Well the draw is out, how about: Sat 4 Birmingham City H 15:00 Tue 7 Rosenborg H 19:45 and if anyone can stick around and really lucky/rich: Sun 12 Chelsea H 16:05 (I know the club can't get us tickets to this game but hey, we can ask right? ) Andrew, you going to be contacting Jill about this?
That Dec 4th match may end up being an FA cup match instead according to the fixture list. Something to look at in planning.
Are you sure? I thought the third round didn't start until January? Otherwise, that'd be a great few days. I'd love to stay for Chelski, but I can't imagine there'd be too many seats left for that one.
Don't think that can be right. Dec 4th is the FA Cup Second Round. Premiership and Championship teams won't come into the FA Cup until the Third Round, which is to take place on January 8th. FA Cup Round Dates FA Cup Exemptions
I was going off the schedule I have posted on my wall at work. I checked Arsenal.com and the fixture list has already changed. Jan 8th is the 3rd round of the FA cup. Sorry for the confussion. I seem to be doing that alot lately. I need to update my stuff.
Something else to keep in mind. Monday, Dec 6 Reserves v. Spurs, listed as a home game! Chance to see Frankie and Danny play perhaps. Maybe they'd even let us bring the banner for that one! Also of note, a quick check on (client alert, client alert) Orbitz.com showed that Newark, NJ to London, leaving on Dec. 3 returning on Dec 8 was US$373, can't beat that!
I'll be talking with the club tomorrow about these games. We basically have three options. Oct. 30 Southampton Nov. 2 Pathaniakos Nov. 6 Palace (Away) Dec. 4 Birmingham City Dec. 7 Rosenborg Dec. 12 Chelsea (NOT) (I've already been warned away from Chelsea this year so really it's just the first two) Dec 26 Fulham Dec 29 Newcastle United (away) Jan 1 Charlton Athletic (away, London) Jan 4 Manchester City Assuming a redeye and an extra day after the game, you have 5 nights in a hotel, 5 nights in a hotel, or 11 days. Needless to say, 11 is a bit of an effort. The only problem with early December is that it rules out those members who are students. Many of them have exams and are out of money around this time. It also puts a number of our folks over there desparately close to the Chelsea game and I'm sure many will be sad they couldn't make it. I'll see what we find out tomorrow from the club and report back.
For me I did some pricing and December is cheaper deals. Plus I liked being in London near Christmas last year, so thats my vote if the club gives us that as a date.
Just to add that with this option, if you guys stay a couple more nights either side you could have either round 3 (definatly in it) or round 4 (id like to think so!!) of the Carling Cup. They are much more likely to feature the American players so might be worth considering....... Anyway hope you all do make it over here and look forward to meeting some of you.
London around Christmastime last year was very nice. I took in a Christmas concert at Albert Hall on an off night. My recollection is that hotel rates at the beginning of december were fairly low when we were there, but went up if you got closer to Christmas.
I'll second ZonaGunner. It's been nice the last 2 years around Christmas. Early December is ideal financially, although it is hard on the student folk. I would like to bring my 12yo brother in-law this year if I can arrange it.
Option 3 would cause a potential divorce in the Winkler household - something about holidays being a family occasion - so if that's the choice then I won't even ask. One or two would probably work, although 2 might be the least expensive with airfares and hotels.
I can't wait. Any of the above sound great!! We may already be in Europe for Thanksgiving anyway. (Thanksgiving is November 25 this year)
What about just the last half of option 3: Charlton away and ManCity? True, they're not the sexiest games, but it's a home match and an away match, both in London, and only four days. Is anyone else playing in London on the 2nd or 3rd? AND...we'd get to see our FAVORITE ex-Gunners, Jeffers and Anelka.
The options look great, the only drawback regarding option number 2 is that the match against Rosenborg may not matter given that it is the final matchday and the strength of our opponents in group E. Having said that, we all know what happened last year with the trip...namely that we saw the matchday six game versus Lokomotiv which we had to win to ensure passage to the knockout stages.
Sounds great. When do we leave? LOL. Anyone have an estimate of the total trip, so I can scare my wife with it? When is the deadline for telling ArsenalAmerica if we are going or not?
I hope you can all get over, it was great last year in TBirds, especially when Frank and Danny turned up to sign your flag and ours (gone missing since the last game of season). Hopefully this time the yanks can stay drinking as long as the Canadians!! As for the Chelsea game, maybe you'll find it hard to get tickets but just to watch the game around Highbury that day will be almost as good as being there. Altogether now (to the tune of Lord of the Dance) Carefree wherever you may be Chelsea ain't got no history Lampard's fat, the rest are queer And they ain't won the league in 49 years
Catfish, I spoke to Andrew yesterday, and he'll be calling Jill Smith at Arsenal today. I'm sure that once he speaks to her he'll have a pretty good picture of what's possible and what's not. Once that's done, we can all figure out what our travel plans are and what we need to put aside for our personal "Highbury Funds."