LFEE

Good point made here TBH…

They don’t look good. Seemed leggy since Man Utd second half. Hopefully was all just a ploy!

One to keep an eye on. Fair play TBH

I see they rested Odegaard for this one. Got to keep him quiet.

A day’s notice is fine as long as it’s accepted as notice to get there a bit sooner. Not an opportunity to then flag up you won’t be attending and therefore without a loss of a couple of loyalty points as otherwise the jeopardy is gone again for the purchaser. Its a tricky problem to solve and even this suggestion wouldn’t of helped @Danh1 as due to no fault of his own or the football clubs and let’s be honest nor the train companies the quickest he could’ve got there was when he did 5mins prior. Knowing he had to get his ticket sorted in advance in this situation would’ve only saved a few minutes. Maybe the slightly better solution is the NUFC rep is stood beside away turnstiles with ticket ready printed in hand and the proof of ID takes place more conveniently and without the risk of more delay of a printer not working which seemed the case with another fan. Also a contact number that you can inform of such events like being on a later train due to a suicide. However something does need to be in place as the figures showed published by the club a few months ago and highlighted by the NUST there is a high % of people who’s tickets are being flagged up at turnstiles are then avoiding going to collect their valid ticket with proof of ID. Let’s be honest they do that thinking it might be easier to avoid a point loss but ultimately it’s the cause of a few empty seats also which is sad when there is a demand for them from other legitimate fans wanting to get on their own away day ladder.

You say that but you’ve always voiced an opinion on it and accused me of being out of touch on the topic. Do you agree that’s it’s unfair that those with points obtained but built up by not going to them for the majority of the games so therefore controlling who does and does not go to away games is fair? Particularly those with multiple season tickets?

Interesting… You see if I had to pick out of 3000 tickets which handful will be flagged I would’ve had both of yours near top of the list to ID thinking logically how the club are thinking. Keeping tabs if all is as it should’ve been. Which it was. The shtick from the club might be they are “random” but I’m not convinced. I feel they’ve got certain intel from the off when introduced and they started with those in control of large amounts of season tickets with high points and those know to be attached to those running buses who’ve been known to provide tickets as an additional service. In reality it’s those they are after as they’ve made quite a sideline from it. Were the two ST holders that supplied connected or totally separate from each other with no past connection?

I’d assume so but I did not seek to clarify as it was via messenger and voice notes as he was leaving the ground so just had time to gather some basics. His friend had 3 spares for today due to the weather issues. I’ll try and find out more as like you I’m always curious how other clubs work things but I’d again assume via ballot. If you think a Cup Final allocation these days regardless where is around 27k then they couldn’t go to ST holders first so they’d have to have a ballot of sorts. Yes I gathered that was the case for some. Out of interest were both your match tickets “Transfers” or just yours?

I repeat I’m not expecting anything from anyone. People can do what they want to prioritise their match day experience. I’d say it’s a fail safe margin if flagged up and you want to get in and settled and enjoy the atmosphere build up inside. The hill I’m prepared to die on is that if you risk trying to get to the ground not knowing ticket or queue situation 5-15mins before KO you are asking for trouble. I’d have this opinion regardless of checks (Remember the Leeds fiasco 3yrs ago?) Speaking to a Man Utd fan who was in the away end at Anfield today via a Man Utd mate I watched game with together I asked what their situation is… In short no loyalty points at all. Out of their allocation (3K average these days?) they get 2300 for fans to enter a ballot. He reckons around 10k fans regularly enter the ballot. They sometimes get asked to collect the ticket from Old Trafford in advance and sometimes at the away ground randomly both needing ID. So still regularly abused as no jeopardy in losing your loyalty points as there are none.

No it was to get an idea of your away day experience. Remember you accused me of being an out of touch away fan yet I’ve been the one going away fairly regularly since he was appointed in 2019 so you’ll have to admit a certain irony and contradiction of your misplaced accusation as I’m clearly in touch of the away experience in the recent 6 years as well as around 25 years previously. It also highlights you would benefit from zero security checks in your current position. I hazard a guess you got your Rangers away ticket from a friend? Not questioning your status as a fan as clearly your love is deep and longstanding. I just feel you’ve made a big issue as have others in similar positions out of something that really isn’t that big issue. The fact I don’t gain from it also highlights my viewpoint is not a selfish one but that of one who’s trying to see the bigger picture of the away fanbase old and new and those coming around the corner soon. Which I feel makes me very much in touch with what it’s like wanting to be an away fan not just being one.

Yeah always was going to be tough as no upsets this year. As tough as it gets. I’m just loving we are competing as a club again. Great to be in another semi. Winning anything will never be guaranteed the stronger the league gets. A narrow win wouldn’t guarantee anything even. Draw would be great even. Just wouldn’t fancy us more than a goal down 2nd leg though unless Arsenal don’t go full strength for any reason.

If they want peace of mind yes. If they want to chance it and go 30mins then that’s up to them and most likely still get in and if not have time for collection still. Like you said 8000 got in no problem. The margin of risk is up to the individual and each to their own. I’ve never said it was a good idea. However sadly in the fanbase over the years some spoil it for the majority and abuse their loyalty point situation leaving others locked out so something had to change with demand at an all time high and newer younger fans missing out and this is the first thing they’ve trialled. I know lots of people who go to away games and don’t have a problem with it. I’ve also seen some friends able to build up their own points because of it. I’m probably one of the people who actually suffer from it as I can’t easily build up points if I wanted to (I always had takers if I needed them). I now choose to go more or if not it goes unused now. It simply can’t be argued that these checks have forced the lower points required which highlights the people who are applying for tickets now are the ones genuinely wanting to go on their own ticket bar 2 exemptions a season. Which is what its intention was and it’s worked. So because of that its pros far outweigh the cons. How many loyalty points have you amassed over the years now out of interest?

The entire away end wouldn’t rock up on an hour. Like you said some would enter earlier some later. However where we aren’t going to agree is thinking it’s not on you if you rock up 5-15mins before KO and expect to see the whistle blown to start the game. Anything could happen. A turnstile could fail causing bigger delays. Like I say this is how it is. Choose whatever time suites what’s important to you. End of story. Mine has always been KO over one more drink. I know people who think differently who I go to match with and I just leave them in the pub etc. I remember going to Benfica for example and I wanted to see the Eusebio statue and the Eagle 🦅 fly around the ground pre-match. My other friends weren’t interested and preferred to drink more Super Bock. I don’t quite understand why but I accept it. I want to make sure I’m in and found my spot etc. Out of interest when was your last away game and your routine?

Depends where the location of the club is and how successful it is. London clubs can rely on that market easier as it’s a big tourist destination. Don’t however get the feeling theirs a big queue for Millwall We could have a decent tourist contingent. Especially as the Saudis will fly more flights to our airport as they slowly turn our coastline into a Eco powered bulkhead and transport hub as they slowly move away from relying on oil profits.

We’ll have to agree to disagree then. If you can’t get to the ground for 7pm having weeks to plan I’m not sure what I can say. They’d get there if the KO was 7:30pm…

Longstaff has already had his contract automatically extended. Yes I’d say so regarding those two. One of the GKs possibly.

Man Utd do it. They don’t even have loyalty points. It’s a ballot for 2300 tickets with random ones being selected for ID checks. So no real punishment (no points at risk) other than non admission. Most clubs won’t do it because the demand doesn’t require it.

Surely turning up at the ground 5mins before KO you leave yourself open to missing the start of a game and in turn have some fault on yourself. Got no skin in the game. Wouldn’t lose any sleep in it reverting back to a free for all. Have helped friends out on the odd occasion which has made me happy. I no longer can. However the excuses made for people whose priorities are time in the pub over making sure they see the KO I’m tired of reading. Same people who whinged about the bubble buses to Sunderland.

That was then. This is now. I was on similar buses and car and train trips. Looking at my points over 230 trips. So please don’t label me an out of touch fan. I’d never leave it later than getting to the ground 45mins ideally. Expecting 20mins of queues. The rules have changed. This has been made clear. Change your behaviour or take your chances that you might get flagged an odd game. It really is that simple. It’s no different to setting off earlier for a 200 mile journey as oppose to a 150 mile journey. You wouldn’t leave the same time for both journeys. You’d allow extra time. I’ll be able to feedback how the ticket reprint experience was. I feel a lot of these social media posts are just to inflame a return to the old system so people can benefit again without having any points. I saw the ones regarding the Man City cup game last season and the people complaining I saw in the queue and had ample time to sort. Don’t believe everything you read on X.

How do you miss a large chunk of the game? An away game you should be aiming to be in ground 45-1hr before the game. Sounds like they’ve cut it fine to get in and paid the price knowing they may or may not need to get a reprint. People just seem to refuse to accept they need to change their routine. No issue with a 90min heads up but no excuses from there on for non-attendance. I’ve got to get my Arsenal ticket from the ticket office at the Emirates this Tuesday so I’ll report back my experience.

This. I’m on the side of no penalty. Just highlights how hard it is for modern day referees and the intense scrutiny they face.

The issues I’ve heard trotted out surely now covered with the 2 match exchange per season they’ve introduced recently.

Whats ultimately disgraceful about them? If ultimately it leads to those who’ve bought them are those that go and stops touting.

Not dissing NUSC but they do have a habit of taking credit for and making noise about very little on occasions. It was LNER who put on the extra train and NUSC secured the grand total of zero tickets for its “paying” members. They also booked a boat trip pre Brentford which left a mad dash to make it for KO with their supporting advice being “get a taxi”. Their European endeavours have been good especially Dortmund. NUST i feel has been very good this last 12 months with daily and informative updates via their WhatsApp group. A massive improvement when before it was it seemed an extension of True Faith with the makeup of it board then. Costing me literally nothing (£10 for lifetime membership which I’ve had several years now. Some of the comments about them are sadly very ignorant. Especially the they should do this or that when it seems no time has been taken to find out if they have already or the effort to become a member and request them to as they are after all a conduit to our needs only. Not some professional governing body despite having to be legally formed and ran correctly.