[GWGunner]

I'd like some tips from you guys on what to do to maximize my family's gameday experience when we are in London in a couple of weeks.

The five of us (myself, wife, 17 y/o niece, and 2 boys - ages 9 & 7) were lucky enough to get tickets to the season opener vs. Fulham on Aug 12.

I'm looking for specific advice on what you recommend doing on gameday.

We're staying in Kensington at the Holiday Inn. I figure we'll take the Tube down to the Arsenal station and walk to the stadium. Obviously, we'll have to meet up with Rick, I assume at Gunners Pub?

How early do fans start gathering in the pubs, etc. before a 12:00 game? Should we get inside the stadium real early so we can see the players warm up? How much time should we allow for crowds on the Tube & on the streets surrounding the stadium?

We're also meeting up with one of my mates from our soccer club here in Florida. Ironically, he's in London the same time and his brother lives in London and is an Arsenal season ticket holder. (My mate was a schoolboy with the Gunners in the 70's.)

Last time I was there, we hit the Gunners Pub for a few pints before the game. Is it ok to have the kids with me in there for a short while?

How would you plan your day???

Cheers...
GW

[Skizz]

I wake up, have a beer.

Get on the train, have a beer.

Get on the tube, have a beer.

Get to the Tavern, have several beers.

Get in the ground - no beer as its too expensive but I do text that number to get a free beer, don't always win though.

Get back to the Tavern, have several beers.

Go home, sleep.

All this is quite irrelevant but there's not really much you can do apart from the matchday ritual. You might want to get in the ground and watch the boys warm up, but you have to get some beers in before the match and mingle with the other Arse fans. I'd say people get to the pubs a couple of hours before the match.

[Bluto11]

i noticed that the crowd arriving to the matches I went to arrived a little later then the normal time we Americans do at sporting events. it might have something to do with not being able to drink beer in your seat.

anyways, if you've never been I would suggest getting to the ground like 20-30 minutes before kickoff instead of 5, just to have a look around. oh, and don't pass up the pub or hanging around in one. good atmosphere.

[KevTheGooner]

Rick will be sure to remind you that the tube lines are notoriously unreliable on weekends due to construction. You really can't leave early enough. Honestly, I'd leave at 8 or 8:30, get up there at 9-9:30, have a fry-up in the restaurant on 7 Sisters Road across from Finsbury Park tube/rail station (esp. since Rick is likely to be in the area, although maybe not that early), then head down the Arsenal Tavern on Blackstock Road for beers and meet-ups with the various travelling Gooners.

I've never yet been in early enough to see the warm ups. Drinking with old and new friends from around the world is much more fun! And I've always seen kids in the Arsenal Tavern. Especially once they open up the back there's plenty of room (i.e. the kids won't be getting squished, beer spilled on them, etc.).

[Bluto11]

getting there really early and getting some grub is a good idea.

[GWGunner]

Yeah, I figured I can't get there early enough.

Beer, beer, and more beer. Hope the kids can carry the old man home!

Rick's trying to get us into the family section...I've been trying to figure out which block this is in, to no avail. Anyone?

Thanks for the input so far......

Cheers,
GW

[Rick B]

Originally Posted by GWGunner

Yeah, I figured I can't get there early enough.

Beer, beer, and more beer. Hope the kids can carry the old man home!

Rick's trying to get us into the family section...I've been trying to figure out which block this is in, to no avail. Anyone?

Thanks for the input so far......

Cheers,
GW

Don't worry - I failed................ Quite annoying really, but there we go!!!!

Anyway you will get my PM soon re meet up time etc etc

[ArsenalTexan3]

Wake up around 9am.

10am: go and check email.

By 11am(depending on the location and direction where you are coming from); Get on the tube to the Arsenal stop. Once I get there walk out and survey the area. If some of the stalls are opened, I'll go and see what merch they have or go to one opf the shops. On this last trip(Emirates Cup) I ended up picking up to differents match pics(Bergkamp and RVP/£5 each), a signed picture of Tony Adams(£10), a Mad Jens shirt, and the 2002/04 pepsi cola away top(for only £15) from the vendors on the street. Also bought a few match programs to send back to a few folk I know. Head to the Tavern(or whatever pub is the meet up point). Plenty of places to get some quick food in before drinking. Get to the pub, drink, and have a good time.

2:15ish: Head to the stadium to take some pics(if it is your first time why not) and find the enterance. Take some mroe pics inside.

3pm: Go mental for Arsenal

Post match: Pub/get something to eat/hang out some more.

[KirbyNYC]

I think I might already know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyways. BTW, apologies GW for semi-thread jacking, but in concerns my "perfect match day experience" involving pictures. AND LOTS OF THEM.

Am I right to assume that larger, SLR-type cameras are not allowed in the stadium? Not a professional photographer (perhaps even amateur for that matter), but I do tend to take massive amounts of pictures when I travel. And being that the Emirates is a classic subject, I plan on taking images of the grounds, the fans, everything. I have a rather "bulkier" digital Nikon, but if its not allowed inside, might have to bring the compact.

[DallasGooner]

Originally Posted by KirbyNYC

Am I right to assume that larger, SLR-type cameras are not allowed in the stadium? Not a professional photographer (perhaps even amateur for that matter), but I do tend to take massive amounts of pictures when I travel. And being that the Emirates is a classic subject, I plan on taking images of the grounds, the fans, everything. I have a rather "bulkier" digital Nikon, but if its not allowed inside, might have to bring the compact.

I have a Nikon D80 that I took with the kit 18-135 lens and the lady at the gate seemed to be debating about and I said I was not going to take pictures inside and she said "yes you are, just be careful about it" so it depends on who is at the gate. None of the stewards said anything to me about it. So you can risk it if you want.