My wife and I will be visiting London from Portland, Oregon in late February. Arsenal is playing Charlton Feb. 28 and I want to go. I've never been to a football match outside of the states and I wouldn't think of leaving Britain without experiencing some first class footie. Where is a good place to get seats? Are there certain supporter sections? Where do you sit-stand-chant when you attend Arsenal matches. My wife doesn't particularly like football, but she enjoys going to Portland Timber (A-League) matches with me because I hang out in the "Shed", the name of the section of the unofficial supporters group. It's the only place in the stadium where fans standing, chanting, drum, and wave flags. I'd also like to hang out at a pub before the match. Where do you go? I've never been to London (or Europe for that matter). I'm looking forward to my visit. Maybe I'll have a chance to meet some of you. Thanks. Eric Berg
Well, you are correct in your choice of first-class footie, my man. The Home of Football is the place to go. Unfortunately, its a tough ticket to get, and even tougher to sit in a preferred section (you would be looking for North Bank tickets based on your description, although the Clock End would work too). There are some Gooners on these boards who have been known to take a Yank to a match but I'm not sure about whether you would be able to take your wife too. Good luck!
Warning! Beware the Charlton match! On my sole visit to THOF, the Charlton match of two years ago, I arrived at the stadium an hour or so early. After trying to buy tickets through a broker, I got fed up and decided to do it the old fashioned way. Sure enough, there were plenty of scalpers. As soon as they got the hint I was looking for tickets, I had a crowd of them shoving each other to get in my face. What I got were so-so seats toward the back of the lower stands. Didn't matter. Just being there was amazing...if I could ever forget the result. Richard Wright was in goal. Just before half time he let two identical free kicks float past him. Before the day was over, he had conceded four. Arsenal attacked with flair, but by that point Charlton were standing behind the ball waiting for the final whistle to blow. And thus, my THOF experience ended in a grizzly 4-2 defeat. Beware the Addicks... In all seriousness, you'll have a great time. I have no idea if buying tickets outside the stadium is even legal but it worked for me. I can't remember what I paid. More than face value, but far less than what the brokers wanted.
A fun place to hang out before the match is the Gunner's Pub. It's about a block or so east of the grounds. I'm sure others here can give you an exact address and I think they even have their own website. Lots of singing before and after the match and generally a great atmosphere.
Well said regarding the Gunners, Yossarian. Excellent pub. It's on the Corner of Blackstock Road and I can't remember the side street but it's across from the Woodbine too which is more of a local than a Gooner pub but a good stop too....
I will get you two tickets for that game and take you to a pub or three for a few good beers before and after the game. Send me a private e mail with your itinery.
i might to be heading across the Pond to watch Arsenal. I should find out in a week if I'm going. My school has a thing called May Term and I applied for a travel class to England. The class is about the Beatles. London, Liverpool, Dublin, and then London again. I will be in London on May 15th, the last game of the year and would love to get tickets to it somehow. Even if i can't get them I'm going to go to THOF to see it and take some pics and maybe hangout around the place during the game, pubs and stuff.
We are at home to Birmingham City on 1st May. Try to aim being here for that fixture. Should be able to help out with tickets for that one.
Re: Re: Yank visting London. Will attend match. Needs advice. No. He's the Official Arsenal Pimp. Duh... Seriously, Jeff, you're my hero.
Sorry about the confusion, Jeff. What I meant to say is "I'm taking Jeff up on his offer to show us Yanks a pub or two and get us tickets for Feb. 28. Maybe I'll meet some other Big Soccer subscribers while I'm in London." Eric Berg
Eric & Jeff, I also will be there for the Charlton fixture on February 28. I gotta meet you guys for a few pints before and after!
Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL. If you stay on campus its the same class everyday for three hours a day for three weeks. There are a lot of travel classes. There is a Bio one to the Great Barrier Reef, history to China, England, and other parts of Europe. A business one to China and one to Bermuda and New York.
We had that at my school, but during January. Thus Jan. Term. My junior year we went to England for the month to study British Mass Media. We had fun looking at Pg. 3 girls in class. And we got to meet with Tony Banks (although I don't really know why). That's when I saw my first live Arsenal game back in the January of 98' beating Leeds 2-1 on two Overmars goals at Highbury.
i love the May Term, J Term thing. Although I like it better in May because its warmer out and I will have already graduated if I go on this trip. May Term at IWU is affectionatly called Play term.
I've been hanging around these boards for a while, and that Jeff Lancaster deserves a medal. Always willing - and able, what's more - to sort North Americans out with a ticket and the rest. Remember that Charlton game. It was intensely annoying. They scored every time they went forward. Every *#*#*#*#*#ing time. Still, we won the league despite the Charlton game that year. I'd settle for that again. Tony Banks? Poor thing.