# Premiership fans, tell me about attending a game **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464 "2006-08-12T16:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/1 "2006-08-12T16:49:43Z")
My girlfriend and I will be in London for a few days next month, and one of the things we’re looking to do will be to is to try going to a Premier League game, although we don’t know a ton about the teams. It looks like there three games in London during the time we’re there: Charlton Athletic v. Arsenal Chelsea v. Aston Villa Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth We’ve already kind of ruled out the Chelsea game, as tickets are a) going to be too expensive b) probably too hard to get. I have some of the same concerns about the Tottenham Hotspur game, as well as the fact that it doesn’t look to be a great matchup. The Charlton Athletic might be more promising, but this is a team I’ve literally never heard of. Tickets look cheaper (About 20 pounds), but I don’t know anything about the area the stadium is in. If it’s a rat infested hell hole in an area where we’re likely to get mugged, well, that’s something I’d rather skip. Another question is whether since they’re hosting Arsenal, are the tickets going to be impossible to get because it’s an inter-city matchup? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/2 "2006-08-12T17:34:11Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] If it’s a rat infested hell hole in an area where we’re likely to get mugged, well, that’s something I’d rather skip. [/QUOTE] The Valley was refurbished in the early 90’s so it’s no hell-hole, but I’ll let a Londoner chime in on it’s location. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/3 "2006-08-12T17:35:58Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] Another question is whether since they’re hosting Arsenal, are the tickets going to be impossible to get because it’s an inter-city matchup? [/QUOTE] Blah, coffee, then post. I meant an in-city matchup, as in two teams from London. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/4 "2006-08-12T17:43:53Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] Blah, coffee, then post. I meant an in-city matchup, as in two teams from London. [/QUOTE] Not in this case; Arsenal and Charlton don’t have a particular rivalry. Arsenal and Tottenham, however, would be a big match, as would Arsenal and Chelsea (but then they’re both big teams anyway). I haven’t been to any of those grounds, so I can’t speak as to their quality. Everything else… Well, as you say, the Chelsea match will be expensive. The Tottenham match has no top-level teams. The Arsenal match is the one i’d see… Depending on how it goes, it could be either a boring match or a fantastic one as the Gunners throroughly thrash Charlton. I am an Arsenal fan, though, so I admit I may be _slightly_ biased. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![footloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@footloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footloose)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/5 "2006-08-12T18:20:25Z")
Here’s a really dumb question: How, exactly, do you go about getting tickets? I keep reading that one of the results of the Taylor report is that only club members can get tickets. Fine for those that live there and want to sit in the home or away stands, but what about tourists who are neutral and want to see a game? Do you just walk up for “rush tickets” at the box office? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/6 "2006-08-12T23:34:55Z")
[QUOTE=footloose] Here’s a really dumb question: How, exactly, do you go about getting tickets? I keep reading that one of the results of the Taylor report is that only club members can get tickets. Fine for those that live there and want to sit in the home or away stands, but what about tourists who are neutral and want to see a game? Do you just walk up for “rush tickets” at the box office? [/QUOTE] You can get tickets for most games, phone the club and ask. I’m not entirely clear how far the Taylor recommendations were implemented., but I suspect that club membership is a factor only in the allocation of tickets to away supporters. The OP I reckon has a pretty good chance of getting a pair of tickets for the Charlton-Arse game. They are not yet on sale through the club, but this link: [http://tickets.cafc.co.uk/ticketSelect.ink](http://tickets.cafc.co.uk/ticketSelect.ink) will help out. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/7 "2006-08-12T23:47:45Z")
**Struan** ’s link is the correct one - as it shows, the Arsenal game isn’t on sale yet. The match against Man Utd is still restricted to members, and I suspect a derby against Arsenal will be equally-popular. Keep revisiting that page daily, and also [http://tickets.cafc.co.uk/main\_tickets.ink](http://tickets.cafc.co.uk/main_tickets.ink) for updates of when tickets will be available. And hey, who says you have to go to a Premiership game? There’s another half-dozen teams to choose from in London, y’know 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/8 "2006-08-12T23:55:25Z")
Oh, and while Charlton is hardly the centre of the universe, I’d say the fans are the most welcoming of all the south-of-the-river teams. (Faint praise, me? 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/9 "2006-08-13T00:18:04Z")
I was hesitant to recommend anything about travel to the ground 'cos I’ve never really been south of the river. Would hate for a visitor to blunder into a “Warriors” type scenario! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/10 "2006-08-13T01:02:06Z")
A quick search on [www.nationalrail.co.uk](http://www.nationalrail.co.uk) says that on Saturdays, the trains to Charlton (surprise surprise!) run every half-hour from Cannon Street. On a match day I’d not wait for the latest train, but get there earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/11 "2006-08-13T03:45:01Z")
It looks like I missed another one on the list of games, West Ham United vs Reading. That’s about equal in cost and distance to the Spurs game. It’s looking like the Charlton game is the best option though. **GorillaMan** , I looked at the lower tier schedules since you mentioned them, but I figure since I’m going to be all that way, I’d rather see as high up a level as I could. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/12 "2006-08-13T10:57:18Z")
West Ham is a good second option, much less likely to be difficult getting tickets than for Charlton. But come on, how can you not be tempted by Brentford vs Yeovil? ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/premiership-fans-tell-me-about-attending-a-game/368464/13 "2006-08-13T11:32:41Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] But come on, how can you not be tempted by Brentford vs Yeovil? [/QUOTE] . . . then, you’d be able to have a pre-match drink in the excellent Crown & Magpie on Brentford High Street.