns name was and told us not to go anywhere. 10 mins later the captain comes over with a football for him signed by the full team! Honestly he was absolutely buzzing and it just rounded off one of the best days I've ever had at a football match. Certainly the most hospitable. On the train home I then received a message on messenger where the same directors had managed to find me on Facebook to check that we'd both had a great day. Needless to say we'll 100% be back there again. Brilliant way to spend a Saturday!

Of to watch Berwick later on with the bairn. Decided to try out their corporate offering. £27.50 for which you get entry, a programme, teamsheet, welcome glass of champagne, afternoon tea so sarnies and cakes, directors box seating, half time refeshments and lounge access afterwards. Some lad called Mark meeting us at the main entrance at 1.30 so we'll see what it's like.

No probably about it. Entire club probably worth £60/£70m tops.

Actually now you mention that, it does ring a bell. Maybe in between playing at Blue Flames and Druid Park?

Shame for West Allotment. One of the closest teams to where I live amd I used to watch them on and off when they played at the Blue Flames and I could walk up the track. They've moved around a lot and haven't really put down any roots anywhere which isn't good for building a fanbase and their average crowd must be under 100. In the last 10 years they've played at Blue Flames, Druid Park and now Palmersville. My sympathy is tempered slightly mind as they took Percy Mains manager and most of their players off them in the summer and have left them right in the shit but hopefully they can survive this.

I wasn't born until 1978 and didn't start going until the final game of that season (Keegans farewell v Liverpool) but heard plenty of stories about when Chelsea would visit back in the day. Apparently a few of our fans were slashed by some of their lost in the Farmers Rest. Think of all the London clubs Chelsea would bring the biggest away following.

When I think of all the best atmospheres I've been in at SJP over the years, Portsmouth in 1992, Leicester in 1993, Man Utd 96, Barcelona 97 etc it's right up there. The hostility was different level!

Aye it was a proper bear pit atmosphere. I was up in Block V of the Gallowgate where loads of the daft lads used to congregate. About 5 minutes into the game I remember a Scouser getting thrown down the steps that separated U and V. He didn't have the nest of landings the poor soul After that the 1st half just seemed to be people trying to sniff out Scousers and those that were found, and there were a few, were getting dealt with rather harshly shall we say. I'm almost certain I had one sat directly in front of me. He was just sitting there quietly, but it was clear he was absolutely shitting himself from the start and he got up and left after Van Dijk scored their 1st goal and there must only have been about 15 minutes gone. What a waste of a ticket, and his money!

Well you certainly wouldn't have noticed them celebrating a goal

Said it before but the average age of the ST holder in the Gallowgate middle tier will be well into the 50s. A few younger ones in there but generally speaking those in there have had their season tickets for a long time, many since the stand was opened in 1994. The front and Upper tiers have had a far greater turnover of supporter over the years which has freshened those areas up somewhat.